Thanks to My Sister the Shrink
It wasn't very often Percy found himself at home at the Burrow. He'd come over, maybe a couple of times a month for the past year since the war ended, and slowly was trying to mend what he had broken in the case of his relationship with his family.
But today was not just the visit for dinner, Percy was on a mission. He needed to talk to Ginny. He went up to the third floor of the Burrow where his sister's room was and knocked twice. "Come in!" Ginny called and slowly, Percy stepped in. He wasn't surprised and Ginny's look of shock to see that it was Percy walking in.
"Oh, hey Perce," Ginny said. "What's up?" Percy looked around his little sister's room for a moment, contemplating his issue at hand. "Percy?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, um, I have to ask you something," Percy said awkwardly. He was never very open, and even talking to Ginny about this one private matter had Percy second guessing himself the whole time. Ginny nodded her head, cueing him to continue. He scratched the back of his head before speaking up. "Well, I've been seeing someone…" Percy started. Ginny's eyebrow raised and she sat at her desk chair and gestured for her brother to take a seat as well.
"Tell me about her," Ginny said excitedly. Anyone, in her opinion, who could stand Percy's…well, Percyness…long enough to date him was a special girl.
"Her name is Audrey," Percy said. "Audrey Cooper. She's a writer. She's really smart and she's funny and she's…" Percy blushed and his ears turned red. Ginny smiled at her brother, showing that she was really happy for him. "She's amazing Gin," He added. "We've been seeing each other for a little less than a year and…" He paused, wondering where to go from there.
"Do you love her Percy?" Ginny asked. She watched Percy think though that question.
"I think I do," Percy said. "But I haven't told her yet."
"You should!" Ginny said. "Course, she probably knows already. You sort of light up a little when you talk about her." She smiled. "Audrey right?" Percy nodded. "Okay, so what do you want to ask me?" Percy though for a moment, he had gotten distracted thinking of Audrey.
"Oh, um…" he paused. "I wanted to know the best way…I don't know how to say…" Percy thought it over more. "She's a muggle."
"You're dating a muggle?" Ginny asked loudly. Percy shushed his sister, feeling a little foolish.
"Yes, Audrey's a muggle," Percy said.
"And you want to know how to tell her you're a wizard?" Ginny asked. Percy nodded. Ginny got up from her chair and walked back and forth for a while. "Okay, I have an idea, but are you up to it?" Percy nodded. "Good, now listen…"
Audrey was running late. She had gotten a call from Percy earlier that afternoon about having an early dinner together, and she hadn't been able to choose an outfit. She stood in front of the mirror for hours, finally settling on a white blouse and a deep red skirt. She knew Percy's favorite color was red, so she figured he'd appreciate it.
Audrey laughed quietly to herself as she walked the couple blocks to Percy's flat. A year ago, Audrey would have never found herself fretting over how she looked. She knew though, that Percy liked her all the same if she wasn't dressed up, and just in ratty jeans, an old sweatshirt, her hair tied up and her reading glasses on, like the first day they met at the library.
She reached his flat and knocked on the door before letting herself in with the spare key. "Percy!" she called out.
"Just a minute," Percy called. Audrey nodded and looked around her boyfriend's living room. Of course, not a thing was out of place. The chairs were not piled on with laundry like her living room was, and all the books, which would usually be spread out across her own apartment, were neatly put away on the shelf in the corner of the room. Audrey walked across the room and examined the bookshelf, always amused with the titles she saw. Toward the bottom of the shelf, she saw an old worn copy that looked like a school book. A History of Magic. Percy sure did have a strange collection.
"Audrey?" she heard Percy speak. She stood up and smiled at Percy.
Percy's stomach tightened as he saw Audrey. He was right in what he told Ginny. He was in love with the woman standing in front of him. "You look great," Percy said breathlessly. She smiled and walked toward him, kissing him lightly.
"Thank you," she said. "So where are we off to?" She asked. Percy grinned childishly.
"It's a surprise," Percy said, causing Audrey's eyebrows to rise up.
"Well, well, Percy Weasley being spontaneous?" Audrey asked.
"Just a little," Percy chuckled.
"Well, how are we getting there? Your car or mine?" She asked, heading toward the door. Percy though, reached his hand out and grasped hers, bringing Audrey back to him. "Percy?"
"I want to show you something," Percy said quietly. "Something, you need to know; about me. " His voice was nervous and Audrey's face changed from cheer to worry.
"Are you okay Percy?" Audrey asked. "You not, sick or anything, are you?" Percy shook his head.
"No, it's nothing like that," Percy said. "It's…" He shook his head again. "Just, hold onto my arm for a moment, okay?" Audrey nodded and grabbed onto her boyfriend. "Hold on," he said. And then he apperated.
For a moment, Audrey couldn't breathe. It wasn't the most comfortable of feelings. She had found that she had closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she and Percy were in the park down the street from his flat. "Percy? How…what?" Audrey stepped back. "How did that just happen?"
"I'm a wizard Audrey," Percy said flatly.
"A…wizard?" Audrey said slowly, obviously not believing Percy. "Like magic spells and potions and stuff like that?"
"Exactly like that," Percy said. He reached into his jeans and pulled out his wand. "Oak, 6 and a half inches, dragon-heartstring. It's the same one I got when I was eleven. Getting your wand is sort of a rite of passage in our world."
"You world? You mean to say that you're not the only one?" Audrey said. Percy shook his head. He waved his wand and a blanket appeared on the ground. "Wow." Audrey whispered. Percy led her to the blanket and they sat down.
"I know this is a lot for you to take in. And…I'd understand if you thought I was nutters but, I had to tell you Audrey." Percy said. There was an awkward silence between them and Percy was in fear that Audrey would run off and he'd never see her again. "Audrey..?"
"This is amazing," Audrey said, her face suddenly lit up. "So you've been a wizard your whole life? That explains the books and, oh my goodness Percy you have to tell me all about it. Who else knows…?"
"No one," Percy interrupted. "It's the biggest of secrets, Audrey."
"I understand, I won't tell a soul," she mimed zipping her mouth shut.
"Thank you," Percy said, taking Audrey's hand.
"Percy, not that I'm not insanely happy that you told me this," Audrey started. "But, why did you tell me?" Percy looked at Audrey and smiled widely, but his ears again turned their famous shade of red.
"Because I talked to my sister yesterday," Percy said. "About you and how…how absolutely wonderful you are. And I realized that I'm in love with you Audrey Cooper." The relief in saying it out loud made Percy feel elated and he grinned even wider if that were possible.
"You love me?" Audrey asked, feeling even more overwhelmed then before. Percy nodded and Audrey leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Percy's neck and kissing him soundly. "Percy, I love you too," she said, her eyes tearing up.
It was the happiest Percy had ever felt.
A few months later, Percy was bringing Audrey to his family's Christmas party. He tugged on his robes nervously, knowing that they already fit fine, but his nerves were out of control.
"Percy," Audrey stepped into their bedroom. He turned around and smiled at his girlfriend, who was dressed in a red holiday dress. Just the sight of her calmed Percy a considerable amount. "Percy, it's just your family." She said.
"I know, I know," Percy said, walking toward her and kissing Audrey's forehead. "You ready?"
"I really don't like this aparating thing…" Audrey said, grasping onto Percy.
"I know, you'll get used to it though," Percy said, kissing her again. He didn't divulge though the real reason why he was so nervous though. At the party, he had to find some time to talk to Ginny again on how to go about giving Audrey the little velvet box in his pocket.
I've been a little in love with the Percy/Audrey ship lately. I think she'd be good for him, get the boy to loosen up a little bit.