Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell is JK Rowling's

Chapter 8: Seeking sapphires.

"Ky?" I heard Mi's voice, and I pulled back.

Harry had done the same, and just like that there was sound. The rustling of the nearby curtain in the room, the ticking of his watch, the footsteps coming up the stairs…and then there was Mi.

She looked baffled, taking in Harry and I framed in the doorway of the boys' room.

"You can go-"

I didn't wait for her to finish and launched myself to the stairs.

This was a horrible time to get lost in the moment.

I took the steps two at a time and she hurried next to me, "Why haven't you changed your shirt? You were up there for an hour." I hovered for a fraction of a second before placing my foot down on the next step…an hour. I got lost in an hour…that was an hour…impossible…

I barged through the room and ran to the bed. His gorgeous blue orbs hidden from me; his usual chastising expression was blank.

"He's OK, Kyrianna." It was Nonno. I didn't look away, feeling that if I did, Linus would wake up and I'd miss it.

Len's voice floated from behind me, "It missed all major arteries, but it did nick his left internal mammary artery…that's why he lost so much blood, but Madam Pomfrey was able to fix it. It's his head injury that will take time to heal, and the effects of the Cruciatus curse… a few days maybe. Nothing permanent though."

"You won't tell me how this happened." It wasn't really a question; they never told us anything the Order did.

Nobody answered. I sat down, staring at his light purple lips.

I felt a delicate feminine hand clasp around my own and for the second time today I anchored myself to another soul, as I laid my head against Nessie's shoulder…

-x-x-x-

Harry's POV

The thud of my back against the door added to the irregular thumping of my chest. My fingers trembled slightly as they touched my lips which were warm and smooth, as if somewhere along the lines hers became mine…I felt the cold tiles as I slowly lowered myself to the floor.

Everything was suddenly cold. My head felt heavy and my eyes hazy…what had just happened? And what the hell was up with my heart. I felt the door nudge my back and I hastened to my feet, "Oh, sorry mate, didn't realise…why were you sitting by the door."

I looked at the confused face of my best friend, "Er…I…I dropped my wand, I was bending to pick it up."

Sometimes I was grateful that Ron wasn't as observant as Hermione. He shrugged and walked to his bed.

"Fucked up about Linus. What did you think happened? I saw him and Len practising duelling before you got here. Mate…it was something else. They really are Dumbledore's great grandsons. Of course, Flitwick and McGonagall should take most of the credit since they mentored them but there are definitely some 'genes' at play. Of course, Ky has her fair share as well."

I didn't need a reminder of how good Ky's genes were, experiencing her beneficial genetics just five minutes ago.

I sat on the bed, the fresh memories pulling more than emotions up. I didn't have to fight off the red on my face because Ron was laying spread eagle on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Must have been some duel. Wonder which death eater it was. I hope the other guy is worse off. I hope it was Malfoy."

I made a noise of consent, still trying to arrange my thoughts. My heart still didn't get to the right pace yet.

There was a small knock on the door, and I quickly got to my feet…but it was only Hermione. What was I thinking! When did Ky ever knock on doors.

"Linus is stable. He just lost a lot of blood and has a head injury, but nothing that time and Madam Pomfrey's hands can't heal."

I nodded; I'm sure Ky must be relieved. She's probably down there right now, trying to irritate him awake. Or maybe she wasn't handling this at all…she wasn't as strong as she likes to think that she is, and not even half as strong as she pretends to be…

I sat back down, fighting the urge to run downstairs and barge into something that surely is a family affair.

"Ky seems OK. You know her though; her way of coping is not coping. Agnes was amazing, wasn't she? She's been making such progress-"

"Oh, you don't have to convince me about Agnes' many amazing attributes that she contributes to the Order."

I didn't have to look to see Hermione roll her eyes at Ron. So, Ky was OK. Well as OK as she can be…I threw the covers over me, helping me fight off the urge to go downstairs and check on her myself.

-x-x-x-

I heard a creak outside and I threw the duvet off. Hermione had left hours ago and the only sound that filled the room was Ron's snores and my bare feet as they padded across the floor. I threw open the door, "Ky…"

"Shhhh." Len gestured to his hands with his head, but he didn't have to. I would pick out that head of hair from anywhere. I hurried towards the stairs,

"She's asleep." He whispered. I nodded, feeling like an idiot for reacting like one. Of course, he was carrying her because she was asleep, not because she was hurt in anyway. My heart still didn't calm to its normal pace.

I turned and made my way back to my bed, wondering whether it ever would, or if she had changed its rhythm forever.

-x-x-x-

I looked up as the door opened and swallowed my disappointment. It had been three days.

Three long days since I last spoke to Ky.

I caught a glimpse of her when the door to the sick room was opened for a moment yesterday, but that was about it. I couldn't go in there; it would have been different if she was alone, but Agnes never left Linus' side either.

