Chapter 10
Marcus groaned. The words just did not make any sense. "Can we please leave." He grumbled and shut the book in front of him.
"No. Because exams start in less than a month." Adrian said and opened the book again. "Read."
"But it's the Quidditch cup final in less than a week." Marcus turned the pages aimlessly. "We should be on the pitch. Or at least be talking about strategies."
"Snape's going to kill you if you fail again." Adrian just said.
Marcus rolled his eyes but went back to pretending that he was reading. His best friend was just hell-bound on making sure that both of them would not just pass but pass well. Easier said than done. Marcus wasn't worried about the practical parts of the examinations, but the theory was just too dry to get into his head. That's what had stopped him from passing last year.
"I'm going to kill myself if I fail again." He mumbled and meant it. He had always enjoyed being at school but that was mainly due to Quidditch and his friends. So when he failed his N.E.W.T.S. last year he hadn't been too upset because he was able to continue playing Quidditch and also join Adrian's year. But the whole situation with Wood and Bell had just made him desperate to get out of Hogwarts. So even though he didn't want to spend hours studying in the library, he wanted to see Wood and Bell everywhere he went even less. So when Adrian had suggested at the end of February that they should get started on their exam revision, Marcus had agreed. Something he now regretted. At least his test scores were improving.
"We're ready for the game." Adrian said encouragingly. "There's nothing more we can do at this point. We'll beat them."
Marcus sighed. He really hoped so. He wouldn't be able to bear it if Wood got both the girl and the cup. "Whatever it takes."
"Whatever it takes." Adrian repeated.
The two Slytherins had been studying - or in Marcus' case, pretending to- for a good hour when Hanna arrived at the library. She looked at them, unsure whether to join them, but Marcus waved her over. They hadn't really spoken much, Marcus felt a bit weird around her ever since Adrian's suggestion that she liked him.
"Alright, Marcus." Hanna said and sat down. "Adrian."
Adrian looked up and smiled at her. "Oh hello, Hanna. How's Beth?"
Marcus rolled his eyes. Adrian only ever had one thing on his mind.
"She's fine. Still mad at you though." Hanna smiled back at the Slytherin beater. "Maybe next time ask her first before you bring somebody with you for a threesome."
Marcus groaned. "Seriously?"
Adrian laughed sheepishly. "Point taken."
Hanna shook her head. "She admired your confidence though. Not a lost cause, I'd wager."
"Well in that case." Adrian started to gather his things. "Wish me luck!"
"Hey! I thought we are studying?" Marcus protested.
"I don't really need to." He grinned at his best friend. "I do, however, need to release some stress. So if you'll excuse me." Adrian grabbed his bag and left, a grin still firmly planted on his face.
"Horny bugger." Marcus grumbled and Hanna laughed.
"I don't blame him." Hanna said and played with one of Marcus' quills. "Everyone's stressed about exams. I imagine it's even worse with the Quidditch cup final coming up?"
"Mhm." Marcus regarded her pensively. "Can I ask you something?"
Hanna smiled. "Sure."
"Do you like me?" He leaned back a bit. "Adrian made a comment back in February."
Hanna cocked her head. "Is that why you've been avoiding me?"
Marcus nodded. "I didn't want things to be awkward."
The tall Hufflepuff girl laughed. "Merlin, you are so full of yourself." She leaned forward and grabbed his hand. "No, Marcus. I do not like you. Not like that anyway. Do you really think I would have been happy with you snogging half of my house if I did? Not even taking into account the whole Katie Bell situation?"
Marcus could feel himself blushing. Sod Adrian for putting that thought into his head. "I suppose not."
"Exactly. Look, Marcus, I liked snogging you. I like being your friend." Hanna squeezed his hand gently. "But I think I've always been clear that I don't consider you boyfriend material."
"I know. Sorry for avoiding you." Marcus liked the feel of his hand in hers. It'd been way too long since he'd been touched by anyone. He looked up at her.
