Spell-maker : Sirius Black x OC

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ayla was woken with a jolt. Someone had yelled. It took a moment for her to realise where she was and that the shaking movement in her arms was a person.

"Sirius?" she said, tapping his shoulder. He shook harder and she could hear him muttering, 'no, no. Please stop. Please. No.'

"Sirius!" She said, louder. Shaking him harder as he squirmed and winced. His eyes opened on a gasp and darted all around him. His breathing was ragged, and he was pushing Ayla away, still with whispered pleas.

"It's me, Sirius. It's Ayla. You're safe. You're with me." She repeated it, a stream of consciousness. Her hands came up, pushing the hair from his tear tracked face and shushing him.

"You're safe." His breathing didn't slow down but his eyes caught on her face, and he stopped struggling against her. She took his hand, placing it on her chest and exaggerated her breathing. It took a few more minutes but he copied her, his breathing coming under control.

He pressed their foreheads together, pulling her so tightly against him that it might've hurt if she'd not been so worried about him. "I've got you, Sirius. You're okay."

Ayla felt more than saw as his body wracked with tears, one falling off his nose and onto hers. She carded her hands through his hair, whispering assurances.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, hoarsely. Ayla shushed him again, swiping her thumbs under his eyes. "I forgot I get nightmares sometimes."

He clung to her tightly for a few more minutes as he calmed down before loosening his hold on her.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, releasing her.

"Don't be stupid, it's fine." She pulled back and scanned his face. The eyeliner had smudged around his eyes, his pale skin blotchy. "Did I fall asleep on you?"

He managed a small smile. "Yeah, but it's fine. Just sorry I woke you up."

"Tempus." Ayla checked the time and saw it was 4 in the morning. She sat up, still looking at Sirius with a slightly concerned expression. "You should go to bed."

Sirius looked uncomfortable but nodded anyway. "Will you - ?"

"I'll come up with you," Ayla said.

They stood and it wasn't lost on Ayla that Sirius was still trembling. He walked towards the boy's staircase, glancing behind to see that she was following.

The boy's dorm was cosy and warm. It smelt like boy and Ayla could hear the snores coming from behind the drawn curtains on four of the beds. The last one was obviously Sirius'. Even in the low slanted moonlight she could see the muggle music posters on the walls – a picture of a motorbike by the bed.

She took his hand and pulled him towards the bathroom, illuminating it up with a whispered lumos. She sat him down on the toilet and summoned the makeup remover, wiping his eyes carefully to remove the blackness around them.

Sirius, for his part, didn't say anything. But a line appeared between his eyebrows as he watched Ayla intensely.

"Come on," she whispered, pulling him back into the dorm. He reached down and pulled some pyjama bottoms out of his trunk. Ayla turned the other way as he got changed, trying to ignore the warmth in her face.

She heard the shuffle of blankets and turned around to look at him.

"I should go," she whispered once he was settled.

A vulnerable expression crossed his face and he reached out to grab her hand.

"Stay?" he asked on a breath. "Please." Ayla paused, knowing she should leave because her heart was already too fond. But she didn't have the strength to say no when he asked so sincerely.