VIOLET (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

3.

"Eleven year olds make that in their first two weeks at school," said Caiti.

"Exactly."

"Tell me about work," Caiti said, settling into his side. Marlowe wrapped his arm around her waist as he began to talk. He never felt like there was much to tell about his day, but Caiti asked a lot of questions and seemed to think his one little anecdote was funny, and it was nice just getting to talk to her about everyday things.

After a few minutes, she got back up and gave the potion another stir. It was sort of blueish right now, but went a shade greener as she stirred.

"About five minutes, I think," she said, mostly to herself. She sat back down. "I probably need to go home after this is ready. I told my mum I'd be home for dinner."

"Untell her," said Marlowe.

Caiti smiled. Marlowe kissed her.

—-

Caiti's potion had really made a difference. Marlowe had had a great flying day on Saturday and though he'd done little but a warmup on Sunday on account of the match that afternoon, his coach had given him a nod of approval Marlowe didn't usually see this close to the full moon. He felt like his regular self, just a bit shaky when he wasn't moving too much.

Monday was a different story. Marlowe made it through practice a bit easier than usual thanks to the articulation infusion, but only a bit. By the time he arrived home, he felt pretty awful. His head was all buzzy and everything was pulsing.

Caiti came over to deliver his potion at about seven and she looked a little frazzled. "I've just been to deliver this to the Ministry pick-up location" she said. "There were so many people lined up waiting for it. I had no idea."

"Oh that's right," said Marlowe. "This is the first month you're in that program isn't it?" The reason she had started learning the wolfsbane potion in the first place was because there was a new-ish government funded program out there that ensured all werewolves had access to the wolfsbane potion. Caiti was being paid to make it each month. It was supposed to be free eventually, once support ramped up or employers started covering it, but there was a modest fee for now, nowhere near what the potion would cost out of pocket. The ingredients weren't cheap.

She nodded.

"I'm happy to do it, but the delivery... it's a bit nerve wracking. All these people I don't know. Like, what if I kill them?"

"You've never worried about accidentally killing me," Marlowe said, feigning offense.

"Oh god, you have literally no idea how many times I practiced that potion before I ever gave it to you," Caiti said. "I was terrified. It was all I did that month you were in the hospital."

Marlowe didn't think about the time he'd been at St. Mungo's often. Neither he or Caiti ever brought it up. Feeling uncomfortable about it was stupid, given what Caiti was here to give him, but he still felt embarrassed and exposed the way he did any time he had to admit what he was. That was something he needed to work on.

"So you're sure this isn't going to kill me?" Marlowe joked, because that was easier than acknowledging, again, how much Caiti cared about him. Caiti just smirked and held out the potion to him.

He had his water ready.

Caiti sat beside him while Marlowe steeled himself for the initial taste, downed it as fast as he could, and then followed it up with the water. "Aguamenti," he muttered, refilling the cup. He drank the entire second glass as well.

"Caiti, if your improvement tastes better than that, you will make millions," Marlowe said, wrinkling his nose at the empty goblet.

Caiti put her arm up on the back of the couch and drew her fingers through his hair. "How are you feeling today?" she asked.

"Not good."

"I'll make you something for tomorrow morning."

"Oh, you don't have to do that. You've been running around all day. Just go get some rest."

"It's fine," Caiti said. Her fingernails grazed the back of his neck and he shivered. "I will."

Marlowe shut his eyes. Her touch was so nice. If he focused on just that, he could almost pretend everything else didn't hurt, could almost pretend he didn't know what was coming.

"When do you have to be at work tomorrow?"

"Ten thirty," said Marlowe. Inside his own head, his voice sounded fuzzy like she'd asked him while he was half asleep.

"Okay. I'll be over before that."

—-

Caiti had been true to her word. She was already waiting in his living room, talking to his mum, by the time Marlowe stumbled in bright and early the next morning. It was just after five AM. His mum handed him a glass of water, as always, and Caiti said, "This should help with the nausea," and nodded to the sealed container she held between both hands.

"Thanks," mumbled Marlowe. He took a few sips of his water. "I need to go lay down."

"If he needs anything, just let me know," his mum said to Caiti, a hand on her shoulder.

They walked to his bedroom. Marlowe drank the potion there and then he laid down and laid a hand over his forehead. He took several slow, deep breaths. That short walk into the house always got the better of him so soon after coming back into his body.

Marlowe sat up a little and pulled his t-shirt off. He didn't notice his higher body temperature most of the time, but he was always sweltering the day after.

"Come're," Caiti said softly. She opened her arm for him, scooting closer so he could lay his head on her chest. He draped one arm over her waist and Caiti smoothed her hand over his back. Her fingers were cold. They felt like an ice pack.

Neither one of them said anything at all and Marlowe focused only on the feeling of her hands on his skin and her heartbeat under his ear.

He fell asleep after a while, only waking up several hours later when his mum crept quietly into the room and put a hand on his head. "Sweetheart," she whispered. "You'd better get up soon. It's ten."

Marlowe was so comfortable, so relaxed, it took him a minute to convince himself to move. When he finally rolled onto his back, running a hand through his hair, he looked at his mum to find her looking not at him, but at Caiti with this look on her face like she could cry. She didn't say anything though, just kissed Marlowe on the forehead, like she had when he was little, and left the room.

The two of them lay there on their backs in silence for another couple of minutes.

"That potion helps," Marlowe said. "I feel a little better."

"Good," Caiti said quietly. She turned her head to look at him.

When they made eye contact, Marlowe was filled with a very sudden and very unexpected flood of guilt. He had told himself the previous week that he was going to try the venom idea for her and he had forgotten. He hadn't told Caiti that, of course. He had been trying very hard not to think about it after the way he had performed the day he didn't block it out of his thoughts. But he still felt guilty.

Caiti did so much for him. Not only had she brewed him three separate potions to help him feel better the last few days, the way she had held him just now was so filled with love and care it made his heart race just to think about it.

Next month, he told himself. Next month he would do it.

For now, he rolled over and kissed Caiti. "Thank you for coming over," he said. "You make everything a little easier."

Caiti smiled a little.

She sat on the edge of his bed while he got ready for work, moving a little gingerly, as always the day after the full moon.

They talked a little, but mostly they were quiet and it was comfortable. Just before he had to go, Marlowe sat beside her and pulled her into a hug. "Love you," he said.

"Love you too," said Caiti. She kissed him once before she let go.

For someone who had just gone through another fairly traumatic night, he felt pretty damn lucky.