Percy tucked my left hand into his. "Let's see how long it takes them to see it."
I grinned at him and then he pushed open the door to the Burrow. Inside Teddy and Vic were running around playing hide-and-seek, though neither seemed to understand the act of hiding. The adults were getting food settled on the table for breakfast when we wandered into the dinning room.
Molly gave me a quick hug before bustling into the kitchen for the eggs.
Teddy came running into the room and collided into my legs. "Come play, Audrey!"
I knelt down to grin at him. "How about after breakfast?"
"Promise?"
"I promise. Besides, aren't you hungry?"
His stomach let out a little growl that caused him to start laughing. "Maybe..."
A few minutes later I was edged between Percy and Ginny as everyone dug into the feast that Molly had made. My hand was covered by Percy's as his thumb rubbed circles on the back of mine.
"How's work?" Arthur asked Percy.
He shrugged his shoulders. "It's been alright. I've been spending a lot of time looking for a new job, really. A few companies are in need of someone to run the finance and marketing aspects, but I'll have to wait till I put in my resignation."
"You know, I need some help at the shop, Perce," George said from across the table. "I don't have enough time to keep up with the demand for new inventions and try to work on the finances. Plus, Ange has been trying to get me to open up a second store in Hogsmeade, and I'm not exactly sure which account I should take the money from."
Percy looked everywhere, but at his brother. "That's...uhmm...that's a very nice offer-"
"It's a very nice offer and Percy will gladly take it once he's put in his resignation," I finished. Percy's panicked eyes met mine, but I simply smiled. "George is asking you for help, Percy."
George nodded. "It'd really help me out."
"Are you sure? I-I don't know when I'll resign... It could be a year from now."
"Take your time. If you get some time off, maybe you could come by and just look over things. See what you're getting into."
Percy nodded, slightly timidly before taking a sip of his pumpkin juice. Molly smiled at me from her spot at the other end of the table, which caused me to grin at her.
"Audrey, can you pass the toast?"
I reached out to grab the plate of toast to give to Bill when Ginny gasped. "Holy shi-"
"Ginny!" Molly admonished.
Ginny was too enthralled, grabbing at my hand. Her eyes went wide before she held it out to her mum.
"You proposed?" Molly gasped.
Percy turned red, but put his arm around my waist as he nodded.
"And you said yes?"
I laughed, nodding my head yes.
Before either of us had a chance to take a breath we were swept up into a round of congratulations and hugs by his family. At the end of it all, my hand was grabbed by Angelina who was staring at the ring along with the other women. "Bloody hell, Percy," she muttered.
Ginny turned my hand to the left and right, watching the light glint off of the diamond. "How much did you spend on this rock?"
Percy waved them off. "That's not important," he said.
"Definitely more than a house," Ginny continued. "At least tell me where you found it."
His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back to our seats. "An antique shop in London."
Victoire wiggled her way between my chair and Ginny's. Her bottom lip was jutted out and trembling. "I see?" I held my hand out to her and she smiled as the light hit the diamond. "It's pwetty. Like a pwincess." She glanced at Percy and then me. "What is it for?" she wondered.
"It means Uncle Percy is going to marry Audrey, Vic," Bill explained.
"Like a wedding?" she whispered in awe.
I glanced at Percy, and I knew he could see the nervousness in my eyes.
"Of course a wedding, silly," Ginny said as she scooped up the little girl.
"They're just jitters, dear," Molly assured.
Fleur nodded in agreement with her. "The planning can make things quite nervous."
Percy's hand squeezed mine under the table as I attempted to smile. Instead I chose to take a rather large bite of toast, washing it down with a few gulps of water. He managed to get us out of the house under the line that he needed to get some fresh air. We barely made it to the orchard before the hyperventilating started.
"Percy!" I exclaimed. "We can't! I-You-Us!"
He guided me to sit down between some of the trees, away from any prying eyes of his family. "We'll talk to Mum. She'll understand. It's our wedding, Audrey, love. If we want to elope, we can elope."
"It's clear that your family wants a proper wedding! Eloping is no longer an option!"
"Audrey, it does not matter what my family wants. They're not the one's getting married. It's all up to you and I."
I shook my head, trying to move, but his lips captured mine and soon I was entangled in his limbs.
He broke away panting sometime later. "Mum will understand why we don't want a wedding, Audrey. We'll explain it to her and Dad in private. My siblings won't care either way, I promise you." He moved to his feet and then pulled me up, dusting dirt from my bum. He grinned at me and his lips moved to mine again. "We'll talk with them later tonight, okay?"
I bit down on my lip, nearly breaking through the skin. "Just talk," I agreed. "No promises or guarantees."
