Title: Total Eclipse of the Heart
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Percy/Hermione
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,503
Summary: Percy and Hermione's relationship evolves throughout the years.
Notes:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Muggle Studies - Write about either a relationship between two people who are, and have always been, dependent on each other / the perfect couple or a relationship between two people which began with hatred or dislike and evolved into something much more.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Chocolate Frog - Banshee - Silver - Someone is extremely emotional and distressed in your story.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Gringotts - Prompts Used - Title: Total Eclipse of the Heart, First Line: Things weren't exactly going to plan., Last Line: He/She closed his/her eyes, ready to sleep., Genre: Romance, Proverb: "Every cloud has a silver lining."

Percy Weasley Competition II: Pairing Used - Percy/Hermione

The Restricted Collection: Prompt Used - No crying in a hurt/comfort fic

Fortnightly Prompt Competition: Prompt Used - Include this dialogue in your story: 'I love you.' 'Me too.'

365 Days of Drabbles Challenge: Prompt Used - Spoon

Things weren't exactly going to plan. Hermione thought she'd have fun staying at the Burrow over the summer, but while most of Ron's brothers were cool, Percy seemed to dislike her. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't rowdy at all and enjoyed studying and rules as much as he did. In fact, she thought she was pretty similar to him in personality and had hoped they would get along really easily.

If anyone should dislike the other, it should be her doing the disliking. He was so stuffy and boring. She liked to think she knew how to have some fun, a skill Percy hadn't seemed to master yet, even with the terrible twosome as his brothers.

As she scooped her spoon in her soup, she glared at the redhead who seemed the most infuriating out of the bunch. His glare was aimed at her as well. If he wasn't going to like her, she wasn't going to like him. She would have to do her best to avoid him for that summer and in future years.

In her third year, she came upon Percy at the library. She was lucky enough to be able to avoid his company most of the time, but today just wasn't her lucky day. All of the tables at the library were filled; his was the only one that had available seating.

She rolled her eyes. That should be a clue that he was doing something wrong. Hermione held her books to her chest and walked up to the table. "Can I sit here?" she grumbled.

Percy looked up as his hand gripped his red hair. That was when she remembered that he was a seventh year, so he was probably studying his N.E.W.T. exams. "Sit down or don't sit down. I don't care; just be quiet."

Hermione placed her textbooks on the table and took a seat. She watched as he went back to his own books and wondered what he was studying. She knew he was taking quite a few classes due to his excellent marks on his O.W.L. exams and wondered which one was his favorite and which one gave him the most trouble.

The sat together in silence, and for once, Hermione wished she wasn't in the library so she could nervously chatter. The silence wasn't completely comfortable, especially with the way Percy sat straight in his seat, his body completely rigid with tension, as if he was discomfited by her mere presence.

It was the summer after fifth year, and Hermione restlessly tossed and turned in her bed. Her mind went to Percy who still hadn't talked to his family from what Ron told her.

She couldn't understand it. He now knew Voldemort was back, that the Ministry of Magic had been wrong when they badmouthed Professor Dumbledore and Harry. He knew they were wrong to be in denial and should have been tirelessly preparing for the war to come. So, why was he still giving his family the silent treatment? Didn't he miss them? She couldn't imagine being without her parents or friends, especially since Harry and Ron had become like a second family to her.

When would Percy swallow his pride and makes amends with people who would unconditionally love him? She hoped it would be soon, before it was too late.

Hermione walked into the bedroom. The whole house was quiet, but this room seemed to be quiet on a whole other level. Percy sat at his bed, looking out of the window, staring out at the night sky. He was unmoving as he gazed at what Hermione could only guess.

"Are you okay?"

When he turned to face her, she saw the tears that wanted to fall, but he didn't let them. His face was stern and showed none of his inner turmoil. "What do you think?"

Hermione sat down next to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I was barely talking to my family. He never got to hear how sorry I was that I turned my back on them, and now he'll never know."

She looked down at her hands, thinking about the people that was loss during the war. She thought about everyone Harry loss: his parents, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and many others that he knew.

She knew death came with war and she was sure Percy knew it, too. That begot the question...

"Why did you wait so long to start talking to them? You had to know that there was a chance that someone might not..." she trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

She didn't have to, though; he knew where she was going. "I didn't want to even consider the fact that not everyone would survive. I was stubborn and prideful, and now Fred will never know how sorry I am."

Hermione rested a hand lightly on his arm that was closest to her. "You might not have said it, but I'm sure he knew. I know Fred and George liked to give you a hard time, but I know they loved you. Just like I know that they knew you loved them. You made a mistake; you're human. Hopefully you've learned from your mistake so you won't lose any more time with your family."

"It hurts," Percy whispered.

"I know," Hermione replied, "Just think about how Harry feels. If it wasn't for me and your family, I'm not sure how he would have survived this war."

"I'm not sure how he does it."

Hermione let go of Percy's arm and leaned back on the bed, letting her back press against the wall next to the window. "I wondered about that myself for the longest time. I figured it out, too. He appreciates everyone he does have and doesn't take them for granted. He spends as much time as he can with them so he doesn't have any real regrets when it's their time to go." She ignored the fact that he had lots of regrets about Sirius, especially concerning how he handled the fake dream.

"I think I could learn from him," Percy murmured, staring at her in a meaningful way.

She felt her cheeks redden at the intensity of his gaze. "Me too."

Two years later, and Hermione couldn't believe she was in this place. As she brushed her hair, she thought about everything that changed.

At one time, she thought she would get together with Ron, or maybe even Harry. She never even considered the fact that she'd get with the Weasley son that she had the worst relationship with.

When she comforted Percy that night, everything between them changed. She smiled as her brush moved smoothly through her curly hair, completely happy with how everything turned out.

Arms wrapped around her, and she stared at Percy's face in the mirror as his cheek rested against hers. "I love you," he murmured, his lips brushing the side of her head.

"Me too," she returned, turning her face to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek before facing the mirror again.

"I thought a lot about Fred today."

"I did too."

"I'll always miss him, but if we hadn't been forced to say goodbye to him, you and I might never have found each other, and having you as my wife is something I'll always be grateful for."

She rested her hand on her stomach, the baby bump starting to show. She turned her head to look at him without a mirror as she placed the brush down on the vanity. "Every cloud has a silver lining."

Percy quirked his eyebrows, but by now, he was used to her Muggle sayings, so he didn't bat an eyelash. "I guess that's a good way to put it."

Hermione stood up and grabbed his hand, leading him to bed. Today had been a tiring, emotional day, but they got through it together. They always got through everything together.

As they laid down, he wrapped his arms around her. His hand rested protectively on her stomach, and she melted into his warm embrace.

His soft snores alerted her that he had quickly drifted to sleep, and she wanted to join him. She closed her eyes, ready to sleep.