This can be seen as modern because Percy has a lap top, but it could also be seen as not because Percy doesn't have a cell phone, so... it just depends how you look at it.
ALSO, LOST OF FLASHBACKS!
After Fred dies, Percy Weasley can't take his guilt anymore. He tries to kill himself, but Oliver Wood arrives before he dies. The only problem? There's a storm raging outside and the storm is messing up any means of communication or transportation, so they can't get him to a hospital. Therefore, Oliver is stuck with a dying best friend until the storm clears up. Will Percy pull through? Post War, attempted suicide
Disclaimer: I own nothing
WARNINGS: SUICIDE ATTEMPT, BOYXBOY, AND PLAIN ANGST
"Percy! The storm is crazy; I didn't even get a block from here before I almost crashed the car and the storm's messing up my apparation. Please, open the door," Oliver begged, hammering on the door of apartment 13B. His best friend's flat.
"If you don't open up, I'll just walk in, so now's your last chance," Oliver called. "All right!"
After triple checking that no one was nearby, Oliver whipped out his wand and hissed the unlocking spell, smirking as the door clicked open.
"Perce?" He yelled, his voice echoing in the silent flat. "Are you even here?"
"Perce?" He said in his normal voice scanning the bedroom to find nothing before finally trying the loo (they'd shared a dorm together for seven years; they've both walked in on each other at one time or another). Oliver shuddered in embarrassment.
The door hit something, causing Oliver to freeze. He was about to apologize when he realized it seemed like something was blocking the door, not like someone was standing behind it.
Shoving against it, he moved the stopper easily and flipped on the light, only to scream and shout seconds later. There, on the bathroom floor was Percy Weasley, unconscious.
"Percy!" Oliver shouted.
Oliver began shaking Percy as much as possible, but the young man didn't stir.
"Percy! Renervate!" Oliver yelled, swishing his wand and watching as a blue burst of light hit Percy.
"Hmm..." Percy mumbled, his eyes opening a fraction.
Not good, but Oliver would take it.
"Percy, what happened?" Oliver demanded.
"Pills," Percy muttered.
"What?" Oliver murmured before he saw the empty bottle of pills by Percy's hand.
"Oh, Percy, why?" He whispered.
"I killed Fred, Ollie," Percy whispered. "I killed my baby brother. What kind of horrible person does that?"
"You didn't kill him," Oliver said before realizing that his friend was dying and he was trying to council him now. Best to take care of the overdose before the reason behind it. "Okay, Perce, sit up."
Percy made slurred protests as Oliver heaved him up.
"Vomito," Oliver hissed, and Percy immediately flung himself at the toilet, his stomach contents rushing up his esophagus. Water and stomach acid gushed out of Percy's mouth and hit the toilet water as Percy heaved.
Oliver rubbed his back and stared at the utterly clear bile. There were no particles of food. When was the last time his best friend ate?
"Ollie," Percy mumbled. "Let me die."
Oliver snorted. "Percy Weasley, you are the smartest person I know, but you're an idiot if you think I'm going to do that."
"How's George?" Percy asked.
Oliver frowned at the abrupt question. "Um, I saw him yesterday. He wasn't good, but he was doing better than you're obviously doing."
Percy gave a soft chuckle. "I haven't seen him... since... funeral."
Percy began to drift off.
"No!" Oliver yelled in Percy's ear. "Stay awake!"
"Why?" Percy whined. His head must really be in a jumble if he was whining.
"You know why," Oliver snapped. "When a person's life is at risk like this, you need to keep them awake."
"When did you become a doctor?" Percy grumbled.
Oliver shrugged. "I did spend enough time in the Hospital Wing to qualify as one. I saw some weird things."
Percy laughed. "Like what?"
Good, Oliver thought. Keep him talking.
"Hermione became half cat," Oliver said. "I saw a kid with a huge bump the size of my arm from elbow to wrist on his head. He looked like one of those cartoon characters. I saw two kids that had noses like Pinocchio's. Whenever they lied, their noses would grow."
