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Marlene's bag split, sending books, parchment and ink splattering down the staircase. She looks around for the culprit, expecting to see something her bag could have snagged on, but only sees a group of fifth years snickering and giggling at her. Marly rolls her eyes and gathers up her things, she's already late for charms and wouldn't put it past Flitwick to give her lines for being late again.
She manages to slip into charms undetected and sit herself between Sirius and the wall in the back of the room. He and James are flicking pieces of paper at Peter who sits in front of them while receiving death glares from Lily who sits next to James.
"Someone's late," Sirius whispers to her, taking a lock of her hair and twirling it between his fingers, "I think I'll give you detention and you will serve out your punishment in my room."
Marly laughs and elbows him in the side, "my bag split on the staircase, for your information. And I will not serve out my punishment in your room. That place is disgusting."
Sirius chuckles quietly and drapes his arm over the back of her chair and begins to doodle idly on a piece of parchment. She gets that swooping sensation in her stomach when she finds her self in his arms, no matter how casual it looks. Marly's still surprised at how the two of them managed to get together, with their different friends and busy schedules (well, her busy schedule, Sirius is mostly lounging around creating new pranks) but it's just one of those relationships that just work together without them trying too hard.
She tries really hard to pay attention to Flitwick but Sirius keeps tracing circles on her shoulders with his thumb and she just can't focus. Luckily, it's just a review lesson before their next test so Marly isn't too worried on missing anything important.
Charms ends and they file out of the classroom to go down to the great hall for lunch and take their places at the gryffindor table. James, Lily and Peter on one side of the table with Marly, Sirius and Remus on the other side. Marly's two other friends, Isla Vance and Christmas Fenwick, also join them.
Everyone is chatting about different things as they load up their plates with food but Marly can't help the fact that she feels eyes on her. She's momentarily distracted when Sirius nudges her and nods towards Peter who is in the middle of saying, "-haven't blinked in two hundred and thirty five seconds. I've been gifted with the ability to both eat and count and not blink. Two hundred and seventy one seconds. So magical!"
James and Sirius are roaring with laughter listening to Peter count and eat and not blink at the same time while Remus rolls his eyes, but has a grin on his face. Marly joins in the laughter, because it is kind of really funny, but she catches the eye of a burly ravenclaw seated directly in her line of view. She sees one of those fifth year girls who had been giggling at her earlier, lean in and whisper to him, casting her a filthy look.
Marly ignores this, she's gotten used to girls giving her filthy looks ever since she started dating Sirius. And of course she hasn't mentioned it to him because she thinks it's just stupid and it'll end once those girls realize that she and Sirius are going to be together for sometime. Plus they're just immature and jealous and Marly doesn't really want to stoop to their level or deal with them at all.
Soon she finds herself heading into the main hall with the rest of her classmates and Sirius right in front of her. She feels someone tug at her wrist and before she knows it, she's standing almost under the grand staircase with the burly ravenclaw who was eyeing her at lunch.
"Hey McKinnon," he says in a low voice, "are you sure you want to be dating Sirius Black?"
She's momentarily confused. What the hell was this guy talking about?
"Uh," she says stupidly, "why wouldn't I?"
"Oh well, you know how guys like him are. Flirty, charming, has everyone wrapped around his finger," he says, placing his hand against the railing right next to her head.
Marly's eyes flick towards Sirius who she spots talking to a group of girls. She trusts Sirius more than anyone. She knows he's loyal to a fault and that he would never lie or cheat on her.
"I'm sorry, but I really don't know what the hell you are talking about. And I don't even know who you are!" Marly says, full on glaring at the boy.
"I'm Rhett Michaels. Sixth year. Chaser. And I'm better suited for you than Sirius. I've had a crush on you for a while," he boasts, and Marly is slowing backing away from him, "I can make you feel alright in ways he can't."
Marly is stunned. She does not believe that this kid is hitting on her, right now. Especially, when she has a boyfriend, and especially when that boyfriend happens to be one of the most well known (and liked) student currently in Hogwarts. (Not that she likes to brag, but it is true.) Marly finds her self in front of the main staircase right now with several students hanging around and talking.
She stops and sneers at Rhett, "you couldn't make me feel 'alright' if you glued your tongue to my clit and stood in a self stirring cauldron. So piss off!"
Everyone in the vicinity turns to stare at the two of them. Sirius gapes at her, his mouth hanging open while James and Lily just stare at Rhett, as if to say, "you probably deserved it."
Marly turns on her heel and walks towards Sirius, James and Lily.
