A/N: Second chapter posted today, please read #28 first!
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Talk
Marissa woke up with a start and found herself staring at her clock. It was quarter of seven; if she hurried through her shower and got dressed, she might be able to see Brian when he apparated in with his father. She knew that Harry's first class was 8am and he liked to get to school a half hour early to prepare for his seventh year class. That left her forty five minutes to shower, get her uniform and robes on and make her way downstairs.
Going through the motions her thoughts raced a mile a minute. It felt like eons had passed since she had seen and talked in person with Brian. She wondered what he was going to do when he saw her. It's not like they were the kind of teenagers to snog in the hall for all to see, and with his father most likely at his side, she figured a hug would be all she received, until later. A smile crossed her lips as she thought of what could happen "later".
Her classes didn't start until ten so she left her bag on her bed, smiled at a sleepy Valerie, who had an 8am class, and she passed through the door on her way to the common room.
"You're up bright and early!" a voice said from the corner of the common room.
"Arnold," Marissa greeted noticing he was tying his shoes, then seemed to hurry to catch up with her. He hiked his bag over his shoulder and followed her out of the portrait, still at her heels when she left the Ravenclaw Tower.
"You're up early, you could join me for breakfast. Have to keep up my energy for that Care of Magical Creatures class." Arnold fell into step next to her and Marissa shook her head.
"Sorry, I'm meeting Brian."
"He's coming back today?"
Was it her imagination or were there notes of regret, anger and a tad bit of jealously all mixed up in the one question?
"Yes," Marissa said through clenched teeth seeing the first trickle of students make their way up from the Hufflepuff area and walk towards breakfast. "Enjoy your breakfast." She said it with firmness, nodding towards the doors and she veered off towards the DADA classroom, thankful that Arnold didn't follow her. Arnold was probably thinking about it, but she managed to insert a note of finality in that one statement and being the Ravenclaw he was, he picked up on it and actually listened.
Walking down the deserted hallway she could hear Harry and Brian talking before she could see the classroom.
"…Professor Sprout said she needs to know for sure by the end of the month since there are only five slots open and she sent out six or seven letters," Harry's voice drifted towards Marissa. Slowing her pace she took her time approaching the classroom.
"I'll owl her this afternoon after practice accepting the internship. Did she give more information…," Brian started to ask but at that moment Marissa's appearance in the doorway made Harry, who was behind his desk while Brian sat on one of the tables, look up and smile.
"Morning Marissa," Harry said warmly, watching his son spin around and leap off the table.
"Good morning," Marissa said hoping her voice wasn't betraying her nervousness and happiness at seeing Brian. He stood there for a moment unsure what to do with his father standing there; Marissa however could see on his face and in his eyes what he really wanted to do and she forced her legs to walk into the class room.
"You're up early," Harry said, amused, knowing what was going on but pretending not to all the same.
"I got hungry and remembered Brian was coming in today; thought I'd stop by," Marissa explained, stopping a few feet away from Brian who finally spoke.
"How're you?" he asked his gaze sweeping over her. She saw him move his arms a bit and automatically she walked over and embraced him. They hugged for a moment, perhaps longer than platonic friends would then she took a step back finally answering him.
"I'm fine. Are you back to a hundred percent?"
"He was back to that yesterday, pacing the house anxious to get back to school for some reason," Harry said, bowing his head while looking through his bag, mostly so they couldn't see the smile that would betray the knowledge he had. He could plainly see what was going on between Brian and Marissa but followed their lead and didn't call attention to it.
"I'm going to get breakfast, dad," Brian said grabbing his bag and pulling it up over his shoulder.
"Enjoy. See you later today, Marissa," Harry said and she waved walking next to Brian as they walked past the rows of desk and out to the hall.
"What time did you get…," Marissa asked but he suddenly grabbed her arm, pulled her into an alcove and the rest of her question was replaced by his lips on hers. Brian kissed her like he hadn't seen her in weeks, and by the time he relaxed his arms enough for her to lean back a bit she was so dazed she couldn't remember what she started to ask him.
Only the sound of their quickened breathing reached their ears. His eyes swept over her face and he slid his hands down to her hips, smiling.
"I'd say "sorry", but that'd be a lie," he whispered sure that she could hear his heart racing.
Marissa was not quite sure what to say to that so she just lifted a shoulder and smiled at him, leaning her head into the touch of his fingers.
"I think you like my hair more than me," Marissa winked at him and he stifled a laugh, letting his hand run down through her slightly damp hair.
"Yeah, but you being attached to it is an extra bonus," he said boldly and muted her laugh with another heart racing kiss. Grabbing his shirt, she gripped it with all her strength and pulled herself closer, feeling him step back with her forcefulness and running into the stone wall. Heat flushed throughout her body racing in time to the pounding of his pulse under her fingers, which now gently cupped his neck.
"Marissa-," he whispered his lips saying her name against her lips.
"What?" she whispered back, neither one wanting to break contact with the other.
"Breakfast, classes," his lips said the words but his brain was struggling to understand what they meant.
"Yeah," Marissa sighed and let her hands rest on his shoulders. In the distance she heard someone laughing and realized that people would be walking by this alcove on the way to DADA in a few minutes.
"When will I see you again today?" Brian asked running his hands down her arms then summoning the willpower to move her away from him so he could see her. He also needed a minute without her pressing up against him to compose himself.
