I'll Take Care of You

Percy bolted inside the door of St. Mungo's and down the corridor to Oliver's room. He skidded to a stop just outside the door of Oliver's room, panting to catch his breath and desperately searching his brain for something, anything to say to his old friend.

It was that voice. Deep, musical, and downright sexy that sealed the deal for Percy. He would crumble and fall if Oliver didn't return his feelings. The beautiful baritone carried into the hall.

"Is that him, Morgan? I heard someone out in the hall. You did owl him, right?"

"Good Lord, Ol, chill. Hun, the man sat beside you for 9 hours yesterday. I'm sure he'll come. Just be patient," Dr. Wolfe chided him. Percy thought it odd that Oliver was on a first name basis with his doctor, but pushed the thought from his mind. Taking a deep breath, he knocked timidly on the door.

"Come in!" was the shouted answer.

"Oliver, I'm serious, I'm going to tranquilize you if you don't calm down soon."

Oliver never heard this. He was grinning madly at the shy redhead standing in the door biting his lower lip. "Percy! Percy Weasley! God, it's good to see you! Get your arse over here and give me a hug!"

Percy glanced wide-eyed at Dr. Wolfe. "Is he on pain-killers?" he whispered quickly. The redheaded doctor rolled her eyes in exasperation, as she shook her head no. She grinned at Oliver. "I've got other patients to see, Ol, I'll be back later. Behave!" The last word was whispered in Oliver's ear so that Percy couldn't hear it.

As the door closed behind the doctor, Percy launched himself at Oliver's bed, wrapping his arms around him and holding on for dear life. Oliver was glad of the attention, though as Percy squeezed him harder; he found it difficult to breathe. "Hey, Perce, Um, I'm glad to see you too, but... I just came out of a coma and if you don't let go soon, I'm gonna pass out again."

Percy let go quickly, blushing, "Oh, Oliver, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, you git, but you were suffocating me", Oliver laughed at him. Percy returned a shy smile.

"So, are you okay, then?"

"Well, I'm alright. Morgan, uh, Dr. Wolfe, was surprised that I didn't have amnesia or anything. They aren't sure yet if there is any, uh, permanent damage...." Oliver trailed off quietly. He had looked away from Percy, but now, glancing at him, he saw a warm, welcoming smile.

Again, Percy wondered at the use of the doctor's first name. Maybe she and Oliver were a couple. She certainly seemed to care about him a great deal. Percy felt his resolve to tell Oliver about his feelings slipping.

"So, how's work? And Fred and George? I see that they sent me a box of Wheezes. I'm glad their business is doing well. So...how are things with you?"

"Things are good, Oliver. The family is well. Bill got a promotion at Gringotts. Charlie is sporting some new burn scars, which of course, means that he is thrilled. Between you and me, that man is not right. As you've seen, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is doing quite well. Ron and Ginny are good up at Hogwarts. Harry, too, since I knew you'd ask about him. Mum and Dad are, as always, Mum and Dad. Mum worries too much and Dad keeps bringing home more and more Muggle stuff."

"Well, what about you?" Oliver asked, patiently.

"Hmm? Me? Oh, I'm fine." Percy replied absently, "How's Quidd..." he caught himself and didn't finish the question, afraid that it would upset the convalescing keeper. Percy wondered if the doctor had told Oliver about not playing Quidditch anymore. His thoughts wandering back to the whispered words between doctor and patient a few minutes beforehand, he took a deep breath and forced himself to say, as casually as possible, "So, Dr. Wolfe, she seems really great. She has taken good care of you."

Although Oliver knew Percy well enough to see that he was fishing for something he wasn't sure what at first, "Yeah, she's cool. She was the team medic last season, before she started here at St. Mungo's. We got to be good friends." Suddenly it clicked what Percy was looking for. "Oh, we're not a couple or anything," he rushed to say, "no, not at all. Just friends. I'm definitely not interested in her. Um, yeah..." It was Oliver's turn to trail off.

Percy's heart leapt with relief, but he felt a blush creeping over his cheeks. When he was unconscious, it had been so easy for Percy to declare his love and to swear that he would tell Oliver. Now that Oliver was here, looking at him with those beautiful hazel eyes, the confusion and dread that had filled Percy for over two years slid back into the pit of his stomach. What if he rejected him? Percy wasn't sure if he could handle it. What if Oliver was disgusted and never wanted to see him again? Percy didn't know if he wanted to risk losing the best friend he had ever had. Maybe it would be better to leave it. No, he told himself, You love him and he needs to know it. If he turns you away, at least you were true to yourself. And what if he doesn't turn you away? Maybe he loves you in return, but you'll never know if you don't tell him.

"Hey, Perce?" Oliver asked, a bit alarmed at the blush on Percy's cheeks and the fact that he seemed to be having a serious internal conflict, "You okay?"

Shaking the argument with himself from his mind, Percy looked up at Oliver again. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Oliver smiled. "Good. Listen, Morgan says that people don't dream when they are in a coma, but I swear I did. I had this dream that you were here and talking to me and telling me about work and everything..."

An orderly wheeling a wheelchair into the room interrupted him. "Mr. Wood, I have to take you to the lab. They need to run some tests," The orderly frowned at Percy, who was staring wide-eyed at Oliver. "Sir, these tests will take most of the day and I'm sure that Mr. Wood will be quite tired afterwards. You should probably just come to visit some other time.

