The Ice Queen [s.b.]

↠would you care for me if i were sick?, 1.22

December 4th.

The first official D.A. meeting is in three days, and Anna is nervous. 

"Sirius, can you help me with Transfiguration homework? I'm absolute trash at it," Anna begs.

"No," he snaps, not looking up. "I don't want to."

Anna sighs. "Are- are you about to start fighting with me? I'm not in the mood, Sirius."

"You're never in the mood!" he says, slamming the table as he gets up. "I'm sorry that some of us have to talk about our feelings. Not just pretend like they don't exist."

"Why are you angry?" she says in a tired tone. "Please, Sirius."

His glare softens slightly, "I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just really stressed out. Mother and Father sent another letter today, asking about you again. I'm just tired of it."

"Of it or me?" Anna asks in a small voice.

"I don't know. Neither. Both," he shrugs. Then, he says, "I'm sorry, Princess, I didn't mean that."

"I'm just gonna go back to my dorm room," she says softly. "I'm really not feeling too well. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

He nods, "Yeah, okay. I really am sorry."

"I know," Anna whispers, feeling smaller than she ever had. "I'm not mad. Just tired."

Sirius falls back into his seat as Anna walks away.

He re-reads the letter from his parents again.

Dear Sirius,

Your father and I are hoping you'll reconsider our offer of coming home for Christmas. I know everyone is looking forward to meeting your new girlfriend. Though we are not happy in the slightest with your female companion choices, we're trying to keep an open mind so long as you are still committed to joining the Dark Lord when you graduate. 

Your mother,
Walburga Black

Then he reads it again. The words joining the Dark Lord echoing in his mind.

That evening, he pulls himself together and lumbers up to the Astronomy tower where he'd been meeting Anna for the past month.

But then Anna isn't there. Nor is she there two hours later.

So Sirius finds Andromeda and gets her to let him into her dorm.

"Anna?" he knocks on the door softly. "Are you still mad?"

The door opens to Bellatrix Black.

"You shouldn't be in here, Sirius," she says with a smile. "And your little girlfriend's asleep. She won't wake up."

"Won't? Or can't?" Sirius asks, voice dangerously low.

"Well I shook her a couple times and she wasn't waking up. She was a little hot, too," Bellatrix adds thoughtfully.

Sirius pushes past her and into the dorm room where Anna's asleep on her bed.

He shakes her awake, her body practically burning to the touch.

"Sirius?" Anna mumbles. "You shouldn't be in here. Come sleep with me."

"No, Princess, I need you to listen to me. We need to go to the hospital wing. You have a fever," he tells her, tapping her until she's more fully awake.

"No," she whispers back, "I'm just going back to sleep, okay?"

"Nope!" he says, then hauls her up. "We're going to the hospital wing."