A/N: Whoa! I am back! Long time no see. I should be updating Ascella but hey, I was inspired so here it is.

A couple of things to note if you've read the previous chapters there are some changes. I have adjusted all of them I believe in the previous chapters but here is a summary of them:

- Marlene is now a child of 5 and no longer the youngest. She is the only girl and the McKinnon's are Irish. The order is as follows: Magnus, Mackenzie, Marc, Marlene, and Mason.

- The McKinnon's no longer live in Godric's Hollow in the West country of England but in county Donegal in Ireland. She and James are still childhood friends, their mother's were close in school, so they spent much time at each other's houses. Now that they are older they floo to them regularly though usually to James' as you will see in this chapter.

Now I think that's all - so enjoy! I loved writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, that'd be JK Rowling.

A Summer Promise:

The Summer between 5th and 6th years.

"Marly Marl!" James brightened on seeing his friend walking across the back lawn from where he lounged in a hammock by the lake on the grounds of his family's large cottage in Godric's Hollow. It was a hammock James's parents had put up years ago, strung between two sizable trees the perfect distance from each other in the perfect location down by the lake. It was a place that got sun in the morning and cool shade with bits of light streaming between the leaves in the afternoon.

James was currently lounging there as the early afternoon turned it from sunshine to shade, his upper body still in the waning sunlight, glasses catching the light and glinting, his hair looking sun kissed and messy as always. He was holding a book and looked to have been enjoying the summer day getting lost reading. Oh, if only dearest Lilykins could see him now. She'd never believe James would be capable of enjoying reading a good book - even if she was here to witness the evidence first hand, Marlene couldn't help but think. Because then it might mean Evans would have to admit she might have gotten James wrong and she might start falling for the sap.

"Whatcha reading?" Marlene asked, joining her friend in the hammock, sitting opposite him at the foot of it. He pulled his feet up and scooted over to accommodate her. It was a rather large flat hammock about the size of a full size bed complete with attached pillow at James's end. James showed her the cover of the book in answer. "Pride and Prejudice," she read aloud. "Is that a muggle book?"

James flushed lightly, his eyes avoiding hers - he knew what she thought of his obsession with muggle things and how it related to his obsession with Evans no doubt knowing Marlene would know Evans was at the root of his reading this particular book.

"Yeah, you know - summer reading. For muggle studies," came James's attempt at an answer.

"Oh, so it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it's Evans' favorite book?"

Marlene shared a dorm with the girl and had seen Evans's nose buried in it many times.

"What?! Nononono no!" He said shaking his head so emphatically the hammock started to sway back and forth.

"It's okay Jamie," Marlene calmed him. "I think it's rather cute - don't worry."

"Really?"

James sat up in shock his usual boundless energy on full display, the hammock turning into a rough sea of movement. Marlene clung to the edges in an attempt to stabilize it.

"Wait," James sat back, suspicion alighting his eye while surveying the blonde across from him. "Why? I thought you disliked Lily."

Marlene held in a snort - he only ever called her Lily when Evans wasn't around.

"No, James, I don't dislike her. I dislike how much hurt and anxiety she's brought you. She isn't the one who sees the level of your happiness when she gets your hopes up or the depths of your despair when she's rejected you again and I just can't forgive her for not seeing your antics for what they are."

"And what are they, Marls?"James asked in that soft way he had during serious conversations, the way he made it known he really cared about your answer.

"A mask for a rich, talented boy who despite his wealth, good family, good looks, and talents is just as unsure about all this growing up business and is just as scared as any other bloke is to ask out the girl of his dreams. And sometimes," Marlene sighed, unsure if she should add this last bit but charging on ahead anyway at the expectant and encouraging James across from her, "I think you keep up the act to ensure she never takes your asking her out seriously."

A darted glance to James showed he'd wrinkled his brow at her words but not in anger or displeasure as she'd worried, more in contemplation. Or maybe Marlene was only hoping.

"Why's that?" He asked. So it was contemplation.

