October passed me by
November 4th 1975 Tuesday 5th year
The common room was relatively quiet; most people were either in their dorms or wandering the corridors. The fire was crackling giving the room a cozy feel to it. The people in the common were scattered around some reading, others chatting with their friends and playing card games and others doing homework.
Marlene was one of those people doing homework or trying to anyway. She couldn’t stop thinking about when she was out on the astronomy tower with Dorcas and when they kissed her cheek. Maybe Dorcas was just a bit drunk or maybe it was something else.
Suddenly Marlene can hear shouting and two people running down the stairs by the boys dormitories. When she looks up she sees Sirius running down the stairs holding James’ glasses and James chasing him.
“Oi Black you give them back” James shouted chasing Sirius around the common room.
“In your dreams Prongs” Sirius said, narrowly dodging a table and turning around to watch James run straight into it. Sirius burst out laughing when he saw James fall, earning himself a few disapproving glances by the older years who were studying nearby.
“Fucking children the two of them” Marlene thinks to herself as she quickly turned back to her essay for potions trying her best to stifle her laugh. As Marlene sits there staring at her page tapping her quill absentmindedly.
Suddenly Marlene feels the couch sink beside her and looks over to see James with his usual smile that brightens the whole room looking back at her.
“So McKinnon, whose homework are we doing today?” James asks, tilting his head to the side like a curious puppy.
“Ah Potter I see you have acquired your glasses off of Black” Marlene says looking up from her page to stare back at James. “And it’s Slughorn's homework”
“Well brilliant that's the homework I have to do at some point this week thank you McKinnon for the reminder” James says laughing slightly.
“Right well I need to go, talk to you later?” James says standing up ruffling Marlene’s hair.
“Where are ya going?” Marlene asks looking up at James curiously while fixing her hair.
“I will tell you later alright?” James says looking around almost like to make sure no one was paying attention.
“So you’re going to go meet someone I assume, but fine alright talk to ya later” Marlene says going back to her homework
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It was around six in the evening now and Marlene was making her way down to the great hall Lily and Mary had left a while ago to look for something in the library. As Marlene was walking aimlessly through the mostly deserted crore doors only occasionally passing by a student she felt someone tap her shoulder. When she turned around she saw Pandora Rosier.
“Hiya Pandora are you alright?” Marlene asks, giving the girl a small smile. She's always liked Pandora and was slightly confused on why she was talking to her of all people.
“Hello Marlene, I’m doing quite well, How are you?” Pandora asks, returning the smile as she falls into step with Marlene.
“I’m grand thanks for asking, is there anything you need?” Marlene asks, watching the blonde beside her closely.
“Well not me exactly, I was just told to pass a message to you” Pandora explains while still looking in front of them. “You’re friend James had something he wanted to tell you and seems slightly nervous to tell you so I told him Id tell you that he wanted to talk about something so that he wouldn’t have to worry about it so much”
“Okay thanks Pandora” Marlene says and the two girls walk beside each other till they get to the great hall and go their separate ways to their friends.
When Marlene sits down at the table beside Mary she looks over at James who though is trying to hide it Marlene can tell he’s nervous or stressed about something but she figured if it was really bothering him he would tell Marlene later.
The great hall was loud, filled with chatter and the sounds of knives or forks scraping off plates. Some of the first years were running to different tables to talk with their friends, while seventh years were studying for NEWT’s even though they were still ages away.
As Marlene started to put some food on her plate she noticed how James kept looking at the Slytherin table. Eventually Mary finally realised she was there and dragged her into the conversation though Marlene wasn’t paying much attention.
“Okay but like potions do we really need that?” Mary asked, leaning against Marlene trying to be dramatic.
“Well personally I want to be a healer so yeah I need it you might not though” Marlene says pushing Mary off her. “Bloody hell when Will she just shut up about this?” Marlene thinks as she continues to listen to her getting slightly annoyed.
“Yeah okay I see why you need it but like I kinda just want to go back to the muggle world and be a teacher or something so technically I don't need potions” Mary says turning to face Marlene.
“Well technically you don't need anything they teach here” Marlene says playing with her food not looking at Mary.
“I suppose” Mary says and with that the two girls fall into a comfortable silence listening to what was going on around trying to tune into a conversation that would be interesting.
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It was two in the morning and Marlene couldn't sleep so she decided to go down to the common room. When she was down there it was quite since everyone was in bed now the fire was long gone out yet it still smelt strongly of the burning wood giving the place a cozy atmosphere.
She looked around the room before she noticed someone sitting on the couch by the fireplace it took her a second to realise it was James but when she did she went over and sat down beside.
“Can’t sleep either huh?” Marlene asks looking at James noticing how he looked tired and nervous about something.
“No not really” James responds looking into the empty fireplace as if willing for something to appear.
“So Pandora told me you wanted to tell me something do you want to tell me now or no?” Marlene asks now looking at him slightly concerned since she wasn't used to seeing James like this yet at the same time she was.
James was quiet for a few minutes looking as if he was debating on whether or not to tell her but eventually he took a deep breath and started talking.
“So you know how me and Regulus were talking during the party the last day?” James asks finally turning to look at Marlene.
“Yeah I saw you guys” Marlene responds looking slightly confused.
“What if I told you we were both like incredibly drunk well regulus more so then me surprisingly and we may or may not have done something and now Regulus has been avoiding me and I don't know what to do since I want to apologise to him but at the same time I want to respect his boundaries” James says starting to ramble and going lots of hand gestures.
“ Well first off I'd say take a deep breath and calm down and second I’d say is just give a bite to one if his friends to give to him if you really care that much” Marlene says shrugging her shoulders not really knowing why he was asking her in the first place.
James takes a deep breath before looking at Marlene straight in the eye. How did I not think of that that's bloody genius Marls thank you” James says falling back k to his normal cheerful self again. “What about you, you good you've seemed distracted lately?”
“I'm grand sure just thinking about something is all” Marlene says starting to fiddle with her hands not sure if she should tell James or not what's wrong.
“Well do you want to tall about I've always heard talking about things help make you feel better” James says smiling a bit trying to lighten the room.
“It's just uh you know the person I was telling you about that I like well also at the party I met them up in the astronomy tower when I had left to get some air and then they kissed me like not proper kiss just like a peck on the cheek but honestly think that's fucked up my brain” Marlene admits still not wanting to make eye contact with him.
“Well hm oh that a tough one to help you with but do you like have any classes with this person since I can tell you don't really talk to them since you would have told me ages ago” James says watching Marlene carefully to make sure she was alright.
“Potions and herbology” Marlene says looking up at James finally.
“So they're a Slytherin from what I'm getting at this and we'll uh would you try to maybe talk to them?” James asks as if it's one of the most easiest things on earth.
“It's not that fecking easy and you know it” Marlene scoffs getting a bit annoyed though she could tell James wasn't thinking properly.
“Right yeah sorry not that easy I forgot” James says rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Sorry I didn't mean to sound so rude I'm just tired” Marlene apologies genuinely feeling bad for how she came off.
“Nah you're fine Marls I also should have thought that through a bit before I said it” James says and the two fall back into silence once more both just staring at the fire place James resting his head on top of Marlene's and wrapping an arm around her loosely. Marlene grabbed two of the blankets off the back of the couch and wrapped them around the two of them.
Eventually the two fall asleep just as the sun slowly started to rise and the birds could be heard. The common room their own little world away from their problems for another little while.