Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. And OMG, July is almost here!!! Happy Snoopy dance
Chapter 10 – Sunday At The Burrow With George
The two figures stood side by side at the door, the outline of their shadows casting a nervous dance against the wall of the Burrow. Pansy glanced sideways and was alarmed to find deep worry lines marring Percy's freckled face. Was he really that anxious about introducing her to his family?
She slipped her small hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze in an attempt to show some kind of support. His eyes instantly snapped down to their linked hands and then scoped about furtively over the connection. Flustered, he pulled away, and shoved his hands deep into his trousers pockets.
Frustrated and angry, Pansy narrowed her eyes at his stubborn refusal to touch her. After a moment of studying him, she grabbed his left arm with both hands and wrestled his hand out of his pocket. Once it was freed, she clasped it in both of hers, and clung on as if it were a lifeline. He shot her a dark scowl but she simply huffed out loudly, resolute on making her silent protest against his foul mood. She was going to hold his hand for his sake as well as her own whether he liked it or not.
Their morning meeting had not gone well by any stretch of the imagination, leaving them both agitated and snappish. To put it mildly, she had been frigid and pompous due to his cold and business like manner. In truth, Pansy was beyond livid and more than a little hurt at not having seen or heard from him for an entire week. It was unforgivable really. They were friends now, weren't they? It was only natural to want to spend time together, wasn't it?
'Who are you trying to fool, you silly bint?' she scoffed at herself. 'You have loads of friends, and you don't fantasize about any of them doing naughty things to you.'
As if on cue, Pansy's mind instantly traveled to her most recent favourite daydream. Being in his office… on his desk… her legs wrapped around his waist… their hands and lips everywhere... She shook her head quickly to clear the searing haze flooding her system and tried to catch her breath. It had been a difficult week of finding herself in heated fantasies starring the man standing to her right.
Drawn out of her ruminations, Pansy glanced to him again, and found his head bowed and his eyes focused intently on their joined hands. The expression on his face seemed almost meditative yet feral… like he was in his own focused daydream... and his thumb was methodically stroking over the back of her hand. Her head spun as the temptation to simply apparate them both back to her house to have a proper meeting became overwhelming.
Shaking her head of such dangerous thoughts, she took a breath and found her voice. "Are we just going to stand here?"
"No, just give me a minute." He mumbled, heaving a large sigh.
"We've been standing here for about five now." She whined.
"Fine… Fine." He grumbled.
Reaching up, Percy hesitated a moment then rapped lightly on the heavy wooden door.
"Why are you knocking?" Pansy whispered.
He leaned into her, and without meeting her eyes, he muttered. "I'm being courteous."
"Courteous? But this is your family."
"As I said before, I'm not exactly on the best of terms with them yet. And bringing you here won't make things much better. Now if you would please stop asking silly questions…"
"Silly questions?" she railed loudly. "What's so silly about wanting to know why you can't just walk into your own home?"
"Pansy! Please stop it!" he hissed.
Abruptly, the door swung open, and both Percy and Pansy stiffened and plastered wide smiles on their faces.
"Hello Mother." Percy barked.
"Percy." Molly squeaked as she jumped, surprised by his sudden yet chipper greeting.
Regaining her composure, Mrs. Weasley stepped toward her son, hugged him almost too hard, and smacked a quick kiss to his cheek. Percy could only flinch at his mother's over compensation to hide her residual discomfort with him.
As she rigidly righted herself, Molly noticed Pansy tucked slightly behind him. "Well, hello. Who's this?" she asked, genuinely curious about the very attractive woman clinging to her son.
"Mother, this is Ms. Pansy Parkinson. She and I have been… we're…" As he said this, Percy pulled Pansy from behind him, clasped both of her arms from behind and pushed her toward his mother.
"We've been seeing each other." Pansy finally finished for him.
As Percy spoke, Molly's eyes widened and her face lost a little colour at the mere mention of the family name. To her knowledge, the girl was a very rich, notoriously snobby pureblood. Not only that, but according to the Order, her family had had some questionable dealings with several known Death Eaters during the war. Molly shifted her eyes quickly to her son with an almost accusatory glare. She barely noticed that Pansy had extended her hand to formalize their introduction.
