I'll admit, this was a tad awkward to write. If you came here with expectations of citrusy flavours, then I apologise. Maybe someday, far down the line, but not right now. Indeed, with this being fanfiction, I only own Marcella, everything else belongs to Jo and her lovely team. You're reading Harry Potter fanfics, I daresay you know know I'm talking about. Now let's get on with it...
"About sex." There. She had said it. Daphne did not look half as shocked as Marcella had imagined she would be. But she did seem to straighten up a bit. She had her attention. "The… the truth is that the Stones are great parents if you want independence, but they do not really talk to me. Especially not about relationships." The smirk from the other girl forced to her add hurriedly "I am not looking to start one, I just want to know." The knowledgeable smirk stayed put.
"So that's why you wanted to get to know Draco. I knew it!" she exclaimed, with another dangerous bounce on the side of her bed. She had been teetering at the edge for a while now, and if she was not careful, she would - too late. She slid off the silk sheets with a soft thump onto the emerald carpet, landing on her butt. With no response from her friend, she assumed she was correct. "So you do have a heart. You know everybody's been saying that you're a cold-hearted bitch. But I know that's not true. And now I have proof. Marcie likes Draco! Marcie likes Draco!" She continued with her little chant, complete with hand gestures of sock puppets kissing. "Oh but," she looked almost sad, "he doesn't really like you. Ah crap! No, I mean… he tends to go for girls he knows really well. Like, really well. Plus, Pansy would kill you. Like, seriously, kill you dead." Her expression was unusually serious for somebody who was currently massaging the feeling back into their behind.
Marcella was not impressed. "I think I can handle Pansy. Plus, I do not like Draco. I just want to know." The reciprocating look was one that said "sure you do". "I do. Honestly, he seems ridiculously spoiled and self-centred. Why would anybody like that in a person? Truly I have no desire to be in a relationship, I just feel as though I should know, from a scholarly point of view." She painted on puppy eyes, hoping that the now less hyper girl would believe her.
"Okay okay, fine. I get it. Just warning you. Sheesh. So what do you want to know? Where he sticks it? Contraceptive spells? Or do you want something more interesting?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, suddenly reminding her companion that she was indeed a Slytherin. "Or shall we start with the basics? When a man loves a woman very much, he gives her a special kind of hug." She laughed. "The old clichés never really apply any more. How about: when a man and woman are in lust with each other, they feel the need to express this need. I like to call it their carnal desires." Marcella was not stopping her. Although not entirely convinced by her methods, she might actually find out something worth knowing. So keeping her mouth shut and pretending to be completely clueless seemed to be the easiest way to get through her embarrassment.
"If you ask me Marcie, the real core to sexuality is confidence, which you already have. Guys like confident girls. Especially Slytherin boys. I have no idea how Pansy manages to think she has them all in the palm of her hand. Although I bet Gryffindors are more the type to like the wilting flower, the damsel in distress." her hand flew to her forehead in a mock fainting stance. She made her way over to Marcella's bed, sitting cross-legged at the bottom. "I know what we need!" She jumped up again, over to her trunk and rummaged about a bit. A look of triumph mounted her face, as she held out a bottle of cough potion? "I know what you're thinking. Potions? How are they going to help? Not a lot. But the real contents will. How do you like your whiskey? Straight or on the rocks? Oh wait." She hit herself on the side of her head with her open palm. "Never mind. No ice."
Marcella gave her friend a look of distaste and the bottle a look of wariness. She had never had more than one glass of wine before in her life, and going by some of the stories she had heard, this would be strong alcohol. "Really Daphne? Do we really need that?"
But her friend was emphatic, nodding her head vigorously. "Yes, yes we do. No Slytherin girls night in is complete without firewhiskey. Tradition. And don't I know it." She grinned widely. "Now, out with the clichéd good girl thing, it doesn't suit such an upstanding Slytherin such as yourself. Drink." She held out the bottle with a forceful gesture. Marcella sighed, and drank. She had expected it to be worse, it burned a little, but was not entirely unpleasant. She could get used to it. Daphne gave her an appreciative glance.
"Now, first things first. You had a sheltered childhood, right? So I can assume that you, Marcie darling, have never kissed anybody. Would I be right? I thought so. See, personally, I am not really into the whole mushy love part of relationships. So if you want emotional talks, go find a Hufflepuff. But you would probably have to convince them you are not going to hurt them first… Anyway. Physical relationships, I can talk about." Here, Daphne took another swig out of the bottle and smirked. Wagging her finger at her friend, she added "Now don't go thinking I am a slut or anything. No no, not indeed. I, uh, read. And, unfortunately, live in the same dorm as Pansy, who likes to think she has all the answers. Don't go to her for advice. But you know that."
