If we were lovers|Sirius Black

Petal.

Mist flitted across the windows at Grimmauld Place as the first of November commenced, and Bexley began it sprawled in Sirius's childhood bed. As she began to come to, her arm reached out to the side of her, yet it was empty, alarm awoke her and she sat upright and Sirius was gone. She lifted sheets as if he were hiding from her, but he was nowhere to be seen, jumping from the bed, she threw on the jumper nearest and dashed from the room and down the stairs, what if's obscured her rationality and not come across a single soul in the house only heightened her lack of sanity. Pounding down the stairs, she entered the only room she had been in, the dining room and there he was. Sirius was sat upright, dressed in the most formal clothing she had seen him in before and conversation halted as she caught her breath.

"Bexley, I don't know how you have breakfast at home, but here we tend to dress a little more appropriately, Quidditch jumpers don't scream formality." Mrs Black sneered as Sirius's jumper hung from her frame.

"Right, I'm sorry, I just um, I smelt waffles! I just get far too excited, I'll just um-" Bexley retreated from the room and exhaled as her worst fears were hurled from her mind, he was still breathing and looking a picture of health. Quickly, Bexley returned to her room, the number of stairs again tiring her. Opening the wardrobe, she retrieved a simple white blouse and accompanied this with a suede black skirt, knee-high socks and small boots. Looking at herself in the mirror and adjusting the bow of her shirt, she thanked Lily for packing some of her clothing. Once again, she descended the stairs, this time in a much more civil manner and entered the dining room.

"Much better." Mr Black added, oddly watching her as she sat beside opposite Sirius, Mrs Black raised her eyebrows at this but Bexley ignored it and was much more confused by Regulus arriving and seating himself next to her instead of Sirius. Bexley waited to see what Regulus did before piling food onto her own plate, it was half the size of her normal portion but she felt scrutinized and slowly cut up her waffle, yet as Regulus liberally drowned his waffles in syrup, she smiled and did the same.

"You'll want to watch yourself with that dear, it's lethal what it does to your body." Mrs Black announced over her newspaper. "Now, Sirius, tell us about Bexley." As she chewed slowly, Bexley raised her eyes to meet Sirius's and her cheeks glowed as he sat there, alive and thriving, yet the longer she looked, the more memories arrived.

"Surely she can speak for herself," Regulus added casually.

"Not now Regulus." His father berated him. Sirius stared icily at his father and the family shot glares at one another.

"I don't suppose it'd be rude to go to the toilet would it?"

"I'll show you." Sirius rose abruptly and escorted Bexley from the room, his hand clasped gently around her hand and he pulled her along the vast corridors and down a flight of stairs. Bexley opened her mouth to speak and received his hand clamping over her. He opened the door to the toilet and ushered her inside. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Glad to see you're back to your bouncy self." Sirius's frantic expression dropped as he realised that Bexley had witnessed him stumble from the Forbidden Forest and it was her tiny hands which pressed against his wounds, trying to keep him in the land of the living. "Front row seat, I still can't seem to get your blood from under my fingernails." She spoke nonchalantly and sat on the edge of the bath.

"Bexley, you shouldn't have come."

"I wasn't exactly going to leave you- Besides, your mother really wanted to see me." Bexley chuckled coolly as Sirius's complexion softened at her words.

"It's not safe for you right now to be here, especially for some stupid ball. I'll have Kreacher move your things to my room, I'm not having you stay alone for a moment in this house." Sirius rubbed his forehead tiredly and gripped the sink as his balance wobbled, Bexley rushed to his side and placed her hands on his torso gingerly, supporting him.