Lily made her way out of the Great Hall and up to the Gryffindor Common Room, everyone was heading outside to sit in the sun, a rare occurrence in Scotland but she had so much work to do for the next week, that she had passed the offer. There corridors were nearly empty, for everyone could be found outside at the warmest part of the day, on what Lily suspected was the warmest day of the year, and she had to write an essay, great. Just as she reached the common room she remembered something, neither Marlene or Sirius were at breakfast, which wasn't exactly shocking as neither of them got out of bed before noon on a Sunday, however neither of them had been at lunch either, and that was a rare occurrence, for Sirius especially.
The common room was empty, or very near to it. Lily walked over to the corner of the room, to the sofa where Marlene and Sirius thought they couldn't be seen by anyone, Lily however knew better.
"Excuse me." Lily muttered, coughing to get their attention.
Marlene and Sirius pulled apart and laughed, Merlin help them.
"Sirius, James wants you, something to do with Peter and Remus and the squid.." Lily made up, though no doubt they would have some sort of plans that involved all of these things.
"What he agreed to it?!" Sirius asked, jumping to his feet.
"Yeah, sure why not." Lily agreed, nodding her head.
"No way, that's amazing Lily, I can't believe it!" Sirius walked over to her and kissed her, before running out of the room faster than the time he found out that Marlene was skinny dipping in the lake.
"What just happened?" Marlene asked, as Lily flopped down onto the sofa next to her, and looked out of the window onto the school's grounds below.
"I have no idea, I made it up," Lily laughed.
"Sirius will be pissed when he finds out." Marlene warned, then she laughed. "But then again he did kiss you."
"Oh he's wanted to do that for a while, James said not to worry if he does, completing a circle or something? No idea, as long as I don't catch some sort of STD it's okay, and as long as it doesn't become a regular thing either." Lily said pulling a disgusted face and wiping her lips.
Lily looked back at Marlene, properly for the first time in days. She was sat in shorts and Sirius' hoodie with her hair pulled back, she had minimal makeup and if Lily imagined it she could almost pretend that it was fifth year, and the biggest problems they had were OWLS.
"Did you speak to him?" Lily asked.
Marlene sighed. "Yes."
"And what did he say?"
"It's all a bit confusing."
"Do not wind me up Marls." Lily said sternly. "All I know is that there were two of you in the boys dorm last night, Pete was on the floor in our room bless him. And you're wearing his clothes, what happened?"
"I spoke to him, I didn't tell him of course. Me, you and Fabian are the only ones who know that I slept with Fabian anyway, and none of us are going to tell Sirius, so he won't find out for a while."
"Then how the hell are you going to be honest with him? In fact, what did you tell him?"
"I just told him that things happened between me and someone because I was confused about where we were, I didn't think we were exclusive, don't pull that face. He didn't buy it either if it makes you feel any better."
"When he didn't buy it what did you tell him?"
"So we were lay on his bed, talking about things, and he was playing with my hair and of course I wasn't thinking straight and he saw the hickey again, and he froze up. Said that I couldn't keep this from him any longer, and if I cared about him at all I would be honest with him. I said to him that I was confused about where we were and like I said before, he just called it bullshit on the spot. And I told him the real reason I got with Fabian. He makes me so nervous, I know that he could be with any girl he wanted to, because he's bloody gorgeous and he's so charming and I know what he used to be like, we all do and I don't trust him, so I told him. And he asked how me being with someone else would help that."
"Marls, how does it help that?"
"Well this is what I told him, I said that it proves to myself that if he does leave me, and goes off with some girl that I can still be with other guys. It shows him that he can't just assume that I'm completely his, just like I can't help but think he's not entirely mine."
"And then what happened?"
"He kissed me."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes, properly kissed me and pulled me close."
"The kind of kiss that isn't just a kiss?"
"You bet it."
"Tell me you didn't sleep with him."
"What choice did I have?"
"Oh Marls."
"Don't 'Oh Marls' me! And don't say what I know you're going to!"
"What's that?"
"One of three things."
"I already know the answers. What's it going to take to get you to take that test?" Lily asked.
"A lot."