Marcella sighed. Was she ever going to get to the point? She had to get the information, then decide what she would do with it - tonight. She knew she needed to know this stuff, if they would ever get to talking about it. She took the bottle.
"Okay okay okay. I can see you are getting impatient. Basically, I would tell anybody else that the first time a guy kisses you, let him take over, they like to feel like they are in control of the situation or something. But in your case, I would say if you were submissive, they would be confused. It clashes with your confidence, and like I said before, confidence is the key to being sexy. You have to be comfortable in and with your body. It seems to me that you are, but like, not the way I mean. Let's face it, if you weren't so distant all the time, the guys would be all over you. If you didn't act like the male species disgusted you, you could really have any of them at your heels." The dark haired girl was confused and she showed it. "Oh come on, Marcie, you're hot. Seriously." A flicker of incredulity passed through her eyes, before she laughed, dismissing it. "Okay, fine. You don't believe me? I can prove it. I found these in Filch's office." She held up a string with two large ears on either end. It was not hard to guess what they were for. "You take this ear, and I'll drop this one behind my chair. I am going to prove me right. Which I always am anyway." With that, she got up and strode towards the door.
"Trust me, you want to listen." She said it with such confidence that Marcella was convinced to go to the door with the left over ear. Hading behind the heavy wood, she listened for voices. There was a thump as she presumed the other was dropped inconspicuously. "Theo…? Can I talk to you?" Daphne gave the boy no time to answer. "Great. So. Basically, I need you to prove a theory of mine. I swear. Completely confidential. The usual if I lie." Marcella vowed to find out what "the usual" was once this was over. A male grunt was audible, just about affirmative. "Great." The grin could be heard in her voice. Shuffling noises as she got comfortable on the plush green velvet. "What d'you think of Marcella? Like actually think of her? I know she seems all secretive and all, but what good Slytherin isn't?"
He grunted his assent again. "I dunno. I don't know her. Don't really think about her, to be frank. Ask somebody else."
An idea sprung into her head. One that made her mentally slap herself on the side of the head for not thinking of it sooner. "I know! You can help me with something then. Right. I want to have a little experiment. So when all the guys get into your dorm tonight, ask them. Not just about Marcie, about all of us. In our year, anyway. As in, who they like. Then tell me!" He began to say something that sounded like "No wa-" but was cut off. "I can persuade you, if you like. How much do you want?" Of what?, Marcella wondered. "For this? I'm gonna need a full crate." He sounded stubborn. "No way!" A pause as Daphne considered. "Half a dozen bottles. One of each of the guys, if they find out, and two for you. How about that?" He must have nodded. "Awesome! I can get it for you by Wednesday, Friday at the very latest. Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Nott." She bounded back off to her dorm, happy as anything.
Marcella was nonchalant. "You found out nothing. Now you have to wait to "prove your point". And why ask about everybody else?" Daphne just shrugged. "It would look weird if he just came out asking about you. Plus, I want to know what they think about me. Best part is, we can use those ear thingies, and know if he lies to me. And for every lie, I take away a bottle." This grin of hers was becoming a habit. "And now, we wait."
They went out to the common room and talked quietly about anything they could think of, watching which boys went into the dorms. Eventually, it was only them, Theodore and two seventh year girls remaining. As Nott left yawning, Daphne shot him a look. He nodded and disappeared through the door. Quietly as they could, the girls retrieved the ear-string thing. Shrinking it, they slid it through the crack under the door and elongated the string so they could sit somewhere comfortable. The two seventh years had gone.
"Crabbe, if you sit on my robes one more time, I swear I'll shrink your head!" "I didn't do nothin'." "Who took my magazine? You know which one." The girls were impatient. So far, Nott had no bottles. He needed to bring up the discussion to even hope of getting one. "So Draco, how far have you got with Pansy now? Is she letting you, you know?" Daphne saw where he was going with this, but all the same, she did not really want to hear the answer. His usual sneer came back as a response. "I know what, exactly? Is she letting me screw her?" The rest of the boys stopped talking. This was a topic they enjoyed. One bottle. Draco continued. "Why would I want to? There's no point. There's no challenge. Pansy would lay down for anybody, if they could stand to touch her." This time, Blaise was the one confused. "But you seemed to be on "good terms" with her." What could only be described as a sound of disgust was heard. "Zabini, I'm more likely to sleep with a mudblood than her." He was serious about it then. The girls smirked to themselves. Nobody jumped to her defence. Two bottles so far.
Eager to get entirely pissed the next weekend, Nott persevered. "Alright then, who would you do? Given the choice. Obviously you would only want a Slytherin anyway. Greengrass? Stone? Bulstrode?" The last one was said through laughter, and a few of the other joined in. Blaise answered for them all. "Mate, Millicent quite clearly swings the other way. And even if she didn't, nobody would go near her." The girls exchanged a look. They would think twice about changing in her presence again. Still, three bottles now.
