7th of January, 1975
GOD IS A LESBIAN.
It has to be the best writing on a cake that Marlene has ever witnessed.
Thank Merlin for Mary and her muggle religion and genius brain.
“Hey babe, pass me that knife, would you? I want to cut the cake the traditional way,” Dorcas is saying over Marlene’s thoughts, braids clinking at their beaded ends when she turns her head to gesture to the knife.
Marlene happily complies, bringing it from the end of the table to her girlfriend.
Girlfriend. Girlfriend. Girlfriend. Girlfriend.
Girlfriend.
It’s been four months and Marlene still can’t get over how sweet the word tastes in her mouth.
If only 11-year-old Marlene could see she’d find another girl like her. Another girl that liked girls. Somehow who she got to be best friends with. And date!! She would probably burst with excitement.
The group of Gryffindors (Marlene’s friends that Dorcas quickly bonded with when they began dating – though it made it easier that she already knew Lily and Mars) finishes their terribly off-key rendition of Happy Birthday and Dorcas makes eye contact with Marlene across the table from her.
Dorcas winks as she bobs down to blow out the candles and Marlene’s knees go weak.
The candles dissolve immediately as the flame is extinguished and Dorcas grabs the knife from the table, gently pushes it through the cake until she meets the bottom.
Sirius cackles. “You touched the bottom! By muggle tradition, doesn’t that mean you have to kiss the closest girlfriend?!”
Lily laughs and nods when Sirius swivels to her for confirmation.
Marlene meets Dorcas’ gaze just as her girlfriend lifts a brow.
“Come here then, my closest girlfriend.”
Marlene frowns, though it’s playful. “Hey! Am I not your only girlfriend?!”
“Hmm I wouldn’t be so sure about that… but you’re certainly my favourite.”
Marlene beams. ‘I’ll take it!’
Dorcas smirks into the kiss Marlene comes bounding over to give her. “I adore you Marls,” Dorcas mumbles onto her lips and Marlene doesn’t think anyone could ever light her up from the inside as much. She feels like she’s bursting with sunshine. With a smile so wide her lips feels like they’re splitting apart, she repeats the sentiment.
They both know what they really mean.
I love you, I adore you, I love you.
I love you.
Be mine, stay mine, choose me.
The cake pieces get passed out and everyone lounges in the Gryffindor girls’ dorms, eating the cake Mary and Peter had whipped up when Marlene had come in a few hours ago, frantic because the cake she’d tried to make had burst into flames in the potions room. Serves her right for trying to use those ovens...
Thank Merlin for Peter and Mary and their excellent speed baking. She finds herself thankful for her friends more each day. And her girlfriend.
Her girlfriend.
She feels another stupid grin turning up her lips and tilts her head up to girlfriend. Dorcas must feel the shift of Marlene’s head on her chest because she looks down with a soft smirk on her face.
“What?” Dorcas whispers, quiet so she doesn’t interrupt the chatter of their friends all around them.
“You make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” Marlene whispers fervently.
Dorcas’ breath hitches. “Me?”
“Of course.”
Dorcas blushes deeply and it’s so pretty, Marlene swears Dorcas’ edges begin dazzling around her. She glows like stars and Marlene has never wanted to be surrounded so entirely by the galaxy before.
“Have you done something?” Dorcas teases, valiantly trying to fight her blush. “Is that why you’re sweet talking me?”
Marlene snorts. “For the first time, I am actually answering that question honestly when I say no.”
Dorcas laughs softly before darting forward to press a quick kiss against Marlene’s lips. She sighs happily, fingers twitching in her lap as she struggles not to just pull her girlfriend onto her lap and hex everyone into leaving them alone.
Fortunately, as usual, Dorcas seems to know exactly what Marlene is thinking.
“Wanna get out of here babe?” Dorcas mumbles down to her and Marlene’s smile takes a wicked edge to match the glint in her girlfriend’s eyes.
“I thought you would never ask.”
Quickly saying their goodbyes to their friends, they leave the room, giggling. They don’t hold hands in the hall, but Marlene throws an arm around Dorcas’ shoulder in a friendly manner, and they keep their heads tilted together as they speed along the hall gossiping.
And if anyone thinks it’s strange that a Gryffindor and Slytherin are hanging out, Dorcas’ crooked brow and Marlene’s sharp smile dissuade anyone from stopping them.
The world may not be perfect. But in that moment, for the two girls, it’s perfect enough.