Part Three: After the War

Chapter one: Reconnecting

Somehow or another Audrey managed to drift off into a very fitful sleep. She was so exhausted, but she kept waking up with nightmares only to find that Percy wasn't there to comfort her. Several times she cried herself to sleep.

It was a little after eight when Audrey awoke from her most recent dream. She finally found Percy and had been so close to saving him, only to miss by several inches before he was killed. She awoke to something in the bed beside her, flinched away from it, and suddenly found herself on the floor where she curled up and began to cry.

"Shh, it's okay, come here," Percy said picking her up out of the floor.

"P-P-Percy?" she asked.

"Its okay, I'm here, you're alright," he said cradling her like a baby. "It's over, we won," he said.

"We did?" Penelope asked excitedly from the doorway. She and Nicole had come running when they'd heard a thump on the floor.

"Yes. He's gone. His spell backfired on him. Hogwarts is destroyed though, many lives were lost," his eyes teared up as he looked down at the top of Audrey's head.

"Oh no," Penelope gasped. She sat down on the bed in front of him, "Who did we lose?" she asked as the tears fell down Percy's face. Audrey wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her head into his chest.

"He died, in front of me," Percy said, "I was joking around, and the wall, it, it f-f-fell," he stammered out and then rested his face in Audrey's hair.

"Who was it?" Nicole asked.

"F-f-f-red-d-d!" Percy wailed. Audrey tightened her grip on him and began to sob now. Tears welled up in Penelope's eyes.

"Poor George," Nicole mumbled. They'd all known the Weasley twins. They sat there in silence until Katrina's wails sounded through the quiet air.

"I'm sorry Percy," Penelope said as she hugged him the best she could and then went after Katrina while drying her eyes. Nicole followed and shut the door behind her to left Percy and Audrey alone.

"He's gone Audrey. It's all my fault," Percy said.

"How is it your fault?" she asked sniffling, "Did you push the wall on him?" she asked lifting her head to look at him. His face was identical to hers, both tear streaked.

"No, but I caught him off guard. I tried making a joke, telling the minister that I was resigning, he and George, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all laughing, and then it fell. It killed him Audrey!"

"That's not your fault," she said. "You couldn't have controlled it. The wall would have fallen either way. I'm sorry Percy," Audrey said resting her head back on his chest.

"Can we go home? As in, my parents house home? We can get our stuff from the safe house later. I promised mum I'd come back. She didn't want me to leave," he said hugging her to him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you lost your brother Percy, really. I understand why your mum didn't want you to leave too. She's permanently lost one son, she doesn't want to lose another," Audrey sniffled.

"I know. That's why I've decided to go back. I'm going to try to make up for being gone before," Percy said, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be doing this," he kissed the top of her head. They lay there for a little while longer being content in each other's embrace and calming their tears, before Nicole knocked on the door and asked if they were hungry.

"Just a little bit," Audrey said sleepily. She was sure Percy was just as tired.

"Hey Nicole, We're going to go after breakfast. I promised my mum I'd come home," Percy said before she could shut the door.

"Okay, that's fine, you're welcome to come back and visit whenever. Penny said now that the war is over, she wants to wait until Trina's a little older and then they're going to move out as well," Nicole said, "Come down when you're ready"

"I look like crap Percy," Audrey said as they sat up, "I didn't get any more sleep than you did," she said running her hand through his hair.

"I look and smell bad," he replied. "But that's okay. It doesn't matter." He helped her to her feet and hand in hand they went downstairs.

~HP~HP~HP~

They Apparated back to the Burrow. It still looked like no one lived there. If it wasn't for Mr. Weasley continuing to check on his children once or twice an hour, it looked as though the Weasley's hadn't returned.

"Come on," Percy said squeezing Audrey's hand as they walked through the kitchen door. Percy knocked the door of the bedroom that was located on the first floor. It was Bill's Room. When there was no answer he opened the door. He suspected that his brother and sister-in-law were at their home probably sleeping. Bill's room was empty.

They went up to the third floor where his room and Ginny's room were located. He knocked on Ginny's door. He had been the one to hold her back when she'd tried to charge Voldemort after seeing Harry "dead" on the ground. There was no answer from Ginny's room either. He slowly opened the door to find the room empty.

"Maybe she's somewhere else?" Audrey suggested. They continued up the staircase to the fourth floor where Fred and George's room and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room's were located.

Percy heard the broken sobs coming from both rooms. Mr. Weasley's voice could be heard trying to comfort Mrs. Weasley, and a female voice came from within the twin's room as well. Percy knocked on his parent's door first.

