disclaimer: i'm sure you can figure out which parts are mine.

Chapter 17 – Not So Friendly Faces

I felt horrible. I woke up to see Oliver hovering an inch above my face.

"Ahh!" I gasped.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, startled.

"Ugh.... what happened?" I asked confused.

"You passed out, I guess it was to much for you." Oliver suggested.

I looked around and saw Fred and George talking quietly behind the couch. I groaned in pain, trying to sit up.

"No. Lay back. I want to look at you." Oliver said sternly.

"You didn't strip me down while I was unconscious?" I joked dryly.

"I just got here." He stated simply.

"You've been out for about an hour, we were worried about you." Fred jumped in.

"I know you said not to tell, but we didn't know what to do. Sorry." George said quietly, looking at the floor.

"You guys, I need to check her out, thanks for getting me." Oliver announced.

"It's ok...and thanks for helping me. I owe you one." I smiled at the twins.

"Hey, how'd I get my shirt and robes back on? It would have been so much easier without having to take them off again." I scorned.

"Bwha?" Oliver exclaimed.

Fred and George went quickly for the stairs.

"Uh...never mind. Help me please." I grimaced stretching up to take off my coverings. He gently undid my robes and had barley helped me out of my blouse when he gasped, raising his fingers to his lips.

"Oh, no. Oh NO." he shook his head slightly.

"See? I'm all right. And you thought your marks were bad." I tried to laugh, changing my mind when my hand races to my side, clutching it from the pain.

"Lemme see." Oliver commanded gently. I let my hand slip and looked down myself. My right side was swollen with many shades of purple and green spreading across my ribs.

"I think there's a few broken on this side.... and the rest of you doesn't look that good either." He smiled faintly. "Here, put this back on, I'll help you. Tomorrow you're going to Madam Pomfrey's. NO arguments, you're going." He said firmly handing me my shirt. He pretty much dressed me, guiding my arms through the holes and buttoning it for me.

"Stay out here with me tonight." I asked, begging him with my eyes.

"Of course." He obliged. I rolled onto the floor with a thump and a groan.

"No wonder you've got broken bones, you cant stop hurting yourself." He sighed as he grabbed two throw pillows. He laid down next to me and smiled gently. "Maybe she'll have something for the bruises too." He said quietly, petting my colored cheekbone.

"Stupid bruises and broken bones." I pretended to hiss.

"We need sleep." He kissed my forehead and swollen lips. I tried to continue the kiss but he interrupted with his finger, pushing me gently back.

"You're supposed to be injured! Sleep." He smiled. I turned my back to him.

"Hold me. I sleep better that way." I whispered.

"How would...okay, sure." He wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close from the backside. I quieted myself form groaning, I wanted him to keep embracing me.

The next morning I woke up somehow much more sore than I the night before. I hobbled to get up, but I had my pride. I walked out of the portrait hole with my head held high, Oliver at my side. We made our way up to Madam Pomfrey's and once inside, I collapsed in pain. I panted and held my ribs on the right side, trying not to scream as she removed my robe.

"Young man you've got to go." She said to Oliver.

"Oh he's alright." I told her.

"Its against policy." She said more stubbornly.

"I want him here. Besides, its not like it's something he hasn't seen anyways." I smiled faintly. Oliver turned bright red, as well as the school nurse.

"OKAY then!" she said quickly, trying to get over that comment quickly. I smiled. I let her pull of my clothes and didn't feel embarrassed until she gasped. Then I wanted to rip back my shirt and hide in the corner.

"What...happened?!" she exclaimed with her fingers to her lips.

"I...fell down the stadium stairs." I was so ashamed, I looked down at my feet, trying to ignore the caring concerned look Oliver was giving me.

"And I thought your face was bad!" she blushed again. "Badly injured I mean. I'm sure your quite a pretty girl when your not mottled black and blue," she tsked when she felt my right side. "Three broken. Although I'm sure you already figured that out, and... you must have landed in a very odd position to get these." She traced some of the bruises on my hips with a gloved finger. Oliver choked on his tongue and started coughing. I was burning red.

"Ah, and look, they're on this side too." I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. Luckily half of Oliver's bruises were under the waist of my skirt, or else she probably would have made the connection.

"But for the marks and broken bones! What can we do to fix them?" I said with anxious excitement. She didn't seem to take notice.

"Ah, right. Drink this, and take these." She said, handing me a cup and a few pills from a cupboard in the bedside table. I looked at the pills and sniffed the drink suspiciously.

"Well, go on now, its not poison!" she said, somewhat offended.

