I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

IVY'S HEAD WAS POUNDING WHEN SHE WOKE UP, having cried herself to sleep, not even bothering to shower when she got home from the nightmare of a World Cup. Once she knew Val was alive, she didn't have it in her to do anything but cry, more hurt than she cared to admit about what Sirius said to her.

For just a few minutes, she stared up at her ceiling. Sirius had apologized through the door, but she wasn't sure if she could believe him. After all, when her father was angry a her mother, he'd always shout things at her that he'd meant deep down. So that must've meant Sirius did think she was a child still.

The longer she thought of him, the more her eyes watered. So, she quickly rubbed her tired eyes and sat up, knowing she needed to face the day. She just hoped Sirius was as exhausted as she was, meaning he was still in bed and wouldn't be there to stop her as she got a cup of tea before getting a bath.

However, Ivy was wrong. Sirius wasn't tucked away in his king-sized bed. He was asleep and leaning against her door — or he had been, at least. As soon as she pulled the door open, Sirius toppled over, which instantly woke him.

As he gathered his wits, she looked at him in disbelief. He'd really slept outside her door, refusing to leave her.

Sirius quickly rolled onto his knees, looking up at Ivy with wide eyes. She was still covered in dirt and grime, blood dried around her un-doctored scrapes and scratches. And her eyes were red, a sign she'd been crying all night.

"Fuck, Ivy, you need to take care of yourself," he said, getting to his feet. He instantly went to hold her and look over her injuries, but she stepped back with a guarded look in her eyes.

"I can take care of myself," she muttered. "I'm not a kid."

"I know you aren't," he said with a sigh. "But I don't care how damn mad you are with me right now. Get in the bathroom."

Ivy opened her mouth to protest, but he shot her a challenging look. As it turned out, even when she was cross with him, she couldn't deny Sirius anything. And if anything, it made her feel even more childish as she listened to him, heading to the connected bathroom with her head down, his hand hovering over her back.

"On the counter," he said gently. But Ivy was feeling stubborn, so she stayed put, which made Sirius huff in annoyance. He tapped her thigh and repeated himself in a firmer tone. "On the counter, Bunny."

"Don't call me that," she mumbled while doing as she was told.

Sirius' face fell at the request before summoning a washcloth to clean her wounds before attempting a healing spell. He started with her scraped knees, bending down low to clean them. Then he moved to her hands, using a gentle touch and slowing down every time she'd wince or flinch from the feeling.

Ivy hated it. She hated how carefully he treated her with tender touches that made her feel like the most delicate and important thing in the world. She hated that, in spite of everything that he said the night before, she already wanted to cave and fall into his arms.

It made her feel pathetic, especially now that she knew what he really thought of her.

"Look at me, Ivy," Sirius said, practically reading her self-deprecating thoughts. When Ivy didn't do so, he hooked his finger underneath her jaw and lifted her gaze. Even still, he could tell she was looking at his nose rather than his eyes. "I love you."

"Do you?" she whispered doubtfully, her eyes watering. "Or am I just something you need to babysit?"

"Darling, I didn't mean what I said last night," he assured her. "I was - I was frustrated with Remus and scared because it's all starting again — and I'm not prepared to deal with this. I have lost so many people in my life, and the thought of losing you because of such a careless mistake makes my chest ache."

"I am sorry for what I said. Just because you're younger than me doesn't mean you're a child. You've faced enough hardships to know what we're going up against here. I just, fuck, I didn't mean to hurt you, but I did, and I'll spend the rest of my life making up for it if you'll let me."

A tear slipped down Ivy's cheek, breaking his heart. He cupped her cheek and wiped it away with his thumb. Thankfully, she leaned into his touch rather than shy away.

"I am too young for you, Sirius," she murmured. "Everyone thinks so."

"I don't care what the fuck anyone else thinks of me. I care what you think of me, Darling."

"You need someone - someone more mature — someone who knows what they're doing. Someone that you don't have to worry about."

"No, don't for a second think that you aren't perfect for me," Sirius said, standing between her legs. He squeezed her jaw until she finally looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "Ivy, I love you because of your kind heart and gentle soul. You are everything I could ever hope for, and if anything, I don't deserve someone like you."

"But you need someone like you — confident and tough."

He raised an eyebrow. "You think I don't love how easy it is to make you blush?" he asked teasingly. "And no, maybe you aren't tough. You're soft." Then he brought one of her hands to his mouth, gently kissing her scraped palms. "So soft."

"Don't ever forget how perfect you are, Ivy," he whispered, running his thumb over her knuckles. "Even if you won't have me back — if you never forgive me, please don't ever think you aren't enough."

"How do I know you aren't lying to spare my feelings?" she asked quietly. "That you're just saying all this so I'll go back to sleeping with you?"

Sirius scoffed, nearly offended by the notion. "You could never touch me again and it'd be alright so long as I knew you forgave me. And what we're doing — it's far more than just sex, Darling. At least for me, it is, and I know it is for you. I am in love with you and that means a great deal to a man like me."

