A/N: Boy oh boy… I really hurried along with this one. I wanted to get this done so badly before the break ended, but I don't think the epilogue will be finished before tomorrow. End of next week, though. I swear!

A new format for this chapter: Three POVs. It was originally going to be Ron's but then there was a lot, and I mean a LOT of stuff missing, plus the whole impersonal thing. So whenever you see someone's name at the top of a big chunk of writing, it's they're POV. Get it? Got it? Good.

This, as you may already know, is the last official chapter. There will be an epilogue, which will be longer than most epilogues but shorter than most chapters. This is my first fic that was centered on a slash relationship, and so I'm immensely proud of it. I'm really glad you all like it as much as you did.

Big thanks go out to the following:

Fire Tears: As always, my dear, an inspirational and hilarious review! Your alter-ego certainly is feisty =) I'm sorry for scaring you… don't worry, no big warnings for this chapter. And I hope you like this chapter, because I tried to get it out as quickly as I could ;) Who knows, maybe there will be a sequel, maybe not. It all depends on feedback, time and energy. And my level of boredom ;) And yes, I know you wouldn't have let the sword hit me!

Lo Potter: Thank you thank you thank you etc… yeah, I was in a weird mood, and the pun just came to me. Happens a lot when I'm really sick. And don't you worry about Oliver… you'll see!

Sawa: That pun was created specifically so that you could respond to it. Yeah, you heard me. And don't worry, I'm not leaving you like this. I'll make it better, I promise. Just read.

Bwaybaby79: Glad you liked it so much! I DID NOT want to make this into a smutty NC-17 fic, because I just coouldn't do that with these characters, but I wanted their relationship to reach that level. It was hard to be tasteful and still show some of the passion as well, so I'm really, really glad to know that you think it worked well! Thanks!

Eigwayne: thanks for all the feedback! I'm stoked that not one person has dissed my Penelope so far! Most people would consider her OOC, but she doesn't even have a personality in the books, so I decided to play with it a bit. And I had to put that pun in when I thought of it… If MY name was Wood, I'd be saying things like that all the time! Sorry 'bout the cliffhanger… hopefully this is better!

And as always, to my angels. Meg, Mereschino and CC, I love you guys more than life. Hope you like it!

Chapter 10: Feels Like Forever

"In his eyes I can see

Where my heart longs to be

In his eyes I see a gentle glow

And that's where I'll be safe

I know…

Will his eyes reveal to me

Promises or lies?

But he can't conceal from me

The love in his eyes…"

-'In His Eyes', Jekyll and Hyde

*

Ron

*

I wake up to the sound of angry voices in the hall, and it takes me a moment to recall where I am. Only a moment, and then I look around and realize that I'm in the hospital wing.

Ri-ight… now I remember…

Harry and Hermione are sitting up in their beds across the room from me, looking at each other guiltily. I feel a stab of anger, wondering what's going on between my two best friends that they aren't telling me. Sometimes I think people see me as blind, deaf and dumb. Well I'm not.

"What happened? Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin?" I ask, trying to sound demanding but only managing a slow, sleepy tone. Harry and Hermione look first at each other and then at me. Harry shakes his head.

"Don't worry, Ron," says Hermione, obviously trying to pacify me.

"We'll fill you in later," Harry says. I scowl inwardly, but nod and lay back against the pillows again. I suppose that'll have to do for now.

The voices in the hall start yelling again, and this time I can make out the separate voices.

"You don't understand! I MUST get in there IMMEDIATELY!"

"Mr. Weasley, I'm afraid I cannot let you in."

"This is ridiculous! I'm the HEAD BOY, for Gods' Sake! Doesn't that count for anything?"
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Weasley."

I look at Harry and Hermione and roll my eyes. "What's he on about NOW?"

A new and familiar voice is heard outside our door. "What's going on here, Poppy?"

"Mr. Weasley is demanding that I let him into the hospital wing, Sir. I told him that—"

"Ah. Very well then, why doesn't Mr. Weasley just go for a short visit…"

"Albus, I really must insist—"

"Now Poppy, it's his brother… I think we can make allowances."

The door swings open and my brother storms in angrily, looking like he's on a mission from God or something. He spots me, and in seconds, the look disappears. I just lay there, stunned, as he rushes to my side and grabs my hand.

"Ron! Thank God…" I'm pretty sure my mouth's hanging open in shock. Percy hugs me tightly, and I peer over his should at Harry and Hermione, who both have looks of undisguised alarm on their faces.

"Um… Percy…" I say, squirming uncomfortably. My brother lets me go (he's probably realized by now how ridiculous we must look), and stand up straight, brushing his robes off.

"Yes, er, well," He mutters, straightening his glasses. "You had me worried sick! What were you THINKING? If you think Mum's not going to hear about this…"

I smile slightly. That's more like it. "Thanks, Perce," I say quietly, so only he can hear me. He nods his head.

"Hm. All right."

*

Percy

*

Madame Pomfrey is glaring at me like I've just set fire to her sick room. I turn to her, intending to apologize, but she cuts me off before I can even begin.

"Mr. Weasley, I CANNOT allow you to be here any longer!" She takes a step towards me, and for the little woman that she is, she' actually rather intimidating. "You're upsetting my patients so much that I can't even trust you to stay here unsupervised! And I can't stay here to keep watch over you, I have to tend to Mr. Wood!"

Her words are all lost, all except for the very last words. The night's events come flooding back and hit me like a ton of bricks.

Oh my god. Oliver.

"Where is he?" I ask Madame Pomfrey desperately. My voice is a little to high, a little to frightened, but I don't care.

"Where is WHO, Mr. Weasley?" Now she looks annoyed AND worried.

"Oliver! You said you had to tend to him…" I can't even finish my thought, I won't let myself finish that thought.

