Chapter Four:

"Good morning Mum. Dad." Percy nodded to his parents and noted that no one else was awake yet. He stopped to pour himself a cup of tea and leaned down to kiss Mrs. Weasley on the cheek.

"Morning, Percy, Dear. Sleep well?" Percy acknowledged that he had and noticed something in his mother's voice. A moment later, he understood why his mother's voice sounded odd. "Percy, dear? You were talking to a girl at-a-at F-Fred's funeral...uh...M-Minerva said she saw you with her a-after the b-battle as well? I was just curious..is she a friend of yours from the ministry?" Everyone was still in shock and by Fred's loss. Percy was surprised his mother even mention Fred's name or the battle.

Mr. Weasleys looked up from the prophet at Molly's question. "A-a girl? With Percy? When?" Arthur looked at his son expectantly. As far as he knew, Percy had only ever had one girlfriend.

Percy felt his face burn a little as he answered. "O-oh, ah, no. No, she's not from the, Ministry." Percy went to sit at the table and looked up at his parents. They were looking at him expectantly and his face got pinker. "Erm, she's just a, uh, friend."

Mr. Weasley raised an eyebrow at his son. "That's a lot of stuttering for someone who is only a friend," he pointed out.

"Ah, yes, well uh..." If Percy's face got any hotter, it would catch fire, "she's a uh...closer friend..only, uh, met her at the uh, um, battle." His voice was quiet and intimidated, but for the first time since the Battle, a little smile (so small, it was hardly noticable) spread across Mrs. Weasley's lips.

"Oh Percy! That's wonderful!"

Somehow, Percy managed to blush even darker. "Ah yes, well who knows what will, uh, happen?"

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, "well ask her to come here. We are hosting the Order tonight. She could come...uh, she fought on our side, right?"

Percy nodded, "yes, but uh she probably has, uh, plans...or something..."

Mrs. Weasley hit her son with a dishtowel as she set down a plate of bacon. "Now Percy, there's no reason to be embarrassed of your family or a girl."

"A girl? Percy what?" Percy growned as he saw Bill pad into the kitchen, closely fallowed by Fleur and a groggy Harry. Percy flushed again.

Harry's eyes woke up a bit more as he entered the kitchen. "Who? Oh, wait, lemme guess– that girl from the Great Hall, yeah? I thought that was you I saw with her." Everyone except a tomato-faced Percy looked at Harry questionably. "After I stopped by the Joke Shop for George yesterday. I saw her as I passed a tea shop. She's not easy to miss. Then I thought I saw Percy, but I couldn't look back to check because I thought I heard Rita Skeeter's voice near by." Harry frowned at the memory of the annoying witch.

Mr. Weasley looked back at his red-faced son. "Just a friend? Boy, Percy if a date is only friendship then we need to sit down and talk."

Percy blushed deeper, humiliated at being exposed by Harry, "it was only one date!"

"One date? Who got a date?" Percy sighed in exasperation as Ginny and Hermione entered the kitchen. Not far behind them, a freshly-showered Ron fallowed. Ginny looked at Percy's pink face and demanded, "well?!"

"I-i just met someone, that's all. Really, it's nothing. Only just happened." Everyone was silent for a minute, soking up the information that Percy had managed to get a girl.

After a moment, Mrs. Weasley interupted the silence. "Bill, dear, will you go wake up Charlie and Georgie?"

As Bill left the room, Ginny sat down directly infront of Percy with her interrogation face on. "So..."

Percy put his hand up to his cheek as he watched Audrey disappear back into the shop she worked at. He had surprised her earlier by coming by just before her lunch break to invite her to lunch. They had had fun, and Percy invited her to dinner with the Order and his family that evening. Audrey had been surprised but thrilled by the invitation. Now he was dropping her off after their lunch, and she had kissed him quickly on the cheek before disappearing into the dimly lit shop.

Five hours later, Percy packed up his things and left the café where he had spent the afternoon working on Order and Ministry business. He walked down the crowded pavement in Diagon Alley towards the quill shop. As he reached it Audrey stepped outside to meet him. She had changed clothes since he had last seen her at lunch. She no longer wore ripped jeans but a summery cotton skirt that fell just above her knees. "You look nice," Percy commented.

She smiled back, "thanks, I thought maybe I should look nice since I'm meeting so many new people. You look handsome as well."

Percy blushed, "It's the same thing I had on earlier."

Audrey laughed, "and yesterday, and the day before," Percy blushed a little, "but don't worry, you've looked handsome every time." As she said this, she slipped her hand into his. And Percy felt little butterflies in his stomach as she did. They had never held hands before. Heck, Percy had never held hands with a girl. He had dated Penelope Clearwater during his seventh year, but he couldn't recall ever actually holding her hand. After a moment, Percy pushed his thoughts and butterflies away and nodded towards an Alley way by a little book shop. "We'll apparate from there."

Not even five minutes later, Audrey and Percy landed just outside the Burrow's protective boundaries, blinking as they adjusted the the bright sunlight. "Right," Percy said, pulling Audrey towards the old house, "so, uh, this is the Burrow. I grew up here. I have one sister and six—uh," he paused for a moment, "well, five brothers..." He trailed off.

Audrey squeezed his hand, understanding what was going on in his mind. "You still have six. You always will. One is just living in another place now." Percy squeezed her hand back in appreciation. He had officially decided he liked holding hands. There was something relaxing and reassuring about it...or maybe that was just her...

"Thanks." They were nearing the house now and Percy looked around. He could hear voices coming from the tree-surrounded hill above the house. "Sounds like they've got a quidditch game going. Do you want to go check that out or go on inside? I don't really know who all is here right now. Audrey smiled at him.

"A quidditch match? That's so cool that you can play near by."

Percy laughed, "it's good for them. For me though, it just means Fre– er, George has, uh, more, uh, opportunities...to, uh, almost kill me..." Audrey squeezed his hand again.

"Remember what I said? He's not permanently gone, he's just someplace else." Percy nodded and they walked towards the hill in silence.