"Mrs. Wealsey…" Pansy began nervously. When the older woman gave no sign of having heard her, her hand sagged a little and she stuttered a quiet "Mrs. Weasley?"
"Mother?" Percy choked out, both embarrassed and terrified, thinking his mother was either on the verge of exploding or self-combusting.
Molly's eyes darted back to the girl in front of her, and for the first time, she became painfully aware of the obvious nervousness gripping the poor child.
Coming up just in time to catch Pansy's drooping hand, Molly shook her hand vigorously and gritted out. "Hello, dear. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm afraid Percy hasn't had the opportunity to talk of you. You see we haven't really been around much lately. So you… this has caught me a little off-guard."
Suddenly, a boisterous voice cut in from behind the door. "Who's there, Mum?"
Molly released her hand to smooth down her dress robes and hair as if to calm her uneasiness over the new arrival just as the door flew open to reveal first George and then Bill.
"You." George seethed in hateful spite at the sight of Pansy.
"Hello." She demurred. Although it was incredibly tempting, she wasn't going to fall into the trap… not in front of Percy's mother. She didn't want to come off as a vicious, biting hag, scheme or no scheme. A good impression was paramount.
"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Fred's voice resounded from the archway of the kitchen.
"Brought a few hexes did you, to liven things up?" George spat.
Inwardly itching to jump in and hurl an equally nasty insult right back at him, Pansy merely clutched at Percy's hand more fiercely and offered a wounded look. Percy, in turn, nearly yelped at the bone crushing hold she had on him, but bit his lip and the sound came out as a slight whimper instead.
To Pansy's surprise and delight, it was Mrs. Weasley who came to her defense. "George and Fred Weasley, you will not be rude to a newcomer in my house. Your brother has brought a guest, and you will be polite." She then turned to Pansy and tried to offer her a cordial smile that came off as rather pinched and tight. "Come in dear. Would you care for a spot of tea?"
"That sounds lovely, thank you." Pansy sighed gratefully.
"Don't be fooled by that smile, Mum. It's all an act. She'll hex you blind when your back is turned." Fred warned.
"Really Fred, that is quite enough." Molly snapped.
Taking this as his cue to remove his younger brothers from the kitchen, Bill clamped down a hand on George's shoulder. As he was being dragged away, George muttered darkly. "Bloody slag." Seamlessly, Molly turned and slapped him upside the head as he passed her.
On his way out with George in tow, Bill grabbed Fred, who was watching the situation unfold in horror. He then gave both men a not so gentle shove from the room as he followed close behind.
Finally alone, Molly wrung her hands as she regarded the stiff, nervous posture of the couple standing before her. They appeared completely out of place, looking neither comfortable nor at home. The young woman was surveying her surroundings, and although she seemed to be doing her utmost to conceal her distaste, the revulsion was pouring off her in waves.
Molly shifted her gaze to her son and was instantly reminded of one of the few moments in his childhood when he had misbehaved and she had to punish him. There he stood with his hands clutched behind his back, eyes fixed firmly on the ground, and a fretful, guilty expression marring his playful features. For so long she had wanted nothing more than to be allowed some small glimpse into his life. However, now that she was afforded that opportunity, she wasn't exactly certain she liked the view.
Stealing a sideways glance, Percy spotted the slight curl of disgust in Pansy's upper lip as she perused the small kitchen. Panic quickly squeezed his chest, and his eyes darted to his mother who he could tell had also witnessed Pansy's dislike of the simple country décor.
Sensing his mother's growing ire, he reached over and tugged Pansy until she fell clumsily against him. After a few more excruciatingly long seconds of silence, which Percy felt weighing down on him like a ton of bricks, he loosened his grip and steered her down into one of the chairs around the kitchen table.
With some effort, Percy cleared his throat nervously, and mumbled. "Umm, I do believe that I have to speak to father about something. Excuse me."
With four long strides, Percy made a dash for the archway as the two women looked on in wide-eyed shock. Scowling, Pansy cursed Percy's rather cowardly exit, glaring darkly at his retreating back until he turned and disappeared down the hallway.
