A/N: It's Blackinnon Fest! A full month filled with Blackinnon! I have three Blackinnon stories that will go up this month! One for each week minus Holy Week. Enjoy this first story!
Heist
When Given the Choice
Marlene threw herself onto one of the couches in the common room and groaned.
"Everything alright, Marlene?" James looked up from where he sat with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, huddled over an intricately folded piece of parchment.
"Oh, just dandy, how are you?" She rolled her eyes.
Sirius laughed at her. "Don't take your bad day out on us, McKinnon. We're young and fabulous and life is good."
"Can I stay in the reality of your universe?" She snapped at him. "Mine sucks."
"Out with it, McKinnon." He stuck her with the glare that always made her heart skip a beat.
"It's stupid." She huffed and turned away from the group. Then she gasped as strong hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
"Where's your jacket?"
"It doesn't matter."
"McKinnon."
"Black."
"Where's your leather jacket? You left with it."
"I lost it."
"You're lying."
"Oh, you'd know, eh?"
"Yeah." He leant in, his gray eyes holding hers in a grip tighter than his hands on her shoulders. "I do."
She pushed away, feeling her resolve starting to slip. "It doesn't matter."
"Did someone take it from you?" James now joined them.
"I said. It. Does. Not. Matter." She ripped away from Black's grip and went to storm away.
"Marlene!"
Marlene groaned at Lily's voice. "Not now Lily."
"Marlene, wait! Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"
"Who hurt her?!" Sirius was at Marlene's side again.
"The Carrows were taunting her when I found them. They had her jacket but translocated it when I insisted they return it. I took them to Slughorn's office and he said he'd take care of it."
"Whatever, I'm going to bed." Marlene tried to bolt for the stairs but Sirius snagged her hand.
"Nope, we're getting your jacket back."
"How did they get your jacket, Marly?" James fiddled with the parchment he and the boys had been looking at.
Marlene blinked back the angry tears that were rising to the surface. "I was stupid."
"That doesn't sound accurate." Remus' soft voice only seemed to infuriate her more.
"I let two idiot Slytherins get the best of me! That sounds pretty stupid to my ears!"
"Be nice to Moony, he only wants to help."
She rounded on Sirius and the smirk on his face told her that was exactly what he'd wanted. "Comments from the peanut gallery aren't appreciated!"
"This peanut gallery is going to get you your jacket back so I'd say the comments are necessary."
"Awfully confident, aren't you?"
"I mean, history says I kind of have the right to be."
"Black, I swear on Merlin's grave-" Marlene stopped as she felt James pulling her backward.
"Before you kill Pads, why don't we start at the beginning?"
"Fine." She ripped away from James. "I didn't notice Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber hiding until they nearly knocked me over with a hex. I only had the jacket draped over my shoulders so when I started throwing hexes back it fell off and Tweedle Dumber summoned it before tossing it to Tweedle Dumb."
"And she threatened to set it on fire," Lily added. "That's when I got there. I told them to give it back and she translocated it somewhere. I'm sure that Slughorn will get it back though."
"Unlikely," Sirius shook his head and pulled the parchment from James' hands. "You and me?"
"I've got rounds in fifteen minutes."
"Moony?"
"Wormy and I have to meet Dorcas and Benjy for our group project."
Sirius turned back to James. "Does she know?"
"The cloak, yes."
"That's enough." He looked back at Marlene. "Ready to take back what's yours?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I told you, I'm stealing back your jacket and you're going to help."
"Sirius," Lily huffed, "please wait until you know that Slughorn hasn't managed to get it back."
"Don't worry, Red, I'll be sure to confirm that Sluggy has failed before we break into the Slytherin's dorms."
"Wait, what?!" Marlene grabbed his sleeve.
Sirius smirked and leant close. "You want your jacket back don't you?"
"Of course, I do."
"Good, I'll be right back." His hand slid along her arm and Marlene felt just a touch of her embarrassment and ire slide out of her with him.
