/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟓.𝟠.𝟤

"Well, stop me if it isn't."

Dorcas laughed a little at Marlene's bossy tone. Then, finally gathering up the courage, she slipped a hand under Marlene's blush colored blouse and pulled it up, letting Marlene help her take it off.

A few minutes later, Marlene fumbled with the buttons on Dorcas's jeans. "Can you-" she muttered, a little flustered.

"So you can unbutton my shirt in about ten seconds, but can't do the pants?" said Dorcas. Now that she was feeling more comfortable, jokes came easier.

Marlene raised her eyebrows at her. "Well, if you're gonna be like that-"

Dorcas snorted and undid the button for Marlene. "Jesus, McKinnon, you're difficult."

Marlene let out a low hum. Seconds later, Dorcas was breathing hard, one hand messing up Marlene's hair as she went down on her like it was the last thing she'd ever do on earth. Dorcas had never felt like this before. She was in complete and utter bliss. That is, until she started wondering exactly how Marlene had gotten so good at what she was doing. Then, Dorcas didn't know how to feel until Marlene's hands moved up her thighs and shivers ran through Dorcas's entire body.

She finished in a torrent of mixed up thoughts and the most satisfying feeling she'd ever experienced. Marlene sat up and fixed her hair calmly, looking down at Dorcas with mingled amusement and poise, like she knew exactly how she'd made Dorcas feel and she was proud of herself for it. "Glad you helped me with that button now?"

"Oh, shut up," said Dorcas, smiling with something close to diffidence in her eyes. Marlene laughed and laid down next to Dorcas, their arms just barely touching. Dorcas looked over at her, the curves in her lips, the point of her nose. "Do you want me to... do anything for you?"

"Nah, I'm all good," said Marlene. She knew Dorcas better than to think she'd be completely comfortable doing something like that for the first time. "We'll get there at some point. We can move slowly."

Dorcas nodded. "Hey, um-" She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to voice her thoughts, but she figured she'd better get it out now while her courage was still holding up. "-how'd you get so- how'd you learn to-"

"Fucked around with Bellatrix for about a month last year," Marlene said, a sudden bitter edge to her voice. "You learn a thing or two doing that. But hey-" she turned onto her side, her head propped on one hand, "-we'll get there. Let's just... hang out... for now."

"Yeah," said Dorcas. "Hanging out sounds nice." She smiled and wrapped an arm around Marlene, who rested her head gently on Dorcas's chest. They laid there together, talking, as Stevie Nicks crooned in the background and snow dusted the window panes outside, and Dorcas couldn't help but think it was her best Valentine's Day yet.

~

Remus and Sirius were still on bad terms on the night of the full moon in February. James and Peter tried their best to have them make up, but neither of them could be forced to come to terms with the other. An hour before it was time to sneak out, Remus laid in his bed, nearly too weak to move, his hands shaking uncontrollably as shivers racked his body. He knew this transformation would be worse than most, he could feel it in his bones.

There were footsteps in the hallway outside and Remus thought maybe James would bound in to give him a game plan for that night, or Peter would be coming to tell Remus some vague piece of news from around the castle to try and cheer him up. Instead, Sirius walked in, a mug of tea cradled in one hand, a stack of books in the other. He didn't look at Remus, but he set the tea down on the table next to him and deposited the books on the bed next to him. Remus watched him with half-open eyes. "You coming tonight?"