"That boy never did know a thing about perfect timing." Molly muttered, wondering what exactly she was meant to do with this uninvited and, for the most part unwanted, guest.
"I think he knows far too much if you ask me." Pansy growled.
In an instant, Pansy could feel Mrs. Weasley's eyes on her, but she was too afraid to meet them, certain that she would only encounter disapproval and judgment. Focusing on the rough wood of the tabletop, Pansy knew what people believed about her family, and under normal circumstances she didn't care, but for some reason this meeting… this woman's opinion was important to her.
"I think you may be right. Well, how about that cup of tea? I know I certainly could use one." Molly managed, as she turned to face the counter.
Suddenly, a loud burst of laughter came from the hallway, and then Ron and Harry stumbled into the kitchen followed closely by a very sour, very unimpressed Hermione.
"Hello!" Pansy chirped a little too happily at them. "And how are you three?" The pressure had become altogether too much to bear and this interruption was a welcome distraction.
Harry's head snapped to her quickly and he simply stared at her, an unflinching fire burning in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he finally whispered hoarsely.
"I… Percy invited me. I… I wanted to meet his family." Pansy stumbled over her words awkwardly, stunned by his grueling stare.
She really couldn't think of anything else to say. Potter's reaction to her presence was completely unwarranted. Had she done something to him recently? Nothing came to mind. If anything, their last encounter at the restaurant had been almost amicable.
Harry glared at her for a moment longer, then stormed from the room. Everyone remained frozen, waiting for the turbulent magic crackling in the air to ease and disburse.
Pansy was the first to break the silence. "What the devil was that about?"
"I have no idea. He was perfectly fine a moment ago." Ron chipped in, actually knowing more than he wanted to admit.
"I didn't… I mean did I say something… wrong?" Pansy asked uncertainly.
Placing her hand over Pansy's, Molly tried to allay her. "No love, it wasn't you. Something else probably set him off."
Hermione finally cleared her throat to break the tension, and uttered softly. "I'm just going to go check on him." Before setting off out of the kitchen on a hunt for the elusive, brooding raven-haired man.
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Hermione made her way out onto the front stoop, but came up short when she spotted Harry sitting on the top step. Steeling herself for a possible row, she set her shoulders back, stuck out her chin defiantly, and took two large strides toward him.
Taking a seat, she fidgeted slightly before starting. "Harry…." She began slowly.
"I don't want to talk about it, Hermione."
"I'm sure you don't."
"Then drop it."
Hermione inhaled deeply, and allowed the breath to stream out of her in a long sigh. At the sound, Harry tensed but seemed to then hunker down as if digging himself further into his immovable, stubborn position.
"Not that I'm the biggest fan of Parkinson." Hermione began again. "Merlin knows she was a real bitch in school. But Harry, she was actually being friendly in there for once. What the devil possessed you to snap at her like that?"
"She doesn't fancy him. And even if she did, she's not going to stay with him. She's got other..." Harry ranted, then waved his right hand in a vague agitated motion.
"Other what?"
"Never mind." He muttered toward the ground.
Confusion setting in, a deep line buried itself between Hermione's eyebrows. "Since when do you care what happens to Percy?"
"I don't care what happens to him." Harry stated firmly, looking at her for the first time.
"Well, if you don't care what happens to Percy, then I can only assume this is about Pansy. Are… are you in love with her or something?"
Harry scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes. "Oh please! Hermione, we both know she's not my type."
"Then what? What is it? If it's not about Percy, and it's not about Pansy… Why are you acting like a perfect git to an absolute stranger?"
"Pansy Parkinson is not a perfect stranger."
"You know what I mean."
Standing abruptly, Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, and stared out blankly across the field. "No, I'm afraid I don't." He then took the steps down two at a time.
"Harry." Hermione pleaded.
"I just need some time alone, Hermione. Please, just… just leave me alone." He called back over his shoulder to her.
Nonplussed, Hermione could only watch him stalk off around the side of the Burrow.
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"Percy, she's a nightmare. She's dangerous." George railed at him.
"Yes, you've already said that George."
"Have you shagged her yet?" Fred prodded.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I didn't think so. My best advice… Don't. Just don't. I know she's gorgeous, but she's liable to do something nasty to your bits while you sleep."
