Unlikely Allies

Chapter 24

Marlene opened her eyes very slowly. Sharp knives of pain punished her brain for that, so she quickly squeezed them closed again, groaning as she did. "Hold on." The voice belonged to Rabastan Lestrange, and spoke from the bed beside her. She kept her eyes closed. The sound of him rummaging in what was probably the drawer of a bedside table gave her something to focus on other than the pounding in her head. "Here." She felt him lifting her hand and pressing a small bottle into it. Next came the sound of a cork popping, followed by the distinct sound of Rabastan swallowing several times. She steeled herself to do the same, knowing that whatever was in the bottle was sure to help.

He'd not be handing it out first thing otherwise. Sighing, she struggled to bring her shaking hands together and uncorked the bottle. She sat up as one needed to do that when drinking down the contents of a strange bottle. The room lurched and spun. Or was it her stomach that lurched. Oh gods, she hoped she could keep down whatever was in that bottle. Taking a deep breath she tossed it down her throat. It tasted like water with a mild cherry flavor. It also had a bit more thickness to it than water would've.

"What is that," she managed weakly as she fell back onto the bed.

"Hangover potion," Rabastan replied. "It should kick in fully in around three minutes. All symptoms fade by then, but it stops the puking at once, and that's the most important bit if you ask me."

"Ummm," she agreed. "Puking is no fun." She vaguely recalled that she was at Rabastan's manor. Or rather Bellatrix and Rodolphus's manor that they shared with Rabastan.

"Good morning," Bellatrix called through the door. "The two of you were louder than us last night, so I won't ask if you had a nice time. Paying us back with the noise pollution must have been grand fun, ah Rabastan?"

Marlene felt Rabastan pluck the empty bottle from her hand, but she barely noticed. Her mind was on the past night's events which Bellatrix had brought back to her hangover dazed mind with only a few words. Gods but it had been glorious! And she had been loud...Shamelessly so, because she'd honestly forgotten that there was anyone else in the world but her and Rabastan. Insane as that sounded, it was how it had been. She didn't remember exactly how they got back to the Lestrange's manor, but, she clearly remembered every detail of her naked body riding Rabastan's own. She clearly recalled how his mouth had felt on her breasts, and how his hands had felt on her body bringing every inch of it to life in the best of ways.

"Are you two coming down to breakfast," Bellatrix asked.

"Yeah. We just got the hangover potion into us. We'll be down soon," Rabastan replied.

"Good, because the parents are here," Bellatrix said smugly.

"We can invite them to the Valentine's party," Marlene cried, bouncing up from the bed in one smooth motion. Damn, she was still a little drunk. How much had she had anyway? Somewhere between a lot lot and a hell of a lot most likely. She didn't normally drink like that and had never had quite that much to drink before. As she'd suspected, though, partying with the Lestranges was a whole new ballgame as it were, and just as fun as she'd hoped if not more. She peered wildly about the room for her discarded clothes.

"Is that really happening," Rabastan asked doubtfully. "The party. Walburga isn't really gonna do that."

"Where are my clothes," Marlene wondered, frustrated when they didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. "I think Walburga is going to have it. She seemed to understand it may be necessary as a coverup. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Here they are," Rabastan said, reaching down and tossing her clothes onto the bed from the floor on his side. "Guess I better put mine on as well," he sighed.

Marlene sat on the edge of the bed to tug on her dress. As she attended to putting on her stockings and shoes, she glanced curiously about the room. She hadn't exactly been focused on her surroundings last night and things were rather hazy anyway. Rabastan's room was furnished in heavy manly oak furniture that somehow felt soothing. "Got a brush I can borrow," she asked. "And are you going to get dressed?"

Rabastan lay sprawled out on his bed, idly watching Marlene. "I plan to, yeah," he said, a small amused smirk playing over his lips. "I was just enjoying the show. As for the hairbrush," he lifted an arm to point at a chest of drawers near the wall mirror. Marlene rose from the bed to attend to her hair.

"Thanks." As she brushed her dark locks smooth, then twisted them atop her head, she studied the painting on the wall across from Rabastan's large, stately bed. It depicted a very intriguing scene of ravens eating corpses on a battlefield with a castle in the background. "Soothing artwork you have," she said, unable to keep her lips from twisting up into a smile of amusement.

"It is, actually," Rabastan said."It depicts the vanquishing of one's enemies."

"Well when you put it that way, I am entirely soothed," Marlene declared. As she replaced the brush Rabastan rolled out of bed, and began tugging on his own clothes. As he had done with her, Marlene watched, openly savoring the view of Rabastan Lestrange's lean toned body. "Yummy. It's a pity we don't have time to have breakfast here before going downstairs," she mused playfully.

Once dressed, he moved across the room to slide his arms around her. "We shall have other opportunities," he proclaimed dramatically, then kissed her hard. Damn. No wonder she'd completely forgotten herself last night! Marlene felt her body singing at his touch, and gave a reluctant sigh as they parted. "Um...How many girls have met your parents at breakfast? I mean if they're going to treat me like some slut," she began. Suddenly, she was more and more uncomfortable rather than amused at the idea of meeting the parents now that the hangover was cleared out of her system thanks to the brilliant potion. "Before last night, I was a good girl, insane as that sounds."

Rabastan chuckled. "You were a very Good girl," he assured. "You were the hottest virgin in the world, and the most talented. But worry not. I've never had a girl here, and thus my parents have never met anyone I've shagged." He winked. "I never wanted any of them to know where I fucking lived, but you're a seer, so I figure if you really gave a shit, you'd scry it out eventually." He gave her an amused grin. "Thanks to Orion and Walburga, I'm sure they're quite aware of who you are, though."

"The seer who hopefully saves everyone from Voldemort," Marlene speculated and Rabastan nodded happily.

"Exactly." As soon as her own words had left her lips, Marlene felt a heavy sinking feeling of foreboding in the pit of her stomach that she pushed away with an effort. It was too early in the morning for that shit. He took her hand and together they left the bedroom. Marlene avoided giving it a regretful look over one shoulder, though it was difficult. Last night was rather hazy, but it was nonetheless clear enough for her to know she wanted to repeat it. Rabastan released her hand as they began to descend the stairs. He still walked at her side so she didn't take it as a brush off. "What are your parents like," she asked in a near whisper and he shrugged.

"Cool, I guess."

"Like Walburga and Orion?" What did a Lestrange consider to be cool, after all?

He gave a short laugh. "No one is like Walburga...but they're friends and distantly related."

"Which doesn't necessarily always mean friends, so it's good you mentioned both," Marlene said with a chuckle. As soon as they arrived on the first floor, it hit her that she'd completely forgotten about her precious guitar. The last time she recalled having it, they were still at the Hog's Head. She'd placed it on the bar to go wrap herself around Rabastan. Shit. "My guitar!"

"It's in the parlor," Rabastan assured. "Remember? Bellatrix made you sing Crotch again when we got home."

Marlene laughed."No. I do not remember at all."