Oliver stared with horror and outrage at the orderly's rudeness, quite upset that he had been interrupted when he was just about to tell Percy something very important. Percy just shrugged and helped Oliver into the wheelchair, leaning over to whisper to him as he did so. "Don't worry about it, Ol. We can talk tomorrow"

Percy glared daggers at the orderly, then smiled at Oliver again. "See you later," he said cheerily. He walked out the door and headed down the hall, his brain swimming with confusion. Was Oliver about to tell him that he had heard everything that Percy had said to him? Did he really think it was a dream? What had he been planning to say before they were interrupted?

"Hey, Percy!" Oliver yelled just as the orderly was about to push the chair around the corner down the hall. Percy stopped and turned around to look at his friend.

"I love you, too!" Oliver called as he disappeared.

Frozen wide-eyed, Percy stood in the middle of the corridor. Ten feet in front of him was Dr. Wolfe, her face a mixture of joyous relief and laughter at Percy's expression. She quickly covered the distance between the two of them and took Percy's arm in her gentle hands.

"You might as well go back to work. He won't be fit for guests the rest of the day. But, well, he does, you know. He has for a long time. He was just afraid to tell you." With that she waltzed off, leaving him standing there, completely oblivious of the staff and patients who were now staring at him.

Percy was still in shock. A nurse finally took him by the arm and led him to a chair, where he sat without saying a word for almost ten minutes. He felt numb. When the feeling returned to his body and a bit to his mind, he realized where he was and felt compelled to leave quickly. The blonde nurse who had escorted him out the night before, smiled and waved at him, "Mr. Weasley, I must tell you, that scene is going to go down in St. Mungo's history. Oliver Wood, the famous Quidditch Keeper professing his love in our corridor," she turned and walked away giggling.

If it was possible to blush anymore than he already was, he did. He didn't think his face could turn as red as he saw it was in a mirror by the door. Within minutes, he was back at his office. He nodded at Louisa, then locked himself in his office. He spent the afternoon doing the work that should have been done in the last two days. He worked quickly and methodically. When the clock struck 6pm, he looked up. His secretary was lunacy." Percy smiled at her. "Goodnight, Louisa. I'll see you in the morning".

She grinned at him. "Um, thanks, Mr. Weasley. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned and disappeared as quickly as she could. She wasn't sure what was going on with him, but she decided not to stick around to find out. She liked Percy, but not so much that she wanted to be involved in his personal problems.

Percy looked around his office. He had finished all of his paperwork, but couldn't remember doing any of it. The numbness that had found his brain after Oliver's exclamation hadn't completely left. He had worked this afternoon out of sheer habit, not focusing on what he was doing at all. Mr. Fudge hadn't asked to see him after all. Percy was sure he would be meeting with the old bumbling idiot in the next couple of days, though. The man was completely clueless. He still refused to believe Harry that Voldemort was back. Percy agreed that sometimes Harry Potter was a bit daft and irresponsible. He often went looking for trouble if it didn't come looking for him. His grades weren't spectacular and he was incredibly naïve. Even with all that, Percy had never known Harry to make up stories or lie. If Harry had seen Voldemort, Percy was quite willing to believe him. In fact, he wondered if Fudge had ever even thought about why Harry would make up the story about Voldemort. Fame? Harry had never wanted fame. Fame had caused him to grow up alone and unloved. It was the last thing he wanted. Percy, who had always wanted to be the Minister of Magic, was thinking more and more about how superficial that title really was, if the person holding it couldn't even see what was going on in the world. Was that all he wanted? A title? No, he didn't think so. He wanted the respect, yes, but he wanted that respect to be arned on his own merit as a wizard.

After tidying his desk, he went to get his cloak. He suddenly realized that it was still in Oliver's hospital room. Grinning to himself, he thought he must have been doing it subconsciously. He would have to go back to see Oliver again.

Dinner at the Burrow was a quiet affair. Molly tried to make conversation but a letter from Dumbledore concerning Order business preoccupied Arthur. Percy had offered to join the Order to help fight Voldemort, but Dumbledore had decided that after the mess with Mr. Crouch two years ago, it would be best for Percy to not be involved. The ministry had never completely been satisfied with Percy's accounts of the last few months of Mr. Crouch's life. If they thought that Percy was interfering even more, they may fire him. At some point in the future, Dumbledore thought that Percy's contacts at the Ministry might be very useful, but for the time being, he was to lie low and do his job as best as he could, without drawing undo attention to himself.

Percy was preoccupied by his thoughts of Oliver. Had he really meant what he had said? Had he heard what Percy had told him when he was unconscious? He said that he loved Percy, but maybe he just meant he loved him as a friend or like a brother. Percy's mind was spinning and he didn't eat. Just pushed his food around on his plate until it was cold, then asked to be excused.

Molly smiled at him gently; "I guess one meal a day is all I get? Percy, promise me that when you move out, you'll eat occasionally. At least come over for dinner a couple times a week? I am so afraid you'll starve."

"Oh, mum! I'll eat! I always do when I get hungry. It's just that I'm not hungry right now. I have a lot on my mind."

"Anything you want to share? We're always here to talk to, Perce" Arthur looked up from his letter to stare intently into Percy's navy blue eyes, eyes that matched Molly's exactly. He had always known that the color was the same, but there was something else there now that made them look identical.

"I know you are, Dad, Mum. But right now, I need to figure this out on my own," He dropped his plate into the sink and headed up the steps to his room. "Goodnight," he called back to his parents.

When Molly looked at her husband, it occurred to him what the resemblance in their eyes was. Molly, even when furious with her husband or children, still held the light of love in her eyes, especially when she looked at him. That light had now taken up residence in his son's eyes.

"Mol? I think I know what is going on," he said quietly, not wanting Percy to hear him.

"What?" Molly was anxious to hear his theory as she had none of her own and was quite worried about her quiet son.

"Honey, I think Percy is in love!"