Work Text:
January 1977
Marlene hooked her arm around his four poster and leant to the side. “My parents won’t be home for hours.” She smirked, even though James was two months younger than her so it made even less sense. Sirius frowned, looking up from his book.
“Your parents— Oh, James.” He laughed. She swung round to sit on his bed. “And what about Remus and Peter?”
“What’s life without a little risk?” Marlene grinned, crawling up the bed to lean against him. She was sure he was trying vary hard to keep the look of concentration on his face as he read, but Marlene wasn’t fooled…she knew he was playing with her. She trailed her finger along his nose. “Is that book really more interesting than your girlfriend…in your bed…when we’re all alone?” The corner of his mouth twitched just a fraction.
“You were right, it’s a very good book.” He said. Marlene sighed and propped herself up on her elbow.
“Am I really going to have to take my own clothes off?” She challenged. His eyes flicked to look at her for second, raking down her body, seemingly before he could stop himself. Sirius turned back to the front page.
“Just in case I bore you on our next date.” He read the inscription that she’d written and Marlene snatched the book away in frustration. Sirius laughed and turned onto his side.
“I hate you so much.” She muttered, flopping irritably onto her back. Sirius traced a finger along her collarbone and she shivered.
“I love you, Marlene McKinnon.” He whispered. Marlene sat up so quickly she headbutted his jaw. “Ouch!” He muttered, rubbing his face and rolling onto his back.
“What did you say?” She asked, she knew what she’d heard, and yet…
“I love you.” He said again, this time through gritted teeth, as though he was starting to think better of it. “I thought I needed some grand gesture, maybe burn into the grounds and take you up the astronomy tower to see — actually, shit, that would have been quite cool — but I just need this, I just need you.”
“You love me?” She asked, unable to keep it from sounding like an accusation. “Why?”
“You actually want a list?” Sirius laughed.
“I—” Actually, a list could be fun. “Is this some sudden realisation that you’ve come to?”
“No, I just didn’t know when to tell you…how to tell you. First you were with him, and then I thought I’d scare you off. I considered telling you after you came off your broom in November. But I know what you’re like, you’d think I was only saying it because you nearly died.”
“When then?” Marlene frowned, wondering how long he’d been keeping this revelation to himself.
“You actually saw it before I did.” Sirius said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She felt herself start to melt under the intensity of his gaze. “You stopped yourself from saying it, but you started to tell me to stop looking at you like I’m in love with you…”
“When—” His words pricked at a memory that she couldn’t quite place.
“I like your socks.” He whispered.
“You’ve know you’re in love with me for over a year and you’re only telling me now?” Marlene demanded, now remembering the moment exactly. She’d been so embarrassed that he’d seen her looking so ridiculous when he always looked flawless. She spent half her time thinking that he was going to get bored of her and go back to Florence, or Vivian, or Rachel, or any number of other girls that swooned over him. She supposed there was still a chance, but it seemed less likely if he really was in love with her. “I hate you so—” But then he was kissing her, his fingers tugging at her hair, before sliding down to grip her thigh. His touch seemed to burn though her clothes. Sirius Black was in love with her. This even beat the library kiss…it was up there with the Christmas Day kiss. She broke away to pull his jumper off over his head, and he’d just got all the buttons on her shirt undone when the dormitory door opened.
“Seriously?” James snapped…it really was the Christmas Day kiss again. He slammed the door closed behind him and Marlene’s laughter took quite a while to subside. James walking in on them was becoming quite a ridiculous reoccurrence now.
“You didn’t say it back.” Sirius eventually whispered, pressing his forehead into her shoulder. Marlene swallowed, her heart was pounding. He seemed too afraid to look at her. She traced patterns on the back of his neck, pondering her answer. She felt the same way, of course she did.
“No.” Marlene said softly. “I didn’t.” Sirius froze, and Marlene pushed him off of her. “I need to move the bed.” She said, getting up.
“What?” He frowned, looking hurt.
“Get up, I need to move the bed.” She said again. Sirius, looking rather confused, got to his feet and Marlene pointed her wand at the bed. It slid a foot from the wall and she grinned, showing him the words she’d scratched behind the headboard. Marlene McKinnon loves Sirius Black.
“When did you write that?” Sirius asked, staring at it. “Marlene, when—” But she was already closing the dormitory door on her way out…not that it was a competition, but it was definitely a competition, and she’d won.