"Who's Pinocchio?" Percy asked.
Oliver gaped. "You've never heard of Pinocchio. Oh my gosh. Let's get you to bed and then, I will tell you the story."
"Bed," Percy agreed.
Oliver chuckled. "Yeah. Come on."
Oliver expected Percy to be heavy when he picked him up, but he put one arm under Percy's knees and another behind his shoulder and lifted him with no difficulty. Percy probably weighed less than Oliver's six year old cousin, and Oliver found himself asking, once again, when Percy had last eaten.
Percy almost drifted off on the walk, but whenever his friend was tempted to slip into slumber, Oliver would jostle him to wake him back up.
Oliver rested Percy on the bed and watched his friend curl up on his side, muttering to himself.
Oliver picked up the phone and tried dialing 999, the emergency number, but the phone crackled and frizzled.
"What the..." he muttered.
"Storm," Percy muttered, "and that phone is old as heck."
Oliver cursed and slammed the phone down.
"Just our luck. I'm going to get you a glass of water, and you'd better be awake when I get back."
"Yes, sir," Percy muttered, sarcastically, with a sluggish salute.
Oliver filled a glass with water and returned to the room to find Percy sitting up in the bed with a photo in his lap. Tears were filling his eyes.
Oliver rested the glass on the table and gently took the photo from Percy.
It was an old photograph of a ten year old Percy teaching Fred and George how to play Wizarding Chess while Ron watched and sucked his thumb.
Ron reached forward and moved Fred's piece, putting Percy in checkmate, and the twins and Percy gaped at Ron before laughing.
"Looks like we've got a chess prodigy on our hands," Percy whispered. At Oliver's quizzical glance, he added, "That's what Fred said. That was the last picture that we were in together without being forced to take the photo. Mostly because I never came out of my room; I didn't spend time with them and now..." Percy trailed off as he sobbed.
Oliver set the photo on the nightstand and dragged a crying Percy into a hug.
"My fault," Percy whimpered.
Oliver shook his head. "No. It wasn't. You couldn't have known what would happen."
"But I distracted him," Percy murmured.
"If you hadn't, he may have still died. At least this way, he died with a smile on his face," Oliver reasoned. "Fred wouldn't have wanted to go any other way."
"I want him back," Percy mumbled.
Oliver nodded. "I know. I know."
Percy sobbed even more.
"Why did he have to go?" Percy shouted, suddenly outraged as he leaped to his feet. "He was so well liked, so friendly, so caring, and then, there's me. Why did I live while he died?"
"Because the world needs you," Oliver said, standing also. "You're going to be something."
"So was Fred. He was something. The world needed him; I needed him; our family needed him, and Death took him. Why?" Percy asked.
Oliver had never seen Percy Weasley break down before. He just always seemed so put together, so calm, cool, and collected. He always seemed to have his whole life together.
And then, life threw a curve ball, and Percy fell apart.
"Perce," Oliver said. "I don't have the answers, but I have to believe that everything happens for a reason. Why did Fred have to die? We don't know; we may never know, but we need to keep living."
"Why?" Percy demanded. "I'm a murderer! How can I keep living knowing I stole so much from my brother?"
"Percy, you didn't throw the spell that hit the wall," Oliver reasoned.
"You don't understand!" Percy stressed.
Oliver sighed. "I do. I understand more than you know."
Percy stared at him in confusion.
Oliver sighed and sat back on the bed, his eyes focused on his lap.
"I always told you I was an only child, but that's not exactly true," Oliver said. "I had an older sister, Katherine. When she was sixteen and I was eight, she met a wonderful guy named Max. They started dating; she loved him. He was the type of guy parents love, the type of guy fathers never have to threaten. If they'd gotten married, my dad would've give him his blessing without the blink of an eye. Katherine felt so lucky.
