Assignment 3

Etymology Words from the Gods

Task 4: Hell (Hel - Norse Goddess of the Underworld) Dialogue - "I feel like hell, nothing new."

WC: 1035

Summary: Remus recovers from the full moon in the Hospital Wing. Sirius is there to comfort him.

It was a morning like any other he would experience after the night of a full moon. Well, that's what he thought as he stirred, waking up from the nightmare that was reality. Remus would never get used to this, no matter how many times he turned. No matter how many nights he suffered. It seemed to get worse, not better.

He didn't know how to fix it.

Remus groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sat up in the Hospital Wing bed. His eyes were still closed, he was still half asleep as he reached for his book. Reading always helped him – reading helped him to escape the real world, just for a little while, and that was all he needed.

"You choose a book over talking to me? You must really not like me."

Startled, Remus woke up properly, knowing exactly who's voice the beautiful, sarcastic tones belonged to. He didn't do very well at hiding his flushed cheeks, as he finally noticed one Sirius Black sitting on the chair next to his bed. Sirius was sitting comfortably, as though he had been there a long time, and if that wasn't enough, what made Remus's heart skip a beat was Sirius's warm smile.

Remus let out a nervous chuckle, closing his book and leaving it on his lap, he smiled sheepishly. "Sirius? What are you doing here?" he couldn't help but ask, wondering why one of his best friends was here with him, instead of with James and Peter in the dormitory, fast asleep like a normal person at six in the morning.

"Checking how you're feeling, seeing how you are doing after, well... And I'm here for moral support," Sirius answered, softly.

Even though his heart was beating heavily and he was trying his best not to show how he was feeling, for the simple fact that Sirius was here, especially for him, Remus was reminded as to why he was here in the first place. He groaned, banging his head against the bed rest, giving Sirius a tired smile in return. It was the best he could do at the moment.

"I feel like hell, nothing new," Remus said, sighing. "How long have you been here for?" he asked, curiously.

"I couldn't sleep, so I wandered over here at about four in the morning. Not long after Madam Pomfrey brought you in," Sirius answered, honestly.

Remus's eyes widened, his mouth opening only to close it again. Sirius had been here for hours! His cheeks flushed red, his heart beating heavily as he tried to process what Sirius had just told him. Why? Why had Sirius been here since the crack of dawn? Why had he been sleeping in the very uncomfortable chairs of the Hospital Wing? Just to see if he was alright? It didn't make sense.

"Do you need anything?" Sirius asked, breaking the silence.

If Remus didn't know any better, he'd say Sirius was nervous. The hands shaking by the side of his legs, along with the anxious tone Remus recognised in Sirius's voice, were dead giveaways. He knew him too well. Five years of living in the same dormitory, of living with the fact that he had a crush on Sirius, of trying to hide his preference to who he wanted to date out of his friends.

Did Sirius feel the same?

Remus snorted inwardly, knowing that thought was too ridiculous to even delve into further.

"I, erm... No, just you –" Remus replied without thinking, and his eyes widened as he realised what he had said. He's breathing quickened when Sirius moved the chair closer to his bed with a wide smirk on his face, raising his eyebrows at Remus. The smuggest look Remus had ever seen rested on Sirius's face.

"I - I mean, er. You being here is just fine, thank you," Remus stuttered out, much to his embarrassment.

"Just fine?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows raised higher. "Well, if it's just fine, I might go…" he trailed off dramatically, getting up to leave.

Remus furrowed his eyebrows together worriedly, "No!" he called out louder than he had intended, knowing his blush was deepening as Sirius sat back down, his smirk even wider, if that was even possible.

Remus folded his arms across his chest, frowning deeply, glaring at Sirius as he started chuckling to himself. "You weren't going to leave, were you?" he asked begrudgingly.

Sirius laughed harder as he shook his head., "No, I'd never leave you alone. Not after last night," he said, his laughter dying down. "You have scars on your cheeks, Remy. You were screaming and thrashing as they brought you in. It's never been that bad before, has it?" Sirius questioned, nothing but care and worry in his voice.

Remus moved his hand to bring it up to his cheek. He grimaced, wincing with pain as his fingers ran across his scars. "It hasn't… I'm sorry, Siri."

His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest as Sirius held onto his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. Remus glanced at Sirius with guilt in his eyes.

"Don't apologise –"

"- you shouldn't have had to see that. I can't imagine what that was like…"

"Remy, don't apologise for something you don't have control over."

Remus stared at Sirius for what felt like an eternity. For so long that Sirius raised an eyebrow and waved his hands in front of Remus's face.

"Hello, Earth to Remus?"

Remus blinked a few times, before holding both of Sirius's hands, and pulling him in for a passionate, but gentle first kiss.

After a few minutes of sparkles and fireworks, they broke apart, both not wanting to move away from each other, their foreheads resting against each other, as Remus smiled brightly.

"You like me."

"The world has ended!" Sirius responded, being his over dramatic self. "Remy finally notices my flirting and longing stares –"

"Shut up!"

"Make me."