Authors Notes :
Penelope & Percy aren't together. Reviews please! And thanks to
all who reviewed. lWhat...
What just happened?
Percy ran, his legs straining under his body weight. He felt he had been running for ages, but his legs couldn't stop. The dungeon walls around him were not disappearing, no matter how hard he tried to run, no matter how hard he tried to wish them away. Now Percy regretted not paying attention to how they had gotten there. His mind had been entirely on how to apologise to Oliver.
Oliver.
His legs finally gave way, not able to take a step more. His legs crumpled beneath him, forcing his body to crouch in a dark spot. His eyes were closed tight, while his right hand cups his lips, trembling. That... That didn't just happen. It wasn't real! It's wrong and...
"It's a joke, it must be!" Percy muttered the only plausible reason, and began believing it the moment those words came out of his mouth. "It must be his way of making fun of me, or his friends dared him to!" He has so many ways of justifying his version of why that kiss had happened, but... But how could all that be faked, he hears a voice within him say, a voice that is not his own, at least not a voice he recognizes as his own, and yet because it speaks with such conviction and authority, he acknowledges that it must be telling the truth. Remember how gentle he was? And you know you can feel he wants it. That can't be faked.
I don't care anymore, Percy thought. Percy wished he could just get to the dorms, get in bed and sleep it all away. Maybe when he wakes up he'll just think it's a bad dream and pretend nothing ever happened. But he couldn't even get out of this wretched dungeon, let alone get to the dorms. "Apparating would be real useful right now!" Percy shouted into the dungeon walls, but the only reply he got was an echo, which made him feel even more frustrated. He drops his head against his knees and sighed. He feels reluctant to even walk now, feeling that crouching is a much more comfortable position to be. At least, until his legs go numb. "I bet he's laughing at how I freaked out just now," he mumbles into his knees, still crouching. "It's just his silly little way of making me run off like a girl." But deep inside, he knew it was not a joke...
"Percy?" Percy raised his head. "What are you doing here, Penelope?" "Exploring," Penelope says curtly. Percy turns his gaze to her wand, watching its tip glow feebly. "I thought I should familiarise myself with everything that is Hogwarts since I'm Head Girl now." Her eyes were fleeting about and looking behind Percy, as if expecting someone to pop up from the dark depths of the dungeons. Percy could tell Penelope was lying, but what Penelope is doing here in a dungeon is the least of his problems right now.
"Are you unwell or something, Percy?" Percy realised he was still crouching on the floor, so he straightened himself up promptly. "Nothing serious, Penelope, I just felt a slight discomfort, and decided to take a rest. No worries." He dusted the back of his cloak with few pats. "You sure?" Penelope asked, looking questioningly into Percy's face. "You look nearly as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. And you're sweating all over." Well, I've been running around this maze of a dungeon for ages, naturally I would be sweaty and pale looking. And a boy just snogged me, so I guess that aggravates the situation. "I'm fine," Percy smiles reassuringly. "I just need to go see Madam Pomfrey later, that's all." He raised a sleeve to his forehead and dabs the sweat off. Penelope shrugged. "Ok," She leans on one leg and began twirling her wand between her fingers. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" Percy's dabbing paused momentarily, but still managed to reply coolly. "I saw a first year running into here, carrying some banned joke items. I was attempting to catch up with him, but he was quite fast, and after a while, I'd found myself lost." "Well, we should go find him then." "No!" Percy exclaimed. "I mean, no, it'll be a waste of time. He probably got away. Let's just go back." Penelope raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Well, let's get going then, Head Boy. This place gives me the creeps." Penelope turned and walked off, and before Percy followed her, he turns around and looked into the darkness.
His eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was Fred's face hovering over him.
Oliver yelped and jumped upright on his bed, backing away until his back hits the headboard of his four-poster bed. His eyes opened wide from shock, watching as Fred bent over with laughter, clutching his stomach and trying to hold it back. Oliver's half-asleep mind finally registered the fact that it is Fred, so his whole body relaxed a bit. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Fred's laughter died down eventually, and he went over to Oliver and patted his back. "Tsk tsk," Fred went. "So ungrateful. I thought you would have the courtesy of at least being polite to the ones who had imparted such great trickery and mischief to you." Oliver's face remains annoyed. "And I have come forth with important news." Fred smirked. "What is it?" Oliver asked. Fred sits himself beside Oliver on the bed and continued. "I won't tell you unless you tell me something first in complete honesty." This is just going to be another one their stupid tricks to get me to say a secret, Oliver thought. There probably isn't any important news in the first place. "If you're having doubts, I'm not blaming you," Fred sighed, which made him look much more serious that Oliver has ever seen from any of the twins. "But it's got to do with Percy."
