George Weasley // Stuck with me

11. I'm here

T/W - Panic attack, forms of self harm

George woke with a start.  A high pitched scream rang through the dorm.  Jumping up he rushed upstairs jumping up the stairs two at a time.  He quickly opened the bedroom door as he heard loud sobbing follow the shriek.  Curled up on the floor tangled in sheets McKenna was crying, weeping, scratching at her skin.  Her body was shaking as she spazzed on the carpet.

George took in a sharp inhale.  Slowly walking to her as not to scare her, he knelt in front of her.

"McKenna? McKenna can you hear me?"

The girl's head jerked up at the sound of his voice.

"Woah hey woah look its me, its George.  Can I touch you?"

"no nO NO!"

"Okay, okay sorry.  Do you... do you want to touch me for like grounding? do you want to hold my hand?  I'm not going to hurt you.  You can squeeze my hand if you want.  It would be better than scratching yourself."

George asked soft but strongly.  He slowly sat down on the ground cross legged.  He placed his hand down on the carpet, turning his palm upwards and splayed out his fingers.  

"I need you to breathe for me okay? You need to breathe.  So lets breathe together, I'm gonna breathe in and I want you to try and breathe with me.  Ready?  In..... out.. there we go, you got it."

Tears slowed and small hiccupping breaths accompanied deep full ones.  Ever so slowly the shaking stopped.  

"Do you want to hold my hand?"

George waited not expecting her to reach out.  To be honest he didn't really know what to do with this severe of a panic attack.  They sat there for five minutes the only sound sniffles and sheets ruffling.  McKenna slowly reached out her hand, her tense fingers unfurling into George's hand.  George had to hold his breath so he wouldn't react and startle her.  Her hand was wet, and he was almost positive that it wasn't sweat.   They sat for awhile.  

"Can you walk Sunshine?  Let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up a little yeah?"

George waited.  McKenna nodded ever so slightly and tried to stand.  Keyword tried.  As soon as she tried to sit up from kneeling her legs shook and gave out.  

"Alright, can I carry you sweetheart?  Just to the bathroom and then you can sit back down."

McKenna hesitated but nodded.  George carefully slid over to her and placed the hand she was holding on his shoulder.  He wrapped an arm around her upper back and snaked the other underneath her knees.  As soon as he started to lift her McKenna grabbed onto him as tight as she could.  Snuggling her face into his chest McKenna sighed.  George was still tense.  As soon as he turned the bathroom light on he sucked in a breath.  The full extent of McKenna's scratching was a little worse than he thought.  Setting her down on the closed toilet seat he pried her hands off of around his shoulders.  George interlaced their fingers with one hand while looking for something, anything to help disinfect the scratches until they could go to the nurse's in the morning.  Only finding a wash cloth at best George decided to just go grab his wand instead.  

"Stay here alright?  I'm just gonna go grab my wand to heal up some of the worst scratches and then we can go to Madam Pomfrey's in the morning.  Wait, did Madam Pomfrey retire?  I don't know, either way we're going in the morning.  I promise I will be right back I'm just going to grab my wand from the dresser."

Good thing I forgot it in here when I went to bed.  George thought as he used the light from the bathroom to navigate.  Grabbing it he walked back into the bathroom and McKenna immediately shot out a hand for him to grab.  George put the wand in between his teeth and grabbed the washcloth, rinsing it he turned towards her.  He whispered a repetitive "Episky" as he meticulously traced the scratches, following the trail of puffy red skin and dried blood.  Finishing George leaned back away sitting on the tile floor.  Grabbing her hand, he slowly opened her small fist to asses the worst of the damage.  Small crimson crescents on her palms seethed irritated in a dried maroon background.  George fixed them, one by one, and when he was finished he turned her hand over and placed his forehead on the back of her hand.  He was tired he wasn't going to lie.  Closing his eyes he exhaled.  After a moment George grabbed her other hand and repeated the process.  When they finished George stood up and McKenna was so exhausted from the panic attack earlier but she fought off sleep nonetheless.  

"C'mon love lets go back to bed and go see the nurse in the morning.  It's really late and you need some sleep.  I'll be just downstairs if you need me."

George turned to leave the room when he was stopped by a hand gripping his forearm.

"Um... can you.... can you stay in here? like, with me?  I understand if you don't want to or it makes you uncomfortable that's okay I- I just-"

"Hey it's okay, yeah I'll sleep in here if it will make you feel better."

McKenna sighed and released the unknown tension from her shoulders.  Turning around she shuffled over to the bed.  Together they picked up the messed up sheets and blankets and remade the bed before sliding into it.   It was awkward to say the least.  Their backs faced each other.  George reached an arm back and pat the bed.  He opened his hand.  A few seconds later the sheets ruffled and another hand slid into his.  They fell asleep and upon waking a few hours later, George blushed when he could feel McKenna snuggled deep in his arms as the terrors of the night melted away.  

A/N - Hey guys! Wow.... I updated in a reasonable amount of time?  crazy!! lol anyways this was kinda an intense chapter and as always I hope you enjoy and if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes you see let me know! anyways enjoy! -Author