Title: Prude
Summary: Percy Weasley tries confronting his conflicted feelings toward one Oliver Wood, receiving a little help from a cheeky Hufflepuff along the way.
Pairing: Oliver/Percy
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings in the story below. But Piper, Cordelia, and the plot are all mine.
"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -Joesph Campbell
On no particular day in the winter of 1993, Percy Weasley sits in the common room, quill and parchment in hand. He is attempting-and unsuccessfully as of yet to finish the foot long essay Professor Mcgonagall has assigned to him. He finds himself distracted by the most insignificant things: My quill is looking a little dull and I must find another one, How long has my shoelace been untied, When will Oliver get back from practice?
The latter thought comes to him so suddenly, almost naturally. He ushers the question to the back of his mind. So what if he had started paying particular attention to Oliver Wood, the captain of the Quidditch team? He was his dorm-mate, after all. Was it so odd to worry about a lad whom he'd spent nearly seven years living with?
The portrait hole squeals on its ancient hinges, signaling the arrival to another fellow Gryfinndor. Angelina Johnson climbs through, shaking her head and motioning with her hands animately. The man of the hour -You mean year, Percy's mind butts in - stumbles in after her. He is sweating and his dark brows are creased, clearly just as livid as Angie.
Percy's parchment now lay forgotten on the scuffed table, as he tries to mask his blatant staring as Angelina and Oliver walk by. Their robes swish past him, Oliver's manly scent following after.
If one asked when Percy had started to fall for Oliver Wood, he would say near the end of his sixth year. It was an unforgettable moment he doubted he would ever forget.
"Mr. Weasley, it's time to leave now," says Madam Pince from her desk.
Percy looks up from his books and parchment, glancing up at the clock. The large hand is just past nine o'clock. The library never closed until ten on a weeknight and eleven on the weekends.
"But Madam Pince," he replies, "It's only ten past nine."
Madam Pince frowns, "I am aware of that. I meant it is time for you to leave, ."
"Me? Leave? But finals are a month away!"
"Indeed they are. Now leave," she says, a twinge of annoyance in her voice.
"Please, I have to-"
" !" she yells, "Return your books to their places and leave my library."
Percy has never defied an authoritative figure, and he will not start today. He files his books away in their respective places and gathers his things. Why was Madam Pince forcing him to leave?
With a defeated air about him, he exits the library. Before he leaves however, a voice from within the library calls to him.
" , wait." It is Madam Pince. Something about the way she calls him sounds almost...sympathetic.
He stops, hoping she'll let him stay, "Yes?"
"Mr. Weasley, I am only doing this to help you. You need to relax, take a break from all your studies. Merlin knows you will get the best marks anyways."
This is the first time Madam Pince has ever displayed any emotion toward him. He is flattered by her compliment and decides to heed her advice. With a final parting nod, Percy leaves the library.
What is there to do on a Friday night? He was just evicted from the library and he has no patrol duties tonight. It is times like these that Percy is forced to remember his lack of friends.
His only friend was Oliver Wood, and they weren't even that close with one another. Oliver was of practically a different world from Percy. He was a Quidditch enthusiast, while Percy was a teacher's (he hated to say it) pet. Imagine the rubbish Ollie would get from his friends for hanging out with him.
In truth, however, he had become a little obsessed with Oliver. He had even gone to a Quidditch game to see him play. He had known Oliver for five years. Why did he just now start to notice him? he thinks to himself as he walks past an odd looking statue.
Suddenly, an idea comes to him. He remembers about the Prefects' Bathroom, which, if he recalls correctly, is just behind the statue. Yes, a bath is just what he needs!
Percy looks to either side of him; he does not want anyone to see him actually relaxing (specifically his siblings). He gives Boris the Bewildered the password and silently tiptoes in. There is a tiny changing room, complete with towels and sponges. He strips down, carefully folding his uniform so it won't wrinkle.
Upon entering the tub room, he is in awe. Everything is white marble, minus an elaborate painting of a blonde-haired mermaid. He wonders how such a huge bathroom could be hidden in Hogwarts without anyone finding it.
Percy, being so wrapped up in his thoughts, fails to notice that the pool-sized tub is already occupied. Only the sound of her voice draws his attention to her.
"Cordelia, is that you? It won't be as much fun if I'm soggier than a prune!"
