Chapter eleven: Lunch with the Minister

It was about mid afternoon when the minister knocked on the office door.

"Come in," Audrey said from her position on the couch. They were wrapping up what they were working on and getting ready to go have lunch. Percy was filing away some papers in the cabinet and Audrey had just sat down to doodle in her notebook.

"I was told that you're supposed to follow me around Mr. Weasley," The minister stated, "I know it'll be a pain," he said apologetically, "but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me treating you and your assistant to lunch today to get to know you both." Percy looked over at Audrey; they had been talking about making their own lunch plans and an unofficial second date. Audrey looked back and shrugged her shoulders.

"That would be fine," Percy said his eyes never leaving Audrey's.

"Great. Let me know when you've got it all wrapped up in here and we'll be off," the minister said cheerfully.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked looking toward the minister.

"Oh, I was thinking the Hog's Head," the minister replied.

"Are you sure sir? The Hog's head isn't exactly the best."

"I like Aberforth. He's a good guy," The minister said and then left the room shutting the door behind him. Percy looked back at Audrey.

"So much for the second date," Audrey smiled at him.

"The Hog's Head is certainly not a place for a date. Someone as professional as the minister himself shouldn't even go there," Percy disagreed with the minister.

"We already said yes though," Audrey said.

"I know," Percy replied as he shut the drawer to the filing cabinet.

"There will be other chances for a second date after mum calms down from her Death Eater scare," Audrey said confidently. She was going to say something else but she stopped herself remembering how confident she'd been that her dad was going to be okay. Tears instantly sprang to her eyes as she thought of this, and connected that she could be losing her mother very soon to it. She went to wipe them away before they fell, but Percy noticed.

"Audrey what's wrong?" Percy asked concerned as he knelt down in front of her.

"It's nothing really," she said drying her wet eyes.

"It is something. You don't cry for no reason," Percy learned that Audrey was a strong woman, and it took a lot to bring her down.

"I was just thinking of dad, and how right he was. And mum, she's acting like she doesn't have that much time left," she had been looking down at her hands before, but now she turned her eyes to Percy's as the tears returned. "What if she really doesn't?"

"I don't know Audrey. I promise you that whatever happens to her that I'll be here to take care of you. At the moment let's not worry about it. Let's go have lunch and then we can talk about it after. We've done enough for today, and if you want, I can make up an excuse and you can have the next few days off," Percy replied calmly, reaching up and wiping her tears away. He let his hand linger on her face and she closed her eyes and nestled her face against his hand.

"It's okay Audrey," Percy said. He leaned in and quickly kissed her before standing up and taking her hand. "We can't leave him waiting," he said helping her to her feet. She hugged him before she let him move.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he replied as he opened the door and dropped her hand.

~HP~HP~HP~

They were sitting at the bar in the Hog's Head with the minister who was talking to Aberforth Dumbledore. Percy noticed Aberforth eyeing him every now and then and it made him nervous. Under the bar he reached over and took Audrey's hand.

"So minister, I see you let Weasley tag along," Aberforth said.

"He's my assistant. I needed him to tag along. He's a good man," the minister replied.

"What about the girl he's with?"

"That's his assistant. I'm treating them to lunch today." Aberforth nodded his head.

They sat in silence eating their lunch before the minister turned to Percy.

"So Mr. Weasley, I'd like to get to know you a bit." he said.

"Alright sir, what is it that you'd like to know?" Percy asked

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Percy's ears turned red and Audrey looked away from them both squeezing Percy's hand.

"Yes sir, I do," he answered as calmly as he could.

"What's her name?" the minister asked.

"Michele," Audrey whispered loud enough for Percy to hear.

"Michele," he repeated.

"That's a lovely name," The minister said.

"Are you ready for dessert Minister?" Aberforth came over and interrupted the conversation before it could turn more awkward than it already was.

"Ahh, yes. What's the special?" the minister asked directing his attention to Aberforth. This gave Percy a moment to talk to Audrey without worrying about being overheard.

"Why Michele?" he asked Audrey.

"It's my middle name," she replied nonchalantly.

"Oh," Percy said.

"What's yours?" Audrey asked.

"Nothing special," Percy replied, not really wanting to tell her that his middle name wasn't as normal as hers.

"Here's your dessert," Aberforth said breaking the conversation.

They sat in the pub for another fifteen minutes finishing their food and conversing with Aberforth.

"Hang on a second Weasley," Aberforth said as the three ministry officials were leaving. The minister had already stepped outside and Audrey was hovering between the two men.

"I just wanted to tell you that if you ever need an escape I'm here to help you out,"

Aberforth whispered.

"O-o-kay thank you," Percy stammered.

"You're welcome. Good luck," Aberforth said and then pushed Percy in the direction of Audrey and the minister.

"So, Mr. Weasley," the minister began as Percy came out and they began their stroll back to the ministry. "How long have you been working for the ministry?" he asked.

"Almost six years," Percy replied proudly. "I started when I was eighteen." The minister nodded his head.

"And you Mrs. Carter?" he asked turning to Audrey who was walking on Percy's other side.

"Almost a year now," she replied looking directly at Percy.

"Where did you work before the ministry?" he asked.

"Actually, this is my first job. I moved here from Jacksonville Florida in America with my parents when I was eighteen," Audrey said. "Actually, I guess this would be my second job," she replied thoughtfully, "I worked with my dad until I was twenty and he passed away," she looked down to watch the road pass under her feet.

"Oh my. I'm very sorry," the minister replied.

"Its okay, it was almost three years ago," Audrey looked up at the buildings they were approaching.

"Do you mind if I ask your blood status?"

"I'm a half blood," Audrey replied.

"Were one of your parents' Muggle born?" the minister inquired.

"Yes sir," She wasn't about to tell the minister of magic which parent it was. Then they'd have to relocate her mum for sure. Luckily, they arrived at the ministry building before he could ask. She would have lied anyways and said her father had been the muggle born.

"It was nice having lunch with you two. I've got a meeting that I have to be at in an hour Mr. Weasley. Try to have your work done by then. That way Mrs. Carter can head on home while you attend the meeting with me," the minister said as they entered the office.

"Yes sir. We work together rather quickly, most of our work gets done with several hours left to spare," Percy replied trying to make them sound like they were efficient in what they did.

"Alright then. I'll knock when its time to go," Percy nodded his head and opened the door to his own office for Audrey to enter first.

Authors Note:

hey guys, for those of you already on summer vacation, i hope all is going well..

this is the last chapter in part one of this fic. the next chapter wont REALLY be chapter twelve. its going to be chapter one-part two.

i do hope you'll stick around and continue to follow me as Percy and Audrey face everything that happens during the war.

Thanks a bunch to Avanell and Dimcairien for being my top two reviewers. Everyone else, read and review pretty please! they make me happy!

12-23-12:

Hey guys! I havent worked on this in almost a year. There has been so much happen in the last year with finishing up High School, Graduating, Starting College, Surviving my first semester, among other things. :) This story as a whole is honestly so close to an end. I stopped working on it because i couldnt come up with any filler between where i stopped and where i know i want this to end. BUT now that its been almost a year, i have some ideas.
First and foremost, EDITING! yay for editing! Part one has been edited as of this A/N.
I changed a handful of grammatical/spelling errors, and Audrey's name went from Audrey Lynn Cramer to Audrey Michele Carter. After Christmas i plan to start editing part two, and eventually part three, and then i plan to finish this thing up! This story has been my baby. I cant believe its been almost three years since i first fell in love with Percy and Audrey and started this.
enough of me rambling now. Read, Review if you'd like. Enjoy! :)