It's Nice To Have A Friend

20 - Tiny Dancer

Mallory sat beside James's bed as he slept. He held her hand in his tightly. Too scared that if she pulled away, he would wake up, Mallory kept her hand entwined with his. Peter and Sirius sat across from Mallory, whispering to each other. Neither had spoken to Mallory since she had informed them of James's state. 

After an hour of silence, Peter awkwardly cleared his throat. "So are you and James..." he started, glancing at Sirius, leaning forward in his chair, watching James. "...Snogging?"

Mallory looked at Peter before glancing at Sirius. Sirius kept his gaze on James. "What?" she questioned, brows furrowed. "Like a couple?"

Peter glanced back at Sirius, who sent Peter a quick glance and a slight nod of his head. "Yeah. Like a couple," Peter agreed.

"No. Freddy and I just broke up," Mallory replied shortly.

"It's nearly been a month," Sirius mumbled. Mallory's gaze snapped back to him. He sat up in his chair and stared back at her, his grey eyes piercing into her, slightly narrowed.

"He was my boyfriend."

"He was a prick. He was only using you so he could snog you," Sirius pointed out.

Mallory knew he was right. She had known that since the moment Freddy tried to break up with her, but she hated that he knew. She hated that he pointed it out. It hurt. "Do you think I don't realize that?" Mallory questioned quietly. She wanted to look away. She didn't want the two boys to see the tears that started to line her eyes.

"I'm just saying! I have low expectations for whoever you fancy," Sirius told her defensively.

"And what if I fancied you?" Mallory asked, the words leaving her mouth before she could think. She froze in horror as she realized what she had proposed. She always thought before she spoke. What was she doing?

"That doesn't prove anything," he told her shortly.

Peter looked over at Sirius. "Sirius—" he started.

"No," Sirius grumbled. "There's only one thing I care about in my life, and that's... James." 

At that moment, the healer—Madame Pomfrey—walked over. "Visiting hours are over," she announced.

Mallory pulled her hand from James's. Her gaze flickered at Sirius, still glued to his seat. His eyes lifted to hers. Her jaw clenched as she stared at him. It felt like she was staring at a stranger, as if they hadn't been best friends weeks before. Without a word, Mallory stood, turning away from Sirius's narrowed gaze. She briskly walked out of the hospital wing.

"Wait up!"

Mallory looked over her shoulder as Peter ran to her. "Where's Sirius?" she asked. 

"He's trying to convince Poppy to let him stay." Peter watched Mallory for a moment. "So he won't be walking to the common room with us."

 "Okay." Mallory nodded. 

Peter sighed. "I'm sorry about everything that's happened with Sirius. He's um... He's really messed up from his family." 

"I'm okay," Mallory assured him. 

Peter fell quiet for several minutes. "I mean it," he stated. "He really does care about you, Mallory. He just... He doesn't always know how to show it, not with James in the way." 

Mallory nodded, glancing over at Peter with a small smile. "I get it," she insisted. 

. . .

The next morning, after eating their breakfasts, Mallory and Peter walked into the hospital wing with a tray of food for Sirius. Sirius was curled in a tight ball in the hospital chair beside James's bed. His hair perfectly framed his face, and his face was calm, relaxed, peaceful. Mallory had never seen him so relaxed. Sirius was always beaming with emotion, usually anger or excitement. However, asleep in his chair, his sharp features weren't intimidating; they didn't seem harsh or sharp. Instead, he looked as if he'd been carved by an angel.