"Why is this taking so long?" Martin seemed on the edge of a breakdown.
Thomas shrugged. "From my experience, baggage drop-off always takes forever if you are late for the plane."
Martin hopped from one foot to the other, scanning the queue in front of them. "Do you think they are all on our plane?"
"I don't think so." Thomas supplied, looking at his watch for the hundredth time. "Boarding is in 40 minutes."
Martin groaned. "We shouldn't have gone to this restaurant, it took too long."
"Calm down guys, I'm sure you will make it. Boarding is nearly always rescheduled, so don't worry." Draco pulled Harry's bag a few feet forward.
Harry threw him a grateful look. At least someone managed to think rationally during the hectic. Harry was not concerned with them missing the plane because it would take them too long to drop off their baggage. He had his own worries, however. He tapped a nervous rhythm on the handrims while the queue moved forward again.
"The wheelchair goes with the baggage?" A woman with make-up plastered face leaned over the counter to look down at Harry. They had finally made it to the front of the queue and Draco had accompanied Harry, pulling his bag and carrying his crutches.
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I made reservations for a transport wheelchair yesterday."
The head of the attendant disappeared for a few seconds as she looked something up in her computer.
"Yes, I have the confirmation here." The woman looked down at him again. "You did not book an aisle wheelchair, is that right?"
Harry nodded.
"I have to ask you to wait over there." The woman indicated a few seats at the side of the check-in counters. "The transport wheelchair should be here any minute."
Harry and Draco exchanged a look of concern.
"Boarding will be in 30 minutes," Draco told the attendant.
"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. The wheelchair is on its way."
Harry sighed and motioned for the crutches. "I'll drop off my own wheelchair right now," he told the attendant. "Making sure at least one part is on the plane when it takes off," he murmured to Draco, heaving himself up on the crutches.
Draco collapsed the chair following Harry's instructions and handed it over to the attendant who took its weight before sticking tags on the various parts.
"It's going with the bulky luggage," Harry explained to Draco who frowned when the wheelchair was not placed on the conveyor band but stored behind the counter.
"That's right," the attendant flashed them a fake smile. "I wish you a good flight."
Draco and Harry slowly made their way towards the seats the attendant had shown them.
"What is an aisle wheelchair?" Draco asked as soon as they had sat down.
"Some kind of very small wheelchair that fits into the narrow aisle inside of airplanes. It's used on board of a plane and for boarding," Harry answered, tapping the crutches on the floor. "I made sure there will be a jet bridge. So… no stairs. I'm Ok with crutches during the flight."
"Hey guys, are you ready? Where is the wheelchair?" Martin and Thomas had finished dropping off their baggage, too.
"We were told it will be here any minute," Draco said.
The hall around them was swarming with people but no wheelchair was in sight, so far.
"This is bad, really bad," Martin said, fiddling with his ticket. "Have you seen the queue for security checkup? It will take ages. We can really not afford to wait any longer. Can't you just use the crutches, Harry?"
Harry considered the queue in front of the security checkup that had already wound its way into the hall and thought about the walk to the gate. He did not even know the distance.
"No, I'm sorry, that won't be working." Draco next to him nodded his head in consent. "But you really don't have to wait with me here. Please, get in the queue for security checkup. Draco will wait with me and I will catch up with you later," Harry added.
Martin bit his lip but Thomas shook his head, resolutely. "No way. Either everyone goes or we all stay here."
Harry felt a sudden rush of affection for him.
Martin jumped up, seemingly unable to sit around doing nothing. "Then let us at least search for a post box until the wheelchair arrives. We still haven't had the opportunity to send our postcards."
Thomas nodded. "Call us as soon as the wheelchair is here, Harry."
"I will go this way, Thomas you take that one. We call each other as soon as someone finds the postbox or the wheelchair arrives." With that Martin disappeared and Thomas followed his command and took the other direction.
Draco sighed. "How did you put up with these guys all the time?" he asked.
"They are actually not that bad," Harry said, grinning despite himself.
They sat in silence for some time.
"I assume I am supposed to say something sappy for a last goodbye now…" Draco said, shifting in his seat.
"Hm..." Harry's eyes wandered from the crowd to Draco. The other man was looking at him with sad grey eyes.
"We can still keep in touch, right? And as soon as possible I will come visit you," the blond said.
Harry nodded and stared at his hands that were wrapped around the handle of his crutches. He was still fighting with himself when a voice piped up to their left.
"Anybody needs a wheelchair here?!"