He felt sore as he woke up, but not a bad sore, just different. He stretched and rolled over finding Percy still sleeping peacefully beside him.

Simon smiled. That was not how he had expected his first time to go, but that wasn't to say he hadn't enjoyed it, he was just surprised at how much he had.

He was gay. The thought was even stranger. It had never crossed his mind that he might be gay. Sure he might have checked out guys before, like the guys on his Quidditch team but he thought that was just normal for a hormonal, teenage boy to do.

Now though, everything made sense. Cho hadn't been right for him, he'd never felt complete with her. He'd thought it was just how things were supposed to be but now he knew the truth.

He was very, very gay.

He laughed, overwhelmed with how giddy and sure of himself he felt.

He hadn't been as happy as he was in that moment in a long time.

Feeling eyes on him he looked down, Percy had woken and was staring up at him, confusion on his face.

Simon bent over and kissed the confusion away. "Sorry if I woke you," he said pulling away "but…thanks for last night. I needed that."

Percy pushed himself up a bit, studying Simon's face "I still can't believe that was your…that I was your first. I mean look at you, you're gorgeous. There's no way you have trouble getting guys, or girls, whatever you are into."

Simon did look down; he sometimes forgot what he looked like and how different he looked from his old self.

He guessed the muggle whose body he had taken, probably hadn't had any trouble getting girls.

Simon shook his head "That's just it," he said "I didn't know what I was into. I thought it was girls but apparently not."

A wide smile spread across his face.

Percy laughed "Okay, okay, I get it."

"What time is it?" Simon asked looking around.

"I'm not sure, I'm guessing it's pretty late in the morning though." Percy said stretching his arms up over his head before sitting up.

"We should get going then, before your family comes looking for either one of us," Simon said.

Percy groaned and let himself fall back into his pillows "I don't want to have to face them this morning, or ever."

Simon looked down at him and let a hand run up Percy's still bare chest "You are not the one that should feel bad about last night. My advice is walk down there, head held high like it didn't even happen. Your brother was the one in the wrong not you, there is no reason for you to feel bad about anything."

Percy looked into his eyes "You give a good speech Simon Waters." His own hand drifted up and touched Simon's chin, moving his finger up he lightly ran it across his lips "I still wish we could just stay here though."

Simon chuckled "Except we both have things to do today and I really don't want to get caught by your family."

Percy let his hand fall away from Simon's face but Simon followed it down, leaning over to kiss Percy again, this time for a little longer.

Percy let him and moaned into the kiss a bit.

Simon pulled away "Shh, what did I just say?" he whispered but he had a big, silly grin on his face so Percy knew he wasn't upset.

Percy grinned back "Sorry," he said though he didn't sound sorry at all. He pushed himself back up, threw off the covers, got up and walked over to his dresser.

Simon stared after him a little shocked, Percy had no shame that was quite obvious, or maybe he was trying to get a reaction out of him, as he did look back and wink while slowly pulling on his shirt.

Whatever the reason was Simon didn't have the time to think on it or react. Instead he hopped up, found all of his clothes and pulled them on as quickly as he could, before throwing Percy one last look and hurrying out the door.

The hallway was quiet and he had no problem getting to his own room unseen. Once he was there, he stripped off the clothes from last night, put on something new and got freshened up. Then he headed down for breakfast.

…

"There you are," Mrs. Weasley said as he walked into the kitchen "I was just about to send a search party."

She was the only one in the kitchen, it looked like the others had just finished eating as the bowls were in the sink and Mrs. Weasley was just finishing the dishes.

Simon ran a hand through his hair "Sorry, had trouble waking up this morning."

Mrs. Weasley tsked, turning back to the dishes in the sink "The boys told us about your late night last night…"

For a moment Simon felt panicked and was glad Mrs. Weasley couldn't see his face. Had they heard him and Percy? He was sure Percy had thrown up a silencing spell at one point, had he not? But then he realized with a flood of relief, plus a thought to how silly he was being, that she had been talking about how he, Bill, Fred and George had stayed up talking last night.

"Uh yeah," Simon said, "learned my lesson."

"It's alright son," she said "those boys are the ones who should have known better. We've got lots to do today, the funeral is only tomorrow." She turned back to him "Bill mentioned that you wouldn't be attending tomorrow, and that you in fact have to leave this morning."

Simon nodded "The goblins need me for training."

Mrs. Weasley's fist clenched in her apron "I'm sure they could make an exception dear, it's only two days and it should be a time for grieving. Surely the goblins would understand that."

Simon sighed, he had no intention of going to his own funeral, there was just no way. He could barely contain his emotions just around the Weasleys, he was not going to put himself through something ten times more stressful.

