I'm sorry this took to so long! I got distracted this week and writers block so yeah. I suck, I know.

DISCLAIMER- Not mine, rights off to J. and marliusblackinnon on tumblr.

I see this life
Like a swinging vine
Swing my heart across the line
-OneRepublic-

"Oh, Merlin, you poor thing," Lily exclaimed sympathetically.

Marlene managed to give a half-hearted chuckle. "Calm, Lils, I didn't tell you so I could get a pity party."

"Sorry." The redhead shuddered. "But still."

"I know. But I have to 'uphold the family name'," Marlene said in disgust before turning to her other best friend. "What do you think, Doe? You haven't spoken yet, which is a first."

Dorcas tilted her head as if thinking before her lips cracked into a grin. "I'm just imagining you and Black being in the same room together, let alone marrying one another."

"You aren't helpful," Marlene groaned, throwing a book in her direction as Lily stifled a giggle behind her hand. This earned her a glare from the vulture-like Madame Pince and she raised a hand in apology.

"Never said I was," Dorcas shrugged. "No, but seriously. You hate Black."

"Gee, I didn't know that," replied Marlene sarcastically.

"Isn't there any way out of it?" Lily asked, solely so Marlene didn't throw another book and get them kicked out of the library.

"If my sister didn't find a way out, nor can I." Marlene rested her head on her arm. "She was searching her way out of it for ages but she still married Robert, didn't she?"

"Didn't her marriage end up alright, though?" Dorcas pointed out.

"That's not the point!" Marlene held her arms up in frustration. "Robert was not a bad guy, anyway. Black is an infuriating idiot."

"Sounds like a married old couple already," commented Dorcas.

"What ideas did Mandy try?" Lily said quickly, cutting Marlene off as she opened her mouth to retort at Dorcas.

"She pleaded with our mother, at first. Fruitless try, really. Um, she looked into old Pureblood tradition books but none of them helped," she sighed. "Unless you get pregnant, which I'd rather not do, thanks."

"I don't know, you'd look all right with a baby bump, in my opinion," Dorcas sniggered and Lily gave a half-hearted attempt to stop Marlene throwing a book her way again. Fortunately, or unfortunately on how you look at it, it missed and hit the shelf behind. Swooping from nowhere, Madame Pince, complete with a severe scowl, grabbed the book from the floor and charmed it to pelt them out of the library.

"Was that really necessary?" Lily huffed as they rounded the corner and was safely away from the library, panting.

"Just because you're unfit, Lils," Marlene grinned.

"We don't all have the stealth of an International Quidditch player," Dorcas grumbled, though she walked by their side with ease.

"Ah, the sweet smell of friendship," Lily scorned before checking her wristwatch. "Damn it, we've got Potions in about 10."

"What do you mean 'damn it'? Old Sluggie loves you!" Dorcas said incredulously.

"Shut up." Lily blushed before turning to Marls. "We're going to head off. What've you got?"

"Charms with the Slytherins." Marlene said with a grimace before turning the other way. "I'll catch up with you later!"

"Yeah, see you!" Lily called, grasping Dorcas' arm and marching her away.

With a chuckle, Marlene shifted her bag slung across her shoulder and continued walking. She wondered where her other Ravenclaw friends were; she had been too caught up telling Lily and Dorcas what had happened that she forgot to tell her other friends to wait up. Lily and Dorcas were both set on doing Potions for NEWTs but Marlene didn't have the heart to carry on with the subject. She knew Dorcas wanted to be a full-time Auror, once out of Hogwarts, and Lily wanted to persue a career involving Potions. She, on the other hand, never did like Potions, despite achieving an OWL on it. She had given being an Auror a thought but, after a lot of thinking, she came to the decision she definitely didn't want to be one. Anyway her mother had told her countless times she was not to work as she would be married into a wealthy family. Go figure. Though she listened and nodded when her mother told her, she vowed that she would get a job when she left Hogwarts; she refused to be a stay-at-home wife her mother wanted her to be.

All of a sudden, a quiet footstep echoed through the corridor she had turned in from behind her.

Lost in thoughts, she never heard it but carried on waking, almost oblivious. Then another. Slowly, her attacker silently walked towards her from behind. About a metre away was when her instincts finally kicked in. Despite having mere seconds to prepare herself, an automatic reflex hit her attacker hard in the gut with her elbow and she whipped around, her wand already drawn. For a split-second, she was almost relieved when she saw that it was only a Slytherin but it was short lived as she clocked who it was.

"Rosier," she hissed, her wand still up. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Evan Rosier's eyes crinkled as a malicious grin spread across his features. "My, McKinnon. It seems we underestimated you."

"Yeah, and why's that?" she shot back.

"Sharp reflexes," he noted, his own hand drifting casually to his pocket for his wand.

"You never answered my question. What the fuck were you doing?" she snarled.

"Relax, just wanted a chat." He leant against the nearest wall.

"About what?" She said suspiciously, glancing wearily around at the deserted corridor. "Shouldn't you be with the rest of your Slytherin cronies?"