"But one day, I saw Max hit her. She made me promise not to tell, and I kept my mouth shut, even as she started showing up with bruises, cuts, and the light in her eyes... it dimmed and then vanished entirely. Our parents didn't notice. They were working a the time. Katherine kept telling me that he didn't mean it and not to tell, and I listened."
Oliver paused.
"Max killed her."
Percy inhaled, deeply, as he sat beside Oliver on the bed.
Silence filled the air.
"What is wrong with the world?" Percy mumbled.
Oliver laughed without humor. "It's a messed up place."
"Got that right," Percy replied. "How did you... get over it?"
Oliver shrugged. "I never did, but I didn't stop living. I told my parents everything. Everything I knew, promising Katherine I wouldn't tell, my confusion, my anger, my guilt. I thought that would get mad, but they didn't. They got me help. They were there for me. Percy, your family can help. Talk to them."
Percy shrugged. "I was separated from them for three years. I wouldn't know where to start."
Oliver smiled. "Start with... I need help. It'll kind of go from there."
Percy nodded. "I don't remember the last time I asked for help."
"Fourth year," Oliver replied, "when you were being bullied and I found out."
Percy blinked. "I almost forgot about that."
Oliver sighed. "I never did. It was the one time I saw you break down, aside from now."
*FLASHBACK*
Percy had been acting weird for days; Oliver wasn't his friend at the time, but he was worried about his only roommate.
Oliver had overheard the bullies say some awful stuff about his roommate, and ibviously, he seeked Percy out, wanting answers.
Oliver found Percy in their dorm room during their free period, sitting on his bed and gazing blankly into space.
"Percy?" He said, quietly as he sat beside him.
"What?"
"I know we're not the best of friends, but... why didn't you come to me or someone- how could you not come to me or someone if someone was bullying you?"
Percy choked back some tears. "I'm humiliated, Oliver. I didn't want anyone to see me this way, especially my brothers."
Oliver frowned. "Why? They could've helped."
Percy shook his head. "You don't understand, Oliver. They love me; I know they do, but... they're part of the problem. Not the main part of it, but they definitely played a part in it."
"Still, Percy, someone could've helped you. There's no shame in asking for help."
"I can handle my own problems, Oliver."
"Percy, I'm sure you can, but..." Oliver trailed off as an idea struck him. "Look, Mr. Perfect-"
"DON'T call me that!" Percy suddenly burst out.
Oliver jumped.
"He told me I was a worthless little faggot who no one would ever want. He said I deserved every insult, every beating he or any else gave me, and he said that when everyone figured out that I was anything but perfect, everyone would hate me. Even more than they already do, and he said that the few friends I have would all leave me, and even my family, who's obligated to love me, would desert me. I'd be completely and utterly alone, and I couldn't take that!"
Oliver froze before wrapping his arms around Percy.
"Perce, you know that's not true."
"Why do you care so much anyway? You saw it happening multiple times, but you never did anything."
"Percy, I-I always thought you were so confident, and when you fell, you got back up. I didn't even think about it truly affecting you. I'm so sorry."
Percy blinked. "Thanks."
For a moment, the dorm room was utterly silent.
"He found out some stuff about me," Percy suddenly said.
"Like what?" Oliver asked.
"He caught me kissing a boy in an empty classroom. I'm bisexual, and he-he also found out about this."
Percy rolled up his right sleeve to display several scars. Some were thick and white and years old while others could've been made during the Winter holidays, which were only a few months ago.
"He called me a freak. He told me that only freaks cut themselves," Percy whispered.
Oliver shook his head. "That's not true. I know plenty of people that have dealt with self harm, and none of them are freaks. You certainly are not a freak; fifteen years from now, you'll be the Minister of Magic, and he'll be chugging beer in some run down bar. You're a great person, and all he's ever going to be is mean and rude and selfish and pathetic."
Percy leaned on Oliver's shoulder, still crying. "Thank you."
Silence.
"Oliver," Percy whispered, "you said there's no shame I asking for help."
