Marlene McKinnon marched down the corridor of Gryffindor Tower, her steps purposeful and her expression one of determination. She had been waiting all afternoon for Y/N to show up at Quidditch practice, and when she hadn’t, Marlene had initially felt a flash of annoyance. But as the hours passed without any sign of her girlfriend, worry began to creep in.
When Marlene reached the door to Y/N's dormitory, she knocked lightly, but there was no answer. With a sigh, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dim, curtains drawn tightly to block out the light.
"Y/N?" Marlene called softly, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on the still figure buried under the covers of one of the beds.
Marlene’s annoyance evaporated instantly as she approached the bed. Y/N was curled up in a fetal position, her face pale and eyes tightly shut. She looked utterly miserable.
"Oh, Y/N," Marlene whispered, sitting down on the edge of the bed and gently touching her girlfriend's shoulder.
Y/N stirred slightly, cracking one eye open to look at Marlene. "Marlene?" she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
"You didn’t come to practice," Marlene said softly. "I was worried about you. Are you okay?"
Y/N shook her head weakly, then winced at the movement. "Migraine," she muttered, closing her eyes again. "Hurts too much to move."
Marlene's heart ached at the sight of Y/N in so much pain. She brushed a strand of hair from Y/N's forehead, her touch gentle. "I'm sorry I got cross. I didn't realize you were feeling this bad."
"It's okay," Y/N murmured, her voice thick with exhaustion. "Didn't want to worry you."
Marlene frowned, her protective instincts kicking in. "You should have told me, love. I would have come sooner." She leaned down and kissed Y/N's forehead, her lips lingering for a moment.
Determined to help, Marlene got up and quickly fetched a glass of water from the bedside table. She coaxed Y/N into taking a few sips, careful not to jostle her too much.
"I’m going to get you some cool cloths for your head, alright?" Marlene said. "Just stay put."
Marlene hurried to the bathroom, wetting a washcloth with cool water. When she returned, she gently placed it on Y/N's forehead. The relief was immediate, and Y/N sighed softly.
"Thank you," Y/N whispered, her eyes fluttering open to look at Marlene with gratitude.
Marlene smiled warmly, lying down beside her girlfriend and wrapping an arm around her. "Anything for you, love. Now, just relax. I've got you."
As Marlene held Y/N close, she whispered soothing words, hoping to provide some comfort amidst the pain. She stayed there, rubbing Y/N’s back gently and occasionally refreshing the cool cloth on her forehead.
After a while, Marlene's friends, Mary and Alice, peeked into the room, concern etched on their faces. Marlene waved them in, and they quickly joined in the effort to make Y/N comfortable. Alice brought more water, while Mary found some headache potion in the dormitory’s supply chest.
Together, they helped Y/N take the potion, and soon enough, the combined efforts of their care began to ease her pain. Y/N’s breathing became more even, and she started to drift off to sleep, the tension in her body finally releasing.
Marlene stayed with her, stroking her hair gently. "Get some rest, Y/N. We’ll be here when you wake up."
As Y/N fell into a more restful sleep, Marlene exchanged grateful glances with her friends. They settled in around the room, ready to support Y/N in whatever way she needed. In that moment, Marlene knew that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always have each other's backs.
