Dark Secrets
Chapter 6
Disclaimer: Still don't own anything
Interlude the Warringtons
"Honey I'm home!" Cassius drawls with a smile tugging at his lips as he joins his wife in the parlor.
Alicia looked up from her book and smiled at her husband lovingly. "How was work?" she asks him after a short welcome kiss. "Hard, but nothing interesting to talk about. What have you two been doing today?" he askes, sitting down next to her and laying a hand on her still flat stomach.
"We've been to our healer appointment, had tea with your mother, did a little shopping and had a very relaxing bath which would've been way better if you would've participated." Alicia counted down, sending a wicked smile towards her husband.
"What did the healer say? Was mother nice to you?" Cassius was looking at her worriedly. "Everything is fine, we'll need to make the next appointment together, He'll be able to tell us the gender, I said you'd want to be there. And your mother is unbelievably nice to me since we told her I'm pregnant. Apparantly now I'm really a Warrington." Alicia made a face at the mention of her mother in law.
"Good. That's good. We'll make the appointment tomorrow before we go to Terence's wedding." Cassius assured her.
"Ok. I'm really excited. The wedding is going to be beautiful and it's the first time Katie and Flint will be in public together." Alicia gushed.
"Did you read the prophet? Huge article about the famous Quidditch star and his elopement." Alicia laughed at the way her husband looked while talking about the newspaper article. "No need to be jealous, love. After all, you got your gryffindor girl after what? 3-4 months of chasing me? Marcus and Katie have been sneaking glances at each other for over 4 years now! You're clearly the winner in this."
Marcus made sure to prove his point and engaged Katie in another round of passionate lovemaking.
After finally coming to her senses, Katie hurriedly left for work, leaving Marcus behind with a couple of kisses and promises to change their sleeping arrangements later, because Marcus woulnd't let her go before she agreed to move her things to his bedroom.
The blonde witch apparated to the hospital, Marcus got ready for Quidditch training, trying very hard to school his features in his usual grimm expressure but failing utterly. The happy, self satisfied smile always tugging at his lips.
Katie was in high spirits when she arrived at St Mungos. However her smile faltered after receiving several hateful glances and noticing the hushed whispers. All day the usually friendly staff was avoiding her like the plaque. When she finally had enough of it she went up to the nurses station and flat out asked the nurse what every ones problem was. She was shocked however, when the nurse shot her a dirty look and threw a Daily Prophet at her.
"We just found out who you really are. Don't expect to be treated well, now that we know who's side you're on. We won't trust you with muggleborn Patients anymore either." she snapped at her, before turning around and storming down the hallway to one of the Patientrooms.
Katies mouth hang open in shock. After collecting herself a little she took in the Prophet in her hands, immediately finding what the nurse had been referring to.
A picture of Marcus and her after Quidditch training, a short text beneath it, pointing out the Engagement announcement on one of the following pages.
The headline to the article was "Falcons Star chaser of the market" The whole article was speculating about wether or not the two of them had been together since Hogwarts, how unusual it was that the couple was from the most rivaling houses and both parties had played Quidditch in school days.
Katie found nothing that could've evoked this hatred towards her person, so it must be about the rumours about Marcus being a You-know-who Sympathizer. Of course she had heard of them, some even went as bold as to suspect him to wear the dark mark. But Marcus was very discreet, so no one really knew that these rumors were in fact true.
After noticing how much her hands were shaking, Katie realized she couldn't stay here. She couldn't keep working here while everyone hated her, suspecting her to mistreat muggleborns. Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall she walked calmly up to her supervisor to quit.
Katie wasn't normally one who gave up easily, but she wasn't going to keep fighting a lost battle, she had enough things to worry about.
Marcus was flying his last round over the pitch, when one of his collegues pointed down at what he was surprised to see was Katie. The chaser couldn't hold back the smile that broke out across his face. He immediately slowed down and brought his broom to the ground near her.
"Hi Babe. Missed me?" he asked loud enough that a few of the staff chuckled.
His cocky smirk slipped as he got near her and took in how upset she looked.
Crossing the last steps between them he gathered her in his arms and swept her of her feet with a slow and determined kiss.
Afterwards he cradled Katies face in his hands, looking in her eyes and quietly asking what happened. Katies lip trembled when she looked up to him.
"I quit my job. I couldn't stay there. Everyone was horrible to me. Some are jealous, most think the rumours about you are true and that I'm no better and wouldn't let me treat muggleborns out of fear I might do something to them. And... Merlin, Marcus... I need you." The dam broke and Katie was full out crying now, clutching to Marcus tightly.
