It was a solitary walk through the old castle. It seemed to Percy as if every block of stone was important, contained a memory to be cherished and remembered. Hell, even Fred and George would be welcomed now, but alas, Percy had burned that bridge.
A strange sound permeated his wallowing. A familiar sound, not a common sound . . . just familiar.
Percy turned the corner to see a girl curled on the floor of the History of Magic classroom.
'She has the same hair as me,' thought Percy disconnectedly, not realising that the implication insinuated to back out as quickly as possible.
Too late.
A flash of red hair and the girl rose from the floor; transforming from a weak, crying girl, into a strong, powerful women in the space of a heartbeat.
"Leave." The word echoed through the room, bringing forth the hurt and anger of someone trying to be strong in the face of something terrifying.
"Why were you crying," said Percy, flatly. After all, he was the one she always confided in, he just didn't remember that everything had changed.
"Leave!" She cried.
"Well, that sort of manner isn't going to get you anywhere, I was only trying to be kind."
"Well, you've lost that right."
"What, to be kind?"
"Yes."
A thick silence ensued, though neither left, instead both wondering about how to express their message. He was considering time travel. She was wondering how 6th-floor windows could be better utilised for getting rid of troublesome brothers.
It came out wrong.
"I know I've made some mistakes, but-," began Percy irritably.
"SOME MISTAKES!" Shouted the forever fiery Ginerva Molly Weasley. "You know what Percy, FINE. I was lying here, being pathetic, because of you!"
"Me? I don't-,"
"Yes, you! How dare you stand there and say 'some mistakes when you . . . when you . . . when you broke everyone, Percy. Everyone." Her voice was low now and racked with pain. He wished she would start shouting again.
"I'm sorry Ginny I just couldn't stay there anymore, but I would give anything to take it back!"
"Yeah, right."
"I would."
"Oh I don't care whether you regret it, Percy, it still happened." Ginny shook her head vigorously. "You missed everything. Two years you haven't been here. Every time I was scared or stressed I thought of you and decided everything would be alright because you would all be there. Always. But I would look around and-." She choked on this last part, tears were starting to spill down her face.
"I-."
"I've been threatened, and cursed, and been terrified more than I thought was possible, and I have also sat beside too many hospital beds. And, if that's not enough, I am still in love with my childhood crush and all I do is date someone else whilst they remain utterly clueless about my feelings!"
"Well," Percy began, "you can't blame Potter, he can be surprisingly obtuse about what people think."
Ginny let out a laugh, "You're telling me. Though it could be the fact that I have dated two other guys that gave him the wrong impression, don't you think?"
They both chuckled at this. 'Maybe things can go back to normal,' he thought hopefully.
"Why are you here, Percy." Ginny sighed.
"Scrimgeour needed to see Dumbledore-"
"No, what I meant was; why are you still talking to me."
This is what she had been silently thinking all along.
Percy sighed, "Ginny, as much as you may think it, I never left out of hate, I left because of pride; stupid, damnable pride. Alright, er, imagine you came home, and, I don't know, er . . . pretend you've just gotten into . . . the Holyhead Harpies! That is still your dream right?" Ginny nodded grudgingly. Percy smiled internally; at least that hadn't changed. "Alright, so you've just been accepted and you rush home because you're really excited because for years and years everyone's been laughing at you because you always try too hard and you've had this near unattainable dream since . . . forever. And, when you arrive, Arthur-, Dad," Percy corrected himself, "Tells you that it wasn't because of you that you were accepted, it was because of the family and their association with a man you've always looked up to. So, after all, that time you still hadn't achieved anything except given your siblings fuel for future ridicule, and . . . something just snaps."
"I guess that wouldn't be the greatest experience," Ginny reasoned, "but it was still a horrid thing to just pick up and leave."
A more comfortable silence sat in the room this time, just like old times.
"Soooooo, when are you coming back?"
"What?!" Exclaimed Percy, surprised.
"Oh, honestly Percy, when are you going to return to our beautiful and sometimes annoying family and beg for forgiveness."
"I don't know," seeing the look on her face he hastily added, "I am, I promise, I . . . just don't have an answer for you."
"Well, don't leave it too late, Percy, or you might come back to a house full of ghosts and empty beds."
With that foreboding statement, Ginny rose and departed from the room, letting the door softly click behind her. She was right and Percy knew it, but . . . not yet.
After all, one should always think hardest when it comes to redeeming yourself in the eyes of those you love because it is always easiest to walk away, but so much harder to admit you are wrong.