(November 25th 1991 )
The back of my head is resting slightly against a small black wooden chair. My heavy eyes close again for what feels like hundredth time but I forcefully manage to keep my eyes open. I can't keep track on the number of times people have come in here to check up on me due to me not moving for the past week or two. The only time where I will move is to shower and go to toilet and even them tasks are somewhat difficult for me. Whenever I leave Oliver's side, I feel a massive wave of anxiousness crash over me: always thinking of the worse that can happen. Therefore, I only leave if it's my last resort. Over the past couple of weeks, Oliver has started making small improvements but nothing big. His injuries are healing perfectly but he still remains unconscious in front of me with my hand wrapped tightly around his.
" Miss Potter?" Someone asks from behind me, causing me to lean forward in the chair and turn around. "You should be in lesson." Madam Pomfrey says as she pushes a tray of food in my direction.
"I know, you've said this everyday now." I tell her with a sigh as I look back at Oliver. Madam Pomfrey placed a plate of food next to me on the small rounded coffee table. "Thank you," I mumble to her.
" You should really try leaving here, your friends miss you dearly." The elder woman suggests as she takes her equipment off the tray.
" I know that it's just hard," my gaze lowers to mine and Oliver's hands. I give his hand a little squeeze and after a while I swear, I felt him return the gesture.
" He did it! He touched my hand!" I look over at Madam Pomfrey and she quickly walks over and starts looking over his body.
" Yes, this is good. Wood should be waking up soon, I'd give it until the end of the day if I was you." the nurse pats my shoulder and retreats out of the infirmary.
"Please Oliver, wake up. We all need you; I need you." I lean forward and rest my elbows on the space left on the bed and raise his hand to my lips and press his hand against my lips before gently lowering it onto the side of the bed. Slowly, I stand up from my bed and walk over to the doors before looking over back Oliver to see if there are any changes. But there wasn't.
~000~
When I walk into the Gryffindor's common room my eyes quickly land on Harry's. "Hey..." I wave to him before throwing myself onto one of the couches.
"Wood?" Harry sits next to me and places his wand on the table in front of us.
"His condition is improving but he hasn't woken up yet, Madam Pomfrey thinks he will soon though."
"And you?"
"What about me?" I turn ask him. Harry looks forward towards a fireplace and stares into the bright flames.
" Are you okay? You've practically shut us all out when Oliver was injured you refused to talk to any of us. Some think that they have done something wrong." Harry informs me.
" Did I really? Damn it, I didn't know. I've been so focused on Oliver and his recovery, I've messed up, haven't I?" I lean back on the couch and close my eyes with frustration.
"Look, I'm not mad it's just I think you should talk to the others. The girls are in their room." Harry grabs his wand from the table and stands.
"Thanks, Harry." I quickly give him a quick hug before running up the staircase to my room. As I reach the door, I swing it open. When I walk in, I see something I didn't want to see. George sat on Avery's bed with Avery. The both of them seem to be laughing whilst George has his arm around Avery's shoulder. Just like what he did with me. Avery has a book is her hand whilst George's head is resting on her shoulder as he stares at the page. The two of them must've have heard me because as soon as I closed the door the both of them was quick to separate from one another.
"I- Iris! Hey, how are you?" George jogs over and open his arms expecting me to walk into them like normal. When I don't move his eyebrows rise up, "Iris, come on it's the first time I saw you in like weeks! Come here."
" You and Avery?" I look over at Avery who is still sat on her bed.
" Oh yeah we were just uh..."
" It is what it looks like, Iris." Avery closes her book and walks over to us.
"W-what?" I look over at George whose gaze is now on the floor.
" Iris, seriously? You shut us out for a few weeks what do you expect?! You can't have all three of them." Avery grabs a hold of George's arm and rests her head on his shoulder. "Just look at us, we're a match made in heaven."
"I can't believe this. I was with Oliver because I was worried! He was in there close to dying, I had to be with him."
" Shut up! Stop with all the excuses, you can't make your mind on who you want so you act all nice and innocent to all of them. You shut George and Fred out, they are sick of it. One day you're all flirtatious with one of them then the next day you're all over Oliver." Avery spits at me.
" Is that really what you guys think? That I'm playing with your emotions?" I shout when George doesn't speak up, "Answer me!"
" Yes! Yes, I do. Don't you see how I feel? I am always in the shadow of my twin, he's the better looking one. The funny one. The more popular one. Avery... she makes me feel different, Iris. She makes me feel loved, supported. She accepts me for me."
" And I don't?!"
" Iris, you know what I mean."
" Do I George? Because I don't. Ever since I arrived here, I have showed everyone respect, I've seen you as my best friend. Someone I can turn to whenever I need help. But it's not the fact that you're with Avery that upsets me, I'm upset that you never told me how you felt. I'm sorry if you felt as If I was playing with your feelings but I'm not. At that moment of time Oliver needed me, I can't lose any more people that I care about. I lost my parents, my Godfather."
"Godfather?"
"Yeah, his name was Sirius. I say 'was' because I haven't seen him since my parents was murdered."
" Iris-"
"It's okay, it really is. I'll just go, leave you guys to finish where you left off."
" Yeah, Iris. I think that's for the best." Avery gestures to the door before pushing me outside of my room and closing the door in my face.