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[clumsy_auror]

The front door swings open, and in walk Bernard and Nymphadora. They're both pale, and look incredibly weary.

The witch seats herself carefully in an armchair and presses the heels of her hands into her eyes.

"Shit."

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[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Bernard leans against the wall just inside the door for a moment, his face still pasty grey.

"Um."

He swallows convulsively.

Then he walks, rather swiftly, to the bathroom and empties the contents of his stomach.

[clumsy_auror]

"Oh--"

Nymphadora runs after him into the bathroom, her hands steadying him at the shoulders, smoothing over his back.

"It's okay. It's okay, love."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Once he's finished, he rests his head against the rim, just breathing, trying to steady himself.

Then he dry-heaves again.


"Fuck."

[clumsy_auror]

She makes a soothing noise, the same noise she makes when Sunny's had a bad dream, or Anthony's restless.

Her hand rests on the crown of his head, and Nymphadora very carefully lowers herself to the ground. It gets harder every day, but she still can.

"Here. Shhh, love. Be still. It's okay." A cool cloth smooths over his brow, and she kisses his temple.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He nods, eyes closed, and reaches up to flush the toilet. A couple of reflexive tears trickle down his face as he raises his head.

"Thanks," he murmurs, his voice rusty.

[clumsy_auror]

"'S okay," she replies softly, swiping the tears away and pulling him close.

A hint of a smile.

"Turnabout's fair play, and all."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He snickers despite himself, and curls around her on the floor.

"I'll start doing it every day if we're gonna play that game."

[clumsy_auror]

"Please don't." She can't keep the worry out of her tone, the thin veil of humour evaporating. Her arms slip around Bernard and she rocks him, just a little, her head resting on his.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He takes a few minutes to just breathe.

"Sorry."

[clumsy_auror]

"Don't be sorry." A kiss to his cheek. "I know. It was..."

But there are no words, for what that was.

She closes her eyes against the memory of Bill, lying there on the floor. The wreckage of that man. Her friend.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He's trembling, from stress, from adrenaline, from shock.

"Fleur-- she-- I'm such an idiot."

[clumsy_auror]

Her brow furrows. "Why? That was enough to make anyone ill. And what about Fleur?"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"It's just." He resolutely does not lift his head.


"It's just that," he sniffs, "he was lying there bleeding and practically erased, and between the horror and the nausea all I kept thinking was that this is the second time she's been on the floor not able to do anything, and I never really thought about how it had to have been for her on Halloween, because I was too busy being angry and in love with you and then things were just crazy and I never, ever thought about her and how she must have been when it happened and I'm the biggest asshole in every universe because who thinks about himself when Bill's sitting there, fucking mauled almost to death and did you see his ear--"

He stops, once again swallowing hard.

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora's mouth drops open, stricken, and then she pulls him even closer and presses a kiss to his hair, her words a little muffled.

"No, sweetheart, nonononono-- well, I mean yeah, all of that's true, except for the bit about being an asshole. That was a scary, scary thing, and it still is, but you know better than I do that Fleur's not some frail, pretty face who'd blow over in a strong wind."

She's still rocking him.

"You know she's strong enough. I wish to God it wasn't the second time, and it might not be the last, but they're both strong. And all of that, from before, it's water under the bridge, love. We all do things we're not proud of but it's okay."

Of course it's okay. Because it has to be.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"She's one of the strongest people I've ever met, but it's still not okay that I ignored her so completely and that she had to go through it at all," he replies, eyes squeezed shut against her neck.

"'S he gonna be okay?"

[clumsy_auror]

"He'll live."

Her hand is smoothing a circle between his shoulder blades. A slow, steady rhythm.

"I'll need to talk to Remus. Find out the specifics. He'll want to come see--"


And then she stops short, her hand stilling.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He feels her tense, and sits up.

His hair's everywhere, eyes bloodshot.

"...What?"

[clumsy_auror]

Her eyes are wide.




"Um. Remus."

She squeezes her eyes shut, and then opens them again a moment later, a pleading look on her face.

"Please, Bernard, don't tell anyone."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"I won't--"

He blinks rapidly. "Remus..."






Then it clicks.

"Remus?"

[clumsy_auror]

A short nod.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Jesus."

Bernard's knee draws up, and he rests an elbow on it, fisting a hand in his hair.

"Always, or...?"

[clumsy_auror]

"Since he was little."

Nymphadora draws in a deep breath, and leans back against the bathroom wall.

"'S why he looks so old. He and Sirius were the same age, you know."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Knew they were at school together, yeah. But Peter was so aged, too."

A short laugh.

"I thought maybe Sirius was just remarkably well-preserved."

[clumsy_auror]

"He can hardly walk, after the full moon."

She looks down at the bathmat, picking at it idly with her fingers.

It's a relief, telling him finally, but there's also a gnawing ache.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

His hand slides over hers, stilling her restless fingers.

"You're a good friend to him."

His thumb circles over one knuckle.

"Of course I won't tell."