"Blasted girl," James muttered, stripping his jumper over his head and shoving his trousers down like they'd offended him. "She picks a fight with me, and somehow I still have to apologize, is that it? I'm not bloody apologizing. I'm not."

He gave a firm nod, approving his own plan, then kicked his clothes to the side and stepped into the shower. He continued arguing with Lily in his head while he scrubbed himself clean. It was only when he noticed the skin on his chest turning red from his vigorous scrubbing that he stopped and took a deep breath, trying to channel some inner peace.

Think about something else, he commanded himself. He turned the water as cold as he could stand it and closed his eyes.

It didn't work. Now he could only picture Lily in the shower with him, dripping wet with that look in her eyes, right before she climbed him, literally and then metaphorically as they peaked together in that way that left him off balance and gasping for air.

He yanked at the shower knobs with rather more force than necessary, then smacked both palms against the tile wall. Grumbling to himself, he stalked out of the bathroom and began toweling his hair angrily. Just as he resolved to have a wank and try to sleep, he heard Lily's giggle in the Heads' shared common room. He rushed to tie his towel around his waist before storming to his bedroom door and throwing it open.

"Evans, I know you're still mad at me, so let's either fight or fuck and get on—shite!"

James jumped backwards. His towel caught on the door handle, and he accidentally pulled the door shut behind him.

But he really, really wished he hadn't. Because sitting in the Heads' common room with Lily were Mary, Dorcas, and Marlene, their eyes wide and their mouths open in perfect O's that would have made James laugh were it not so bloody mortifying.

Marlene gasped. "James Henry Potter!"

"Dammit, Marls!" James yelled, gripping his towel more tightly with one hand and fumbling behind him for the doorknob with the other. "Stop looking, all of you!"

The Exploding Snap cards Dorcas had been shuffling slipped from her fingers, several of them popping and releasing little puffs of smoke as they hit the floor. She slapped a hand over her mouth.

James backed into his room and kicked his door shut. The sound echoed through the sitting room, and the girls stared at each other in silence for a moment.

Abruptly, Lily stood up. "I'm sorry, girls, I'll need a raincheck on our card game."

Mary let out a whoop. "All right, Lil!"

"I never would've thought you were the girl who would ditch her mates for a lad," Marlene teased as Lily headed towards James' bedroom. "Thought you were so angry, couldn't wait to give him a good telling off?"

"I was—I am," Lily said, pausing outside the door, her cheeks flushed. "But—"

"But did you see him in that towel?" Dorcas interrupted, her eyes twinkling. The girls burst into giggles.

Lily raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Right?" She shot a wink over her shoulder at her friends as she slipped into her boyfriend's room.

...

AN: A one-shot for Lily's birthday! Was going to be part of something longer, but now it isn't. Longer stories coming soon, hopefully! In the meantime, hope you enjoy this!