The color drains from his face as his eyes find the owner of the seductive voice. He is sure it is Piper Wellington, a seventh year Hufflepuff. Her head is tilted back, eyes closed, long black hair streaming about her in tendrils and naked.
Naked.
Naked as in her womanly attributes are on display for him to see. His mind is jumbled in shock as he tries to speak. His words mesh together, sounding like something equal to 'huh'.
The intruder in the bathroom is not Cordelia. Piper's eyes shoot open, her hands instinctively covering up whatever they can. "Bloody hell!" she cries out.
Percy wishes he could turn himself into an object or become invisible. Before he can embarrass himself any longer, he turns swiftly towards the changing room, effectively smacking his head into the door frame. He falls back onto the tile floor with a grunt.
Piper is running out of the bathtub now, nearly slipping along the way. She crouches beside Percy; her wet hair drips on his chest.
"Merlin, are you alright?" she asks.
He feels his head for any injuries and notices the absence of his glasses, "I reckon I am. But my glasses…"
"Er...it looks like they're broken. Oh! Wait just a moment."
Percy hears her feet slapping on the white tile and muttering 'repairo', then the sound of his glasses mending themselves. She stuffs them back into his hand.
"Thanks," he says as he puts them back on his face.
"You're welcome. And, by the way, I'm-"
"Piper Wellington. I know. I'm Percy Weasley."
"I know, you've given me detention before."
"I have?"
Piper seems to become conscious of her current state of undress, "Oh...um, sorry. I'll just get a towel."
She returns wrapped in a fluffy towel and sits awkwardly next to Percy, who is now fiddling with his own.
"You don't need to worry about me seeing you, trust me." she says as if she read his mind.
Percy realizes instantly what she means and it comes as a shock. So that was why Cordelia was coming. He fiddles with the towel even more, "You mean...you...you're...you like…?"
"Yes, I reckon I do. But you can't tell anyone, please. My parents would disown me if they were to find out," she says, her voice rising towards the end.
If Piper was what she was, then how many others were the same? Obviously Cordelia (did she mean Cordelia van Galen, a sixth year Ravenclaw?), but who else? Were they accepted by the other students? He asks her these things, and she responds enthusiastically.
As she was talking, Percy was struck with another thought: why wasn't he affected by the sight of her now? He had not seen many naked women before (well, basically just Ginny when she was a baby), but he was never very interested in seeing any. Was he...no. He couldn't be.
"You don't have to worry about me either then, I suppose," he blurts out before he can stop himself after she finishes talking.
Piper raises an eyebrow at that, "What do you mean?"
Percy feels safe with Piper, like he could trust her with anything. He decides to tell her the truth, " Now that I'm over the first shock of seeing you...you know, I don't think I feel anything."
"Alright, let's test it then," she says and takes off the towel, "Anything?"
"Not really," he says as he scans he eyes her body hesitantly.
He was a teenage boy with the consent to see a naked girl who, probably by others' standards, had a 'sexy' figure. Why didn't he feel any lust? Longing? Anything?
"Nothing? I don't know whether to call you a prude or be insulted."
"No! You...you look very lovely, Piper. I just think...maybe I'm like you."
Piper smiles, "Are you?"
"I don't really know. But there is someone I think I might like."
"Who?"
"...Oliver Wood."
"Wood?" she cries out, jumping to her feet, "You mean Gryfinndor's keeper? That sod…I'm sure he cheated on our last game…"
"Yes, please don't tell anybody," Percy asks.
"I won't." she says as she walks back to the tub, "People like us have to stick together."
Percy smiles uncertainly at that, but also stands up.
"Now leave, Percy. Cordelia should be here any moment," Piper says before she dives into the pool.
At that time, he was sure of his feelings about Oliver. He would not act on them; nothing would ever come from it. Since his first year, he knew exactly how he wanted to life to span out.
Percy would graduate from Hogwarts as the top of his class (that one, he knew, was already in his reach), work for the Ministry, slowly making his way up the ranks through seniority. In the meantime, he would marry a lovely witch and have respectable three children, each two years apart. Then, as he aged, he would run for the Minister of Magic and spend the rest of his days in a modest home with his wife and a house elf.
Where would Oliver Wood fit into any of this?
This life Percy planned didn't have any room for Oliver. And, therefore, no one would ever know except for himself and Piper Wellington.
I may or may not have a second chapter planned out for this. But, alas, you must review to find out, darlings! And not to mention, you will warm my hearts with each word of commentary!