A/N: Just a little coming of age tale for my angel bb, Dani.

Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my franchise. No legal rights. No income. No association. Etc.

Marlene McKinnon had a horrible habit of snogging her best mates. It was a habit supported by a terrible lack of inhibitions that came with just a few sips of alcohol, one she had no shame for nor any intentions of stopping.

The first incident was with Doris Purkiss, a Ravenclaw she had been potions partners with for several years. The kiss happened one evening after Ravenclaw had victoriously squashed Slytherin to pieces in the second Quidditch match of the season. It happened very quickly and then the girls went back to their drinks and celebrations. Come Monday morning in the dungeons, it was as if it had never happened.

The second incident happened at a Christmas party during the holiday. Marlene was visiting home and her parents had dragged her to one of their ridiculous office parties. Luckily, she hadn't been the only hormonal teenager forced into attendance. A few stolen bottles of firewhiskey and two attempts at lock breaking later, she was sitting in a circle of bored and tipsy youngsters like herself. With the spin of a bottle and a bit of encouragement, Marlene found herself locking lips with one Katherine MacDougal, a room mate of hers from Hogwarts. It didn't take long for the kiss to turn into a full blown snogging session, one that was repeated at several school parties to follow.

The third and most notable incident occurred at the end of Marlene's fifth year. In the aftermath of exam fever, the Gryffindor common room was swarming with students, all with drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces. She scanned the sea of people with her navy blue eyes until they landed on one boy in particular. She was unable to help the teasing grin that slipped across her face as she pushed her way through the other excited students. When she finally reached her target, she landed beside him on the otherwise empty sofa, one leg tucked under the other and a firm grip on her bottle of beer.

"Longbottom."

"McKinnon."

Marlene laughed, swaying to the side and bumping her shoulder against Frank's. "What're you doing?"

"Sitting." Frank took a sip of his beer and raised his eyebrows at the blonde beside him. "Drinking. You?"

With a delighted grin on her face, Marlene said, "Much of the same." She took a sip from her bottle and set it down on the ground before turning to face Frank, tucking her calves beneath her thighs and plopping her hands down into her lap with a small clap. "I want to ask you something."

"Should I be concerned?"

"Of course."

Frank groaned and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "Right. What is it, Marlene?"

"Do you think I'm a lesbian?"

The question did not alarm him. After all that Marlene had put Frank through in all the years he had known her, it was difficult for her to shock or surprise him any longer. Instead of allowing his jaw to drop, he put it to work swallowing more of his drink. "No. Why? Are you?"

"Maybe."

"Marlene-"

"No." Marlene shook her head and her low, loose ponytail moved with it. "No, I'm not. But people are starting to think I am, aren't they?"

For a short moment, Frank hesitated. He decided to bite. "Why would people think that?" he asked as he turned to face Marlene. She shrugged.

"Well, I've been doing a lot of snogging. With girls, I mean."

"Who all have you been snogging?"

"Just Doris, the one time, and Katherine. Usually Katherine."

"But everyone knows Katherine's not a lesbian," Frank said. "She's been seeing what's his face. You know, the Hufflepuff with the funny haircut."

"But she only ever snogs me," Marlene said insistently. "I snog other girls. Well, just the one, but still. I don't have an alibi. I mean, it's not so bad if people think I'm a lesbian," she admitted. "Or it seems that way because, if you think logically, then none of the weirdos will come after me because they think I'm interested in girls. But realistically, it's really the fantastic boys I want to talk to me who'll be turned away and the weirdos who'll be turned on, isn't it?"

Frank sighed. "Marlene, do you want me to be your alibi?" For the first time in a long time, Marlene was shocked.

"No. No, I don't."

"Yes you do."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "Maybe. I mean, that wasn't my intention coming over here, but it's not a bad-wait a second. Have you ever even kissed a girl before, Longarse?"

Frank scowled. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," Marlene exclaimed. "How do I know that you really, actually want to help and that you don't just want to pawn your silly little firsts off on me?"

"Marlene," Frank said sternly as he set his beer bottle on the floor, "I've kissed girls before. Just because you don't know about them doesn't mean they never happened."

The blonde narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Prove it, then."

He did. Before Marlene had the chance to blink, Frank Longbottom kissed her. His lips pressed down hard on hers for all of three seconds before disappearing. Marlene sat in silence for another three seconds, her eyes still wide open. Frank cocked his head to the side, as if to say, 'Can I help you with anything else?' Marlene huffed.

