Chapter 10: Exhaustion
Lexie hated these dreams, almost as much as she hated her dreams of the time she had spent with Celine. At least in those dreams she was bound to wake up soon after they had begun, even if she did wake up panicked.
No the dreams that she had begun to refer to as "photo dreams" were the worst. Not because they were horrid, mostly because they were incredibly boring. Imagine looking at a photograph of a single person for several minutes without looking away or even blinking. Lexie was staring at a photo of Sirius yet again, the first "photo dream" she had since arriving at Hogwarts and it was of someone she saw every day.
The only time Lexie really found the dreams somewhat interesting was when she came across someone new, someone she hadn't seen before, but she had seen Sirius so many times in her dreams that she just couldn't pick out anything new about him. He looked exactly the same, maybe a little older, but not by much.
His hair was the same glossy black and was brushed back from his face making him look more pampered than he was when he normally rushed to the Great Hall late for breakfast. His grey eyes were still the same liquid silver with flecks of steel blue in them. His cheekbones still high giving him a more regal look. Lexie practically sighed with boredom. The setting wasn't even interesting. He was just sitting in the common room doing nothing.
Lexie rarely had dreams where the subjects were actually doing something interesting, but on occasion when she did she would practically jump with joy. Well in her mind she would at least, not like she actually managed the task while sleeping. Finally, the image of Sirius began to flicker and Lexie waited for the new photo to take its place.
Great, this one was of Remus and it was just as exciting as the last. His amber eyes, light scars across his face, and sandy hair wasn't anything new. Lexie could almost feel her eyes roll behind her lids. She hated these nights, the nights filled with these dreams. She always awoke as if she hadn't slept at all, almost as if she was awake the entire time and was sorting through the photos awake. Lexie groaned internally, yes, it was going to be a ridiculously long night.
After what felt like years of seeing photos of her classmates, her professors, and a few adults she didn't know, Lexie felt her eyelids flicker open and squinted from the pale light streaming into the dormitory. Her roommates were still sleeping and Lexie was tempted to try and sleep the remaining half hour before everyone would begin to get ready for the day but figured it would just make her even more exhausted. Groaning she made her way to the showers where she tried to overcome the heaviness that was resting on her eyelids. The hot water only lulled her further into exhaustion.
Lexie wandered through the wall of moisture her shower had created and wiped away some of the moisture condensed on the mirror. Her face was paler than normal but had at least filled out a little from all the hearty food the Great Hall had to offer.
Her hair was still the dark brown scraggly disaster it had been before Hogwarts, the castle may be full of magic but the water wasn't and it still had that unkempt look to it – no doubt a combination from Celine pulling on it, the weeks without bathing, and washing it with bar soap at the orphanage. She would never have shiny hair that flowed over her shoulders like the other girls.
Lexie had to laugh when she saw just how uneven her fringe was, one of the girls at the orphanage had wanted to "practice" cutting hair and Lexie just happened to be napping in the same room at the time. At least it had grown out and now reached below her eyebrows and could be swept to the side.
Lexie still had her high cheekbones and was thankful they looked a little less sharp from all the malnourishment she had suffered from. Sadly, she was still a little frail looking with her small frame and defined bone structure, although she was happy with the improvements, maybe by the time summer arrived she would look normal. She never would achieve that growth spurt and would probably remain short. She was easily one of the shortest girls in her year.
Finally, Lexie stared into her own eyes, from a glance they were just plain brown, but closer up they had flecks of green and gold in them around the irises that shifted with different lighting. Having seen enough Lexie left the steamy bathroom and went to get ready for what would no doubt be an exhausting day.
Lexie stumbled down to the common room deciding to wait until the boys arrived so they could head to breakfast. She sunk into one of the plush armchairs and groaned again not looking forward to a day of classes.
Lexie entered an almost comatose state as she tried to keep her lids open staring at a scrunched up ball of parchment on the floor. She didn't even notice the boys thunder down the stairs and it wasn't until she felt something warm and heavy crushing her that she even looked up from the floor.
Lexie was met with the same silver eyes she had spent ages looking at in her dream, too tired to shove Sirius off her lap she simply whined "Siriussssss offfff."
The boys guaffed as Sirius ignored her plea and flung his arm around her shoulders, "But Lex, you make such a lovely chair!"
"Arrrrggghhhhh," she moaned again as she started losing all sensations in her lower limbs, "I mean it, offffff."
Lexie pushed at him weakly, he didn't budge and instead reached up and ruffled her uneven fringe "Someone's in a bad mood today," he taunted but stopped when he noticed a scar along her hairline he had never seen before that he had partially uncovered when he had mussed up her hair.
He pushed her hair aside more, "Whoa Lex, wicked cool scar! How'd you get it?"
Lexie shoved at him more as needles and pins began to buzz their way down her legs, Sirius noticed her meek attempts, "Oh right, sorry," he said finally extracting himself from her lap.
The other three boys were now staring at her forehead as well admiring the jagged scar that ran from the side of her forehead and underneath the hair by her ear across her temple. They couldn't even tell where it ended, but stared at it wide-eyed.
