HEALER (postAzkaban! Sirius Black X OC)

Truth

* Flashback*
I remember liking Remus best, when I met the Marauders because he shared my love for books and music. I liked James because I envied how he could see the good in everything and how optimistic he was. Despite being the most arrogant person I knew, he was also the most generous, kind, and selfless person I knew. Peter was always the quiet, nervous kid who had to be dragged around in all our pranks and fun. He had idolized James and whatever he did was influenced by him. Like every person at Hogwarts, who had a sexual preference for men, I too had harboured a small crush on Sirius Orion Black. He was beautiful, even as an eleven-year-old hit by puberty. But what had actually made me fall for him was what he showed me later during our friendship. The sweet, considerate little gentleman that hid behind his tough, playboy exterior. I'm pretty sure that by the end of our fourth year, we could read each other's minds. He always knew when I and what I was feeling and he was always there for all of it, making sure I never went through it alone. How could I not fall for someone like that?

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We are still sitting on the floor, he is laying his head on my shoulder, when he says, "Eve...I didn't do it...", and I slowly turn to face him. "I know, I never believed them, Siri...But I need to know...", I said tracing circles on his cheeks with my thumb.

"It was Peter."

"Wha...?", I look at him, dumbstruck, but I know he's not lying. Sirius Black doesn't lie. I want to ask him the million questions running through my head, but his eyes have a cold, hard expression in them, so I let him tell me everything.
It takes Sirius thirty minutes to slowly but steadily tell me what actually happened thirteen years ago and how the Secret Keeper was changed at the last moment, how Peter had betrayed my best friends. How he spent thirteen years of his life enduring the horrible punishment for a crime he had never done. He told me that he found about Peter's whereabouts and how escaped Azkaban, and by the time he has finished, I feel tears running down my cheeks and bile rising up my throat.

When I had heard about Lilly and James' death thirteen years ago, I had felt an overwhelming sense of grief and loss that I could never quite get over. But right now, after finally getting the truth I had waited for, for thirteen years, all I feel is anger and vengeance towards that rat. The feeling of betrayal and shock is numbing but I have yet to absorb it all. I guess, after spending all these years, emersed in the grief of losing the people dearest to me, I am finally ready to do something about it.

Like always, Sirius reads my mind and holds my trembling hands in both his own and says comfortingly, "Everything is going to be okay. He is at Hogwarts, and I have come to find him. I only had to see you and Harry first, before I went after him. I'll make everything alright; I promise."
"No way in hell you're going anywhere, anytime soon without me.", I say, and we give each other a weak chuckle. I would have asked him more about the enormous tornado, that he had just brought upon my life, but he looked so faint and tired from all the talking and emotional rollercoasters that I feel rather guilty for making him talk instead of letting the poor man rest after what he had gone through. They should take away my Healer's licence.

I help him up from the floor and observe the bruises and cuts on his face. "Dear Godric! You really need fixing up...", I say quickly leading him to my bathroom, where kept the Dittany and Murtlap essence. Sitting him down on the edge of the bath, I begin dabbing at his face. He complies with all of it without uttering a single word, as he looks at me in that lost puppy way of his that gives me a goddamn heartache.

I'm still bent over his face, when he inches a little closer, and whispers, "Thirteen years and you're still prettier than ever, Eve, if not more."

"Can't say the same about you though, Pretty boy. Now, take off your shirt, I need to examine you.", I remark quickly in an attempt to hide the heat steadily rising up my cheeks, why does he have to say things like that... He narrows his eyes and gives me a deep frown as he grumbles, "And yet you still want me to take my shirt off...". 

 I smirk, Godric knows how glad I am to see that even Azkaban couldn't the sassy drama queen out of him.

"Oh please, I am a Healer. This is what I do.", I roll my eyes.
"Right. I always knew you'd make taking people's shirts off, a profession someday.", he retorts back with his eyes twinkling with mischief. I can't help but burst out laughing as he grins cheekily up at me, and despite the giganteus shock he has given me today, I finally feel alive in a very long time. And his eyes tell me that he does too.