Chapter 4
Percy woke up in a cold sweat and looked at the clock. The red numbers blazed "5:10". AM or PM? He tried to remember if he had been napping after classes or if this was the morning. Through his disorientation he managed to remember Oliver storming out of the dormitory and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Oliver was still gone. And why had he woken up? he always slept through the night. It was because of Oliver, but also something else....his potions homework! He had yet to do it! Snape would have his head if it was left undone!
Percy rushed over to his desk and took a quill and some parchment out of the drawer. He quickly scribbled down the answers to the questions that Snape had dictated to the class and hoped that most of them were right. The only other thing he had to do was find an ingredient for the potion they would be making the next day- l'essence de l'attraction impossiblement forte . He rifled through his drawers, but did not seem to have it anywhere. He knew that he had bought it at the beginning of the year - if one of the twins had stolen it, Mum would hear about it. What was he to do? He thought for a moment before deciding to find Oliver and ask to borrow his. He must own it, with all of the ladies after him.
Percy walked into the corridor expecting to find Oliver sleeping on the ground, but he was surprised when he didn't. He walked into the common room to find him laying on his back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He tried calling his name, but no words came out. Oliver just looked so sad and lost. His large brown eyes were clouded over and he had his arms folded tightly over his chest. "Oliver," he managed to whisper, causing Oliver to stir and roll over. "Come back to the room, okay? Don't stay in here. You need to sleep, and besides, it's freezing here." The fireplace had been broken by a poorly cast spell a few days ago and had not yet been fixed. Oliver shifted his gaze away from Percy and continued to stare vacantly. Percy walked over to the couch and took Oliver's hand, pulling him to his feet. Oliver was stubborn, but something about this wasn't right. Even when he was angry, Oliver never denied anyone conversation.
Percy waved a hand in front of Oliver's face, trying to get him to follow his movement. No luck. He placed one warm hand on his cheek and pulled away, shocked by the sudden cold. Oliver was freezing- colder than the room. Percy stepped forward with Oliver's hand in his, and Oliver leaned slightly, not moving along with him. He was in some sort of stupor and Percy was frightened. Mustering all the physical strength he had, Percy bent his knees and scooped Oliver into his arms, taking him back to their room. He would try to warm him before getting help. If that didn't work, he would go straight to Madame Pomfrey again.
Percy walked to Oliver's bed and folded down the sheets, placing Oliver gently on the bed. He covered him up and then ripped the Gryffindor quilt off his own bed to place over Oliver, replacing the one that had been forgotten in the common room. Oliver shut his eyes, and his breathing slowed down. Percy couldn't be sure that he was sleeping, but he didn't think he was too badly off anymore, either. Maybe all he needed was rest. He laid down on top of Oliver's quilt between Oliver and the edge of the bed, and drifted off to a dreamless and disatisfying sleep.
Percy woke up in a cold sweat and looked at the clock. The red numbers blazed "5:10". AM or PM? He tried to remember if he had been napping after classes or if this was the morning. Through his disorientation he managed to remember Oliver storming out of the dormitory and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Oliver was still gone. And why had he woken up? he always slept through the night. It was because of Oliver, but also something else....his potions homework! He had yet to do it! Snape would have his head if it was left undone!
Percy rushed over to his desk and took a quill and some parchment out of the drawer. He quickly scribbled down the answers to the questions that Snape had dictated to the class and hoped that most of them were right. The only other thing he had to do was find an ingredient for the potion they would be making the next day- l'essence de l'attraction impossiblement forte . He rifled through his drawers, but did not seem to have it anywhere. He knew that he had bought it at the beginning of the year - if one of the twins had stolen it, Mum would hear about it. What was he to do? He thought for a moment before deciding to find Oliver and ask to borrow his. He must own it, with all of the ladies after him.
Percy walked into the corridor expecting to find Oliver sleeping on the ground, but he was surprised when he didn't. He walked into the common room to find him laying on his back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. He tried calling his name, but no words came out. Oliver just looked so sad and lost. His large brown eyes were clouded over and he had his arms folded tightly over his chest. "Oliver," he managed to whisper, causing Oliver to stir and roll over. "Come back to the room, okay? Don't stay in here. You need to sleep, and besides, it's freezing here." The fireplace had been broken by a poorly cast spell a few days ago and had not yet been fixed. Oliver shifted his gaze away from Percy and continued to stare vacantly. Percy walked over to the couch and took Oliver's hand, pulling him to his feet. Oliver was stubborn, but something about this wasn't right. Even when he was angry, Oliver never denied anyone conversation.
Percy waved a hand in front of Oliver's face, trying to get him to follow his movement. No luck. He placed one warm hand on his cheek and pulled away, shocked by the sudden cold. Oliver was freezing- colder than the room. Percy stepped forward with Oliver's hand in his, and Oliver leaned slightly, not moving along with him. He was in some sort of stupor and Percy was frightened. Mustering all the physical strength he had, Percy bent his knees and scooped Oliver into his arms, taking him back to their room. He would try to warm him before getting help. If that didn't work, he would go straight to Madame Pomfrey again.
Percy walked to Oliver's bed and folded down the sheets, placing Oliver gently on the bed. He covered him up and then ripped the Gryffindor quilt off his own bed to place over Oliver, replacing the one that had been forgotten in the common room. Oliver shut his eyes, and his breathing slowed down. Percy couldn't be sure that he was sleeping, but he didn't think he was too badly off anymore, either. Maybe all he needed was rest. He laid down on top of Oliver's quilt between Oliver and the edge of the bed, and drifted off to a dreamless and disatisfying sleep.