"Game Plan"
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Harry Potter series belong to J.K Rowling.
It was over a month since Marcus and Katie had started meeting in the Astronomy Tower after their study dates. It was wonderful and exciting, and utterly frustrating. For the first time in nearly two years, Marcus had to spend all their private time together just kissing a girl. That was all Katie would do or let him do. If Marcus was the introspective type, he might have wondered why he didn't seek relief from the girls he'd had casual arrangements with before.
But he wasn't the introspective type, so when he encountered Lucretia Rosier as he was heading back to the dungeons after one such meeting with Katie, he curtly told her "Not anymore" and put her out of his mind. Instead of going to his own dormitory, he went to the fifth year boys' room.
"Valentine's is next week," he announced.
Warrington gave him a confused and wary look. "I know."
"Flowers and candy!" Bletchley positively screeched with delight.
"Geez, Miles, you sound like a girl," Montague said with disgust.
Bletchley made an obscene gesture in Montague's direction. "Not for me, you idiot. For Bell. Marcus has to get her flowers and chocolate or something."
Pucey tore down the curtains around his bed in his eagerness to stare at Marcus and snicker. He jumped out of bed and pointed at Marcus with glee. "I have to see this. Marcus, have you ever bought a girl anything for Valentine's Day before?"
Marcus glared at him. "No," he admitted. He felt his face burn with anger and embarrassment as all four of them laughed.
"So, you've never had a real girlfriend before?" Warrington asked.
"No." He used to be proud of the fact that he could get girls into bed without having to exert much time and effort on them. Now he realized he might be socially underdeveloped in some ways, a victim of his own success.
Montague got his laughter under control and put a hand on Marcus's shoulder. "Don't worry, Captain," he said. "We'll help you." Marcus wondered if Montague was trying to suck up to him in effort get the Quidditch team captaincy when he left Hogwarts. He needn't have bothered; Pucey was off the team, Warrington was too new, and Bletchley was too annoying. He would be the next Slytherin captain by default, but Marcus wasn't about to tell him that now.
The five of them went to Honeydukes that weekend. Marcus felt certain everyone in the store was watching him, so he plastered his nastiest sneer on his face. That, and the fact that the five Slytherins were individually well built and collectively formed a solid wall, got the other customers out of their way. Bletchley and Pucey were laughing too hard to be of much help, so the task of choosing Katie a gift fell to Montague and Warrington.
"A heart shaped box of chocolates is the classic gift. She'll share it with her friends and giggle about how much she likes you," Montague said. The others gave him strange looks. "I have sisters," he said defensively.
"I don't want her talking about me to her friends just yet. Remember the plan," Marcus said. Yet he hadn't remembered the plan himself until the words came out of his mouth. He felt a strange jolt at this realization. Katie was just more fun than he'd expected, that was all. He was not falling in love with her.
"You could get her a block of chocolate. They'll carve names and stuff into it if you want," Warrington said. "Something like 'To my beloved' or whatever you want."
Marcus couldn't choose so he bought both of them. He quickly handed the bag to Bletchley. Marcus Flint would not be seen carrying bright red chocolate boxes. As they walked back to Hogwarts, Pucey and Warrington began to argue over whether Marcus should send Katie a singing card or a singing dwarf. Marcus resisted the urge to seize them and smash their heads together. He settled for saying, "A singing anything will attract too much attention. How's she supposed to explain who it's from? You know how Gryffindors are. Wood and the Weasleys will want to know who it's from so they can make sure the sender is worthy or her or some crap like that."
"Oh," Warrington said. "Sorry, Marcus, I didn't think about that."
Marcus grunted as a means of accepting the apology. Besides, he knew from receiving his fair share of singing dwarves to not inflict that embarrassment on the girl he was supposed to love. When Bletchley returned his Honeydukes bag back in the Slytherin common room, he also handed Marcus a card. "What am I used to do with this?" Marcus grumbled.
Bletchley looked at him like he was an idiot. "You write something sappy and send it her," he explained patiently.
Marcus snatched the card from Bletchley and headed to his own dormitory. He ignored Bole's attempt at conversation and pulled his bedcurtains shut. A quick "Lumos" provided enough light for him to write something in the card. Dear Katie...no. He waved his wand and the words disappeared. I've never felt this way about anyone. No, it was the truth but he'd used that line already. He waved his wand again. Katie, I love you. There, that was simple and perfect. He wanted to sign his name, but he couldn't risk one of her friends seeing it.