"Oh, no! It's just...I mean..." I trailed off, swirling the thick liquid in the cup. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to drink it or eat it with a spoon; it was thicker than maple syrup. "Right." I muttered and lifted it to my lips. It slid slowly into my mouth, the feeling made me want to gag. Although the taste was worse. It was the most disgusting thing I'd ever swallowed; it was like drinking burnt pickles. I barely finished the glass, squeezing my eyes shut and swearing in my mind. I practically threw the container, but luckily Oliver took it before I could. Then he retreated to the side and waited patiently.

"What WAS that?? I thought you said it wasn't poison!" I choked out. The school nurse looked at me with a sweet smile.

"Oh? Well, it was for your ribs, dear...I could have fixed them with a flick of my wand but, you created so much confusing difficulty for me" she directed her eyes to Oliver. "That I was so flustered I conveniently forgot that spell." She kept smiling as I dropped my jaw and stared at her in shock. I popped the three pills in my mouth and pushed away the water she offered to me. Then I put my blouse back on.

"Oh, come now. It wasn't that bad. I'm sorry, that was quite immature of me. But...feel!" she said, jabbing me in the ribs with her first and middle finger.

"Ah!" I winced. "Feel what? The pain?" I looked wide-eyed at her, shocked that she deliberately tried to hurt me.

"Oh, yes. Sorry, I forgot about the bruising. It will take a full 72 hours for those to completely heal, and unfortunately, those pills work from the bottom up, so your face will be last to return to normal. But your ribs aren't broken anymore! So head off deary, there's still a good fifteen minutes left of breakfast." She said cheerily. I looked at Oliver, my mouth agape, and hopped of the bed. He looked very confused but managed to say

"See? You'll be all better in no time!" with an uncertain smile.

"Right." I said simply as we left the hospital wing. "Remind me to learn first aid, because I'm never going back there."

We walked into the great hall hand in hand, and it was suddenly cold. I smiled as I saw Fred and George looking at me hopefully. We sat down in the seats they had saved for us and I started piling food on my plate. Oliver shifted uneasily next to me and Fred and George exchanged worried glances.

"What?" I asked, taking a deep drink of my pumpkin juice to get rid of the taste of the medicine still in my mouth.

"N...nothing." George forced a small smile.

"Right!" Fred added very unconvincingly. I turned around and instantly found the entire Slytherin table starring me down, many of them huddled around Alyssa who looked like she'd been in a terrible car accident.

"Oh, wow... didn't mean to do that... but, its not like I was friends with any of them..." I thought. And then I noticed half the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables giving me the same death stare.

"What's going on? I thought everyone hated Slytherins." I whispered after turning back to my table.

"Well, while you were busing fixing yourself, Alyssa used the marks you left to gain a pity party. The story stands that Alyssa and Draco were talking late last night and having a grand ole time-"George started.

"And Draco had convienently left right before you burst in with your flaming fists of fury and beat her down when her back was turned. She begged you to stop, because she didn't want to have to show up a lowly Gryffindor, but she was forced to use magic to retaliate." Fred added enthusiastically.

"Because she'd NEVER participate in muggle brawling." George finished, sounding obviously disgusted.

"So I'm basically a violent maniac that preys on those who I know won't attack...oh, and I destroy the happiness of others, hmm?" I asked myself, summing up the situation.

"And your unloyal to your caring boyfriend who is too much in love with you to except that you would choose a Slytherin over him...and now is too frightened to leave you." Fred said helpfully. "That's what they're saying, I mean." He quickly put in.

"That's good. Well at least I know what role I'm supposed to play. The psychotic, violent, love-killing witch. That's me alright!" I sneered sarcastically. "I'm sorry you guys. I didn't mean to take it out on you. It seems you're the only friends I have. Thanks for being there." I said quickly, changing my attitude. I smiled graciously at them and they smiled back.

"We'll always be here for you!" George said cheerily. I giggled half-heartedly and Oliver pulled me close, placing a kiss on my forehead.

"I'll be here too, Love." He said quietly.

Seemingly out of nowhere Ron, Harry, and Hermione popped up behind me.

"US too!" they announced, swallowing me in a giant hug.

"Ah!" I giggled. It hurt, but I didn't care. "I'm being eaten!" the trio laughed and let go. I tried to fix my hair, and gave them a happy grin.

"Thanks guys." I said earnestly.

"Of course! We love you too much to shun you away!" Harry declared, wrapping an arm around Ron's shoulder. Ron blushed madly and looked like he was about to faint.

"Not that we love her like that! I mean we like her like- I mean- NO! Were just friends! Promise!" Ron stammered awkwardly at a grinning Oliver. Oliver burst out laughing and Hermione sighed. Fred let out a long whistle.

