Something for shock

Hester pushed open the door to the hospital wing. She felt panicky again; the feeling of water on her feet, lake water, it had kick started everything again. Now all she needed was a dog to arrive and she would probably just curl up and die.

"Shut up," she whispered to herself. "Stop being dramatic. Stop being stupid." But it didn't work. She had come in here to find the nurse and to get something for shock, but she couldn't take another step. She sank down onto the floor and curled up into a little ball, wishing all of the thoughts would just go away.

She didn't notice someone watching her.

Lavender was sitting on a bed, reading Wuthering Heigts. One of her favourite books. The pain in her head was slowly subsiding, these stupid headaches had been coming on much more often of late. Lavender soaked in the silence around her, until it was broken by a girl fumbling through the oak doors and falling to the floor. She shot out of bed, ignoring the sharp pain in her head as it thumped the side of her skull. Got up to fast.

"Hey! What's wrong?" Lavender sat cautiously beside the crumpled girl. She had lovely red hair, as Lavender stared at it she felt herself becoming almost hypnotized, so quickly shook her thoughts away. "What's happened?" Without thinking she began to stroke the girls back, attempting to sooth her. Still ignoring the stabbing pain in the back of her head.

"I-" Here was someone else trying to help her, and she could barely even stutter out her name.

"I think- I need something for shock," she managed to get out. Her eyes glazed over, she could barely see. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she guessed that her body was just trying to shut itself down, to let her mind recover. She'd been like this since she was little. She would overreact to certain stimulus, like fear, and her whole body would go into shut down mode.

The girl's hand on her back was soothing, and Hester just waited, quietly, until she could manage to get to her feet again.

Lavender nodded, the girl was clearly in shock, she'd have to wait to find out what caused it.

"Right, you should lay down. Have my bed? When you're ready to get up of course, I'll help you," She waited patiently. Shock, hmm. Lavender had been in the Hospital Wing enough times to know where it was kept. Once the pretty girl was in bed she'd go grab it, there was possibility she'd get told off but she didn't care.

Hester made an attempt to stand up. She felt stronger again, but she had felt ok down by the lake and then when she had got here she had collapsed again. Perhaps she should have asked Natalie to come with her to the hospital wing. But it was too late now.

She realised that she hadn't even looked at the girl who was helping her. Some part of her fuddled brain decided that once she felt better she would ask. She left it at that.

"Can- Can you help me now?" she asked, biting her lip, hoping that she wouldn't faint.

Lavender nodded. "Sure," She smiled reassuringly before helping the red head to her feet. "Take it steady," The two of them made their way slowly to Lavender's bed where she sat the poor girl down. she lightly pushed the red head onto her back before putting the covers over her. "I'll go get you something to help, be right back," Lavender hurried over to a cupboard in the corner, shock serum wasn't something kept hidden from students. She pulled open the bottom draw and yanked out a small green bottle before returning to the pretty red head.

"Here, drink this," She handed the bottle the girl. "Don't worry, it won't hurt,"

Hester took the bottle and drank it. It must have been mixed with a mild sleeping draft because she began to feel drowsy.

"I don't even know your name," she said, her speech slurring slightly. She felt a bit calmer now. "Thank you for helping me," she said. Dear Wizard God, how many people was she gonna have to thank today?!

She watched the pretty girl drain the bottle. "It's Lavender." The girl looked quite tired all of a sudden. "You're welcome. Though, I'd quite like to know who it is I've been helping exactly," Lavender sat down in the chair by the bed, tucking her dark hair behind her ears.

"Hester," said Hester, watching Lavender sit down beside the bed. She felt a bit awkward lying here like this, a little embarrassed, but she now felt so tired she wouldn't have been able to get up if she had tried.

She looked at Lavender. She was a pretty girl, with really nice hair. An odd thing to pick out, but it was so much nicer than Hester's ginger. She looked younger than Hester, but she still looked quite grown up.

Lavender smiled as Hester introduced herself, the girl seemed quite uncomfortable. However, this subsided slightly as a more thoughtful look came across her face. Lavender felt a little like she was being studied, but she didn't mind at all. Hester looked older then her, but she couldn't say how much older. However old she was, she was still very pretty. Her skin was fair, yet her hair fiery, Lavender liked the girls hair more and more the longer she looked at it. A funny feeling was beginning to build in her stomach so she quickly looked away, Hester probably had a boyfriend anyway.

"Erm, I'll go, if you'd like?" Lavender went to stand, though she didn't really want to leave at all.

"No, no," said Hester, suddenly feeling desperate. She like Lavender being here. "Please stay!"

If she hadn't taken the potion, she wouldn't have had the courage to say that, but since she was drugged up, she had lost some of the inhibitions she would normally have had. She had never wanted someone to stay so badly.

"I don't want to fall asleep, not in the middle of the day," she said lamely. "Please keep talking to me?"

Lavender tried to hide her grin. "Ok, of course I'll stay," They sat in silence for a second until Hester spoke again. Lavender nodded her understanding.

"Alright. What should I talk about?" She was half asking herself the question, not expecting Hester to answer. A lot of things were playing havoc with Lavenders head, but she was sure Hester wouldn't want to hear them. They were a little embarrassing, plus she'd never spoken to anyone about it. Not even her brother.

Hester thought for a moment. With her in this condition, she could probably get away with just about anything. And... There was something about Lavender that she really liked. Not in the way she liked Natalie, Serenity, Ethan or Liz, or any of the other people she'd met. In fact, the only person she could relate this feeling to was Louis, but nowhere near as intensely, and she hadn't even known what they had meant.

