A/N: Hey everyone! So I posted this chapter a little early since I finished my other chapter, I'm like two ahead but to keep myself posting I try to write the next chapter within ten days of my last post. So I'm moving here in the next few weeks, yay! But the school I'm going to started last Monday so I'm going to be busy catching up on school work so I'm not sure how this is going to work out but I'll try my best! Reviews and other forms of appreciation certain make me wanna work faster! So I hope you guy like this one, we finally get to see Percy! Yay! Also a little more insight into Val's Past...Enjoy!

Chapter 3

But the feeling was short lived as Ginny looked at her watch and gave her a look, she had to leave for practice soon. Val also had to get to work, today she wasn't set to go until seven, she had the night shift today. Luckily for her one of her good friends was also on this shift. Though in a different area, she was just sorting through artifacts tonight, so it wasn't too big of a deal if she talked to him for a bit. She grinned at Ginny and they apparated to Grimmauld. As the landed they were giggling over some skirts they found that they thought were absolutely ridiculous. They headed to the kitchen with their bags in tow, as they came in, Val noticed that Harry and Sirius were there. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and then smirk as she noticed his nose, it was fixed by still had a hell of a bruise. Her eyes quickly settled on Harry instead, greeting him.

"I have to night shift, so I'm sure you want some time with Ginny before she has to get to practice." She flashed him a knowing smile and gathered her bags as she headed out of the kitchen.

"Hey gorgeous," She heard Harry say, she heard footstep quickly leaving the kitchen, and slowing as they came closer to her.

"Sirius." Val greeted him curtly.

"Valaraine." He said, knowing that calling her by her full name annoyed her.

"Look," Val turned around to face him, "I'm sorry that I hurt your pride."

"Really?" He almost rolled his eyes but he also knew her, this was the closest thing to an apology he'd probably get, "Prove it."

"What?" She looked taken aback.

"I said, prove it." He smirked at her, "At least make up for it."

"You... At least have to do the same." She gave him an a look and continued her voice only tinged with sarcasm, "You are a very... charming person, and I'm not surprised that people, ahem, women fall at your feet."

"Hm," He paused looking smug and thinking about what to say, "You aren't a waste of goddamn space and I swear you're not a prude 'cause you too good kisser to be."

"Sirius Orion Black!" She yelled as he rushed past her, his steps going upstairs, but she didn't bother trying to follow him. "You're lucky I have to get to work, bastard."

She glared at his door as she past to get to her room. Making mental promises to visit the Twins to get a special present for him. She went into her room and slammed the door. She sighed and thought about how he's never going to change as she set her shopping bags on her bed. She slipped on a black cami and put a shimmery blouse over it. A professional looking skirt that came down just above her knees with athletic shorts underneath. The ministry liked all of their curse-breakers working in the office or library to wear more professional clothes. Not that most listened, she was going to at least try until she got to the artifact room. She ran a quick brush through her hair making it look somewhat presentable. Grabbing her bag she rushed out of her room, cursing Sirius for making her late. She ran down the steps into the living room grabbing some Floo powder which was in a bowl on the mantlepiece.

"Ministry of Magic"

Again she felt tingly and her body shot upwards at an impossible speed. She landed in the hall of Fireplaces, as she called it, that were unusually empty. Of course most people have left by now leaving only the nightshifters and the workaholics. She waved to the security guard on duty and walked to the East Wing looking for one of her good friends. She opened the door to his office quietly, peering in to make sure that he was in there. Sure enough light by a table lamp he was in there hunched over some paper, reading intensely. She knocked on the door frame softly causing him to look up startled.

"Hey there Perc," She said greeting him, "Audrey kick you out for the night?"

"Not exactly," He said laughing sheepishly, "But we had a fight."

"Oh lord, you are practically married to her at this point! So is it for the makeup sex or what?" Val asked with mock exasperation.

"Val!" Percy started to glow, his face a bright red almost the same colour as his hair.

"It's totally the makeup sex." Val grinned at him and rolled her eyes, "So you want to join me in sorting through artifacts?"

"Well..." He looked down at his paper for a moment then back up to Val, "I guess I don't have anything that can't wait."