"There isn't."
Percy stifled a sob. "I think I may need some help."
And Oliver gladly gave it.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"You helped me," Percy remembered. "What did I ever do to deserve your help? Then, now, and everything in between?"
Oliver laughed. "You don't need to do anything to deserve my help, but if you want an answer, I'm your friend. Friends help each other."
Percy blinked. "You're my friend?"
Oliver nodded.
"Not many people would take pride in being the geek's friend," Percy snorted.
Oliver grabbed Percy's hand, making Percy frown.
"Why-"
"Percy," Oliver interrupted. "You're a geek."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Thanks."
"I didn't say being a geek was a bad thing," Oliver pointed out. "Who wouldn't want to be a geek?"
"Everyone?" Percy suggested.
"Percy, you're smart, unique, helpful, hard working. You could be the next Minister I'd you wanted to. Those bullies from our school days were jealous of you. I was jealous of you."
Percy laughed. "Very funny, Oliver. Stop lying."
Oliver smiled. "Friends don't lie." (Stranger Things reference!)
"What is there to be jealous of?" Percy asked.
Oliver shrugged. "You're intelligent, clever, and every teacher loved you. You managed to impress Snape. Only a very unique person can do that."
Percy laughed. "Thanks. I still can't believe I managed that, either."
Oliver nodded. "It was awesome."
*FLASHBACK*
Percy tapped his foot, anxiously, as Snape strolled around the room with the tests in hand. These tests- the semester exams that were a week before Winter Break- were the hardest of the year, even harder than final exams. They were what the fifth years and up called 'Post Fourth Year Torture.' The fourth years and below always mentioned that Snape's lessons were torture anyway, and the older years would stare down at them before giving them the cold, hard truth.
"Kid, you ain't seen nothing yet."
No kid had ever gotten above an A on it, and even then, Acceptables were rare. These tests were the reason their Potions grades plummeted right before second semester.
"Awful," Snape remarked as he dropped a test in front of Jimmy White.
He took another step.
"Dismal," he muttered as he slid a test in front of Samantha Baker.
"Oh, no," Oliver whispered as Snape approached him.
"Atrocious," Snape said, flatly, sliding the paper in front of Oliver.
A Troll. Poor Oliver.
Percy's stomach tied up in knots as Snape approached him...
And walked right past.
Percy watched in confusion as Snape stopped in front of Alexandria Smith.
"Horrible," he growled, handing her her test.
"Um, Professor?" Oliver called. "You forgot Percy."
"I did not forget Mr. Weasley," Snape said without turning around before moving onto Dominick Rivers.
"This is not good," Oliver mumbled to Percy.
Percy shook his head. "Really not good," he agreed.
Soon enough, Percy was the only one without a test, and Snape returned to the front.
"As you all know, no one has ever gotten above an Acceptable on this test. I have never seen an Exceeds Expectations, much less an Outstanding... until today, that is."
Snape dropped the final test in front of Percy Weasley.
An Outstanding.
"Very good job, Mr. Weasley," Snape stated, flatly. "I am not easy to impress. Twenty points to Gryffindor."
As if on cue, the bell let loose a shrill squeal, and kids ran for the door.
*FLASHBACK*
Oliver laughed. "Best day ever. You were the talk of the school for a week."
Percy shrugged. "Yeah. My siblings even baked me a cake. George is a surprisingly good cook."
Oliver nodded. "Definitely."
"Still wasn't as good as that Caudron Cake I had on our night of rule breaking the week after that," Percy said.
Oliver nodded. "Obviously. Dude, that was the first time I ever saw you lick your fingers."
*FLASHBACK*
Percy couldn't believe it. He'd let Oliver Wood convince him to tag along on an adventure after curfew. Maybe he was sleep deprived, or maybe he'd inhaled too many alcoholic fumes at the end of the term party (although he hadn't drank any. Percy wasn't sure if it was possible to get drunk off the smell of alcohol, but he shouldn't have taken the chance); either way, something was obviously wrong with him tonight.
