shy ↳ Scorpius Malfoy

Chapter Twelve

Alice sits in the Gryffindor Common Room, hogging all of the warmth from the fireplace as she scribbles away at a piece of parchment. She is supposed to be completing a long and detailed essay for Potions class, but it is nearly impossible for her to focus. Her mind has been on Teddy all day. After she found Madam Pompfrey, she was asked not so politely to leave the room. She scowled but left anyways, and Teddy promised that he would find her the second he was released.

Now, it is halfway through the day, and the Common Room is cleared away because everyone is enjoying lunch in the Great Hall. Alice is not feeling hungry at the moment, which is what she told Rose before the red-head left the Common Room to eat. Alice has to admit, she could go for something to eat, but she wants to be alone right now. Plus, she can just eat lots tonight at dinner to make up for it.

The fire crackles and Alice pulls the duvet over her body. She is uncertain of why she feels so cold. She hopes she is not getting sick.

Her eyebrows pinch together as she tries to complete the essay, but it is still impossible. The piece of information that she is supposed to remember from class has been erased from her mind and replaced with worry for her injured friend.

What could he have been doing outside during the night? Teddy might be one who likes to look for trouble, but he rarely sneaks out after hours. What if the person or thing that attacked him is still out there? What if everyone at Hogwarts is in danger?

"Boo!"

Alice jumps in surprise, her essay and quill knocking to the floor in the haste. She glares daggers at her best friend, feeling so many things towards him at once.

"Teddy!"

The boy grins and laughs quietly, feeling satisfied at his friend's reaction. She crosses her arms over her chest and continues to glare at him, raising an eyebrow at his behavior.

After he gets serious, she takes a moment to look him over, noticing that all of his injuries have disappeared and he looks like new.

"You look better," she observes. Teddy smirks and takes a seat on the sofa, right where Alice was sitting a moment ago.

"If you thought of me that way, you should have just told me," he says smugly. "It's very flattering."

Alice just narrows her eyes at him. "What happened to you last night, Teddy?" She demands. He sighs in defeat and loses the smug look.

"As I told you before, I don't know," he admits, scratching the back of his head. "I... I was sleepwalking." He looks down at his hands which are folded in his lap. The look on his face looks sad, almost shameful.

"You sleepwalk?" She asks quietly. Before, she thought that her and Teddy told each other everything about one another. Now, it looks like she was wrong.

"When I was younger," Teddy says. "Not for a while. Last night was the first time in years. I don't remember what happened last night. I went to sleep in my bed, and I woke up in Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade?!" Alice exclaims, voice all panicky again. Teddy swallows visibly and gestures for her to take a seat next to him. She tries to calm her breathing down as she sits next to him.

"Look, I'm going to be completely honest with you right now," he begins, and his tone is so serious that it scares Alice. But she remains quiet and lets him speak. "I am not one hundred percent sure what is going on. I think I'm sick."

Alice looks confused. "You look fine to me."

Teddy sighs and twiddles his thumbs together. "Not that kind of sick. I think there's something wrong with me."

Alice frowns. "Like what?"

"I'm not sure," Teddy replies. "But, if something like this happens again, I want to go to St. Mungo's. Maybe they can figure it out and help me."

There is a silence that settles over the two. Alice does not know what to say and neither does Teddy.

"Teddy, I—" Alice begins, but Teddy cuts her off.

"Well, I think I'll go to sleep," he says, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. "But, I need a favor."

"Yes, anything," Alice says immediately.

"Watch over me?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. Alice mimics his expression, wondering what he means.

"What...?"

"I mean, I don't want to sleep walk again," he explains. "And I was hoping you could stay with me, and make sure it does not happen again."

Alice hesitates but nods. "Of course."

Teddy smiles gratefully and sprawls across the sofa, arms behind his head. "I'll just sleep here. You probably have homework to do, anyways, right?"

Alice nods and takes a seat in the chair next to the sofa, getting back to her Potions essay.

"Don't forget to wake me up later," Teddy murmurs. "Before dinner would be nice."

Alice nods. "Okay, Teddy."

Teddy does not say anything else for a long time. Once she is finished with her essay, she sets it aside and glances up at her sleeping friend. His head is nestled against his folded arms, his eyes shut, and chest rising up and down as he snores softly.

Alice smiles at the sight. After all the stress from the end of year exams and what happened the previous night, Teddy must be insanely stressed out, and he deserves this well-needed rest.

The brunette pulls out her next assignment as Teddy sleeps and the fire crackles.