Chapter 68

Hu Yetao's heat continued for the next day and a half.

Oscar had reminded him of the Calming Draught in between his bouts of intense arousal and need, and Hu Yetao had felt instant relief the moment he drank it - not to mention a bit silly for having forgotten it was even there - but his mind was dominated by his heat and it was hard to focus on anything other than the aching need that kept re-emerging after the brief moments of reprieve.

The combination of the Cooling Potion and Calming Draught during daylight hours was able to get Hu Yetao through the agony, and as soon as it was dark, Oscar was able to talk him through it as they practically made love through the quarantine room door.

Hu Yetao suspected that his mate was suffering almost as much as he was during the day; with Madam Chen Zihan and various students coming and going into the infirmary, Oscar couldn't do anything other than sitting there and try to ignore his erection as he listened to his Omega writhe in the throes of his heat cycle.

Once Hu Yetao was confident that his heat was over, he pulled on the cord to alert Madam Chen Zihan, his arm feeling abnormally heavy and weak.

The matron opened the door and Hu Yetao's cheeks heated in embarrassment as her nose visibly wrinkled a little at what he was sure was a very pungent odor of sex and body fluids.

He didn't have to think about it for long though because he was suddenly enveloped in the arms of one rather frantic Alpha.

Oscar dropped his face into Hu Yetao's disheveled hair and inhaled deeply, rubbing his nose in the thick strands before softly kissing Hu Yetao's temple, and then his forehead, and then his other temple.

"Ugh… don't," Hu Yetao protested, trying to squirm away. "I need a shower."

"No you don't," Oscar murmured throatily, apparently enthralled by his mate's sweet-salty skin and strong scent.

Hu Yetao yelped when a spell suddenly pushed the two of them apart.

Madam Chen stood with wand in hand, one brow arched, as she surveyed them in disapproval. "I must ask that you refrain from physical contact until you are in your room and out of sight of impressionable young children, gentlemen."

Hu Yetao blinked in surprise when Oscar issued a growl at the stout matron.

"Easy there Mr. Wang," she said calmly, appearing unfazed by his threatening behavior. "I won't separate you from your mate but you must return to your rooms. I'm sure you would like to allow your tired Omega to rest and get cleaned up," she added pointedly.

Oscar instantly ceased his snarling, as though a switch had been flipped, and turned to Hu Yetao, his eyes full of concern.

Madam Chen had experience dealing with newly bonded Alphas.

She nodded in approval and turned away to begin cleaning up the quarantine room. "I've sent one of the house-elves on ahead to your room with your wands and you will find them there waiting for you," she said over her shoulder. "Oh and Mr. Yetao?"

Hu Yetao turned to her, feeling dead on his feet, his eyes dry and gritty. "Yes?"

"I would stick close to your mate as you walk back to your rooms; he looks as though he won't be quite himself for the next few hours."

Hu Yetao nodded tiredly and began to walk towards the exit, too drained to care that he was still dressed in hospital pajamas. He'd put on a fresh pair when his heat had ended but that was about the extent of his efforts to be socially presentable.

Oscar walked beside him, one hand resting on the small of his back.

Luckily, morning classes were already in session and they only ran across one student on their journey to the third-floor corridor.

Hu Yetao quickly grabbed onto Oscar's sleeve and pulled him along as he began to growl at the poor Ravenclaw. It was a clear sign of just how not in his right mind his mate was, as the offending interloper was twelve years old and female.

Hu Yetao collapsed into the nearest chair as soon as they were both safely shut away in their private room. "I'm not going to class today," he said wearily, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses. "I need a shower."

He settled his back on the chair and then looked up at Oscar. He frowned at the strange glitter in his mate's eyes. "What?"

Oscar slowly stalked towards him and Hu Yetao suddenly noticed the bulge in the front of his trousers.

"Oh no you don't," Hu Yetao exclaimed in alarm as he jumped out of the chair and backed away. "Don't you dare touch me; I'm too bloody tired and sore for that sort of thing right now."

Oscar's narrowed eyes followed Hu Yetao as he backed across the room towards their ensuite. "You expect me to not touch you after the absolute agony you put me through over the past day and a half Taotao?"

"You?" Hu Yetao replied incredulously. "Sitting there with an inopportune erection is nothing compared to the fucked up shit that was happening on my side of the door."

Oscar blinked, his dilated pupils suddenly shrinking, and then he snickered.

The moment appeared to break whatever aroused Alpha stupor Oscar had been stuck in.

