Relinquished, Chapter Twelve

By ArrA.

Marcus looked over his cards, grinning at the luck of the draw. Carefully he selected a king and a three and placed them face down on the table as Ed's hand shot out to add another two to the small pile.

"Cut 'em, Marc," Ed told him playfully and Marcus reached out and cut the cards. Ed flipped the card over on top to reveal the seven underneath. Ed smiled and Marcus shrugged, his hand was good enough anyways.

Casually he dropped his first card down onto the table. "Four," he declared.

Ed looked at the card with hard eyes before dropping a seven on top. "Eleven."

"Twenty-one," Marcus told his Grandfather and Ed just smiled.

"Thirty one for two!" Ed said cheerfully as he dropped the jack and moved his peg two spaces closer to the finish.

"How about we call it a draw?" Marcus asked hopefully. Unfortunately Ed had always beaten him at cards and today was not an exception. Cribbage, usually known as crib, was Ed's favourite card game and he beat Marcus every time. Right now, Marcus was lucky enough to be over the skunk line but he swore that usually Ed cheated.

Ed smiled secretly as he watched his grandson count out, pegging a total of seven pegs before flopping down his hand onto the table, smiling brilliantly. "Fifteen four, and a double," he told Marcus as he jestered to the five and double tens… it was enough for him to count out and win the game.

"Well Ed," Marcus said, getting up and stretching, "I think I'm going to take a walk around Hogwarts and see what's happening, see if there's any Gryffindor fifth years, sulking around the place."

Ed laughed softly and nodded his head, gathering up the cards (complete with moving kings, queens and jacks) and put them in their box, ignoring their cries for another game. "If you see Katie," he started, pausing to give Marcus a sour look, "and I know that's who you're hoping to see, ask her if she can find it in her heart to indulge an old man."

Marcus laughed softly and nodded to his grandfather that he would before he pulled his robes over his wide shoulders and strolled out of the room.

He started down the hall, making sure to take a path that led him past Gryffindor Tower and started to head towards the Great Hall. It was almost the end of supper on his second day there, which just happened to be a Sunday. His presence was to be announced officially the next morning at breakfast, but Dumbledore had assured him, that if he wanted, he could join them for supper.

He stood next to the large doors of the Great Hall and pushed them open a crack to peer inside. He could see the four great tables, still lined up in the same order as they were when Marcus had sat at the head of Slytherin's table.

Scanning his old table, Marcus saw that no one had taken his old position, which he found rather strange, since Draco Malfoy, who should have been a fifth year if Marcus remembered correctly, was sure to take his place, even if Montague had beat him out for the captains spot. Suddenly though, he remembered about that paper which had proclaimed Draco as a missing person and he shuddered. He remembered just how much the boy's father controlled him and knew that the choice had not been Draco's to make.

Next his eyes disguarded the Hufflepuff table, just to rest on the Gryffindors. He scanned the table, seeing many of Katie's friends, such as Angelina Johnson and the Weasley twins, but Katie herself, was not there. So finally he turned his attention to the Head Table, where Katie was sitting between Professor McGonagall and the oaf of a giant, or that at least was Marcus' opinion on the man, Hagrid. But of course the two professors were trivial. No, his eyes immediately danced to Katie's face. What he saw made his heart sink… her eyes were staring at her plate, but he did not think she saw it and from the looks of her, he doubted she had eaten in many days.

The only thoughts in his head were concerns for Katie and the worry drove him crazy. Without thinking of what the possible reaction of the students might be, he was pushing the door open and approaching the table. The Great Hall, which had been full of young voices and laughter, immediately hushed but Marcus didn't care.

Halfway from the Head Table, as he quickly strolled between the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, a lone boy rose to his feet to confront him.

"Flint," the boy said, with a glare, "what are you doing here, you stinking Deatheater?" There was a murmured through the crowd as the Slytherins started to cheer for their "savior" and those from the other houses boo-ed.

"Potter," Marcus replied, staring down at the stalky boy with unruly black hair, "you should get the facts before you go around accusing people of crimes they didn't commit."