Wednesday, he watched the Gryffindor table at breakfast as hundreds of owls flew through the Great Hall delivering Valentine gifts and greetings. Marcus frowned as one of the Weasleys ate a piece of Katie's chocolate. Her friends were all laughing and Katie was blushing. He imagined they were teasing her about her secret admirer. Then she read the card and looked at him. Their eyes met. She wasn't smiling, she looked stunned. Spinnet followed her line of sight and frowned when she saw Marcus. Katie elbowed Spinnet and they both looked away from him. He ignored the owls delivering cards and flowers to him; he always received stuff from the younger girls in Slytherin who had crushes on him because he was the Slytherin Quidditch captain. Beside him, Bletchley was busy going through the things he'd been sent.
"What are you doing?" Marcus demanded. He didn't care about the crap, but that didn't mean anyone could just start going through his mail.
"Looking for whatever Bell sent you," Bletchley didn't look up as he answered. "If she's as in love with you as you say, she'll have given you something." Marcus hadn't thought about that. Too bad, too late. Bletchley exclaimed "Yes!" and waved a plain pink and white card around. "You're getting lucky tonight, Marcus."
Marcus clapped Bletchley on the back in what could be mistaken as a friendly gesture and took the card. He ignored Bletchley's wince and looked at the card. He ignored the pre-printed lines and focused on Katie's writing. He forgot to breathe as he read it. Marcus, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could get you for Valentine's Day. There's only one thing that you'll care about that could show you how much I love you. I'll meet you in your office in the Slytherin locker room tonight at eight. Love, Katie. Surely she wasn't referring to what he was thinking about. He ordered himself not to get his hopes up, but it was an order he couldn't obey. The possibility that he might finally have sex with Katie tonight was too exciting.
At lunch and dinner, Marcus sat with his back to the Gryffindor table so he wouldn't be tempted to stare at Katie. Bletchley had told the others about Katie's note and they all sat around him, grinning. "Look," Marcus growled. "If I see any of you near the locker room tonight, I will do things to you that Madam Pomfrey doesn't know how to heal." He stared at each of them, one by one. "Got it?" They all mumbled yes and went back to teasing him.
"Eat up, Marcus, you'll need lots of energy for tonight. Those Gryffindor chasers are a handful," Montague said.
"You'll tell us about it, won't you, Marcus?" Pucey asked him, grinning.
Marcus had to get up and move to the other end of the table to avoid committing four murders right in front of Dumbledore. After dinner, he hurried back to the Slytherin dungeons and took a long, hot shower. He put on a clean set of his school uniform so he wouldn't have to embarrass himself by either under-dressing or over-dressing. Then he went down to the Slytherin locker room. He made sure it, and particularly his small office, was as clean as it could possibly get. He wished he had a glass of firewhiskey as he waited for Katie. The last time he'd been this nervous was his first Quidditch game as team captain. Katie was five minutes early; he'd been checking his watch.
"Hi," she said shly. She was wearing a short, clingy blue dress. The cloak she'd worn over her dress to leave Gryffindor Tower was drapped over one arm. "Happy Valentine's Day, Marcus."
Marcus forced himself to pick up the bouquet of red roses instead of pouncing on her. He handed her the bouquet. "I had these delivered to myself so I could give them to you." He gestured to the three other bunches of flowers on his desk, "Those were sent to me and I thought you might want them rather than me throwing them out."
"Thank you." She sniffed the roses and started tearing up. Marcus eyed her nervously. He never knew what to do when girls started crying. Usually he just left the room but that was out of the question now. So he took the flowers from her, set them down on the desk, and held her. "I love you, Marcus." She started sobbing. This was not how Marcus had pictured his evening.
He rubbed her back soothingly. "I love you too, Katie." He dug through his pockets for a handkerchief and gave it to her when her sobs finally died down. Really, if he loved her and she loved him, there was no problem. Why was she crying? He wanted to ask her but he didn't want to risk provoking her into crying again.
"I'm sorry I ruined the mood," she said, "I wanted tonight to be special."
"It is," he said. "You're here with me." Oh God, he meant it. He'd panic later, when Katie wasn't in his arms.
She bit her lip and stared at him. For a moment he thought she was about to cry again. Then she kissed him. He ended up sweeping the flowers to the floor and putting Katie to sit on his desk. Her legs were wrapped around him and he was pressed against her. He had to stop while he could still, barely, think. "Do you want me, Katie?" His breath was ragged. She pushed him away and he felt disappointment for a moment.
Until Katie pulled her dress over her head and tossed it to the floor. She was just standing there in a pair of black lace underwear. "Yes, I want you, Marcus," she said.
Marcus had to close his eyes and take a few deep breaths to control himself. Slowly and gently, he reminded himself, because she was Katie and she was a virgin. He found a deeper well of self-control he never knew he had and went to Katie.
