A/N: Wow, thank you to all you fabulous people who reviewed and added the story to the story alert. Just thank you. without you this story wouldn't have continued.
Every Wednesday after work, Percy and Audrey would go to the Leaky Cauldron or The Three Broomsticks for a drink. Percy learned that Audrey was a Ravenclaw when she went to Hogwarts. Although she excelled academically, she had a tendency to get into trouble. He learned that she was an only child although she always wanted an older brother. Her father, like his own, was fascinated with muggles and loved to explore muggle England. He literally ran into Audrey's mother on one of his excursions, and that's how the couple came to be. Her mother was often sick, and Audrey took care of her sick parent whenever she was needed. Although she had dreams to open her own bookstore, the hours to run a store would not allow her to be there for her mother. She ended up settling for a ministry secretary job.
Audrey discovered that Percy had ambitions to be the Minister of Magic. She knew that he was a Gryffindor, but he felt as if he would do better in Slytherin or Ravenclaw. He excelled academically and was a stickler to the rules. She knew exactly how he felt about each of his siblings and how it bothered him that he was completely different than the rest of his family. She knew the twins, Fred and George, were the bane of his existence. He didn't understand his father's obsession with muggles. All he knew about his parents love story is that it began in Hogwarts. Percy, however, never told her about his falling out with his family. Despite her sensing the tension between her boss and his father, she never asked what happened.
One Wednesday in December changed that. An owl swooped in with a parcel tied to one of it's legs. "Why hello," Audrey said to the owl that had landed on her desk. She untied the package from the owl's legs and squinted her eyes at the handwritten address. "Why would anyone send a personal package to the Ministry of Magic?" she asked herself aloud as she placed the package on Percy's desk.
Twenty minutes later, Percy walked in from a Department meeting. His ears turned bright red when he noticed the package on his desk and his secretary carelessly stroking the Owl's head. "You've got a package, Mr. Weasley," Audrey finally stated as she continued examining the owl.
"Send it back," Percy said coldly as if his icy tone would diminish his anxiety. He knew exactly what was wrapped in that parcel, and he couldn't accept it. He had cut his family out of his life; therefore, accepting a Christmas sweater would be making amends with his family. They probably didn't want him back so why would he accept a sweater that branded him as one of them.
"What?" Audrey asked sharply and rising out of her chair.
"I can't," he answered handing her the parcel that contained his Christmas sweater. She scowled as she met Percy's brown eyes. She could see so much anguish, confusion, and hurt in his eyes that she decided to drop the subject. She turned around and sat back down at her desk.
"By the way, that's not a real reason," she said correcting him. She relunctantly retied the package to the owl's leg. She sighed feeling sorry for the owl that had to leave when it just arrived. The owl released a hoot before he flew out the window behind Percy.
Throughout work, Percy debated between telling Audrey about the argument between his family and him. He doubted she would understand, but he was going to have to explain what happened. She would question him till he told her if he didn't explain everything voluntarily. Besides it was Wednesday, she would loosen him up with enough Firewhisky if it came to it. He decided not to think about his nosy secretary or the Christmas sweater or his family. He buried himself into his work. He refused to think about what Audrey would say about his estrangement from his family. He knew he wouldn't feel anything if he worked himself ragged.
Usually when he worked himself into the ground, he would end up working past the time he was supposed to get off; however, Audrey was not going to allow that to happen. "Come on," she said flicking her wand at the rolls of parchment on his desk. They scattered to the floor as Percy looked up at the woman. He gathered the rolls of parchment and placed them in his desk drawer. "It's Wednesday," she added, a painful reminder, that he couldn't avoid his familial problems forever.
"Where to, this week?" he asked.
"My place," Audrey answered taking Percy's hand. The two dissapparated and landed in her outside her apartment. She muttered "Alohamora" and the door clicked and swung open. Percy walked in and marvelled at the unexpectedly clean home. Even the cream colored walls seemed whiter because of the lighting and cleanliness. The wooden floors were polished and everything was in its rightful place. The only stray object was an autobiography of Gilderoy Lockhart laying on her olive green corduroy sofa. He carefully placed the book on the small maple table on the left side of the couch.
"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Audrey asked peeking her head out of the kitchen. The young man shook his head in response. She smiled and walked out of the kitchen while carrying a glass of water. She sat down in her dark brown armchair with her legs curled under her.
"Nice place," Percy said although he wasn't sure how he felt about the odd painting on the wall.
"Thanks," she replied taking a sip of water. Her hazel eyes twinkled in curiousity. "Why did you send that package back?" she asked giving Percy the option to surrender, or she would pry the information out of him. She was willing to do both if necessary, and he knew it.
Percy looked down at his neatly folded hands in his lap. He hadn't discussed the division between him and his family with anyone. In fact after he accepted his promotion, he dove himself into work to forget the people he was giving up. He wasn't like Audrey who would give up anything for her family. She wouldn't understand. "Percy," she said softly, "You can tell me. I won't judge you." Her elbow was perched on her leg and her chin rested on her knuckles. She was looking into his eyes, but he felt as if she was looking through him.
"I can't accept that gift," he said. "My family and I got into a fight, because I was offered a promotion after only a year. Instead of being happy for me, my father accused them for giving me the job so they could spy on our family. I thought they were being ridiculous, and we haven't spoken since." He met Hazel's eyes as if he expected some response from her. She took a sip of water before she moved from the armchair to the empty seat beside Percy on the couch. She tuned her body to face Percy as she curled her legs under her.
"You know," she said moving her auburn hair out of her eyes, "It's not what I would have done, but you aren't less of a man. Despite you being the biggest prat I know, I know you wouldn't have sold out your family for a job." He smiled as she moved her elbow to the back of the couch. She examined his closed eyelids as she wondered how he felt about himself.
"You don't?" he asked in mild surprise. He expected Audrey to scream at him or tell him he was a complete moron. He thought she would preach the importance of family; however, she wasn't the type to make speeches. She seemed to understand him and the situation.
"Nope," she answered with the shake of her head, "Look, we're going to follow our beacon of righteousness in a time where we don't know exactly what's going on. Just because your opinion differs from your family, that doesn't make you less on a person." A faint smile rested on his lips as he rested his head on Audrey's small shoulder. He was glad to have her as a friend. He loved that she was so understanding and kind even when his own family would have told him to man up. She saw him as more than another Weasley, which made him adore her even more than he did.
"Do you think You-Know-Who is back?" Percy asked looking at her. "Do you think Harry Potter and Dumbledore are right?" At first he thought they created that story for attention, but as time passed he didn't know what to believe. Whether he changed his mind or not, he doubted his family would have him back.
"I just don't think they would lie about something like that," she answered cautiously looking down at the figure resting on her shoulder. She resisted the strong urge to run her fingers through the locks of his curly red hair. His brown eyes were beckoning her to say something else. "But once you...we know for certain, you will know what you need to do."
"Thank you," Percy replied standing up. Without a goodbye, he walked out the door of Audrey's apartment.