"What year are you in?" she asked. "What's your family like? Are you pure blood or muggle born? What house are you in?" She fired off a few questions, still trying to keep herself awake. She didn't want to fall asleep and then wake up on her own.

Lavender studied Hester's features as she thought then spoke. Her eyes were dark, like her own. Her lips a lovely pink, they looked soft.

"Ok, erm." Lavender thought for a moment. "I'm in first year. They're ok," She sniggered a little. "One brother, Excalibur, he just started work at the Ministry. Normal parents, not much to say about them really. I'm pureblood, in Slytherin." She reeled off her answers still watching the pretty red head intently, trying to work her out. "Why don't you answer them too, to keep you awake. I don't want to bore you," Lavender pulled her chair closer to the bed, hoping Hester wouldn't mind.

Hester noticed that Lavender had pulled her chair closer to the bed. She didn't say anything; she didn't want to scare her away.

"I'm a third year," she said, yawning and trying to keep her eyes forced open. Thank Wizard God that the sleeping potion had been very mild. "Uh... Next question," she struggled to remember. "Family. I've got three little sisters, they're kinda crazy in a sweet way. Jeanie, Hannah and Hope. Um... I'm muggle born and Gryffindor- I hope you don't mind?"

She was worried that Lavender would leave now she knew that. She really didn't want her to go.

"Have you got any pets?" she asked, changing the subject. "I have an eagle owl called Aphrodites and two mice, Atlas and Leo."

Lavender listened, almost shocked when she heard Hester was in Gryffindor. But, if she was honest, she didn't mind. Not even a little.

"I don't mind," She shook her head reassuringly. "I've got a brown owl, Blaise. My parents don't really like animals. Nor children really," Lavender muttered the last part, trailing off. Her eyes now glancing out the window, and not on the beautiful girl in front of her. "How have your three years here been so far?" She tried to change the subject.

Hester noticed that Lavender looked shocked, but then relaxed when she shook her head.

She was going to ask why her parents didn't like children, but even in her addled state she realised that this wasn't a good area to pry in. Instead, she replied to the question Lavender asked.

"They've been good, I guess. I've not really made any close friends, but I'm friendly with a lot of people. The years have gone by too quickly though..." Either it was the potion that was making her spill her thoughts, or it was the girl's beautiful eyes, which were looking out of the window now.

She really was pretty. And her lips looked lovely... Hester's thoughts tailed off. Why was she thinking like this? She had never thought like this about anyone. Even Louis, she had only acknowledged the feeling for a moment.

"Your parents don't like animals, but do you?" asked Hester, hoping that she would answer yes.

Lavender turned her attention back to Hester as she spoke, the way her mouth moved with such ease, creating pretty lines in her light skin. Lavender understood about not making many close friends, okay she'd only been there a week perhaps, but she'd still not really made a proper friend. As the question left Hester's lovely lips Lavender stared for a second, before answering.

"Oh yes!" She nodded with a smile. "Love them," Lavender wanted to say something else, anything. To keep the conversation going, for as long as possible. She didn't want it to end. "I hope...you'll be my friend?"

Hester returned Lavender's smile. She had a lovely smile..

"Yes, I'll be your friend," said Hester. Part of her wondered if that was all that Lavender wanted, but another part of her told her to shut up and stop being stupid. No one saw her like that, not even boys, who were supposed to see her like that.

She tried to sit up, to reach her bag where she knew Atlas and Leo were hiding, but she couldn't quite reach it, so she gave up, slumping back down on the pillows with a sigh.

Lavender noted the sudden wonder in Hester's pretty eyes, before it was gone again.

"Thanks," Lavender smiled again, hoping it hadn't been a too direct question. She watched as the beautiful red head tried to reach her bag, but failed and feel back down. "Do you want me to get it for you?"

"Yeah, thanks," said Hester smiling. She yawned again. She wouldn't be able to fight the sleep much longer, but she didn't want to stop talking to Lavender.

"I dunno if I can stay awake much longer," she said sadly, watching Lavender's expression. She really didn't want to stop talking to the pretty girl beside her, but perhaps if she fell asleep she would dream of her.

Lavender reached over and grabbed Hester's bag, handing it to her carefully. She watched that lovely mouth yawn again, a little concerned.

"Then sleep," Lavender smiled lightly, leaning forward and stroking the hand on her bed reassuringly. As their skin touched Lavender almost jumped, but held it back, not wanting to embarrass herself or make Hester feel uncomfortable.

Hester took the bag from Lavender and let Leo and Atlas crawl out and nestle under the covers with her. She wondered why the nurse hadn't turned up, but guessed that they were probably off duty.

She felt Lavender stroke her hand and smiled contently. Her eyes closed shut and soon she was fast asleep, having finally given in to the sleeping potion.

Lavender watched the two pets snuggle under Hester's covers before the beautiful red head herself began to doze off. She didn't have a clue what to do now, should she stay, or leave? Would it look strange if she was still there when Hester woke? While she contemplated what to do Lavender ran her thumb soothingly over the back of Hester's hand.

Hester rolled over in her sleep and let out a contented sigh. The sleeping potion had brought about a dreamless sleep, which, although not as good as dreaming about the girl beside her, was so much better than dreaming about the trauma which had brought her to the hospital wing in the first place.

Her hand subconsciously gripped Lavender's, holding onto it tightly.