"I'll do all your potions essays."Lily said, looking closely at Marlene. "But you take the tests now."
"Multiple? Why would I do that?!" Marlene exclaimed.
"You know why. I have a couple more questions." Lily said standing up and grabbing Marlene's hand before dragging her to the Gryffindor dorms.
"Did he say anything?"
"What do you mean?"Marlene asked, confused.
Lily dragged her in front of the full length mirror that stood in their dorm bathroom and pulled up the jumper. Marlene's usual toned stomach was slightly bloated. Something you wouldn't be able to notice unless you looked carefully.
"Are you still making me take the tests?" She asked staring at the small bump and resting her hand on her belly.
"Is there any chance at all that it's not Fabians?" Lily asked, pulling the tests out of Marlene's school bag.
"A small one." Marlene sighed. "And yeah, he did."
"What? I didn't think Sirius of all people would notice!"
"He knows I haven't had my period, but I told him I was bloated because of the lack of food I've been eating."
"And he bought it?"
"He doesn't want this to be real any more than I do Lily." Marlene said, looking across the room at her friend sadly.
Just as Marlene was entering the bathroom stall, clearly defeated by Lily, James came hurtling into the bathroom.
"James OUT NOW!" Marlene screamed.
James held his hands up in defense, "Look I don't want to be in here-" But Lily was already pushing him out of the bathroom and into the dorm, followed by a now furious Marlene who looked like she could snap James in half.
Marlene stood with her arms folded across her chest, one eyebrow raised. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" She demanded.
"So I take it Sirius hasn't got here yet?"
"Why would Sirius be here?" Lily piped up, suddenly worried.
"We were all out on the grounds, and then Fabian came over asking for you Marls-"
"Fuck."
"Yeah fuck, Sirius asked him why he would care, and was being a bit cocky, up in Fabian's face, you know they've never gotten along."
"James hurry up, if you said he left before you it won't be long before he also comes hurtling through that door and I need to know what was said."
"And Fabian snapped, and mentioned something about him being awfully confident for someone who couldn't even please his own girlfriend."
"Fuck."
"Yeah you said that once already Marls, and I bet you know how Sirius reacted too, it's one thing him thinking that you had a hickey and kissed Fabian a couple of times, but you could tell from the way Fabian said it that he clearly had done more than that." James said sheepishly looking over at Lily. "What's the plan?"
"Fuck."
"Okay, I'm getting out of here with Marls, she can't deal with this right now clearly." Lily said glancing over at her friend who was stood muttering 'fuck' under her breath.
"Where are you going to go?"James asked, his mind racing. "Why don't we just charm the girls dorms so that boys can't get in here?"
Lily looked at James, "Like we did last year when they wouldn't stop having sex in here?" She said, smiling a little at the memory.
"Yeah, I'll get out." James said smiling and moving towards Marlene before hugging her tightly. "It will all work out Marls, don't worry, I'll calm him down." He said before leaving the room.
As soon as the door shut behind James, Lily got to work charming the dorms, ensuring that none of the boys could get in here, while Marlene started to panic.
"Do you think he saw?" Marlene questioned.
"Saw what? The test? No. James avoids looking at anything that isn't a person in our dorm, never mind the bathroom."
"I think he knew."
"Why?" Lily said turning around and looking at Marlene.
"I know him, and the hug he just gave me wasn't a normal hug like when Sirius and I usually argue, or I've been upset or angry before, it was a gentle hug." Marlene tried to explain. "He was being careful, like I was about to break."
"Marls, you have lost weight you know, he probably thinks you could snap." Lily consoled her friend.
There was a loud banging on the door, and shouting from the other side. "Marlene Mckinnon let me into this dorm right now, or I will turn around and never come back. I swear to Merlin if you don't let me in this is the end of us." Marlene looked up at Lily, tears filled her eyes at the thought of losing Sirius.
"Don't" Lily whispered.
"I can't not let him in, I can't lose him Lily." Marlene said moving towards the door.
"Mckinnon I'm serious." Sirius shouted.
Marlene opened the door to Sirius, neither of them said a word, they just stood and looked at each other.