"Really Fred, that is none of your business." Percy reeled, affronted by his brother's crudeness.
"It is our business. She's nearly put us out of our business twice."
"Really? How?"
George cleared his throat, and grew serious. "You remember that time when the shop turned into a swamp, and we couldn't get rid of it or the snakes and rodents for three months."
"Yeah." Percy answered warily.
"Her… All her."
Percy considered their argument for a moment. "What did you two do to garner that kind of attention?"
"Who said we did anything?" Fred answered defensively, his voice shooting up a full octave.
"Oh please, you're not fooling anyone with that act."
"Fine. Fine. We had just finished perfecting that Medusa potion and we needed a test subject."
"Oh sweet Merlin, you didn't." Percy gasped.
"Her lovely dark locks became foot long serpents. It was brilliant. They kept nipping at her."
"How long did the curse last?"
"Two weeks." George answered matter-of-factly.
Percy gawked at them. "No wonder she swamped your shop."
In unison, the twins huffed at him darkly.
Not liking the extent to which this apparent grudge match had gone so far, Percy asked warily. "What else have you done to her?"
"Percy, you don't really want to know all that, do you? We're talking years of feuding here."
"Well, what's the worst you've done then?"
George and Fred exchanged an uncomfortable glance and shifted nervously.
"Well, there was that time we…" George began slowly.
"… Nearly blew up her house…" Fred continued.
"… While she was inside." George finished.
"You did what?" Percy bellowed.
"We didn't know she was there, Perce. Honest." Fred pleaded.
"The servants had all left, and… and she was supposed to be in Rome."
"Was she… hurt?" Percy tried unsuccessfully to hide the tremble in his voice.
"I think she wound up at St. Mungo's." Fred admitted reluctantly, unable to meet his brother's piercing glare.
"Felt quite bad about that one actually." George offered sheepishly.
Percy had never felt closer to throttling the twins. He stood absolutely stalk still for nearly thirty seconds as a dark cloud of rage loomed and stormed within him.
"You cause her one more ounce of pain, and I'll personally tear you both a new one. Understand?" Percy choked out through his anger.
The twins regarded him with wide eyes. When had their prat of a brother turned so scary?
"Percy." Fred pleaded.
"No. This feud is over. It ends now."
"What about her? She won't stop." George whined like a child.
"Yes, she will."
"Really?" Fred grinned at him. "That kind of sway over her, yeah?"
"And you say you two haven't shagged yet!" George jabbed him playfully in the ribs, trying to ease the tension.
Percy growled loudly and glared daggers at them both before marching away toward the Burrow, leaving both men to ponder whether their nemesis hadn't pulled off the greatest stunt of all… Getting their wanker of a brother to fall in love with her.
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"So, Pansy dear, how did you two meet?" Molly queried, trying to make the question seem light and offhanded.
"I went to see him at his office." Pansy answered distractedly, still focusing all her attention on splicing the tomatoes properly with her wand.
"Oh, did you have business with him?"
"In a manner of speaking. I went to see him to ask him to dinner. Oh bugger!" Pansy cursed as she accidentally charred a tomato to a crisp.
Molly stared at the girl a little confused. "No dear, I meant how did you two meet each other."
"That was how we met." Pansy answered, finally glancing up briefly from her chopping.
Utterly confused, Molly shook her head a little to make sense of what the girl was saying. "So you hadn't met before you decided to pursue him? That seems a little backward."
"Wait! Stop! You pursued him?" Hermione asked from across the room, having only heard the last part of what Mrs. Weasley was saying.
Pansy looked up from her awkward chopping to find five sets of eyes staring at her in shock.
"Yes." She responded slowly.
Much to Pansy's surprise, the four women standing at the kitchen counter descended upon the table in a flash.
"Why?" Fleur prodded, after situating herself comfortably in a chair.
Pansy shifted her gaze from one expectant face to the next, and felt a strange kind of shyness overtake her. What could she possibly tell them? She was fairly certain the truth wouldn't go over too well. Perhaps she could steal Millicent's reasoning from the dinner party and pass it off as her own.
