Severus and Lily are JKR's beautiful creations. This is my AU spin on them.

Summary— One lovely summer brings about some steamy changes in Severus and Lily's relationship. Everything flows rather smoothly over break but how will they be received upon their return to Hogwarts? Marauder era, AU, rated M for some extra steamy scenes.

Some background info: This takes place the summer after 5th year. Lily did not witness the levicorpus incident after OWLs and so Severus called her no name. Their friendship grew stronger after some objective recounting of the event.

I'd love to give a shout-out to my lovely beta and BFF iphooqui! If you're a Twilight fan, check her out!

Severus and Lily walked through the back door of her house. Lily was chatting mindlessly about her best girlfriends, Alice Fortescue and Mary Macdonald, while Severus listened intently. Lily went straight to the refrigerator and opened it.

"I'm starved. I've been waking up so early lately. I'm never in the mood to eat very early in the morning so come like 11 o'clock I'm just completely famished. Do you want something?"

"No, thank you," Severus replied.

She ignored him and started making them each a sandwich. She knew he had to be hungry. His mother didn't quite keep the refrigerator properly stocked to feed a growing teenage boy.

"Anyway, I've really started to enjoy watching the sun come up," she started, "maybe it's a bit lame but I like to leave my curtains open and just lie in the bed and watch. Is that strange? Alice and Mary don't get it."

"I don't think so," Severus said sitting on a bar stool, accepting his sandwich and taking a bite. Lily sat on the countertop and started on some chips. She was about to start talking again when an owl flew through the kitchen window with a bouquet of flowers clenched in its talons.

"Oh!" Lily said jumping down, a few bits of chip sprinkling the floor as she did.

"Oh look Severus, Hilbert Tivorly sent me flowers," she said examining the card that was attached.

Severus choked a bit on some bread and scoffed.

"Don't be mean, Sev! It's sweet."

"Oh of course, Lily. I mean what could possibly be sweeter or more creative than beautiful lilies for a beautiful girl called Lily? How brilliant. How thoughtful," he said sarcastically.

Lily blushed, "should I even tell you that that is exactly what the card says?"

"You're kidding."

"I'm not, lilies for Lily, no lie," she laughed. Severus shook his head. "You think he fancies me then?" she asked putting the flowers in water and adding a drop of sustaining draught to help them live longer.

Severus hesitated. "Well— well I think that is an acceptable conclusion to come to considering…" he answered nodding toward the flowers. There was a pause. "Why? …Do you fancy him?"

"Ha. Oh no. No, no Severus," she said with a smile and returned to her chips. "He's just a nice guy— maybe not too original but he's nice." Severus nodded and began to examine his shoes. Lily looked at the way his hair fell in front of his face. The top part of his pale ear was exposed and she thought he looked handsome. His brooding demeanor and dark clothing gave off this attractive mysterious vibe. She absently wondered if any girls currently fancied him.

"Let's go back to the creek, Sev. Petunia and my parents should be coming home soon." "Alright."

"Oh and I saw you eyeing this. You can have it, I'm sure you can figure out how to improve upon it, potions master," Lily said tossing Severus the vile of sustaining draught with a wink.

Lily and Severus stayed out well after dark. They had chatted by the creek for a couple of hours before catching a bus into town and going to a movie. After that they drifted to the park, read books and just enjoyed each other's presence. They doubled back to the creek on the way back home to grab the blanket Lily had left there. Severus dipped off into some bushes and came out with some vines while she balled up the blanket.

"What's that, Sev?" He gave an uncharacteristic grin, which made Lily smile. "Severus, what are you up to!" Lily more shouted at him than asked.

"I—" Severus was cut off by a loud crash of thunder. Heavy rain began to fall seconds later. They stood there for a moment— shocked and wondering what to do. Finally Lily looked up at sky, opened her arms wide and laughed. She spun in a few circles. Severus watched her, admiring her free spirit… and the way her wet, dark red hair clung to her milky chest. A strike of lightening lit up the sky, breaking Lily out of her reverie.

"Let's run!" Lily said grabbing Severus's hand, a spark of adventure in her eyes. The two took off running for Lily's house, hand and hand. They stopped outside her bedroom window, soaked to the bone, cold, laughing and attempting to catch their breath.

