build me up buttercup [s.black]

[42] Dry-spell

TW - This chapter includes drug use and trauma responses surrounding sex. Nothing too heavy, but please be kind to yourselves.

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Aisling wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital wing for five days. When she was finally discharged, after a ten minute lecture from Madam Pomfrey about remembering to take her musculoskeletal potion every night, she wandered up to Gryffindor tower. It was a weekend, so we wasn’t sure where everyone would be, but you were almost sure to find at least two of her friends playing chess in the common room on a Saturday afternoon. 

When she finally made it to The Fat Lady’s portrait - her muscles were still very stiff from a combination of the Cruciatus curse and lying in a hospital bed for almost a week - she gave her the password and clambered, with some difficulty, through the portrait hole. She was greeted by what seemed like a welcome party. 

“Hey! Ash!” Lily cried from her spot on the rug in front of the fire. 

“You’re back!” Alice squealed, running over to her and hugging her. 

“Ah, Aisling.” Remus greeted her, standing up so that she could have his seat. “Back in the land of the living I see?” 

“You don’t need to give up your chair, Remus.” Aisling protested, though her joints were burning from standing up for so long. 

“No, it’s fine. I’m supposed to be meeting Dorcas Meadowes in the library in five minutes anyway.” He said, helping her lower herself into the armchair. 

“Oooh,” Sirius teased, “the library. Is that what you kids are calling it these days?” 

“Oh grow up.” Lily said, rolling her eyes. “She’s as gay as they come, you prat.” 

“Oh, right.” Sirius said, shrugging and wandering over to perch on the arm of Aisling’s chair. 

“It’s nice to see you.” She murmured, resting her head against his back. 

“You too, beautiful.” He replied, picking up her right hand and absent-mindedly massaging the knots out of it.

He had taken to doing this, ever since the attack. Aisling rather suspected that he had asked Madam Pomfrey how best to ease her tremors, but she hadn’t had any of those in a few days. Still, it was sweet of him. She could feel her eyelids drooping, and tried desperately to stay awake. It was too lovely, sitting in the common room and listening to her friends chat animatedly around her. She didn’t want to go to bed yet. But after about half an hour of battling with her eyelids, everything started to feel very hazy. Eventually, the common room began to swim around her and she dozed peacefully to sleep. 

“Aisling?” She heard Sirius whisper. 

She opened her eyes and looked around, the common room was much emptier than it had been when she’d fallen asleep, and the fire had gone out. Sirius was shaking her gently by the shoulder. 

“Come on.” He said gently, hooking his arm underneath hers and pulling her up. “Time for bed.” 

If she hadn’t been so exhausted, she would have protested against him carrying her up the stairs. But she could barely open her eyes all the way, never mind climb the stairs up to the dormitories. She let her head loll against Sirius’ shoulder as they made their way up to his dormitory. When she finally felt herself hit his mattress, she barely had time to pull herself under the covers before she fell asleep. As she was nodding back off, she heard Sirius speak again. He sounded as though he was very far away.