To sleep or not to sleep...that is out of the question

<<ooc- I miss everyone, but hopefully this will make up for lost time>>

Raven woke up once again to a horrible bout of coughing, nearly gaging. Her upper chest hurt and it felt like it was attempting to close off her air, making it harder and harder to breath. Every time she tried to move to a position that relieved some of the discomfort, she coughed even harder and longer that she had before.

Raven just couldn't put her finger on the reason why she felt so horrible. The day before, she felt fine and was her normal self up until a few hours right before dinner. She started to feel slightly dizzy, but she thought was because she was hungry, but when dinner finally came around, she couldn't bring herself to eat anything. The only thing Raven did at dinner was drink cup after cup of lemon tea and honey to keep her stomach from turning, and keep her coughing at bay.

She eventually rolled out of bed and attempted to get ready for the day. She knew that Dueling was an elective class, and knew that she wasn't going to take it, but the study period was something she could have used to catch up on her herbology assignment. Semplen is too nice of a guy to not do his homework; I should at least do his work.

Raven was able to button up her yellow blouse before another round of coughing came; this time, it brought her to the ground. She couldn't breath and the coughing didn't seem to want to stop. After a moment of gasping for air, Raven finished getting ready as quickly as she could and ran to the bathroom to get a drink of water. While that did help tremendously, she knew that she couldn't go through the day like that.

Debating whether to go to the library or not, Raven stood in the middle of the stairway in a slight daze. Should I even bother goin down stairs? she thought, I know I'm goin to feel crappy all day whether I go about the day or not. Is it better to stay here or pretend every thing's hunky dorey?

The debate was short lived as Raven turned around and went back to her room. This seems like the lesser of two evils. She walked into her room and changed out of her uniform of the day right back into her PJs. She pulled her hair back into a low pony tail and walked back into the bathroom to get a final drink of water before she attempted to fall asleep again.

Once back in the lonely room, Raven crawled back into her bed, trying to get warm again. She did like the quietness of the room, but she didn't like that there was no one to talk to in here. The loneliness finally got to her that she got out of bed to dig through her trunk. Inside, tuck away in a secret area, was an old, somewhat ratty, stuffed dog toy. The toy itself was a dirty, grayish color that had discolored patches in a number of places. Despite the look of if, Raven smiled and held the toy closer to her. After a few seconds, she crawled back into bed with the dog toy, and attempted to sleep. It's going to be alright, she thought as she allowed her eyes to shut once again, holding the toy even closer, cause I know it will be. With that thought, she was able to fall asleep...until she woke up to coughing about an hour later.

Knocking on the door before entering, Petra looked inside and saw Raven was sleeping. She entered and quietly closed the door behind her.

She looked around the room before sitting on the bed next to Raven's. She'd heard the girl had gotten "short roomed"--put in by herself--and knew how that felt; Petra had been short roomed herself last school year and was alone for three weeks before another 1st Year showed. Well, enough of that crap.

She only had to wait about 5 minutes before Raven's eyelids began to flutter open. When the little blond looked up, Petra smiled and said, "Hey, Roomie. Why you still in bed?"

Raven didn't have time to register that Petra was in the room with her before she fell into another coughing fit. After the fit, she looked back up at her, "Petra?" she sat up, rubbing her face, "what are you doing here?"

Petra repeated what she had just said a few times before Raven comprehended what she was saying. Of course, all she heard was the question 'why are you still in bed'. "I didn't feel like going to class," she said, her voice harsh and sore, "it wasn't mandatory, so it's not like it'll be a big deal."

She fell back into another round of coughing before gaging again. Raven liked having someone to talk to, but she didn't understand why Petra was there. Looking back up at her, she had to ask, "Not that I don't mind, but how come you're in here?"

Bouncing just a little on the bed, Petra said, "I'm moving in." Before Raven could respond she said, "Jessica found out we might not be getting in anymore 1st Years for a few weeks, and she asked some of the 2nd Years if they wanted to come in."

