Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Ten

  A week had passed, and Madame Fontaine refused to let Delilah leave the infirmary, except for the bathroom.

  "Save your strength."

  If she heard that one more time, Delilah considered throwing herself out the window. She felt fine, just tired.

  Lolita came to visit often, usually after lunch to complain about how insufferable Olive was being. And of course her tales of some secret lover. The meetings were nice, Lolita had even painted Delilah's nails a nice shade of red and would brush her hair while singing lightly. She had a beautiful voice that made Delilah envious, every time she tried to sing it sounded like she just suffered from a coughing fit. "Why aren't you in frog choir?" She'd ask, only resorting in Lolita snorting. "And hold those nasty things? Never."

  Elio came by every afternoon, bringing her snacks from the kitchen, homework to work on, books she wanted from the library, and pepper imps with sugar quills. "Elio you're a gem." She sighed as she nibbled on her treats. He smiled brightly, a slight fluster in his cheeks that seemed to be permanent.

  When he first found out Delilah had fallen ill, he nearly broke his nose as he ran out of the common room, due to tripping over the leg Cain stuck out. He remembered Tom walking in, composed as ever. His cool gaze fell on Elio, who was nervous he'd done something to anger Tom. "Your girlfriend is in the infirmary." He said flatly, walking off before Elio could ask questions.

  Delilah smiled at the memory of him stumbling through the infirmary doors, disheveled hair and panting. "Merlin, you alright love?" He asked her, stalking over to her bed despite the healer's protests. "I'm doing beautifully, can't you tell?" Delilah had just woken up from a long nap and felt renewed. 

  But Madame Fontaine persisted she stay for longer.

  Her favorite visits however were when the boys would come by all together. They'd crowd around her bed, sprawled out on chairs or even nearby beds. They'd rant about a number of things, Quidditch, Slughorn's favoritism, and classes. Delilah even got Abraxas to finally try a pepper imp. He made a disgusted face, but she didn't miss him sneak another candy into his robes before he left.

  "Fuck, finally." Delilah sighed as she left the infirmary. The halls were empty, most people were in the Great Hall for lunch. Resisting the urge to skip, Delilah settled for a few spins and as she turned a corner, and she ran right into someone. "Shit." 

  As she stumbled back, her elbow hit the wall and she hissed.

  "Language, Pontmercy."

  She sighed, her eyes flickering to the form in front of her. "Must you be everywhere I am when I get clumsy? It's growing to be embarrassing."

  Tom looked her over, a week's worth of rest seemed to do the trick to returning her health. Her skin was more flush with warm pink, and her royal blue eyes were back to their alertness. Though exhaustion was still evident. 

  He was tempted to reach out a hand to touch her. 

  To see if Delilah was still cold to the touch. To see if that chill ran through his body and make his mind feel numb. Blinking slowly, Tom was shocked and disgusted by his thoughts.

  "Clumsiness appears to be a part of your usual mannerism." He spoke curtly, vehemence at his own thoughts seeping into his words. Her eyes narrowed, many insults ringing in her head.

  A need to smack him rang in her chest. The sound of her hand hitting his cheek was awfully satisfying to imagine. He didn't come to visit her once. For some reason, that irked her, which only resulted in pissing her off further.