~SIRIUS POV~

I lay flat out on my bed, sleep taking a long time to get to me tonight. I can faintly hear Peter snoring away through his drawn curtains right on the other side of the room. James as usual is silent, but I hear him mumble what sounds uncannily like 'Lily' every now and again. Remus had drawn his curtains shut tightly, and I could just about hear what sounded like muffled moans of pain. I sat up on the mattress and stared over at Remus' bed. As the curtains were still draped around him, I couldn't know for sure if he was in pain, or just having a nightmare. As this thought crosses my mind, I find myself thinking back. Throughout our five years at Hogwarts, I'd never seen Remus have a calm, peaceful sleep. Come to think of it, he always looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. As a soft, pathetic whimper reaches my ears, I can't take it any longer.

I swing my legs out over my bed and stride across the room to Remus'. I take a deep breath, then gently open the curtains. Remus is curled up in a tiny ball facing me. He is much paler than normal, his face looking stricken and terrified. Beads of sweat are appearing on his forehead and trickling down his face. I have an unnatural urge to hold him close to me, and chase away all of his fears. My arms twitch towards him, but he speaks in a low, scared voice, making me freeze.

"Don't hurt them.. Please.. Leave them alone.. Hurt me.. No.. Anyone but him.. Leave him.. Hurt me, please.."

Before I can stop myself, I stroke his cheek with my index finger as softly as I can, and whisper into his ear.

"Ssh, Rem.. Ssh.. It's okay.. No-one's gonna hurt you.. I won't let them, Rem."

Call me crazy, but I swear as soon as my fingertips touch his skin, colour floods back to his face, he stops sweating, and his face becomes a lot more peaceful. I blink, watching him sleep. My fingers continued to stoke his cheek without my realising, but I found I didn't care. All I wanted to do was stand there watching him sleep like this for hours. I didn't even care if one of the others woke up and saw this. All I could see was Remus. All I cared about was Remus. He was all that mattered to me, right at that very moment.

After a while, I felt my eyelids drooping. Watching Remus for as long as I had had finally made me tired. I turn to go back to my own bed, when I feel something grab my hand. It takes all the self control I have not to yell out in shock. I whirl around, and see Remus gripping my hand, his eyes opening weakly. As his eyes come into focus and fall on me, tears well up and start to trickle down his face.

I'm kneeling back in front of him in a heartbeat.

"What's wrong..?" I ask softly, holding his hand.

Remus sniffed, and gripped my hand even tighter.

"The wolf.. It was attacking everyone.. James and Peter.. And then you.. I was begging, pleading for it to leave you all alone.. But it ripped you all up and there was nothing I could do.." He gulps, then continues. "I just.. I always.. I always feel so alone.. The wolf.. It always haunts my dreams.. And.. I can't ever escape it.."

Unable to do anything else, I stroke the back of his hand with my thumb, while wiping away his tears with my spare hand. I feel so damn useless. He needs someone to protect him, but I can't do that. I can't help him in his sleep..

But then again..

My mind jolts back to a few minutes back, when he had been stuck in a horrifying nightmare, and my presence had silenced it. Maybe.. Maybe if I stayed with him while he slept, he would be able to sleep peacefully..?

Without pausing to even consider what I was doing, I clambered over the top of Remus' figure, and lay with my back pressed against the wall. He flipped over in his bed, looking shocked.

"What are you doing?" He hissed.

"I'm gonna keep you safe while you're sleeping, Rem. I'm gonna protect you from the wolf."

I then reach over him and draw the curtains. He seems too tired to argue, just rolls his eyes then settles his head back down on the pillow. I wriggle my arm underneath his neck, and he snuggles sleepily against my chest. His hair tickles as he moves, making himself comfortable, then his breathing gets slower and heavier, and I realise he's fallen asleep in my arms. I wind my other arm around his waist, and lay my head above his on the pillow. I had slept like this with plenty of girls, but there was always bones sticking uncomfortably into me, or hair getting in my face. But like this with Remus.. I was totally relaxed, and so was he. I had never been so comfortable in my life. It was like we just fitted together, like a jigsaw puzzle.

"You're safe now.." I whispered to the top of his head softly, then allowed sleep to claim me too.