Theodore was counting them in his head too. He knew what value she would put on what information, so he continued. "Greengrass isn't so bad though. A bit mad, mind you." She narrowed her eyes into a pout, but Marcella's look reminded her that he was only speaking the truth. This time, Draco's dulcet tones were to be heard. "Yeah, if you like red heads. I dunno… She's too… bouncy for me. Too much energy. Likely to wear a guy out." They could hear the smirk in his voice. Blaise chuckled. "Then again, maybe you just don't have enough stamina." Draco scoffed at the challenge. "You want her Blaise, you can have her. I'm sure she'll be a firecracker in bed." Daphne's grin became almost devilish in that instant, licking her lips in amusement. She knew it would play out like this. Crabbe and Goyle would stay silent, as always and Nott would be the informant, keeping the conversation going, rather than saying anything himself. Not to worry, the two talkers were the ones she was interested in anyway. They were the two with the most experience. If anything, hooking up with Blaise would be beneficial to her talks with Marcella. As it stood, four bottles. The last two were for every word about Marcella. She needed to prove she was right.
On the last stretch of the deal, Nott hurried it up. "So if you don't like red heads, what about the new girl, Draco? If she didn't seem so frigid, obviously." Daphne fumed. Marcella was not frigid! She was just… Aloof. Blaise had started talking again. "I dunno. She kind of reminds me of Draco. Complacent, hostile, smart as Hell. Except of course, you have accepted your sexuality and to all the girls, are a Sex God." He seemed to not believe what he was saying. Perhaps the blond had given him a look, showing he did not appreciate the comparison. He continued anyway. "Personality aside, I would. Like you said, Draco, you like a challenge. It would be a serious challenge to get in there." All Marcella could think was "I'd like to see him try", but then remembered that she was supposed to get close to him anyway. Still, she listened carefully for his response. Instead, Nott spoke. "Yeah, but why? Does the mocha boy have a taste for the latte girl? Face it man, she looks like something out of those muggle vampire movies. Half the time I think she's gonna drink my blood. Plus, have you noticed how quiet she walks? Like she's stalking prey or something. Creepy, I'm telling you." The "latte girl" smiled. The carnivore act was exactly what she intended it to look like. The "mocha boy" responded. "Oh come on, is a big Slytherin like you scared of a girl? Plus, muggle vampires are sexy. I wouldn't mind her chewing on me, if you get my drift." Everybody listening, except for Marcella did.
Draco finally commented. "Like I can say anything about somebody being pale. But yeah, maybe. A challenge indeed. Honestly, we know nothing about her. She might be really boring. Still, with those legs, I might be able to make an exception." The girl looked at her jeans, confused. "Aw come on, those legs? More like: that ass. You, my friend, have to learn to appreciate the fit of our school skirts." Daphne whispered the phrase "ass man" to her friend, with a promise of an explanation later. The boys then went on to complain about the school robes, so the girls gently pulled the tiny ear back and scuttled towards the dying fire.
The red haired girl was looking extremely pleased with herself. Sure she had been called "mad", but they also thought she was a "firecracker". Also, the fact that they all hated Pansy and that Draco has not actually done anything with her was comforting. That meant that he actually had as much experience as Marcella, which would be perfect when she set them up. And she had to congratulate herself on thinking of the idea, for now her friend had to believe that guys found her attractive. They said so themselves. Except Nott. But he did not count.
They both knew that neither of them would sleep for a while yet, so they stayed where they were, as Daphne gave a very vivid and detailed sex lesson, including what an "ass man" was, and why it was bad not to use contraceptive spells and / or potions. "But the most important thing," she stressed, "is that it's all instinct. It's human nature to find a mate and bang the Hell out of them to continue our race. Just, please don't be continuing your race until you finish school, at least." Marcella assured her that children were the last thing on her mind. She had bigger goals than a family. She just had to bear in mind that her mission at Hogwarts would help her in the long run. Eventually, they both crawled off to bed, wondering how many bottles Nott would earn.
The next morning they got up early, knowing that they needed to corner Nott before breakfast if they were going to get anything out of him. True to form, he confirmed what they had said, and got a sound promise of the whiskey delivery by Friday. He walked off whistling.
I am certainly not condoning underage drinking here, but let's face it, it happens all the time! Also, I apologise to any teenage boys if this doesn't sound like "locker room" talk. I did my best, but hey, at the end of the day, I'm female. I would say that the moral of this part of the story is to tell the truth (even if you're a Slytherin) and also, no making babies until you're old enough to handle them! I am most certainly promoting safe sex. See, I can be positive too.
Don't forget the little review button. I don't get many, so anything you want to say is welcome, provided that it's related to what I've written.