Winterverse Chapter 2: Safe & Sound, a harry potter fanfic

I meant to write Luna/Sev next but, then this tiny moment happened. Short, sweet, angsty, friendship.

I don't blame you for quitting

I know you really tried

If only you could hang on through the night

Cause I don't want to be lonely

I don't want to be scared

And all our friends are waiting there

Until you're safe and sound

There's beauty in release

There's no one left to please but you and me…

Safe & Sound

By May

The sounds haunted her dreams, most nights. The snorting and heavy breathing, the scuffles of paws on dry ground, even the smell seemed like something tangible, all sweat and earth and slobber and rotting meat in rotting teeth and claws and blood. And the howling, always the howling, ringing in her ears until long after she'd woken up screaming from her nightmares. It was a torment, now that she wasn't letting herself slip into her other personality, into the personality that had been Fenrir's mate. She was Sophie. She wasn't Felia, not now that Fenrir was locked away in Azkaban. She was Sophie and that was good, she needed to learn how to be Sophie again. But Sophie was hurting, Sophie was broken, Sophie had nightmares.

She was always there too, though, when Sophie woke up. The ghost had followed her here, had followed her to the shelter. After all, a ghost was the best friend a werewolf could have. Even during a full moon, she was in no danger. The ghost had died in the war, and thus, hated the other girls in the house Sophie lived in, the girls who hadn't fought back. But Ginny Weasley had been firm, if the ghost didn't behave and stop haunting the others, she'd have her exorcised, and what help would she be to Sophie then? And so the ghost kept quiet, drifting around the halls, humming old muggle pop songs to herself. Until she heard Sophie screaming.

"Sophie," the ghost of Mel Spinks would hover by the werewolf's bed, wishing she could put her arms around her best friend from school. But Sophie did not mind that Mel was intangible, not one bit. Crying in the dark, Mel was the only person Sophie wanted to see in the world.

"Melly-Mel," Sophie sniffed, wrapping her arms around her knees, looking up at the forever perfect, blonde, and young image of her friend, forever wearing her Hogwarts uniform. She was starting to remember again, what it had been like when they were schoolgirls. The way they had fancied boys and pop stars, their short-lived matchmaking service, the way they'd always been the most fashionable girls in Hogwarts. The werewolf cracked a little smile, the scars on her face not so obvious when she did. "You look mervy-fab."

"Always will!" The ghost said brightly, forcing a smile back, "Kind of a rub being stuck in a uni for the rest of time though."

"Ha," Sophie rubbed her wet eyes, pushing back her short brown hair. It had always been long before, but after she'd been rescued from the pack, feral and unwashed after being on the run with Fenrir, they'd had to cut the rat's nest. It grew back slowly. "One up on you, I can change my shoes whenever I want to."

"Ugh, show off," Mel rolled her eyes, making Sophie giggle. Mel smiled true at that sound. Sophie's smile faded.

"It's so hard, Melly-Mel…" She sobbed.

"I know," The girl who would be eighteen forever choked on a sob as well, reaching out, even though she knew that Sophie wouldn't feel anything other than the cold air of what she was. "But you've gotta get better, yeah? It'll take a long time, but," Mel swallowed, "You've gotta live for both of us, bestie. You can do that now."

"I'm trying…and trying to forget him…" Sophie swallowed another onslaught of tears, "What if he comes back for me…?"

"He won't." Mel growled, suddenly looking every bit the ghost that she was, her eyes flashing, "I haunt him in my free time," She smirked, "He's going insane. Just for you!"

Sophie giggled again, holding out one hand. Mel reached out as well, her own hand hovering over her best friend's warm palm. The werewolf didn't mind the cold at all. It was as close as she could get to Mel, and she treasured it. "Promise you won't ever leave me, Mel…"

"I won't ever," Mel's ghostly voice answered the question Sophie asked every night. "Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever." The white trace of ghost-tears rolled down Mel's white, transparent face, "Not until you're better."

"Never ever…" The werewolf girl laid back on her bed, calmer sleep taking her now, as the ghost girl kept watch over her.

~ Fin

Author's Notes: Lurve!