"Great!" She grinned at him, waiting as he gathered a few papers and turned off the lamp. They walked together filling each other in on what has been going on in each others lives. Val expressing her frustration with Sirius and Percy explained how his new job was going. Of course they listen to each other and present idea and comments. Finally the came up to the elevator that would take them down to the room where the artifacts are kept. Val's job was to sort through new arrivals and sort them according to the risk factor. Luckily for Val she had the easy bunch. As they entered the elevator she punched in her code, and it dinged as the doors closed, then they slowly started to climb down. Val chattered with Percy on what size diamond he should get Audrey, Val really liked her, she was a sweetie and fit perfectly with Percy. Audrey could only be described as a blonde bombshell. She was petite, blonde, blue-eyed, bubbly, and a lot to handle sometimes. Val was always tickled when she heard Percy talk about her, it was so obvious that she had him eating out of the palm of her hand. Though Val knew that Audrey was head over heels so she didn't mind. Finally the doors opened up to the artifact room. Or the AR as the curse breakers liked to call it was, limitless, dangerous, and had a personality of it's own. Val hoped that AR would behave since she had a visitor with her. Though it wasn't the first time that Percy had been there, she still had her finger crossed though. She led him to the tables and got out the box that she had to sort. He sat across from her and was working on some papers for the Minister of Magic. While she was in the back getting some of the tall trays with wheels, she slipped out of her professional clothes."Percy?" She said after they were silent for a few minutes, "I wonder, what the hell he does with his life?"

Percy started to laugh then choking from all the dust in the air.

"I'm assuming that you mean Sirius?"

"Mhm-hm" She didn't look up from the artifact that she was sorting on the carts.

"What is it about him that bothers you that much?" Percy asked chuckling again.

"Everything! He's smug, an egomaniac, childish... The list never ends!" She cried.

"Did you... Have you...? You know..." Percy started to blush again.

"Wait...! You think I'd ever! No! Oh god no!" Val practically jumped out of her seat.

"Oh, well the way you talk about him," Percy began, still blushing, "It sounds like only a lover could get that under your skin..."

"Never! In a million years would I ever... Never! Not ever again!"

"Val, you realize that it's okay to move on?" Percy said tentatively.

"I have, but I will never get involved with a man again. It'll just end and when it does it'll end very badly."

"Stephan was a prick." Percy said flatly.

"I would rather not talk about this." Val said, having enough of the conversation and the painful memories it was bringing up.

"Val, I know... It was hard for you. Despite what you say though, it's clear you aren't over it." Percy said laying his hand on hers.

"Percy." Val voice cracked in the middle of his name.

"Fine... I'll stop, but just because you happen to be one of my closest friends." Percy said with a wry grin taking his hand away.

"Thank you." She said going back to sorting with a vigour. All was silent for a bit, Percy though deep in his papers glanced at her every five minutes or so, Val was turning all of her attentions to her work trying not to think of anything. Surprisingly her mind went back to a memory of one of the first weeks she was at Grimmauld Place.

She was cooking breakfast Saturday morning thinking no one was going to be up for a while she just had kept on her shorter sleep short and a matching tee shirt. To her surprise, Sirius comes through the kitchen door with just some lightweight pants on, she stared at him a moment before going back to cooking. After a moment she goes and gets a coffee mug then fills it three-quarters full of coffee.

"How do you take your coffee?" Val asked him.

"Here, let me." He comes up behind her and as he takes the cup from her hands he leans down slightly breathing on her ear. He's holding the cup in front of her, trapping her against him.

"If you want..." He said close to her ear, "We could have, coffee, upstairs."

She gave out a choked gasp when she realized what he meant.

"The pancakes and bacon are burning. You need to let me go, Sirius."

"And we can't have that." He slowly let her go, winking at her when she looked, "If you ever want, just come up."

For the rest of the day her eyes followed him, taking in the way he walked, how he spoke, and that his silver eyes kept meeting hers. She was mad at herself afterwards for reacting that way to him, she was also mad at him for making her knees weak.

"You know about his past don't you?" Percy said suddenly, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Sure, sometimes I just say things... That I don't mean. I know he's made his way through life without much, if any, help from his family." Val sighed again.

"Does he know about yours?" Percy asked hesitantly.

"No!" Val jerked up again her eyes widened.

"You two will never get anywhere-" Percy got cut off by Val.

"There is nothing to go anywhere with." Val said glaring at her friend, "I swear sometimes, if you weren't one of my oldest friends, I'd have killed you by now."

"Then good for me I am," Percy teased, breezily changing the subject. The rest of the night they had a good time talking. They avoided the topics they were both thinking about, but Val enjoyed the rest of the time with him a lot. Finally about one o'clock, it was time for them to leave. Val put away the trays and boxes then grabbed her bag with her clothes in it. They stopped by Percy's office again to let him put his paper's away and lock up. They laughed at old tales of college and Hogwarts as they came up the hall of fireplaces.

"Well, tell Audrey I said hello." She said hugging Percy.

"I will. I'll see you at the party, right?" Percy gave her a look.

"Of course...Mother." She laughed and waved as he walked into the fireplace.

"12 Grimmauld Place." She called as she stepped into the emerald flames. By now she was so used to the feeling of the floo-system, she hardly noticed the feeling. That also might have something to do with how dead tired she was. Luckily the party for the Ministry wasn't until this Saturday, so she had two days to get ready and well rested.

A/N: So comments, corrections, anything! Don't forget my poll about smut later in the series that's on my profile! Khaos Out! (Star Trek reference there X3)