Hey, guys, thanks heaps for your kind words, and the like, and to those of you who I can't pm back because you are a guest, thanks for your kind words too. I'll try to be a little more frequent in updating, but I still can't promise, as my beta is MIA in a move across the country, and as I manage a rather busy store, my time at home with my hubby and two brat-lings is rather precious. But I just wanted to say THANK YOU! Kerri. xxx

12

After their evening of solitude by the lake, Marcus and Katie settled into their friendship slowly. Carefully. Rather than watch one another and wonder, they began to have conversations that ranged from normal to out there. Conversations in the stacks while putting books away, and conversations under Ravenclaw's Quidditch stand; not under Gryffindor or Slytherin. No, they took their respective houses out of it as much as they could. And as the days stretched out, their friendship grew, as did the feelings that they so desperately wanted to keep a secret.

XxXxXxX

"What's your favorite thing about being a wizard? Other than being able to do magic, of course."

"Flying. What's yours?"

"I'm not a wizard, Marcus."

"Oh hardy ha ha, Bell. Favourite things about being a witch then?"

"You know, when you said witch just then, I think you were thinking of another word, weren't you? One that rhymes with witch..."

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies, Katie."

"Oh, ha ha!"

"Sarcasm becomes you, little witch."

"Shut up, Marcus!"

"Well? Are you going to answer me or not?"

"Umm... I love learning about the different creatures that inhabit our world."

"See? Now was that so hard?"

XxXxXxX

"Favorite class?"

"Oh, I love Transfigurations. And you?"

"Advanced Potions."

"Advanced Potions? Why?"

"Because I've learned how to kill an person twenty five different ways, and be able to get away with it..."

"Oh hardy ha ha, Marcus!"

"You asked!"

"So, you believe in revenge then?"

"Slytherin, Bell. Of course, I believe in revenge. Don't you?"

"I'm not sure if your definition of revenge and mine are the same, Marcus."

"Really? Should I ask Montague if he agrees?"

"That was different!"

"No, Katie, it wasn't. You and me? We think the same way."

"How's that?"

"I can either be your very best friend or your very worst enemy. He made an enemy of you... you retaliated."

"Does that make it any less wrong what I did? I did hurt him after all."

"Nah. Besides. He hurt you first."

"What would you have done?"

"Let's put it this way, Katie... they'd never find the body."

"...You're kinda scary, Marcus."

"Thank you!"

XxXxXxX

"When's your birthday?"

"Why?"

"Because..."

"Because you're a nosy little Gryff?"

"Oh, ha ha, Marcus! No, seriously, when's your birthday? I'll tell you when mine is!"

"You turned fifteen on the twentieth of August, the day after Brown had her birthday."

"...You're right scary, Flint..."

"No, Bell, I'm really not. I have a head for statistics. Add in that you Gryffindor's are a noisy bunch when it's time to throw a celebration; it should come as no surprise that I know when your birthday is."

"That's true... So when is your birthday?"

"Fourteenth of April."

"That's... In only a few days, Marcus! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"What's there to say, Katie, other than Happy Birthday?"

"I can't even get down to Hogsmead to get you something!"

"Don't worry about it, Bell."

"No! I want to get you something... or do something for you!"

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know! But I would have done something!"

"Just wish me a happy day, Katie. That'll do."

XxXxXxX

"Happy birthday, Marcus."

"Thanks, Bell."

"How's it feel to be nineteen?"

"Same as eighteen did, Bell."

"Oh ha ha!"

XxXxXxX

"What's the best thing about being a Half Blood?"

"Oh, that's easy. I get to experience the best of both worlds."

"How so?"

"Well, I get to experience magic, and everything that comes with that. Flying, knowledge, and Quidditch. But I also get to experience the best of the Muggle world too. Chocolate and football and the parties that we hold on the beach in the summer time."

"What's the Muggle world like?"

"It depends on where you live, I suppose. Muggle London is frantic – fast paced, filled with money and high fashion, it's a city that never sleeps. But a sea-side town? That slows the pace down. Walks along the beach in winter, and swimming in the sea during summer as the days stretch out? It's as slow as you can possibly get."

"Hmm."

"Why do you ask, Marcus?"

"I'm not sure as where to live when I leave school."

"What about with your parents?"

"No. My mother... travels a lot."

"And your father?"

"I'd better get to class, Katie. I've already failed once."

"Marcus?"

"See you around, Bell."

XxXxXxX

"Haven't seen you around much, Bell."

"No...I, ah... I owe you an apology, Marcus."

"For what?"

"You see... When I asked who... ummm... I looked up your family history in the library. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Marcus."

"So, you know then."

"That he is in Azkaban? Yes. I'm truly sorry, Marcus."

"Why? It isn't really a secret, Bell. I suppose outside of Slytherin, it would come as a shock, but to those of us in my house, we all have a relative somewhere who supported Him, and landed in Azkaban for it."