Oliver looks up. "What about him?" "Answer me this one question first," Oliver was uncomfortable with Serious Fred, but his mind was already whirling with speculation on what could be so important. "Is Percy in trouble?" Oliver blurted out; ignoring the terms Fred had put in order for Oliver to know what the news is all about. "Answer me this one question first," Fred repeated, this time placing his two hands on Oliver's shoulders. Oliver saw worry in Fred's eyes, which in turn worried him as well. "Me and George really care for all our brothers, even Percy, no matter how uppity he is at times," Fred's grip tightens on Oliver. "If not we won't be doing all this now." Fred lets go of Oliver. "Is it true you're doing all this for Percy?" Oliver didn't respond. "Is it true," Fred asked. "That you like our brother?"
"Why do you need to know?" Oliver's face burned. "Just nod, anything, there is no time," Fred says. Oliver nods. Fred took a deep breath.
"Percy's in trouble."
No, sleeping doesn't work, Percy thought to himself. Still seems as real as ever to me. He was sitting by himself, hugging his textbooks close to his chest, in some study corner in Hogwarts. He sighed. This is silly. I am letting this whole thing affect me.
"Percy?" Penelope was waving her hand in front of Percy's face. "Hello?" "Yes, Penelope, how may I help you?" As he looked up at her his left hand pushes his glasses up. "I've got some heavy boxes to move in one of the classrooms, and I can't use magic on them because I left my wand in the dorms. Can you help me?" "Sure, Penelope, my pleasure." Percy smiled. At least something to take my mind off of things. Percy stood up, and followed Penelope into the classroom.
"What trouble?" Oliver asked worriedly.
"Someone saw the two of you in the dungeons," Fred began tapping his fingers nervously on his right knee. "Colin Creevy." Oliver recalled that moment, but don't remember seeing another soul for it was too dark to see anything that wasn't standing close to the torches. "And since he brought his camera along, he snapped a picture." Oliver's eyes widened. "Why would he do that?" "The same reason why he take pictures of everything. And we thought him taking pictures of the boys' toilets is weird." "But anyway," Fred continued. "Andrew Kirke and gang got hold of the photo from Colin, and their interpretation of the picture was that Percy forced himself on you, instead of the other way around." "And how did you know it's not the right one? How did you even know about all this in the first place?" "Well, when the picture got snatched away from him, Colin came running to us," Fred shrugged. "He felt that if he went running to you or Percy, the two of you might do something nasty to him or something. Strange how he saw us as the kinder lot compared to you two." Fred smiled at that thought. "We of course disappointed him and still gave him a good hard knock on the head. We knew that's not true because even if Percy really does come to terms with who he likes, he would never have the balls to force-kiss the person."
"Anyway, it spells trouble when Andrew Kirke got his hands of the picture and saw what is going on," Fred sighed. "I think he chose to believe it was Percy who forced you because you are their leader, and he would do anything to think otherwise that you are the faggot in the picture." "I know the boys make queer jokes all the time," Oliver interrupted. "But I never assumed that they were..." "Andrew Kirke and rest are pea-brained morons who think being queer is not what a true Gryffindor is." Fred paused. "They were planning to corner Percy later in the afternoon," Fred said. "And they are planning to throw the picture in his face and beat the Gryffindor spirit out of him for being a faggot."
It's all my fault, Oliver thought. "Since the two of you know, why don't you go and stop them first?" "We tried," Fred sighed. "But they insisted that we are defending him because he's our brother. They warned us not to get involved any further or we'll get the same treatment as well." Fred turned his and head and looked at Oliver. "Not that we're scared," he smiled. "We're willing to do the silliest things for our brothers. But we felt that it would be pointless if we do save him. He would still get trouble from the gang for the rest of the year. The only way that might remotely help him was for you to go get to them first. They're bound to believe you." Fred said the last sentence with a hint of doubt, as thought in the back of his mind he fear for the worst that things might still go wrong.
This is not suppose to happen, Oliver thought. Now Percy is going to resent me even more.
"So do you know where the gang is right now?"
"Wow, Penelope, this is a lot of boxes. What's inside all of them?" Percy looked around. It looks just like any other dusty old classroom, but instead of desks and chairs, moldy-looking wooden boxes take their places on the concrete floor, piling one on top of the other. The blackboard looks as if it hasn't been touched for ages. "Books, mainly. Some of them have small tanks used to keep the baby Grindylows before they got too big." Percy began eyeing a box that looks a fair weight, not too heavy for him yet not too light to defeat his purpose in being there. "So where do you want to move them to?" Percy then noticed Penelope staring at him the whole while. But not like how Oliver does it, Percy thought. She was staring at him... in an almost uncomfortable way. Penelope walked over and whispered, "Nowhere."
