Sparks

Sparks 06

Chapter 6:

In Gryffindor Tower

"I can't believe I just let Marcus dare me to go out with him," thought a pensive Katie Bell as she stared at the hangings on her bed. "It's like my brain shuts off every time he touches me. It's unreal. Maybe he gave me a love potion!"

Katie jerked upright in excitement in the darkened sixth year girls' dorm. "Why didn't I think of that right off? He must have...," Katie's train of thought skidded to a halt as her logical side asserted itself. "No, it can't be a potion. I mean Potions is my best subject. Snape even let me take seventh year Advanced Potions this year. I would have known if it was a potion," thought Katie as she flopped down in annoyance. A nagging voice inside her head reminded her that not all inexplicable things can be explained away by magic.

"Merlin, I was always dreamt that I would meet a nice, sweet, built boy that loved Quidditch. We would go to Hogsmeade on the weekends and my friends would like him. A boy like...Oliver. There, I've thought it. I should be feeling this way about Oliver Wood not Marcus Flint. Wood even wrote me four times during the summer. Granted the owls were about Quidditch but he didn't write Alicia or Angelina as many times," moaned Katie as she tossed and turned in her bed.

"But Oliver doesn't make me feel the way Marcus does," admitted Katie. "See I think of him as Marcus now not Flint. Funny how a few kisses can alter my whole perspective on a guy. Granted the kisses were out of this world. Merlin what exactly do I see in Marcus? Okay, he has a completely hot body. I mean his stomach gives me chills. And he can kiss. Boy, can he kiss. He also is a great Quidditch player, I mean even Oliver admits that. His voice is gravely and low like a growl, kinda like Snape's. You know all the girls at Hogwarts love Snapy's voice. It's all smooth and seductive like caramel. Marcus's voice gives me the same quivery feeling," reasoned Katie as she buried her red face in her pillow. "And I love his aggressive attitude. He seemed so sure that a relationship between us would work. Last but certainly not least, he is forbidden. Gryffindors do not date Slytherin snakes. But it feels so deliciously wicked. That feeling is a definite turn on."

"On the other hand, he still is Marcus Flint, " mused Katie. " He is a Slytherin to the end. He is ambitious, cunning and will do anything to win."

"Well, I'll think of it this way: Marcus hasn't asked me to marry him, he just asked me to go out with him. His 'plan' is actually a good one. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. No one will know," concluded Katie as she finally drifted off to sleep. She fell asleep with a smile on her face as she dreamt about kissing Marcus tomorrow. They had a date set for seven o'clock behind the Slytherin broom shed.

In the Slytherin Dungeons:

Marcus paused as he walked into the common room. He scanned the room for Warrington and Bole. They weren't there. He decided to check their room. "Time to face the music," thought Marcus as he turned towards the boy's dormitory. Before he left, he returned the wave Circe fluttered his way. Just as he reached the corridor leading to the seventh year boy's sleeping quarters, he ran into a lurking Pansy Parkinson.

"Parkinson," he nodded as he went around her.

"Wait Flint, I need to speak to you," asked Pansy.

"What about Parkinson?" he asked warily.

"Well, do you remember last year?" asked a determined Pansy.

"Yes," nodded Marcus. Both Slytherins knew exactly what Pansy was referring to. Pansy had slept her way through most of the Slytherin Quidditch team roster last year.

"You can't tell Draco about that. It wasn't my fault. You remember Bletchley and MacDuff right? Well, they were horrible to live with and they made my life a living hell. I only did what I did because of a stupid bet me and my big mouth got me into," sobbed an emotional Pansy. "Draco has no idea about...you know. Promise me you and the rest of the team won't tell him."

"Parkinson, how am I going to keep that a secret? Are you telling me you slept with every guy on the team but Draco?" said Flint.

Pansy started to cry even harder as she nodded. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Marcus. He struggled to remember if the guys had said anything about Parkinson in front of Malfoy. Flint wasn't positive but he was sure that they had all assumed, like he did, that everyone had a go at Pansy. They never really talked about Quidditch groupies when they were together anyway. They usually listened to Bole's Ravenclaw stories or talked about Quidditch when they were hanging out. Besides, they were all older than Malfoy. He would have never seen her leaving Pucey's, Derrick's or anyone else's bed. Malfoy was the only second year on the team last year. Anyway, all this bed hopping happened at the very end of the term last year. It occurred to Marcus that he had Pansy at a disadvantage.

"Pansy, how badly do you want this incident to go away?" asked Marcus.

"I'll do anything. I really like Draco and he'll never dream of liking me back if he finds out," said a hopeful Pansy.

"First, why did you come to me?"

"The rest of the team will do what you tell them plus you're friends with Adrian Pucey and Terrence Higgs. They would listen to you too."

"Okay. I'll take care of this Pansy. But you have to do something for me. Well, more specifically Bole. You must agree to pretend to be his girlfriend this weekend at a dinner with his father. But not a soul can find out. No bragging to your friends and no telling off his Ravenclaws not even if they provoke you. This deal will remain a deep dark secret. I'll owl you with the details later. I'm telling you Pansy, if you try to take advantage of this situation, I'll make sure everyone at Hogwarts finds out about your secret in lurid detail. Maybe I'll throw in a Howler from Adrian or Terry to make it that much more special," threatened Flint.