"Don't give me that look." Hanna said but there was definite amusement in her voice.
"What look?" Marcus grinned.
"You're awful, you know that?" Hanna pulled her hand back.
Marcus sighed. Dammit. "Didn't you say that we all feel a bit stressed?" He got up and went to stand behind her. "Maybe we could do with a little stress relief as well?" He whispered in her ear.
"Fine. Meet me in the greenhouse in half an hour."
Marcus dropped his bag off at his dorm and then took the long way around to the greenhouses. He didn't want to show up too early.
"Flint?" A soft voice said behind him as he was just walking down the Transfiguration corridor.
Marcus sighed. He considered just to keep walking but that'd make him look like an idiot. So he stopped and turned around to face Bell.
"Bell." He said, trying to keep his voice level. He hadn't spoken to her since February.
"How are you?" The petite chaser asked, her voice sounding unsure.
"What do you want, Bell?" Marcus was very close to adding 'if it's not me, then please leave' but he didn't have the balls for it.
Bell played with her ponytail, her eyes darting to his face only for a moment before returning to the floor.
"I told Oliver that I've kissed somebody else. But just that. And I didn't say that it had been you." She said eventually.
Marcus raised an eyebrow at that. He didn't think that Bell would ever admit it to Wood. "And?"
"He was mad for a week or so, but he forgave me. It's all good now." There was the ghost of a smile on her lips.
Marcus stopped himself from swearing. So she was happy with Wood. Everything that had happened between the two of them had just been a mistake. Nothing but pure lust, no feelings involved at all. On her part anyway.
"And you are telling me this why?" Flint asked harshly and Bell flinched.
"I thought that maybe you'd been worrying about it." The dark-blonde girl said quietly.
Marcus laughed drily. "Do you really think I spend even a moment thinking about you?"
Bell looked up at him and Marcus could pretty much see the tears forming in her eyes. He hated himself for his brutal words but there was no point letting her know that he cared. Not if she liked Wood. Not if she didn't want him.
"Obviously you don't." Bell replied, her voice even weaker than before. "Sorry for bothering you. I'm sure you got better things to do."
"As a matter of fact I do. She's called Hanna and she's waiting for me." Marcus could see her face crumble. But he kept his own in check. Not waiting for a response from Bell, Marcus turned around and made his way to the greenhouses. He really hoped that being with Hanna would help him forget about the pain that had been so clearly written all over Bell's face. And the pain that had taken hold of his heart.
Marcus listlessly poked at his food. He couldn't get his run in with Bell out of his head. Being with Hanna had done nothing to take his mind off it, on the contrary, it just had made him want to be with Bell even more.
"What now?" Adrian groaned and sat down next to his best friend. "I feel like every time I don't have my eyes on you, you go and do something stupid." He filled his plate with food. "Maybe I should have taken you along to see Beth."
"Gross." Marcus put his fork down.
Adrian winked at him. "Chill, you're not my type."
"Because I have standards?" Marcus retorted.
"Nah. I'm just not into convicts." Pucey grinned at him and had some of his food.
Marcus threw a pea at him. "Dickhead."
"Sure. So what happened?" Adrian kept tucking into his food while Marcus told him about his conversation with Bell. And Hanna.
"I still think Hanna likes you." Adrian said when Marcus had finished.
"This is not about Hanna." Marcus picked up his fork again and took a bite.
"I know it's not, it would just be much easier if it were. So, you're back to wanting Bell now? And you thought making her cry was the best way of letting her know that?" Adrian sipped on his drink. "No wonder you're doing an honour round."
"It doesn't matter what I want. She wants Wood. That much is clear." Marcus glanced over to the Gryffindor table. He spotted Wood straight away but Bell was nowhere to be seen. Spinnet wasn't there either.
"I don't think she knows what she wants." Adrian looked at Marcus, his face completely serious. "Why would she still want to talk to you if she did? That girl is just as confused as you are."