Potter glared even more and gazed up through his hair, his eyes slitted in anger. "Don't think we don't know what you did to Katie," Harry hissed at him and Marcus felt himself turn red. Not with embarrassment or rage but with shame.

"Get out of my way, Potter," Marcus growled, wanting to take out the anger that had emerged, the anger against him and everything he had done to Katie, on the Potter boy. "Move!"

Harry didn't look about to move but opened his mouth, about to say something when Marcus got tired of listening to the boy's accusations and pushed past him, almost knocking him to the floor. Quickly he advanced towards the high table, well aware of the whispers going on about him. He was sure why they were wondering what he was doing at Hogwarts and why Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers weren't attacking him but he didn't care.

"Good evening, Professor Flint," Dumbledore said kindly, acting as if the whole face off between himself and Potter had never happened. "I see that you've decided to make your public appearance a little early."

Marcus laughed at the statement before looking up at Katie. Her face was still faced towards her plate, but he was sure that her cheeks were slightly red and that there was a smile across her face.

"Yes," Marcus nodded, "I decided that I missed Hogwarts cuisine and eating in the Great Hall."

"I'm sure you won't miss it for much longer," Snape drawled from the other side of Dumbledore.

Marcus laughed, as a house elf hurried up with a chair and placed it between Katie and Hagrid. Marcus looked at her nervously but she scooted over so that he would fit, not looking at him. On the other hand, all Hagrid could was stare. His eyes bore into Marcus angrily, although he did not speak a word.

Marcus graciously took his seat and stared at the room in front of him. Never had he been able to see the whole Greet Hall from that perspective and he found it amazing. Although many faces were together, whispering, probably about him, Marcus didn't mind. It was strange to see Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Slytherins all in one room. Usually he had just seen those in front of him, but this was different.

"Marcus," a small voice said beside him. He turned quickly to see Katie looked up at him shyly. "Why are you here?"

"Dumbledore invited me. Why are you so shy, love?" he asked, missing her spirit and quick temper.

"I'm surprised to see you here and I'm not sure what you would say," she admitted.

"Are you glad to see me, or not?" Marcus asked with a worried look on his face.

"I don't think we should discuss this now. Will you come to my room later, so we can talk?" she asked hopefully and Marcus nodded with anticipation.

"Is nine good?" he asked.

She nodded. "Do you know where it is?"

"I have some idea."

Katie laughed. "I'm sure you have it memorized, Flint!"

"Well, you'll have wait till later tonight to find out."

"Pity."

Marcus smiled, probably for the first time in weeks. He had never talked to Katie so easily before but he hoped in the future it would always come easily.

"Did you know that Osbourne and Jaymes are here?" he asked, keeping up conversation.

Katie nodded. "Yes. I visited them earlier; although they did not let on that you were here. I think that Jaymes is actually pretty happy to be here too. I always though she was a major supporter of the dark lord, but I guess she's really freaked out about the whole thing now."

Marcus agreed. "So why aren't they down here?" he asked.

"Dumbledore told them that they would be introduced tomorrow since they were to be new professors for the rest of the year."

Marcus bobbed his head. "I'm teaching flying," he told Katie who looked at him in surprise. "Madam Hooch is starting to need help."

"Really? I was told she was retiring next year and that she needed a replacement! I guess they're training you up before you get the job…"

"Well, there's less than a month left in the school year left," Marcus pointed up. "Not much training time."

Katie shrugged. "Hope that they have two flying instructors," she told him, lean against him slightly as courageously as possible.

Marcus smiled down at her and Katie's heart missed a beat. She didn't remember ever talking to Marcus this way before but she found it comforting and refreshing.

"Listen," she found herself telling Marcus, "it's almost 7:30 and I need to finish my charms, so I think I'll see you at nine."

"Can't I walk you?" Marcus asked disappointedly.

The butterflies fluttered in her stomach as Katie nodded her head vigorously. "Of course," she told him as she stood up and he hooked his arm through her elbow.

