A/N: Just a one-shot fic that came to me whilst on the job one afternoon. We need more Percy/Hermione stories, so I thought I'd post this. Now, on with the story...
Percy was miserable. Here he was, sitting in his bedroom, waiting for her, when he could be writing up his report on illegal wands for his new boss at the Ministry. He had to make a good impression, and he wasn't getting anywhere by slacking off.
Yet he'd had no choice. Molly had insisted.
"Now, Percy, dear, you do need to rest a bit. Why don't you take Hermione to the lake? I'm sure she'd be delighted to go…"
He'd protested, "Why me, Mum? Why not Ron? Or the twins?"
"Because Ron will be at his Auror training with Harry, and the twins are too busy with the joke shop."
"But Ginny…"
"No," Molly was even firmer then. "Ginny's studying for her OWLS. So it's got to be you, Percy." His mum looked at him sharply. "What's the matter, don't you like Hermione, Percy?"
He'd turned red and stammered, "Of course I do, Mum, it's just that I need to get this report out for Mr. Lytton. It's imperative that I do it today."
"Nonsense, Percy. He can give you the afternoon off. Now go tell him by floo…" and she'd bustled off to the kitchen, leaving Percy there, stunned.
So he'd flooed Mr. Lytton who'd just laughed and said, "Mothers…! Don't worry, young Weatherby, we can get along without you for one afternoon. Have a good time with your young lady!"
"Weasley, Sir! It's Weasley, not Weatherby! And she's not my young lady!" But Mr. Lytton's head had disappeared into the flames with a 'pop!'
Percy was sulking in his room. That is, he sulked until his mother's voice wafted up the stairs.
"Percy, dear, come down! Hermione's here! And she said she'd love to go to the lake!"
Percy trudged down the stairs. He so very much did not want to go to the lake. He got to the bottom landing, looked down and saw her. He stumbled and would have fallen down the rest of the stairs if he'd not caught himself.
Suddenly the afternoon seemed brighter. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the air smelled of perfume, and all was right with the world. Perhaps the trip to the lake would not be so bad after all…
And perhaps it was just as well that he did not see the small smile on Molly's lips as she watched her favourite son suddenly forget work.
Percy was miserable. Here he was, sitting in his bedroom, waiting for her, when he could be writing up his report on illegal wands for his new boss at the Ministry. He had to make a good impression, and he wasn't getting anywhere by slacking off.
Yet he'd had no choice. Molly had insisted.
"Now, Percy, dear, you do need to rest a bit. Why don't you take Hermione to the lake? I'm sure she'd be delighted to go…"
He'd protested, "Why me, Mum? Why not Ron? Or the twins?"
"Because Ron will be at his Auror training with Harry, and the twins are too busy with the joke shop."
"But Ginny…"
"No," Molly was even firmer then. "Ginny's studying for her OWLS. So it's got to be you, Percy." His mum looked at him sharply. "What's the matter, don't you like Hermione, Percy?"
He'd turned red and stammered, "Of course I do, Mum, it's just that I need to get this report out for Mr. Lytton. It's imperative that I do it today."
"Nonsense, Percy. He can give you the afternoon off. Now go tell him by floo…" and she'd bustled off to the kitchen, leaving Percy there, stunned.
So he'd flooed Mr. Lytton who'd just laughed and said, "Mothers…! Don't worry, young Weatherby, we can get along without you for one afternoon. Have a good time with your young lady!"
"Weasley, Sir! It's Weasley, not Weatherby! And she's not my young lady!" But Mr. Lytton's head had disappeared into the flames with a 'pop!'
Percy was sulking in his room. That is, he sulked until his mother's voice wafted up the stairs.
"Percy, dear, come down! Hermione's here! And she said she'd love to go to the lake!"
Percy trudged down the stairs. He so very much did not want to go to the lake. He got to the bottom landing, looked down and saw her. He stumbled and would have fallen down the rest of the stairs if he'd not caught himself.
Suddenly the afternoon seemed brighter. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the air smelled of perfume, and all was right with the world. Perhaps the trip to the lake would not be so bad after all…
And perhaps it was just as well that he did not see the small smile on Molly's lips as she watched her favourite son suddenly forget work.
