A/N: Right, so here you have your next chapter. I'm feeling really gross today, like I don't even know why. Even ice cream didn't make me feel better! ICE CREAM! How is that even possible?! *sigh* But you know what will make me feel LOADS better? You guessed it… REVIEWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Explanations

I didn't speak. I just looked at him, silently, waiting for his reasons. He seemed to be trying to gather his thoughts. Upon observation, you would think he'd fallen asleep standing or something, but of course I knew better. He was compartmentalizing everything. It's what he did when he felt overwhelmed, he put all his thought and feelings into little boxes in his head, where they belonged, as he'd say. His eyes were closed and he was breathing evenly with his hands limp at his sides, his entire demeanor relaxed, something he probably wasn't in reality.

But still, I just waited. If a Ravenclaw had been standing in my place, they would have done the logical thing and probably kicked him in nuts and walked away with their cool intact. A Gryffindor would have punched him the mouth, no hesitation. A Slytherin would have rehearsed and done exactly what he did to me, only probably worse. But in the core of my heart, I was a Hufflepuff. Through and through. What a hufflepuff should be. Not meek, submissive and stupid as the stereotypes would be so happy to pretend. Rather, loyal till the very end, even after every promise Marcus had gone back on in the last month alone, I was still loyal.

Unfortunately, I thought with a mental shake of my head.

I had always been outspoken, a fact most people couldn't comprehend after seeing me in the yellow and black. It was just who I was. Still, I always thought of how the other person would be affected by what I said. And even after everything, just like a Hufflepuff was supposed to, I was willing to hear Marcus out.

"I'm sorry", he finally said, his voice now calm and steady.

"Not nearly good enough", I replied with a shrug, a bland expression painting my face.

He didn't seem surprised by my answer; rather he seemed to have been expecting it because he merely nodded.

Silence, as we observed each other. It stretched and stretched until it felt like an uncross able bridge between us. But I would cross it. I would cross it, and if it wasn't worth it, I would simply cross back and never walk over it again. But despite these rather confident thought, I mentally sighed. Easier said than done Harper, I told myself.

"I was an asshole."

He got a nod in response.

"I don't deserve your time."

"Probably."

"It's my father."

At this, I nodded, unsurprised and still expressionless. I had figured as much when he had mentioned a 'he' that had gone crazy. It wasn't an odd thing for those words to be in the same sentence.

Taking a deep breath and straightening his back until his posture was as perfect as always, he spoke, his voice smooth. "I've been getting letters everyday from him. He… I don't know how to explain it Harper. It was like he just convinced me to do all this stuff, just from his words. I suppose a part of me always wanted to please him, but I… He brought my Mother into it. Going on about how disgusted he was with her, and how he should have expected a woman like him to produce a child like me. And I knew from experience that he was probably making life miserable for her. So I, I figured if I finally did what he wanted, he'd leave her alone."

It made sense. Marcus' love for his mother was probably more than that of himself. She was the world to him, on some nights, he'd spend our just gushing about how amazing she was. But still…

He sighed and continued, oblivious to my internal monologue. "It turned out, I was right."

At this, I looked at him with unabashed shock on my face. At my expression, he gave a dry and humorless, almost bitter chuckle. "Yep, believe it or not, I got a letter from my mother telling me about how my father's mood was suddenly amazing and how he was treating her great. Spoiling her and taking care of her, like he used to, like he's supposed to." He said the last part so softly, I barely caught it. "So after hearing that, I couldn't bring myself to stop. She was happy, I mean who was I to take it away from her. But I… when I saw you dripping wet and Kenny there…"

He broke off and tugged at his hair in frustration. Suddenly, he walked towards me and grasped my hands. Startled, I looked into his green eyes and saw the same desperation from before. "I realized my mother wouldn't want me to make my best friend's life miserable for her. It was my job, it is still my job to protect you from jerks like those. I mean, how could I forget all those times you were the only one there for me and, and… Harper, I beg of you, I will do anything to make this right again. I've left that unbearable female, gotten slapped by both Sam and Ada and I even let Cyrus win the match!"

At this, my vow of silence was finally broken. "YOU WHAT?!"

"What?" he asked, caught off-guard my sudden reaction.

"You let Cyrus win the match?!"

He scoffes and replied, "Of course I did, what do you take me for?"

Funnily enough, I didn't know whether to be touched by what he did or be offended on Cyrus' behalf.

Taking my lack of a response as permission to keep talking, he continued. "And don't worry, I expect a lot of things to be done to get back in your good graces but I swear, I swear on my hair styling cream, that I will do it all."

On his hairstyling cream? Wow, he must be serious. I sighed and mulled it over. I didn't blame him, I mean his father could be brutal towards his mother. Never to the point of physical harm, thank Merlin, but he came pretty close once or twice. At the same time, I was hurt he was willing to do that to me. But then, I thought of all the things he'd done until now to please me. Again, I sighed. In all honestly, I couldn't be bothered to fight with him. I wanted our old routine back, I wanted our time together back. I realized it just wasn't worth the fight. Looking up at Marcus, I saw his expression hovering between afraid and hopeful. I couldn't do it, I realized. Never. I could never hate those eyes. Fern green with flecks of mint. "You're still in a lot of trouble M."

Somehow, the look of utter relief and gratitude made it all worth it. His arms looped around me and crushed me to his chest. His scent of pinewood, brisk winter chills and old leather comforted me and all the while I could hear him muttering his thanks in my ear and I think it was a favor to both us when I merely ignored the wetness on my neck.

"They look like they want me to drop dead, while choking on my own blood."

Struggling to stifle a smile, I put on a façade of nonchalance and replied with a shrug, "Probably do."

Looking utterly horrified, Marc quickly released my hand and said to me, "Welll, then I better go to my own table. Um, meet me after?"

The poor guy looked so utterly unsure of himself, something I wasn't used to seeing on him that I gave him a reassuring smile and a thumbs up.

Going to where Sam and Ada were sitting at the Hufflepuff table, I let the ruckus of the Great Hall surround my senses and immediately give me a feeling of warm comfort. Seating myself beside Sam, I chuckled at the dark scowls fixed onto my friends' faces. "What's got your wands in a twist?" I asked, even though I knew what it was. Rather, who it was.

"You know what it is! I just don't understand how you can forgive him so easily!" Samara snapped.

Shaking my head with an amused look, I did my best to distract them since I sure as hell didn't want to hear their opinions on the matter right now.. "So Sam, Cyrus must be ecstatic on the win."

The frown immediately melted off of her face as she began gushing about how great he had played and I couldn't help feel guilty about how Marcus had let him win. Nodding absently to Sam's adoration, I saw Ada catch my eye and give me a dirty look, conveying that my distraction was temporary and that I would have to spill soon enough.

Honestly though, their opinions wouldn't change what I thought about all of this. I had gotten my best friend, my bother back and I couldn't be happier.

A/N: Hoped you liked it. I didn't have time to edit, ssooo be kind loves. Also PLEASE review. Seriously, it makes my day.