Amos walked Marlene back to her front door like a true gentleman.

"Thanks, Amos. I'm sorry again."

"Don't worry about it, I'll see you around Marlene. I still had a lot of fun tonight. I hope I at least managed to be a good distraction for a couple of hours?"

Marlene smiled, "Yes, it was fun. Thanks."

They stood awkwardly for a moment, before Marlene suddenly said, "Bye then," and walked inside. She lent against the back of the front door and gave a big sigh.

"Tease," She heard Amos say through the door before apparating away. Marlene shook her head.

"Hello?" She called, "Trixie?"

There was a pop, and the house elf appeared, "Hello Miss Marlene, did you have fun at the ball?"

"Sure." Marlene said, "Are my parents around?"

"No Miss Marlene, they are still out." Trixie said. "Can I get you anything? Some hot cocoa?"

"No that's_ actually some hot cocoa would be perfect. Thank you, Trixie."

Marlene walked upstairs to her room and took off the satin dress, leaving it in a heap on the floor. She grabbed an old t-shirt from her drawer and put that on with some pyjama shorts.

Sitting at her vanity she began to remove her make up and then moved onto the mammoth job of de-tangling her hair. Amos sure did mess it up a lot while they were kissing, she sighed to herself. She did like Amos, there was nothing not to like about him. Well, he was quite arrogant. But then, she supposed he had every reason to be arrogant. And that wasn't a huge turn off, Sirius is also incredibly arrogant and that hasn't stopped her liking him.

Trixie popped back in and placed a steaming cup of hot chocolate on her dressing table. "Thank you, Trixie."

"You're welcome Miss Marlene."

Marlene took a sip of the hot chocolate, and leant back in her chair. It is moments like this that she would seek guidance from Lily. Lily was always the best at giving advice. But her and Lily didn't exactly finish on the best foot.

"Ugh," She said, wishing she hadn't made such a mess of things tonight.

She threw the hairbrush at a chair in the corner of her room out of frustration. Taking another sip of her hot chocolate, she moved to sit on her bed. She picked up the Austin novel Lily had lent her and started reading a little more about Mr Knightley.

Knock knock knock. Marlene stirred, and was jolted awake by another knock. She realised she must have nodded off while reading. She placed the book back on her bedside table and turned on her lamp. She looked at her open bedroom door, but there was no one there, in fact the noise didn't sound like it came from that direction at all. Confused she looked around her room,

"Fuck" she whispered as she saw a shadow outside on her balcony.

She took a few deep breaths before closing her bedroom door and unlocking the French door which led out onto the small balcony.

"Sirius?" She was incredibly surprised to see the object of her desires, still in his dress robes and smelling vaguely of fire whiskey. "How long have you been standing out here? Have you been drinking? Wait, no. First question, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Marley. Erm, I'm not sure…"

"Not sure about?" Marlene prompted, trying to ignore the sensations in her tummy at hearing him call her 'Marley'

"Why I'm here." He confessed. "Can I come in?"

Marlene looked around her room to ensure there was nothing incriminating in clear sight. "I guess?" She opened the door and let him inside.

Sirius walked past her and collapsed onto her bed.

"Sirius why are you here?" Marlene asked once more, hoping this time she would actually get an answer.

"I couldn't sleep. So, I drank some fire whiskey. Then I spoke to Remus for a while. And then I still couldn't sleep so I decided to just come and talk to you since you're the reason I can't sleep."

Marlene pondered what he had said, what possible reason could there be for her keeping him up?

"Ok then, talk."

Sirius sat up in the bed, and smirked, "Nice hair,"

Marlene suddenly realised she had never actually finished brushing her hair, and half on it was still in a solid mass on the top of her head.

"Ugh," She ran to get a hair tie to get it out of the way.

"No don't cover it up, I like it," Sirius laughed, Marlene looked at him like he was crazy,

"No really, it's nice seeing you like this. You always look so prim and proper at Hogwarts and then tonight, Merlin you looked amazing. But I have to say seeing you in holey pyjamas with messy hair is kind of refreshing. I like it."

Marlene didn't really know how to respond to that. She had been raised to always make an effort. So, to be appreciated still when she looked like a complete mess was strange.

"Anyway," Sirius began, "I didn't really plan this very far." He confessed. Marlene watched as he was trying to work out what to say. She sat next to him on her bed.

