"Azkaban Bait" by Redcandle17
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Harry Potter series belong to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.
Katie Bell was trying to get him sent to Azkaban. Marcus was pleased with himself for finally figuring out her nefarious plot. He'd spent a lot of time thinking about why a Fourth Year Gryffindor chaser was staring at him all the time and had kissed him once, time that would probably have been better spent studying and ensuring he didn't spent a ninth year at Hogwarts.
Katie was fourteen years old. If Marcus was caught with a fourteen year old, McGonagall would make sure he was sent to prison. If he was in Azkaban, Slytherin's chances of retaining the Quidditch Cup would dramatically decrease while Gryffindor's improved. The Gryffindors were desperate to win. Katie was a Gryffindor. It was that simple.
Marcus lingered outside her Herbology class the day after his big realization. He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a stand of shrubbery, ignoring the shocked looks and scandalized murmurs of her classmates.
"I know what you're up to," he told her.
Katie tried to wrench her arm away, but gave up when Marcus's hold remained firm. "Oliver won't be happy about this," she said.
"Well, of course, he won't. It must have taken him his entire year's allotment of non-Quidditch-related thoughts to come up with this scheme." Marcus yanked her closer so he could stick his face near hers and glower menacingly. "I'm on to you. Don't bother trying anymore. Leave me alone."
Katie didn't look the least bit scared. In fact, she appeared amused. "Flint, I know you're a little slow, but it's downright insane to drag me into a secluded spot and tell me to leave you alone."
"I won't snog you again. And I certainly won't do anything that can land me in Azkaban, so just stay away from me."
"Oh." Katie looked eager and excited now.
Marcus let go of her in alarm and took a step backward.
"You want me? I won't tell anyone." She slinked closer to him. "I'm good at keeping secrets. I've never told anyone about the time Warrington caught the twins cursing the entrance to the Slytherin common room and Alicia offered to kiss him if he wouldn't take points from Gryffindor." She put her hand on his chest. "It'll be our secret," she whispered.
Being in Slytherin for eight years, Marcus knew a few things about secrets. Number one was that secrets never stayed secret. Two, secrets left a person vulnerable. Marcus wasn't about to let anyone, not even Katie Bell, with her hair that made his hand itch to touch it and her smile that begged to be devoured, have that kind of power over him.
Katie stared up at him expectantly. Her hand slowly slid up his arm, on its way to encircling his neck and trapping him.
Marcus did not run away. He wisely and quickly retreated from a dangerous situation, leaving Katie behind to swear and plot her next attempt to snare him. He was safe for now.
End