"That doesn't count," she whined. "I can't convince anyone with a single brain cell with that so-called display." Marlene leaned forward and took Frank's face in her hands, pressing her lips to his with as much force as she could summon. They both broke for breath at once, tongues skimming each other's lips in the process, leading to a deeper kiss. Her tongue poked at Frank's, fighting a losing battle for dominance, one that wasn't finished when they pulled away for a real breather. She hadn't lost the battle, but she hadn't won it either. This was a problem. Marlene always won.

"Not bad, Longbottom," she said as her hands fell back to her lap. "I didn't realize you had it in you."

"I could say the same for you," Frank chuckled. "Good pay for my assistance, I'd say."

"Well, then you can assist me for the rest of the night if you'd-oh, sweet Godric, but you're Frank."

"That's my name."

"And you're a fantastic snogger."

"Your words. Not mine."

"Just remember," Marlene said as she inched herself closer to Frank on the couch, "that this is as platonic as it could possibly be."

"Lucky for you," Frank hissed as he, too, moved closer to the center of the sofa, "I have an excellent memory."

Marlene smiled. "I don't doubt it."

Kissing Frank was vastly different from kissing girls. For one, despite their intoxication, he wasn't at all sloppy. Secondly, he didn't just let Marlene win. He made her work for what she wanted so that when he finally relented and allowed her tongue the opportunity to explore his beer coated mouth, the victory was all the more sweeter. Thirdly, all Katherine ever did was kiss. She never tempted Marlene to do anything more, nor did she ever show signs of being further tempted herself. With this point especially, kissing Frank was proving to be nothing at all like kissing Katherine, something specifically noted when his fingers started hovering cautiously over the clasp of Marlene's bra.

"Easy there, tiger." Marlene looked Frank in the eye. "I mean...I don't mind, but...people..." She glanced around the common room. No one was paying them any attention, but that could easily change at any moment. In desperate need of something to sober her heated body, Marlene looked back to Frank, ready to tease him all over again. "Have you ever even seen a girl's tits before, Longarse?"

Frank shook his head. "No."

"Really?"

"Really."

Marlene pursed her lips. She had never shown anyone her tits before, so she didn't know why she was so surprised that Frank had never seen anyone else's. They were both young. What was wrong with their lack of experience?

"Do you...do you want to?"

Perhaps it was the alcohol that kept Frank from appearing so flustered, but he only smiled kindly at Marlene's question. "I mean, if you're offering..."

Marlene shrugged. "Yeah, why not?" She picked up her bottle and downed the rest of her beer before picking up Frank's and hopping up from the couch. "Come on, then. We haven't got all night." She disposed of their bottles along the way and grabbed two more. They passed a group of sixth year girls giggling over the eldest Prewett brother on their way to the stairs, which Marlene took two at a time. She beat Frank to his bedroom and pulled herself up on the end of his bed.

"Take these?" Marlene handed Frank the bottles of butterbeer and grabbed the hem of her t-shirt, pulling it over her head in one swift motion. She leaned back on her hands and thrust her chest out proudly. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's no different from girls in bikinis," Frank joked, "which I have seen, thank you very much."

Marlene clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Fine, but you have to do the rest. Just let me prepare." She pulled the ponytail out of her hay colored hair and ran her hands through the overgrown, drying tresses. Frank laughed.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to at least attempt to be sexy, don't I? Now get me out of this contraption. It's uncomfortable as fuck."

"Whatever you say, Marlene." Frank set the bottles aside and pushed up his sleeves. His hands first found their way to Marlene's sides, rubbing them gently as if they were supposed to warm him up for what was to come next. His fingers journeyed behind her back to the clasp of her bra. His eyes flickered up to Marlene's face and she gave a quick nod of encouragement. The bra came undone and quickly found its way to the floor. Marlene could no longer be patient.

"Well?"

Franks hands drifted back to Marlene's sides, up higher and higher until they grazed the sides of her breasts. For the second time, he looked to her for permission, which she granted immediately. His thumbs stroked around the mounds, tracing perfect circles over her flesh. The sensation, combined with the feeling of his cold fingers against her warm skin, made Marlene's toes tingle.

"Not bad, McKinnon."

"Not bad?"

"You have nice breasts," Frank grinned. "I'm not just saying that either," he told her as he cupped them in his hands. "They really are nice."

"Why, thank you." Satisfied with the compliment, Marlene attached her lips to Frank's again. Her arms wound around his neck and he continued to cup her breasts, growing more confident in handling them with every passing second. As his fingertips flicked across her nipples, Marlene realized that she was hardly being fair. She couldn't have her shirt off and make Frank stayed clothed, could she?