His smirk wavered. "Watch that mouth. Especially when I came to see your reaction about that Pureblood rule."

"What Pureblood rule?" she said quickly. "The one where I have to marry? Got it, thanks."

"Not that one." He shook his head in amusement. "You really don't know, huh?"

"Know what?" she said impatiently, her hand still gripping her wand.

"The one about repro-"

"Oi, McKinnon!" a voice echoed from the end of the corridor. Marlene and Evan both turned.

"For fuck sake," Marlene muttered as she saw who it was. Of course, Sirius bloody Black. Who else would it be? "What do you want?"

"To talk to you," he said, walking closer to them and turning to her companion. His eyes darted from her still drawn wand and he gave a curt nod to the other man. "Evan. I trust you weren't bothering her."

"Of course not. McKinnon and I were just having a chat," he said, his smirk returning.

"Great," Sirius replied absentmindedly, masking over the contempt he held for him. "Excuse us, but I need to discuss something with her."

"Er, hello?" Marlene broke in irritably. "Still here. Not an object."

Evan's lip curled as if he thought that she was indeed an object. "Well, I'll be heading to class then." Without so much of an answer, he walked away as if nothing happened.

"What do you want then?" She folded her arms.

"Nothing." He shrugged. "Getting you away from the creep."

"What the fuck, Black?" she spat at him angrily. "Who do you think you are to determine who I speak to?"

"Merlin, calm the hell down. I was just trying to goddamn help, though," he glared before adding. "I don't see why when all you do is whine and bitch about it."

"No, let's get this straight, Black," she said slowly and deliberately. She was mildly aware that class had probably started but at that moment, she didn't care. "Just because I am getting forced to marry you, doesn't mean you need to protect me or whatever."

"Protect you?" He scoffed. "Oh please. That must be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

"Yeah? You just happened to stroll past just now then, did you?" she challenged.

"As a matter of fact, I did," he told her with dignity. "I just so happened to see you talking to that Rosier prick, which looked more like hassling actually, and, being the good person I am, I decided to help you."

"I don't need your help! I can handle myself, thanks," she growled. "Anyway. He was just about to tell me something before you came and stuck your nose in."

He sobered, looking a little sick. "Yeah, I know, I heard."

She looked at him closely. "You know, don't you? What was he going to say?"

"Nothing," Sirius said firmly. "Now, are we going to get to class or what? Little Miss Ravenclaw is going to miss the class."

Having completely forgotten about being on her way to class, she suddenly came to her senses. "Oh yeah, shit. What's the time?"

"You don't want my help, remember." He reminded her, walking away. He was satisfied to hear her making an impatient and frustrated noise behind him and smirked. Good. Served her right. Sirius, 1; Marlene, 0.

Stupid, stupid, st...

Merlin's saggy pants, he really was infuriating. She would never get over the fact she'd be stuck with him for the rest of her life. What a conceited, annoying, frustrating, bothersome, aggravating, troublesome little-

"Are you quite alright there, Miss McKinnon?"

She hadn't noticed where she was going and she realised she must have been muttering out loud. Damn it. Raising her eyes almost sheepishly, she came face to face with Albus Dumbledore.

"Oh, um, yes, Professor," she mumbled.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked, peering over this glasses. "If I'm not mistaken, I'm sure you took NEWT Charms."

Shit, she thought before smiling gravely and holding her stomach. "I felt a little ill, sir, and thought it might not have been a good idea."

He nodded wisely, but she swore he gave her one of his twinkling smiles. "Of course. You should head to the Hospital Wing for Madame. Pomfrey to look over you."

"Yes, sir," she told him humbly and hastily began to walk away. Ducking around the corner and out of sight, she almost sighed with relief. That was, of course, until she ran into another Professor. Toppling the other person's books on to the ground, Marlene mentally cursed herself for being so clumsy today.

"Miss McKinnon?" came the stern voice of Minerva McGonagall. "Shouldn't you be in Professor Flitwick's class right now, instead of running around the corridors?"

Gathering up the fallen books and handing it back to her, Marlene winced and tried to use the lie she had just told. "You see, Professor, I had a stomach ache and felt that I could not go to class whilst being so ill."

McGonagall didn't speak for a moment as she balanced the books before peering at her. "I think," she said heavily after a few moments. "That you are not being entirely truthful, Miss McKinnon."

Marlene opened her mouth to protest but found that there was no point, resulting in her staying silent.

"As I thought. I'll be seeing you in detention tonight at 6." McGonagall straightened her robe and walked past her. "You will be joining Mr Potter, Mr Black and I in the Transfiguration classroom. I expect you not to be late."

"Yes, Professor," Marlene muttered and let out a low sigh.

There you go! I apologise if anyone seems OOC in this chapter. Also, thanks for the follows and favourites I got! Special thanks to GwenCThompson, NinjahGirl and c00k1es for reviewing, not to mention the lovely souls in the Blackinnon tumblr tag for motivating me! Well, see you next time and please, review!

-Jessie