Title: Once in Need
Author: Along Came the Spider
Email: Harry Potter
Pairing/Characters: Oliver Wood/Draco Malfoy
Rating: This fic contains some violence and bloodshed, but not enough to put off squeamish people.
Summary: The war is raging, two men meet. One is running from a past he wants no part of, the other is wondering how the life he had before him had gone so wrong.
Disclaimers: Harry Potter is a trademark of several people, but I am not one of them.
Acknowledgments: Thank you to my beta Lyras

Prologue: The Blood of the Martyrs

Oliver felt himself get jostled as he was carried into the Great Hall of Hogwarts. He could hear shouting voices in the rare moments that his mind emerged from the pain.

He gave a breathy laugh as he was dumped unceremoniously on one of the makeshift beds that crowded the room.

"What's funny cap'n?" George Weasley inquired from somewhere above the former Quidditch player.

"I used to promise myself I'd come back here for a visit," Oliver gave the redhead a weak smile. "I just never pictured it would be like this."

"I hear you, man," George said with a smile that had been long gone from his voice. Oliver attempted to raise himself up to focus on the other man. "Let's get you a Healer before you injure yourself again, or you become even more maudlin."

Oliver sank back into the bed as his companions left him to grab the attention of the overworked staff. He attempted to take stock of the injuries that he had received in that day's exercise, but soon found it easier to just let his mind dwell on the pain.

He barely acknowledged the person who came to cut away his bloody robes, and he never heard

the healer murmuring next to him as he allowed himself to drift away into a painless sleep.

Oliver opened his eyes to a world populated completely by Weasleys.

"My God, Cap'n," Fred grinned from his twin's side. "You scared us this time."

"As opposed to the last time, when you were hit by a curse and lost all the bones in your body, and he stayed by your bedside until they all re-grew." George rolled his eyes.

Percy, who was standing behind his brothers, shook his head. "Honestly, Wood. You were on a simple scouting mission - you weren't supposed to end up all bloodied by the Giants."

"Lay off him, Perce." George turned to glare at his brother. "You weren't out in the field. You never are."

"Neither are you." Percy said with a small smile.

"We're Research and Development." Fred snapped.

"And Percy works in the Quartermaster's office," Oliver attempted to soothe the brothers. "It's an equally important job. Where would we be without supplies?"

"Very true Mr Wood." One of the Healers had noticed that Oliver was awake. "And if Mr Wood is awake, that means you three should be on your way out."

"But, Doc," Fred whined. "What if he wants us to stay?"

"You should know the rules by now Mr Weasley," the young woman said sternly. "Visitors for the unconscious only, otherwise it would be too noisy in here."

"Yes, Ma'am." Fred mumbled.

"We'll see you later, Wood." Percy told his former roommate as the brothers stood up.

"Rest up, Cap'n." George patted Oliver's shoulder. "From the news that's trickling down from on high, they're going to need you back out there as soon as possible."

Fred was the last of the Weasley brothers to leave but all he did was give Oliver a quick smile.

"Thank God they're gone," the Healer said under her breath as she picked up Oliver's clipboard.

"Ginny?" Oliver called the Healer's attention to him, "What is the latest news?"

"Nothing we're supposed to tell you," the youngest Weasley said in her most no-nonsense Healer voice. "You need to rest up, not worry."

"There is a war going on." Oliver raised an exasperated eyebrow at her, "How am I supposed to not worry?"

"By sleeping." Ginny placed a hand on his forehead.

The last thing Oliver heard before sleep reclaimed him was: "Quidditch players make the worst patients."

When Oliver woke next, the Great Hall was washed in an almost unearthly quiet, the famous ceiling was showcasing an amazing starscape and a half moon bathed the room in a white glow.

A movement at the foot of his bed drew his gaze to what he thought for a moment was an angel. The moonlight offset the Healer's blond hair and fair skin making them shine as the man moved about quietly. The Healer looked up and smiled briefly when he saw that Oliver was alert.

"You're up early Mr Wood." The man's voice was soft and soothing. "Ginny indicated that you should still have some internal bleeding." The Healer was now looking down at a clipboard, "So, if you would drink this?"

Oliver took the goblet that was offered to him and obediently downed its contents. He choked slightly on the taste but managed to swallow all of it anyway.

"I don't see why Ginny thinks Quidditch players make bad patients," the Healer said conversationally. "They're generally the ones that go along with a remedy no matter how disgusting it tastes."

"That particular habit comes from knowing the only thing standing between you and death after falling off your broom for the hundred and fifth time is your Healer," Oliver sighed.

A sad light came into the other man's shadowed eyes. "Falling off your broom during a match sure beats-" he checked the clipboard, "-being swatted into a tree by an irate Giant."

"True," Oliver smiled. "But after the Giant hit me, I couldn't really tell the difference."

"Since your run-in with the tree during a routine patrol, the R&D boys are trying to figure out if there is a way for the emergency Portkey system to work before the soldier is injured." The Healer smiled back.

"Wouldn't that put you all out of jobs?" Oliver knew his joke had fallen flat the moment the words left his mouth.

The other man's face became hard and his eyes gained more shadows. "I will welcome the day I have no more patients with open arms and a warm heart."

Oliver tried to apologize but the Healer cut him short. "You should be sleeping."

A warm hand touched Oliver's forehead, and he was once again sent into a dreamless sleep.

End Notes:
- Yes this is a repost. I have no clue why I deleted it earlier, but I apparently did. Sorry to those I left hanging, and welcome to those who are just arriving.
- Please Review.