"Lunch maybe? Today I have classes from 10 to noon then 1 to four. Busiest day of the week for me." Marissa leaned down and took her bag, understanding he needed some space. "But for now, let's just get through breakfast. I warn you, Arnold is there."
"Great," Brian murmured wryly, grabbed his bag and adjusted his robes. "Want to sit at my table then?" he asked.
Marissa felt her breath catch in her throat. The only time someone from another house ate at a different table was when they were dating, or if siblings were split and they wanted to eat together. This would be the first public statement, to the school and whatever professors happened to be eating then too, that they-Brian Potter and Marissa Malfoy-were an item.
"I'd love that," she said, hoping she sounded surer of herself than she felt.
With a light touch on the small of her back, they emerged from the alcove and walked slowly down the hall, following the smells of breakfast.
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"So, you're a couple now?" Arnold asked her later that evening as most of the Ravenclaws were scattered throughout the common room, many studying for OWLS; which was what Marissa was trying to do for her Potions class.
"Why do you ask that?" Marissa kept her eyes on the parchment in front of her, making notes from her book.
"Well, sitting with someone at their table…it was the same back in Germany," he said moving his chair closer to her. Finally she looked up and pushed herself back a bit, startled at how close he was to her.
"Right now, I want to study and I'm not talking about Brian. You want to talk about him, go find him and ask him whatever questions you have…YOURSELF. Now, please, let me study." Marissa caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Derek walking towards her.
"Marissa, can you help me on this for a second?" he came up next to her and with a glance at Arnold, she shut her book and followed Derek over to the opposite corner of the room.
"I really don't need your help with anything-I saw Arnold bothering you…," he admitted.
"Well, thanks for the distraction. He is sure hung up on me and Brian for some reason."
"Well, he likes you and you won't give him a straight answer about you and Brian so…," Derek told her, his blue eyes watching her for a reaction.
"It's none of his business what I do, but he seems to think so," Marissa said huffily as she crossed her arms and blew out an exasperated breath. He shifted uncomfortably for a minute, not used to having relationship conversations, let alone with his sister.
"I have to get going; Erin, Amy and I are going to study for our Care of Magical Creatures exam in the library," he looked away as he said it, concentrating on slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"You and Amy?" Marissa kidded and saw a blush creep to his cheeks.
"And Erin too. See you." He turned and practically ran out of the room, leaving Marissa chuckling to herself. Thankfully Arnold seemed engrossed in his studies so she accio'd her items to the sofa Derek just vacated and managed to finish most of her homework in peace.
The rest of the week went by smoothly and Marissa found that she and Brian were the object of many discussions. People wanted to know if they were dating. They wanted to hear it verbally to confirm what they were seeing. However, for some unknown reason both Marissa and Brian wouldn't say. They would smile and shrug and then move onto the next topic.
It was the evening after an enjoyable day outside that she and Brian were sitting alone talking on the steps outside the castle. Janet had asked Marissa why they wouldn't just make their relationship official and Marissa truly didn't know. The thought stayed with her all day and finally, the time felt right to ask Brian.
He sat there thinking for a bit, throwing a ball up in the air and catching it.
"Well, maybe we feel the need to tell our parents first and we are both afraid of what will happen when they realize a Malfoy and a Potter are an item."
"I think that's my thinking too," Marissa admitted trying to swipe the ball from him but not succeeding. "Should we go tell our parents?"
"At some point, probably. I don't feel the need for their blessing but still feel that it'd be better if they found out from us, than walking in on us kissing in the hall or something."
"That'd be uncomfortable…with our parents I mean. Kissing sure isn't," Marissa said boldly and managed to swipe the ball as he looked startled for a moment.
Laughing they wrestled for a bit, before she tossed it back to him.
"So, when do you want to do this?"
"Well, since Hogsmeade is coming up, and we're going together we should probably let them know before that. Gives us a bit over a week to talk to them." He turned to her and looked at her seriously for a moment.
"What?" Marissa asked seeing some deep thoughts moving around behind his brown eyes. Touching his knee she encouraged him to keep talking.
"I'm wondering…being who and how your dad is and all if I should go…talk to him first."
For a moment their eyes searched each others and Marissa could feel that idea taking root and actually sounding like a
brilliant idea.
"You know," she said slowly, "I think that is a good idea. My father would definitely give you points for that."
Brian nodded then looked down the walkway as some younger students came back from playing a pick up game of Quidditch. They both moved to the side of the stairs to give them room to traipse up the steps.
"I'll try and get with him next week sometime then. Then tell my father too."
"This doesn't need to fall on your shoulders fully you know," Marissa replied, standing up and shaking her leg trying to get it to wake up.
"I know that," he took her hand and stood up. He was a step below her and their faces were level, his hand gripped hers and she waited for him to say what was on his mind. "But, sometimes we need to do things that aren't that easy to get what we want."
Marissa stopped breathing for a moment and realized that him wanting her made her feel totally different than when he said he loved her. It was much more primal to want the other person and right at that moment she wanted him to kiss her, but there were other students around.
"In my mind, I'm snogging you senseless right now," Marissa whispered to him seeing a smile curve at the corners of his mouth.
"In my mind, I'm doing things I can't even talk about."
"BRIAN JAMES!" Marissa slapped his arm, the mood was broken and together they left the sunset for a snack in the dining hall.
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