"What?" Percy exclaimed, folding her arms and looking slightly amused. "Is this some sort of practical joke, because I am disappointed, Penelope. I expect smarter jokes from a Ravenclaw." Penelope smiled, and folded her arms as well. "Well," she went over and leaned against a tall, heavy-looking box, almost the height of a closet. "I guess you can call this a joke." There was a pause. "Haha, Penelope," Percy said mockingly. "Well, joke's over, I should be heading back to my books then, before wasting more time in this dusty old place." Percy turned towards the door, but Penelope said something quickly, which made Percy stopped in his tracks immediately.
"I saw you with Oliver at the dungeons the other time you know."
Percy turned back, and faked a laugh. "What are you talking about, Penelope? I already told you why I was there, and you could ask Mr. Wood for all you like, and he would tell you promptly that he was never near that wretched dungeon." "Oh stop lying," Penelope waved her hand in annoyance. "I saw the two of you kissed. I saw exactly what happened. The two of you were shaking hands, and before you know it, Mr. Wood pulled you in and snogged..." "Shut up! This joke of yours has gone too far!" Percy's voice echoed in the classroom. A moment later Percy regretted doing that, losing his composure once more, especially when it's over Oliver, and hoped that no one heard his exclamation. Penelope looked shocked, but relaxed a while after.
"You said it yourself," Percy replied. "He forced me. I'm already having trouble forgetting about it, I don't need the Head Girl rubbing it in." "Well, didn't you enjoy it? I mean Oliver is a looker, all the girls I know fancy him." Percy's cheeks burst a shot of red. "Penelope, let me make this clear," Percy said. "I am not what Oliver think I am. I... I don't like boys." Penelope raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Well," Penelope leaned in closer towards Percy, smirking. "Prove it to me." Penelope's face was close to Percy's, so close that he could feel Penelope's breathing down his neck. You don't need to prove anything to her, Percy's little voice exclaimed.
But, Percy's own voice replied in his mind. It's really about proving it to myself.Percy looked up at Penelope, who was still having a hint of a smirk at the corner of her mouth. Percy hesitantly lifted his left hand and placed it in the small of her back, pulling her closer. Penelope took that as a sign and took the initiative, with her eyes already closed, pressing her lips to his and parting them. Percy felt the warmth of another's tongue flooding his mouth once more, feeling her small hand resting on his hip. But this time all he felt were a torrent of thoughts flowing through his mind. Why does it feel different? Well, it's supposed to. But, why don't I feel anything? Why don't I feel the rush of heat? Why do I still feel so clear-headed? Percy could only think that her lips were too soft, that they were not right. Percy opened his eyes and looked at Penelope, whose eyes were still closed, kissing back with much fervor. Penelope is, what almost everyone would admit, conventionally pretty. But... what is going wrong? Percy began to think that he might be wrong, but he was not going to push Penelope away for that. He was not willing to go through all the trouble that will happen if he asked her to stop. Just as Penelope began kissing much more forcefully, images that time at the dungeon with Oliver flashed through Percy's mind. Oliver.
Penelope's thigh began rubbing suggestively at Percy's groin. Percy's mind then snapped at that moment and reactively pushed Penelope off as hard as he can. Penelope hit a box and began rubbing her pained shoulder, which reminded Percy of how he had pushed Oliver off the other time. Penelope looked shocked. Percy can't stand this anymore. "I... I'm sorry," was all Percy could mutter and he rushed out of the classroom and began to walk in the direction of the boys' toilet.
I... I need to wash my face, thought Percy, walking briskly to the nearest toilet he could find. He dropped his glasses at the side of the sink, turned on the tap, and began splashing water across his face. He looked at his own cracked reflection in the broken mirror. This is not how my seventh year is supposed to go about.
And you always thought you know yourself so well. You thought you always have everything under control.
Percy noticed besides his own reflection, at the corner of the mirror was Colin Creevy's. He turned around to face the little boy, and was going to ask him what's wrong when he turned all pale-looking, muttered, "G-G-Good day, H-Head Boy," and rushed out of the toilet, his camera round his neck bouncing against his chest as he went off.
Percy looked back into the mirror in front of him. He combed his hair as neatly as he possibly could with his fingers, straightened his tie, and gave the best Head Boy smile he could muster up at the mirror. "I need to get to Herbology class now," Percy spoke to himself. I would think about all these problems later. Academia comes first. I will talk to Oliver after lessons. And so he tried his best to strut over to the door, swing it open, and walked out.
Only a few steps away from the toilet, Percy heard a familiar voice calling out his name.
"Hey, Weasley," Percy turned around and saw Andrew Kirke and his gang of Quidditch-crazy baffoons. With the absence of Oliver, Percy added in his head. Maybe he decided he's better of without them. "I believe you should address me as Head Boy from this year onwards. Perhaps it is a bit difficult, since you have been calling me Weasley since First Year, but I do wish you would at least make an effort." Percy points a finger at his shiny Head Boy badge. "It's not very difficult, it's written right here." Percy looked at each of their faces, only to find unknown anger and contempt shown in their features. "You think you can be all smart with us, don't you," Andrew grimaced. "But after today I'll make sure you'll never come near us Quidditch boys again, faggot."