"It means a lot to me too," she whispered, her eyes still shining. She was just so uncertain about everything when it came to Sirius. She didn't know who she was when it came to him. "I want to forgive you."

"Need I beg?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I will."

Then he dropped to his knees dramatically, making her giggle as he began to beg her to take him back. "Please, Darling. I'll do anything for you, you know. Even if you don't want me back, I need you to forgive me for what I said to you."

Ivy couldn't help but blush from his attention, not thinking she was worth begging over. She was the one who was supposed to be begging for him — that's how things had always been between them. She was meant to take what he gave her and be satisfied.

"Let me show you how sorry I am," Sirius murmured, placing a kiss to the inside of her knee. "Please, Bunny. Let me earn your forgiveness."

"How?" she asked quietly, watching him carefully.

With a wave of his hand — she still thought it was fascinating how easy some wand-less magic came to him — the tub began to fill with water.

"First by taking care of you," he said, standing back to his full height, towering over her even when she was sitting on the counter. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Sirius waited until she nodded slowly, giving him permission to take her clothes off. Soon, her kit with Ethan's name on the back of it was in a pile with her mud-stained jeans and her underwear. Then Sirius carefully lifted her and set her into the warm tub.

She hadn't realized how sore her muscles were from being trampled until she settled in, letting her eyes fall shut as a content hum left her mouth. "Thank you," she muttered shyly, drawing her knees to her chest.

Sirius knelt behind her in the tub, easing her back. His strong hands carefully washed her curls, getting all the dirt from them. He was gentle with her bruises as he ran soap across her body. And all the while, he hummed Baby, I Love You under his breath, nearly easing her to sleep.

"I love you," Sirius whispered, lips hovering over her cheek. He didn't want to kiss her cheek until he knew she forgave him though.

So, Ivy turned her head and placed the shortest of kisses to his lips, making his heart soar. "I love you, too."

He smiled softly, brushing his nose along her jaw with his eyes closed, so thankful that she was going to forgive him. He didn't know if he could survive losing her. So, he kissed her slowly, savoring the taste of her, prepared to treat every kiss with Ivy like it might be his last so that he'd appreciate them even more.

When they parted, Sirius placed a gentle kiss to her shoulder. "Harry'll want to see you. He was just as worried when you ran off as I was."

"Maybe in a few minutes. I don't want to get out yet," she mumbled, closing her eyes as she leaned against Sirius's chest, the wall of the tub separating them.

So, Sirius continued to pamper her, running the warm rag over her ragged muscles, massaging them until she was letting out little, content hums. But as his hand innocently ran over her breasts, he noticed the way she rubbed her thighs together underneath the bubbly water.

"I know you've forgiven me," he began, kissing along her jaw. And as he did, his hand moved lower in the water, sitting up further on his knees to reach her better. "Perhaps I'd like to do a bit more groveling, though."

It admittedly took a second for Ivy to realize what he meant, but she finally focused on his hand that was rubbing circles on her bare hip, dangerously close to her core. Her cheeks heated up, so she turned her head, hiding in his shoulder.

"What d'you think, Bunny?" he asked. "Think you can take my fingers f' me?"

Ivy just nodded into his skin, not wanting to look him in the eye. Instead, she focused on his hand as it moved lower, his fingers toying with her clit. She sucked in a sharp breath as he pinched the bundle of nerves before rubbing it soothingly, the motion having her toes curling.

Then as he slid two fingers into her, she grabbed onto the sleeves of his sweatshirt, as he too was still in his clothes from the match. His movements were slow and deliberate, doing everything to ensure it felt like heaven for her. And as his fingers worked in and out of her, he pulled her head back to begin kissing along her neck gently, not intending to leave any bruises — she had enough of those already.

Ivy didn't care as the water sloshed over the sides of the tub, getting the floor and his clothes wet. She didn't care that Harry was anxious to see her. All she cared about was the third finger he slid inside of her, meeting little resistance. His lithe digits curled inside of her, brushing the very apex of what made her come undone.

"Siri," she sighed in pleasure.

"That feel good, Bunny?" he asked, tracing his tongue lightly across her skin. "Nice and slow like you like it."

"'S perfect," Ivy murmured, turning to kiss him, moaning lightly into his mouth. He rolled his tongue against hers slowly, swallowing each sound that left her lips.

All too soon, she could feel an orgasm building, one that had her eyes rolling back into her head as Sirius kissed her neck when she fell back against his chest. She was lost in him, clenching around his fingers as he worked her through the overwhelming sensation.

By the time she caught her breath, the water was beginning to grow cold, and she wasn't very clean all of a sudden. But she didn't care as she turned to wrap her arms around him, hiding her face in his neck and breathing in his comforting scent.

"Does it make me clingy to say I missed you?" she asked softly, her eyes watering as he hugged her back.

"I slept outside your door, love," he said with a content smile. "I hardly think I'm one to lecture on clinginess."