I was up early the next day, and after taking the Sobrietus potion, I made a phone call from my bedroom. The phone rang eleven times before there was a rather sleepy answer.
"Potter-Malfoy residence," was yawned into my ear.
"Harry."
"Fuck no, Percy. Go back to bed."
I could almost see him standing in front of his beloved coffee pot, waiting for it to brew.
"Harry, please, can you bring Draco over here?"
"Why, Perce?" He was gulping coffee now, and let out a soft "Ahh."
"Because he's a level nine healer and a potions master."
"In other words, you want to see if he can find a way to heal Lover Boy's scar tissue so he can play again."
"I hate it when you do that, and don't call him Lover Boy," I snapped.
"You know, I should be the one being cranky, not you. After all, I was awoken at an hour I don't acknowledge, and dragged from my nice warm bed, from the arms of my comfy fiancé to answer the phone and discover that my best friend's brother wants to borrow afforementioned comfy fiancé, who is, by the way, still in bed, and exactly where I intend on returning. I'll call you back at a decent hour. Goodnight, Percy." He paused, and I just knew his I'm-Up-To-Something-Evil grin was falling into place. "Say goodnight to Lover Boy for me." And he hung up the phone.
"Bloody annoying prat," I muttered as I hung up the phone.
I glanced at the clock and Harry's moodiness was suddenly apparent. I had awoken a man who did NOT get up before ten... at five-thirty. Oh, my head was going to be on a stake. I just knew it.
I heard the soft Scuff-Thump, Scuff-Thump of Oliver's crutches in the hallway, heading towards the kitchen. I followed quietly, and watched him from the doorway as he took out some eggs, an onion, a pepper, cheese, and olives. He sat at the table with his back to me, and cut everything into a bowl, then broke several eggs into it, and mixed them up. He levitated the bowl over to the stove and summoned a frying pan from one of the bottom cabinets as he hobbled over to the stove and switched it on. The aroma of a freshly made omlet soon filled the flat and I finally entered the kitchen.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, you have just witnessed the beginning of the apocolypse. Oliver Wood has made breakfast without burning it," I chuckled.
"Oh, ha-ha," Oliver grinned, though. "I made enough for both of us; want some?"
"Definitely, looks good enough to eat." We sat in contented silence eating what I must admit was a delicious omlet. "Oh, Harry and Draco are going to come by later," I said casually. "I know Harry was there when you crashed, but Draco wants to see you too."
Oliver groaned.
I quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Whereas I know Draco wants to wish me well, he's probably also going to be trying to find something to get me playing again. And not just because he, like all my mates, wants me to be happy, either." He gave be a pointed look.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I deadpanned.
They arrived a little after noon and I left Draco to tend to Oliver as I dragged Harry into the kitchen.
"Alright, mate," he sighed. "Obviously you want to talk, since you nearly dislocated my shoulder. I don't think Coach would be too pleased with you if he lost a second team member."
"Sorry about that," I appologized, "but I have a question for you."
"One you couldn't ask me with Oliver near? So he really is Lover Boy, isn't he?"
"No. But I do want him to be. I think."
"You think?"
"That's where my question comes in. How did you know you wanted to date Draco?"
"Erm... Well, Ron was being a prat about the whole 'a Malfoy on the side of the Light' thing and Draco made a comment on Ron's thought processes. And I was torn between punching him and kissing him - because he was right. Anyway, since we were friends by then, I decided on kissing him, and yeah, the rest is history."
"So, make him mad and then kiss him when he expects to be punched?" I was quite unsure about this plot.
Harry laughed. "No, you twonk. You just have to find the right moment. For us, that was the right moment."
"Oh."
Draco suddenly stuck his head in the door. "Perce, can I borrow my lovely fiané, please?"
"Of course," I answered unneccessarily as Harry was already out the door.
"Oh, and Perce?"
"...Yes?"
"Good luck with Lover Boy!" Blondie wisely darted out of the room.
I stayed in the kitchen for a few minutes brewing tea, and when I finally emerged into the den, levitating the tea tray in front of me, I found Harry and Draco talking and gesticulating excitedly over a cauldron. Oliver turned to me and grinned.
"Draco thinks he's figured something out. A potion-charm combination. We're going to try it in... How long, Draco?"
Draco glanced at his watch. "Nine and a half minutes."
We all eagerly waited for the potion to finish. For the final thirty seconds, Draco stirred counterclockwise, and then removed a cupfull from the cauldron and handed it to Oliver. "Three swallows should do it, but considering the damage, we have to give you five," he explained. "One sip at a time, now."
Oliver took the first sip, and we waited five minutes as his cast slowly disolved. Harry then leant over his leg, and touched his wand to Oliver's knee, then his ankle. "One more sip, now," Draco instructed. Oliver took another sip, and we waited another five minutes before Harry once more touched the tip of his wand to Oliver's knee and ankle, this time muttering something. "Last sip, now." Another five minutes, and Harry simply touched Oliver's knee and ankle. Oliver shivvered.
"That felt weird."
"What did it feel like?"
"I don't know, like an icicle forming under my skin."
"Good," Draco gave me a smug look. "Now, I want you to stand up and walk around a little."
Oliver did as he was told and after he sat down again, Draco leaned over his leg, his long hair spilling over one shoulder. "Ovis Intere" He murmured, and ran his wand from Oliver's knee to his ankle. Oliver's skin turned a pale blue, and his bones and muscles were clearly visible from where I sat.
Draco canceled the spell, sat back on his heels, and looked up at Oliver triumphantly. "All cured, mate!"
Oliver jumped into the air with a "Whoop!" and I jumped up to hug him. Our faces got a little closer than anticipated and our lips barely brushed. He pulled his head back a moment, remaining in my embrace, but studying me as I studdied him before slowling laying his lips on top of mine. I heard a soft pop, and assumed Harry and Draco had apparated home, but Oliver's arms tightening around my waist drew my mind to him and him alone.
When we finally drew apart due to the necessity of breathe, he leaned his forehead to mine. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that..."