Hu Yetao couldn't help but smile as he shook his head at his mate. "How about you help me get cleaned up?" he suggested as a compromise. "That bath is big enough for the both of us, and if you do a good job, then perhaps I'll reward you. "Later."

"With a blow job?" Oscar asked immediately.

Hu Yetao laughed with the sort of fond exasperation he reserved especially for Oscar. "Yeah, all right."

"Brilliant" Oscar smirked in satisfaction.

Zhang Xinyao and Jing Long,

If our friendship still means something to you, then please meet Oscar and me near the entrance doors Saturday morning at eight-thirty. I am proposing a truce, at least for one day, to give you both the chance to get to know my mate properly. Oh and wear Muggle clothing because we're going out.

Sincerely, Hu Yetao.

Hu Yetao and Oscar had decided to remain in their room for the rest of the week; Hu Yetao sufficiently recovers from his first real heat and Oscar recovering from his exceedingly over-protective and possessive behavior.

It turned out that keeping Hu Yetao away from his mate while Hu Yetao was suffering amid his heat had affected Oscar in a way that no one could have predicted. He wasn't fit to be around other students because if someone even looked at Hu Yetao the wrong way he was likely to hex them.

Hu Yetao wasn't about to complain though, he loved having his mate around while he convalesced; Oscar was extra attentive and practically catered to his every whim. He'd never experienced having family around to take care of him while he was unwell before - and Oscar was his family now. Any time he was sick at the Weinong's they'd just tell him to stay in his cupboard until he was over it.

On Saturday morning, Hu Yetao and Oscar emerged from their sanctuary - where only house-elves had been permitted to come and go for the past few days - and re-entered the real world.

Hu Yetao felt rested and refreshed, and ready to face reality again. Oscar also appeared to be in control of his responses once more as they passed some of their fellow students without incident. The two mates headed down to the entrance doors, hands clasped; a united front against whatever was about to come their way.

Hu Yetao had received a very short note from the other two-thirds of the Gryffindor Trio, agreeing to meet in the entrance hall on Saturday morning, but there had been no pleasantries in the message, and he still didn't know where Zhang Xinyao stood as he hadn't heard from him all week.

He spotted them as soon as they rounded the corner. Zhang Xinyao was seated on the large square base of one of the stone statues, dressed in some worn jeans and a flannel shirt, absently picking at a loose thread on the coat laid out over his knees. Jing Long was standing next to him, dressed casually in jeans and a black jacket, while chewing is a thumbnail and looking tense.

Zhang Xinyao got to his feet as Hu Yetao and Oscar approached, looking awkward as he stood beside Jing Long, hands shoved into his pockets.

There was a tense silence as Hu Yetao and Jing-Long each waited for the other to speak first.

"So… where are we going?" Zhang Xinyao asked, breaking the uncomfortable stand-off.

"Island," Hu Yetao answered, turning to him.

Zhang Xinyao's brown eyes flicked to Oscar and back. "With Oscar?"

"You act as though I've never been to Muggle Island Zhang," Oscar drawled, and Hu Yetao wanted to groan at how his mate had already reverted to his usual haughty posturing.

"Have you?" Zhang Xinyao replied in surprise.

"Yes, he has," Hu Yetao quickly intercepted before Oscar could take offense. "But not since he was a child, so it'll be fun. For all of us," he added lamely, rubbing the back of his neck and wondering how on earth they were going to get through an entire day together. "Shall we?"

Without waiting for a response, Hu Yetao marched past them and through the doors. He buttoned his thick wool peacoat as he crunched across the frozen snow and down the steps, Oscar right beside him.

Hu Yetao was relieved to see Xinyao and Jing-Long catch them up and the four walked silently down the track towards the gates to Apparate.

"Is that a new coat Hu Yetao?" Jing Long asked as they walked.

"Er, yeah," Hu Yetao replied, glancing down at the stylish navy blue coat with a smile. Oscar had bought it for him.

"And new clothes too, I see."

Hu Yetao frowned a little as he turned his head to glance at her. "Erm, yeah, Oscar bought me some new ones." He shared a look with his mate, who was looking decidedly nettled. "Why? Is there a problem?" he asked, confused.

Jing Long's answering smile was very unnatural. "Of course not, they just don't seem like you, that's all."

Hu Yetao stopped walking. "What are you trying to say?"

The rest of them stopped as well. Oscar looked ready to dive in to defend his mate and Zhang Xinyao shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot as Jing-Long crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Hu Yetao.

"I'm just pointing out that Oscar is changing you - and not for the better."