House: Gryffindor

Category: Short

Prompt: Guilt

Words: 1503

Other: continuation of Transparent

Opaque

Percy sprang off Oliver's bed in surprise as the other boy pulled the curtains around the bed. His heart sunk as he walked to his own bed. Percy pulled the curtains around and managed to choke out a silencing charm before shoving his face into his pillow.

The next morning Oliver woke up to a bitter taste in his mouth. He dragged himself out of bed and to the bathroom. He noticed that Percy's bed was already empty.

Percy spent the next week tip toeing around the Quidditch captain. The Prefect knew Oliver's schedule but knew he couldn't keep avoiding the other boy. They would run into each other eventually.

Ginny noticed her older brother falling into a depressive state she tried bringing it up to her other siblings.

"Has anyone else noticed Percy acting weird?" She was sat between George and Ron.

"Percy's always weird" Fred drawled as he grabbed a slice of toast.

"True," George added "But he seems sadder"

"He and Penelope broke up" Ron offered.

"That was ages ago" Ginny sighed.

The conversation lasted a bit longer but her brothers decided nothing was wrong and told Ginny not to worry. They all found Percy annoying and didn't see the change in behavior. At least not like Ginny had.

Ginny liked Percy he was the one who taught her to read. Her other brothers encouraged her love of sports and rough housing but Percy encouraged her love of knowledge. But as he grew older the others found Percy a know it all.

Ginny didn't know who else to talk to. Every other person in Hogwarts could care less about Percy Weasley. He was the Prefect that stuck to the rules and didn't give any leeway.

She decided to write Charlie since he and Percy had an okay relationship growing up. Ginny also knew that they had shared a room for a while when Charlie's was infested with ants.

Dear Charlie,

I know I should write you more often. I feel like you only get letters from us

when we need something from you. I know you and Percy shared a room for a while and I was wondering if you knew anything.

Percy has been depressed these past few days. He hasn't been eating and I can tell he isn't sleeping well. It looks to me as if he has been crying a lot. I don't know if I should confront him or if that will make things worse.

Tell all your dragons I said hi and I hope you know how to help. I'm truly lost and wish to help.

Much love,

Ginny xx

Dear Ginny,

He acted like this his second year of Hogwarts. I'm not sure what the connection is but I remember it took until Christmas for him to get back to normal.

Whatever the problem was he just needed time away from it. Ask him what's wrong and try to figure out a way to help him.

Wish I could help more but Percy and I never talked about our problems. My dragons say hi back.

Sincerely,

Charlie xx

"Percy," Ginny walked over to him after finishing Charlie's letter "I need to speak with you."

She grabbed her brother by the collar and led him into an empty class room. Ginny didn't know how to phrase the question she was going to ask, and Percy was just confused on why he was there.

"Are you okay?" Ginny figured a basic approach was best.

Percy knew he could trust Ginny, but a small part of him was still hesitant. He wasn't sure if she would accept him. Hell, he hadn't even come to love himself. The older Weasley couldn't manage to answer in words so he just shook his head no. Ginny walked up to him and pulled him into a hug, and Percy buried his face into his sister's shoulder and began to cry. They stood like that until Percy regained his composure.

"It started in my second year. Oliver got hit during his first match and was feeling down about it. I asked Charlie to help him because I thought it would get Oliver to be my friend. I realized that I didn't want Wood to be my friend I felt something more than that. I just didn't know what." Percy begun to pace and Ginny nodded to show she was interested. "I finally managed to recognize my feelings for him were in a romantic light. I tried to push that part of me away so I dated Penelope. I tried to tell Wood how I felt but he pushed me away."

While Percy was pouring his hear tout to his sister Oliver was pacing around their room. The guilt of turning Percy away was eating Oliver alive. The Captain wasn't focused on school or Quidditch anymore. He was focused on how knowing Percy liked him made him feel.

Oliver didn't push Percy away because he was disgusted he was scared. The Quidditch player never thought about anyone before. He never had a crush or at least he didn't think he had. He was always so caught up in Quidditch the only person he talked to was Percy.

Percy wasn't even his friend just someone to bicker with. Oliver thought back on all the times he started a fight with the Weasley. All the times he yelled to drown out the voices in his head. The one that tried to get him to see how he felt.

Oliver wasn't good with feelings. He guessed that's why he never admitted it to himself that he was madly in love with Percy Weasley. And why he felt so guilty about breaking Percy's heart.

Wood knew he broke the other boy. He just didn't know how to fix it, so he continued on Quidditch.

The week leading up to the big match Oliver didn't let himself think about anything other than winning the Quidditch Cup.

Oliver finished his award-winning speech and lead his team to the pitch. His heart was racing and his hands shook. But they would win he told himself over and over again.

Percy sat with Ginny she held his hand as he eyed Oliver sadly. The Quidditch match was the first time he had seen the brunet since the night of confession. Despite wanting to hate the Gryffindor Keeper Percy's heart skipped a beat every time Oliver kept the quaffle from entering their goal.

During a moment where the quaffle was on the other side of the pitch Oliver made the mistake of looking around the audience. His eyes landed on Percy almost immediately. The red head sat with his glasses pushed all the way up his nose, worry washed all over his face, and teeth indents in his lips. Oliver had never seen anyone more beautiful in his entire life.

In that moment Oliver promised himself he would tell Percy the truth. Maybe then they could be happy.

The Gryffindor team was met with a large crowd of people when they reached the ground. They had won. Oliver was sure he was in a dream. He didn't care if anyone saw him crying he let the tears flow freely. He had managed to lead the Gryffindors to a victory. McGonagall rushed over with the cup tears in her eyes.

After a short celebration on the pitch Oliver finally managed to break away from the crowd. He scanned every face for Percy's but only found Ginny.

"Ginny!" He ran over to the girl "Where did Percy go?"

"And why should I tell you?" Ginny tried to make herself seem taller "You broke his heart."

The young girl said the last part in a hushed tone. Oliver's heart broke in that moment. The guilt finally caught up to him. He tried to explain to Ginny but she couldn't see through his walls. She didn't understand him as well as her brother but she broke anyway. Ginny had to at least give Wood the benefit of the doubt. She whispered Percy's location in the older boy's ear.

Oliver ran across the pitch handing his broom to Ginny. He'd be damned if he let his fear get in the way this time. Wood managed to intersect Percy on his way to the library. Oliver grabbed the smaller boy's wrist to stop him.

They stood in the hallway staring at each other until Percy went to move around Wood. Percy didn't want to have his heart officially broken. Little did he know the opposite was about to happen.

"I think I love you." Oliver managed to say.

"You think?" Percy couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad one.

"I don't want to say I'm in love with you yet." Oliver chuckled "I want to say that in a place that isn't a dusty old hallway."

With that Percy pulled Oliver to him and pressed their lips together. Oliver pushed him up against the wall of said dusty old hallway.