-1Disclamer: I OWN EVERYTHING! I OWN THE WORLD! SLAP Ok, I don't, but a girl can dream right?!

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Hospital Ward
(Five days before Christmas Eve)

I woke up sometime the next morning, quite comfortably. It seemed that someone had covered me in a blanket the previous night and removed my shoes. I took in a breath of the cold air, and instead got a different smell. Egg.

Eggs is more what it smelled like, and bacon. I opened my eyes and looked around. Beside me was a tray full of food. It had bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fresh fruit. As I turned over to my side a little more, I remembered where I was. Remus was in the bed next to me, still unconscious. I looked past him a ways to the other side of his bed. There was a crumpled heap, lying face down in the blanket on the bed. Sirius. He was asleep face down beside Remus. He must have covered me sometime during the night.

I thought it better not to wake him for the time being, he needed rest. In fact, I don't think he had slept since the night it all started. It was my turn to take care of him. I put a warming spell on the food to keep it hot, and covered Sirius in a blanket. Then I left to take a shower.

After I had finished, I went to my dorm room to change and collect a few things. I took my favorite books, and some unfinished homework. I put them in my bag and started back to the hospital wing.

When I got there, Sirius was gone. The blanket lay folded on my bed. I could hear soft whispers from James's curtain, and I knew where he was. The food lay untouched where I had left it, the heating charm still intact. I set my bag down on my self-appointed bed and went over to the curtain. I noticed Sirius was spending more and more time in there. I don't think it was necessarily because he favored James, but because the curtain could separate him from the rest of the world. I quietly slipped through the curtain and to James's bedside. Sirius looked up at me.

"Hey," he said, wiping his eyes, "Where did you go?"

"Just to take a shower and to get a few things."

"Oh."

"Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you need to go anywhere, get anything?"

"No, I'm good."

"Are you sure, because I'll stay with them, I promise."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe I just leave for a little while."

"Ok. I promise I'll be right here."

"Hey Lils?"

"Huh?"

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Sirius shot one more saddened look at James, then left through the curtain, leaving me with James. I heard him walk slowly away. Then I turned to James.

"You're the luckiest guy in the world," I said quietly, smoothing his hair, "To have a friend like that. I envy you."

I sat by his side for a few minutes longer, and then retreated to my bed to get a book. I tried to read, but my eyes kept wandering to Remus's bed, or to James's curtain. I couldn't concentrate on the story. I eventually gave up and stared out the window.

Before I knew it, there was a noise from behind the door. In came Sirius, his arms filled with various items. "Hey, a hand here!" he said hurriedly, swaying under the weight of the load. As serious as the mood was in the hospital wing at that moment, I couldn't help but laugh at him. I rushed over to him and took half of his load, dumping it on the nearest bed.

"What is all this?" I asked smiling.

"Well," pushing the hair out of his eyes, "I thought we could keep ourselves busy while we're here. I mean you've got your books, and I don't really read. So I figured I'd keep myself busy."

I smiled and looked at what he'd brought down. There was wizard's chess, various prank comic books, and lots of paper and drawing papers. Sirius was a really great drawer. He could draw anything, anywhere, it was amazing.

"I'll play you at wizard's chess," I said, sitting down on the bed. I knew that was his favorite game. I saw a glint of a smile on his lips.

"Um..," He glanced over at James's curtain, "Sure, why not?"

He sat down on the bed beside me, and took out the chess board. We played for about ten minutes before I'd gotten him in a checkmate. Twenty minutes later, he'd lost again. I had thought about letting him win at least once, to cheer him up, but then decided against it when he hexed my chess knight to do the chicken dance. I think keeping his mind on something else but guilt and pain did him good. I swear I saw a hint of the old, carefree Sirius underneath his glazed eyes. It was refreshing to have something almost normal for a change.

"Hey, as you're obviously beating me here, what do you say we go and get something to eat?" As he spoke, I realized that I hadn't eaten since the full moon. It was only then I felt my stomach grow for the first time.

"Yeah. Sure." I said putting away the chess board, which I think Sirius was grateful for (considering I'd beat him three times in a row).

As we headed down to the Great Hall, I noticed that Sirius had lightened up a bit. He seemed to want to keep his mind off of recent events. I think it did him a lot of good to get out of the hospital wing for a while. I think it did us both a lot of to be out of that place for a while.

We arrived at the Great Hall just in time for supper. It was still in the normal setting as it would be for a regular school day. All the house tables were there, even though there were only about three people at each table. The staff table was relatively full however, and they all seemed to notice as Sirius and I entered.

Sirius also seemed to notice all the attention we were receiving. He noticeably stiffened at my side. He made to turn around and leave, but I pushed him forward. At the staff table, Dumbledore smiled kindly at us, which seemed to help Sirius relax a little.

We quietly took some seats at the end of the Gryffindor table. There were only about five others at the table further down. About halfway down was a group of fourth year girls, staring at us with great interest, and further was a fifth year couple who didn't seem to notice anyone else in the room but each other.

"Are you alright?" I asked, as Sirius stared down at the table.

"Yeah, I just want to eat and get out of here, that's all." He said. I could tell he wasn't comfortable around other people just yet. "I want to be there when they wake up, that's all."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I said sadly.

Dumbledore clapped his hands and food appeared on the tables. We piled the food on our plates. We took more than anyone, considering we hadn't eaten anything in two days. I filled my plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, while Sirius filled up on cake and pudding.

"You're going to make yourself sick eating like that." I said as I stared at him with amusement.

He just grinned mischievously, "Pass me the pie please."
We laughed for awhile, then became consumed in our plates. Sirius kept glancing around at the others in the room, as they were staring at us constantly, even some of the teachers. He seemed uncomfortable, and I was beginning to share in that feeling. Dumbledore seemed to notice all the attention we were receiving, and looked at us apologetically. I looked up at Sirius, he nodded. We slowly got up, and exited the Great Hall, completely aware of the eyes staring at our backs.

"Well, that could have went better," I said as we climbed the staircases, on our way back to the hospital wing.

Sirius was staring at his feet, he remained silent.

"Hey, maybe they've woken up by now." I said, trying to break the silence.

Sirius stayed quiet.

"Um…….so what do you want to do when we get back?" I said, desperate to get some kind of reaction from him.

He merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Damn it Sirius! What's wrong?"

A/N: Ok guys, I'm sorry this chapter is so boring, but I need some in between to get to the good stuff right? Yep..

Manager: I am so sorry it has taken me ages but, you know, it slipped my mind and the author im going to beg to help with her own story...

the show must go on!