Not Everyone Dies

“Yeah, all kinds. You guys are more into this stuff than I am.” James replied with a chuckle. Lily was probably more of a bookworm than Marlene, but during their school years, while enjoying the occasional book, he had been much more focused on Quidditch than anything else. They tried their best to not contact any of their friends much, because anything could be traced back to them, and they were trying to stay off the radar. Remus usually sent an update every week to let them know what was going on, and then there were letters that came in every now and then, addressed to someone else, but meant for them.

“Really? That sounds cool. I mean…I’m kinda afraid I wouldn’t be able to see it…” He then added with another chuckle, before handing over her mug and settling down at the table. “Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?” He had read that mothers sometimes had an instinct about what they were having, and while James wouldn’t have minded either, really, but he’d still be curious to know.

The books, Marlene thought, would be a nice distraction on days like these. Take her mind off of everything and focus on a fairy tale or some new found way of parenting. Maybe even something to look at as far as decorations went for the baby’s room. Something neutral until they knew for sure if it was a boy or a girl.

She took her tea after giving a groan and wiggling off the countertop and joining him at the table. Her hand rubbing her belly and Marlene closed her eyes as if deep in thought. “Quiet, so part o’me thinks a little lass with hair as wild as her fathers.” She peeked one eye open and gave James a small smile. “Or we could have both,” she shook her head, both would be far too much, but maybe later down the road they could have another. “How about yerself? What do ya think we’ve got in there?”

“No need to worry about that,” James replied with a grin, before taking the toffees and giving her a wink. “Thanks for these,” He waited to be giddy about the whole thing until he had turned the corner, because while he was most definitely falling for her, he didn’t want to give all of his game away.

Saturday rolled around fast though, and James, with his hair freshly styled and in a. button down shirt, made his way to the Three Broomsticks, where he spotted Marlene by a table. Smiling, he made his way over, hands coming to cover her eyes gently.

“No peeking,” He then chuckled, “If I take my hands away, promise to keep your eyes closed?”

Marlene had arrived early, found them a table near the back so they wouldn’t be teased should someone else happen to be there that they both knew. One of the boys- for example. Or Dorcas and Mary. That was the last thing she needed was her dorm-mates teasing her for having some sort of date with James Potter.

She sipped on her Butterbeer, flipping through an old herbology leaflet when her eyes were covered and a familiar voice floated into her ear. She grinned, pulled her lip between her teeth and covered his hands with hers for a moment. “I promise, I promise, I promise,” she chuckled, and squeezed her eyes closed behind his fingers before she set her hands atop the table and straightened in her seat. “Right. M’ready now.”

“HYPOTHETICALLY speaking, if that’s already taken care of, what would you say?” It was fun, bantering with her, it always had been, but at some point it had turned into flirting, and then then they had ended up in abandoned classrooms. James wanted to do this right though, because contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t a womanizer. He’s had a few dates, sure, but there was no one else he was planning on actually going out with, so he figured he might as well shoot his shot.

“I’ll meet you at the Three Broomsticks tomorrow? You’ll get your hypothetical gift then,” He replied with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a small tap on the nose with her finger. It was fun, the fooling around in empty classrooms and post quidditch victory celebrating. But somewhere along the line she’d developed a soft spot for James. The cocky boy next door that knew how to be sweet when it counted. Like now, for instance, he was trying and while the girls might have told her to say no just to tease, Marlene couldn’t do that. “I didn’t quite say yes, Potter.”

She gave a small wrinkle of her nose, teeth tugging on her lower lip before securing her Potions notes in her bag and pulled out a small bag of toffees and gave it to him with slightly reddened cheeks. “I was savin’ these for then, but might as well give ‘em to ya now.”

[meme]

14. favorite candle scent? 

For Marlene: Lavender. Hands down her favorite scent in general. For me: Yankee Candle used to make a Grass scented one that smelled like fresh cut grass. It was amazing and it no longer exists.

50. what’s your dreamhouse? 

For Marlene: It would be a small cottage and a HUGE greenhouse. One with a little bed nook so she can sleep out there when it rains and shit.

@expectoxpatr-ohno​ gets a Valentine’s Day Starer

       So. They’ve had a couple of DATES, even though those really mostly consisted of making out in some abandoned classroom, but James couldn’t quite deny the fact that he was interested in Marlene beyond just sneaking around, so when Valentine’s Day had rolled around this year, he had finally gathered the courage ( albeit meaning Sirius had KICKED HIS ASS ) to ask her out. 

       He had ended up waiting outside the classroom for her, leaning against the wall, lips curved into a SMILE as he eventually stopped her. “So, what would you say if I asked you to accompany me to Hogsmeade tomorrow, you know. HYPOTHETICALLY speaking of course,” 

Naturally they had reached the time of year in where most girls spent their free moments discussing what they’d be doing for Valentine’s and with whom. And while Lily and Dorcas had spent a majority of Potions prodding her for answers she didn’t have, Marlene would have been lying if she said she wasn’t hoping for anything. So when James was waiting for her as they left- she had to bite back a grin before shooing the others along.

“I’d say I ye better HYPOTHETICALLY get me a plant or somethin’.” Not flowers, a plucked flower was a dead flower and a waste of one unless it was going to be used for tea or in potions. And Marlene preferred to tend to flowers, not pluck them. “but I suppose I could accompany ye if ya like. Hypothetically, of course.”

James didn’t blame Marlene, if anything, he loved her even more. They were still young, and maybe this whole thing hadn’t planned, but they were going to have a child, and be a family, and they were going to be fine. Again, it was something that he kept telling himself every day, but then again James was less worried about himself and Marlene than about their friends, who were out there.

He tried his best to ignore the way it made his stomach turn, because living in a constant state of anxiety wasn’t healthy, and he needed to keep a strong facade for Marlene. Surely, she was able to see through him easily, but he didn’t have to make it worse than it already was.

“That sounds nice,” He found himself nodding as he picked up the kettle once the water had been boiled. “Lily also said she was going to send some books if we want them. Well, if you want them specifically. So we can let her know if you want something specific,”

“Hmm-” She hummed, hand mindlessly resting over her belly and watching as he poured them each a cup. She knew that he thought of their friends often, worried for them- as did she- but hated how it ate him up inside. She wished that it was different. That they were starting a family in a different and much easier time...but they’d make do. They had to. And she knew that this little bugger would be loved beyond words by so many people. The best aunts and uncles anyone could ask for.

“What, like muggle ones?” The thought had crossed her mind, it might be interesting to look at parenting through both worlds and honestly she did feel as if she bugged Molly to pieces with all her questions. “Might be nice,” she gave half a chuckle, lightly tapping his hip with her foot, “they’ve got a thing where ye can see tha baby, you know. At tha muggle hospital. All I can picture is a little beansprout in there with eyes.”

A sigh and she moved carefully from the counter top and left a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I’ll send an owl in tha mornin’ make sure things are okay out there.”