I don't own Harry Potter- did you expect me to?
This is my first fic so please be kind!
Constructive criticism appreciated.
Shall I write other chapters- possibly with other characters?
- Crayfish
The Insomniacs Club
Harry jolted upright and woke up with a gasp, memories rushing through his head, as though drowning him. The rain hammered against the grimy windows and lightning brightened the sky. It was nearing 2 am, but as time moved on Harry's thoughts were stuck in the same place. This wasn't something Harry was new to, he had been having nightmares for years, even before he started Hogwarts.
Cedric's lifeless eyes flashed behind Harry's mind and Voldemort's mirthless laughter was ringing in his ears, cold and cruel. He was drenched in sweat and shaking as an aftereffect of the nightmare. He fumbled around, looking for his glasses, finally, his hand hit the cool metal and he slid them onto his face. The room was bathed in darkness, the only light coming from the occasional bolts of lightning that flashed from outside and the welcoming glow of the crescent moon. He could hear Ron snoring on the bed beside him, so was sure he was still asleep, which was a relief.
Hoping a change of scenery would help, he kicked his sheets off and swung his bare feet over the side of the bed, still shaking slightly from the nightmare. He tried to make as little noise as possible, so as not to wake anyone, some of the things that lived in this house could even wake Ron up- and that in itself was quite a feat.
He began to pad down the stairs, heading to the drawing room, the floorboards creaking slightly as he walked. Harry shivered, wishing he had worn something warmer in the draughty house. Briefly, he considered just turning back and crawling into bed where was warmer and probably more comfortable than the drawing-room floor; however, he quickly dismissed that thought.
When he finally reached the drawing room, he was surprised to see Padfoot, Sirius' animagus form, curled up next to the dying embers that glowed in the fireplace, a forlorn expression on his canine features. A doggish whine broke Harry's train of thought and he got greeted with a pair of pale, round eyes and a look of animalistic concern.
"Hey Padfoot". Harry said softly, going to sit next to him by the fire and wrapping himself in one of the throws lying on the tattered armchair beside them.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the crackling fire and the pattering of rain against the window. Harry absentmindedly played with a small thread on the woollen rug, while staring into the fire, deep in thought. Then with a small 'pop', Padfoot transformed back into Sirius, making Harry (who was still a little tense) jump slightly. They sat in silence for another minute, Sirius being the one to break it.
"What are you doing up - Molly would skin me alive if she knew you'd joined the insomniacs club," he said, a small smile forming on his lips. But underlying concern lacing his sharp features.
"Nightmare," he muttered, flushing slightly in the firelight. He had been about to say 'no reason' but before he could get the words out of his mouth some ting stopped him, and he found himself unable to lie to Sirius.
Empathy and understanding crossed Sirius' face an with a small flick of his wand he summoned two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The teenager cupped the warm mug with both hands and pulled his knees up to his chest, wishing, not for the first time, that he could just forget about everything.
Harry sighed quietly and leaned against Sirius' side, absorbing the comfort it brought him.
"I can't get it out of my head Padfoot," he said, his voice cracking with emotion and his eyes burning. He willed himself not to cry but he could feel the tears spilling out and onto Sirius' shoulder. Suddenly he felt one hand on his shoulders and another gently stroking his hair. He was dimly aware that Sirius was saying something in a soft, comforting tone; Harry wasn't really sure what he was saying but it didn't matter to him, as long as he was being held in Sirius' protective embrace.
Soon after that Harry fell asleep, with Sirius holding him close until the sun rose, vowing to James and Lily that he would keep this boy safe no matter what, even if it killed him.