Chasing Time (sirius black)

CLOSER

Yawning, I took my seat next to Lily in Transfiguration. She sat straight backed and was already writing the notes on the board. I propped my head up with the back of my hand next to my cheek. Last night's nightmare had been different but just as upsetting as the others and I was exhausted.

"Wait!" Remus commanded.

"I DID MY WAITING! 12 YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!" Sirius screamed. Sirius gaunt, ragged, haunted.

Rubbing my eyes, I tried to scrub away the broken sound of Sirius' voice from that moment. Looking past Lily, I saw him leaning back in his chair with a smirk on his face. I wasn't sure which nightmares bothered me more, the ones that had happened to me or the ones that were going to happen at some point to the people around me.

Speaking of Sirius, that asshole still hadn't apologized for acting like a...well, I was going to say lunatic but given the nightmare I'd had the night before, even using that word in my brain felt offensive. Acting like a moron. He'd started a duel in broad daylight in the middle of a courtyard. Could he be any more moronic?

Next thing I knew, Lily was nudging me with a frown on her face. "Mads? Class is over."

"Mmmm." I ran a hand over my face then rubbed the inner corner of my eyes. "Did I sleep the whole class?"

"You did. I can let you borrow my notes later," She said, I opened my mouth to thank her but she continued. "If you go see Madame Pomfrey about your sleeping issues."

I groaned, shoving my things into my bag. "Lily, I'm -"

"Fine? Mads, I'm not clueless so please don't insult me by saying you're fine. You are most certainly not fine." We walked towards the Hall for lunch, the others trailing behind us. Lily huffed, crossing her arms. "You've been here almost a full month and you've slept through the night only 4 times. That is concerning."

I squinted at her suspiciously. "How on Earth could you know that?"

She sighed and gave me a droll look. "I pay attention. If you've actually slept, you only have 2 cups of coffee and if you haven't slept then you have more."

"I'm feeling judged for my caffeine consumption." I muttered. We walked into the Hall and down the aisle, splitting so she was on her normal side by the Ravenclaws and I was by the Hufflepuffs. Sitting down, we began filling our plates. "I can ask next time I'm in the Hospital Wing. Would that make you happy?"

Her eyes narrowed as she took a chicken sandwich. "Next time?"

"I don't want Poppy to get lonely." Giving her a sarcastic smile, I bit into my own sandwich and the rest of the group joined us. Lily walked pretty fast so we'd had a few minute lead on the others.

"How many times have you been there?" James asked, pulling the plate of sandwiches to him. Taking two, he pilled on potato salad next to the sandwiches. "Feels like too many."

"Only twice." Although I should've been in there after the mermaid thing. And the broom thing. And the fake fainting thing. Even though I hadn't actually fainted, I'd done a well enough job faking it that Sirius had been ready to drag me to the Hospital Wing. "And considering you put me in there for one of those visits, only one was my fault."