"He's in the next room, Mr. Weasley," She gestures to a door behind her, "But If you think that I'm going to let you…"

I ignore the rest of her speech, bolting madly for the door. I have to see Oliver. If anything happened to him after we talked… oh gods…

A million questions flood through my brain as I open the door. What happened? Is he all right? Will I lose him? Is this all my fault? WHY did he have to tell me right then?

Why did I have to say that?

I rush through the door, my eyes searching the room for Oliver. He's there, laying in a sterile bed, silent beneath the stark white sheets. I want to scream, but I have a feeling that even if I did, no sound would come out. His face… oh god…

I feel my knees give way beneath my as I reach the side of his bed. I kneels there beside him, not wanting to look but unable to look away. It's horrible.

Oliver's beautiful, perfect face is marked in several places by long, deep scratches, red and inflamed. His arms are marked by the same angry wounds, as well as some colorful bruises. I can't see the rest of him, but I know it's just as bad. Tears spring to my eyes unbidden, and I don't even make an effort to stop them.

I don't need to ask what did this to him. I passed sixth year, I already know.

A werewolf.

A few of my tears drop on Oliver's arm, and I press my lips to the mangled skin. How could I let this happen? This is all my fault…

I lift my head up and look at his face, a little battered and scraped but still the most beautiful thing in the world to me. The words just come of their own accord.

"I'm so sorry, Oliver… I wasn't careful enough… If I had been, this never would have happened to you. But I didn't know what to say, I wasn't thinking straight- - I wasn't thinking at all! I thought I didn't know how I felt… but I know now. I know now." My voice breaks. "I love you. Did you hear that? I love you. And I was wrong. Love IS uncontrollable. And it's not practical, and it's not predictable. Penny was right… I couldn't love her the way she needed me to. But I can love you. I have to love you." I let my head fall against the mattress and for a minute I just stay there, crying silently. Madame Pomfrey's footsteps behind me prompt me to look up and dry my tears. The look on the little woman's face is no longer angry, but sad and understanding, and I think I even see the hints of tears in her eyes. I vaguely wonder how long she's been standing there.

"He'll be fine, dear," She says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "He just needs rest and medical attention."

I stand up shakily, not wanting to ask the question, but needing to know. "Did it… was he…" Madame Pomfrey's eyes suddenly go wide with realization.

"Oh, No dear! He got quite scratched, but no bites anywhere we can see. He got there just in time, I'd say."

My knees nearly give way again at this enormous relief. Oliver wasn't bitten… that means he'll be fine. "Um, WHO got there just in time?"

"Oh, why Hagrid, of course. Out for an evening stroll, and he heard the struggle, bless his soul."

I sigh, relieved. Hagrid. Thank GOD. "Er, Madame Pomfrey?"

"Yes dear?"

"How, exactly, did a werewolf get onto the grounds? Aren't there protection spells all over the property?"

The little witch looks at me, surprised. "Um… I'm not quite sure," she says hastily. "Now, I'd better get to work here… you should be going…"

I bite my lip. I don't want to leave. I can't leave Oliver alone now, not again. "Please… can't I stay here?"

She frowns and looks me in the eye for a short while before sighing and shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose so, but you'll have to sit quietly.. I need my concentration."

I nod and smile slightly, sitting down in an armchair on the opposite side of the bed. Quietly is good enough for me.

*

Oliver

*

My head hurts, this bed is too hard and why in God's name is everything red?

It takes me a while to realize that my head is throbbing because I was viciously mauled, the hard bed is undoubtedly one of those delightful hospital wing ones (after numerous Quidditch-related visits, one gets to know how the beds feel by heart), and the world is red because my eyes are closed and the sun's shining.

So I open them.

Yep. Sun, hospital wing… I try to lift up my arm to verify my 'vicious mauling' theory, but find that my hand is firmly attached to another hand, a pale, freckled hand. Belonging to a pale, freckled boy. I turn my head to see said boy, needing to know that he's really there, not just some image I've conjured up.

"Oliver?" He whispers my name tentatively, as if he's not sure it's me. I smile weakly.

"Hey."

Percy closes his eyes and breaths a sigh of relief, smiling. "Hey." He opens his eyes again and looks into mine. "How are you feeling?"

"Coherent."

He rolls his eyes. "Clever." Then he looks at me seriously. "You know you had everyone worried sick."

"Thanks mom."

"Really, Oliver." His eyes never leave mine, and as I look into them, I see so many emotions it overwhelms me. I know he cares about me. In a way I've always known. I'm such an idiot sometimes.

"Percy… I was stupid…"

"NO." His force surprises me. "Don't say that. I'm the one who was stupid… too stupid to tell you what was inside of me before. Even before you said it, I felt it, I knew it. But I didn't know what it was." Our hands are still together, and now he tightens his grip. "I love you, Oliver. I never want you to doubt that again."

An incredible warmth spreads through my body. Again, my chest feels tight, but this time I think maybe I'll live. I see tears in Percy's eyes, and wonder why.

"Don't cry, Perce," I whisper, unable to make my voice sound level. "It's okay."

He laughs quietly. "I know, I know. I think that's why I'm crying."

With great effort, I pull myself up into a sitting position. "Percy… c'mere."

He gets up from his chair and sits on the bed beside me, leaning back and sharing my pillows. "It feels like forever since we've been together," he remarks, running cool fingers over my face. I chuckle.

"For you, maybe. I've been asleep."

Our eyes meet and my smile disappears. The mood has changed again. "I meant it, you know." Percy is always so worried about people believing him.

"I know," I say, and I kiss him. A simple, sweet kiss (we ARE in a hospital wing, after all). But it's enough for now.

The rest can wait.