"Because if she took it seriously, her answer would matter more to you, wouldn't it? Because it would be final. And the chance that that final answer would be no, well," Marlene shrugged as she finished, "that would crush you."

James was silent for a long time, the sound of her words having long since been replaced by the buzzing of insects darting to the lake and back and all around. But his wrinkled brow was gone.

"I think you might be right, Marls. You're always right, of course. But-" he added in a way that made Marlene take note, the Potter resolve bright on his eye. "I think it's time - time I work towards getting that real answer. I can't keep running from it, can I? Not with this war business brewing. Besides - " he grinned his trademark side grin at her "Wouldn't be very Gryffindor of me to not face my fears!"

Marlene cracked a wide smile and joined his infectious laughter. "No - no it would not." They spent some more time lounging together her head at the foot of the hammock James at the head his attention returned to his book, Marlene's eyes fluttering closed as she enjoyed the breeze tickling her skin, the sounds of it rustling the leaves above them, and the way she could feel the sun filtering through the moving leaves dance across her skin warming her. She had one long leg over the edge of the hammock so just her toes reached the cool grass beneath which she pushed against to keep the hammock gently swinging back and forth. It was peaceful, truly peaceful. She hadn't felt that in a long time. Too long a time.

"Say- where's Sirius?" she asked cracking an eye open realizing the reason it was so peaceful. She looked around as if expecting him to come gallivanting over any second to flip the hammock on the unsuspecting pair.

"Sulking," James replied easily, turning a page in his book and not looking up.

"Sulking? About what?" Marlene exclaimed. James shrugged.

"Wouldn't tell me. But he did tell me to 'Bugger right off'." James bitterly admitted. "It's always bad if he starts in on ripping my head off. I got angry and felt myself about to reply hotly but I stopped myself and came out here with a book." James held up said book. "He slammed his bedroom door after me," he added as almost an afterthought.

"How very mature of you James," Marlene said genuinely impressed with his resistance. Usually James didn't let things drop. He kneaded and poked until he got you confessing everything - it was a gift and all part of his charm. But he wasn't like that when he was angry. When he was angry he said and did things he regretted. Not nearly as volatile as Sirius but when he did finally get angered it wasn't pretty.

James waved off Marlene's compliment. "I just figure he'll come round in his own time. He always does. And I'm trying to have faith it'll be me he comes too."

Marlene could only stare at her friend and wonder at these words and actions that so stank of maturity. They really were getting older.

"Say - do you think Lily would like it if I wrote her a letter?"

"I - what?"

"A letter. The bloke in here wrote the woman he's in love with a really lovely letter after she thoroughly rejects him - it was really quite the verbal trouncing let me tell you - but anyway he writes her this lovely letter explaining it all and apologizing for all his wrongs and if his attentions to her had ever made her uncomfortable. And she seems to be thinking differently about him. So do you think I should do that with Lily? Though I'm not really sure what I'd be apologizing for..." he trailed off lips pursed as if in thought. So much for thinking he was maturing. Even so Marlene was unable to completely break the hopeful look in her friend's eye.

"Perhaps. But I think you might get further if you show her reasons to think differently then just simply writing a letter."

Even with her attempt to be gentle his face fell a bit until - "What about doing both, Marly Marl?"

Marlene only laughed and soon she felt more than heard James join her, the hammock rumbling with his clear and infectious laughter. James Potter's laugh made you want to laugh with him like there was some joy he had that you hadn't even known you were missing until you heard it and now you craved having it too and just maybe you'd get a taste or some of it would rub off on if you joined him in laughing. It had always been like that and Marlene was still chasing it, whatever joy it was.

When the laughter ran out James settled back into his book his eyes zooming across the pages but Marlene found she couldn't relax again, his words about Sirius bothering her more than she liked.

Sulking, James had said. Sirius sulking - not an altogether unusual occurrence but him not wanting to talk to James about it, now that was a rare occurrence indeed. Marlene puzzled over what it could possibly be that was bothering him. She knew he'd run away from home early this summer and been disowned from his family but in all the times so far this summer she'd seen him he'd seemed the furthest from sulking he'd ever been. He'd seemed free for once.