Oliver lead him into the kitchens, and house elves surrounded them, asking what they needed and how they could be of service.
"Maybe we should head back," Percy suggested. "It's midnight, and if someone catches us, we're in deep trouble."
Oliver shrugged. "Loosen up, Perce. We haven't even got to the best part."
Percy frowned. "What is it?"
Oliver held up a finger in a signal that told Percy to hang on before whispering something in a house elf's ear.
Oliver turned back to Percy with a smirk.
"You'll see," he responded, and Percy frowned. That didn't sound good.
A few minutes later, Oliver left Percy sitting at a table and practically skipped into the next room.
When he returned, he was holding something behind his back.
"You are going to love me," Oliver boasted.
Percy raised an eyebrow. "You convinced me to sneak out past curfew and dragged me around breaking a hundred rules. Try me."
Oliver brought the object out from behind his back and placed it on the table in front of Percy.
Percy's eyes widened, and he immediately dug into the cauldron cake.
"Cauldron cake is my favorite!" He said as he placed a fork full in his mouth. "How doo know?" He said through a mouthful of food.
Oliver blinked. "Uh, it's my favorite dessert, and I thought who doesn't like cauldron cake? Besides, I don't think I've seen you consume a dessert or candy since first year."
Percy shrugged. "I don't eat a whole bunch of sugar at home because my siblings steal all my candy and they practically devour the dessert. Habits are hard to break," he said as he liked his fingers.
Oliver blinked. "Well... you're welcome then."
*FLASHBACK OVER*
Percy laughed. "That Caudron Cake was amazing."
Oliver nodded. "That entire night was amazing."
Percy sighed. "I remember the first time I made a Caudron Cake. My siblings and I made it for Mum for Mother's Day."
*FLASHBACK*
"Okay," Bill said. "Ron, ingredients. Ginny, silverware and napkins. George, look out. Charlie, get all the pots and pans. Percy, start cooking, and Fred, hand him anything he needs."
Ten year old Percy was the only one in the family who could cook, so he stood on the stool (he had yet to hit his numerous growth spurts). Fred stood beside him while Ron appeared with an armful of ingredients.
"Eggs," Percy said.
Fred handed him two.
"Chocolate."
And so on.
Finally, the cake was made, and Bill placed it on a plate, and the siblings carried it upstairs to their parents' bedroom.
"Is there a reason George kept us in our bedroom all day?" Arthur asked as his children walked in, all forming a circle around Bill to hide the cake.
"This!" Ginny chirped as the children stepped aside to reveal the cake.
"Happy Mother's Day, Mum!" They shouted in unison, handing the cake to their mother.
"This is ama-"
BOOM! The cake exploded.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Then...
"Percy cooked it!" Ron offered.
Percy blinked. "I don't know how... I followed the directions exactly."
"I didn't," a small voice muttered.
They all turned to Fred.
"When I was icing the cake, I may have put one of our products in it. It was supposed to make the cake taste twice as good, not make it blow up."
Silence.
"Fred..." Percy said. "Are you telling me you managed to form a chemical compound that was supposed to make the cake taste better but instead made it exploded?"
Fred nodded.
"What was the compound?"
"Uh... sweetening potion, delectable doozy, whipped cream, sugar swirl, and green food coloring."
Percy contemplated those ingredients.
"Fred... you're a genius," Percy said.
The family gaped.
"I-I am?" Fred asked.
"Your potion would've worked, but sugar swirl isn't compatible with chocolate. It causes... well, that to happen," Percy said, pointing to the destroyed cake. "Do you have more?"
"Yes, I have an entire Caudron."
"Go get it. Bill, Ron, clean up. The rest of you, we're going to make another cake without chocolate."
Molly blinked as her children rushed into action before exchanging a glance with Arthur...
And laughing.
What amazing kids they had!
