Chapter 7

Marcus was in a foul mood. He had just been to the Owlery to send his December letter to his mother and Archibald had bit his thumb really badly. Archibald was not the real reason why Marcus was annoyed but the owl was an easy scapegoat. And Marcus didn't have to think too much about the real reason why he was annoyed. It definitely did not have anything to do with Wood waiting for him after this morning's Transfiguration lesson and telling him all about another great date with Bell. He and Bell had been on a number of dates since October and Marcus had seen them once or twice making out. He should be happy really because they had won the Quidditch game last weekend. His team had been in top form so it had not mattered that Potter had caught the snitch. But Marcus was not sure whether this really was due to Wood and Bell dating or because Marcus had worked the team really hard. Being on the pitch stopped him from thinking too much so he had ordered practise sessions almost every single evening. He really wanted to play tonight as well but Christmas was coming up and most students were getting ready to leave for the holidays tomorrow morning. He wouldn't have any luck getting his team together tonight. Marcus should really pack too, he'd be going to Italy over Christmas to be with his grandparents. His parents were going to Bali, like every Christmas, so Marcus had had to hurry to get his letter sent. Maybe him rushing had also caused Archibald to bite him.

Marcus finally reached the Slytherin common room. All he wanted to do now was have a hot shower, pack and go to sleep.

"There you are! Guess who I just bumped into." Adrian said, looking up from the sofa in front of the fireplace. Marcus threw one longing gaze at the stairs leading the his dorm, sighed, and went to sit down across from his best friend. The common room was deserted.

"I don't know, Pukey. Who have you bumped into?" Marcus really was not in the mood for gossip.

"Jeez, Marcus, you miserable old git." Adrian regarded him with an annoyed expression on his face. Marcus ignored it.

"So, who did you bump into?" Marcus said eventually after five minutes of silence and angry looks back and forth.

"Hanna. She was asking about you. Apparently you have been ignoring her and the other girls for quite a while now." Adrian leaned back, his anger gone and a slight note of concern in his voice. Marcus sighed. He had indeed been ignoring Hanna and his other snogging partners. He just did not feel like hanging out with any of them but obviously he could not admit that to Adrian.

"I've been busy with Quidditch. And homework." He said evasively. Adrian just raised an eyebrow at him.

"I've also been busy with Quidditch thanks to you but I've still had time to make out." Adrian studied him questioningly. Marcus did not like where this was going. "And you never do homework. Are you seeing someone?"

"No, I am not." Marcus said defensively. Marcus had never had any interest in dating anyone. The only person he was seeing regularly was Archibald. And Archibald was not a person.

"Well, what is it then. You've been in a foul mood for ages now and I only ever see you on the pitch outside of classes. Where are you hiding? And why?"

Marcus knew he would not get out of this conversation easily. But how could he explain himself to Adrian when he himself did not understand what was going on?

"I've been working out. And I've been at the Owlery." He wasn't lying.

"Okay. What's so interesting about the Owlery all of a sudden? You hate your owl."

"Nothing is interesting about the Owlery. And I am pretty sure Archibald is trying to eat me." He showed Adrian his maimed thumb. There wasn't much sympathy coming from his best friend.

"Didn't you bump into Bell there a couple of months ago?" Adrian asked curiously.

"What? Yeah, probably. I gave her a plaster." Marcus bit his tongue. He remembered briefly mentioning his run in with the Gryffindor chaser to Adrian after it happened. Then he had thought that maybe they could work out when Bell usually went there so they could get Wood going there at the same time. Turns out there hadn't been all that much scheming necessary to get the two Gryffindors together.

"Right. You hadn't mentioned that you were talking to her."

"We exchanged like 4 sentences. One of the owls had bit her and I had a plaster. There's nothing else to it."

"So, wanting to bump into Bell is not the reason for you going to the Owlery?"

"No."

"Bullshit, Marcus. You've been moody exactly since the day they had their first date. Hanna told me that she's not seen you since the day of that shitty game against Ravenclaw. Which, coincidentally, is also when Wood told you about asking Bell out. And every time Wood comes to talk to you, you look like you want to murder someone after. And I'm pretty sure it's Wood that you want to murder. Because you want Bell." Adrian leaned back again and crossed his arms. Marcus did not know what to say to that. He tried anyway.

"I don't want Bell."

"Well, welcome to reality, Marcus. You do want her. I should have known this was going to happen." Adrian sighed.

"What do you mean?" Marcus was confused.

"Because you have always been like this. Do you remember in primary school when I was obsessed with this goblin toy? You never cared about goblins but took it from me anyway. And in third year when Davis was bragging to us about making out with Poppy Fields? You made out with her the next day. You've always wanted what others have. It's the same with the Quidditch cup. I know you really want to win it but all these years you wanted it even more because of Wood. The competition spurs you on. And now Wood has Bell. So think really hard with me about this, Marcus. Believe it or not, but Wood now considers you his friend. So do you really want to risk that friendship because once again you want to play with something that's only interesting to you because someone else has it?"