OOO
Percy pulled me into his arms as I fawned over the dinner that was simmering away on the stove. "Everything is absolutely delicious, my love. Now come and relax." He tugged me onto the sofa, letting me fall on top of him. "Remember, it is our wedding and our decision."
I swallowed hard and attempted a nod. "O-Okay."
Less than an hour later we sat at the dining room table with Molly and Arthur. The pasta, salad, and garlic bread I had made was long gone and we were sharing a few glasses of wine.
Molly smiled, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "Thank you for a wonderful meal, Audrey. It's nice not having to cook once in a while."
"You're welcome."
"However, I have a feeling that there's a hiden reason behind having Arthur and I over tonight."
I exchanged a nervous glance with Percy and he set his drink down to hold my hand. "We wanted to discuss plans for our...marriage."
Molly nodded in an attempt to encourage us forward, but when Percy uttered the word elope I saw all color drain from her face. Even Arthur looked like a light had died in him. "You-You want to elope?"
"Mum, it's not that we don't want you there," Percy tried.
"I don't see how we can have a wedding," I told them quietly. "When I walk down the aisle, there will be a section full of people on the right and no one on the left. Not to mention I have no one to walk me down said aisle."
Her eyes softened. "That's what this is about? Oh, Audrey there are ways of working through that. People don't have to follow that tradition. We'll create new ones."
"I suppose you're right," I agreed. Inside, my heart was twisting and turning. I didn't want a wedding. I didn't want to be reminded of how my family had abandoned me or how I lost everything and everyone in that year of being tortured.
Later that night, when Percy was walking them to the door I wandered into the bathroom. Percy knocked on the door, but I already had it locked. "Audrey, love, please unlock the door."
I ignored him and turned the faucet on, letting the shower warm up before stepping in. I didn't want to argue with Percy. I certainly didn't want to fight about something as small as a wedding. However a part of me knew that this wedding wasn't something small. It was the event of a lifetime for the little girl in me. Like every seven year old girl, I had planned my wedding down to the linens. Mum had smiled at the details and Dad had set me on his knee where he told me no man would ever be good enough for me.
Percy was sitting on the bed when I returned to the room wrapped in a towel. I didn't notice I had been crying until he tugged me between his knees and wiped at my tears. "Audrey, we will do what makes you happy. Our wedding is supposed to be something we'll remember for the rest of our lives, something that puts a smile on our faces."
"Whatever you want," I said quietly.
He sighed and shook his head at me. "Tell me what you want to do for our wedding, my love. Please just tell me that."
I couldn't bare to look into his eyes. I knew there would be a sliver of hope that I would undoubtedly crush. His fingers wiped away a few more tears all the while I wanted to tell him everything cursing through my head. Instead I forced a fake smile. "Whatever you want," I repeated. He started to say something else, but I pulled away. "I need to get dressed."
OOO
I felt the bed shift as Percy climbed in on his side. The television was playing some sitcom, but I hadn't been paying attention. Too much was on my mind. I wanted to tell Percy exactly why I didn't feel comfortable having a big, white wedding, but-and it was a very big but-I couldn't put that on him right now. He was making such huge steps with mending his relationships with his family. If I told him I didn't want a celebration like a wedding, he'd quickly stop all planning his mom had begun in her head. He'd pull away from his family in order to make me happy. I knew he would; he already started.
Percy stayed on his side of the bed. The two of us could fall asleep and have nothing to do with each other. He tried to get me to open up before he took a shower, so now he was letting me come to things on my own time.
"We can have a big wedding," I said quietly. "It'll make your family happy."
I heard him sigh, but he said nothing for a long time. It made me wonder if he had fallen asleep. A part of me knew that he wouldn't let the two of us go to bed when we were both clearly upset. I could have cursed him to the deepest pits of hell and he still would wait until we kissed before letting the two of us sleep.
"What if we get married with just our closest family and friends?" he suggested slowly.
"I don't have any family, Percy," I reminded him.
His hand reached out to tentatively touch my waist, waiting for me to turn towards him. "Audrey?" A few beats of silence passed before I finally moved around in the bed. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his side. "You may not have blood relatives, but what about Maggie and Vera? My love, they spend more time over here with you drinking copious amounts of wine than the three of you do at work."
"They don't know about the magic-"
A shiver ran down my spine when his lips were suddenly on my neck. "We'll keep magic out of it. It'll just be you, me, a white dress, a cake, and some dancing."
"What will you wear?" I teased weakly.
He chuckled and then he was holding his weight above me. "I believe Ron and Harry call it a 'monkey suit'."
My nose crinkled at his words. "No tuxedos."
"Whatever makes you happy," he whispered.
"Can I have a little bit to think about it?" I asked.
"Of course, my love."
