Gay Yuletide
At lunch, Marlene walked over to James and the other marauders. She sat on the bench next to them for a few minutes, taking food off Sirius' plate to their dismay.
"James, we're meeting at 9 tonight, on the quidditch pitch", she said before standing up and walking back over to Lily and Mary.
As it got nearer to nine, James headed out to the pitch, bringing his broom with him.
Marlene was already there, sitting in the middle of the ground as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"Hey, wanna do some laps?" she said, as she caught sight of James.
He nodded in agreement and the two raised their brooms into the air.
Light snow started falling down as two broomsticks raced around the pitch in the middle of the night.
As it started getting heavier, Marlene signalled James to the stands.
They flew over, weaving in and out of each other and laughing as snow fell in their eyes.
James carefully laid his broom down and sat in the stands, as Marlene leaned over the barrier, snowflakes falling into her hair.
"I love December. The snow, the cold, Christmas, everything about it. It's amazing."
James grinned and stood up to stand next to her.
"Well, I personally favour Spring."
Marlene laughed, "of course you do, Mr. sunshine and flowers."
The two watched the snow for a while, a blanket of it slowly covering the greenery of the pitch.
Marlene nudged James with her arm, "I invited you here, because… I'm going to my family's for the holidays and I wanted to give you your gift in person."
James grinned, "I'm so important in your life."
She laughed and hit him in the arm, "you so aren't… apart from being my Captain."
"not your lifelong and childhood best friend?" he asked, faking a frown.
She shook her head, not answering.
"Now open."
She reached into the pocket of her coat, and brought out a terribly wrapped present.
"I love it", he said.
She raised an eyebrow, "you haven't opened it, idiot."
James grinned and ripped it open, inside was a small golden broomstick on a chain.
Marlene pulled out a matching one from around her own neck.
"I got it engraved, look"
She pointed to the handle, in small writing it said, 'potter: best damn chaser'.
"my one says 'Mckinnon: hottest beater' and I showed it to Sirius and they got so offended it was hilarious."
James held the broomstick gently and smiled at it, "I love it so much, thank you".
He wrapped his arms around Marlene and she patted his back before pushing him away, her own sign of affection.
He did up the clasp of the necklace around his neck and grinned back at Marlene.
Marlene slid her hand through the growing layer of snow lying on the barrier, and picked it up, turning it into a ball before throwing it at James.
The two laughed, before getting into an impromptu friendly snow fight.
They chased each other round the stands, ducking under the seats.
As they sat back down, covered in snow and exhausted, James turned to Marlene and looked in her eyes.
"I think I like you."
Marlene’s eyes, in response, widened.
"Oh…"
She stayed silent for a while, looking down at the snow. He glanced to her, knowing he had massively fucked up.
James dropped his head, "you don't like me back, do you?"
"I do, you're awesome but…" She tapped her foot, thinking.
"You only like me as a friend." He nodded, accepting the rejection.
"Yes, because… I like girls, I'm a dyke."
"You're a lesbian?" he asked.
She nodded her head, keeping her eyes forward, staring at the snow.
"I know it's not that accepted, and if you don't support me, that's fine. I mean, it makes you an absolutely sucky person but I guess it's normal to not… accept us, you know, homosexuals."
James grabbed her hand, "Look at me."
She turned her head, as a tear fell down her cheek.
James pressed his forehead against hers, "Of course I accept you. My mum has had so many relationships with women, which she likes to talk about… in detail."
Marlene laughed, "I love your mum, she's amazing."
James nodded, "she is. she really is."
James lifted his head, "I really misread your signals, huh?"
"yeah, very much so", she laughed.
He groaned and put his head in his hands.
"Well, this is embarrassing… but I'm glad to be your friend."
Marlene scruffed his hair, and leaned against his shoulder.
"Thank you for just… being you", James whispered.
"There's no one better, apart from your mum, she's so hot."
James gasped, "you're out for 20 seconds and already making mum jokes."
Marlene laughed.
"you're my favourite person James. If you tell anyone I said that, or that I cried, I will murder you."
James grinned, "as charming as ever, mckinnon."
She grinned back at him and wrapped her arm around him.
"you really put the gay in yuletide."