03. I dreamt of you.
Grace, the nurse who was supposed to take the shift after Narcissa was delayed. Her eight-month-old son was sick. She took him with her to the hospital but had to stay with him. She promised she would be back as soon as possible. Narcissa got her covered, telling her no hurries. She did not really mind that much. Grace was nice to her. She was a half blood. There was a tacit agreement among pure bloods. Her parents told the three of them before they started school that their family did not want anyone other than pure blood to degenerate their reputation. She smirked. She did not talk about her family at St. Mungo, just that her name was Narcissa. But the nurses could always guess, and with the initial of B it was really not that hard. She knew they knew. She heard them talking about her family even this, or to be precise, last afternoon. She did not know if Grace knew that. If she did she didn't say anything and she appreciated that.
Grace came back after about two hours. She smiled at her apologetically
"Thank you so much for covering for me. Carl kept fussing around so I have to hold him for the doctor to examine and see what's wrong."
"No worries. Dose little Carl feel better now？"
Carl was Grace's son. She had seen the baby several times and he was cute. Did not cry when she held him. Narcissa felt quiet proud about that because usually he refused anyone else holding him other than his own mother.
"I hope so. I left after he fell asleep. The doctor said if he can get some rest he would be better in the morning."
Grace sounded tired and worried.
"He will be fine. I am sure he will be the sweetheart again when you go see him."
Grace smile again and they said goodbye.
She looked at the clock in the hospital lobby when she was finally heading home.
2:55 a.m.
She walked out on the street. It was quiet. She looked up and saw the dark blue night sky. So dark that it felt like black, with lights behind. Like looking into the glass ink bottle. Intense and mysterious. Like something was hidden inside. Stars, the moon or someone's dreams.
She decided to walk home instead of Apperate. It was more fun. As if she earned herself some extra time to do nothing. She let her legs walk and her mind wonder. For the past several months, when she did walks like this, she picked one of her past memories and revived it.
They were in Diagon Allay. He was laughing. It may have something to do with the things she said or did. She did not really remember. He always laughed and she always was distracted by his sound. Oh, how much she loved that sound. She was sure if she was seriously sick one day his laugh alone can bring her back to live again. But now, even the memory of it made her chest tight. With both bitterness and longings.
She smirked to herself.
"Get yourself composed Narcissa. Don't be so pathetic."
Just then she heard a loud "bump". Someone hit the signal lamp. The man cursed loudly and tried but failed to keep his balance. He was obviously drunk. She watched him sway back and forth but still could not help and falling behind. She gasped and ran towards him, trying to stop him from hitting the ground.
She guessed she was still a little bit late. He looked at her for the briefest moment before passed out.
His hands tightly held hers back. She realised too late who he was.
XOXO
He did not feel good.
He had not been for months.
Mother told him it was because the cold he caught overnight. Maybe. Maybe not. He had never been sick because of that before.
There was nothing physically wrong with him. His work was good and he hang out with colleagues. His mother even arranged his engagement six months ago. He barely said anything about that. They were going to have a long engagement anyway and he just did not seem to care.
Maybe that was the thing.
He cared less and less now. He exercised, sometimes flew a bit over weekends. That was good. He was not the quickest or the eagerest in the Ministry but he finished all his work flawlessly. That was good. He was engaged now and his fiancee was beautiful. That was good. Even if he did not feel anything about her at least she was pleased to look at. Not that he cared.
He was not sick. He just did not feel well. He felt blank and boring. He felt indifferent.
But then, he suddenly thought, once upon a time I even found Diagon Alley fun. He felt himself chuckle. Silly.
"What are you laughing at?"
He felt someone clapping his arm and asking, also laughing.
"Nothing."
Though he still could not control himself from ginning.
He was laughing out loud now. Could not control himself. He felt his heart flip-flopping. He looked up to see the one who should be laughing with him. There was none.
He knew it was a dream. It had to be.
He suddenly felt tired. He sensed himself in a bed, with soft pillow and clean scent. Someone touched his hand. He opened his eyes.
Her eyes blue as sapphire. She seemed surprised and nervous. Her hands still cold.
"I dreamt of you."
He murmured under his breath, closed his eyes and signed before fell into sleep again.
A/N: I know this chapter is short...and I know the plot is slow...but there is the eight month gap and I don't want to rush things. But I promise things will more intense later. Hope to see review from anyone who is reading this~