Sirius is idly running his fingers through my hair as I rest my head on his chest enjoying the scalp massage. Just as I feel myself being lulled to sleep, a loud knock on the dorm door breaks us from the moment.
Sirius releases an annoyed guttural groan, "We're sleeping! Go away, James!"
"It's, uh, not James." A voice I recognize to be Gideon's sounds from the other side of the door. He opens it just a crack and two identical redheaded boys stick their heads in wearing matching shameless smiles.
"Is everyone decent?" Fabian snorts.
"No," Sirius smiles back lazily. "We're actually naked under here."
Fabian and Gideon snicker as they walk in. I push the blanket off my body and disentangle myself from Sirius who whines at the loss of the extra warmth.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" I ask the twins, though my eyes are carefully trained on Fabian.
He anxiously twists his hands in front of him. "Hollie, have you seen Duke around lately?"
I furrow my eyebrows as I concentrate on remembering the last time I saw my Hufflepuff friend. I gather that if I have to think about it, it's been too long. "Actually, it has been a little while..."
Fabian and Gideon exchange worried glances.
"Why? Haven't you?"
Fabian is quick to explain, "He hasn't been showing up to meals. And we haven't seen him around the castle anywhere. I'm worried about him, Hol. I know you know the way into the Hufflepuff common room so I was wondering if you could just...check on him? Or let me in so I could check on him?"
"Of course! No, yes, of course I'll go."
"Oh, thank you, Hollie!" The distressed boyfriend sighs in relief and moves forward to hug me. "Tell him I miss him, too, would you?"
"I will, Fabby."
I release the tall ginger from the hug and squeeze his hand reassuringly. I look to Gideon who mouths a 'thank you' at me. Gideon then slings an arm around his brother's shoulders and guides the glum boy out of the room cracking jokes to cheer him up as he does.
I slip my pink bathrobe over my sweats and step into James' white bunny slippers because I don't want to walk all the way back up to my own dorm for my shoes. I turn around to find Sirius already looking at me. "I'm sorry to leave you. I know we went through a lot tonight, but I –"
He shakes a hand at me dismissively. "It's alright, love. Go, make sure Duke is okay. I'll wait up."
"I might be long." I murmur, tying the robe belt around my waist.
"That's fine, don't rush back." He tells me all too calmly. I recognize that look in his eyes. It's the one that he gets whenever he's got a plan. And knowing Sirius, it cannot be anything good. Luckily for him though, my thoughts are too taken by Duke to try to stop him right now.
I give Sirius a quick kiss on the cheek and dash down the stairs.
I spot Remus on the other side of the room sitting with James and Peter in front of the blazing fire. Remus perks up at the sound of the floor creaking under my feet and he looks at me hopefully. I shrug my shoulders, not in the mood to talk about the incident anymore, and walk out.
I feel bad for leaving Remus to deal with Sirius' wrath, but I trust James to moderate shall Sirius initiate a fight.
It's hours past curfew and while I'd normally be careless about getting caught, that's the last thing I need right now.
The Hufflepuff common room is dim and silent when I enter, and the whole place smells of freshly baked bread. I open the round wooden door that leads to the boys dorms and barrel into Duke's room.
I find the older boy laying beneath his yellow duvet with only his head peaking out from under it. His brown eyes are devoid of their usual light, and dark defined bags have formed below them. His usually platinum hair is wet making it a shade darker as he's presumably just gotten out of the shower.
Duke's seventh year dorm mates have always been friendly towards me. Each boy offers me a polite greeting before turning back to their own business.
"Duke," I say carefully approaching the blonde.
He turns his head at the sound of my voice and a pained smile splits his face. "Chiara, hi."
I sit down on the edge of his bed and shut the drapes around the bed as a form of privacy. "How are you feeling, Dukey? Fabian's worried, he says you've been skipping meals."
He props himself up into a seated position, and I look him over just now noticing how much thinner and more pale he looks than usual. "I can't bring myself to get out of bed. I have no energy or motivation to do anything."
"Oh, Duke. Is there something I can do to help you?"
"You could hold me." He says hesitantly.
I don't need to be told twice. I scoot toward him and cradle his head in my arms. His damp hair tickles my nose and the scent of vanilla wafts up from it. He breaks into tears under my touch and I try to soothe him by stroking his hair, the way Sirius does to me.
"I'm t-trying m-m-my best, Chiara. M-My p-parents are upset with me f-for missing so much school. They...They c-called m-me lazy. B-But I-I struggle w-with the most simple tasks. That's w-what no one understands. I-I'm trying so hard to be okay. But the best I can do right now is...is lie h-here."
