The Date
Dorcas sat on the bench by the bus stop, a picnic basket held in their lap, as they waited for Marlene's bus to arrive.
They fiddled with the collar of their shirt and looked across at a shop window to see if they looked okay.
They had decided on, after much debate and help from Regulus, a yellow and white striped shirt tucked into a pair of light blue baggy jeans and converse high tops on their feet. Dorcas had tied a yellow bandana around their head, after Lily had suggested an accessory.
Marlene's bus stopped and Dorcas stood up as the doors opened. Marlene came off after a moment and her face brightened up as her eyes caught sight of Dorcas.
"You ready?" Dorcas asked, with a smile on their face.
Marlene nodded, returning the smile.
They walked down the street, towards a large park. Dorcas brushed their hand against Marlene’s as they walked. Marlene grabbed hold of Dorcas' hand straight afterwards, the two continuing the walk hand in hand.
As they reached the park, Dorcas directed Marlene to a spot by a large tree at the bottom of a small hill.
Dorcas opened their picnic basket to pull out a blanket, laying it down by the trunk of the tree. They sat down on top of it and Dorcas laid out the food and drinks they had packed.
The two ate and talked for a while, until the food was mostly gone. Marlene laid down, her head in Dorcas' lap and she peered up at Dorcas through her sunglasses.
"You are the hottest person I have ever seen", Marlene said with a wink.
Dorcas interloped their hands and smiled at Marlene, "flirt."
"I don't see how anyone could not flirt with you."
They laughed and kissed Marlene's hand that was embraced with their own.
It started raining lightly so the two got up and packed up the blanket and leftover food.
They walked down to a large lake and leaned against the fence.
Dorcas turned to Marlene, "are you going to read the books you bought?"
Marlene laughed, "probably not. I only really read comics."
"And books about football strategy", Dorcas added.
"Of course."
The two stared at each other, still holding hands. Marlene turned her body to full face Dorcas.
"Can I kiss you?" Marlene asked.
Dorcas nodded, and bent down slightly while Marlene stood on her tiptoes.
Their lips touched and Dorcas wrapped their arm around Marlene's waist. Marlene started laughing against Dorcas' lips so they pulled away in confusion.
"Sorry", Marlene breathed through her laughs, "we're just making out in the rain like the ending of those cheesy heterosexual romcoms."
"It's romantic, is it not?" Dorcas raised their eyebrow with a small smile on their lips.
Marlene grinned, "it very much is."
They kissed again, Marlene's arm round Dorcas' neck to pull them down more and Dorcas once again wrapped their arms around Marlene's waist.
The two broke away after the rain started getting heavier, and they walked back out the park hand in hand.
They stopped by a cafe for some coffee to warm themselves up. As they sat down with their cups of steaming hot mugs, Dorcas stared at a table over Marlene's shoulder.
Instead of looking behind herself, Marlene leaned closer to Dorcas and whispered, "what are you staring at?"
Dorcas looked back, "I'm pretty sure that's our friends. Like, all of them."
Marlene quickly turned around and spotted a large group of people sitting at a table far too small for the amount of them. They had taken chairs from other tables and now sat eight people around a four person table.
None of them seemed to be looking up at Marlene and Dorcas. Instead, Sirius was explaining a film terribly and the others were guessing what film. The way Sirius frowned after each guess, seemed to show that Sirius was just telling them all about a film and had no knowledge they were playing a game from it.
Marlene groaned and turned her head back, "How did they even know where we are?"
Dorcas stared down in guilt, "Might have been my fault. I mentioned going to the park to Regulus when I was getting ready."
"It's alright. We still had a good date, didn't we?"
Dorcas smiled, "the best."
Marlene smiled back and lightly squeezed Dorcas' hand before standing up.
"Now I'm going to go confront them, would you like to join?" Marlene asked, holding out their hand.
Dorcas stood up and took Marlene's hand, "of course M'lady."
Marlene blushed at the nickname, before walking over to their friends' table.
"Spying, are we?" Marlene said, as she banged her hands down on the table like she was interrogating them.
"Hi Marlene. I had absolutely no part in this." Peter said, with a grin.
She pointed a finger at him, "a likely story, blondie."
"You're blonde too", Sirius commented.
"not the point", Marlene glared and folded her arms.
"If you were following us, how did you get here before us?" Dorcas asked, pulling up a chair to the already overfilled table.
Dorcas grabbed another chair as well for Marlene, the girl gladly took it and moved it closer to Dorcas' so she could clutch onto their hand.
"We only followed you for like a minute!" Mary explained, "It was kind of boring just watching you be all gooey with each other."
Remus nodded, "We've been here for the last hour, you sure you're not the one's following us?"
"We wanted coffee!" Dorcas argued back.
The two sat with their friends for a while longer but as the rain cleared and they finished their drinks, Dorcas offered to give Marlene a lift home. The two left together and walked to Dorcas' car.
Once they reached Marlene's apartment, Marlene leaned over to kiss Dorcas goodbye.
"I'll come by the bookshop soon, okay?"
Dorcas nodded and as Marlene opened the door to leave, Dorcas tugged on Marlene's sleeve to kiss her once more.
Dorcas drove off and Marlene walked into the apartment building.
Once she was in the lift she reached her hand up to her lips in a daze.
She'd go back to the bookshop early tomorrow, in order to see Dorcas again soon.
She'd ask them out on the date this time.