VIOLET (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

13.

Marlowe's bedroom was completely dark when they appeared there. It was nearly midnight now.

"Woah," Caiti whispered, holding her hands out in front of her. "Where are you?"

"Right here," said Marlowe. His eyes adjusted to the dark quicker than hers ever since he'd been bitten, and he maneuvered over to her in an instant, hands finding her waist. He leaned in to kiss her. They'd been together all night and he'd only kissed her once. There had been so many people around, so many cameras.

Caiti rose up on her toes, arms around his neck, to try to reach better, but even in her heels, it only helped a little.

"God," said Marlowe, voice low. "I can't kiss you standing up. I feel like some kind of creature all hunched over like that."

Caiti giggled and Marlowe was quick to shush her. "Elliot's right next door," he said, pressing a finger against her lips, but as usual, everything seemed funnier when she was supposed to be quiet.

"Shh," Marlowe said again, though he was starting to smile himself. He sat down on the edge of the bed, tugging her towards him and tried to kiss her again, but Caiti had caught the giggles and trying to keep them under control was making it harder and harder not to escalate. She collapsed on his shoulder, hands loosely clasped around his neck, her back shaking with mostly silent laughter.

"What are you even laughing at?" Marlowe asked.

She lifted her head up, looked right at him, and said, "Shh," pressing a finger against his lips, and suddenly Marlowe was laughing too.

With the both of them going, it was even harder to stop. Caiti was nearly gasping, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes, and her stomach ached from trying so hard not to let it out. Then Marlowe accidentally snorted and she slid right down onto the floor, lying flat on her back with both hands over her mouth to try to keep the sound of her laughter under control. Her fluffy orange dress spread out around her.

"Oh my god," Marlowe gasped through his own laughter. "What's that one spell to keep people from overhearing you? I can't remember it."

"I don't know," Caiti whispered, attempting a deep breath. It didn't help.

"Sean and Evelyn used to use it at school."

"We should go to the greenhouse," Caiti managed to get out. Marlowe looked at her like she was a genius.

He rushed around the room, grabbing pajamas for himself as well as a pair she had borrowed several times, then he grabbed her hand and they disapparated. As soon as they were away, they both busted up laughing. Marlowe flicked on the lamp beside the couch.

"I don't even know what's funny!" Caiti said, trying to wipe tears away. She fell back onto the couch, arms folded over her stomach.

"I can't breathe," said Marlowe. He sat on the arm of the couch and bumped his ankle against something in the process.

"Wait, what does this do?" he asked. "There's some kind of lever down here."

Caiti turned her head and watched as he reached down and gripped it. As he did, the couch cushion Caiti was sitting on started to lift up and move forward and she shrieked. Marlowe dropped the lever in surprise and the cushion flopped back down, taking Caiti with them.

"It's a sofa bed!" Marlowe exclaimed excitedly, but Caiti had no idea what they meant.

"You almost launched me into outer space!" she said, holding onto the side of the couch like it was her one connection to earth.

"No I didn't. I almost swept you under the bed. Get up. I'll show you."

He was already up himself, pushing the round table Caiti used to prep ingredients away from the sofa.