with love, george |g. weasley|

chapter two

chapter two; the art of being vulnerable

"Me again." Mary smiled, checking Eloise's vitals. It was an afternoon in London, Eloise knew this as she watched strangers walking in and out buying lunch.

"You're the only person I enjoy seeing in this place." Eloise stretched her legs, signing as the pins and needles ran up her leg uncomfortably.

"I know this probably doesn't help much, but I'm really proud of you Eloise." Mary looked over her chart, smiling as Eloise looked at her stunned.

"You're what?" Eloise whispered, snapping her eyes at Mary from the window.

"I'm proud of you." Mary placed her clipboard on her lap, sitting on the edge of Eloise's bed.

"I've never really been told that before." Eloise played with her fingers, Mary frowned as Eloise brought her knees to her chest.

"Oh Eloise, Someone has had to say that to you! I mean, Mr. Lupin has had to have told you." Mary rubbed Eloise's hand, she didn't mean to upset her.

Eloise shook her head, "He's probably thought it may be, I didn't realize I needed that kind of reassurance before." Eloise laughed, looking away from Mary.

"Well, We are all proud of you." Mary winked, standing as she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in?" Eloise called, sending a questioning look to Mary. Mary tried to hide her smile, knowing who was at the door.

"Eloise!" Remus walked through the door, holding on tightly to a leash.

"Remus! Snuffles?" Eloise giggled as Sirius jumped happily onto her bed, licking all over her face.

"I missed you." Eloise squeezed her father, kissing his head then looked up at Remus.

"What's going on, visits happen on the main level?" Eloise looked back and forth between Mary and Remus, confused as to why they have come to visit her.

"Well, your doctor called me a few days ago and we discussed your progress. And we both think that it's in your best interest if we bring you back into society." Remus smiled as Sirius wagged his tail from Eloise's bed.

"You're kidding!" Eloise covered her mouth with her hand, looking at Mary for confirmation.

Mary nodded, her eyes teary, "You're getting out of here Eloise!" Mary cheered, tears falling from her cheeks.

"Do you think this is a good idea? What if I relapse?" Eloise whispered, her eyes going wide and her breathing becoming irregular. The last thing she wanted was to ruin all of the work she put in while her weeks at the hospital.

Sirius came to sit in Eloise's lap, trying to calm her down.

"We will know what to do if this happens again, If anything goes south we will be ready to help. We'll still do the feeding tube but combine it with some actual to get your stomach used to it. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for, El." Remus patted Eloise's hand then to Sirius's head, letting Sirius nuzzle his head into Remus.

"What about you." Eloise looked to Mary, Eloise had depended on her for weeks, and now she was leaving.

"I have other patients to help, Dear. You're on your next step to recovery, and sadly it's without me. But you're going to do so great, you have Remus to lean on now." Mary sighed, she knew she shouldn't have gotten so invested with Eloise because, in the end, all her patients leave and move on in their lives.

"I'm going to miss you so much." Eloise started to tear up, pulling Mary into a hug.

"You're the closest thing that I've had to a mother," Eloise muttered in Mary's shoulder, hiding her face in Mary's dark locks.