Written for The Houses Competition: Round 2
House: Hufflepuff
Class: Potions
Prompts: [Negative Pairing] Marlene McKinnon and Remus Lupin
Summary: Remus thinks she's too perfect. Marlene thinks he's too bossy and clingy. They try to reach an understanding.
Word Count: 1170
Betas: Thank you to the people who beta'd this, especially when my mind is gone most of the time.
The reason Remus Lupin disliked Marlene McKinnon was a simple one. She was too perfect. She was smart, she was beautiful, she was kind. There was no reason not to like her.
It might be a petty reason, and he knew it went deeper than that. It came from a fear that she would take his friends away. That she would convince them to betray him. He didn't know if his heart could take the only friends who accepted them leaving him.
It didn't help that she acted like she was perfect. She acted like she could do nothing wrong, and everything she did wrong was someone else's fault.
He doesn't think anyone knows they hate each other. Oh, he knows she hates him. It was subtly but sometimes, she would just stare at him, as if silently scolding him. It was the way she was polite to an almost passive aggressive degree.
In return, he mostly ignored her. He was polite when needed and didn't fuel the fire. Sometimes, he would be just as passive aggressive, but he tried not to let her get to him. He knew someone would catch on to the subtle warfare going on. He was right, even though he wished he wasn't.
"Hey, why do you and Marlene hate each other?"
Sirius, of all people, brought it up, which was even worse in Remus' opinion. The question took him by surprise for sure, so much so that he stumbled. It amused his friends, but he was not as amused.
"What do you mean?" he said, deciding to play the oblivious.
"She keeps glaring at you and you just ignore her. You avoid her by using any excuse, and she's slightly sarcastic with you. So what's up?" James listed.
Remus sighed. It was a complicated matter, even to the parties involved, and he knew explaining it to his friends would be tough.
"It's… complicated," he said, avoiding the question. His friends glanced at each other, clearly sensing something amiss. "
"Maybe… you should talk to her. Smooth things out between you two," James suggested cautiously.
And maybe he did. He avoided it for so long, mostly out of pettiness, but he knew his life would be slightly easier if the rivalry he had with Marlene was over.
"Maybe I will."
It wasn't a direct answer but his friends accepted it so they just continued to the Great Hall for lunch. Remus needed some time to think and excused himself to the library. He had a lot to think about.
Marlene McKinnon hated Remus Lupin for one reason. He was too bossy and too clingy. He was a toxic person who just used his friends and clung to them for popularity.
Of course, maybe the reason went deeper than that. As a child, Marlene had a toxic relationship that she still wasn't over. She knew, deep down, that she was projecting on Remus, but it was too late to stop.
She did nothing directly, but she tried to drive him away in other ways. Making him uncomfortable, being passive aggressive in conversations. They didn't work, but she was confident that she was wearing him down.
In the end, she wasn't subtle enough as her friends took notice. They confronted her about it in their dorm.
"Why do you hate Remus?" Lily asked.
She didn't hesitate to answer. "Because he's toxic and just using his friends for popularity."
She didn't look up from her book as she said this, but after a few minutes of silence from her friends, she looked up. They looked shocked, clearly not expecting something like that for her.
Eventually, Lily snapped out of it, but Alice was ahead of her. "Marlene!" she said, scandalized, "Remus wouldn't do that!"
"He's a sweetheart, really," Lily said in agreement.
Marlene sighed but said nothing, knowing she wouldn't be able to change her friends' minds just like they couldn't change hers.
"Give him a chance," Lily pleaded.
Marlene set her book down. "Why should I?"
"Because he's our friend, too. Maybe he's not as bad as you think," Alice commented.
"Just talk to him. One conversation, that's all," Lily voiced.
"Just one conversation?" she questioned.
At their nod, she sighed and agreed. They cheered, but Marlene hardly paid attention as she thought of ways to talk to Remus, especially when he hated her just as much. It was going to be an interesting conversation, that's for sure.
When they had their talk, it was a spontaneous choice. They were both in the library, studying with their friends when their eyes met. They held a silent conversation and eventually, they stood up. Their friends looked at them in confusion, but understood when they saw the other.
Remus followed Marlene as she led them to an empty classroom. After they left the library, she didn't even glance at him as she started walking away. He was quick to follow.
When they entered the classroom, they stayed silent, just looking at the other. Marlene's stare was hostile, while Remus was sure his face was passive.
"Look," Marlene started, "I don't like you, you don't like me. End of story. We both know that. However, it seems to affect our friends, so I would like to propose a truce."
Her voice was icy and Remus was as equally cold when he replied, "Why should I agree?"
"I don't know; peace of mind? Promises of just ignoring each other?" she questioned sarcastically.
Remus was all too ready to agree to that, but before he could… "Why do you hate me? Answer that, and maybe I'll agree to a truce."
Marlene looked taken aback, but when she recovered, her answer was mocking.
"Why do I hate you? Because all you want is popularity. You don't care about your friends. You may fool everyone else, but I see right through you Remus Lupin. You're just a manipulative jerk who uses everyone for their own gain. Now, why do you hate me?"
If her answer shocked Remus, he didn't let it show. Instead, he answered her question, his voice flat.
"Because you're too perfect. It's like you can do nothing wrong and everyone loves you. You even act like you're perfect when you're not, and it pisses me off a bit."
Marlene barely reacted to his statement. Then she started giggling. He joined in, chuckling a bit. It was kind of obvious now that they weren't what the other thought, but years of resentment didn't go away easily. It was mostly pettiness that kept the hatred going. They might eventually become friends, but a truce would do for now.
They shook hands, sealing the deal, but not before Marlene said, "I still hate you."
"Me too," Remus replied honestly, "But let's try to get along for now, alright?"
"Fine by me."
The two may have entered the room as enemies, but they came out with an understanding. They knew there was a bit of work to do with their relationship, but for now, they were content.