It was possible his sulking now was a delayed reaction to his leaving - the excitement having died and the reality begun to sink in - but somehow Marlene didn't think that was the case. So if that wasn't what was bothering him, then what was?

James seemed to think he should leave his friend alone but Marlene didn't have the same reservations. What James didn't know was that there was someone else Sirius had been found to talk with in such instances - in fact only Marlene knew because it was Marlene herself.

The previous year, for example, it had been Marlene not James who had talked Sirius through his sulking mood when the other three Marauders had been avoiding him after the prank he'd pulled with Snape that had almost gotten him expelled. Marlene hadn't known much of the details beyond that Sirius had done something to endanger Snape's life but she'd been able to fill in the blanks during the weeks afterwards while his best mates steadfastly avoided him.

Marlene remembered Sirius had retreated from everyone - especially her - taking shortcuts between lessons, avoiding meal times, instead grabbing food from the kitchens and disappearing from the common room until just after curfew where he avoided his friends by the fire and headed straight to his dorm. Marlene had felt she hadn't seen him outside of lessons, where he was less communicative than a brick wall, in days. She had finally been unable to take it anymore and spoke with James. He hadn't been forthcoming with her but she had gotten him to admit it wasn't because of Snape they'd been giving Sirius the cold shoulder but because he'd betrayed the Marauder's Code.

And then she understood. And not because she knew what was written on this "Marauder's Code" - whatever that was- or which of the rules Sirius must have violated but because she'd just put together the significance of the night in question - it had been a full moon -, her knowledge that James would only be angry because of an internal betrayal, and the fact that it was rumored James had saved Snape's life. And it was Remus, sweet, studious,and insecure Remus that would have killed him. Yes, Marlene knew about Remus's secret - she had for years now - but had never mentioned it to anyone, even James though she was sure he and the other boys knew, the particular situation they had been in highlighting it even more.

"You know, have you ever heard about apologizing?" Marlene had finally managed to track Sirius to the kitchens late one night where she caught him stuffing his face with lemon cream pie. It had been her that forced him to talk and her that had helped him find his way back to his friends, back to his real family. And remembering that she knew she couldn't stay out here with James, lounging and waiting for Sirius to decide he was ready to stop sulking - she knew him well enough to know he could sulk forever believing he deserved to be miserable. Marlene told James she was thirsty and so on the pretense of going in search of some of Mrs. Potter's lemonade she made her way to and inside the house.

She found Sirius in his room. He must have left and returned to it since he'd slammed the door on James, for the door was swung almost all the way open. Or Mrs. Potter had been to see him. Sirius, himself, was curled in on himself on the messy bed, his back to the door, limbs tangled in the duvet.

Marlene almost laughed at the way his hair was sticking up - she didn't think she'd ever seen his hair not looking perfectly kept. Instead, she knocked on the open door to announce her presence before crossing her arms and leaning into the door frame. He rolled his head to look at her over his left shoulder before rolling it back away from her.

"Jaime says you're sulking," she said from the door. He grunted. Undeterred, she moved into the room working her way indirectly toward his bedside while chattering away.

"You should've heard James just now! Prattling away about writing Evans some sort of letter that's supposed to make her see him differently so she'll start to fall for him. Got the idea from some muggle fiction novel he's reading."

Marlene stopped to pick up an old sneakoscope from the desk pretending to survey it, while really watching for a reaction out of Sirius. Seeing none she continued her chattering and ended up nearing closer and closer to his bed which was shoved up under the only window in the room.

"Ran into Euphemia when I arrived," she continued, using Mrs. Potter's first name as the woman had always insisted, a fact Marlene's mother had always found more than a little appalling despite their years of friendship. It had taken Marlene awhile to get used to using Mrs. Potter's first name, now it was only in front of her mother did Marlene call her Mrs. Potter.