"How do you cope with it, Marcus?"

"Don't have a choice, do I? He's locked up, that's public record, as are his crimes. The fact that he escaped the Dementor's kiss by the skin of his arse is known fact too. Most people outside of Slytherin look at me and see him, Bell. You get used to it."

"Still, I'm sorry."

"Leave it, Bell. Talking about an unchangeable fact is as depressing as all fuck."

"All right."

"Have you ever gotten drunk?"

"I came close once on the beach with Lee last year. But other than that, no. Why?"

"Do you want too?"

"It's against the rules to drink on school grounds."

"You won't go to hell for breaking the rules once, Katie."

"When?"

"No time like the present. It isn't like we have to get up for classes tomorrow."

"All right."

XxXxXxX

Katie followed Marcus to Slytherin's Quidditch stand. The stand was dark, and after a quick peek, Katie saw that there were some blankets piled up against the wall, opposite the railing. It was against the railing that Marcus stopped, and he tilted his head back and looked up at the night sky as Katie watched him silently. When Marcus beckoned her closer, Katie crossed to his side and looked out over the pitch as he stood beside her. She lifted her eyes to his when he produced a small bottle from within his robes, and she licked her lips nervously.

"What is it?" she asked, and Marcus gave her a strange smile.

"The ability to forget what you can't change," he whispered as he uncorked the bottle and lifted it to his lips.

After taking a small measure, he held the bottle out to her, and when he raised his eyebrow in challenge, Katie sighed and took a small sip. The alcohol was smooth on her tongue, but it still made her cough. Marcus chuckled softly, his hand closing around hers when she lifted it again.

"Slowly, Katie. I don't want you to drink to get drunk; just enough to get tipsy. As you said, we are at school."

Katie nodded, and a dozen sips later, she swayed into Marcus with a small sigh. His arm closed around her waist as he stepped behind her; holding her up right between his body and the rail of the stand, Marcus let his chin come to rest on the crown of her head. Katie sighed softly and closed her eyes as her head rested against the dip in the broad shoulder behind her.

"Whiskey?" she mumbled, and Marcus made a small sound of disagreement.

"No. Cognac. It's smoother. More… manageable."

Katie twisted her head to look up at him, but his face was unreadable as he looked away from her and stared out across the pitch.

"What are you trying to forget?" she mumbled, and Marcus jerked against her.

"Numerous things," he said finally, and lifted the bottle to his own lips.

Katie stared at the liquid inside the cut glass bottle as Marcus' hand grasped her hip tightly. Tracing her eyes from the way his lips pursed around the lip of the bottle, down to the slow shift in the muscle in his throat as he swallowed, Katie bit back a tiny sound of need as the cognac warmed her stomach. Heat pooled between her thighs, leaving her to shift against Marcus, who tightened his arm around her waist when the curve of her hip brushed against his groin. She blinked slowly as the world tilted beneath her, and when she focused again, she was being lifted into his arms as he murmured softly that he had her, that she was safe.

Marcus turned towards the shadows, and Katie closed her eyes again. When she reopened them, she was leaning against Marcus. His legs stretched out either side of her as she lay curled between them, while a green and black blanket was draped over her lower body. She felt a slight tug on her hair, and rolled her head against his chest to look up at him as he stared across the tower. His face was unreadable, and his eyes were at half-mast as he toyed absently with her hair. It seemed to take forever, but he looked down at her and smiled slightly. Katie curled further into him without thought as Marcus shifted to accommodate her. Resting in the curve of his arm, Katie reached up and touched the edge of his collarbone with her fingertips.

"What are you trying to forget, Marcus?" she whispered, and his eyes narrowed slightly as she stared up at him through blurred eyes.

"Numerous things, Katie," he repeated, and looked away.

"Like what?" she persisted, and Marcus' jaw clenched.

"I forgot how stubborn you can be," he muttered. "All right. I want to forget the look on your face when you realized that my father was a Death Eater. We forgot that outside our friendship, we are as different as day and night. You are so fucking innocent in the way of the world, Katie, and I feel like I've jaded you all too soon because of my family. I want to forget that you know my father has murdered innocent people, all in the name of blood purity, and on the oath of a wizard who was stark raving mad.

"I want to forget that innocence can be found in many forms, and that it should be savored like a fine wine. I want to forget that there are laws in place that could land me in Azkaban, for taking a sip of that wine too early. I want to forget that I could so easily taint that innocence and that if I wait, like all fine wines, it will taste better with age. I want to forget that not everything in life can be mine, just because I want it. I want to forget, but I can't."

Katie shifted and traced the veins in the back of his hand with her fingertip.

"Why can't you have it now, Marcus? You have it all, remember? Power, money, prestige. You have a contract with the Falcons… you have it all…" she said after a moment's silence, only to look up when Marcus laughed bitterly.