Marcus took another bite of the sandwich in front of him. It tasted like carton in his mouth. He had not really been able to say anything after Adrian had laid his thoughts out in front of him. Marcus was able to admit to himself that he had been thinking about Bell on more than one occasion. And McGonagall would hex him into oblivion if she knew what those thoughts were about. Marcus knew that there was some truth to Adrian's words. Before the whole thing with Wood had started he hadn't really ever thought about Bell. Apart from on the pitch when she was stealing the quaffle from him. And when she had that accident last year. So knowing that someone else wanted her, had definitely spiked Marcus' interest. Was he really that easily influenced by other people? Maybe if he started talking to Hanna again his interest in Bell would wane. And as difficult as it was to admit, Marcus did like that Wood considered him a friend. There was no one else who was just as obsessed with Quidditch as he was.

Marcus pushed the sandwich away. One of the house elves came up straight away to take the plate. Another brought him a mug of warm butterbeer. Marcus loved hanging out in the kitchens. One of the Hufflepuff girls he was making out with in fifth year had taken him once and he had come here ever since. Especially at night time. The house elves took pleasure in feeding him all sorts of goodies and none of the teachers ever came here. Dumbledore probably knew that quite a lot of students visited the kitchens but most likely also did not care. He was just about to take a sip when a petite dark-blonde girl came in through the portrait. For a brief moment Marcus considered hiding under the table.

"Flint?" Too late. Bell had spotted him. Marcus nodded at her, thinking maybe she would just grab some food and leave again. But she walked straight towards him.

"Bell." He said by way of greeting. What if she'd arranged to meet Wood here? Marcus prayed to Merlin that he wouldn't have to see another make out session between the two Gryffindors.

"I didn't think you were the type to hang out with the house elves." Bell said and sat down across from him.

"Why would anyone want to hang out with house elves? I'm here for a snack." He pointedly took a sip from his butterbeer.

"That was a joke, Flint. God, Slytherins are way too serious all the time." Bell said, but exchanged a wave and a smile with a couple of house elves. Pitiful, Marcus thought.

"Too serious for you?" Marcus swore internally. What was he doing?

Bell studied him for a moment. She seemed to have calmed down around him. Marcus remembered a time when she was all fidgety when talking to him.

"Why do you care?" She said eventually.

"No Wood tonight?" Marcus said, ignoring her question. He expected the Quidditch captain to walk in any moment. Which would be his cue to leave.

"No. Oliver has left earlier on already. His family actually doesn't live far from Hogwarts so they always pick him up to do some last minute Christmas shopping in Hogsmeade." One of the house elves came up to give Bell a mug of hot chocolate. She thanked the elf and took a sip. There was some cream above her upper lip. Marcus crossed his arms to stop himself from reaching out to wipe it away. Maybe wanting to do things like that should be his cue to leave instead.

"I see. I didn't know that he lived close by. I mean, I know he's Scottish, but I thought he was from Edinburgh." Surely talking about Wood would help him focus on not doing anything that would risk their budding friendship.

"No. So, what are you doing for Christmas?" Obviously Bell did not care to elaborate on Wood's living situation.

"I'm going to Italy. My grandparents live there and I always stay with them over the holidays." Marcus did not like the way she was looking at him. It was clearly the first time she considered him human.

"That's really nice. I love spending time with my grandparents as well. I'm their only grandchild so they spoil me rotten." Bell smiled. Marcus swallowed. She looked really pretty when she was smiling. Marcus didn't think she had ever smiled at him. Marcus smiled back tentatively.

"Yeah. Well, I better go and pack." Marcus said, not thinking it'd be wise to spend too much time talking to Bell away from everyone else. He finished his butterbeer and walked around the table. He stopped when he was back to where Bell sat. "So, have a good Christmas and whatnot." Marcus said.

Bell stood up to face him. The cream was gone from above her upper lip. Marcus thought they were standing way too close.

"Merry Christmas to you too!" Bell said in that cheery voice of hers. And leaned in. So Marcus did what he always did when girls leaned in to him. He kissed her. Before he was able to deepen the kiss, Bell had pushed him away and slapped him.

"What the hell are you doing?! I was only going to give you a hug!" She looked furious.

Marcus was frozen in place. Why had he thought she was going to kiss him? He had no idea what to do. It looked like he was going to spend his Christmas in Azkaban and not by the Adriatic sea.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to. I mean, I meant to, but only because I thought you wanted to." He said eventually, stumbling over his words. There would be a long list of Gryffindors wanting to kill him more than ever now. And Wood would be right at the top of that list.

Bell was still staring at him. And before he could say anything else, she kissed him. Hard. And Marcus did not spare any more thoughts on anything else but the girl in his arms.