The next few days trailed on slowly. Sirius doing all in his power to seek out the Slytherin boy while Severus took to walking the long way to class and taking short cuts through the corridors in order to avoid any confrontation with the other. It all seemed to be going well until Saturday.
"Oi! Snivellus!" James shouted, striding towards Severus, with his wand out. Sirius, Remus and Peter in tow, a hopeful glimmer in Sirius' eyes. "We haven't seen you in awhile, thought you might have died-" "Hoped you might have died" Sirius corrected James coolly, the words rolled out of his mouth casually and caused him to wince inwardly.
"Leave me alone, I haven't done anything to you!" Severus insisted, his hands balled into fists as he backed off. "Aw, Snivellus is scared?" James smirked, advancing with a vicious grin on his face, "Sectumsempra!" He cried and Sirius barked out with laughter as a gash appeared down Severus' arm. "You bastards! You have no right to do this to me" Severus insisted, stumbling back.
For a moment, it seemed as though his eyes opened fully. Sirius glanced between Peter and James who were doubled over in laughter, Remus who was pretending not to see anything and students nearby, grinning with excitement. His eyes moved back to Severus, wounded, blood pooling at his feet from the arm, forlorn…alone. Sirius felt an unexplained pity surface in his stomach, and stepped forwards, "C'mon" He muttered, placing an arm around Severus' shoulders and tugging him off.
"Padfoot?" James spoke in uncertainty, watching as his friend disappeared around the corner with the Slytherin, rage boiled up inside of him, "Lets go" He hissed to Remus and Peter who knew better than to argue and followed James in the opposite direction.
"Leave me alone" Severus insisted, "Don't be an idiot, I've got to take you to the hospital wing or you'll bleed to death" Sirius said, continuing to drag the boy along. "Like you'd care. Like anyone would care" Severus bit out, "Let me go!" He snapped, tugging away to make a run for it.
With dog-like reflexes, Sirius pinned him against the wall. "One, do not try and run from me, especially not in your condition. Two, you're going to the hospital wing whether I have to carry you kicking and screaming and Three…just come on already, Snape" Sirius bit out. For a brief moment, Severus stared at him, his throat caught. None of them had ever called him by name, well, it was his last name but anything was better than Snivellus.
Nodding with reluctance, he allowed himself to be led to the Hospital Wing, and hid his surprise when Sirius lingered at his side while he was bandaged and treated. "Thanks…" He spoke finally, as the door was closed and the nurse gone. Sirius looked away for a moment, guilt flicking through his eyes, "Don't mention it" He muttered, crossing his arms and walking himself to the seat beside Severus' bed.
For a moment the two sat in silence, neither daring to speak before Sirius' sigh broke the silence. Turning, Severus flushed at the closeness and felt lips brush against his, closing his eyes automatically as a hand rose and caressed his cheek and then it was gone.
When he opened his eyes, he found an empty room. Sirius nowhere to be seen. Biting on his lip and glaring at the ground in contempt, his eyes lingered over a Gryffindor scarf. "It wasn't my imagination…" He murmured in wonder, and reaching down he drew it up, clutching it to his chest tightly.