Next to you

Chapter 13

When Yetao woke up the next morning, he was feeling a lot better. His head still hurt, but the pain was tolerable.

"You are awake. How are you feeling?" Professor Zhennan asked him. He was standing near his bed, his hands in the pockets of his pants. He looked tired.

"I've been better, but I think I will survive." Yetao answered. Then he noticed Oscar still sleeping on the chair with his head resting on his bed. He was holding Yetao's hand.

"He stayed here all night. I told him to go to rest, but he refused to." Zhennan said, referring to Oscar. Yetao's chest warmed. "Do you feel like telling me what you remember?" The Professor asked, taking a seat next to his bed.

Yetao nodded and started talking. He told him everything, about his duty with AK, their trip in the forest, the attack of the dark wizards and his idea to get rid of them.

"You mean you used your emotions to release your powers? On command?" Zhennan asked, astonished.

Yetao nodded. "I don't know how I did it. I remember that I was very angry so I tried to accumulate that rage inside of me."

"They should have been seriously damaged by your attack. That's why they left you there." Zhennan said. "We need more research. I'm going to report what you said to the Headmaster. I'll come back later." Then he left.

Yetao was now alone in the room with an asleep Oscar. Yetao ran the finger of his free hand through his blue locks. He must have been worried about him. Oscar moved under his touch and opened his eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." Yetao said.

Oscar got up immediately. "Taotao, how are you?" He said with a worried expression.

Yetao smiled at his reaction. "I'm fine, Oscar."

"Are you sure? Does your head hurt?"

"Just a little bit." Yetao answered.

Oscar put his arms around Yetao, hugging him firmly. Yetao responded to his hug almost immediately. "You are fine." Oscar's voice was so emotional that Yetao's heart ached. He nodded over Oscar's shoulder. "You are safe, here with me." Another nod. "I was so scared."

"Yeah, me too." Yetao whispered.

Oscar separated from Yetao, but sat next to him on the bed holding his hand. "I hope the school will find out who did this to you. And when they catch them, I'm gonna beat the hell out of them."

Yetao laughed softly. "My hero." Yetao put his head on Oscar's shoulder. "You know, when they hit me with the Cruciatus Curse and I was lying on the ground, surrounded by those guys and unable to lift even a finger, I had no idea how to get out of there. The only thing I knew was that I couldn't let them take me." Oscar's hold on his hand strengthened. "Then I thought about you and suddenly I wanted to see you so bad. That's how I found the strength to fight back."

Yetao expected some kind of answer from Oscar, but after a few moments of silence, he lifted his head to look at him and see his expression, but he found himself a few inches away from Oscar's face. He was looking at him in a way that took Yetao's breath away. He didn't even know how to react when he saw Oscar getting closer and closer to his own face, eyeing his lips. Yetao closed his eyes tightly, not daring to look at Oscar, and hoped that his powers wouldn't act out right at that moment. He could feel Oscar's breath on his cheek.

But of course their moment was interrupted by their friend who entered the room screaming dramatically Yetao's name. Well, Fu Sichao was screaming, the others just followed him into the Hospital Wing. Hearing the scream, Yetao winced and Oscar fell from the bed.

As soon as Fu Sichao got close to the bed, he rushed to hug Yetao. "Taotao, you're awake!"

"Be careful not to hurt him." Keyu warned him.

"Oscar, what are you doing on the floor?" Caelan said looking at his friend who was still struggling to stand up.

"I'm mopping the floor." He answered sarcastically. Then with an irritated voice he added. "What do you think I'm doing? Of course you guys scared the hell out of me with the noise you made and made me fall."

Keyu rolled his eyes. "How are you feeling, Yetao?" He asked Yetao who was still trapped in Fu Sichao's arms.

"I'm fine, really. My head hurts a little and the burns sting, but I'll be okay." Yetao said with a smile.

"We were so scared. I'm so happy you are okay." Fu Sichao said separating from him.

"I'm sorry I made you worry." Yetao said with a sad smile. He was happy his friends cared about him enough to be worried, but at the same time he felt guilty for letting them go through bad experiences.

"Don't apologize! It's fine as long as you are fine." Caelan answered. "Plus, the one who was the most worried about you among us is someone else." He said with a smirk looking at Oscar. Hearing Caelan's remark, Oscar pouted.

Yetao was amused by this exchange. "Oh right, how was the trip to Hogsmeade?" He asked his friends.

"Nothing special. We ate sweets and walked around." Wu Yuheng answered.

"Yeah. We wanted to buy you some sweets, but Oscar prevented us from doing it because he was the only one who could buy you a souvenir." Caelan added.

Oscar's cheeks turned bright red. "Can you please shut up?" He said loudly in frustration.

They all bursted out laughing. Yetao felt really lucky to be surrounded by all these people who were assembled in that room just because of him. He couldn't help but smile and laugh hearing them talk and interacting with them. Also, he was glad that none of them asked him about what happened the previous day. They were there just to show their concern for their friend and to cheer him up. Yetao's chest felt very warm.

After chatting for an hour or so and being scolded for their too much noise by the nurses, their friends bid him goodbye and promised to come back in the afternoon. Oscar left with them. Once he was alone in the room, Yetao thought about what was happening between him and Oscar before their friends bursted into the room. Was Oscar going to... kiss him? And Yetao seemed okay with it. He curled up under the blanket embarrassed. He didn't dare to think about it.

Next afternoon, Yetao received a visit from the Headmaster and Professor Zhennan. Yetao had met the Headmaster before, when he transferred to Hogwarts. Professor Deng Chao, that was his name. He was a friendly man with a kind smile.

"Good afternoon, Yetao. I hope you are feeling better." He said taking a seat in front of Yetao's bed, Professor Zhennan standing next to him.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster and Professor. Yes, I'm feeling good. The Matron said that with any luck I'll be discharged in a few days." Yetao answered.

The Headmaster nodded. "That's great." Then his expression changed. "Listen, Yetao. I want you to know that we are putting all our efforts to find those dark wizards, I can assure you. The school is working closely with the Ministry of Magic." He said with a serious look.

"Also, I need to tell you something." Professor Zhennan spoke. "Christmas holidays will start next week. They will last two weeks. I'll be away on a mission for the school, so I can't take you with me. The options are staying in the castle or going home. Given the circumstances, I don't want you to stay here, and I guess that going home is not an option. So I asked Oscar to take you home with him for the holidays and he has agreed."

"What?" Yetao said with wide eyes. Spending Christmas with Oscar was not within Yetao's predictions. Moreover in his house, with his family, under the same roof. And after what happened the day before... Yetao didn't think this was a good idea. For different reasons.

"What's with your expression? I'm sure it will be fun." Zhennan said with a smile.

Yetao wasn't sure about it. He just hoped to be able to control his emotions and to not blast up Oscar's house.