"GREAT way to get to a girls heart Ron, good job."

The dining hall was emptying and we all made our way towards the exit.

"I want to walk you to all your classes today, all right?" Oliver said, pulling me back from the group, noticing I was a little frightened at all the cold looks and gestures I was receiving.

"Okay." I said, relief washing over me. We started walking when I saw Robyn.

"Oh, Robyn! I'm so happy to see you!" I cried out.

"I'll wait over here." Oliver whispered and backed away. She looked at me with a hurt expression on her face.

"Its true...what they're saying, its all true isn't it?" tears were brimming in her eyes.

"Wh...what? Robyn, how could you ask me that? I'm your best friend, you know its not true!" I said astounded.

"you do break up true love! You...you did it to me!" she was now crying, tears streaming down her face.

"What are you talking about? I'd never do that!"

"Harry! Amy, you killed my chance with Harry! You had to go and be your natural charming self and steal him away! And flirting with him right in front of me. Damn Amy if I wanted to see it, I'd ask!" she wept. "No, no true friend would do that."

"He's just a friend! I swear it to you! I'm in love with Oliver, you know that." I attempted, knowing it was useless, tears now flowing freely from my eyes.

"You...should be ashamed of yourself. Your playing him too aren't you? One of the good boyfriends left, but you couldn't be happy with just him, no...you had to take mine and Alyssa's too!" she turned around, her face buried in her hands, and ran. Crying, broken, my best friend was...gone. I fell against the wall and sank to my knees sobbing helplessly. I heard Oliver's footsteps coming up behind me, but I didn't care.

"Its too much...its all too much to fast." I whispered.

"Why don't we skip classes today? Lets go up to our room." Oliver suggested quietly.

"I don't want to move...if I stay still I cant hurt anyone else right?" I coughed through my tears. I looked at him. "Why do you want me? I'll just cause you pain."

A new flood of tears poured from me, soaking my clothes and he picked me up; one arm under the bend of my knees, the other around my back. I turned into him, crying harder still as he cradled me carefully and lovingly.

He carried me all the way back to the Gryffindor tower where he sat down in front of the fire, still holding me in his lap. I had begun to stop crying. I looked at him, ashamed and full of pain.

"I don't know what came over me. I've never been violent before...its like I let loose all the anger I've ever felt in my entire life. It was overpowering...I feel sick when I think about it but I ...I...liked it. Oh god, don't think I'm a monster. Its just, I started and I couldn't stop. She kept taunting me and...I couldn't. It felt good to hit her, like it was her fault. But it wasn't! It wasn't her fault...I know better, I should have controlled myself...I'm never angry! It's not acceptable! Its not...me...is it? I don't ever want to be that violent monster again." I buried my head softly into his chest and he stroked my hair gently.

"If your never angry, maybe that's the problem. You've held it inside for so long that this incident made you burst. You don't have to be happy all the time, it's not natural, and no one expects you to be."

"What about Robyn? I never meant to hurt her, she's...she was my best friend."

"If you care for her this much, then its not for nothing. She's probably just as hurt as you. Give her time...give yourself time." we sat in a moment of silence looking at each other.

"How do you do it? Why? You love me everyday like it's your last, you never complain about the messes I get you in, you're always here for me, and I do nothing for you in return."

He lifted my chin gently. "Its possible that today could be my last, so I try to love you as best can. I'd never complain about the troubles we get in, it only adds to our time spent together. I love being here for you, because you're here for me every time I really need it, everyday. I can wake up in the morning wishing the world would end and me with it, but then I see your smiling face and loving eyes and it all melts away. You make me complete...I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't met you, experienced your love." He looked deeply into my eyes, and warmth washed over me. "I love you with every ounce of my being, every day of my life."

"I love you just the same." I whispered. "Oliver? Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Of course, that's what I'm here for."

'My savior...' I thought, looking up at him, a small smile playing across my lips. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it by placing a finger to my lips.

"I'll never leave you. I couldn't live without my heart." He looked warmly at me and softly kissed my lips.

"Good, because I want it to be just like this, with you, forever." He held me tight to him, and I lost myself in the warmth of the fire and the comfort of his touch.

just a note: I know that Madam Pomfrey is not that cruel or careless, it just adds to the story

and i'm sorry this chappie was so just dripping with corny romantic fluff (so mushy! blah!)...whoops. i promise, i'll try to refrain from that for now on, kk? ( )

and i wanted to thank my 6 reviewers! yes! no really, thanks guys. means alot to me.