The Marauders: Padfoot

"You Never Cease To Amaze Me."

My head ached. No, ached wasn't the word for it, how about absolutely killed? Banged? Pounded like a million wars were going on inside my skull?

I couldn't help the groan that escaped my mouth as I felt the pain begin to spread down to my neck.

"Seren? Seren! Poppy! Poppy! Come quickly!"

I heard footsteps rush across the hard floor.

"What is it?" Someone asked, putting a hand to my head, then my neck, then my wrist.

"She made a noise!"

"That could mean anything."

"Is she waking up?"

I heard a deep sigh.

"I've told you, it's best not to get our hopes up at this point."

My senses began to come back to me. I could hear as the footsteps got further away, fainter and fainter.

I could feel someone's hand in mine, warm and soft.

I could feel dampness on my arm, almost as though someone had cried there.

Then I saw.

My eyes opened and were flooded with a bright whiteness that could only be the hospital wing.

I took a deep breath, and moved my eyes, too scared to move my head in case it made the pain worse.

"S-Sirius?" It came out so quiet that I worried he wouldn't hear it.

"Seren?" He asked, moving into my field of vision.

His eyes were red and bloodshot. Had he been the one crying on me?

"What's wrong?" I asked, my eyebrows knitting together. Why had he been crying? What had happened?

He laughed.

"What's wrong? You gave me the scare of my life!"

"I'm sorry." I said, even though I was unsure what I was apologising for.

He reached down and rested his head on me. It filled me with pain but I knew he needed it, so I tried not to hiss out in pain as his head settled on my stomach and his arms wrapped around me.

Then, all the memories came flooding back to me, in a torrent that made the ache in my head multiply.

I gritted my teeth together and was forced to close my eyes because of the pain.

"Seren? What's wrong?"

"My. Head." I managed to spit out.

"Poppy! Poppy!" He called.

"What is it now Mr Black?" She asked, hurrying over.

Her footsteps on the hard floor sent echoes running through my head.

"Ah, she's awake?" She asked. I could sense the surprise in her voice, even though her voice was drifting in and out in waves.

"She needs something for the pain." He said as I groaned again.

Madame Pomfrey went rushing off to get some sort of vile potion. I looked up at Sirius and saw the bags under his eyes, the cuts and scratches that covered his face.

"What happened to you?" I managed to groan.

But before I could get an answer, Madame Pomfrey was back and forcing a disgusting purple liquid down my throat.

"This might make you a little drowsy." Were the last words I remembered her saying.

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