"She said she made roast lamb last night and that the other lads were over. I'm still right miffed I wasn't able to be there - you should've seen the getup my mother'd put together to force me into. Aubrey seemed to like it though," she finished upon reaching Sirius's bed, a sour taste in her mouth remembering the look he'd given her while she'd walked down the stairs to greet him and his parents. There was only one boy she wanted looking at her like that and it wasn't Bertram Aubrey.

"Oh yes, how is dear Aubrey?"

Marlene, stunned, ended up sinking to a seat at the foot of his rumpled bed. His tone at the question surprised her. This couldn't be what he was sulking about, could it? Sure, Sirius had delivered his words in an offhand way but anyone who knew Sirius as well as Marlene did knew it was delivered too offhand - no, he cared deeply about what he'd asked. Just why though was what Marlene couldn't figure.

Bertram Aubrey was a Hufflepuff in the year above them and the apple of her conservative parent's eye. He was a tall, good looking, boy-next-door type with dark blonde hair, warm brown eyes and a ready smile. He was polite, a prefect and a good student to top off his qualifications. And thus, he was her parents first choice pick at a bloke to set their only daughter up with.

It didn't help matters any that the families were close. The Aubrey's lived in the same county as them despite them being born and bred English - apparently his mother had always held a small fascination with the emerald isle and was the likely cause of their choice in residence - and as such they were often invited over to dinners.

And Marlene could never miss how Bertram was always so conveniently sat next to her at the dining room table. Nor Magnus's quiet intensity trained at her silently threatening her to behave. Nor Mackenzie's winks and suggestive eyebrow wriggles outside of their parents or Magnus' view. Nor Mason's silent but sweet sympathy, her only younger brother and fellow Gryffindor, the only two in the family, always on her side.

In fact, of her brothers, it was only Marc, the middle child, that didn't acknowledge the obvious ploy by their parents instead keeping up a regular conversation with "Bert" from where he was always sat on Aubrey's other side. It was only later after this had happened on more than one occasion that she realized what he was doing - keeping Aubrey distracted to ease his sister's discomfort and getting away with it by amping up his reputation as the eccentric one of the family.

Marc was the only one who wore glasses, for example, and Marlene suspected he did it more to distinguish himself as different from the others than because he actually needed them to see considering he'd come back at Christmas his 1st year sporting them and insisting they were needed despite no one in the family in living memory needing glasses, even their parents who'd had all of them later in life and were quite up there in age. So it was Marlene wasn't sure if his antics were actually for her benefit or because it served as a subtle fuck you to the obvious intentions of their parents and older brothers - Marc did love a bit of chaos now and again - but Marlene was grateful whatever the reason and never planned to ask for clarification lest he stop.

One of these infamous dinners had occurred the previous night, Sirius's question likely directed at that fact. He must have heard from James. Marlene had been meant to join them for dinner but received word from Magnus in the afternoon demanding she come home - they were "to dine with the Aubrey's tonight. Mother and Father expect you dressed and on your best behavior." In other words "Keep that Gryffindor pride in check and your tongue tamed," as he'd once lectured her after she'd gotten a detention for mouthing off to the incompetent defense teacher they'd had during her third year, his seventh. Marlene had cried herself to sleep that night but never mouthed off again - in ear shot of her brother or teachers anyway.

Marlene remembered grousing to James about the unfairness of it all. "It's summer, Jamie! I've finished my school work already they are supposed to let me be! That's the deal!" He'd been a sympathetic ear but couldn't offer much advice other than to tell her to grin and bear it. Well, he did suggest wrangling up the Marauders and pranking the dinner. While they both knew he wouldn't actually do it - it would only make things worse for her in the long run - it did make her laugh.

It was in that mood she'd flooed back to her home where her favorite house elf, Gracey, helped her bathe and dress herself, but she had left before speaking with Sirius on the matter. And knowing James - best friend to Sirius or not - he hadn't betrayed any details of their discussion, only relaying she was ditching them for a dinner with Aubrey instead. Or at least that was certainly how Sirius must have taken it.

