Dark Secrets
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: Not mine, just borrowing
Thanks for the Reviews!
„Please tell me you wont bring all of these plush teddys." Marcus stood in the middle of Katies Bedroom and looked like he was getting a headache.
„No. I'll only pack necessary things." Katie shot back, still head first in her wardrobe.
„That's good to hear. Does that mean we'll be finished here soon?"
„Marcus!" Katie's head came in sight again. „This was your idea! I need clothes you know? Not to mention that I don't have anything to wear to this „social gatherings" you mentioned!"
„Katie I don't know if you noticed, but I've more then enough money. That means you as my fiance can spend ludicrous sums of galleons on new dresses and robes and whatever you want." Marcus tried to reassure her.
„We're just acting! I can't throw your money out for this kinda things." Katie argued.
„Everyone has to believe that we're madly in love and about to marry! So I need you to spend money on fancy clothes to make this look real!" Marcus threw back.
Katie blinked several times. „I never looked at it like this..." she admitted.
„Well, now, what else do you need?"
„I'll just head to the bathroom and get my toiletries and then we can leave." Katie soothed him.
Half an hour later they were back to Flint Manor.
„I'll show you to your room." Marcus said, leading the way up the stairs. When they arrived he opened the door and showed Katie in. „There's the bathroom." he pointed to a door on the right side of the large bedroom. „My room is right across the hallway. If you need anything. I'll let you settle in, just get me when you're ready to go over to the Warringtons." Katie nodded and smiled at him. Marcus had turned around when her hand shot up and held onto his arm. He turned around raising a questioning brow. „Thank you Marcus." was all she said. Marcus threw her a smug smirk.
„You're welcome."
He stepped into his room and closed the door behind him, leaning his back against it. Now, that went far better than he ever dared to hope. She was being civil, called him by his first name, and didn't seem to be opposed to the idea of being engaged to him, well... acting like it...
Katie was looking around the room in awe. She wouldn't have a hard time staying here for a while. When she was ready putting her few belongings away she wrung her hands a little unsure what to do. Yes, Marcus said to come get him when she was ready to visit Alicia, but she unpacked everything in not even half an hour, surely he expected her to need more time. Maybe he was busy? Katie decided to just go over and ask him if they could go.
She knocked on the door rather hesitantly. When no one answered she knocked again. „Marcus?"
She tried the doorknob and opened the door just enough to see him lying on his bed.
„Marcus?" she asked again. Slowly inching towards him. She lightly put her hand on his shoulder. Katie hadn't even time to cry out when Marcus suddenly grabbed her and pulled her to his chest.
„It's just me." Katie hurried to say. Marcus opened his eyes and blinked rapidly. „Hi." he bit out.
Marcus made no move to let her go and Katie was to shocked to try to get off him.
„I'm sorry. I just thought..." she started. „Don't be." Marcus interrupted her.
„I'm just a little jumpy"he smiled up at her. Katie found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him...
She was leaning in when someone knocked on the door and drawled: „See honey, I told you they're probably busy." Katie and Marcus just looked up at him. In the door stood a smugly smirking Cassius Warrington, his wife Alicia only a step behind him.
Marcus sat up abruptly, ending up with Katie sitting on him, straddling his lap. „Hello Alicia. Warrington." Katie found her voice back. „Hello Katie." Alicia smiled at her somewhat embarrassed.
„Miss Bell, you're indecent." Cassius drawled, looking everywhere but at the couple sitting on the bed. Katie gaped at him in shock, than looked down at herself to see her shirt billowing open. She blushed fiercely as Marcus hands came up from her waist to button the buttons back up. „Sorry for that." he mumbled shyly.
„Well, you two finish up, we will wait downstairs." and with that Cassius steered his protesting wife back down the stairs.
„Well, that was embarrassing." Katie sighed. Leaning her head on Marcus shoulder.
„What are you doing?" Marcus asked. Unsure of what to make of her behavior, because he couldn't think straight when she was this close to him.
Katie looked at him startled. „I...I'm sorry." she stumbled out, trying to get up, but Marcus refused to let her go. „Katie. I didn't mean it like that." he rumbled lowly. Pulling her face back to him and pushing his lips onto hers. Katie immediately responded. Molding herself even closer to Marcus chest and kissing him back passionately. Marcus let out a low moan. Opening Katies lips with his tongue.
After a few moments he gave her a little peck on the lips and whispered: „We should get downstairs." Katie looked glorious. Her hair was ruffled, her lips swollen and she had a fierce blush on her cheeks. „Yeah, you're right." she panted, scrambling off his lap. Marcus got up after her and straightened his clothes, while Katie spelled her hair back in place, thinking what the hell just happened.
„There you are. We were beginning to worry you two had more than a quickie in mind." Cassius snickered, what earned him a glare from Marcus and a light slap against the shoulder from his wife. Marcus and Katie strolled into the sitting area, Marcus hand firmly pressed on Katies back, urging her to move forward.