"Stop gaping at me you fools, you'll catch flies," she sighed too tired to snap at them. Lexie reached up and tried to straighten out her fringe, which was now sticking up thanks to Sirius.
They all closed their mouths but still stared at the spot where the scar had been exposed. Lexie sighed, talking about the past was not how she wanted to begin the day and she was determined to keep it that way.
"Just an accident when I was younger, nothing important. Are you reading for breakfast?" she asked.
Sirius frowned when he picked up her reluctance to talk about her scar but nodded and they all made their way to the Great Hall.
The boys immediately broke into joke mode and were laughing, but Lexie was too tired to even try and pay attention to their banter. After taking a bite of toast and feeling nauseous, she gave up and settled on just resting her forehead against the table's cool surface.
"Lex are you okay? You really aren't looking too good," said Sirius noticing her slumped over figure.
Lexie just groaned in response.
"Maybe we should take her to the Hospital Wing?" suggested Remus looking at her concerned. "It's not like her to pass up breakfast and she's looking really pale."
"I'm right here, no need to talk about me like I'm not," she groaned in what she hoped was a menacing tone but came out more pained as her head throbbed from lack of sleep.
Glancing at each other and nodding, Sirius and Remus both grabbed one of her arms and hauled her in a standing position. Not expecting the sudden change in position, Lexie felt her head spin and tried to keep the contents of her stomach inside her body, he dreams had never left her feeling this weak before.
"Come on Lex, we're bringing you to the Hospital Wing. You can at least get some rest there," said Sirius tightening his grasp around her elbow.
"Too far," Lexie muttered trying to sit back down but they wouldn't allow it.
Lexie just let them take you, you really aren't looking very well," added James from across the table concerned.
"Here, I'll even carry you," offered Sirius, "Hop on my back."
"No hopping, I don't think my stomach would appreciate it."
"Here, I'll help," said Remus as he gently picked her up bridal style while Sirius crouched over allowing Lexie to be placed on his back. She meekly wrapped her arms around his shoulders while her legs wrapped around his body.
"Wow Lex, you're light for as much as you eat."
"Shuddup," she muttered irritably.
"There's the Lex we know and love, smart ass comebacks and all," said Sirius reassured.
Sirius and Remus left the Great Hall while Lexie dosed on his back.
Remus looked at her his face laced with concern, "I'm kind of worried about her, she really doesn't look good today. I mean she's normally pale and she's always been thin, but she looks almost translucent today."
"I'm sure Pomfrey will fix her right up, maybe she's just catching something. She did look really tired in the common room."
"Yes and I'm sure you sitting on her really helped things," said Remus smiling.
Sirius suddenly stopped, "Oh Merlin, you don't think I made her ill by sitting on her do you?"
Remus snorted, "No Sirius, I don't think so."
Sirius breathed a sigh of relief and they continued their way to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey was a middle-aged woman and when she saw Lexie on Sirius' back she immediately assumed the worst seeing the girl's complexion, "Oh my what in Merlin's name happened to her? Set her down here," she said gesturing to one of the empty beds with crisp sheets.
"We think she's just catching a cold, she ate hardly anything this morning and she's normally not one to turn away food," said Remus as Sirius gently laid her sleeping figure down on the bed.
Lexie stirred but didn't awaken while Pomfrey felt her forehead, "Well she is a tad warm. I'll go get some potions that should fix her right up."
"Perhaps you can let her stay and rest? I don't think she slept much last night," added Sirius having noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
"Of course, you're such kind boys bringing her here," she said wandering away to grab some potions.
She returned with a couple bottles, "As much as I hate to wake her, she does need to take these. One of them is Dreamless Sleep so at least she'll go right back to bed."
Sirius and Remus approached Lexie and gently shook her awake, she opened her groggy eyes and blinked up at them, "Where am I?"
"Hospital Wing," said Remus, "Here Lexie, take these and you can sleep again."
Before Lexie could even interpret his words Madam Pomfrey had already shoved both potions down her throat causing her to cough and scrunch up her face from the bitter taste, "Ugh, those are dreadful."
"Most potions are," said Pomfrey, however Lexie didn't hear her as she was already drifting off to sleep again.
"Now you two, off to class, you don't want to be late."
"Can't I stay here until she wakes up?" asked Sirius.
"Absolutely not, I don't need two nuisances running around, now out," she replied sternly herding them towards the doors.
Once they a few inches outside she shut the doors right in their faces.
"One minute we're kind boys and the next we're nuisances," muttered Sirius glaring at the doors.
"Are you saying you aren't a nuisance Sirius?" said Remus grinning as he began walking to Transfiguration.
"Why of course not Remus!" said Sirius grinning back, "I'm such a kind boy!"
Remus snorted, "Yeah you're just an angel."
"I don't like your tone Mr. Lupin, no need to be sarcastic."
"Are you telling me you weren't the one who somehow filled Filch's boots with slugs?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sirius tried to say innocently but failing to conceal a smile.
"Mhm, sure you don't. Just like you have no idea how the Slytherins ended up belching the entire school song last week at dinner."
"Okay, now that you have to admit was quite funny," said Sirius grinning.
Remus couldn't hold back his smile and just shook his head as they reached Transfiguration just as the final bell rang.