Slowly they started to make their way out of the room and Katie quickly glanced towards Angelina and Alicia. She hadn't talked to them a lot since she had arrived home, mainly because she had been so confused over what she felt about Marcus, that she had spent a lot of time trying to figure out her feelings. She knew they would understand how she felt and obviously, since they were both Pureblood, they would have never heard of Stockholm syndrome.

Angelina, Alicia, the twins and Lee Jordan looked at her strangely as she left the room and for what seemed like the hundredth time, she felt herself thinking that she was glad she wasn't rooming in her old dorm. Traitor, she thought to herself as she smiled slightly at her friends without letting go of Marcus.

Katie had to say she was glad when she exited the Great Hall, she felt as if a weight had been lifted. She wouldn't have been surprised if the whole hall had been watching the couple.

Marcus led her through the halls quickly, showing no sign, she noted, that he didn't know where he was going. She had to refrain from laughing, since, to tell the truth, had she known he was there, she would of seeked his room out immediately. Finally, too soon, they arrived in front of Katie's door.

"This is goodbye," she whispered up to Marcus, staring into his eyes through the dim light.

Marcus smiled, he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, and said, "But only till nine."

"Only to nine," she repeated, stepping closer to Marcus' large form.

"So till then…" Marcus said and bent his head down, swiping his lips gently against her own and Katie leaned into him, trying to prevent him from ever leaving. She tangled her hands in his thick, dark hair and pulled him closer as his arms snaked around her waist. She deepened the kiss slightly and he kissed her back furiously.

She was sure it would have gone on for a long time if someone hadn't cleared their voice behind them.

Katie pulled her lips from Marcus' and looked towards the voice. She didn't let go of him though, his comforting body holding her up. There stood Angelina Johnson and she looked mad.

"What are you doing, Katie?" she hissed and Katie wasn't sure but there might have been tears in the other girl's eyes. "He kidnapped you and then you welcome him back? He's a deatheater!"

Katie frowned sadly, wishing she could explain. "You don't understand, Angelina!"

"What? Was it not what it seemed?"

Katie shook her head. "No, it was probably exactly what it seemed. But you don't know the story! You only heard what the ministry wanted you to know!"

Angelina shook her head, looking sad. "I don't think so Katie. I think you've changed."

"I have. And so has he," she told him, motioning to the man who was still holding her.

"You disgust me," Angelina hissed, looking at their entwined bodies and then she turned on her heel and stalked down the hall, not looking back.

"Are you okay?" Marcus finally asked, after several minutes of silence, moving slightly away from Katie.

"No. Fine," Katie told him confidently. "I'm fine. I just need a little… me time. You know, I've gotten none since I was captured."

"I'm sorry," Marcus replied, feeling guilty.

"I didn't mean you Marcus, although you scared the hell out of me at times," she told him. "You'll come at nine?" she added. "I want you to come."

"Of course."

She smiled and detached herself, not allowing another kiss and he understood.

"I'll be here at nine, on the dot," he told her as he started to march down the hall.

"I count on it," Katie said, smiling.

Author's Notes

Well, Relinquished has reached a milestone!! 52 votes as of chapter 11 on FFN!! I'm very proud and I want to thank everyone who reviewed. Your long wait is over! They're finally becoming the long awaited couple!! Yay!

Slyth at heart- I'm glad you enjoyed it! No, Katie's friends will be anything but satisfied, but it won't take much to satisfy Katie. ;) Yes, yes they will.

Bess3- I'm glad you liked it and here's the new chapter! J

kat6528- Was this good enough? Do you think it was a good thing? Please say yes! ;)

Neveada- You're a regular! I love my regulars, therefore I love you. ;)  That sucks that you were grounded. L My parents no longer have the control ground me, it's great. I'm glad you liked the chapter, you're right, it's going to be sooooo fun!

Little Nothing- I'm glad you like Relinquished and if you want to find more of this pairing, we have a shipper group at FictionAlley where we post our stories and updates. You should check it out. There are also a lot of M/K fics on my favourites list! Anyways, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! J

Darcel- Here it is!