Wolfstar

Not Just The Help - part 5

A//N

SURPRISE. HELLO. HI.

Yes I know it's been ages, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm such a procrastinator. I'm so sorry. Have an extra long chapter and don't kill me for the hiatus please. I'm so very sorry.

(And yes, that's my art, please don't repost!)

A//N

Sirius sat stiffly in the parlour, a fake smile spread across his face - it didn't reach his eyes. It never did.
No one but Lily had been able to coax a sincere smile out of him since he was ten years old, but when Remus arrived, a whole new world of happiness had been opened to him, but now his happy dream was being snatched mercilessly out from underneath him. All because of a damnable arranged marriage - damn this whole situation to hell...

"Sirius?"

Sirius snapped to attention, Lady Walburga was staring at him sharply, her steely grey eyes like daggers. Everything about Walburga was formidable and carved of stone, her flinty hair, her craggy shoulders and collarbones - she was like an old marble statue that was once beautiful but only corroded and cracked with age. Sirius was glad he inherited his looks from his father, he didn't want to look threatening like she did.

"Yes, mother?"

"Miss McKinnon was just wondering if you would take her for a horseback tour of the estate? She loves nature and horses ever so much and it would be a lovely bonding experience for the both of you."

Sirius blinked and composed himself,

"Ah, yes, that sounds lovely," He turned to Marlene, she smiled sweetly at him. Sirius wanted to like her, but he just couldn't bring himself to,

"If Miss McKinnon has her riding boots, we could set off as soon as she would like."

...

As soon as they were out riding, Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, he always got so claustrophobic in an enclosed room with his parents - they set him on edge. It was nice to be out in the woods again, breathing the fresh air, even if it was with Marlene instead of Remus.

Marlene trotted up beside him on her brown mare, it was a lovely horse, chestnut coat and a white blaze on its nose...

"Sirius?" Marlene paused, biting her lip, "Can I call you Sirius or is that too forward..?"

Sirius nodded absently, "It's fine, it's fine."

Marlene took a breath in and reached out for the reigns of Sirius' horse, pulling it to a stop.

"Did you consent to this marriage, Sirius?"

Sirius exhaled and rubbed his forehead,

"...No. No I didn't."

Sirius waited for a shocked reaction, some crying or at least frustration, but it didn't come.

"Neither did I, really."

Sirius looked up.

"What?"

"I have a thing back home, if you know what I mean."

Sirius blinked a few times, "Ohh."

"Really? What's he like?"

"She."

"Oh."

There was a pause.

"What's she like?"

"She's gorgeous, long blonde hair, pale green eyes, tall... Well, I can't judge height, I guess, I'm tiny."

She giggled slightly.

"She's a maid, though. It's not allowed."

Marlene turned to look inquisitively at Sirius,

"You've been awfully accepting, usually they'd be trying to burn me at the stake by now."

"Ah, well, who am I to judge anyone? I've been a shut-in for years."

"That's not so bad, at least your family hasn't tried to 'straighten you out' by marrying you off to some high-class tosser from a rich family - no offence."

Sirius snorted, they were in a very similar situation. It was strange, but Sirius could see himself making friends with Marlene.

"None taken."

Marlene smiled again, a little sadly this time, playing with her long, dark braid. She had dimples, in her cheeks. Marlene was pretty, attractive even, but Sirius just couldn't imagine being with someone other than Remus, it was a foreign and unimaginable concept.

"Come on," she said jovially, "Let's just sit down and talk, no strings attached."

Sirius gave a small smile and slid down from his black horse, he laid out a blanket on the grass and sat down. Marlene joined him, her skirts puffing out over the blanket as she flopped onto her front.

"Why don't you consent, Sirius?"

He exhaled through his nose and lay down next to her,

"I have a thing too."

She arched a perfect eyebrow and looked at him interestedly. She pushed herself up on her elbows, looking over to one of the outbuildings where two off the staff were working.

Marlene glanced back at Sirius,

"Is it the red-head?"

Sirius jerked his head up,

"What?! Lily? No no no."

Marlene giggled, "Alright then, mister, calm down. But in all seriousness, whoooo issss itttttt? I'm curious to see who has caught the eye of our mysterious young gentleman."

Sirius gave Marlene a sarcastic, withering look, then turned his gaze to the outbuilding again to see Remus passing a water bucket to Lily, he looked stiff, but at least he was smiling and talking.

The sarcastic expression straight up melted from Sirius' face as he stared softly at Remus through the trees, every time Remus smiled or dragged his fingers through his curly hair, Sirius' heart beat a little faster.

"Him."

Marlene tilted her head at Sirius, she could sense the softness in his voice and her gaze turned sympathetic.

"Wow," she said, "You really love him, don't you?"

"Yeah."

Marlene flipped herself onto her back, skirts and hair flying everywhere.

"We're a right pathetic pair, eh?"

Sirius blinked a few times and looked down at Marlene sprawled across the blanket.

"What?"

"You know what I mean."

And Sirius did.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," she sighed, but she perked up,

"That serving boy of your's is quite good looking, though. I'd want him if I weren't a raging lesbian."

Sirius laughed, and I mean properly laughed, not a fake titter at a dinner but a real, proper laugh, it was liberating.

Marlene sat up, God, was she hyperactive.

"Enough boy chat, there are lots of pretty flowers around and you have nicer hair than I do."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Marlene, who was already picking flowers from the grass beside them and weaving them into Sirius' hair.

"Pray tell, Miss Marlene, what the fuck are you doing?"

She flicked his ear,

"I'm braiding your hair, what the hell does it look like, you wanker?"

A//N

Was that good? I hope it was good, I'm very out of practice XD
I didn't know hoe to resolve the Marlene thing, so I just kinda went 'why not lesbians?'

A//N