A pale Pansy agreed to Flint's deal and hurriedly left the corridor. He kept on going to his room. He chuckled as he remembered the end of term last year. He must have been Hogwarts' Official Designated Last Fling because he had offers from so many girls from every House that he needed an appointment book to keep them straight. Yes, the end of term last year was memorable.

Flint smiled as he entered the room. Tarquin and Chris were waiting for him. They were in high-backed chairs and looked like two offended maiden aunts. They both glared at Marcus as he sauntered in the room.

"Well, you look like you've been enjoying yourself," chided Bole. "What the hell was going on back at that meeting? Look at my knuckles, I scrapped them on that Gryffindork and Pomfrey won't fix it. Neither will Moira, who by the way, is not talking to me right now. She said that I was being too Slytherin, whatever that means," complained Tarquin.

"Well, I'll explain the situation. Besides, I have a surprise for you Tarquin but first things first. Why do you look pissed off Chris?" asked Flint.

"The Hufflepuffs are convinced that I am the evilest Slytherin ever to walk the Earth and are giving Sarah a hard time for going out with me," grumbled Warrington. "Honestly, Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy have to come before me at least. I fixed them though."

"What did you do?" asked Bole.

"I snogged Sarah senseless in front of their picture and sent her inside madly in love with me. That will drive them nuts. She won't hear a word spoken against me. She said she threatened to hex anyone who said anything mean about me. I think I've corrupted her," smiled Warrington as the other guys started to laugh. "By the way Bole, thank-you."

"Anytime Chris," said a smug Tarquin. He turned and glared at Marcus. "Flint, I'm not distracted. What the hell happened?"

"Well, it's like this mates," said Marcus as he took a deep breath. "I have a new girlfriend. But she has to remain under wraps. And you guys may not like who she turns out to be."

Bole exchanged a quick look with Warrington and drawled, "Well, her name wouldn't happen to be Katie Bell would it, Marcus?"

Marcus nodded and said nothing.

"Well, if we can do anything to help you just say the word Marcus and you've got it," shrugged Warrington as Bole nodded his agreement.

"Is that all you have to say guys? She is a Gryffindork!" said a surprised Flint.

"Well after the prefect meeting, I was hoping it wasn't Wood you fancied. Bell is a relief!" said Tarquin. "Marcus, we have no room to talk. I go out with know-it-all Ravenclaws and Chris here is dating a sentimental Hufflepuff. You have never said anything to us therefore we will say nothing to you. We have no problem with the girl. Right Chris?"

Warrington nodded and said, "Derrick, Malfoy and Montague think you hung the moon Marcus. Honestly, if you went out Wood, they wouldn't blink. Well maybe Malfoy would privately think you were under the Imperious curse though. Hell, so would I!"

The guys laughed and Bole perked up and asked slyly, " So what's my surprise?"

"I solved your problem. I found you a discreet Slytherin girlfriend for your dinner with daddy, " announced Marcus.

"Who is it?" said a suspicious Bole.

"Pansy Parkinson," said Marcus. "But before you freak out, listen to me. I made a bargain with the girl. I agreed to make sure her ummm...adventures last year do not get out. You guys won't believe this but she never slept with Malfoy and now she has a thing for him. She told me she would do anything, Bole, for the incident not to get out."

"What makes you think she won't renege on her deal. What if she tells Malfoy that we are lying or what if she tries to trap me into a betrothal?" asked Bole seriously.

"Oh it's simple, blackmail," said Marcus with a grin. "Sweet, forgetful Pansy spent more than one night with Higgs. Remember that I was his roommate. You guys know that Terry is taking art at one of those wizard artist colleges in London, right? Well, he loves photography. He used to practice taking pictures here at Hogwarts. Nobody ever really knew because he liked to do these arty black and white nude photographs. I know he has a few of Pansy. I'm sure he'll lend one or two to the cause if asked. When I owl her with the details of where to meet you and what she should or shouldn't say, I'll drop that little tidbit."

Tarquin looked at Chris and Marcus and nodded his agreement. On that note, the Slytherins started to get ready for bed.

"Honestly," thought Flint as he getting ready for bed. "Did Parkinson really think I would fall for the crying and the Draco story. She's just realized that sleeping with an entire Quidditch team is not good for your reputation. She was practically one of my roommates last year. I'm sure Snape was getting suspicious because he started to pop in unexpectedly in the seventh year dorms too often for mere coincidence."

With a sigh, Flint went to bed and contemplated his day. "All in all, it was a good day," he thought to himself. "Project Katie is well underway and I've managed to piss off Wood without him knowing I was behind it."

Marcus smiled to himself as he thought about how angry Wood would get if he found out about Marcus and Katie. The Slytherin noticed how the Gryffindor looked at her when he knew Katie wasn't paying attention." Wood was too thick and too slow. Katie belonged to him," thought Marcus to himself. "I would seriously hurt Wood if he even looked at Katie now."

"Ahh Katie," thought Marcus. " My beautiful, impulsive, reckless girl. I knew if I dared her to date me, she would. In the past five years, I've never known her to pass up a dare. Combining the dare with the kisses was a masterstroke though. She didn't know what hit her. Although, maybe I laid the endearments on a little too thick. She seemed to like it though. And she does taste sweet. I can't wait to meet her tomorrow behind the shed." Marcus drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.