A/N Little bit disappointed with reviews guys... You know how I feel about ribs sort of thing and how I will just stop uploading! please please please just make my day and click that review button, it's not difficult people!
anyway...
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Chapter Twenty Nine ~ this chapter is very Blackinnon-y and is a special thanks to Kayleigh who posted the 100th review and to Spottedmist whose message compelled me to get this chapter written :) thank you both for your dedication and to all the other people who've reviewed this story.
Marlene was released from hospital a day after the attack. Madam Pomfrey had healed her broken rib and the cut on her head instantly but she seemed to have a mild form of concussion and for that reason, despite Marlene's protests that she was perfectly capable of going to school, the matron insisted on keeping her in for an extra day.
"Sirius was so angry," Lily told Marlene when she visited her as she was due to be released. "You should've seen him, I was scared."
Marlene just rolled her eyes, "can someone please tell him that I'm not dead yet?"
"And you're far from it!" Madam Pomfrey announced. "You're free to go Miss McKinnon."
Marlene thanked her and she and Lily made their way slowly to the common room, Lily filling her friend on the little gossip that she'd missed.
"Marls!" Alice shrieked, throwing herself at her friend the instant Marlene stepped inside the room.
Marlene grinned and patted her small friend. "Jeeze Alice, I was only gone for a day."
"I can't function without you Marley!" Alice explained, pulling back and moving back to where her boyfriend was laughing at her reaction.
"Oy McKinnon!" A voice from across the common room yelled and Marlene made her way towards the marauders. James, the one who had shouted, was the first to greet her. He patted her am and said cheerfully, "nice to see you up and about McKinnon."
"Thanks Potter," she managed to say before she was engulfed as Sirius' arms encircled her, almost bone crushing.
"Don't ever do that to me again Marley," he whispered, "you scared me half to death."
Marlene buried her face into his collarbone and breathed in his warm, familiar smell. "I won't," she mumbled and Sirius kissed the top of her head and let go.
Lily watched her Marlene and Sirius' greeting and something turned in her stomach. In that moment she felt the tiniest bit alone but it was enough to affect her.
"You look sad Lils," James said from next to her.
Lily jumped. She hadn't noticed that he'd joined her after his boisterous greeting to Marlene. "I'm not sad," Lily said quietly.
"Really?" James asked.
Lily looked at him. She had begun to realise that there was so little time left at school and then, out in the world, nobody was safe. People had to hold on to the people they loved.
James stared back at her, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly in a smile. "You don't have to feel sad or lonely Lily, you've got me."
This offer was so genuine that Lily smiled and her hand slipped into his and held it tightly.
James seemed surprised that his words had this effect on her but he seemed happy just to roll with it.
This didn't go unnoticed by Marlene who, after removing herself from Sirius, had turned to see the blush deepen on Lily's cheeks. Grinning to herself she turned to face Remus and Peter to greet them as well.
Marlene couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed but still, her mind was too buzzed up to find solace in sleep. The full moon was rising above the Forbidden Forest and Marlene knew that the Marauders were running wild tonight. She tried to tell herself that they were all safe - they'd done it hundreds of times before and nothing had ever gone wrong but it still made her feel anxious when she thought of Sirius running round with a werewolf.
Sighing Marlene got out of bed, dragging a load of blankets with her and padding downstairs to the common room. The stone was cold under her bare feet but the fire was lit and crackling merrily in the grate, casting long shadows wherever there wasn't a golden-red light.
Marlene sat down on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her and wrapping the blankets tighter around her. A loud growl and Kitten jumped up onto the cushion next to her, purring loudly.
Marlene smiled at her cat and held out her hand to stroke her. Kitten purred even louder and pushed her head into Marlene's hand, moving forward to settle herself on her lap.
"He'll be okay won't he?" Marlene murmured to her cat and Kitten purred reassuringly.
"He'll be fine," Marlene whispered to herself and pulled the blanket higher, lying down and curling up on the sofa and staring into the fire while the moon shone high in the sky, casting a paler light to mix with the warm glow of the common room.
That's how James, Sirius and Peter found her later that night when they entered the common room, exhausted. James and Peter glanced at her then at Sirius.
"See you later Padfoot," James muttered, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
Peter patted Sirius on the back and the two of them continued towards the boys dormitory, leaving Sirius standing in the common room.
Grinning, Sirius walked over to the sofa and threw himself down so the bounce woke Marlene with a start. She jumped and Kitten awoke with a hiss.
As soon as she opened her eyes, Sirius could tell that something wasn't quite right. Marlene stared round the room with wide, terrified eyes until they finally landed on him.
"Oh Sirius!" She muttered and flung her arms around him, burying her head in his shoulder.
Sirius could feel her trembling slightly as he wrapped his arms around her. "Hey," he whispered, "as nice as this greeting is, what's wrong?"
"Bad dream." Marlene mumbled, barely audible as she still had her face pressed against his collarbone.
Sirius smiled slightly in relief and shifted his weight so he sat more comfortably next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Marlene drew back and looked at him hard. "No," she said, "not really."
Sirius smiled and cupped her face in one hand. "Okay," he said quietly.
Marlene smiled at him and it was the smile that he loved. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned in to kiss him.
Sirius, being who he was, had managed to kiss enough girls in his life to be able to class himself as experienced and yet, he never quite got used to Marlene. She was completely exceptional and the fact that she made him feel different both scared him and enthralled him at the same time. The feel of her under his hands was something he didn't feel like he could ever get used to and so when she kissed him, he let himself be carried away on a tide of new emotions. Pushing the blanket off her shoulders, Sirius let one hand trail down to her waist while the other buried itself in her long hair, holding her head closer to his.
Marlene pressed herself against him and, completely ignoring the hiss of annoyance from her cat, wrapped her arms around him in a grip so vice like, it would be difficult for anyone to break.
When Sirius pulled back, breathing hard, he looked at her curiously. "What was all that for? Not that I'm complaining!" He added hurriedly, "just curious to know what I did so I can use it in future."
Marlene sighed and leant into him, resting her head on his chest. "You didn't do anything, you were just... Sirius."
"Well," Sirius said, smiling and wrapping her up in his arms and leaning his chin on top of her head. "I certainly can use that in future."
There was a silence for a moment until Marlene spoke aloud the words that had been playing on her mind. "I love you Sirius."
She felt him freeze for a second and she bit her lip, instant wanting to retract the sentence fearing that she'd gone too far.
A deep, shuddering sigh came from above her head then Sirius whispered, "I love you too Marley. Always will."
A/N See rant at the top of the page...
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