Lily pushed open her window and climbed inside.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Severus asked. "Are you crazy Sev? You can't go home right now. The storm is picking up. Your house is too far. Come inside."

"I'm— I'm soaking wet, Lily."

"Oh please Sev, so am I! I'll steal some of my dad's gym clothes for you to wear. Trust me— he will not notice those are gone," she laughed. Severus climbed inside but hovered near the window, willing himself not to look at Lily. He was remarkably skilled at controlling both his emotions and actions but this was asking too much— he was a teenage boy after all. He dared a glance across the room. Lily was ringing out her hair into the trashcan. He loved the way it naturally formed loose curls. He looked at the way her wet clothes clung to her curvy body. Her nipples were hard beneath her thin tank top and white bra. Water trickled down the front of her thighs. He was silently thankful that he was ridiculously cold at that moment and that his body was more focused on regulating his body temperature than the lustful thoughts running through his mind. He could barely force himself to look away from her. Luckily she tossed a towel over his head and he was able to snap out of it a bit. "I'll go grab us some dry clothes."

Lily was back moments later handing Severus a dark green T-shirt and grey sweatpants.

"Green's your favorite color right?"

"Yes," he replied taking the clothes.

"I never did understand that, Sev. I never see you wear it. Well I guess unless I count the little bit on your school robes. Is that why it's your favorite? Showing some Slytherin spirit?"

Severus looked into her eyes, "No."

Lily shook her head. "Hmph. Anyway, you can just change out here," she added before walking into her bathroom. Severus waited until she closed the door to take the vine he found and set it up just outside her window with a drop or two of the sustaining draught. The plant was invisible in the darkness.

Lily emerged from the bathroom just as Severus finished pulling the dry shirt over his head. As he did this Lily caught a glimpse of the bottom of his pale stomach and the dark straight hairs under his navel that disappeared into the sweatpants hanging low on his hips. "Oh sorry, Sev" Lily said with a slight blush. "I figured you'd be dressed by now!"

"Well…I am," he said giving his hair a little shake.

"Well yes, I guess you are," she said feeling awkward. Lily thought it was a little strange that in all the years she'd known Severus, and with as much time as they spent by the water in the summer, she'd never seen him shirtless. She assumed he didn't like swimming or was worried about getting sunburned or something— or maybe he was just modest. Whatever the reason, she didn't let the thought linger.

They both ended up sitting on Lily's bed, chatting casually, backs against the headboard. After a while conversation got sparse. "I'm getting sleepy," Lily yawned. She decided to lie down. It was silent for a while but Lily's mind was racing. All she could really think about was being near Severus— nearer than she already was. Gathering up a bit of her Gryffindor courage, she lifted her head and put in his lap. "You can stay here tonight if you want, Severus." He didn't respond. It wasn't that she said he could stay— they'd had many sleepovers before but something just felt different to him. He wondered what Lily was thinking.

After a few minutes Lily's body went limp and her breathing got deeper. "Lily?" Severus said softly. When she gave no response, he very carefully reached for the blanket behind her and pulled it over her body. He hesitated one moment before gently gathering all the hair that was sprawled across her face and putting it behind her, exposing her neck. He wasn't feeling sleepy. He had a lot on his mind. He was so in love with her. It had been that way for years now but it had eventually just sort of become something he carried around day to day without thinking much about it. Lily had never given any sign that she could see them as more than friends. In fact, she had dated a few other guys. Severus had pretty much come to terms with the idea that his love for Lily would not be returned and just wondered if (maybe even hoped) someone else would come around to take his mind off Lily and stop the persistent ache of unrequited love. Severus had felt that way until today. He didn't want to get his hopes up but something had definitely felt different about today, different in a good, scary and new way.

Severus watched Lily sleep for a while before he finally dozed off. He was awoken a few hours later when Lily suddenly snatched the blankets away from him. She had rolled herself off of his lap long ago and drifted into a very active, very deep sleep. Severus was humored. It was 4am, the sun would be waking her soon. He decided to go back to his house and come back to visit her later or tomorrow. He didn't want her to get tired of being around him. He carefully got out of the bed and walked to Lily's desk. He took a sheet of parchment, folded it in half like a card and wrote a note inside. He placed the homemade card on the windowsill next to the vine and left.

Thanks for reading. More chapters soon!