"How dare they call you lazy for something you can't control!" I exclaim heatedly. "Sweetheart, if this is all you can do, don't let your parents make you feel bad about it. I'm so proud of you, everyday."
He scoffs and sniffles, "What's there to be proud of?"
"You're still here, alive and breathing. I'd rather you fail all of your classes than end up pushing yourself to the edge and losing you completely."
His chocolate brown eyes are swimming with so much sadness but he manages to smile genuinely at my words.
"I see you showered today." I add, motioning to his still damp hair. "That's something."
"Thank you." His face and eyes are puffy from crying and his voice is croaky. "Could you explain this to Fabian? I told him I was diagnosed with depression ages ago, but I'm not sure he understands it. I don't want him to think he's the problem, I'm just not in a very social mood."
"I'll tell him. He cares about you so much."
"I know he does. I wish I could be more than just a shell of a person for him." He whispers sadly.
"You're more than enough." I state firmly. "You haven't eaten today, have you?" He only shakes his head. "I'm going to get you some food." He doesn't argue so I leave the room and make my way to the kitchens to make him something.
The Hufflepuffs have it lucky. The kitchens are right near their common room, making it easy to make quick trips.
I brings the blonde back a tall glass of water and a slice of pie. "It's peach pie!" I say cheerfully, trying to get a smile out of him again. "It's your favourite."
He stares down at the plate unhappily. "I-I'm not hungry." His voice wavers and tears fill his eyes once more.
"Could you take one bite? Just one and I won't push any more." I ask hopefully, trying not to be too forceful.
"Okay." He nods. I look down at my hands as he takes the one bite and he puts the fork down straight after.
I take the plate from his lap and set it on his bedside table in case he gets hungry later. "I won't make you eat, but I'm putting my foot down about you finishing this cup of water."
He takes a few sips of the water before raising his eyes to mine. "Thank you for caring enough about me to do this. I've always thought you should've been a Hufflepuff for your kindness and loyalty."
I smile tenderly at him. "Yes, but Hufflepuffs value hard work, patience, and justice too. I value sleeping and doing as one pleases."
He laughs for the first time tonight and I feel a tug at my heartstring at the sound that I've missed so much. "On second thought, Gryffindor does you justice."
It's only when he releases a tired yawn that I realize how long I've actually been here for, and how much later it's gotten. "I'll let you get to bed now." I help him under the large yellow duvet cover and kiss his forehead. "Goodnight, sleep tight."
When I return to the boys dorms, emotionally exhausted from all that's happened tonight, what I see does nothing to ease my mind.
The boys are all laying on their respective beds enjoying the comfortable silence but the room is a calamity. Everything is out of order and in disarray on the floor, and it looks as though a huge tornado has broken in and wrecked the place.
Remus is calmly reading a book on his bed but I don't miss the newest addition to his face, a black eye.
Everyone looks far too peaceful for the state the room is in.
"What the hell happened in here?!" I gasp, and suddenly all four pairs of eyes are on me.
James simply smiles back at me innocently. "Nothing, my muffin."
"Nothing?" I repeat with my hands on my hips. I raise a hand and point a finger around me and at Remus. "Both the room and Remus' black eye beg to differ."
I look to Sirius who offers me a wolfish grin. "Yes, I believe I did that. But Remy and I are good now."
I switch between looking at Remus and Sirius. Remus nods his head, looking all too pleased with his black eye.
I hold my head in my hands. "I'm too tired to understand the minds of silly boys right now." I make to drop onto Sirius' bed when James decides to throw a fit.
"Keeks, come sleep in my bed with me! You always sleep with Sirius. How about me, huh? Your own brother. I need love, too. So Keeks, get in." He folds the side of the blanket over and scoots to make room for me.
"Uh, no!" Sirius yells back. "I'm her boyfriend so she should rightfully sleep in bed with me."
James narrows his eyes at Sirius, and Sirius growls at James.
"Flip for it." James states.
"Fine. Pete, get a coin!" Sirius barks.
Peter rifles through his bedside drawer until he finds a Knut. The boys each call a side and we all wait in anticipation of the results.
Peter looks at it and announces, "James wins."
James whoops and cheers, "Haha! In your face! Keeks, time for cuddles!" I crawl into bed with my annoyingly lovable brother and he wraps me up in his arms. Peter shuts off the lights. "Goodnight, Sirius!" James sings smugly.
"Yeah, whatever."
A/N: Bit of a mental health awareness chapter. Please check in on your friends. And now for me checking in on -you-. How are you? Have you fed and watered yourselves today? Please do both right now if you haven't. You're too important to neglect.