Scarves
A/N: I've been a math tutor for the last six years of my marriage. This fic is about a lesson I learned pretty early on, and something I still find myself in need of on occasion. ;) Thankfully I don't work at a tutoring center or school anymore, so I only have my students to fool when they come to my home.
Marlene showed up to the tutoring center for her Saturday shift wearing a bright red gauzy scarf, tied in an intricate knot around her neck.
"What a lovely scarf!" Andromeda complimented as she brought Dora in.
Marlene smiled and thanked her before taking Dora back to her desk to start their session.
Marlene smiled and was gracious to every compliment through the day regarding her new accessory including from a potential client, a mother with little twin boys who were fond of pranks but not fond of actually paying attention in their lessons. At the end of her shift, she breathed a sigh of relief and moved to head home.
"What's with the scarf?" Lily cornered her as Marlene grabbed her purse and put away the students' folders.
"I just felt like wearing it," Marlene shrugged. She liked Lily. They had started at the center at the same time, and over the last year, they'd grown to be friends.
Lily shook her head as she followed her out of the tutoring center. "No, you don't wear scarves unless it's freezing outside. It's a warm Spring day. So I'll ask you again," Lily linked her arm with Marlene's as she moved towards the car park, "What's with the scarf?"
Marlene threw her head back and laughed, "You're ridiculous! Honestly, I found the scarf and thought it was cute so I bought it."
"Marlene McKinnon went shopping? Were you running a fever?"
"Again, you're ridiculous." Marlene laughed and bumped Lily's shoulder with hers.
"That's why you love me!"
It was a couple of weeks later, again on her Saturday shift, that Marlene showed up wearing another scarf. This time it was black and shimmery, smaller than the red one had been, and Marlene had tied it in a simple knot.
"Let me guess," Lily raised her eyebrows at her. "You saw it on a secret shopping trip and had to have one that would blend in with your leather jacket."
Marlene smiled as she traded her purse for her students' folders, "Exactly."
Lily shook her head, "You're hiding something from me."
"I'm hiding something from everyone, Lily," Marlene winked at her, "don't feel singled out."
The next few weeks, Marlene took a great deal of satisfaction in showing up in different gauzy and silky scarves in a variety of colors. And Lily's guesses of why she was wearing the scarves were more and more outlandish as the weeks continued.
"I know! You've joined a red hat club but you all wear scarves instead of red hats and you're in the middle of initiation so you have to always wear your scarves to prove your loyalty."
Marlene laughed as she finished up with Dora. "I like that one. I think I may start a scarves club and make that a part of the initiation."
Lily rolled her eyes, but she watched intrigued as Marlene turned to walk Dora to the front of the center before coming to a shuddering halt.
Dora, however, cheered.
"Sirius!"
She ran to a man about Lily and Marlene's age with gray eyes and black hair that fell with unfounded grace and charm.
"Hey, there little one!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm picking you up today to help your folks out."
"Did you bring the bike? Do I get to ride?"
Dora shrieked when the man, Sirius, nodded, "Have my spare helmet and everything."
But then the man caught sight of Marlene as she slowly approached and his eyes went huge before a smirk grew across his face.
"Hi, I'm Sirius," he offered his hand to Marlene.
"Marlene, it's a pleasure."
"It really is," Sirius held her hand, "Nice scarf."
"Thank you," Marlene laughed.
Lily was sure that something had passed between them, but she couldn't see Marlene's face and she had no way to prove it. So Lily took a different tactic as Marlene returned and Sirius and Dora walked out of the center, Sirius taking one last glance at Marlene before the door closed.
"He's into you."
Marlene laughed, "I'd like to think so."
"No, really, you should have Andromeda set you up." Lily pressed, but she was met with Marlene's overconfident grin.
"I might, but right now, I've got my first appointment with the Weasley twins, so I'm going to worry about that right now instead."
Lily spent the next several weeks alternating between bugging Marlene about Dora's cousin - she had shamelessly asked Andromeda about the man the next week - and Marlene's sudden affinity and continued use of scarves. What really kept Lily going was that last summer, Marlene had worn several tasteful tank tops to the center, and this summer she had yet to wear one.
"Wow, it is so hot out today!" Lily complained as she walked up behind Marlene. "You must be dying in that t-shirt and scarf."
Marlene's smile was just a bit tight. "We all make sacrifices for beauty, you can't tell me those heels are comfortable."
Lily shrugged but her grin widened. "I suppose you're right, but I have a date after work so my outfit has to serve two purposes."
"Really? Lily has a date?" Marlene's grin was no longer strained. "That's exciting!"
Lily bit her lip. "I'm kind of nervous, I really like him. He said we might meet up with a couple of his mates after dinner, so maybe he likes me more than a little too."
"That's wonderful Lils! What's his name?"
"James," Lily went to say more but the Weasley twins came in at that moment and Marlene moved on to her students.
Marlene left before Lily that day and wished her well on her date. She was welcomed home by her boyfriend waiting for her in flat.
"Hey there sexy," Sirius set the knife he was using to cut mushrooms down to take her in his arms. Gently he untied the scarf from her neck and pulled her t-shirt over her head, revealing the hickeys he'd been leaving on her neck and chest.
"Do you realize how bloody hot it is outside?" Marlene groaned as Sirius brought his lips to her neck.
"Yes, hence I relieved you of your shirt and scarf."
"You're the reason I had to wear the shirt and scarf."
"I can always stop," Sirius' voice was low as he spoke just behind her ear.
"Don't you dare!" Marlene sighed as she melted into him.
"I'll make it up to you," Sirius kissed her, "I'm making dinner and then the lads want all of us to show up with you girls for a pint or something."
"Whatever you're cooking smells divine so, yes." Marlene kissed him back until he pulled away to ensure that dinner didn't burn.
"Where's James?" Sirius asked as he and Marlene sat down at the table in the pub. Marlene now had on her shorts and a tank top, and her hair was pulled up off her neck, all of her hickeys on display. She rather enjoyed the variety of looks she would get. Men who would glare jealously at Sirius while she hung on his arm. Women who would look down their noses at her. Women who would share a secret smile and a wink with her, specifically Dorcas. Marlene really liked Remus' girlfriend.
"He's on his way," Remus chuckled. "He's finally asked out that girl he met a while back."
"I hope it goes well, or we'll never hear the end of it." Peter bemoaned.
"Be nice," his girlfriend, Bridget, chided, but she smiled fondly at him.
"There he is," Dorcas pointed towards the door where James was walking in with his date.
Marlene stared, "Well, fuck."
Sirius started laughing so hard he was doubled over. Marlene gave his shoulder a shove before turning and smiling up at Lily.
"Welcome to the scarf club, Lily," Marlene smiled at her friend who was staring at her neck and chest with wide eyes. "This is Dorcas, she and I will be there to commiserate with you. Bridget here is a part-time member. You're welcome to borrow a few of mine until you buy some of your own."
Lily burst into laughter, laughing harder than Sirius.
With her boyfriend and friend incapacitated, Marlene was tasked with providing explanations to the rest of their company. But truth was, she didn't mind. The scarf club wasn't the worst club to be a member of, especially because it meant Sirius kept kissing her neck.