I woke up this morning, with a bed empty of my wife.
"Mmm Cissa?" I grumbled.
I got no reply but I did hear noises coming from the bathroom. Not so great noises. I listened for a moment and jumped out of bed when I heard retching.
"Cissy?" I knocked on the door.
"I'm fine d-darling. Go back to b-bed." She called shakily.
I shook my head and opened the door, finding Narcissa hunched over the toilet, attempting to hold her hair back as she lurched forward to throw up.
I immediately kneeled behind her and held her hair back as she emptied her stomach. She was crying softly, her shaky body looked so fragile.
"Oh Cissy..." I whispered, rubbing her back as she threw up again.
I sat with her for a few more minutes until she was done and I was left with my sweet wife crying softly.
I pulled her against my front and held her softly.
"E-Eda no. I'm gross." She whimpered.
"You could never be gross my love." I said, grabbing a towel to wipe her face.
She groaned in reply.
"Why didn't you wake me petal?" i asked softly, pressing a kiss to her hot clammy forehead.
"Didnt w-want you to s-see me like this. I h-hate being sick." She cried softly.
"Cissa... I am your wife. I love you. In sickness and health right?"
She nodded.
"Its my job to take care of you when you're sick like you take care of me when I'm in pain. Let me take care of you? Please? You're allowed to be weak Cissabug."
"Ok." She whispered.
"Good girl." I cooed, pressing a kiss to her head. "You're really warm honey. Lets brush your teeth ok? I'll take your temperature and we can snuggle in bed today." I said.
"But y-you have to t-teach." She whimpered.
"You're more important and I know Minerva will understand. My students can live without me for a day or two." I reassured her.
"I don't want to-"
"Don't you dare call yourself a bother. I know that brain of yours all too well. You are not a bother. Ever. Besides, you know how much I love to baby you." I teased.
She didn't reply but she hugged me a little tighter.
I helped her stand up to get to the sink. She brushed her teeth and gratefully accepted the mouth wash to rid the taste of bile from her mouth. Once she was done, I casted a scourgify spell to clean her up.
"Thank you d-darling." She shivered.
"Anytime my love." I said, pecking her lips.
She let me carry her back to bed. She had sweat through her pajamas from the overheated state of her fever from earlier so I grabbed a new pair.
I gently removed her night slip and gave her a pair of sweat pants and a oversized t-shirt of mine. If she wasnt sick she would have protested as "sweats are not a fashion statement Edaline" but she didnt argue.
"Your sweats are so comfy." She mumbled.
I summoned a barf bowl for her and some water along with some of my muggle gatorade because electrolytes are essential.
Once she was dressed, and had the essentials, I tucked her into bed and pecked her lips.
"I'll be right back darling. I'm just going to let Minerva know I wont be teaching today ok? I'm also going to grab my Gryffindor Jumper you love so much." I said.
"Then we can snuggle?" She whispered, giving me a pout that was amplified by her glassy eyes.
"You know I can't deny you a thing when you pout. Of course we'll snuggle. I'll be back in ten minutes ok?"
"Mkay." She replied, snuggling under the covers.
I smiled at Narcissa's cuteness even if my heart hurt to see her so miserable. I walked to the fireplace in our room and flooed to my office.
It was early. But Minerva is always up by 5 am having a cup of tea in her quarters so I used my long leg advantage and speed walked to her room.
I knocked on her door and she opened it a moment later.
"Professor Albrecht? This is quite early for you, is everything alright?" She asked, ushering me inside.
"Minerva I'm so sorry to do this, but Narcissa is really sick and I need to take the day off to care for her." I said. I felt bad. I hate taking days off of work, especially since I love my job and having endometriosis makes it hard to not take at least one day off a month, but Minerva gave me an understanding look.
"I know nothing is more important to you than Narcissa. You may take the day off. It's Friday anyways. I'll cover your classes. And give Narcissa my best." She said.
I nodded and gave her a hug.
"Thank you Minnie. I know she's going to be fine but I always overthink everything..."
"She'll be fine lass. Now go home to her." Minnie said.
I nodded and bid her goodbye, grabbing my jumper for Cissy from my office before I flooed home.
Cissy was still curled up in bed exactly how I left her but she had summoned one of my sweatshirts to sleep in while I was gone making me facepalm.
"You're back?" She croaked.
"I'm back lovey. But you have to take the sweatshirt off ok? Its going to increase your fever and I need your fever to break." I said softly, sitting next to her. I brushed the bangs sticking to her forehead out of her face as she groaned.
"But its so comfy. I'm so cold Eda." She whimpered.
"I know baby. I'll keep you warm ok? But you have to take it off if you want snuggles."
"Fine." She huffed, taking the sweatshirt off. She sucked in a sharp breath and moaned in discomfort at the cold air hitting her achy body.
"Shhh its ok baby. Its ok. Lay down and I'll come to bed." I said softly, taking the sweatshirt from her.
Her glassy eyes glistened even more with tears as she nodded, trying not to cry.
I quickly transfigured myself into new pajamas and crawled into bed and opened my arms for her to roll into.
She did immediately, hissing at my "cold hands" on her overheated body.
"Its ok Cissa. You'll warm up in a bit I promise."
Despite the discomfort, she wrapped herself around me, like the baby sloth she is and tried to still her shaking.
"Its ok to cry Cissabug. You can cry." I said, running my fingers through her hair.
"Don't wanna be weak." She mumbled into my chest.
"Crying doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong. Let it out, and when you're done, we can watch a movie ok?"
Thats all she needed to let go.
She cried for a few minutes while I held her in my arms, whispering praise and reassurance to her until she calmed.
"Feel better doveling?"
She nodded and pecked my cheek.
"Thank you bumblebee. I'm so lucky to have you." She croaked.
"I'm the lucky one darling. How about a movie? What would you like to watch?"
"Lilo and Snitch." She sniffled, giving me a small smile.
I snorted.
"I'm not even gonna correct you this time. You're far too cute for your own good." I said, turning on the movie for us.
She burrowed herself deeper into me as the movie went on and she fell asleep about half way through.
After Lilo and stitch, I put on the princess diaries because Narcissa loves the movies and so do I. She woke up after two hours, about 30 minutes into the new movies and adjusted her body so her head was on my chest instead of in the crook of my neck, which was a lot more comfortable for both of us.
"I hate being sick." She sniffled.
"I know my love. But I'm here, and I'll always take care of you. In sickness and health right?"
"In sickness and health. As much as I hate being sick, I love having you all to myself." She said.
"As do I."