"Well… At first I chose to pursue him because of his frugal nature."
"How romantic." Angelina snickered to Fleur under her breath.
Pansy shot a vicious glare in the tall woman's direction, causing her to cower slightly.
"You have to understand," Pansy continued, "men of my age and class are not very… shall we say, good with their finances. They have been spoiled and pampered, and have no idea how to fend for themselves in the real world. A man like Percy, who is not only capable of saving his galleons but also making them grow, is a very attractive alternative for a woman in my position."
"A woman in your position?" Ginny blurted out suddenly.
"Independently wealthy. I have no interest in a man who knows how to spend my money faster than I do."
An odd expression blanketed Ginny's features as she sat gawking at her. Without warning, she stood, causing the chair to scrape noisily on the floor, and moved off to the sink to continue her task of preparing the salad.
"And that was your reason?" Hermione asked in disbelief, briefly glancing to her friend after such an abrupt departure.
"One of them. He's also very driven for a man of his young age. He has quite a future ahead of him and, with the right kind of support, he could go far."
The group sat in stunned silence mulling over her words. Although they knew such arrangements existed, they were all very devoted to their love matches.
Molly was the first to find her wits. "Now young lady, I'm certain marrying for money and power are common place in your class, but those things can't make you truly happy. There has to be…"
"Oh, I know. I know. Those were my reasons at the beginning. But now… well, Percy's quite… I find him very… That is to say…"
As the words tumbled haplessly from her lips, a deep flush stole over Pansy's face. The four remaining women leaned in, completely enthralled by the sight of the legendary ice princess becoming a babbling, blushing schoolgirl over Percy, of all men.
Suddenly, Percy burst through the screen door and strode purposefully into the kitchen. Barely taking a pause when he grabbed Pansy's hand, he pulled her to her feet from the centre of the huddled group, and muttered a quiet "We need to talk" as he led her to the living room. The other women in the kitchen just goggled at them, slightly stunned by Percy's forcefulness.
Once alone in the living room, Pansy cautiously eyed the very agitated man in front of her as he paced back and forth. He looked extremely shaken, and utterly hacked off.
"Percy, is everything…" she began uncertainly.
"It's over." He cut her off.
Pansy felt as though the air had been sucked out of her at hearing those words issue from his lips. Paling considerably, her mouth opened and closed soundlessly a few times, trying to find the words to fight this turn of events.
"Wh… What? Why?" she finally whined.
"Pansy, it's over. No more fighting with the twins."
Relief instantly flooding her, Pansy released the breath she was holding in a gushing sigh. "Where is this coming from?" she asked.
"I just… When they told me that they'd… That you… I swear…" Finally stopping from his fretful pacing to regard her, he fell silent and his eyes traveled the course of her face seemingly in search of something. After a few long moments, a calm washed over his features and he visibly relaxed. "Never mind. It's not important. Just promise me that you won't try to get even or goad them into some stupid row again."
"Percy, I don't believe for one second that they…"
He placed his hands on her arms, effectively silencing her. "They've given me their word. Now I need yours."
A flutter echoed through her chest at his simple touch. "Why the sudden need to make peace?" she asked softly, as she began to toy with his shirtfront.
"Just amuse me." He pleaded.
She looked up, seeking an explanation only to find a fierce determination couched deeply in his eyes.
"All right. For you, but don't you ever say I don't do anything for you." she simpered, offering him a soft, playful pout.
"Thank you," he murmured as he pressed his lips to her forehead.
Although it wasn't the heated snog she'd been craving from him all week, the inherent affection of the gesture flooded through her, sending jittery heat clear to her toes.
Taking a step closer and lacing her arms around his waist, Pansy looked up at him, and purred. "If that's the kind of reward I get, I'll try to amuse you more often."
Percy's ears instantly went a mad shade of red and pulling her in for a tighter hug, he folded his arms about her, brushed a light kiss over her hair, and then pressed his cheek to the crown of her head. Not about to question his affectionate behaviour, Pansy sighed contentedly and snuggled against him, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.
Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat came from the archway, and the two glanced up and over dazedly.
Shifting awkwardly, Ginny eyed them and then stuttered out a quiet. "Brunch is ready in the garden. Everyone else is about to tuck in."
