Chapter 18 – Massacring a Ukelele

OoO

Another week later, and Izzie had been awake for a few minutes in total. Every time she woke up, she asked for Remus. The one time Sirius had witnessed it, she had opened her eyes for a few seconds, seeing his curly black hair, she muttered, Regulus, before her eyes fluttered shut again. Sirius looked at her shocked for a moment.

"It's because he was there." Remus said quietly from the other side of her bed. "He saved her."

"Yeah, I know." He said not looking up from the hand he was caressing. "Moony?" He said, looking up to one of his best friends. Remus hummed as he looked up from his book. "I'm sorry."

Remus frowned, closing the book in his lap. "Sorry? For what?"

"My reaction on the train, in the beginning of the school year. I'm so sorry, if I've had known..."

"But you didn't. You have nothing to apologise for, Pads. Nothing." He looked at his friend with a look that wasn't up for debate, and Sirius nodded slightly. "I'm happy you're here, you know." Sirius eyes widened a little. "I know I wasn't really excited when I figured out you liked her, and I don't know how she feels about you, but you seem to calm her in a way nobody can -"

"But you."

"Well, yeah. But somehow, it's different with you. I saw it, a few days ago. She was stirring again, her breathing became rapid but once you held her hand, it evened out within seconds. I don't know when that happened."

"To be honest... me neither." Sirius's voice was soft.

OoO

Sirius was grinning triumphantly as the ukelele flew down the girls' staircase. He had forgotten the name and tried to summon it as a tiny guitar and to his amusement it worked. He grabbed the ukelele out of the air, several people looked at him with bemused expressions. But he just darted out of the common room.

"Hey, love." He picked up Izzie's hand and kissed it softly. She was still asleep, and everyone was growing more nervous that she won't wake. He had heard Pomfrey talk about moving her to St. Mungo's. Dread and fear filled him with the thought of not seeing her every day, the thought that her father might find her there. "Don't be mad." He said, talking to her if she were awake. "But I nicked your guitar thingy from your room. I thought you might like the sound of it. I can't promise you I'm any good." He chuckled dryly. "But maybe it will guide you back." To me.

Okay, so it didn't sound good at all. Sirius was a disaster when it came to music, but still every night he sat in the hospital wing, trying to figure out how to play the blasted thing. He never was one to focus all his attention on his homework, but he was glad the teachers gave him some lenience right now. On the fourth day he was massacring the ukelele, Remus found out. He nearly pissed himself laughing. But still, it didn't stop him from 'playing'. It was almost three weeks now, and if she didn't wake before the fourth week, they would send her to St. Mungo's. 'Under protection.' The headmaster said. But neither Remus nor Sirius believed in it much. Even McGonagall was sceptical, even though she kept it to herself, but you could see it in her eyes.

"So, don't laugh, okay?" He asked the sleeping girl. "I asked Lily for the song you sang to me. And I want to play it for you. Fair warning, I'm not really good." He held the ukelele tight to his chest and focussed all his attention on the strings.

OoO

Izzie woke up at the sound of grumbling and false music notes on what sounded like her ukelele. But she knew in an instant who was grumbling near her. She smiled at the thought, her eyes still closed.

"You need a tutor." Her voice was rasp; her throat dry as the Sahara Desert.

She opened her eyes just in time to see Sirius topple out of her bed, his black long hair whisked in the air. Her bed? Sirius was in her bed? She started to hyperventilate.

"Hey, hey." Sirius clambered up quickly as her breathing became ragged. "You're okay. You're at the hospital wing in Hogwarts." He said as his hands wavered over her, afraid to touch her.

Then it all came flooding back. She remembered. She bolted up and gripped the front of Sirius shirt. "Reggie!"

"He's okay. He brought you here." He said, his hands still flat against his sides.

She let her hands go from his shirt. And with a relief breath, she leaned back against her pillows. "I'm thirsty."

Sirius made a nervous move to hand her the glass on her nightstand, almost letting it crash to the stone floor.

"Do I make you nervous, Black?" She teased; her voice still hoarse.

"You always make me nervous." He said, he avoided her eyes and touch as he handed her the glass of water. "Are you in pain?" He asked when she winced a little from her movements.

She offered him a little smile as she shook her head. She reached out for his hand and that seemed to be the invitation he needed, because he lunged forward. Stopping just in front of her before lowering his head on her shoulder.

"I thought – we thought we lost you." He murmured in her white hospital gown.

"I thought I was lost too." She said barely above a whisper.

Sirius lifted his head a little so he could look at her. "I was so scared." His eyes looked like they were filled with unshed tears. He leaned forward and gave her a feather light kiss on her cheek. The softest and most sweet kiss she has ever gotten. When he pulled back, she smiled, and her eyes sparkled.

"One." She lifted her index finger between them. Sirius chuckled softly, his face still so close, she could feel his warm breath on her.

"I'll go get Pomfrey. She needs to check up on you." He made a move to stand.

"No -" She grabbed his wrist. "Don't leave me alone." Her voice shook at the thought of being alone again.

There flashed something in Sirius eyes, but she was still too tired, too broken to see what it was. "Okay, I'll stay." He turned his hand until he was holding hers. "Let me just -" He tapped the end of her bed with a wand. And within seconds Pomfrey came bustling out of her office.

"Miss Miller." The healer gasped a little. "I need to check on her, Mr Black."

