Percy stands among the rubble of the castle, pinching the bridge of his nose. He doesn't like mess to begin with, but this is so much more. Hogwarts had been so grand, so beautiful, almost like a home, and now it's in ruins.
"Heartbreaking, isn't it?" comes a familiar voice, and he turns to see Penelope beside him.
For several seconds, he can't speak. Their breakup had been particularly nasty, ending with Penelope slapping him and calling him another mindless Ministry drone. He had often thought of reaching out to her in the days leading up to the battle, but he never had the courage.
"It is," he agrees.
"Probably drives you mad, the mess," she laughs, shaking her head. "Remember the time you nearly had a fit because I left my socks on the floor?"
For the first time in days, Percy finds himself laughing. After Fred, there hadn't been much reason to smile, let alone laugh. "And you politely informed me that I needed to remove the stick from my arse," he says, a grin pulling at the corners of his lips.
"You did," she agrees, completely unapologetic.
"Weasley, Clearwater!" Professor McGonagall barks, striding over, a list grasped tightly in her hands. "Are you going to stand around all day? There is work to be done."
"Sorry, Professor," Penelope says, blushing like she's still a nervous first year afraid of being given detention.
.
Percy wipes the sweat from his brow, taking a step back to admire the library which is almost recognizable again.
"Not bad, Perce," Penelope says, nudging him lightly with her shoulder. "We make a pretty good team."
Percy just smiles but says nothing. They had made more than just a good team once.
"Fancy a drink?" he offers.
"I thought you'd never ask."
.
"I can't remember ever seeing the Hog's Head this busy," Percy murmurs.
Penelope gives a grim smile, leaning against the bar and calling for a few drinks. "Yeah, well, there hasn't been so many looking to forget," she says.
The two stand, the silence between them rapidly growing awkward. Percy adjusts his tie nervously, though it's already obsessively straight.
"I'm sorry about Fred," she says at last, taking his hand gently in hers.
He gives her hand a light squeeze. He's heard it so many times over the past few days, but it's always seemed so forced, so mandatory, like there's some unwritten law out there stating that everyone must share one another's grief. But he can tell that Penelope means it, that she truly feels his pain somehow.
Percy grabs his glass when it's delivered, downing the burning contents greedily, savoring the numbness that trickles through him.
.
They stagger into his flat, hands gripping desperately, flesh screaming for the safety of human contact.
He's missed her. God, he'd never realized exactly how much until now.
Their lips meet, clash of teeth and tongues made messy by the blur of alcohol.
"Penny," he whispers. "My Penny."
.
He sits up, blinking against the blinding morning sunlight that filters in through his window. Groaning, he slumps back against the mattress, shielding his eyes.
"Hangover remedy," Penelope says, slipping a glass vial into his hands.
Percy happily drinks it, grateful as the throbbing in his hand begins to fade. "Thanks," he murmurs, uncovering his face and peering up at her bare figure, a smile on his face.
It isn't the first time that he thinks how perfect it is to wake up to her face. It's been far too long since he's had the pleasure. He's about to tell her this, but she speaks first.
"This can't happen again, Percy."
The words feel like a slap in the face. In an instant, all traces of sleep vanish, and he bolts upright, frowning. "Why not? You're not...seeing someone...are you?"
"No. God, no," she says quickly, shaking her head with a blush. "I just- I can't do this. I love you, and I think I always will, but we never quite fit together."
Percy opens his mouth to argue, but he stops himself. They had always clashed. They used to say that the fact that they were together was proof that opposites attract, but it was also the very reason they had fallen apart.
"I love you," she says again, kissing him lightly.
"I love you, too," he replies, holding her close for a moment because he knows when he lets her go it will be over.