A Strange Encounter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry still wasn't sure this was a good idea. No, in fact, he was pretty sure it wasn't a good idea at all. He uncomfortable pulled at his collar, and then sighed. The low sound echoed in the silence of the night, the high stone walls making it seem louder than it actually was.

God, why did I let Ron convince me to do this? he asked himself. He was supposed to break into Filch's office and steal his Invisibility Cloak back. And it's all Ron's fault to begin with, he thought, mentally cursing his best friend. If Ron hadn't "lost" the Cloak on his way back from the kitchens, he wouldn't have any problems. And to top it all, Ron had made Harry believe that he should be the one to get the Cloak back. And in this ridiculous disguise, too.

Harry shook his head. 'I can't believe this,' he muttered. 'It's all Ron's fault.' Hermione had been right. To go down into the kitchens had been idiotic - although Hermione rather thought that because of Sirius Black, not because of Harry's most valued possession.

He went around the corner and stopped dead. Oliver Wood was leaning against the wall, half-hidden in the shadows.

'There you are,' he said, sounding relieved. 'I thought you wouldn't come.' He took a step towards Harry, and said accusingly, 'You're late.'

Harry frowned. Uh-oh. This isn't good. 'Um, I, er, I mean, I'm sorry,' he stammered.

'It's okay. You probably had some prefect's duty to attend to, am I right?' Oliver asked, taking another step towards Harry.

Harry began to feel uncomfortable. He shifted his weight from one foot to another and bit his lip.

'Percy, really, it's okay,' Oliver said softly. 'No need to get so worked up about it.'

'Um, hmm. Er, yes.' Harry was starting to sweat. Oliver thought he was Percy. Only natural, the little voice in his head reminded him, after all, you look like Percy right now.

'Perce, what's wrong?' Oliver looked him straight in the eyes, concern and confusion equally present in his gaze.

'Um, nothing,' Harry said, taking a step back. 'I just don't have much time. I need to get going.' He paused. 'Er, right now, to be exact.' He turned around and wanted to flee. Ron would pay for making him agree to this.

Then he felt Oliver's hand, quickly grabbing his wrist, preventing him from leaving. 'Percy?' He pulled Harry closer so that they were only inches apart. His hand slid down Harry's wrist and slowly interlaced their fingers.

Harry's eyes widened. Oh God, he thought. Oliver and Percy are -

'Don't I get at least a kiss?' Oliver asked, brushing his lips against Harry's cheek.

'I, um, I really have to-'

He was cut off by Oliver's lips, pressing firmly against his own. Harry felt his body tense. Oh God, this isn't happening, he thought frantically. My first kiss - from Oliver Wood! And he doesn't even know it's me. Oh shit!

Oliver tried to deepen the kiss, brushing his tongue against Harry's lips. Harry, being distracted, didn't even notice until he felt Oliver's wet tongue inside his mouth.

Shit, he thought. I need to do something, before-

Oliver broke the kiss, pushing him away. 'Okay, who are you?'

Harry looked down. What should he say? 'I, um, Percy Weasley?' he tried.

'You are not Percy,' Oliver hissed. 'Is this a sick joke? I just hope for your sake that you are not Fred or George because Percy would definitely kill you. You swore you wouldn't say anything.'

'I'm not Fred or George,' Harry said. 'And I knew nothing of this, until you practically jumped me.'

'Oh, that's rich! You look like my bloody boyfriend! I did not jump you,' Oliver said, 'I don't even know who you are - which brings us back to the question: Who are you?'

'I really should get going,' Harry said, slowly backing away.

Suddenly, he was face to face with Oliver's wand. 'No way,' he said. 'You stay. I want to know who you are and why you play these games. Where's the real Percy? What did you do to him?'

'Nothing, Oliver, I swear. It's just a coincidence that I'm here. I wanted to go to Filch's office to, er, get something back.' Harry looked at the wand, trying to estimate how long he had until Oliver finally decided to hex him.

'And why are you looking like Percy?'

