Been Awhile (Serena)

Drake stepped through the portrait hole into the common room as a storm raged outside the stained glass windows. Water dripped off his leather jacket as he shrugged out of it painfully, hanging it on the grate by the fire so it could dry. His back was torn to ribbons and his knuckles bloodied and split. The common room was empty accept for a first year who tried to run past him, "Go get Serena" he said to the girl who nodded and ran up the stairs.

Pulling his shirt over his head he revealed dozen of scars criss crossing his muscular frame. The lashes would be simply fresh additions, looking down at his wrist he smiled a bit at the tattoo he had gotten over the summer, a paw print with a silver sirius constellation on his wrist.

Running a hand through his hair he waited for his sister. It was time they talked.

Serena sat in the window of her dorm, watching the raging storm outside. It really was wonderful to watch, but it would be better if she wasn't alone. Sighing, she pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them with a sigh. She missed her brother and all the things they used to do together. But, since he came to Hogwarts, he grew more and more distant. She thought maybe once she got to school with him he would change, but that wasn't the case. It was almost like she didn't exist to him anymore. Sure she made friends, lots of friends, but it wasn't the same. She didn't have her big brother to go to when nightmares woke her in the middle of the night, didn't have her big brother to just talk to about the day, didn't have her big brother to reassure her that things were going to be alright...

A light knock roused her from her thoughts and calling to allow whomever it was entrance, her bright eyes fell on a first year. "Drake is asking for you, Serena," she told her with a smile. "Drake?" she echoed the girl, completely stunned. What does Drake want with me? Now? The young girl nodded and added, "He's in the common room. He sent me to find you." Dropping her eyes, she nodded. "Thank you. I'll be along in a moment," Serena said. With that the girl left, closing the door behind her. Looking back out the window, she thought about not going at all, but told herself that if she wanted her brother back, she should go to him.

Hopping down from the ledge, she slipped into her shoes and grabbed her house hoodie, throwing it on over her maroon and white tee, the neck of which peeked out from the top of the sweatshirt over it. Leaving her room, she made her way down the stairs, her light wash jeans making a comforting sound as she moved. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, her eyes fell on her brother. "You asked for me-" she began before gasping at the open wounds on his back. Rushing to his side, she reached out to touch his shoulder, but stopped herself and drew her hand back. "Drake, what happened?" Serena asked, her voice somewhere between a caring sister and an acquaintance.

"Come here Princess" he said using a pet name he hadn't in years. Sitting up he took a moment to look at his sister, she was beautiful, he really hadn't been looking and he was missing out on seeing her grow up. He took her hand and pulled her to sit with him, "I know i've been a bad brother, i've been gone for awhile I guess you could say" he said looking at her then to the fire "but things began to change really fast the moment I got here. I turned into a murderer's kid and got my ass handed to me just because my dad is in jail. When you followed me to Hogwarts I got into fights more and more to keep you safe from these people who would rather you pay for what they say dad did."

"Don't call me that..." Serena said, the hurt highly apparent in her voice that he suddenly wanted to just pick up where they left off before he left for school two years ago. Moving her hand away, she was too close to her brother which allowed him to take her hand and pull her to sit next to him. Really, she wanted to, so she didn't fight, but she was still confused as to what was going on with him and this on-off-on brother attitude of his. Listening to what had happened to him when he got here, she could understand why he became distant, even more so when she joined him. She had her share of people giving her a hard time about what they father had done and what he was locked up for, but that, to her, didn't mean that he needed to be as distant as he was being. Until now...

"But why were you still distant when we were home? All I had was you. I've never met our dad, Drake. And Mom is often away. I haven't really had anyone for two years, and now... What am I supposed to do?" she said getting to her feet, hot tears stinging her bright eyes. Looking back at him, her brown furrowed darkly as all the frustration she had been building up inside of her threatened to explode from her petite body. "I've had to face the cruel looks, comments, and actions, too. And I had no one to run to... I thank you for trying to protect me, but what I really needed was my brother...." she said, letting a few tears streak down her face before angrily wiping them away.

He flinched at her outburst, her eyes filled with tears shook him to his core. he'd never wanted to hurt his sister like this. "Serena" he said his voice thick with emotion "i'm sorry i'm so sorry for leaving you alone..i..just was afraid." turning his head he looked at his hands "I was afraid of what i'd do to you.."

Standing he turned so she saw his back the wounds were closing slowly adding to his mess of scars. He had wanted her to see this it was the only way.

Biting her bottom lip as she heard the emotion color his tone as he spoke, Serena wanted nothing more than to run to him and put her arms around him like old times before they were thrust into this world that judged you for who your parents were. Shaking her head, she asked, "What do you mean what you'd do to me, Drake?"

As he turned, the full extent of his wounds and previous wounds now healed. "Oh, Drake..." she cooed, her voice thick with caring for her brother, even if this was the first real conversation they had since he left for school. Turning, she found a basin next to the fireplace and picked it up. Placing it on the table she cast Aquamenti, filling it with cool, clean water. Taking a seat on the sofa, she said softly, "Sit... Please..."

