Rough Waters |Sirius Black

Chapter Fifty Three

Sirius remembered a time back when they were younger when he and Nixie moved into their first flat. While things went well for the most part, there was always some frustration when it came to the night as Sirius was a total blanket hog and would often steal Nixie's blanket, leaving the woman incredibly cold. He had jokingly informed James that he needed all the blankets to swaddle him, due to the lack of hugs he had experienced through his childhood.

It was around that same time that James informed Nixie of what Sirius had told him, and the young woman insisted on holding him extra tight throughout the night so that he felt secure. He would never admit that he just enjoyed having plenty of blankets and his mother had nothing to do with the scenario. He enjoyed the intense cuddle too much to admit that. It seemed since the battle in the Department of Mysteries that Nixie was could still cuddle him just as tightly. 

Sleeping beside her, her arms were wrapped around his waist, with her head resting on his chest. He was sure, she was just trying to make sure that she was able to hear his heart beat at all times.  The exhaustion of working with the Order, looking after him to make sure he was okay, and keeping a brave face on for the younger adults and children, definitely took it's toll on her sleeping state. Often times, Sirius stayed awake just a little longer after she drifted off because he knew she would suffer from at least one nightmare through the night.

Nixie's nightmares varied, sometimes dreaming about the past or terrified of what the future held for the group. Regardless, Sirius remained awake, trying to soothe her until she fell back into a peaceful slumber. As much as he wanted it to be over for the sake of his family and his friends, he knew there was plenty more to come.

Sirius awoke first one early morning, and as he expected, Nixie was asleep right beside him. One of her hands was loosely holding onto the front of his shirt as if she anticipated for him to disappear during the night. He chuckled before carefully removing her hand and holding it in his. He went to wake her gently by planting small kisses on her face, but the idea was completely shut down as Nixie startled awake and sat up immediately. Her breathing was short and rapid as she looked around.

"Relax, Nini. " He was unsure of what had set her off, except for the fact that he had taken her hand off of him. He frowned in guilt as Nixie looked around for a brief moment and sighed in relief.

"Sorry." She said softly. "Ah...I got a wicked headache."

"Perhaps you should go for a swim?" He suggested.

Nixie opened her mouth to argue but the pain she was feeling was a reminder that Sirius' suggestion was right, she did need to get in the water. She nodded her head slightly before pushing herself out of the bed while rubbing her eyes.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Sirius asked her. "I can-"

"No, I want you to stay here and relax. I'll be fine." She reassured him. 

"Really." She added when Sirius didn't look all that convinced.

However, the man didn't want to argue with Nixie and add anymore stress to her situation. Instead he nodded his head and allowed her to go. He ventured downstairs where some people of the household were awake, including Meri. Harry and Ron were seated in the kitchen when he walked in and sat down himself.

"Where's Nixie?" Harry's first question.

"Probably sleeping in." Meri chuckled. "She's always liked her sleep."

"Well, she probably would be asleep, but she had to go for a swim." Sirius told his mother-in-law. Meri stopped what she was doing and turned to him.

"Did she go alone?" Meri asked.

Sirius didn't like the look he was getting from the mermaid, but nodded his head. "She insisted."

Meri didn't look thrilled but she wasn't about to raise concerns in front of the teen boys either. 

A little while later, the group was joined by Eleanor who arrived in the kitchen after her morning shower. The twins had gone to the shop earlier that morning, leaving her behind to rest. Sirius was about to wish her a good morning when Meri set a plate down in front of him.

"Eat up." The woman told him. 

Sirius lifted his fork about to dig into the breakfast, but suddenly stopped himself, resting the fork back down.

"You didn't cook this, did you?" He asked.

"No, Molly did." Meri answered with a slightly huff.

"Oh...well.." He grabbed the fork back up and began eating. Meri shook her head at him.

"I swear, you're still the same after all these years, Black."

Sirius flashed her a big smile before Meri left the room, muttering something under her breath.

"What was that about?" Eleanor asked curiously as she sat down beside him.

Sirius leaned in to talk in a lower voice to all at the table.

"Between all of us here at the table, mermaids cannot cook. Nixie definitely inherited that part from her mother. Love them..but horrible,horrible cooking." He laughed to himself before telling them a story about one of Nixie's first attempts of cooking in their new flat.

"Honestly, I didn't think it would be that bad. You know, by that time, we had graduated from Hogwarts, we knew plenty of magic. I figured she would put some of the magic towards her cooking skills."

The teens looked at him with hopeful faces, but Sirius shook his head no. 

"Didn't know that pasta could burn so heavily....still in the box. I was truly amazed, considering her father Henry....amazing cook."

While Harry and Ron laughed, Sirius went to return to his meal, but Eleanor had a question on her mind that she just had to ask.

"Where is Nixie's dad?"

The question brought up the horrid night that still haunted a part of Sirius to that day. To get the message from Alice and Frank and arrive to see Nixie cradling her father's dead body in the water. It was a memory burned into his mind. How long it took for Nixie to talk afterwards and how he thought he had almost lost her to grief after her father's murder. The entire table grew silent as he lowered his fork, placing it to the side.

He wasn't sure if it was in his place to discuss Henry's murder with the teens present. And he certainly didn't think it was best to mention death, especially with Eleanor's mother still missing. He glanced up to see Meri, standing in the doorway with a pained expression as she thought about the love of her life and how his life had been stolen from him.

Sirius cleared his throat, looking away from her, seeing the same pain in her eyes that he did in Nixie's whenever the topic was brought up.

"I think it would be best if waited until Nixie told you about that."