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Challenges at the bottom
Word Count - 405
Will You Help Me?
Katie sobbed into her pillow, startling badly when a hand landed cautiously on her back. She spun over on her bed, grabbing her wand from beneath the pillow, only to see Leanne standing by the side of her bed, a concerned look on her face.
"Katie… are you okay?"
Katie would have laughed if she could, but instead a choked sob clawed its way out of her throat.
"No… no, I'm really not."
Leanne sat down on the bed beside Katie, wrapped her arms around her and stroked her hair. "You're not alone, you know. You can ask for help, Katie."
…
Waking from a nightmare, her breathing labored and her chest painful, Katie panicked. Scrambling from her bed, she crossed the dorm room, hastily moving into the bathroom where the light both hurt her eyes and calmed her frazzled nerves.
She got a drink of water from the tap and leant against the wall, the cold tiles soothing to her too hot skin.
"Kat?"
Leanne stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from her eyes and looked adorably sleep rumpled.
"I'm fine," Katie assured her, offering her a tired smile. "Just a nightmare."
Leanne nodded, then held a hand out to Katie. Katie crossed the bathroom, and took the hand curiously but cautiously. Leanne led her back into the darkness of the dorm room, but instead of leading Katie to her own bed, Leanne tugged her into hers.
"What… what are we doing?" Katie asked, when Leanne looped a secure arm over Katie's waist.
"We're sleeping," Leanne replied. "And we're keeping the nightmares away."
…
"I'm a Gryffindor," Katie muttered to herself, gripping her wand. "I should be stronger than this. Braver."
"You don't need to be anything that you don't feel," Leanne commented quietly. They were standing together in the Room of Requirement. Outside of the door, a battle was being waged across Hogwarts.
"Leanne… I think I need help. I can't go out there by myself."
This time when Leanne offered her hand, there was no hesitation on Katie's part to take it.
…
"We made it," Leanne murmured against Katie's hair.
Katie nodded tiredly. They were both a bit worn and battered, but they were alive and in the end that was all that mattered.
"Will you… will you stay? With me?"
Leanne smiled, pressing a kiss against Katie's head. "I'll always be here, Katie. Even when you don't ask me to be."
Written For;
Character Appreciation - 21. Gryffindor
Showtime - 27. Asking for help
Amber's Attic - KatieLeanne