The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

Giraffes

It was James Potter's own sort of love magic, he reckoned.

Emmaline and Marlene's eyes were locked.

"Em?"

"Yeah, Marly?"

"My brother Finley is coming home Friday night, we're having a big party at my house for him, and I'd really like it if you came."

"Okay."

"As my date," Marlene said.

Emma's hand paused. She'd been stroking Marlene's hip absently. Now she sat up, her eyes wide, a smile teasing her lips as she looked down at Marlene, who rolled onto her back, the blankets falling away as she did so. "You're sure? I don't want to pressure you. Don't feel like you have to. That's not a contingency on us getting back together. I'm sorry I pushed you before and I'm sorry I called you a coward. I should be more sensitive about everything and see it from your perspective and just know that the label doesn't matter, just like you said, and --"

"No I want to," Marlene answered. "It's the first time my whole family will be all together in like, ages, since Finley moved to America, and I really want to. I do. And I mean if something happens then, then so what, right? We've got each other and they can't break that - nobody can break that again, right?"

"Right," Emma nodded.

Marlene half sat up, too, leaning on her elbow. "I don't want to get married yet. Not because I don't want to eventually, but just because, I mean we have to have something to look forward to in the future, right? But I can certainly come out and - and make us being together official and real and --"

"You might as well be proposing to me right now, my heart is that kind of excited," Emma interrupted, "Don't say all this in such an apologetic tone, like what you're saying is nothing. It's everything. Marlene, this is the world, okay? I'm so happy."

Marlene smiled. "I'm so glad you're happy, Em. I'm nervous, but I'm happy, too. I really am. I just love you so much and I've never been so sad as I've been since we've broken off. It was like how I imagine having a dementor follow me about would feel."

Emma shook her head, "No more dementors."

"No more dementors. You're my patronus. A patronus princess," Marlene laughed.

Emma flushed. "That is so corny."

"I know," Marlene giggled, "Pretend I never said that."

"I can't unhear it," Emma said.

"Well damn, I'll just have to live on in your memory forever as a complete and utter dork."

"Oh you were already going to do that with or without saying the patronus princess bit," Emma answered. She paused, then, "So, uh, no more kissing Sirius Black, yeah?"

"Oh God," Marlene groaned. "No. Never again. That will haunt me forever." 

Emmaline snort-laughed. "I'm betting he was stunned."

"The look on his face was rather priceless."

"You're probably the only girl that's ever done it."

"They ought to erect a statue to me."

"Even if they did, Remus Lupin would probably blast it to bits."

"He would! Holy shit! He is like -- He is actually terrifying," Marlene said.

"I KNOW!" Emma gasped. "When he came outside at that Order meeting... I thought he was going to set your hair on fire or something just by looking at you. I've never seen anyone so ferocious before."