"Do I?" he asked, and a wry smirk twisted his face as he looked down at her.

Katie's lips formed a perfect circle, and she patted his hand.

"You want a witch, don't you?" she said knowingly, and Marcus flinched.

"I'm not telling you that, Katie," he snapped, and Katie giggled.

"You can trust me, Marcus. Besides, I'm not going to remember anyway, am I? I think I had one sip too many."

"Aye," he muttered, and Katie settled down against him.

"What is she like? Is she pretty?" she asked quietly.

Marcus looked down at her; his face darkened slightly as he continued to toy with her hair, his gaze taking in her flushed cheeks and glazed eyes slowly.

"She's… beguiling," he said finally. "She has no idea how alluring her innocence is. No idea of the power she has over me. She has no idea how hard it is seeing her every day, and not just taking what I want."

"And what do you want, Marcus?" Katie asked, and Marcus smirked.

"That's not something your innocent, young ears should be hearing, Miss. Bell," he teased, and Katie snorted.

"Please - try being in a house with the Weasley twins, and not being shocked!" she said with a roll of her eyes, and Marcus laughed.

"What? You want to hear how she makes my blood burn? How I dream about her?" His voice lowered, a sinful purr in the shadows. "How I walk behind her and imagine biting the back of her neck while I fuck her?" he asked with a dark smirk, and Katie blushed but snorted all the same.

"At least you Slytherin's have imagination," she said with a yawn. "In our house, it is more like 'Point. You. Me. Grunt.' Doesn't really do much for the girl on the receiving end of that invitation," she said, and Marcus snorted back laughter.

He shook his head as she rubbed her chin over the cashmere jumper he was wearing.

"Doesn't she want you?" Katie asked sleepily a moment later, and Marcus gave a sharp bark of laughter.

"Sometimes I wonder. I see the way she looks at me, but I don't think she knows what she reveals to me in those moments. Again... innocent."

"Why don't you tell her?" Katie mumbled as she closed her eyes, and Marcus shrugged.

"And have her reject me, and then laugh at me with her mates?" he asked.

Katie lifted heavy eyes and smiled up at him.

"Why would she reject you? You're not like the other Slytherin's. You're more like… a knight on a white horse."

"A what?" he exclaimed in affronted indignation, and Katie giggled.

"Shh… I'll never tell. Don't worry. But it seems to me, Marcus, that every time I fall lately, you're there to catch me. But unlike most white knights, you then kick me in the arse until I get out of your arms, and stumble away on my own two feet. So again… why would she reject you?" she asked, looking away from him and biting her lower lip.

Marcus looked down at her, and spoke softly.

"Because most of the time, she remembers that I can be an arsehole to her."

Katie snorted, and shifted so that she could look up at him again.

"Then stop being such an arsehole, and try being nice to her," she suggested, and Marcus lifted an eyebrow.

"When I am nice to her, Katie, she thinks I'm doing it out of… obligation," he said wryly.

Katie nodded and let her head come to rest against his chest again.

"Is there a wizard you like, Katie?" he asked quietly, and Katie shrugged slim shoulders.

"Aye. But he likes his witches with more curves than I've got."

Marcus' eyes darkened, and Katie's breath hitched in her throat when he deliberately lifted his hand and pressed it against the base of her ribs, his thumb sweeping once across the bottom of her breast lightly. He ran his hand down over her waist, hip and the top of her thigh slowly. Measuring. Observing. Testing.

"You've got curves, Katie," he said thickly, and Katie smiled slightly.

"Not as many as he wants. I've seen the witches he likes. Besides," she said as her head dropped back to his chest. "Who'd want a stick in their bed? Who'd want a pure little virgin? Not him."

Marcus groaned softly, and smacked his head against the wall behind him when he heard his own words fall from her lips. Looking down at her, he waited until she looked back up at him, before palming her hip and pulling her further into him. Running his hand across her hip and lower back, Marcus spoke quietly.

"Maybe he was showing a front for his mate. Maybe he was protecting you from being targeted."

"Maybe. And maybe you should just grow a pair of balls," Katie whispered as she slumped further into his arms, "and just take what you want."

She winced slightly when he tugged her head back by her hair, his eyes glittering as he stared down at her.

"Do you think that's what she wants, Katie? To be taken? To feel like she's the most precious thing in the world to me?"

Katie sighed heavily as he cradled the back of her head in his hand.

"Trust me - all girls want to be wanted, Marcus. I hope she wants you as much as you want her."

Marcus blinked as he watched as she slumped back down into his arms. Her lashes fanned out across her cheeks, and her breathing grew heavy as she slid into sleep. He laughed nervously as he ran his hand down over her hair again, and looked back out over the grounds.

"Maybe," he whispered finally, and then looked back down at her. "Time will tell."