"What did you just call me?" Percy retorted. "I could well report all of you to Professor McGonagall for just calling me that and get you all detention!" "We don't care," Andrew turned to the rest of the boys who nodded back at him. "About detentions. We just want to break you into little pieces. Your bones, your wand, your glasses, everything. And then we're going to lock you in that dungeon where you pressed your filthy faggot lips on our friend!" "What?" Percy exclaimed. "This is ridiculous!" Percy tried to walk away but two of the boys grabbed an arm of his each and held him rooted to the spot. Andrew withdrew a picture from a pocket on his robe and dangled it close to Percy's face, almost touching the tip of his nose. At such close proximity Percy could hardly focus his eyes on the picture, but he eventually saw what the picture was all about. But instead of showing Percy pushing Oliver off after trying to kiss him, the two boys in the picture continued kissing, their lips moving in a perfect rhythm. Percy watch as the smaller version of him runs his hands across Oliver's trained arms, and when the two miniature versions of him and Oliver broke the kiss, their face remains almost equally close, arms around the other's waist, both smiling sweetly at each other.
Andrew lets go of the photograph, letting it fall to the floor. He lifts his foot and step hard on the picture, and when he lift his feet, the two boys were gone, ran away from the frame perhaps, leaving only a fine shoe print on the background of a dungeon. Percy snuck his left hand into pocket and managed to withdraw his wand without notice from the boy who was holding him still. Percy jerked his right hand off from the boy's grip and points it at Andrew. "Flipendo!" "Expelliarmus!" Andrew sent Percy's wand flying off of his hand and onto the floor, but before Percy could make a grab for it, two boys grabbed hold of him once more and held him back. Andrew walked towards Percy and stuck the tip of his wand right into his neck, digging uncomfortably into his skin. Percy could feel the tip getting warmer. "So," Andrew turned to ask the rest. "Do we want to use our wands, or our fists?" The boys grinned dumbly at one another.
"Locomotor Mortis!" The boy holding Percy on his right went rigid the moment the spell was uttered, and fell to the floor immediately. Percy turned and saw Oliver, his wand in his hand. "Locomotor Mortis!" This time it hit the boy on Percy's left. Percy stepped back from the two bodies, rubbing his sore arms absently. Oliver, this is none of your business!" Andrew yelled. "How can this be none of my business? It is about me, isn't it?" Andrew paused for a while. "We know what he did to you, Oliver, and we're going to take matters into our own hands," Andrew raised his wand at Percy. "Filthy," he spat in Percy's direction. "You're no worse than a Slytherin, Andrew, and I am disappointed in you." Andrew turned to Oliver, looking shocked. "It's not him," Oliver muttered. "It was.." "Shut up!" Andrew hollered, the rest of boys began looking confused and unsure of the situation, some already backing away.
"Stupefy!" Percy couldn't raise his own wand fast enough, but Oliver muttered, "Ennervate!" before the spell hits him. Oliver raises his wand at Andrew. "You've gone too far, Andrew." "Furnunculus!" Oliver cried, and Andrew let out a howl as nasty looking boils began erupting on every inch of Andrew's skin. Oliver grabbed hold of Percy's hand. "Run," Oliver whispered, and the two of them ran off, but nobody was running after them, for the rest of the boys were staring in dumb bewilderment as Andrew continued to writhe about on the floor in pain.
The two boys had ran all the way to the highest floor in Hogwarts, and when both them finally feel that it is safe to stop, they collapsed to their knees, exhausted and panting. Neither of them said anything, only staring intensely at the spot of floor before them, trying to hard to steady their breath again.
"I guess I won't be playing a friendly game of Quidditch with them anymore, eh?" Oliver joked, trying to let out a small laugh in between the pants. Percy looked up at Oliver, incidentally looking right into Oliver's eyes, but a moment went by and they looked back down again. Silence.
"I'm sorry," both of them muttered at the exact same moment to each other.
Oliver looked at Percy, puzzled. "Why are you apologising? I was the one who's the cause of all this. I should be the one that's sorry." "Well," Percy went. "You lost your friends now." "Ha," Oliver laughed. "They were dickheads anyway." "And... I'm just glad you're alright," This time Oliver looked away, his eyes on a bird outside that had flown near one of the big windows beside him. "You have nothing to be sorry about." Oliver smiled reassuringly at Percy. Percy looked down.
"I'm sorry," Percy let his hand fall on top of Oliver's. "Because you won't have to go through this much trouble," He squeezed Oliver's hand tightly. "If I had just come to terms with my feelings right away," The two of them looked at each other. "Instead of now, don't you think?"
With that, Oliver's hand squeezed back.