"Mum, Dad, I'm home," he said slowly opening the door at Mr. Weasley's voice.

"Percy!" Mrs. Weasley cried flinging herself at him.

"Hi mum, I'm home," Percy said softly hugging her tightly. Audrey stood in the doorway slightly behind him and tears began to fall down her cheek at the sight of the mother-son embrace. She smiled and wiped away her tears.

"I know I don't tell you this enough but I love you Percy. I'll do anything to get you to stay," Mrs. Weasley said.

"You don't have to do anything at all," Percy replied as Mrs. Weasley stepped back. Percy reached back for Audrey's hand and pulled her into the room beside her.

"I've had a little help and I've decided that there isn't anywhere else that I want to be besides here," Percy said as tears filled his own eyes. Mrs. Weasley saw Audrey and gently hugged her for a moment before turning back to Percy.

"I'm glad that you've decided that," Mrs. Weasley said her voice breaking as fresh tears streamed down her face. Percy pulled her in for another hug.

"I love you mum, and honestly, I've really missed all of you," he said. They stood there for a moment and Mr. Weasley crossed the room and hugged Audrey.

"Thank you for bringing him back to us," Mr. Weasley said to her as they both watched Percy and Mrs. Weasley.

"Honestly, I didn't do that much. He was with me when my mum died, and then after that I think he started to realize that family's important. I had to remind him a time or two that I would have loved to have grown up with a family as big as yours," Audrey said.

"Maybe one day you'll be part of this family too," Mr. Weasley said smiling at her.

"Maybe," she replied remembering the conversation she and Percy had on her birthday.

"You think we'll get married?" she asked.

"If you want to," He replied, "But, I don't think we should rush into it. I know my parents did, and they turned out alright, but I don't think that's a good idea for us. Besides, even though my family is rather poor, I'd rather save up enough money, get you a ring and ask you right."

She'd always dreamed of having a big family for as long as she could remember. She had made up her mind a long time ago that she wanted to marry him, as long as he wanted the same thing.

"I'd like to go at least show my face to my other siblings. Any idea where Ginny is? She wasn't in her room when we checked," Audrey heard Percy say.

"She's upstairs with Ron, Hermione and Harry. They may all be asleep. Harry Ron and Hermione need the sleep more than any of us do. They're the only ones who know when the last time they slept was," Mr. Weasley said

"I'd still like to go see them," Percy said with a hint of sadness in his voice, "Who's in the room with George?" he asked.

"Angelina Johnson, she came up and she's been trying to console him since you left," Mr. Weasley said

"I guess I should leave him alone then," Percy said. "It was my fault, he probably doesn't want to see me," he said sadly. Audrey walked over to him.

"It's not your fault, it was an accident," Audrey said to him.

"If I hadn't made a joke and caught him off guard Audrey," Percy said to her.

"No son, Audrey's right, it's not your fault," Mr. Weasley said, "It was an accident, George knows that."

"We're going to go see Ron and Ginny and then we'll be in my room," Percy said ignoring the last comment his father had made. Together Percy and Audrey made their way up to the final floor and knocked on the door of Ron's room.

"Oh come on dad, you were just in here twenty minutes ago," Ron said from the other side.

"It's just us," Percy said opening the door. Ron was lying in his bed with Hermione sprawled across him, her head lying on his chest. Her eyes were closed but Percy could tell she wasn't asleep. He looked at the little cot in the corner where Harry usually slept. The cot had been enlarged and Ginny was, like Hermione, lying across Harry.

"Oh, hey Percy, Audrey," Ron yawned. Hermione opened her eyes to see them and then closed them again.

"If you're here to lecture us, don't," Ginny mumbled.

"I'm not here to lecture you. I understand that you don't want to be alone right now," H\he said sadly, "I was just coming to say hi."

"Oh, well hi," Ginny yawned and snuggled closer to Harry.

"We'll leave you four alone now," he said and he and Audrey backed out of the room shutting the door behind them.

"I'm dead on my feet. I'm sure you must be too," Audrey said as they entered Percy's room. The only thing that had changed was the fact that there was dust over everything. Percy waved his wand at the bed and instantly the sheets looked a lot fresher.

"You're right, I am," he said collapsing on the bed without even taking his shoes off. Audrey laughed as she crawled into the bed beside him.

"I think it's nap time then," Audrey declared.

"Every one is going to get their nights and days mixed up," Percy said.

"We can right them again another time," she smiled. It wasn't long before they curled up under the blanket together and drifted off to sleep.