little miss black

-97-

Cass managed to sleep well past nine o'clock. Marlene had a free period, so she stayed with her whilst Lily went to class. Cass stretched out her body before opening her eyes.

"Morning sunshine." Marlene said. "You sleep okay?"

"Yeah I did actually, thanks for staying with me." Cass said.

"Lily would have, but she has HOM." Marlene said. Cass wrinkled her nose.

"HOM sucks." She said. "So glad I dropped it." Marlene nodded and stood up from the bed.

"Lily brought us up some pastries from breakfast." She said, throwing a small paper bag at Cass. "I'm just going to go for a quick smoke."

"Just do it out the window." Cass said. "Dorcas won't know." Marlene tensed but nodded, going over to the window seat beside her bed. "So, is everything okay between you two now?"

"I don't know." Marlene sighed. She fumbled about in her robes for her lighter. "She's worried people are going to find out about us, I think. She doesn't know how her parents will react, but she doesn't think they'll react well."

"Do your parents know?" Cass asked.

"Yeah." Marlene said. "They didn't take it that well, but they're over it now." She closed her eyes and leant back.

"Who says they have to find out? Dorcas' parents I mean." Cass said. Marlene shrugged.

"Dorcas is just worried it'll get back to them. I don't blame her, my parents only know I like girls because they caught me with someone last summer."

"Well, not many people know about Remus and Sirius." Cass said. "It's possible to hide a relationship from the public eye but still be open about it? Does that make sense?"

"I know that." Marlene said. "I'm quite happy to be in a relationship with a girl publicly. It's just society that sucks. I don't want Dorcas to get hurt because society can't deal with the fact that girls like girls. It's not my fault that I don't like dick."

"Marlene, I know." Cass said softly. "It's okay, just  keep it a secret for now."

"That's the point, I don't want to!" Marlene shouted. She buried her face her her hands. "I don't know what I want, but this, this is not it. I just want to be myself." Cass went over and sat beside her, gently removing the cigarette from between her fingers so she didn't burn herself.

"Hey, listen to me." Cass said. "We all love you, no matter what. We love Dorcas too, and if you do decide to come out together then we'll protect you from any dickheads who try anything. Okay?"

"Fucking hell, I'm sorry." Marlene sniffled slightly. "I'm being a baby, we have bigger things to worry about."

"It's not silly, don't apologise." Cass said. "Said bigger things can wait until you're okay."

"You're too good to me Cassie." Marlene said. Cass laughed.

"I think it's the other way around hun."

•••

St Mungos Hospital for Magic Maladies and Injuries was somewhere Cass had managed to avoid in her seventeen years of living. She would have preferred to keep it that way in all honesty, but beggars can't be choosers.

McGonagall had offered to take Cass to St Mungos but Cass had declined, opting to take the floo network. Cass coughed slightly as she landed, the ash from the fireplace getting caught in her throat. She dusted off her jumper — well, Noah's jumper — and joined the queue to the front desk.