Chapter 2

Cold was beginning to creep in during the early months of October. The students of Hogwarts had already been at school for a little over a month.

Sirius was still sleeping upstairs, and Helen was in tears curled up in an armchair, facing the blazing fire. No one but Leigh had noticed her.

Helen had been reluctant to talk at first, but when she had started, the words just kept pouring from her mouth.

Flashback

Helen explained to Leigh half-heartedly

"It's just screwed up relationships in the past have made me so scared of this one. I know he's totally different but, I'm just scared that it'll happen again. It's this unending fear in the back of my mind." She had continued to spew her worries through sobs and a tear-stained face. "No matter how much I try to convince myself…I don't know. Ugh!" she had smiled trying to cover up her despair.

Leigh understood and told her that everything would be fine and that they would catch up later because she had to finish up some Herbology homework.

End Flashback

The heat was drying her tears in strange patterns across her rosy cheeks. Tears welled up in her eyes again as memories of her past echoed around her. The phantasms came to being as she drifted into restless sleep.

"What are you wearing?" a cold, harsh voice asked.

"My new top I bought." The answer came from a meek unfamiliar voice.

"And what color is it?"

"Pink." She said quietly.

"And what have I said about that color? I hate it! Didn't I say that?

"Yes, I'm sorry, really I…"

"Shut it! Did I not say I hated that color? Did I not say not to wear it?"

"Yes, you said that." Came Helen's voice, again unrecognizable to her own mind.

He hit her hard with the back of his hand across her right cheek.

Helen jolted in her sleep feeling nauseated. She remembered that incident very well, and it frequently came to her in her sleep. She remembered that top, and she'd loved it when she bought it. Pink was her color, no doubt. She'd planned on not letting him see it; and hiding it when he went through her belongings.

Helen hadn't planned on seeing him that day either. But he was there. After he'd hit her he marched her up to the dormitories for her to cover the hideous mark. While she was up there she put on a black shirt, which he much preferred and approved of.

Helen had come down again. He sent her back up to get the pink top. Once more she had come down the stairs, he grabbed the shirt.

"Do you like this pink shirt?"

Helen dared not respond 'yes', "No." she lied.

"Good." He stated maliciously as he threw it into the furious fire.

More tears made their way from her brown eyes, down her cheeks, and off of her perfect chin, and onto the black T-shirt she had worn that day he'd discovered her pink shirt. Helen hadn't bought one single pink thing since. The memory was viciously imprinted in her mind.

It was just one of the many abusive memories she faced everyday since she'd broken up with him. It didn't matter to him or her, Helen had suffered too much and he'd been cheating on her for three months at least.

Helen softly whispered, "I'll deal with the pain today, and the healing tomorrow." This had been a vague phrase to get her through everyday with that monster.

Helen felt someone close behind watching. As far as she knew, she was the only one in the common room. She turned to see Sirius standing at the threshold to the stairs, his hair disheveled, resembling a rat's nest, and yet still possessing that boyish charm that made him so cute, and a god to the girls who worshipped him.

"Oh! Hello Sirius." Helen said brightly as she discreetly dried her cheeks.

"Hey there darling." He said as he walked her way and bent over her, kissing the top of her head.

Sirius sat down next to her and held both of her hands, he looked deep into her eyes, almost as though he were searching for something.

She had the hardest time telling him she was fine, during these times, when he asked what was wrong. Sirius would get this strange look in his eyes, making Helen look down, unable to meet his curious gaze, for fear of crying and having to explain.

They both knew she was lying but neither pushed the matter further. Moreover, she was trying to convince herself that she was okay.

Sirius placed his left hand on her right cheek, and a small tremor ran through her body. It was the same cheek that had been struck so many times before. Helen looked up into his eyes.

"Helen," Sirius started and "I love you." Uttered from his lips.

She gently closed her eyes, feeling love in a relationship for the first time. She hadn't ever heard that before, except from her mum and dad.

She responded, "I love you too Sirius."

A/N: Read and Review. You see the button. You know you want to click it and type. I had a lot of deep stuff in this chapter. I promise (I hope) it'll get better. xoxoxo