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Rita Skeeter was sitting in the library a Thursday night. She sucked on the end of her quill, trying to think of something to write. It was the day before that week’s school paper was being published and she didn’t have anything interesting.
Just as she was about to go back to her dorms she heard low voices coming closer and closer. She was tired but she would not miss out on potential gossip. The voices belonged to two girls a few years younger than her. She quickly turned into her animagus form so she could get even closer. The voices were much clearer and she could hear everything.
“I don’t understand you! You kissed me multiple times and now you won’t even look at me?”
“I am not talking to you right now.” The blonde Gryffindor said, walked away.
A small smile tugged at Rita’s lips. Perfect.
Marlene was not a morning person. Lily and Mary had already gone for breakfast and she just couldn't get how people were willing to be awake so early in the day. Yawning, she put on her robes and walked out of her dorms. She was relieved of the sight of Sirius and Remus laying on top of each other, asleep, on the sofa. At least she wouldn’t be the last one to breakfast.
The corridors were empty, everyone was seated in the great hall. As she walked through the doors she could feel all eyes on her. Quiet mumbles and whispers were exchanged as she walked by.
Marlene sat down next to her friends, who looked at her with a look that said ‘something has happened and you’re not going to like it’ in their eyes. Lily handed her the weekly school paper.
‘SECRET ROMANCE BETWEEN GRYFFINDOR CHASER AND SLYTHERIN BEATER?’ was written on the first page with big letters. Marlene felt her heart drop. She glanced over to the Slytherin table to find the dark haired girl already looking back at her. Marlene read the rest of the page and dramatically stood up, shred the paper into pieces and walked out. She could hear Mary and Lily’s protests but she couldn’t find herself to care.
When she walked into the common room she accidentally woke Sirius and Remus. While Remus was ranting about them being late, Sirius just looked confused.
”Marlene, what’s happened?” Sirius said, looking concerned. That’s when Marlene realized that her cheeks were stained by tears. Marlene sighed. “You will soon find out” she said and walked over to her bed.
Merlin knows when, she was interrupted in her sleep by a loud noise. “James I swear to God” Marlene groaned and turned in her bed. “Apologies, apologies, I broke a table. And who is G od by the way?”
“Go away James. I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m troubled and I’m angry. I do not have the energy to talk to you at the moment.”
“So… I read the school paper” James tried.
“No shit James. Everyone did”
“Yes I know Marls. I don’t know if what Skeeter wrote was true or not but if it is, why is it a bad thing that people know?” Marlene looked at James as if he was insane.
“ Why is it a bad thing? James, are you serious? We- I don’t know, it’s complicated. We are rivals and have always hated each other. We kissed a couple of times but I didn’t know what to do so I freaked out and ignored her for weeks and I don’t know what I am supposed to do!”
“So you kissed her and ignored her for weeks? Are you that stupid? She is head over heels for you! I wasn’t aware that you and her were actually a thing.”
Marlene was looking at him with her eyes wide. “How did you know?”
“I didn’t have to” James responded. “I could see she looks at you, and of course the way you look at her. The thing I don’t understand is why you have been ignoring her when you obviously have feelings for her and she seems to have feelings for you too.”
She had never thought about it like that before. She thought that ignoring Dorcas would be the safest plan to not get her feelings hurt, but she never thought of Dorcas’ feelings. Suddenly she felt terrible.
“James, she will think that I don’t want her” she complained.
“I know Marlene. You didn’t know. But she has been looking really down lately. I can not imagine what she’s feeling, a life without Marlene McKinnon? That would be terrible.” Marlene took in everything that James had said. She had to fix it. But the following day, she was way too tired.
She didn’t get to though, wait til the next day, that is. In the middle of the night Dorcas shook her awake. Dorcas was crying. Her eyes were glazed and tears were falling down her cheeks. “I am so sorry McKinnon. I know that you don’t like me and that it must be awful that everyone knows now. We can go back to being quidditch rivals and you can keep hating me. I promise that I didn’t know anything about the paper. I can tell everyone that it’s just a misunderstanding and we are not actually an item-“
“No” Marlene interrupted her.
“No?” Dorcas repeated, looking more confused than ever.
“I am so sorry Dorcas. I like you, I like you so much it’s almost unbearable.”
Dorcas looked at her with a fond smile. “Can I kiss you?” She asked with a voice softer than Marlene had ever heard.
“Yes please” And so Dorcas did.