Feast

Percy was glad when his sister answered her front door instead of Harry. He needed to talk to her, and only her.

"Percy?" Ginny tilted her head in confusion, and squinted her small brown eyes. "You never come over here. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, but I need your advice."

"Okay. Come in?"

Percy nodded. She led him inside, where they sat at the breakfast nook. "So, shall I put on some tea? Oh God, I sound like mum." She cringed and laughed at the same time. Percy smiled.

"I'm alright, thanks. This matter isn't so serious to merit tea."

"Thank Merlin." They exchanged relieved looks. "So, what's this not-so-serious matter you need my help with?"

"Well, first of all, can this conversation stay between us?"

"Sure…" Ginny eyed her elder brother suspiciously. It wasn't like him to be so secretive about something not serious.

"Alright, well, I've…." He braced himself, because he knew her reaction to this would be a lot to handle. "…sort of started seeing someone." Ginny's eyes widened and she clamped her hand to her gaping mouth. A small squeal escaped.

"That's great! Oh my God, so, you want girl advice, is that it?"

"To an extent. You see, I need to so some…what's the word?....damage control, if you will."

"Oh no. What did you do?" Ginny's face fell, but there was still a sparkle in her eye. She loved projects like this.

"Do you want the long version of the story or the short one?"

"The long one definitely."

"Alright, well, I met this woman, her name is Audrey by the way, when she was locked out of her flat in the rain and I used my wand to let her in. She invited me out for a drink afterwards and we got on really well, so we went out again. Then we went for a walk on Diagon Alley and…" Percy took a deep breath. This part was still hard to talk about. "We walked past the tw-I mean, George's shop and I started thinking about him up there all alone while I was out on a date and then when I got home I saw a note from dad saying that he had, you know…"

"Tried to off himself? You can say it. He's holding up now anyway." Ginny said stoically.

"Yes, and with all due respect Ginny, it's not the easiest of conversation topics!" Percy snapped before taking a beat to calm down. "Anyway, I wrote her an owl and broke things off…"

"Did you a least try and give a decent explanation?" She interrupted.

"No, but let me finish. I was feeling horrible about the whole thing, so I went to her flat and told her absolutely everything, and by some miracle by someone she took me back." They sat there in silence for a moment, Ginny trying to process everything she had just heard.

"So now you have to do something really nice to show her how eternally grateful you are?"

"Exactly."

"Hmm…" Ginny ran her hand through her loose red hair. "Oh, how about you take her away for the weekend?"

"No, too serious." His eyes widened with fear and she chuckled a bit but nodded in agreement. They assumed their respective thinking poses. Percy rubbed his chin and furrowed his brow; Ginny drummed her small, fair fingers on the table and bit her bottom lip. Suddenly, she lit up.

"What if you cook her dinner?"

"I can't cook."

"True. But I can. I'll come over, help you out, and get out before she comes over. You can tell her you did it all yourself."

"I'm not sure I should be lying to her. This is damage control, remember?"

"Fair point. Well, I'll help as much as we see fit."

"Alright."

***

"My kitchen has never looked like this before." Percy remarked as he and Ginny looked at the mess they had made cooking dinner for Audrey.

"Well I highly doubt you've ever made yourself a proper supper. Now go and get cleaned up, I'll take care of the kitchen." She gently shoved him towards the bathroom.

"Ginny, wait." He turned around to face her. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'm glad I got to help. You…" She sighed contentedly. "You seem good, Percy."

"You do too." He smiled. "I am good. As good as I can be right now, anyway." They stood there for a moment, in comfortable silence before exchanging a quick but warm embrace.

"Now you go and make yourself look nicer than that so I can clean up the kitchen and get out before your girlfriend gets over here!" Ginny exclaimed once they pulled apart. She shoved him with a bit more force this time, but they both laughed. With a few flicks of her wand, the kitchen was clean. Ginny grabbed her coat from a hook by the door and left. Percy, meanwhile, was debating between two shirts. He wished Ginny were still here to give fashion advice. Once Percy realized he had just minutes left to spare, however, he grabbed his dark blue shirt and put it on just in time to hear a knock at the door. He put his shoulders back and strode towards the door to answer it.

"Hey!" Audrey exclaimed happily, kissing him on the cheek. She sniffed the air. "Something smells good! Is that coming from in there?"

"Um…" Percy was flustered. This was of course, partially because he always felt flustered around her. But he had also planned to surprise her. He told her to meet at his place for a quick drink before heading out to dinner, and then show her the feast he (and Ginny) had prepared. Audrey was so smart, he thought. "It is, actually. I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes and take my hand."

"This is romantic." Audrey giggled softly as she obliged. Percy helped her into a seat at the small table by the kitchen. He lit two long candles with the flick of his wand.

"Open your eyes now." She did, and they squinted with her smile.

"You didn't." She laughed and craned her neck to see the food resting on the kitchen countertops. "Seriously, did anyone help you? Mum, sister? Female friend?"

"Sister" Percy confessed sheepishly. "She was here earlier. But I did a lot as well!"

"I'm sure it's delicious." Audrey said as she began to take off her coat.

"Oh, let me take that for you." Percy hung her jacket up, making an effort to be as chivalrous as he could. Her beaming smile to herself when she thought he wasn't looking made him fill with pride. This was really happening. They ate and drank and talked until the candles had nearly burned out. At around midnight, Audrey stretched and yawned.

"I don't know why I'm so tired. It's only twelve."

"My mum's sticky toffee pudding makes me sleepy too."

"But I thought your sister made it." Audrey teased.

"Actually I took care of the dessert. I just used my mum's recipe."

"Well, it was fantastic. Everything was fantastic. But…I unfortunately have to go to work in the morning."

"As do I."

"But Percy, seriously." She reached for his hand across the table and locked her gaze with his. "I want to do this. I mean, I know we had kind of a weird start and maybe I shouldn't be so quick to forgive you, but I really feel something with you. Something I haven't felt before."

Percy had never been the kind of person people were so open about their feelings with. He was still trying to reason what she saw in him. "Well, I for one am glad you've been so quick to forgive me." They laughed, which made him less nervous. He had never had this kind of a conversation before. With Penelope, things just sort of happened. They didn't have to talk about where they stood. But there was definitely a lot of value, he thought, in stating your intentions, even if they were implied. "I want to do this too." Audrey smiled that same beaming smile that she did when he took her coat. Percy made a mental note to tell Ginny he owed her for a lot.