'Well, he's a Prefect, and I'm not. So I thought it would be easier to be out after hours if I looked like, er, a Prefect.'

'There are other prefects in the school,' Oliver said suspiciously. 'Why Percy?'

'He's Percy, I mean, no teacher would ever think he was acting against the rules, would they?' Harry argued.

Oliver slowly nodded. 'I see your point, but it still leaves the questions "who are you?", and "where's Percy" open?'

Harry pulled at his collar again. He had roughly ten minutes left before he would change back to his real self. He needed to get away before he embarrassed himself for life. Even now it would be unbearable to act normal around Oliver - he would always have to think of Oliver's tongue in his mouth, and Oliver's hand in places he normally reserved for his girlfriend. Harry had the feeling that, from now on, he would constantly blush and stammer in Oliver's presence. That could make Quidditch a living hell.

'I told you already, I don't know where Percy is. I haven't seen him all day. I'm really, really sorry. I never meant to run into anyone, and I didn't mean to cause any harm. I'm-'

'Oliver?' Percy's voice sounded from behind them. Oliver turned around, and with two steps reached Percy, pulling him into a hug.

'You're alright! Thank God nothing's happened to you, what with this Black running free and at Hogwarts!' Oliver started frantically kissing Percy's face.

Harry took the chance and slowly backed away. Oliver didn't notice, as he was busy kissing Percy. Percy himself didn't seem to mind.

Backwards, Harry moved away, keeping an eye on Oliver's wand hand - although, he couldn't see his hands any more; they were somewhere inside Percy's robes.

Once he was out of sight, he hurriedly started walking back to the common room, avoiding to make any sound. By now he was fully changed back into his own self.

Sir Cadogan tried to pick a fight with him, but Harry just ignored the obnoxious painting and gasped the password. Squeezing through the small passage, he pulled the prefect's badge off his robes and loosened the tie completely.

'And, how'd it go?' Ron asked eagerly. The common room was fairly deserted; Ron and Hermione were sitting near the fire, and a fifth year was sleeping on a sofa.

'Don't ask,' Harry sighed, sinking down in his customary armchair.

'You didn't get it?'

'No, Ron. And you better stop talking, or I will hit you,' Harry said. Ron's stupid idea, he thought. Look where it got me!

Hermione snorted. She had that 'I knew from the beginning that this was a stupid plan but you just wouldn't listen'-face. She glared at Ron and then gave Harry a sympathetic look.

Harry cleared his throat. 'We should go to sleep. I'll just ask Dumbledore tomorrow if he could help me with the Cloak.'

'You should have done that right away,' Hermione said matter-of-factly, 'just as I told you to.'

Ron groaned. 'Yes, Hermione.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Goodnight.'

''Night,' Ron echoed and went up the stairs.

'Did you... run into someone unexpected?' Hermione asked, her hand on the doorknob.

Harry raised an eyebrow. Does Hermione know about Oliver and Percy? he wondered. And does she know that neither of them are in Gryffindor tower right now? But considering Hermione's knowledge of practically everything that went on around her, he figured she had to know.

'You could say that,' he admitted. Then he shrugged. 'Oliver Wood.'

'Oh,' Hermione said, trying to hide a grin.

'I didn't think it was funny!' Harry said angrily. 'Ron and his stupid idea!'

'I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to laugh at you,' Hermione said, sobering up quickly. 'Do you want to talk about it?'

'No!' He rubbed his eyes tiredly. 'I just want to forget it ever happened, okay? So please, never ever mention this night again.'

Hermione nodded. 'Okay, I promise.' She opened the door to the girls' dormitories, but before leaving turned around once again. 'Goodnight, Harry.' She gave him a grin. 'Sweet dreams...'

Harry groaned. Life wasn't fair.

Tiredly, he slouched up the stairs and fell into bed, not bothering to change. He could hear Ron's snores and Seamus' loud breathing. He really needed to sleep and forget that tonight ever happened.

His last coherent thought before he fell into a slumber was, God, how will I survive breakfast tomorrow?

The End