Marcus took aim at the goal. And missed. He swore. He should not be missing a shot like that. He wasn't that far away from the goal posts. And there was no keeper. It was just him. After dinner Marcus thought that maybe flying would help him with clearing his head. But not being able to focus on what he was doing just meant that he kept missing. Which in turn turned his mood even darker.
"Shall I tell Hooch to start engraving the Quidditch cup?" Wood flew closer towards him. "Because if you intend to play like this on Sunday we've won already."
Marcus huffed. "Just getting all of my bad shots out of the way."
"Sure." Wood started to fly towards the goal posts. "Want to make it a bit more interesting?"
Flint nodded and for a while nothing could be heard but the occasional swear words when Wood caught the quaffle, or from Wood, when Marcus got it past him.
"She admitted that there'd been someone else." Wood said when they had sat down in the stands to catch their breath.
"Right." Marcus said, feeling uncomfortable.
"But it was only a kiss." Wood played with the quaffle in his hands. "I forgave her. I mean, we all make mistakes, don't we?" He looked at Marcus.
"Sure." Marcus turned to face the pitch. He couldn't help but feel guilty. It was like that every time he spoke to Wood, who probably by now considered him one of his friends. Who'd have ever thought. The two rivalling Quidditch captains striking up an unlikely friendship.
"I'm thinking of trying out for some Scottish teams. The Inverness Eagles aren't too shabby." Wood said, still fondling the quaffle.
"They're third league. What happened to Puddlemere United?" Marcus took the quaffle out of Wood's hands, it was starting to make him nervous.
"Nothing. But they're pretty far from Hogwarts." Wood mumbled.
Marcus sighed. "So you're giving up on your dreams for a girl?"
"Not just any girl." Wood said defiantly. "You'd understand if you had someone like her."
Marcus leaned back. "What happened to Quidditch forever girls whatever?"
"It's still Quidditch forever. But if I go down south then I'd hardly ever see her."
"So you're going to settle for a shite team." Marcus could feel himself getting angry. Not about Wood gushing over Bell. It made him angry that Wood, who was the only other person he knew who was just as obsessed with Quidditch as he was, would just throw all of his hard work away for a girl.
"They're not that bad." The Gryffindor captain crossed his arms.
"Bullshit!" Marcus dropped the quaffle and the sudden noise made Wood flinch. "What if it doesn't work out with Bell? Then you've wasted your best playing years. And you'll be stuck in shitty Scotland."
"Oi! I'm Scottish, you twat." Wood stood up. "I thought you'd be a bit more understanding. After all, you helped me with Katie in the first place."
"That was only to distract you from Quidditch." Marcus rose to face him. "I only wanted to stop you from winning the cup. I didn't think it would turn into ruining your whole future career!"
"What?! I thought you helped me because we are friends." Wood genuinely sounded hurt.
"We are. That's why I'm trying to dissuade you from making the wrong move." Marcus sighed. "Listen, Oliver." Wood looked up at Flint calling him by his first name. "Bell kissed someone else while you are still here. What will she do when you're not around? And it doesn't matter whether that means you rotting away in Inverness or playing for Puddlemere down south."
Wood didn't say anything for a while. Marcus could almost see him debating with himself.
"So you don't think I'm the one for her? The one that can give her what she needs?" He asked eventually.
"I don't think the girl knows what she needs." Marcus said and amicably put his arm over Wood's shoulder. "But I know that you need to play for a Premier League team." He grinned at him. "Because I need to know that I'll still be competing against you after we've graduated."
Wood sighed. "I suppose you need someone who keeps kicking your ass."
Marcus laughed and after a moment Wood joined in. By the time they'd made it back up to the castle, Marcus was sure that he'd convinced Wood to stick to his original plans of trying out for Puddlemere United. And he was also sure that he did not want to risk his friendship with the Gryffindor captain over a girl. Not even her.