Bruises and Books

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11. gardenia

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"Marcus! This has gone too far!"

"You don't like my flowers?"

"I have nothing against the flowers and everything against the intent behind the flowers and the giver of said flowers!"

"You don't like my flowers, then?"

"Arg! No. The flowers – from YOU – are… they're meaningless!"

"I don't understand."

"Don't use that smug tone. They mean purity. You are as far from pure as they come… Ugh! Don't leer like that…Oh! I didn't mean it… I meant that you're not pure."

"Ironic, isn't it?"

"You just don't… the irony – it's… Merlin, I hate you!"

"I'm giving you the flowers, Weasley: you're the pure one, albeit dense."

"Oh… thanks."

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Thanks to my reviewers! imakeeper, Catri Howlman-Carthaki spy, and Don't Panic. You guys are sooo cool!

As for Marcus being brilliant but being held back a year - I'm usually under the impression that it was because he liked to beat on small children, and it had nothing to do with acedemics.