She stood up and, reaching down, stroked Raven's cheek. "You got me, babe." She sat down next to Raven. "Jessica didn't want you to be lonely: it's hard enough being a 1st Year as it is. And that said--"

She smacked Raven on the butt. "Get your ass out of bed, honey. I'm taking you to see the nurse." She stood up and grabbed a school robe off the nightstand. "When you aren't feeling good, you don't lay about in bed, you go to the hospital and see the nurse. So get up." She pulled out her wand. "If you don't, I'll just transfigure you into a Barbie doll and carry you." She chuckled. "Your choice, Raven."

Raven didn't budge and waved Petra's warning aside, "It's only a cough, it'll go away if I drink some hot lemon tea with some honey. It's nothing to go to the nurse about; I'm fine." She scratched her throat, yet gave an reassuring smile, "really, I'm fine. I'm just glad I don't have to be in a room to myself; I was starting to miss the hustle and bustle in the mornin, ya know?"

She had to sit there and reflect on the news her new roommate had just given her, I really am glad I don't have to be alone anymore, but I'm even more surprised that Kishna was the one that suggested it; doesn't quite seem to fit into her profile.

Groaning loudly, Petra said, "You have brothers here and don't know a damn thing about how this place works!" She stripped the covers back from Raven's body. "You're in a school full of witches and wizards, and that includes the nurse! You don't need hot tea and honey; you need that mixed with a potion that will cure you right up!"

Petra stood back examining Raven. "And are you expecting the elves to bring that tea to you? 'Cause you're lookin' like you love that bed--a lot." She started pulling playfully on Raven's hand, which was attached to the arm attached to the rest of her body. "C'mon, Rav-on! Come on! Tea's awaitin'!" She gave a final hard tug and then let Raven's hand drop to the bed. "Get up or I'm gonna give you a spanking."

Raven went into a coughing fit once again before mumbling, "I'm fine, you just worry too much." She really had a hard time trying to grasp why Petra was so persistent for Raven to go see the nurse. It's going to be a pain just to go to the nurse just to tell me I'm fine; all it's going to do is cause her trouble. She didn't want to cause any trouble for anyone, but Petra was so determined for her to get checked out.

Sighing, Raven gave up, "Fine. If we go to the hospital, will that make you happy?"

Petra looked at Raven with an air of detached amusement. "It's almost 11 o'clock, babe; Friday classes are pretty much over. You've been laying in bed coughing and trying to convince me you're okay, and you look like hell. You're at a school where a 5 minute stroll to the nurse will have you right in another 5, but you're rather lay in bed and play 'Poor Pitiful Me' for some reason."

She knelt down next to Raven's bed and looked into her eyes. "I'm going to become a prefect when I make 5th Year; that's my plan. And one of the reasons I'll get that position is because I've got a really good bullshit." Petra dropped her gaze just a fraction, then back up into Raven's eyes. "It's not a matter of whether it'll make me happy, 'cause I'm very good at not giving a Shit. It's a matter of doing what you should do."

Petra paused, then kissed her fingers and touched them to Raven's forehead. "I'm a really different sort of person, Raven. And that's liable to weird you out." She smiled, but it seemed to only affect the lower half of her face. "Then again, you might like weird."

She stood and headed for the door. "The elves will bring the rest of my stuff around soon." She stopped in the now-opened door frame. "So, you gotta choice: get your ass outta bed, get a potion and join me for lunch in 30 minutes--or stay in bed and hope someone comes around to join the pity party."

Petra stepped into the hall, quietly closing the door behind her.

Once the door shut, she sighed once again. I don't want someone's pity she thought as she started to finally roll out of bed, "I just don't like hospitals."

Raven quickly made her bed, just straightening the comforter over her pillows. You could tell that she just didn't care at the moment if her bed was well made or not, she just felt a bit guilty after what Petra had told her. Raven then went to her trunk to get the black skirt and yellow blouse that she wore just a few hours ago. She then put on her socks and shoes, quickly braided her hair back, and walked out the door.