Love & Scars

How Did You Know?

"She seems... okay." Lily said as they waited outside the hospital wing.

"She puts up a front." Remus shook his head. "It's the nights that will be the worst."

"Not only the nights. She's afraid to be alone." Sirius ran a hand through his hair, glancing at the closed doors. "I wanted to get Pomfrey when she woke up, but she didn't want me to go. She grabbed my wrist pretty forcefully for someone who just woke up." He turned to Remus. "Her eyes, Moony. I've never seen anyone so scared."

"What do we do now? Does she still have to marry Regulus?" James asked.

"I don't know." Remus frowned. Sirius felt something flare inside of him at the thought of the marriage. Especially now that he's seen how close they are. "Now that she's off-" He stopped abruptly. "We forgot about her birthday."

"When was it?" James asked. Before either Lily or Remus could answer, Sirius spoke up.

"April 3rd."

The door of the hospital wing opened again as Pomfrey came walking out. "You can go back in, just be quiet. I'm going to get her some food." She said before she walked away.

The four of them walked back in. They saw that her curtains were closed and when they stepped around it, Sirius stomach was in knots, and he was glaring at his little brother. They were both asleep, curled up into each other. Their foreheads were touching, and their hands were clasped together as they breathed in unison. Maybe she thought I was Reg when she calmed down from my touch. Sirius thought to himself as his hands turned into fists.

"Well, I think your brother beat you to it." James tried to say it as a joke.

"It's not like that." Remus snapped.

"Sure looks like it." Sirius grumbled. He tore his eyes away from the sleeping couple. "I'm going to the tower."

"Sirius."

"No, Moony. You don't know my brother. He doesn't have anyone in his life that truly cares about him except for me and her, and I've been a shit brother the past years. I won't come between them." He didn't wait for anyone to respond and walked out of the infirmary.

A few hours later Izzie woke up. Remus was sitting on the chair next to her bed, reading his DADA book.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly as Reg was still asleep.

She combed her fingers through Regulus's hair with a smile. "I'm good." Her eyes flickered around the room. "Where's Sirius?"

Remus thought he saw a flicker of fear cross her eyes. "Yeah, about that." Remus frowned as he rubbed his neck. "He thinks you and Reg are... you know." He waved his hand over her.

"Just because I sleep with a man..." She sighed but chuckled lightly.

"I'll talk to him." Regulus had woken up and lifted his head.

"You don't need to explain yourself, Reg." Izzie said, and Remus agreed.

"I think it's time he knows." He said, pushing himself up until he was sitting against the iron bar of the bed-end.

"Knows what?" Remus choked out.

"That I prefer the company of men." He said dramatically, shooting Remus a wink. "We've been going in the right direction these past weeks." He said glancing at Izzie. Remus had seen the brothers talk more often than not since Izzie landed in the hospital wing. Maybe something good can come of something so tragic. "I think he'll be okay with it."