Cherry Bomb!

Gryffindor house was practically buzzing with excitement for the impending game against the Slytherins. It was only Wednesday, and the game wasn't until Friday, but already their housemates were sneaking in bottles of FireWhiskey, making decorations, and baking party treats. It was dark out now, most of Gryffindor house was asleep, save a few kids studying throughout the commons. Lily, James, Peter, Dorcas, Sirius, Remus, Marlene, and Y/N sat on the couches in the center of the common room.

"Come on guys!" James groaned,  "You guys were incredible when you played for us, so why not play for the house on Friday? Who doesn't love live music?"

"I don't know Potter," Mary began apprehensively, "We've never really played for anyone other than you lot. Plus, we'd probably be sloshed, and that wouldn't make for a great show." Lily and Y/N nodded in agreement. 

"Well," Marlene added, "If we're going to play for anyone, it might as well be a bunch of teenagers who are so piss-drunk that they won't be able to tell if we fuck up."

"I hate to say this," Y/N chimed in, "But Marls might be right. We wanted exposure right? Maybe this is the chance we've been looking for."

Y/N tried not to look nervous. She really did, but she was sitting so close to Marlene that their legs were flush against one another. Sirius looked at her encouragingly, and she swallowed her fear. She reclined more into the couch and propped her legs up on Marlene's lap, setting her head on Remus's shoulder. Marlene's hands were now resting on her ankles, fiddling with the scalloped edges of her socks. Her breath hitched in her throat. Marlene's hands had moved to her almost instinctively- the thought sent butterflies to her stomach. Sirius was smirking at her now, clearly aware of her flushed state. 

Lily looked torn, "I mean, I definitely want to be able to play in front of people, I'm just nervous, that's all."

James wrapped an arm around her, tucking her head under his chin. "You guys will be incredible, I know it. You lot are amazing!" 

"So," Sirius said, sitting forward and clasping his hands together, "It's decided! The girls will play for us on Friday?" 

Though still apprehensive, the girls agreed and the boys cheered, earning a few stern glares from the studying students.

"What will we play girls?" Mary asked.

"Well, we've gotten quite good at 'Stairway to Heaven', right?"

Marlene nodded, still running her hand on Y/N's ankle, "Yeah, I think that's the winner. Alright then boys, we'll do that song for 'ya. Then after that, we get to get positively sloshed."

Everyone was in agreement, and the group spent the next hour or so chatting before deciding to retire upstairs for bed. Y/N did not want to leave her spot. She did not want Marlene to stop touching her- it just felt so natural, so right. And so distracting. She could not think of anything other than Marlene's hand on her leg. So when she finally had to get up, she had to hold in a sigh. Sirius most definitely noticed this, smirking at her again and nudging her in the side before returning to his room. 

The girls went up to their rooms too, spent a few minutes discussing when they were going to practice tomorrow, and drifted off to sleep. At least, Mary and Lily did. About 20 minutes later, the room was silent, save for the soft breathing of Lily and Mary in their sleep. Y/N couldn't sleep, not yet. She was still thinking about how it felt to have Marlene so close to her. It was all-consuming. 

"Marls?" Y/N called out quietly.

"Yeah, N/N?"

"Fancy a smoke?" 

********** 

Marlene, not to Y/N's surprise, certainly did fancy a smoke. The two girls hopped out of their beds, still sporting their pajamas, and tip-toed over to the window by Lily's bed. Lily's window had a small balcony- big enough that Marlene and Y/N could fit on it together, but small enough that their shoulders were nearly touching when they stood next to each other. Marlene pulled out her cigs, handing one to Y/N, then taking one for herself. She put her own between her lips and lit it silently with a tap of her wand, a plume of smoke coming out of her mouth seconds later. She exhaled, and leaned on the railing of the balcony, propping her chin up with a hand. She looked over at the girl next to her, who's cigarette was still unlit. 

"C'mere." She mumbled around her cigarette. 

If Y/N thought they couldn't get much closer, she would've been wrong. Marlene turned towards her, their bodies nearly flush against each other. 

"Inhale, okay?" 

Y/N nodded, putting her own cigarette between her lips, and leaning forward to press the fresh end to Marlene's lit one. They both inhaled, the tip of the lit cigarette becoming more orange, until Y/N's own became lit and she began to cough. 

"Alright?" Marlene asked, exhaling smoke.

"Yeah, m'alright."

Except, she wasn't exactly all right. Here she was with Marlene, who was being kind enough to give her a cig, and all she had been focusing on was how Marls' eyes had locked onto hers. Merlin she loved Marlene's eyes. That electric blue that draws you right in like the ocean. And how even though she'd taken off her makeup, there was still a bit of eyeliner smudged underneath them. Marlene was captivating. 

"So," Marlene started, taking another draw of her cigarette, then exhaling, "You've been a bit off recently. Wanna tell me what's up?"

She froze. This was not how she wanted this to go. 

"I-I guess I'm just worried 'bout N.E.W.T's, ya know?" Y/N murmured, turning to prop her elbows up on the rail, grasping her chin in her palm with one hand. She drew in another puff of the cig, not coughing this time. She looked over the railing, up towards the moon. It looked beautiful tonight. Marlene looked beautiful tonight. Merlin, why was it that every thought she had was about Marlene in some way?  

Marlene hummed. "The sky is beautiful tonight, isn't it?" Marlene asked, her eyes still fixed on Y/N. 

Y/N swore her heart skipped a beat in that moment. She turned back to face Marlene, who stubbed the butt of her cigarette out on the balcony. Finishing off her own cigarette, Y/N stubbed the bottom against the balcony rail, and it fell to the floor. Her eyes locked with Marlene. Marlene's hand came up to her face, she brushed the pad of her thumb over Y/N's cheek, and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She started leaning in. She was leaning in! This was her chance. 

Then, the girls heard clamoring from inside the room, and moved away from each other instinctively. Someone was coming up to the window. The window opened and the girls were greeted by a not-so-happy Lily.

"Marls! I told you not to smoke in here, it's right disgusting- oh, hi N/N. You too! Please just go to sleep, the smell makes me sick."

Lily marched back to her bed, and crawled under her covers. Y/N was still gazing back into the room- almost in shock. Until, Marlene cleared her throat.

" 'Hem, well, uh- it's getting late. We best head off to bed."

"Yeah," Y/N mumbled, "I'll be in in a sec."

Marlene just nodded, heading back inside, closing the window behind her. 

Y/N let out a sigh she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. She leaned back onto the balcony, looking up at the moon, how it shone against the Black Lake. 

'Come on,' she thought, looking up at the full moon, 'just this one thing, please?'

She sighed. The moon couldn't hear her of course. But, she heard something that got her attention. It sounded like a... howl? She decided it would be best to not investigate, and went inside to turn in for the night. What she didn't notice, in her wallowing, was the large black dog that sat by the edge of the Black Lake, watching her from afar.