Shakespeare ❆ Sirius Black [1]

Chapter One Hundred and One

Night had fallen hours ago, but Sirius hadn't left his spot even for a moment. He was still in his Quidditch robes, remaining by Nadia's side from the moment he dismounted his broom. James had to return to the game once the time out had expired, but it was to be expected; Gryffindor lost. Without an opposing Seeker, Regulus caught the Snitch with ease shortly into the second part of the game.

Ever since then, team members had been in and out of the hospital to check on Nadia who had sustained quite a few injuries and hasn't woken up yet. Remus, Peter, Camille, Lily, Marlene and James, who joined them quickly after the match ended, stayed for as long as they could. But once curfew struck Madam Pomfrey had ushered them all out. Sirius was the only one who managed to convince her to let him stay. He wasn't about to leave Nadia's side. Madam Pomfrey had said she would be alright, and just needed some rest. He wanted to be there when she woke up.

Unable to sleep, Sirius continued to sit in an uncomfortable chair right by her bed, a key aimlessly twirling in his hands as he sat in complete silence. The Hogwarts healer had gone to get some rest, telling him to wake her should there be any developments. But so far, Nadia had barely stirred. Sitting in the dark, Sirius was surprised by the sound of an opening door, making him turn in his seat to check who it was that came in.

He was expecting to see one of their friends, either Remus using his time patrolling the halls to come by, or the whole lot of them sneaking in. He wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility. However, he wasn't expecting to see the person that it really was.

"Oh, uh, I was... Well, I knew you'd be here, but I was expecting you to be asleep." His brother stumbled over his words as he met Sirius' inquisitive eyes, silently asking him what he was doing there.

"Can't sleep." Sirius answered shortly, whispering as he didn't want to alert Madam Pomfrey to the presence of someone other than himself and her patient in the Hospital Wing. He turned back into his initial position while Regulus walked to stand on the other side of Nadia's bed. "What are you doing here Regulus?" He asked, not wanting to tip toe around the awkwardness that fell upon the room as soon as his brother made his way inside.

"Is it so surprising I'd come to check on her?" Regulus asked as he gave his brother a questioning look, Sirius finally meeting his eyes as he looked up from Nadia's sleeping form.

"Honestly? I don't even know anymore..." Sirius mumbled, running his hand through his hair; something Regulus knew was his nervous tick. "She's everything you say you stand against. Her mother was a Muggleborn, her father a Muggle, and she obviously embraces that. So why do you care Regulus?" He questioned his brother, because while he tried, Sirius couldn't come up with any explanation for Regulus' unusual behaviour when it came to Nadia.

"Maybe because she's the only one who ever bothered to see past that." Regulus answered honestly. Maybe his interactions with the Russian girl weren't too frequent, but during all of them, she never treated him like others so often do; assuming that the façade he puts on to please his parents was the real him. Instead, she treated him as an equal, respecting him until he proved to her that he didn't deserve it. And he had done no such thing yet.

"It does sound like her." Sirius let out a small chuckle. Nadia was the type to try seeing the good in people instead of focusing on the bad or on what others say. If she didn't, Sirius doubted she would have grown so close to him and his friends.

"Thank you for trying to help her during the match." He added on. Sirius had seen Regulus' efforts to keep Nadia from falling during the Quidditch game, he was pretty sure everyone did. He wasn't sure which consequences his brother would be facing for doing such a thing, so the least he could do was thank him for it.

"You always wanted a family, not one like ours, but one that would love and care for you." Regulus spoke again, making Sirius give him a confused look, unsure of where he was going with this. He watched his brother pull up another chair, and sit down before he continued.

"And for a while, I was sure you would get it if you just stopped rebelling against our parents and did as you were told. But then you left, and you actually found exactly what you were looking for. She's a part of that family; your real family. So maybe we may not have the same view on things, and maybe we aren't as close as we used to be; but I'm happy you managed to do it. And I don't want you to lose it." Regulus stated, sharing his honest thoughts with his brother. Something he hadn't done in years now.

"We may have all those things between us Reg, but you're still my brother." Sirius said openly, in his mind that had never changed. A long time ago he made a promise to remain in Regulus' corner, to help him as much as he could. And while his brother continued to claim he didn't need his help, Sirius was still there; ready for the day when his little brother would realize he did need it and finally accept it.

"As you are mine."

Nadia's stirred beneath the covers keeping her warm as she felt the sunlight shine down on her face through the windows. She was slightly confused by this as her bed in her dorm room was not in the path of the morning light, but she quickly realized this didn't really feel like her bed. And as she became aware of this, Nadia's mind flashed back to the events of the Quidditch game against Slytherin.

Her eyes fluttered open, giving her a chance to take in her surroundings. Just as she suspected, she wasn't in her bed in the Gryffindor dorm rooms, but instead in the Hospital Wing.

"Oh good, you're awake. How are you feeling my dear?" Madam Pomfrey's whispering voice caught her attention just as she was starting to sit up in her bed. For a moment Nadia was confused as to why the Mediwitch was whispering, but soon she discovered the reason.

Her eyes caught sight of two sleeping figures, slumped in chairs on each side of her bed. The two Black brothers were sound asleep, unaware of their surroundings as they dozed off in their uncomfortable positions.

"What are they doing here?" Nadia couldn't help but ask quietly, as she gave Madam Pomfrey a curious look.

"Just like the last time, this one wouldn't leave." The woman explained with a shake of her head sent in Sirius' direction. "And this one, well he wasn't here when I went to sleep, and that was quite late. I don't want to know at what ungodly hour of the night he was sneaking through the castle to get here." Her explanation continued.

"I thought I'd let them both get some sleep. Of course, I can wake them up and send them away if you want." The healer added on, but Nadia quickly shook her head.

"No, it's alright." She replied quietly. She could already imagine Sirius had stayed up for as long as he could, and she wanted him to get some rest. As for Regulus, the bags under his eyes made it clear to her that he needed it too. For a moment she looked at the two brothers, wondering what their time together looked like while she slept, but her thoughts were interrupted as Madam Pomfrey continued to question her on how she was feeling and a multitude of other inquiries as she checked on her patient.