"I'll be just behind the corner." He squeezed her hand a little before letting go. "What about -"

"I already send for them, they'll be here soon." Pomfrey said without looking away from her. Izzie saw Sirius disappear behind the white curtain and she immediately felt nervous.

Madam Pomfrey was gentle with her as she casts every diagnostic spell on her that she could think of. She heard her mutter something on her breath.

"What?"

Pomfrey looked up from her with the tiniest of smiles. "I said if you didn't wake up on your own before the end of next week, we would have transferred you to Mungo's." Izzie stiffed because she knew her father had inside men all over the place. "It's okay, you don't have to go." She patted her hand softly. "We need to determine your state of mind, do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"No, but -" She was just going to ask if Sirius could come back when she heard the doors slam against the wall.

Pomfrey swiftly disappeared behind the curtains, while Sirius slipped back in. And immediately a smile appeared on her lips. She reached for him, and he took her hand eagerly, sitting down on the chair next to her bed instead of sitting in the bed with her like earlier.

"I know you are all excited to see her, but please!" Pomfrey huffed.

"Sorry." Several voices muttered.

"If you can all calm down, you can see her." She said while she pushed open the curtains.

"Izzie!" Remus gasped, reaching for her carefully, just as she whispered his name. "Remus."

She let go of Sirius to wrap her arms around her best friend, nuzzling her nose in his neck. The familiar and safe scent calmed her in no time. They hugged for a while, but nobody interrupted, when he pulled back, he cradled her face in his hands.

"You know who I am?" He asked carefully.

Izzie frowned. Of course, she knew who he was. "You're my boyfriend. I remember that night in fourth yea-"

Remus quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, shocked. Sirius next to her had scooted back, his face was blank. Then she started laughing, loudly.

"That's - that's not funny." Remus said with a frown, but his lips involuntarily twitched up.

"I can't even make a joke?" She asked as she saw all the serious faces.

"Iz." Remus said taking her hand in his as he sat down on the edge of her bed. "When your father -" He swallowed. "We didn't know if your mind was in the right place. Regg- Regulus said -"

"Where is he?" She interrupted, scanning the faces. But she only saw Remus, Sirius, James, Lily and Pomfrey.

"He'll be here any minute, dear." Pomfrey smiled. "He had a meeting with Professor Slughorn."

"Oh, okay." She turned back to Remus. "I'm sorry."

Remus engulfed her back in a hug. "I'm sorry. I should have never let you go."

"You couldn't have stopped him nor did you father." She looked over his shoulder to Lily, who was tucked under the arm of James. And she decided to turn the conversation around. "When did that happen?" She hid a smirk.

Lily turned bright red and ducked away from James's arm. James just grinned as he wrapped his arms over his chest.

"Nothing happened." Lily spluttered.

"Yet." James still grinned and Lily glared at him. She whipped her red hair over her shoulder as she came over. Sirius vacated his seat to let her pass. Izzie wasn't watching Lily though, her eyes followed Sirius until he stopped next to James. Relieved he was staying, she turned back to Lily.

OoO

Five minutes later, Reg came running in. He stopped at the end of her bed, next to James. He was breathing hard and looked her up and down, not quite believing she was awake. He looked frozen at the spot. Izzie let her legs slip from the bed and Remus and Sirius were already by her side.

"Don't! You just woke up."

"I'm fine." She waved their concerns away, but her legs trembled when she stood. Remus and Sirius looped their arms through hers.

"Isabelle." Regulus came forward hesitantly. "You've been unconscious for three weeks." He walked closer, he stilled a little when his arms brushed against Remus.

"Three weeks." She murmured with a frown. "Well, then I should really get out of bed. Otherwise, everyone will think I'm lazy." She joked. She saw a glimmer of a smile on Reggie's lips.

"Oh, Isabelle." He wrapped her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. "When I saw you at the party." He said quietly. "I was so scared."

"You're my hero, Reg, don't forget that." Regulus hair tickled her nose. Her face was buried in his chest, so she didn't see anyone move. But could hear Remus and Sirius shuffle away.

"Let's give them a moment." She heard Remus say and a few seconds later, the door of the infirmary closed.

Reg moved until they were both sitting on the bed, still in each other's arms. Then Regulus started crying. She pulled him further in her bed until they were lying down and he cried on her chest. She just stroked his hair softly. "It's okay, Reg."

"No! I – I should've saved you sooner! You were – you were -" He couldn't finish the sentence and cried even harder. "Your uncle."

"You saved me, Reg. Without you, I wouldn't be here. You and Remus, you two save me."

Regulus was clutching at her like she was his lifeline. She just held him closer to her chest, both of her arms were wrapped around him. As her fingers combed through his hair, he fell asleep. Madam Pomfrey came over carrying a tray of vials.

"Madam Pomfrey." She said in a hushed voice as she put her hand on her stomach.

"It's okay, dear. I gave you something when you got here. There won't be any surprises." She said in gentle voice. Izzie nodded her head as tears started to fall. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you. But you never have to go back there. Your friends are going to make sure of it, and even if they didn't, I would never let it happen."

"Thank you."

She gave her a sad smile. "Now, drink this all up. You are still healing." The healer heard her stomach grumble, but she was too upset to care. "I'll get you some food too." She patted her leg and sauntered off. Izzie glanced down at the younger boy on her chest with a sad but grateful smile.