"I really don't want to upset the goblins when I haven't even been there for a whole week yet," Simon began and when it looked like Mrs. Weasley was about to protest, he held up a hand, stalling her. "But more importantly, the funeral should only be for close friends and family. You've treated me so kindly the last few days, bringing me into your home, but I'm not family. I didn't know Harry Potter, not like you and your family did. I mourn the savior, what I've read about him in the papers, a nice boy but I didn't know him in any other capacity and could not mourn with you in the way you do. So it isn't my place to go to his funeral, I would feel out of place and your focus needs to be on your family and your grief alone."

Mrs. Weasley looked torn for a moment, and Simon worried she would continue to argue but finally she took a few steps closer to him and gave him a hug "You're right, of course you are, but will you at least come to dinner Sunday night?"

That would be a day after the funeral, Simon wasn't sure what to say, he didn't think sticking around or even coming back for a few hours for dinner was such a good idea. It was too unpredictable for him to be around them.

"I'll do my best to make it," Simon said "I can't make any promises though."

Simon turned as he heard footsteps running down the stairs. It was Percy, he was looking better than Simon had seen him in days. His head held high, with an air of confidence about him. "Morning Mum," he said, passing Simon without any acknowledgement "what's for breakfast?"

Mrs. Weasley seemed taken aback "Percy?" her voice was quiet.

He had made a beeline to the cupboards and was shuffling through them; he turned back at his mum's voice "Yeah?"

"Just yesterday…" Mrs. Weasley began but then shook her head "you're looking well rested."

Percy smiled "Had a good sleep," he said.

"That's good," Mrs. Weasley said looking quite happy, she probably hadn't been expecting Percy to be so cheerful that morning "There's some eggs and bacon, I'll just warm it up for you."

She shuffled back into the kitchen "Simon come sit down, we can't have you leaving on an empty stomach."

"Leaving?" Percy said, turning to look at him.

"I have to go into work, goblin's orders," Simon said.

Percy rolled his eyes "Those goblins…I've never seen how Bill can put up with them. Speaking of Bill, where is everyone?"

"Oh around," Mrs. Weasley said "Fred and George had to go to the shop this morning. Bill and your father are working on something in the shed, Ginny is still asleep and…Hermione and Ron went for a walk I believe."

Percy nodded "Hopefully it will do him some good." He said pointedly.

He hadn't specified who 'he' was but it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

"Percy, what Ron said last night…" Mrs. Weasley began.

"Stop mum, I'm over it," Percy said before she could get anymore out.

"You…you are?" she asked, like this was the strangest thing in the world. Percy wasn't really the kind to forgive and forget but a moment later Mrs. Weasley seemed to realize that she should just take it in stride.

They ate their breakfast over mild chit chat, then Simon thanked Mrs. Weasley again and got to his feet. "I need to be going, I'm already running a little late."

"Okay dear, have a good day and don't let those goblins boss you around too much, and remember about Sunday dinner!"

"I will," Simon said, he stood and headed to the door.

Percy got up and followed him. "I'll just walk you out."

Mrs. Weasley didn't question them as they headed out the front door and down the walkway. Percy walked quietly beside him "Will you be coming for dinner Sunday?" he asked after a while.

"I'm going to try and make it," Simon said, "why, do you not want me to come?"

Percy gave him a disbelieving look "Oh do I ever want you to come," he purred out the last word making Simon blush "I'm just trying to figure out when I can get my hands on you again."

His hand brushed Simon's and he couldn't help but grin at the rising color on Simon's cheeks.

"Well I don't know about Sunday," he really wasn't planning to come back, even if Percy's statement had made the offer a little more tempting "but after I find my own place, maybe you could come over?"

Percy grinned "Sounds good, I look forward to it." He looked around; scanning the fields surrounding them, then turned back to Simon and gave him a quick kiss.

He pulled away "I've gotta get back to the house," he breathed out "have some work to do but keep in touch, yeah?"

Simon nodded and then watched as Percy turned and made a quick exit.

Feeling relieved, Simon pulled a sock out of his coat. Bill had charmed it as a portkey the night before as Simon didn't trust the magic of his wand to apparate him to Bill's in one piece. He hadn't wanted Percy to see it either, and think him odd for having to use a portkey.

Simon looked back at the Burrow one last time before tapping the portkey with his wand and being pulled away.

…

Severus gulped down another glass of the fiery liquid that burned his throat all the way down. He was sitting in his chambers, in his favorite chair with a bottle of scotch in one hand and a glass in the other.

He'd spent all day just sitting there, trying to chase his thoughts away.