"Oh gods... I'm sorry luv, I wish I'd have forbidden you to go. I would've never guessed it was going to be like this. There are merely rumours about me, they know nothing, they just suspect... Everyone is too scared to say something like this to me, I thought you wouldn't have problems either. Forgive me Katie. I dragged you into this." Marcus was stroking her cheek lovingly.
"Don't say that. You've been trying to protect me. You've risked your own safety for mine. I just... I wasn't expecting it, thats all. I'll just have to learn to live with it, stick to the right people. Hopefully I'll make a few friends with Ali's and Cassi's help."
Katie sniffed.
"Of course you'll make friends. You're charming, beautiful, way too nice for anyone not to like you. Everything is going to work out just fine. I promise. You're mine now, I protect what's mine." Marcus was speaking very earnestly and looked flabbergasted when Katie started laughing despite the tears streaming down her cheeks. Leading to hiccuping. "What's so funny woman?"
"You're a huge softy underneath. I always knew."
Marcus pulled her even closer to him, growling playfully. "Let me take you home and I'll show you how soft I am."
Katie smiled up to him, kissing him chastely. "Right now? We could shower together."
Marcus let out a groan. "You're driving me crazy luv. Let me get rid of the gear and I'll take you up on that offer in a few minutes." "Hurry up." Katie whispered, kissing him again before she shoved him in the direction of the locker rooms.
Marcus left hurriedly, looking back a few times. Katie smiled at him, wiping her tears of her face to make herself presentable. A few of Marcus teammates came up to her, introducing themselves and congratulating her to her engagement. Katie was smiling and being her usual nice and charming self. The Falcons players were nice enough, even though Katie was wondering wether or not they were all Death Eaters or sympathizers, or if they knew about Marcus. Surely he couldn't hide the Mark on his arm in the locker rooms? She would ask him later.
"Hands to yourselfs mates, this one is mine." came Marcus low, rumbling voice from right behind her, slipping an arm around her waist. Katie craned her neck, smirking up to him. "Your friends were just congratulating me for snatching you from bachelorhood."
"Yeah mate! Where did you hide her all this time? Afraid she'd realize she could do better than you?" Owen, one of the Falcons beaters joked. "Fuck off man." Marcus scowled.
Katie just laughed. "He didn't hide me. He respected that I wasn't ready to date him publicly. I was a Gryffindor, most of my friends were in Gryffindor. And I wasn't ready to lose them. Took me a while to realize that they would respect my choices if they were really my friends." Katie snorted at the last part. Marcus arm tightened around her.
"Did they?" Owen asked. Katie smirked. "Nope. Although I do expect to get at least a few howlers after todays prophet."
"Don't seem too upset about it." The Keeper raised an eyebrow.
"I made my decision. Wasn't too hard, choosing between a couple of people who claimed to be my friends but are too busy with themselves most of the time and the love of my live, well yes, I chose what makes me happy." Katie answered flippantly.
Marcus wore a self satisfied smirk. "Well, if you'll excuse us, I was promised something." With that he turned around, dragging Katie with him to the apparation point followed by the whistles of his teammates.
As soon as they were out of earshot he whispered "I'm the love of your life?" Katie looked up to him. "I've had a crush on you for the last 4 years. Thus, I've never been in a serious relationship before and as Alicia put it so nicely, I couldn't take the Engagement ring off even if I wanted to until we're married and I'm carrying your child. You're the only love I'm going to get." she explained herself.
Marcus came to an abrupt halt, the hurt apparent in his eyes. Katie, realizing how that must've sounded to him, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.
"You're also the only love I want. And I do love you." she added. Marcus smiled genuinely at this. "I love you too Katie." Katie launched herself at him, pressing her lips to his almost desperately. Marcus pressed her as close to him as possible, apparating them home.
Wasting no time Katie pulled Marcus up the stairs and to his, no, their bedroom.
Shutting the door tightly behind them, Katie made short work of her clothes, before attacking Marcus shirt. "God Katie. I love you. I always knew you were the one for me." he groaned when Katie got down on her knees before him, hastily opening his belt.
"Should've done something about it sooner." Katie breathed out before pushing his pants down to his ankles. "I couldn't. You were too young. You...oh!" Katie had freed him of his boxers and set to work with her mouth. After a while Marcus coaxed her to come back up
"I wont be able to last much longer if you keep that up and I've got plans for you." he whispered seductively. Katie smiled. "Shower?" she asked. Marcus nodded, picking her up and walking over to the bathroom.