*FLASHBACK OVER*
"That was the last time I was nice to him," Percy whispered. "At least... extra nice."
Just like that, the depressing atmosphere returned.
"Percy," Oliver said as an idea struck him.
"What?"
"Look at it like this... Fred needs you to live, so you can pass his memory on to your children and grandchildren and so on. You can let the world know what a good person Fred was, what a hero he was. You can't do that if you're dead."
Percy blinked. "I guess you're right."
"Percy, tomorrow I want you to go to your family and tell them everything," Oliver said. "I'll come if you want."
Percy sighed. "Do you think they'll help me after all I've done?"
"Of course we will."
Oliver and Percy leaped in the air as they spun to face George, who was standing in the doorway, soaked to the bone.
"When did you get here?" Percy asked.
"Two minutes ago," George replied.
"Okay... but it's storming. Why?" Percy demanded. "You could get sick."
George rolled his eyes before turning serious.
"Percy, your hand moved to mortal peril," George said. "We got worried. I volunteered to come check on you. I would've been here sooner, but the storm was not letting me off easy."
"I'm actually glad it stormed," Oliver said. "If I hadn't, I wouldn't have come back."
"What do you mean?" George asked.
"First," Percy spoke up, pointing to George. "You need dry clothes before we both have to go to a hospital."
"What do you mean by bo-"
Percy cut him off by thrusting a dry pair of clothes into George's hands and shoving him into the bathroom.
"We'll explain when you're done," Percy called through the closed door.
A boom shook the building, and George yelped, causing Oliver to stare at the closed bathroom door in confusion.
"George never did like thunderstorms," Percy explained. "None of them did."
*FLASHBACK*
Percy looked up as his bedroom door was thrown open, hitting the wall with a clatter that was drowned out by the booming thunder. Two red haired children leaped onto Percy's lap, making his book fall to the mattress.
The red haired bundles ducked under Percy's covers and shivered.
"What's wrong?" Percy asked the twins.
BOOM!
A whimper from beneath the blankets.
"Are you scared of the thunder?"
"We're not scared of anything," Fred replied from beneath the blanket, but he yelped when another boom sounded.
Percy laughed. "Of course not. Do you want to come out?"
Silence.
"No," George finally whispered.
"Is it okay if I come under?"
When there was no response, Percy crawled beneath the covers to join his brothers, switching on a flashlight he'd grabbed from his nightstand (they'd had tons of power outages this month, so Percy started keeping a flashlight in his bedroom).
Percy stared into the pale faces of the trembling twins.
"Do you guys want to hear a story?" Percy asked.
Their eyes sparkled with interest.
"Can we hear, too?" A small voice asked, and the covers flew up to reveal Ron and Ginny.
"Come in," Percy said, and his youngest siblings shimmied beneath the blankets.
"What's the story?" George asked.
"Can it have dragons?" Fred asked.
"And a princess?" Ginny questioned.
Percy nodded.
"Okay, once upon a time, in a far away land, a beautiful princess named Ginny lived in a magnificent castle. She had a wonderful family and an amazing home and hee life couldn't have been better.
"But then, the dragons showed up. The dragons were mean, nasty creatures, all but one. His name was Charlie."
"I see what you did there," George laughed and was shushed by his twin and younger siblings.
"He wanted to protect Princess Ginny. When the dragons attacked, Ginny's brothers and Charlie stood in front of her to protect her.
"The dragons shouted and cried and screamed for them to move, but when they refused, the dragons began to blow fire over them. Charlie and Ginny's eldest brothers Bill and Percy confronted the dragon's head on with their wands while the youngest brother Ron rushed Ginny to safety.
"The dragons thought they had won. Percy and Bill were quickly tiring, and Charlie couldn't hold off six other dragons without help.
"Unbeknownst to the dragons, two of Ginny's brothers snuck off and stood on the tallest tower.
"'Oi, dragons!' Fred yelled.