Albus was angry at him and not just because he had single handedly gotten the Boy-Who-Lived killed but also because as Albus saw it, he had almost blown his cover during breakfast the other morning.

Severus glared down at the glass as he thought of the conversation he and Albus had had two days before.

"How could you be so careless?" Albus asked, glaring at him from his desk "Harry might be dead, but that doesn't mean we get to give up the fight! Voldemort is still out there, what is he going to think when word gets back to him that one of his followers got emotional over Harry Potter's death!"

"Albus, I hadn't intended…" Severus tried to say but Albus was clearly not finished.

"Of course you hadn't intended to make it look like you were running from the Great Hall, because I know you don't actually want Voldemort to win this war, even if your actions the last few days have said otherwise."

Severus did his best not to look away from the headmaster; he was talking about Potter's death again. Blaming him again without actually saying the words, because really what would have helped the Dark Lord more than getting rid of the Chosen One?

Albus shook his head "I don't have time for this; I have to go and inform the Dursley's of their nephew's murder. Please try to keep yourself in check while I'm gone. Merlin knows you never actually cared for Potter or we wouldn't be in this mess right now, so for the time being can you try to stop acting like you did?

Severus nodded, ashamed.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he ventured, he didn't want to be in Albus' presence any longer but he figured the man might need a little back up with telling Potter's relatives, it wasn't going to be easy."

Albus' reaction was visceral "No Severus, you've done enough."

So Severus had gone back to his chambers and gotten out his bottle of scotch. With classes being cancelled, he'd had no motivation to do anything besides drink and try not to think about why he was drinking.

Severus's fire place roared to life behind him and he swore under his breath, he didn't care who it was, has was not in the mood.

"Severus?"

Minerva, damn it, why couldn't the witch leave him alone?

"Severus, if you don't answer, I'm coming through." Was her shrill warning.

Severus did not react; he continued to sit in his chair and began to pour himself another glass.

Then there was crackling and soon footsteps behind him, coming towards his chair. "Severus!" Minerva said stepping in front of him; he glared up at her "What are you doing? This isn't like you."

He raised the glass to his lips, ignoring her. Minerva didn't know him at all.

Minerva got angry then, he could feel it vibrating off her in waves, her hand rose and she slapped the glass from his hand, causing the liquid to spill onto his robes and the glass to break on the floor.

Severus glared at her and stood up, but instead of saying anything to her, he walked into his kitchen to get another glass.

"Severus, damn you!" she hissed at him "I know we've never really seen eye to eye but the castle is falling apart out there. I hate to admit this but we need your cool demeanor to get things under control."

Severus didn't want to listen to this. Whatever his purpose was on this earth, it wasn't to help anyone. Everything he had ever done always seemed to blow up in his face. He was done trying to help.

He tensed when he heard Minerva's voice break.

"Potter's dead, Albus isn't seeing anyone and you're down here doing…whatever it is you're doing. With anyone else I would say mourning, but we both know you didn't care much about Potter"

Severus sighed, he turned back to the living room and walked up to Minerva, she had sat down on his couch, facing him. She looked up at him and he roughly handed her a glass of her own, then poured it half full with scotch.

She looked at it with surprise but didn't refuse it, instead she took a small sip and looked away.

Severus sat down in his chair again, pouring himself another glass.

"Whoever would have thought it would turn out like this?" Minerva said, though it was more to herself than him, "I never would have imagined…"

Severus took a sip of his drink, he looked at Minerva. She had bags under her eyes, she seemed pale and her hand had a slight tremor to it. This had really hit her hard.

"The funeral is tomorrow," Minerva said quietly after a while "you know we are going to have to go to it?" she took a gulp of her drink this time.

Yes, Severus knew that they would have to go to it. That he would have to sober up, put on his scowl and act like the hated potions professor as they went and paid their respects. Albus wouldn't have it any other way.

But the funeral was hours away, he didn't have to get up just yet.

Minerva was looking at him when he looked her way "I should go," she said "it's obvious I'm bothering you…I don't even know why I came down here in the first place."

She started to stand up, placing her glass on the coffee table between them. Severus got to his feet to, but instead of showing her out, he handed her the bottle of scotch. It was an invitation, one he was surprised to be making but somehow it felt just a bit better with the company, even if it was Minerva.

He gave her a look that clearly said 'Stay' without using any words.

For a moment he thought she was going to ignore his offer and walk back out the way she had come. He started to feel defensive as he always did, almost yelled for her to get out.

But then she took the bottle from him and sat herself back down.

Severus felt a tiny bit of relief at her decision, but he would never admit it.