An odd sensation filled Sirius's gut; he sat up and stared at the door. Just knowing she was on the other side, dreaming peacefully; intoxicated him. I could just look, looking never hurt, she's probably already asleep, no harm in just one peek; she's probably gorgeous while she's dreaming…his mind reasoned.
He cracked the door open slightly, and that sensation in his gut, became increasingly worse. Alder crouched around Gwynne; she struggled against his grasp wildly. Her eyes became wide with pleading as she saw Sirius.
Sirius roared, his wand held out intimidatingly. Sparkes flew wildly from his wand as he waved it about madly. He had somehow stunned Alder, who now leaned against the wall in fear.
Sirius threw his wand to the floor and leapt at the man. Red was all Sirius could see, "Bastard!" he screamed, throwing agonizing blows to the pitiful man, who was now on the floor.
Gwynne had never seen such fury in a man. She ran from the bed trying to shake and grab at Sirius's shoulders as he continued the beating. She would not allow Sirius to become a murderer.
Sirius could hear Gwynne's voice in the distance calling him, her frightened tone was then all he could hear, the pathetic man in front of him slipped from his mind completely.
He turned around and Gwynne stood there, tears staining her beautiful face, begging Sirius to stop. He did the only thing he could think of and held her shaking form to him. Alder began to stand; he wiped a hand across his mouth, cleaning away the blood.
When Sirius saw the man was standing he threw Gwynne behind him protectively.
"I swear to Merlin if you ever touch her again I will kill you!" he bellowed at the man, "Go!" he then shouted, when Alder wasn't moving fast enough to his liking.
The door slammed shut, and Gwynne's sobbing face fell against his heaving chest.
He pulled her shaking form to him as tight as possible; one hand fell around her waist holding her to him while the other stoked her hair soothingly.
"Oh Gwynne…" he croaked. Gwynne's mind was blank; the only thing she could do as sobs racked through her body was reminisce in Sirius's masculine scent. His bare chest warmed her to her very core.
He let go of her and reality and all her fears returned.
He took her and led her to the bed, gently forcing her to lay down in it. Gwynne lay there looking up at him in confusion. His hand fell to stroke her cheek gently and as he turned to leave Gwynne's hand grasped his wrist.
Her eyes were pleading, "Please, don't go, I …"
He just nodded and walked around to the other side of the bed. He sat down and she turned over to look straight into his eyes. She pulled the blankets aside offering him room to lie under the bedspread.
He lay stiffly as her frail frame faced him. Her eyes; still wet; roamed over his half bare form. He noticed a familiar glint in her eyes but could not place the emotion behind it.
Her hands then covered her face as she wept silently into them. "I'm a sniveling fool" she muttered into them.
Sirius could no longer resist the urge to hold her and pulled her weeping body to rest next to his.
She burrowed herself into him; nuzzling his shoulder slightly. And together they drifted away into a world far away from their troubles.
As Gwynne awoke she realized Sirius's arms held her to him protectively, she couldn't help but smile.
She reached her hand to stroke his cheek, his light stubble ticking her hand. Her fingers traced his jaw and a smirk appeared on his still sleeping face.
"Gwynne…" he murmured nestling closer to her.
"Sirius, Sirius…" she whispered gripping his shoulder. Giving it a little shake his eyes fluttered open, instantly fixing onto hers.
His mouth opened but then shut, unable to find words. "We, we should be leaving" she whispered. Sirius nodded and reluctantly let her slip from his grasp.
She stood and ventured over to the window. Cracking open the dusty shutters, the grey misted morning illuminated her entire being.
Sirius's mind went blank, Dear Merlin, have mercy on me…he thought.
Gwynne's crème slip clung to her revealing a splendor Sirius could swear he had never seen on a woman.
"What?" she asked smirking.
"Nothing…"Sirius's voice squeaked as he steadied his gaze to her feet.
They then began preparing for the days walk up to the castle. When they were ready they slowly snuck out of the Hogshead. Everyone still seemed to be sleeping and the made their way through the misty streets of Hogsmeade.
Gwynne grasped Sirius's cloak as they ventured through the dense fog.
They passed under an archway, entering Hogwart's outer grounds. The sound of shuffling was heard behind them. But before Gwynne could turn around, a large shape tackled Sirius from her grasp and to the ground.
She screamed as Sirius fought off the man. Gwynne pulled out her wand, and with a shaking hand pointed it at the attacker.
Words never came and suddenly a flash of silver caught her eye. Sirius fell to the ground clutching his side, blood seeping onto the cold damp ground.
The man turned to face her, revealing himself, Alder…
She steadied her hand, "Expelliarmus!" she cried as his wand flew from his pocket.