"Harry, is everything OK?"

I looked at Hermione; I hadn't realised she was staring at me as we cleaned out the Black Manor's main living room. I tossed a stunned Cornish pixie that I had picked out of the curtain into the rubbish.

"Yeah, why?"

Why did Hermione have to be so perceptive? She bit her bottom lip and threw a pixie at the bin, missing by an inch. She stared at the drapes as if they had the answers to all life's questions.

"Everything OK with you?"

She looked at me and the expression on her face told me that her answer wouldn't be positive. "Well…yes. With me…everything is ok."

"But?"

"It's Ky."

"Did she say something?" There it was, that horrible erratic beating.

"No, that's the problem." She left the drapes, tossing a wary glance at Ginny and Ron as they cleaned the corner cupboard and moved closer. "Has she…I know you two…spoke about stuff last year…has she spoke…" She hesitated for a moment, "Has she spoken about Cedric to you?"

That did it. That put a stop to the erratic beating. Actually, the whole organ stopped functioning for a moment there. "No…why?"

Hermione looked at me in utter confusion, shocked that I wasn't seeing something that was obviously supposed to be apparent…and then I was mentally kicking myself in the gut.

Fuck.

"Harry?"

I could tell my face didn't look good by the look on hers.

"Excuse me." I shot out the door and into the bathroom, leaning against the cold tiled wall.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuck!

How did I not think of that!

Fuck.

I sat down on the closed toilet.

It was barely two months. Barely. And here I am thinking about what…confessing my feelings to the girl who liked the guy whose death I was responsible for?

Fuck.

I ran my hands through my hair…but she kissed me, right? She kissed me…I scratched at the tingling scar as a voice at the back of my mind echoed the truth….

She only kissed you because you were there…if you hadn't led him to his death…he would be the one…

I banged my fist against the wall as images of Ky kissing Cedric assaulted my eyes, but it was nothing to the pain that echoed from my scar. I pulled my hair until it hurt, diverting the pain from my scar …waiting for it to subside like it usually did. But it didn't…it just echoed from elsewhere…

Ky's POV

I sprung up, the book in my lap clanking to the floor, echoing in the night. I looked around quickly trying to figure out who I had disturbed; my eyes fell on the still body. I wish it had woken him up. I looked to my side; Nessie was fast asleep; she was exhausted and needed it. Madam Pomfrey did say it'll take a few days for his body to recover from the stress. I guess I was just impatient. I scratched at my forehead, and that's when I realised what had woken me.

-x-x-x-

I hovered over his still body. I placed my knee onto the bed, and he instantaneously turned, sticking a wand in my face, before he could breathe a word I covered his mouth with my hand. I didn't bother with pushing the wand out of my face and jumped over him, scooting in between him and the wall. I pulled some blankets over me and then grabbed his hand and pulled it around my waist, holding it there, and faced the wall. For a few seconds there was nothing, and then I felt hot breath at my ear,

"What are you doing?"

"It worked the last time, didn't it? Or do you prefer the nightmares?" I remember how soundlessly he had slept on his birthday, but once I had snuck out of his arms though he started thrashing around and mumbling. It could have been pure coincidence… or it could be something…

"That time was different…"

I knew that. Most importantly we hadn't snogged for an hour, a matter still unaddressed... well it's not like we had much opportunity to do so, what with his cleaning mission and me taking care of Linus.

Plus, I was kind of avoiding it; then again, he wasn't exactly cornering me, poking around for answers.

We were less likely to get caught back at the Dursley's, but the chances were not very high over here either. Mi would think I was sleeping downstairs next to Li, and Nessie would assume that I went upstairs to sleep. Ron couldn't see me from his bed, and I will leave well before he wakes up.

I don't know what Harry's big deal is; he should just shut up and make the most of a good night sleep. He barely had them, we all heard him muttering in discomfort the last few days, and tonight, somehow, I felt it.

I was just being a decent friend.

"Stop thinking Potter and just sleep."

He opened his mouth, and I elbowed him in the stomach, "Sleep!"

It had been minutes before I heard his breathing even out, and his hesitant hand became tighter at my waist. I touched his slender fingers with my own…yes…that was it… I was just being a decent friend.

-x-x-x-

I brushed dark hair off his forehead. It was strange seeing his face so expressionless. There was no look of chastisement. His brows were not furrowed. I ran a finger around his mouth, trying to find the laugh lines…they used to be so prominent. I heard the door open, and I knew who it must have been without the floral scent.

"I do miss long hot soaks."

I turned to the statuesque blonde who took her usual place at the armchair to Linus' right. I had just managed to coax her into having a shower; she was only gone five minutes.