"Are you ok Marly?" Sirius asks, eyeing her.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she says distractedly, watching Rhett sulk his way into the dungeons for potions, "but that jerkwad decided to hit on me which is really ridiculous because he obviously only wants to go out with me now because I'm going out with you and I don't even understand why everyone is giving me such a hard time about our situation."
She says the last part very quickly so she's out of breath, her chest rising and her teeth and fists clenched. She doesn't see the other girls until one of them taps her on the shoulder and says, "You're dating the most popular guy in Hogwarts, people are bound to try and break you two up. I would watch my back if I were you."
The girl is taller that Marly, with wavy blond hair and perfect blue eyes and a button nose. Her name is Kayla and she is one of the most snotty, self absorbed and slutty girls Marly has ever known. Kayla has a reputation of trying to steal boyfriends and just general sleeping around and all Marly wants to do is smash her smug little face because she has had enough of this.
"Oh really?," Marly says, hands on her hips, "I think you should stop spending so much time on yours."
And with that, she marches up the staircase to the gryffindor common room.
Marly is glad the common room is empty. She flings herself onto a couch and buries her face in a pillow. She never knew dating Sirius would so difficult. Well, he's not difficult, just everyone else. Marly hears someone enter the common room, and feels them standing over her. She rolls over so she's on her back and removes the pillow from her face to find James standing over her.
"Wow McKinnon, I'd like to say I didn't know you had it in you, but who are we kidding? I've known your family forever, you need those verbal sparring skills to stay alive," he says, grinning at her.
He moves her legs to make room for himself on the couch and sits down.
"Why are they coming after me?" she whines, and she fully knows that she sounds like a stupid eight year old but she doesn't really care.
"It's Sirius. Girls love him," James shrugs, "I don't know why they like him so much. He's kind of a prat most of the time." Marly smiles at him because she knows James is joking. "But in all seriousness, you're the first real, proper, girlfriend he's had in Hogwarts and I think they're just jealous. It'll go away."
"Don't they understand that he's not interested in them? And why did that stupid Rhett kid come after me? I'm pretty sure he was lying about the whole crush thing," Marly huffs, crossing her arms.
James laughs and gives her a side hug, "listen, Marls, it's just stupid teenagers acting on their hormones. I guarantee everything is going to blow over. Sirius is crazy about you and everyone is going to give up once they realize. Just trust me on this ok?"
Marly gives him a small smile, "thanks Potter. You should give advice for a living."
James laughs and ruffles her hair before heading out of the common room once again. Marly is alone once more so she decides to start on homework. People filter in and out an hour later, some of them whispering about Marly's earlier outburst, so she decides to head down to potions a little early.
She descends the staircase slowly while cramming her charms homework in her bag, when she notices a large amount of people milling about around the bottom. There's a small raised platform, no more than a foot high by a foot long, in the center of the hall. She feels several pairs of eyes on her but she ignores them and finds herself standing next to Isla and Remus.
Soon, she sees Peter walk through the crowd wearing a joker hat with bells on the end and stand on the small platform.
"Here ye, here ye," he says loudly, "Messer Sirius Black has requested a public court to air out his grievances with the student population. Please remain in the vicinity, while he shouts … and stuff."
Peter scampers off to stand next to Remus, pulling off his hat in the process. Marly notices the crowd parting and Sirius stepping onto the small platform. He's carrying a long scroll and his wand which he points at his throat (sonorous), "ladies and gentleman," his voice echos throughout the main hall, "I have called you all here to say that Marlene McKinnon and I are together and for those of you who have a problem with it, well, you can go and shove it up your arse."
And with that Sirius steps down and turns towards the dungeons, leaving several people staring after him. James reappears at Marly's side and nudges her. She looks up at him and smiles. She can't explain the feeling she has right now as she walks besides James on their way to potions. Sirius actually told everyone to lay off her. Of course, Sirius being brave like that isn't very shocking, but it's just weird to think that he did it for her.
Marly spots Sirius leaning against the dungeon wall, his hair casually swept back, his tie loosened, his shirt untucked. He should look sloppy, but he's always managed to pull off anything he put on his body. She grins at him and runs the rest of the way and wraps her arms around him.
"You didn't have to do that," she says, kissing him, "I can stand up for myself y'know."
Sirius snakes his arms around her waist, "well you've obviously proved that you can stand up for yourself but yeah, I kinda did have to do that."
Marly grins at him. She's never really been sure of much in her life, but she's sure that her and Sirius are right for each other in almost every way possible.