scars || sirius black

66 - the brightest star in the night sky

Emmy rubbed her eyes blearily as she got ready to leave the hospital. She pulled on her clothes from the night before, wincing as the dried blood and rubble scratched against her skin.

Sirius had been supposed to meet her here this morning but it was already 10am and he hadn't appeared. Professor McGonagall had had to leave an hour earlier, so now she paced the room in silence. She had been restless all night now that her bump was so big so it was a relief to get up and stretch her legs, even if she was exhausted.

She felt awful about what had happened last night and wanted nothing more than to explain everything to Sirius, if only it would be that easy. She couldn't imagine how he was feeling; hurt, angry and blindsided came to mind. He was right to be upset of course and she knew he would understand eventually, but it wasn't fair that she had kept everything from him and put herself in so much danger.

She was about to head down to the reception to call a cab, too pregnant to apparate on her own these days, thinking Sirius had fallen asleep in the flat after the madness of last night and forgotten to come and pick her up, when he rounded the corner.

She beamed at him instinctively despite the situation, relief flooding her senses, and her heart melted as he tried for a smile.

"Sorry, love," he said quietly as he approached. "Fell asleep at James' last night. Went to get you a change of clothes too."

He pulled her favourite joggers and a thick jumper from his bag.

"Want to have a shower and get changed before we go?"

She launched herself into his arms.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled, feeling tears well in her eyes.

"It's alright," he murmured, stroking the back of her head. "Let's talk about it when we get home."

"It's not alright," she mumbled.

"I read the letters by the way, the ones from Regulus."

She pulled back to look at him carefully.

"I understand why you did it," he spoke softly.

"You do?"

"I just wish you'd told me sooner and not got wound up in everything that happened last night. I was so scared when I got your patronus. We all were."

"I think I was just trying to protect you. I thought I could do it all myself."

"And you could have done," he replied earnestly. "It's just that you're almost nine months pregnant, love. Besides, they were tracking Regulus not you."

"How do you know?" she asked sharply.

"I spoke to Dumbledore," he explained. "He has a spy in the Death-Eater ranks who confirmed it all."

She looked around nervously, checking no one was nearby.

The ward was small, there were only six beds or so on the maternity ward and just one of them was taken but thankfully Sirius had been quiet enough that the woman and her doting relatives wouldn't have heard.

He noticed her tense reaction and grimaced.

"Come on, let's get you home. I'll get us some breakfast from the coffee shop for the taxi ride, it was risky enough the three of them helping you apparate last night, I'm not chancing it again on my own."

She couldn't help but agree with Sirius, even if she longed desperately for the thirty seconds it would take them to get home rather than twenty five minutes. Brianna came to see them off as they left the ward and walked them down to the front doors.