A Marauder's Guide to Falling Forever

Chapter Eight

"I suppose I don't have a choice," she let out a nervous laugh. "Yes, of course."

"I don't blame you for Mum's death," he said bluntly. His eyes searched Marlene's, and she could hear the sincerity in his tone. "I know that it wasn't your fault. I reacted poorly and I'm sorry for my part in driving you away."

"You didn't drive me –"

"Marlene," he interrupted, pleading. "I'm not naïve to see that you felt you were alone, and I know now that I unconsciously withdrew from our friendship out of grief. I didn't see that at first, but I do now. I am sorry."

She had never really thought about having an individual friendship with James, having that he had always been Sirius's best friend, or Lily's nemesis turned boyfriend turned husband. But he was also equally Marlene's friend and she appreciated hearing him think of her the same way.

"Thanks James," she smiled and he reached out to hug her, but she gagged even before his arms closed around her. "Baby vomit, remember?"

"Right," he chuckled. "I'll go change."

It was after dinner time when Marlene and Sirius finally said goodbye to the Potters and departed the small house, out into the yard where the sun sat low on the horizon. The weather was cold and dreary, and a light sprinkling of snow had begun to fall. She pulled her coat tightly around her to stay warm. 

"I think I'm going to go visit Tom while I'm here," Marlene informed Sirius after James had closed the door behind them.

"That's probably a good idea," he agreed. "I'll walk with you."

Marlene let out an annoyed sigh, "You can't follow me everywhere I go, Sirius." She craned her neck to look up at him and studied his confusion.

"I'm not following you," he replied with a hint of defiance. Marlene raised her eyebrows to display her skepticism and watched as he ran a hand through his hair, scowling. "Okay, maybe I want to spend time with you. But only because I care and I'm scared of losing you."

"Nothing's going to happen to me at Toms," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "We talked about this last night, Sirius. We need time apart."

"We've had nothing but time apart," he grumbled with obvious bitterness.

"I love you, I do," she said softly, "but I won't be smothered by your overprotective behavior. Don't treat me like a china doll. We have to trust one another if we're going to make this work."

"I do trust you, Mar," he replied quickly and firmly, the scowl still prominently on display.

"Then trust that I can take care of myself. Okay?"

He sighed, "You can take care of yourself. I just want to take care of you too."

She didn't really know what to say to that so instead she pushed herself up onto her toes and planted a soft kiss against his cheek. It wasn't exactly where she wanted to kiss him, and she got the same impression from him when she pulled away and examined the flames of desire rapidly burning in his darkening eyes. She moved away from him quickly, afraid that if she lingered longer she'd never make it to Toms.

"I'll make time to see you again soon, Sirius," she said with finality. "Now go home and stop worrying so much about me."

"Bye Mar," he said, defeated. She waved and turned away from him.

She moved quickly down the path and out onto the familiar street that line the way to her godfathers home. She didn't dare to turn and look back at whether or not Sirius was still lingering in the Potters yard as she made her way out of view of the small cottage.