Agnes never left his side. Even after everything he had said and then not said to her, she was still here. Her hair was damp, and she ran a towel through it. She had the makings of bags under her eyes, and it was a testament to her good genes that they didn't show up any earlier because she was long past sleep deprivation. She opened the large tome I had brought from the Black House Library on healing potions. I had to ensure it didn't have any anti-muggle jinxes on it, knowing the Blacks. It got the all-clear.

"Heard from Lenzo?"

Her sapphire blue eyes turned duller than they were before, her face was set in a constant frown. She didn't have to feign happiness here, to appear strong. Not amongst family. "No. Not from the Professor either, or Severus Snape or Minerva McGonagall. I think Len should be coming back soon though."

I nodded. The stress headache that plagued me every day became such a constant that I didn't know what normal felt like anymore. I placed my hand over Linus', and she placed hers onto mine.

I looked at Nessie and she continued, "I know…about what happened to you last year. The Professor filled me in recently…I just want you to know, I'm here." She was silent for a few more moments. I thought she would be angry when she found out about Blishwick, knowing that I kept that hidden from her. It would have explained why Linus was trying to keep us so far away. "They will forgive you. We might not have thought our decision through properly about coming here, but I don't regret it. We just have to have faith." She had a determined look in her eyes as she turned to Linus and nodded resolutely, "They'll come around."

I nodded, knowing that she was trying to convince more than just me. The door creaked open again, and hair of bright yellow poked through. Nessie rose quickly,

"Dora you're back!" She quickly rose and enclosed her in a tight hug. Tonks smiled at me, and I nodded.

"I just need to write it down. If you're back, Diggle should be too. Let me just go check." Nessie left the room to document Tonk's arrival. She had taken it upon herself to be something of a secretary for the Order. She was always around and available, even if it was to greet the members with a cup of tea or relay a message. Or like in Tonks' case, a warm hug. She worked hard on being useful, in any way she could be.

"He is a right looker, ain't he?"

I smirked at her, "Fancy yourself a Thornton, Tonks?"

She smiled, "I do believe the position is already filled."

"He's not the only Thornton available?"

I laughed as she bit her bottom lip to hide the blush. I had seen Len flirting with her a while black.

"Your brother is a notorious flirt."

"That he is. He only flirts with A-grade stuff though."

She laughed, "Am I a piece of meat then?"

"Best know your place woman!" She laughed and the door opened again. It wasn't Nessie though, but Remus. We hadn't seen him for days. He stopped when he saw us there,

"Oh. My apologies. I didn't know anybody was-"

"It's cool. We're just talking about Tonks being A-grade meat."

He sported a confused look and Tonks playfully slapped my arm. He walked in nevertheless, closing the door behind him.

"I just thought I'd drop by to see how Linus is fairing."

My smile dropped quickly, and Remus looked apologetic, unintentionally reminding me about my unconscious brother in the room.

"Here."

I looked up, Remus held a slab of chocolate out for me. I took it, "You know that's very stereotypical."

He frowned at me, "What is?"

"Just because I'm a girl I like chocolate." I took a big bite.

He smiled at me, "Do you not like chocolate?"

"Of course I do. What kind of girl doesn't like chocolate?"

"I don't." We both looked at Tonks in shock.

"What! No! And I thought you were so cool."

She laughed and shook her head, "I'm allergic to cocoa."

Remus and I looked at each other. "I think that might be the saddest thing I have ever heard. And I am a werewolf."

I nodded in agreement and patted Tonks sympathetically. She shrugged, "Well at least I had perfect skin as a kid."

"Err maybe that's because you could make your skin perfect?" Remus laughed at me, and Tonks slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Listen I don't need to make my skin anything. I'm A-grade meat. Did you not hear?"

"What a lie! I remember you went a whole term in school with tanned skin."

"I was twelve! And it's only because I had a crush on Andy McKinnon, and he said he was into girls with a darker side. How was I supposed to know he meant personality wise?"

"Well for one thing, he wore more black and had more piercings than Stubby Boardman."

"I can't believe he married Marlene Dawson. She literally threw up rainbows one time." She looked at me and I laughed at her expression.

Remus shook his head, "Bit of sour grapes Dora."

"What? No. I got over Andy quick and easy."

"Plus, there is the fact that he was a seventh year, and you were a firstie."

I looked shocked at Tonks for a second and she puffed her chest out and shot Remus a glare, "Age is but a number Old Man. Plus do you not understand, I am A-grade meat."

He rolled his eyes at her as the door opened. Nessie walked in with a tray of food. Tonks quickly looked to get the heat off her. "Diggles in?"

"No." Nessie placed the tray down. She handed Remus a cup and Tonks. She gave me my cocoa and sat down next to Linus, staring at him, as if she could wake him if she concentrated hard enough.

A/N: I was always sad we didn't get a lot of Remus and Tonks interactions canonically. What do you think of the story so far?

Kalina