She also knew that since he'd left home, aside from acting more carefree than he ever had before he'd become more and more critical of Marlene's home life. He, more than anyone, knew the pressure they put on her, having been a firsthand witness to more than one of her panics and disappearances. Sometimes she wished his words didn't ring so true. But she wasn't like him, she couldn't just up and leave them.

Not to mention that his leaving was now a source of discord in her household. Marlene had been surprised how fast news of it had spread. It had only been a couple of days after she knew before her mother had interrupted her reading in their library to hedge around the issue and heavily imply Marlene had best watch her reputation if she continued to associate with "a boy like that".

Marlene had wanted to rave and scream at her mother that she was wrong, smarting at the insults and insinuations thrown at her friend - but she didn't have the words or the arguments to prove she was right. She wasn't Marc - Marc always had the words to push against their parents antiquated and trivial concerns, especially when said concerns were about appearances. Sometimes she thought he was the one who should have been sorted into Gryffindor, not her.

Besides, she tried in her failure to console the part of her that was afraid, the part of her that had won and had kept her silent under her mother's admonitions, they'd never let you leave the house if you start talking back now. This is the price for your freedom, she told herself.

She was beginning to wonder if it was worth it, though, when she'd later spent one of her worst sleepless nights, awoken from the edge of falling asleep every time by deep seated panic. It didn't help that ever since that day and that conversation she'd noticed her parents asking a lot more about where she was going and who she was going with or getting one of the two oldest brothers to do it. And every time she said "The Potter's," they'd follow it up, their light carefree tone contradicting horribly with the intensity of their eyes, with "That Black boy going to be there?"

"I don't know," she'd always reply brightly, even though she wanted nothing more than to say "Oh probably - considering that, oh yeah, he lives there now. Which I know you are keenly aware of." Instead, she'd finish it off with a "He might be out or something - he has other places to go too," before she'd floo away before they could call her back.

But Sirius didn't need to know all that. He already disliked her family enough as it was, he having been present for more than one of her breakdowns related to them over the years, without knowing the complete bollocks they were now spouting about him now simply because he'd run away. From Marlene's knowledge her parents didn't even care for the Black's much but she supposed it was more the offense at breaking from traditional family values that they took to heart and now judged Sirius's character on.

Marlene was even more surprised that it hadn't caused a fight between her mother and Mrs. Potter as the Potter's had been quick to shelter Sirius. Then again she hadn't seen Euphemia around much at the McKinnon country manor or her mother going to the Potter's. If Marlene had a guess there hadn't been much of a fight, just a gradual series of polite letters and refusals to meet in person on her mother's side until Euphemia understood and stopped trying. Marlene supposed she should be grateful for her mother's obsession with image that even allowed her to still go to the Potter's herself but she'd bet they were all waiting for one slip up and she'd be banned from leaving the grounds of their estate.

"Clearly, you missed my heavy disgust at both the outfit my mother made me wear and that Aubrey liked it. Git," Marlene finally answered Sirius' question about Aubrey. Sirius shifted a bit on the bed but he didn't turn to face her.

"Huh," he finally said. "The way you made it sound to James is that your parents have all but had you sign the betrothal papers." Her mouth fell open - she hadn't realized he'd overheard her conversation with James about it yesterday but he must have missed the part where she'd been complaining. "I figured," Sirius continued a dangerous edge to his voice, one Marlene had both learned to be wary of and that she was foolishly incapable of backing down from no matter how hurtful the words he'd say might be, "that you'd be one flattering dinner date away from giving in. We all know how much you want to please those backwards parents of yours."

"No! No, I have not. I couldn't possibly betray my own heart like that." Oh no she'd said too much in her anger. Damn him for using that tone. And she could tell she'd said too much by the way Sirius had jolted and turned so he was facing her finally though he remained lying down.

"Marlene Marie McKinnon," he spoke slowly, while she tried not to flinch - he hardly ever spoke her full name, only her family did that or others not close with her. Why did this boy know how to hurt her so well? "Are you saying you don't have feelings for the Aubrey prat?"