"Locomotor Mortis!" she yelled, immediately then screaming "Conjunctivitis!"
The fallen Alder screamed in pain grabbing at his useless eyes. Gwynne felt faint, she ran to Sirius's side, his eyes pleaded with her, as he breathed her name through labored breathes.
"No, no no…" she cried. "Help, please someone help!" she screamed. Please, don't die, Merlin please! "Please, someone!"
Her vision filled with a radiance of crimson and gold as her body fell limp upon Sirius's.
Memorable noises filled Gwynne's senses as she lay in the dark of herself. What are those sounds, so familiar.
Her eyes opened to reveal a crackling fire, consumed within a large marble hearth.
She lay in a large bed, covered in soft, feather filled coverlets of ivories and crèmes. The cool evening air blew through white lace curtains as a grandmother clock ticked away on its primly chiseled feet.
Her eyes turned to the beautiful armoire, covered in elaborate carvings. A mirror stood on its door and she saw her self. She was dressed in a simple white nightgown, her slip and dress now gone. The new dress draped across her shoulders lazily, only stopping to cover her bosom.
Her hair's old shine and luster had returned to it, as her black curls bounced like they did when she was a girl. Her cheeks were no longer as pale and were covered in a rosy glow; accentuating her now cherry tinted lips.
She looked as she did 15 years ago, when she was happy…
Her memories came flooding back to her, and she felt anything but happy, but she also felt an urge to find Sirius, to know whether he was well or if he was dead like she thought she was.
Meanwhile, Sirius found himself waking with a feeling of wooziness. Upon sitting up a pain ripped through his side and he winced and fell back.
A pallid cotton shirt lay open on him revealing his chest and a wrapping of bandages around his middle. He then remembered being assaulted, Gwynne's horrified face, and the glorious aura around her as she was the last thing he saw before giving into the darkness.
He needed to get to her, ignoring his pain, he pushed the lush blankets off of himself and swung his legs over the side of the king sized bed. It was surrounded by four posters, holding up a crimson velvet canopy above him.
His bare feet hit the cold wooden floor and he stumbled catching himself on a dresser. He hobbled through the rest of the large room towards the door.
Gwynne sat up, she could hear sounds from beyond the room.
"Who, who is there…" she called erratically.
The door creaked open slowly revealing an indescribably different looking Sirius.
"Gwynne! You're alright, thank Merlin," he cried running to her bed, his step faltering slightly on the way.
He looked, well, younger, his hair seemed to have been brushed and his face shaven. Even his teeth seemed brighter as he beamed at her.
He sat down next to her and without hesitation pulled her to him, tightly, and when he pulled back slightly, his lips grazed her forehead lightly.
He breathed deeply, filling his senses with the smell of her which he would always cherish; apples and pine.
"Where are we?" she whispered to him. He looked around her white oriented room,
"Heaven perhaps?" he asked grinning, his eyes dazzling as they stared at her while he spoke.
"Maybe we're in Hogwarts…yes, that must be it" she stated.
Sirius nodded and took her hand, leading her out of the bed.
"There is only one way to find out."
Sirius held his arm out and Gwynne willingly linked hers arm around his. They made their way through the dark corridors. Passing through many halls and glancing in many rooms, they finally heard voices coming from a room at the end of a long hallway.
As they neared the door, they could see it was left slightly open, allowing them to peek into the room. A fire roared within a large hearth, heavy velvet curtains ordained the entire room while intricately designed carpets covered the wooden floors.
A strongly built man, dressed in various golds and crimsons with handsome features and merry eyes stood near the fireside staring into the fire listening to the soft melody being played.
He turned to a woman lounging on a burgundy chaise, reading intently. Her deep blue eyes were engrossed in the text and her fair features were surrounded by her long dark auburn tresses. She was ordained in satins and silks of in various colors of blues and purples, her entire being dripped of gem and jewels of bronze, amethysts and sapphires.
Her eyes darted up from her reading as the music stopped. "Sainte Marie viergene, perhaps this time, Helga?" she requested pleasantly then returning to her book.
The requested composition began to play and Sirius's eyes followed the tune to the instrumentalist.
There sat a woman dressed in a gown the color of pure sunshine, a great golden harp rested on her shoulder as she plucked the strings melodiously. Her honey golden locks were wrapped up into intricate buns, yet some small curls cascaded down her back.
The blonde bearded man's gaze to the doorway where Gwynne and Sirius stood. "An answer to your inquiry from before Rowena," He said and the reading woman looked up "and what is that Godric?" she replied.
"…they're awake." he answered.