"Would you mind to.." Katie started, but Marcus already nodded. "Come on Cassius, lets have a drink in my study." "I'm not interested in girl talk anyway." Cassius waved of, while standing up.
The two men left the room. Katie sat down opposite Alicia, wringing her hands nervously.
"Listen, I..." she started, the same time Alicia said "Katie..." The two friends looked at each other and started laughing. "Ok, ok, I'll go first!" Katie said getting serious.
"I am so so sorry for the way I treated you. I was narrow minded and thought you were changing sides because you were suddenly thinking your friends were unsuited for a pureblood witch. I thought you were turning your nose up on us bloodtraitors and Muggleborns. I never even aknowledegd that you could be in love with Warrington... Until Marcus mentioned it this morning.
I feel so dumb now. I know I'm the worlds worst friend and I seriously have no idea how I can ever make this up to you. But I'll try! And Thank you." Katie said, smiling but with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry too. I should've explained. I know to you it must've seemed like I'dve been brainwashed overnight, but it was a decision that was a long time coming and it wasn't a political decission... I understood why you behaved like that though. I won't say it didn't hurt, it did, but I'm past that and I want us to be friends again. Even though I'm pretty sure you'll lose the others over your relationship with Flint. And Thank you for what?"
Katie looked at her friend incredulous. "My relationship with Flint? You were the one suggesting it to him as a way to keep me safe. It's an act."
Alicia raised an eyebrow. "I did?" Katie blinked several times. "You didn't? What? But he told me... Why would he lie to me?"she blurted out.
"I never suggested something like this. I talked to him about you, yes. He seemed genuinely interested. I might've said that I'm worried about you and wished I could somehow get you out of the mess you made...He's always had his eye on you. Maybe he wasn't ready to confess his love for you so he told you it was my idea?" Alicia wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "And anyways, you ARE calling him by his first name, and if it's all an act, what audience were you two acting for in his bedroom getting all cozy?"
Katie looked lost. "I... I... Merlin Leesh, you know I had a crush on him his last two years at Hogwarts."
Alicia smirked, but grabbed Katies hands in her own. "No matter if Flint got this idea himself, it's good for you. His position in the rangs of...our lord." Alicia scrunched her nose as Katies eyes got wide in shock, "is just as secure as Cassius' is. F... Marcus took a great risk in swooping you away like this.", her voice dropped to a whisper, "You were standing in the top field of bloodtraitor suspects. Cassius told me. I've been bawling my eyes out because of it. I'm grateful you don't have to experience what the others on this list have. This world may not be merciful, but it's still worth living in. Don't judge me for this please, but I think this war is already lost. We need to accommodate."
"So it was a political decission." Katie sat up straighter, getting a little room between her and her friend.
"No. I've been with Cassius since the end of our 5th year. After Graduation there was no need to keep it a secret anymore. So he asked my father for my hand in marriage. You know my parents, they were thrilled that a Warrington wanted their little girl.", Alicia had a little smile on her lips,
"So I got to marry the love of my life and got dragged into the real world. My parents are just symphathizers, Cassius' aren't. He had to take the mark when we were back from our honeymoon. It wasn't my choice to make. It wasn't his either." Alicia reached for Katies hands again. The younger one gave her dark haired friend a reassuring squeeze. "You could've told me about Cassius. You knew about my scandalous fascination with Marcus." Katie scolded playfully.
"Only because you're as open as a book. If you would've been a little more subtle about your staring I wouldn't have noticed, therefore wouldn't have known about your little crush." Alicia laughed.
After a little more than an hour Cassius and Marcus came back into the sitting room. Announcing it was already late, Cassius collected the coats and helped his wife into hers.
"Good night! I'll see you soon." Katie hugged Alicia tightly, before her friend walked over to her husband and wound her arms around him. With an audible PLOP they apparated home.
Katie turned to face Marcus. "Now you owe me an explanation. Alicia said she never suggested this" she waved her hands between them.
"She said that?" Marcus asked. "Yes!" Katie shouted.
"Hm."was all Marcus said to that before he turned to walk back in the sitting room. "Oh no! You wont leave me standing like this!" Katie screeched holding onto his arm.
"What do you want to hear from me Katie?" Marcus asked. "Your friend was worried about you, my friend is married to her, so he was worried about her worrying over you constantly. So he asked me if I could do this for him. Now we're here."
Katie scrunched her forehead together in thought.
"So you didn't lie to me. It was Alicia who got you to do this. Just not herself but through her husband."
Marcus smirked. "What did you think this was about?"
Katie blushed furiously. "Nothing." "Thought I had a thing for little Gryffindors?" he leered. "No!" Katie blushed an even darker shade of red and bolted out of the room.
"Running from me now, Katie? No 2 hours past I had you panting for more!" Marcus laughed after her.
Oh Merlin what had she done! Katie felt like a silly little girl now, falling for him like that. Thinking he could be anything different than the asshole he was.
