Working Through the Rest

In The Dark Of The Night

Once I've woken up after having a nightmare, I don't go back to sleep. I can't go back to sleep like this, so I change out of my sweat-soaked clothes and try to do a bit of revision by moonlight. I'm feeling a little less like hell now, enough to concentrate on work. At least, concentrate somewhat.

I try not to think too hard about anything. Not the nightmare. Not my parents. Not the upcoming exams that may very well be my end. It's quiet. It's been quiet a lot recently. I don't know why I like it, but I do.

Maybe it's simply because I haven't really noticed before. It's always loud at home. No. It's always loud at my parents' home. Not my home. Not right now, anyway.

And then a scream cuts through the air and I freeze. It isn't an echo. It isn't in my mind. It's real. It's very real. I put my stuff down, listening carefully. My blood runs cold at the second scream. Because I know what Scorpius' screams sound like.

Shit.

Oh shit.

I practically dive out of bed, stumbling to the door and running down towards Scorpius' room. Sure enough, the screams are echoing from there, and I'm about to go in when Draco comes thundering towards me.

I stand out of his way, following him in. He knows how to help Scorpius better than I do. I close the door behind us and he goes to the bed, starting to murmur to Scorpius.

Scorpius himself is a state. He's shaking and screaming and thrashing around, his limbs tangling themselves in the bed sheets, even as he's still asleep. He shrieks again as Draco places hands on his shoulders to try and wake him. At first, it does nothing and I start to move again. I can't start to concentrate on his screaming. Not now.

I want to help. I want to do something. But I don't know what I can do. I glance around for some non-existent prompt of what to do, and then I start to move towards the bed. Scorpius is still thrashing violently, and Draco looks terrified. He doesn't know what to do any more than I do.

But he'll wake Scorpius up. He'll help. I need to be ready for when Scorpius wakes up, ready to help him then.

I go to his drawers and find some spare pyjamas, and then I grab the mug of water. By the time I've done that, the screaming has been replaced by sobs, and I look over to see Scorpius curled tightly in his dad's arms, mumbling and crying. I hang back as Draco murmurs reassurances to his son. I don't want to scare Scorpius. I don't want to make it all worse.

However, when I catch my name in his mutterings, I dart forward, trying not to spill the water. I put the things down on his bedside table, before sitting next to him.
"Scorp? Scorp, I'm here."

Scorpius looks at me, moving to bury his face in my shoulder. I wrap my arms around him, rocking him softly and rubbing circles around his back. Beside us, I feel Draco stand up and move somewhere. I don't look where, concentrating solely on calming Scorpius down.
"Albie?"
"Yes?"
"You're here? You're staying?"
"Of course I am."
"Promise?"
"Promise."

I can't imagine what his nightmare entailed. I don't want to know. And I don't imagine that he'll want to talk about it right now. Or ever.

He starts to cry again and I hold him a little tighter, murmuring reassurances as best I can. Draco settles next to me again, taking Scorpius' hand silently. He looks scared, more scared than I've ever seen him when our lives haven't been at risk.

But it's contained and, for a few minutes, the few of us stay like that. Silent. An attempt at comfort, family. Or they are, at least.

Scorpius' breathing starts to steady a little and I begin to realise that he's managed to fall some way back to sleep – a small mercy. Draco stands up again and I murmur something about staying for a few more minutes. Draco nods, walking away, and I lie Scorpius back again, attempting to sort the tangled duvet around him.

He starts to murmur as I stand up, and I stop, taking his hand again. He looks at me through half-closed eyes.
"Stay?"
"Okay. Will you be all right if I go grab my duvet?"
"Stay here? With me."
"Oh, okay," I nod as I realise what he means. "If you're okay with that."

He nods, moving over so that I can climb into the bed beside him. I take his hand and he wraps his arm around me, tucking his chin over my shoulder. His breathing is still shaky and I do my best to continue calming him down.
"Sorry I woke you," he mumbles.
"You didn't," I say. "I had a nightmare earlier. I was revising."
"You?"
"Yeah. You're having a bad influence on me."
"I wouldn't say bad," Scorpius giggles.
"Go to sleep," I roll my eyes. "I'm here if you need me."
"Will you sleep?"
"I'll try."
"Promise?"
"Promise."

I intend to keep my promises from here on out. So I will sleep, or I'll try.