Percy stepped out of the embrace, leaving Pansy with an odd sense of bereavement at the loss of his touch. Not a moment later though, he slipped his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together in an intricate dance, and she felt the rising swell of insecurity plaguing her instantly ebb away.
"Right. Thanks Ginny. We'll be right along."
With a parting look of concern at their linked hands, Ginny gave a quick nod, and left them.
"I see what you mean by no privacy. The walls really do have eyes and ears here. Can't say or do anything without someone overhearing it, can you?"
"Well, come on," he offered as he began to walk her out of the living room, "if we don't get out there soon, there won't be any left."
She stopped and touched his arm gently, staying their progress. "Percy, I need to use the loo. You go ahead, and I'll be right out. Make me a plate?"
"Sure. Of course."
Without thinking, he stepped in and kissed her lightly. Their interaction up until that point had been so easy… so comfortable that it had only felt natural. Realizing the impetuousness of his actions, Percy pulled back shyly, avoiding her eyes. What had he been thinking? He hadn't… That was the problem. He kicked himself inwardly. Dropping her hand, he mumbled something incoherent, and then fled the room.
Pressing her fingers to her lips, Pansy could only marvel at the delicious spiral of nervous energy coiling through her chest. This feeling of connection had been different than the others. There was a fullness and warmth…. A sense of belonging…
In a slight daze, Pansy wandered out of the room only to bump into a figure of her own stature in the hallway. Glancing up, she came eye to eye with an absolutely frightening sight.
"Ginny," she blurted out, "I told Percy I just needed to…"
"I'm watching you."
"I beg your pardon?" she sputtered, tripping back into the living room as Ginny slowly stalked forward.
"You think I don't know what you're up to?" Ginny seethed.
Pansy felt a cold chill run straight through her. Had Percy told his little sister about their plan? "Ex… Excuse me?"
"I know your type. I have first hand experience."
"My type?"
"You and your lot. You rich, pureblood snobs… It's all a game to you." Ginny took another measured step closer and grew dangerously quiet. "He's in love with you, that much is clear. But if he so much as breaks a nail on account of you and your supposed affections, I swear I'll hex your tits off. You hear me?"
Pansy could only stare at the other woman gobsmacked.
"Do you hear me?" Ginny growled louder in repetition.
Pansy nodded dumbly, and stumbled back and away from the looming threat, bumping into the armchair and sitting with a thud.
"Good. As long as we're clear." Ginny spouted haughtily.
She gave Pansy one last once over of disgust, and then turned on her heels and strode from the room. Pansy sank back into the armchair as she expelled the air in her lungs with a huge sigh, a thousand different thoughts assaulting her. She needed a moment… or perhaps a month to make sense of everything.
A/N: Sorry for the wait. Life took an unexpected turn. Now I wanted to mention a thank you to someone who reviewed. Unfortunately, ffnet decided to erase two reviews before I got the chance to read them. I know one was Avanell, who re-reviewed, but the other is still a mystery. So to that person, thank you for taking the time to review :-)
Avanell: More hotness is on it's way, but I want to establish a real connection/bond between them now so that the hotness means something. Thanks for re-reviewing by the way.
MagikCat: Yes, those poor suckers who are madly in love and terribly blind are always the most entertaining... lol.
Miss Anthrope: I want something more to develop between them so the hotness means more. And yes, the Weasley encounter certainly is going to be interesting.
IHeartMCR: You may not give me constructive criticism but you definitely give me a clear picture of what you want to see... lol.
namelessxfreak: I just wish there were more Pansy/Percy fics period. I really like them together. They're very entertaining.
ginger28: I can just see you screaming at the computer... lol. Really hope you weren't at work when read this.
ClumsyTonks: And things will only get juicier. You were pretty bang on about the twins and Ginny ;)
LessThan3hree: Don't feel too bad for Draco. I have a soft spot for the boy and would never leave him out in the cold.
denimwhale611: It's going to be a rough ride, but they'll make it. I'm a sucker for happy endings.
stone of purity: I so love that phrase... swelling of insides... lol. I'm going to steal that one of these days.