Swallowing hard he sat down his back to her "I was attacked, shortly after i came to school" he said his voice soft with the memory "a wolf living in the woods...werewolf, he shredded me up pretty bad, before you ask no i'm not a werewolf" glancing at her over his shoulder before looking back at his hands "he still infected me badly, my temper is worse then it ever was. I'm stronger then i could have thought and my body heals quickly, in the beginning the slightest movement would make me fly off the handle."

Closing his eyes he heald his face in his hands "I've done some bad things serena, I had to protect you from the monsters. Not just those people out there, but myself as well."

Realizing she didn't have a cloth to cleanse his wounds, Serena removed her tee from under her hoodie and, using her wand, cut it into smaller, more manageable pieces. Dipping it into the water, she paused as he told her what actually happened. She couldn't believe it. Her brother feared hurting her due to the effect the werewolf's venom, for lack of a better term, had done to him. "I'm sorry..." she said before, gently applying the cloth to the gently oozing wounds knowing it wasn't going to feel nice. "I don't.... I don't think you're a monster, Drake. Have you talked to Aunt Morgan? She might be able to help you," she offered, remembering that Romulus, Ricardo, and Chandra's mom, the one she stayed with often when everyone was out, was the head healer at St. Mungo's and seemed to have a way with 'unique cases' of things, as it were. Rinsing out the cloth, Serena continued to clean her brother up and smiled softly as she watch, before her eyes, his wounds slowly close.

Her words encouraged him to keep opening up sitting up straighter he shrugged "not much aunt morgan can do but take the edge off but i decided to tell you...after all this time because something incredible happened." turning so he faced her he took her clean pale hand in his bloodied one.

"I was in the woods walking when the rain hit, as i tried to make my way back i was attacked by some older students...usually i lose control of my self and i hurt them bad...or kill them. But this time i held it all in i controlled my self serena," his eyes sparked with excitement his tone getting faster "I knew if i could withstand what they did that i could finally trust myself around you because now i know i've worked hard enough i wont hurt you!"

Sighing, she had hoped that Aunt Morgan would be able to help him more than just taking the edge off, but at least she could help if he asked for it. Serena placed the cloth in the bowl as she finished cleaning him up and looked up, her brilliant blue eyes softening with each passing moment she rekindled their bond, as he took her hand in his. Watching his face as he told her about what had happened to tell him that he was safe to be around her again, a smile, just like the ones she had smiled so many times before with him, spread across her face. "I always knew you were strong, Drake," she said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze, "Forgive me for snapping at you."

His large arms wrapped around her pulling his little sister into a tight hug "Nah your the strong one i just ran off and left you alone, i'm so sorry princess you will never be alone again i promised" he squeezed her tight nuzzling into her blonde hair.

Folding into her brother's chest, Serena breathed him in. He still smelled the same, but there was a hint of wild in his familiar scent now. This was something she had been missing, simply being the little sister held by her big brother. "You only thought of doing what you thought was best. You wanted to keep me safe, so you stayed away until you knew I would be. It takes strength to do that, Drake," she told him, trying to help him feel better about what happened. "You're still my big brother, my Dragon. Just don't forget I'm here for you, too. K?" she asked, carefully wrapping her arms around him and hugging him.

Pressing his lips to her forhead he looked down at her "i missed so much while being away but now im here and dad is free, we will have the family we always deserved soon."

Leaning into his kiss, as she had done so many times before, Serena smiled. "I missed you, too, more than you can ever imagine..." she said, letting her voice trail off as he mentioned their dad being free and that now they will really be a family, one like they always wanted and deserved. Letting Drake go, Serena pulled away, her face covered in deep thought as she wondered about the father she never met, the father she didn't know except from the pictures she'd seen around the house of him during his and her mother's school days, of him older, and now the crazed man from the WANTED posters plastered all over the place. "He doesn't know me. What if he doesn't like me..." she all but whispered, wringing her hands together.

"He will love you Serena" Drake said touching her hair as he spoke "you look so much like mom he's going to take one look at you and see that little baby doll he held in his arms when she was born dont you worry"

"You really think so, Dragon?" Serena asked, looking at him as he comforted her. She didn't remember him, but maybe he would know her like Drake said as soon as he saw her. Serena believed that their father wasn't the monster that everyone said he was, even when her speaking up about it brought her a bruise or a split lip now and then. Her talk with Felix helped her to fully believe with all that she was that their father was a wonderful man, and nothing was about to change that. "I know I've never met him or talked to him, but I know he's a good man, Drake. I can't wait until we can be a real family," she said softly with a soft smile.

"He didnt do it you know?" he said firmly "mum never believed he killed those people and neither do i" standing he stretched popping his joints. "Come on, stay with me tonight we'll make a next by the fire and there will be no nightmares tonight" leading the way to his room he piled blankets and pillows by the fire and put on a clean shirt. "Dont worry princess everything will be okay and i'm back now you will be okay" he said as they began to fall asleep.