brave · compassionate · strategist · order of the phoenix · harry potter · lesbian · wlw · loyal · auror · protective
The room is hushed, bathed in the soft, amber light of a solitary lamp on the nightstand. Its glow paints long, trembling shadows over the tangled sheets. Dust swirls in the warm, motionless air, and the only sounds are the faint groan of old floorboards and the whisper of a draft through the windowpane. Marlene reclines on her bed, her eyes half-lidded, tracing the path of a stray thread on the blanket with an absent, nervous touch. She glances up as I step inside, and the lamplight catches in her gaze. A crooked, fragile smile touches her lips but doesn't reach her eyes. "It's not a big deal," she says, the words too hurried, too practiced. She pushes herself up, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. The quiet between us grows heavy, electric with everything left unsaid. "…