A/N: So, hope everyone had a happy holiday. I'll have to admit between the Holidays, going to New Orleans, and being sick, it took me way way too long to get this update out. It didn't help that this little chapter gave me issues, darn you writer's block (imagine Kirk screaming KAHN as you read that). So my apologies for the long wait, it was took long even for me! Reviews are always appreciated (plus my reviewers are awesome) and they might keep me from getting writer's block in the future.

Disclaimer: If I owned anything useful, it would still be infuriating that my car had a flat today. But then I would have been deprived of the pleasure of watching my boss change it for me!

Hold Me

"Oliver."

That was possibly the best thing he had ever heard in his life, her voice calling for him. He snapped out of awestruck so he could close the distance and wrap his arms around her. Poor Alicia had to leap off the bed to ensure she was not squished. She was glad no one noticed her less than graceful landing. A certain red-head might have noticed, but kept his comments to himself. Oliver just buried his face in Katie's hair and she clung to him as tightly as her weak arms would allow.

Katie noticed Oliver was talking. So softly she could barely hear. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here. I wanted to be here when you woke up but I had practice. I'm so glad you're awake. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't made it…" it just went on and on in soft, deep, reassuring tones.

He began to pull back, his intention being to look at her face, and Katie instantly missed the closeness. She buried herself in his chest and ordered "Hold me."

He did, he sat next to her and pulled her to his chest and held her. Katie used the time to think. He was holding her so she could think, didn't have to talk, just think.

This feels so nice. When was the last time I saw Oliver, well, there was that story in Quidditch Unlimited. NO when was the last time I've really seen him. Can't remember... Why has is been so long since I've seen Oliver? What's wrong with me? No, the last time I saw him couldn't have been on the platform, could it? No there was another time wasn't there? I'm she there was. Why are things so confusing?

At least the flowers are pretty. It was sweet of Oliver to bring them, although I wonder why he brought them while I was asleep. I've been almost dead for weeks; there's something about the flowers that's significant. Maybe that nurse mentioned them to me earlier, I'll have to ask later. I feel like it's something I wouldn't have forgotten.

Something's different. Why is he so tense? Why does he sound angry? He can't leave. I'm not sure why, but, no no no, he can't leave. Oliver.

"Oliver, don't leave me" she mumbled into the crumpled mess that was Oliver's practice uniform.

No one could make it out because the conversation had resumed while she was thinking.

"Oliver, I'm so glad to finally see you under better circumstances." Amelia smiled warmly at the young man.

Oliver just nodded over the top of Katie's blonde head. He leaned back against her pillows so she could recline somewhat. It was awkward for him, but he'd never complain. "What do the healers say?"

Bennett Bell began summarizing the report again. "Something about what happened knocked her nerves out for a while. If she had been in contact with that thing much longer all of the nerves would have been shut down. And that would have..."

Bennett looked away instead of finishing the sentence. "That's why she was in the coma, the conscious part of the brain couldn't jump enough signals through to allow her to wake. It's likely her brain was in a dreaming sleep to compensate. But as more signals start to cross, she should get more normal. Her legs don't work yet and she really can't do all that much with her arms, but they should theoretically get better with rest and care."

"So she'll be back to normal." He was running his hand absentmindedly over Katie's back and only he hadn't noticed.

"Only time will tell."

"That's it?" Oliver couldn't quite wrap his head around it; she really was going to be alright. He would get his Kate back. He felt like he could fly without a broom. "That's all there is?"

"Mostly," Alicia was hesitating. Hoping Oliver wouldn't hex the messenger, she continued, "She won't be able to do magic until her body's as healed as it's going to get. The healers said her magical energy was helping to force the nerves to work. Without the magic, she wouldn't have recovered."

"What did you say? As healed as it's going to get?" Oliver's voice was coming out strained. The implication of that particular phrasing came crashing down. He was doing his best not to translate the emotion into his hold on Katie.

"Oliver," Angelina cautioned in her talk-to-a-toddler voice, "it isn't helpful to sit around and speculate about how fast or much she will heal. The important thing is she's out of the coma and not in any danger of slipping back into it."

"How healed is 'as healed as she's going to get' Angelina? Don't the people who work here know anything?"

"It isn't as if this happens here everyday Oliver." Angelina was loosing her temper. "This is a pretty unique situation; can't you just be happy she's alive?"

"What kind of a question is that? Of course I'm happy, 'Bout splinched myself in my hurry to get over here." Oliver is insulted. "Now how well is she going to get?"

"Oliver, perhaps we should talk about this outside. Katie is right there."

"I bloody well know where she…" Oliver was distracted by a mumbling in what used to be his Quidditch robes. His tone immediately softened; "what was that Katie-Kate?"

Katie uncovered her face only to see a very strange sight. A big blue and gold mass was pushing its way though the door. This mass also seemed to be fighting amongst itself.

"Geroff"

"I'm stuck"

"Is she there?"

"Move you're bleeding elbow"

"You're an arse"

"What's going on?"

"Is this the right room?"

"MOVE!"

One big push later two Quidditch players fell through the door onto the floor and the eleven others stepped over, or on, them into the room.