"No! Of bloody course I don't! The lad I like couldn't be more different if he tried!" She snapped her mouth shut, blue eyes wide. Shit, she thought, she'd said too much again. She couldn't meet Sirius's eye but she did feel him shift so he was sitting up.

"And just who is this lad you like, McKinnon?"

Marlene was quiet, from her place at the end of Sirius's bed, unsure if she wanted to answer that question, unsure if she was even ready. Be brave, Marlene, a voice in her head that sounded a lot like James Potter told her. Prove you're a Gryffindor - face your fears.

"The very person they've been hoping to distance me from this summer," she let out in a rush refusing to meet his eye. So much for being confident but at least she'd said it. She felt Sirius shift on the bed next to where she sat staring at her clasped hands. He'd scooted closer to her from what she could discern through her hair out of the corner of her eye.

"And who is that, Marlene?"

Marlene scoffed. If she didn't hold on to her feigned aloofness she thought she might cry so agitated and all over the place her emotions felt. "Oh come off it - don't pretend like you don't know exactly who it is they don't want me around, worrying about my 'reputation'."

"Need you to say it, Marls," he spoke so softly from beside her, his voice so calm in the storm of her rant. His use finally of her nickname, though it wasn't his nickname for her, and the softness of his voice gave her the final ounce of courage she needed to answer him - though it wasn't in any way she'd ever imagined confessing to him.

"It's you, you idiot! It's bloody you!" she shouted, it feeling good to shout and swear - and good to defy her parents by expressing what she knew they'd hate if they could hear her but feeling more herself than she had in weeks. "And I hate it because you're my bloody mate and you'll probably hate me for this - I know you don't do relationships or obligations and I could never ask that of you and it'll probably ruin everything and then I won't be able to escape here to hide out anymore and then I really will be trapped in that goddamn house the rest of summer and the rest of my miserable life married to some prat named Aubrey or someone equally as dull and -" but he cut off her rising panic by cupping her chin with a gentle and practiced hand and moved her face to look at him.

And look at him she did for he was looking at her in a way she'd never seen before - it was soft and oh so genuine. She'd never seen him look so sincere and open before. For once he looked his age and her heart sang knowing it was for her he was showing her this vulnerability.

"Fuck your parents," he stated. Marlene started to giggle. She couldn't help it her body seeming to have a mind of it's own now. Sirius just smiled at her. "For the record, I - delinquent runaway Sirius Black - like you too, Mack." Marlene's eye's fluttered in pleasure. Finally, he'd used his nickname.

"And the only thing that's going to change now," he continued beautiful gray eyes darting to her lips, "is I am free to to this." And then he kissed her. And Marlene forgot to breath. And then she lost herself in the moment. It was a perfect kiss, moving from a sweet touching of lips to open mouthed need and who knows how long they might have gone if they weren't loudly interrupted by the sound of James trampling up the stairs and shouting for them. They shot apart but both couldn't contain their sheepish smiles.

"Oh, there you are!" James said spotting them in Sirius's room, Marlene sitting at his desk flicking through one of his motorcycle magazines while Sirius played with the sneakoscope Marlene had tossed him when she'd reached the desk, still on his bed this time on his back with one knee bent up.

James looked between the two of them wide eyed noting both of their smiles before his face split into one as well. "Does this mean you're done moping?!" He exclaimed flinging himself onto the bed Marlene had just vacated. Laughing, Sirius caught him before his leap bounced them both onto the floor but only just. "Well done, Marly Marl!" James congratulated her with an attempt at a salute, both the boys now tangled together turning to look at her. Marlene grinned but it was Sirius's eyes above James's head she caught onto. What passed between them was a look of full of secrets - and of a promise. And Marlene found she couldn't wait to find out what that promise was.

"What moping? Now, what's this I hear about writing Evans a letter, Prongs?"

A/N: AHH! You have no idea how much I adore this chapter. It just flowed out of me. Now on to Ascella! I hope you enjoyed this little drabble!