"I like you." Sirius said suddenly,

"I like you too, Sirius," Marlene said,

"No, that's not what I mean. I mean, I really like you. You're kind and funny and way smarter than_"

"Your usual?" Marlene suggested bitterly.

"No, that's not what I'm trying to say. Ugh that fire whiskey was a bad idea, I can't think straight. Though whenever I'm around you I can't seem to think straight anyway." He muttered.

Marlene was quiet for a moment. Was he actually saying he liked her? He is literally actively in a relationship with somebody else right now, if he wasn't so damn adorable when he was flustered, she wouldn't have to try so hard to be mad at him.

"I've liked you for a while now, I've just always thought you were out of my league. It wasn't until Diggory asked you to Hogsmeade that I realised how far gone I was. It made me angry, and I may have cursed him a few times after that. Sorry."

Marlene tried to hide the smile that was coming on as she remembered passing Amos in the corridor sporting a particularly gaudy set of dress robes.

"I just needed to tell you. I know I'm probably too late, I saw you leave with Diggory so I guess you guys are a thing now? Well I wish you all the best."

Sirius looked at her, and grimaced, "Actually, I hope it doesn't work out. I know I'm selfish." He shrugged.

Marlene contemplated what Sirius had said. While her heart was doing somersaults inside her rib cage at the news Sirius liked her back, her brain was trying to be logical about the situation. He is sleeping with somebody. He is unavailable, who does he think he is telling me he has feelings for me when he is already with someone?

She took in a deep breath, "Sirius. You're just… unbelievable. What right do you have to come to my bedroom and tell me you have feelings for me, when you are with somebody else_ no don't interrupt me. I'm not stupid. I heard that girl you went to Hogsmeade with talking about you this evening and what the two of you had been getting up to earlier that day. What did you expect to happen when you came here this evening? Me to just drop everything and confess my undying love for you? You behaved like a child tonight, sulking in the corner because I decided to dance with another man. You've ignored me Sirius, other than an inappropriate comment, you have done nothing to show that you have any feelings for me. How do you think I felt when I walked in on you with somebody else in the broom closet, or watching that Ravenclaw swooning all over you in Hogsmeade? We can't always get what we want, Sirius. And maybe you need to grow up and realise that."

Whew, Marlene felt quite proud of herself for that telling off. If only Lily and Alice could have seen it. Marlene made a mental note to invest in a pensive so that she could watch this back again in the future.

"Marlene. I'm not with anyone at the moment. I don't know what you think you heard, but I was setting up for the ball all day with the Potters and Remus. Emilia is full of shit, she's just bitter." Sirius rubbed his forehead. "I broke up with her last week." He added.

Marlene just shook her head. "You are ridiculous. Sirius, if you really want us to have something, you're going to have to change the way you treat women."

"Don't put all the blame on me here, you were so convinced that I would flirt with you while still being with someone? I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a cheater. And for that matter, none of the women I've been with would complain about they way they have been treated. But you're not like those other girls anyway so don't compare yourself. They were distractions, and it worked for a while, but I've never felt even half of what I feel for you when I've been with them. I was looking forward to seeing you tonight. But you immediately went into the arms of another guy. And yeah, I was angry and jealous. I just couldn't understand why you would choose Diggory. And you looked more beautiful than I could have imagined possible."

They were both quiet for a moment. Thinking about what they had learnt about the other.

"It was for you. The dress, I mean." Marlene started. "You said how nice I looked tonight. It was all for you."

"But what about Diggory?"

Marlene sighed. "A distraction." She shrugged.

Sirius sighed, "I've been an idiot."

"We both have." Marlene agreed.

Sirius rose to his feet, "I'm going to head back to the Potters, they'll get worried if they notice I'm gone,"

Marlene simply nodded. "I'll see you around Sirius."

She watched as he headed towards the balcony, "Use the front door, arse." She said,

"Alright, bye then." Sirius said,

"Bye." Marlene replied. Before collapsing onto her bed and hiding her head under her pillow, before remembering how intoxicated he was…

"Trixie," Marlene called, the house elf appeared immediately,

"I have a favour to ask, but you mustn't tell my parents. Can you make sure Sirius get's back to the Potters safely, he'll probably be walking down the drive now.

"Yes, Miss."

A moment later, Trixie returned.

"I found him asleep in the hydrangeas. His friend Remus greeted us in the Potters garden. He's home safe."

"Thanks, Trixie."