"'Good luck escaping this!' George shouted, and a cannon exploded with a mighty boom. Suddenly, the dragons were covered in painful potions. It's almost like acid, and they ran with their tails between their legs.
"'Now you know better than to mess with our sister!' The brothers yelled after the dragons.
"From then on, Charlie guarded the kingdom and years passed unti, Ginny was no longer a young girl, but a young woman. She had met a boy named Harry, who had defeated a very bad man before, and they fell in love. They were to be married.
"The brothers told Harry this very story, and Harry knew better to mess with Ginny Weasley because if he did, he would surely suffer the wrath of Ginny's brothers and Charlie the dragon.
"The end!" Percy finished, but his siblings were already asleep.
When Molly and Arthur found the beds belonging to four of their children empty, they were sent into a panic.
They checked Percy's room, where they found their five children laying in bed together, snuggled together for warmth and protection.
Arthur and Molly smiled before closing the door.
*FLASHBACK OVER*
The bathroom door opened, and George slipped out, wearing Percy's clothes.
"Now you have to tell me," he ordered.
Percy and Oliver launched into an explanation about Percy's suicide attempt and their conversation and their walk down memory lane. By the end, George's eyes could not have been wider.
He practically collapsed on Percy's bed and engulfed him in a hug.
"We are telling Mum and Dad about this," George said, firmly.
Percy nodded. "Believe me. I know."
"Guys," Oliver suddenly said, causing the brothers to turn.
It was no longer raining.
"The sun will come out tomorrow!" George sang.
"George, please don't," Percy pleaded.
"What? Don't you like my voice?"
"No, you sound like a dying cat!"
George shrugged. "I guess you're right, but I don't care. Tomorrow! Tom-"
"Okay," Oliver interrupted. "You can sing later, but we should probably take Percy to a hospital to get him checked out."
LATER AT THE HOSPITAL
On the way out the door, all the Weasleys, plus Harry, Hermione, and Fleur (who was now a Weasley, I guess), thanked Oliver for saving Percy. Oliver replied by saying he didn't need to be thanked before shutting the door and turning to Percy.
"You wanted to see me alone?" He said as he stood beside Percy's bed.
Percy pursed his lips. "Oliver, I-I... I've never been good with this kind of thing."
Oliver frowned. "What?"
"I..."
Percy paused before deciding to take a leaf out of Fred's book. Which is to say, be bold.
Percy kissed Oliver.
Percy instantly regretted it as Oliver froze up in shock, and the red head pulled back.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"
Oliver crashed his lips against Percy's, and Percy kissed him back.
And for the first time in a long time, Percy felt happy to be alive.
"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" Oliver asked as he dropped Percy off at his flat the next day.
Percy smiled. "I promise, and Mum has been keeping a sharp eye on the clock since a few nights ago. I'll be fine."
Oliver nodded. "I love you," he said, awkwardly. They'd just started dating (rather abruptly, too), and neither had been experts in the dating department. Oliver was hit on by girls a lot, but he didn't swing that way, and neither boy had ever been on a date with another guy before.
"I love you, too," Percy replied, just as awkwardly.
Percy shut the door and leaned against it.
He would be lying if he said he didn't want to die, even after the night of the storm.
But he wouldn't kill himself. He couldn't die. Not yet.
"Look at it like this... Fred needs you to live, so you can pass his memory on to your children and grandchildren and so on. You can let the world know what a good person Fred was, what a hero he was. You can't do that if you're dead."
Fred's memory needed to be kept alive. Percy could stay alive long enough to do this. Who knows? Maybe after he was done, with Oliver and his family, he wouldn't want to die anymore.
Percy crossed the room and sat at his desk, opening his lap top.
Percy had been quite the writer as a teenager and and child, but with his career, he hadn't gotten the chance to write lately. Now, he had something to write about.
He placed his fingers on the keyboard and began to type.
A Smile Forever On His Face: The Story of Fred Weasley
Even when he died, he still had a smile on his face...