Chapter Three
Heated

I walked out of the fireplace, coughing out the soot that I had inhaled traveling. My eyes were stinging from the puff of ash that accumulated when I arrived. Soot and ash stuck to my waist length hair. I stepped out of the fireplace, rubbing my eyes, trying to end the irritation the ash made.

"Danielle?" a low voice said.

"Marcus," I coughed out, "Sorry about the intrusion."

"No. It's quite all right."

I rubbed my eyes once more, and opened them up. My cheeks instantly went red and I turned away. Even though we had our rendezvous time after time; we loved each other, yes. But still, seeing him in his boxers, well, you know what I'm getting at.

"Marcus, could you please put some clothes on?" I asked, with my back facing him.

"Geez, Dani. We've been together for how long now? Three years?"

"Two and a half, actually."

"And you're still embarrassed to see me like this?" I heard him walk closer to me, to the point where I could feel his breath on the back of my neck.

"Uh..."

Marcus laughed at my uneasiness. I felt his hands at my waist and he spun me around so I could face him. "You are embarrassed, aren't you?" I hid my right cheek from him so he won't see the bruise.

"No. I'm just –"

"Embarrassed."

"I am not!" I said defending myself. Truth was I was not embarrassed just surprised. I never expected him to be in his boxers still. He was the guy that usually was dressed by 5 a.m. "I just expected you to be dressed by now!"

"It's okay Danielle. I never knew my body had this effect on you," Marcus said, kissing my temple.

"You are so full of yourself," I laughed.

"And you love me for it," he smirked. "But I see that you got my letter. But I swear that I told you to come by tomorrow, not today."

My eyes got wide. I forgot about the letter. It was till under my pillow from the night before, in my unmade bed, the same bed that my father was probably making right now.

"Dani? What's the matter?"

"I never read it. I put it under my pillow, and I know my father is going to find it." I rested my head against Marcus's chest, hiding the bruise still.

Marcus patted my back and asked, "You never told him? Dani, I thought we agreed to –"

"I know!" I interrupted him. "It's just that he's so harsh on me with school and my behavior, I'm just afraid how he's going to react when I tell him I'm in love with you, a Malfoy. What he would do with me is beyond what I can imagine."

"Dani..." he whispered. He pulled back and lifted my chin so I would look at him. He turned my head to the left; he had seen the bruise. "What the hell Dani? Did he do that to you?"

"It's not what you think Marcus–"

"I know what I think is the truth, Dani!" he interrupted me. "He hit you, didn't he?"

"Calm down Marcus, please. You're making a mountain out of a mole hill."

"I am not. God damn it Danielle. This is the fifth time you've come here with a bruise, and always covering you're dad's arse! He nothing but a drunk beating his daughter! "

My eyes went wide, and before I knew it, my right hand collided with his left cheek. "Don't you ever talk about my father like that! Ever! He is not a drunk!"

Tears stung my eyes; turning on my heel, I sauntered back to the fireplace. I have grabbed a handful of Floo powder. I was about to step into the fireplace when I felt Marcus's hands on my waist. I shut my eyes, letting the tears fall, and my head hung.

"Dani," Marcus whispered in my ear. He turned me around to face him, and I noticed his left cheek was a little red. I lifted my hand to touch it, try to soothe it. It was warm under my fingertips.

I searched his gray eyes, trying to find what he was thinking. My eyes traveled down his body, noting he was wearing jeans now, but still, no shirt. My eyes wondered back to his. Once or eyes met, he bent down and kissed me on the lips. My hands wrapped around his neck and kissed him back. Marcus's hands moved from my waist to my upper back. My hands wander from his neck down to the button of his jeans. Marcus's hand slowly found it's way to the front of my shirt. He slowly started to unbutton my shirt, when I backed away from the kiss.

"What?" he breathed.

I rested my head on his shoulder. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Then why did you stop?"

"I don't know."

"I think you do."

I sighed heavily. "Marcus, I want to–"

"Then, let's."

"But it's just that…"

"You're worried about your father," Marcus said, letting me go.

I nodded.

"Then go. Go Dani. I don't mind," Marcus said. I could pick up a little sarcastic tone in his voice.

"I'll stay, thank you."

"Fine." He walked away from me, towards his adjoining bathroom. Out of habit, I followed him. He turned on the water at the sink and splashed his face. He grabbed a towel and wiped his face. "I don't get you, Danielle. I really don't get you. Every time we are together, you always think about your father. About how he would react about us; what he would do if he found out. And I'm sick of it Danielle. Dead sick. You got to get a backbone with that guy. He is just your father, not some dictator in your life."

"Marcus –"

"No Dani. I'm tired of you making excuses for him, for you, for us! I don't think I can handle it any longer." He leaned forward on the counter, his head hanging down.

"I'm sorry. If you want, I'll stay and try not to think about it," I apologized. I walked towards him, wrapping my arms around him from behind. "I love you Marcus, really, I do."

He turned around to face me. I looked up at him. He was still a little angry, by the look in his eyes, but I knew that would fizzle soon. I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed his bottom lip. He responded right away by wrapping his arms around my waist and picked me up. He pulled away for a moment.

"Promise?" he asked.

"Promise," I smiled.