The buttons were easy to undo. By the time Frank's shirt was on the floor with hers, Marlene was wondering why either of them should have to keep their jeans on. If there was any piece of clothing she'd have been more comfortable without, it was those damn blue jeans. Frank quickly helped her to slide out of them, but before she could start working on his belt, he grabbed her by the waist.

"Are we really doing this?"

Marlene swallowed. "Yes. Yes, I think we are."

Frank nodded, his breath finally catching up with him. "Is that...is that okay?"

"I don't mind if you don't mind," Marlene said. "Do you mind?"

"No," Frank agreed. "No, I don't. I don't care. I mean, I do, but-" He paused and took a deep breath. "I've got no complaints."

"I know what you meant," Marlene chuckled. "Right. No complaints. Ace."

Marlene pushed herself back on Frank's bed and watched as he shimmied out of his jeans, his pants going with them. Wanting to avoid feeling left behind, Marlene slipped her knickers off and dropped them on the floor. Frank crawled up the bed after her until he was hovering over her. She met him with a cheeky smile, one that he returned almost immediately. It suddenly struck Marlene that she was lying in bed with one very naked Frank Longbottom. As strangely satisfying as it was, she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit awkward.

"I'm a virgin," Marlene piped suddenly. She inwardly winced at the bravado of the declaration. Frank stopped moving and looked down at her.

"And what do you think I am?"

"Oh." A burst of laughter erupted from Marlene. "Of course you're one. You hadn't even seen-sorry." Try as she might, she couldn't stop laughing. It wasn't long before Frank joined in, shaking as he rested his head against her bare shoulder. "Sorry," she repeated as she collected herself. "Okay, right. On with it then."

"On with it?"

"On with the show, yes."

Frank shook his head, a quick acknowledgement of the fact that she was being ridiculous. He didn't take the time to comment. Instead, he pressed himself into her. Marlene squeezed his shoulders as he moved, easing his way in at the pace of a flobberworm. The initial pinching faded away quickly, but all that was left in its place was a stretching sort of pressure, something that made her feel very...full. After a few seconds of adjustment, she was empty again as Frank slid nearly all the way out. The emptiness lasted for an even shorter period of time before he was filling her all over again.

"Are you okay?" Frank asked. He searched Marlene's eyes for an answer.

"I'm fine," she answered quickly. "I mean, it's weird, but I'm doing just fine. You can...keep on. If you want."

Frank nodded and did as Marlene had suggested. The sensation didn't change for Marlene, but as Frank continued to move, he picked up the pace. She looked to the holes in the ceiling as he carried on, thinking about how delightful it felt for his warm, toned body to be moving against her skin and wondering if that was the thing people loved so much about sex. Delightful as it was, she was sure that such a feeling couldn't be all there was to it.

Before she could ponder this question any longer, Frank hummed a long, loud moan and collapsed half on top of her. Marlene gave a breathy little laugh.

"What are you breathing funny for?" Frank groaned.

"Marlene, I just...I just came."

"What? Already?"

"Yeah. Didn't you?"

"No. Was I...was I supposed to?" Marlene asked, genuinely concerned. Frank lifted himself up to look at her, his eyes echoing the same severe curiosity.

"Shit. I don't know." The look on Frank's face quickly morphed into concern. "Should I-?"

"No," Marlene said quickly, shaking her head side to side. The idea of him inside her so quickly after stretching her out for the very first time was, as an understatement, unappealing, and the idea of Frank, of all people, doing anything else was just odd at best. "No, no, no, no. That's okay. Erm...girls aren't supposed to finish the first time anyway." She gave her friend a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, though. So that's it, is it?"

"Yeah," Frank said. "Yeah, that's it. Are you sure you-?"

"I'm fine," Marlene insisted. "Just cold. Could I, uh...could I borrow one of your jumpers?"

"Sure. Are you staying the night?"

"If you don't mind that I'm too lazy to get dressed and walk back to my room," Marlene said, "then I would love to, yes."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think that was the case," Frank laughed. He got out of bed and pulled on his pants. As he rifled through his trunk for a couple of jumpers, Marlene reached over the side of the bed and grabbed her knickers. She gratefully accepted Frank's spare jumper and moved over to make room for him in the bed.

"Hey, Frank?" Marlene asked once they were settled in his bed.

"Hey, Marlene?"

"You know you're my best mate, right?"

"Yeah. And you know you're mine, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Good."

"Good."

Marlene McKinnon had a terrible habit of snogging her best mates. It was, in her opinion, a far better habit than most of the ones she could have picked up instead. But once she had kissed Frank Longbottom, she resolved to start saving her kisses for people who really mattered (and Frank, of course, would always be towards the top of her list).

A/N: Reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it!