Chapter five: Secrets Revealed
"So Audrey," Percy broke the silence, "Can I know what you were talking about with all my family?" he asked.
"No," she smiled looking up at him.
"Why not? Keeping secrets isn't fun," he replied.
"Oh really now? I would have never guessed. You refuse to tell me what terrible thing you did to Penelope when you two broke up," Audrey said.
"That's different. You might hate me," Percy said.
"After all we've been through? I doubt it," she replied.
"I'm sure yours is a shorter story. You tell me what you were talking about today and I'll tell you what happened with Penelope and me," Percy said.
"Promise?" Audrey asked. Percy nodded his head.
"We were talking about how you've changed quite a bit. They're surprised that all I've done is talk since into you and you changed. They've spent their whole life trying and you were still a prat," she smiled, "Bill didn't think we were talking about the same person."
"Oh." Percy replied. "Why couldn't you tell me that earlier?" he asked.
"I wasn't sure if they were still there or not. I didn't really want them to know I told you," she smiled, "Your turn."
"Okay, alright, but don't hate me." He said.
"I probably won't," she replied kissing his cheek.
"It started out that Penelope and I had this big fight because she wanted to go out with one of her guy friends who I didn't trust," he began.
"Come on Percy, he's a good guy, we're just friends," seventeen year old Penelope protested, "You know I like you a lot, just be reasonable," she said.
"I am being reasonable. I don't like him, and I want you to stay away from him," seventeen year old Percy said.
"Well I'm not going to. You can't control me no matter who you are," she said as she stormed off. Percy sighed. He sat down at the table alone. He'd just gotten his first flat in the middle of London and he invited Penelope over so they could spend time together. She however wanted to go see her friend Michael Harris who was coming back to town after spending the summer visiting his relatives in Ireland.
He decided he wanted to make sure that she'd be alright. Percy didn't like him because he had been a Slytherin, and all Slytherin's meant trouble. He followed behind her at a distance watching her long curly brown hair bounce around on her head. She met him at a corner not that far away from his building.
"Hey! It's been a long time!" Michael said as Penelope pretty much ran into his arms in a hug.
"I know it has. How was Ireland?" Penelope asked as she linked her arm in his and they walked down the street together. Percy backed off a little as they started walking, so he'd missed how Ireland was but he didn't care. They walked into the ice cream shop a few blocks down.
Percy ducked into the alleyway beside the shop and sank to the ground beside the trashcans. He transfigured his hair to be black instead of red, he configured his clothes to look like something he wouldn't normally wear, and he configured his glasses to become sunglasses.
He walked into the ice cream shop looking like a different person. He spotted Penelope and Michael at a small table in the center of the room. He picked a table that he'd be able to hear what they were talking about and see what they were doing.
For a while, they droned on about Ireland and how things were going here in England. Michael asked her about her boyfriend and she sighed.
"He doesn't like you. He was upset that I wanted to spend the day with you and not him. We had a small argument about it before I came here actually," she said.
"He doesn't seem like your type," Michael commented.
"Once you really get to know him he's not that bad," she said "He's a fabulous kisser," she blushed.
"How do you know, he's the only boy you've ever kissed," Michael said.
"That doesn't matter," Penelope said. Michael had slowly been leaning closer to her. Percy was doing everything he could not to make a scene and hex Michael to pieces.
"Well how about you explore your options?" Michael suggested.
"I have a boyfriend Mike," she said.
"That doesn't matter," he replied closing the distance between them. She started to protest and push him away, but something made her stop and she finally gave in and kissed him back.
"I really like you Penny," Michael said when they broke.
"Percy's going to be really, really mad," she replied.
"Just dump the loser. He's not your type. You're always fighting with him. Why do you like him anyways?" Michael asked.
"He's funny, he's smart, I don't know," she said.
"You're always fighting with him."
"I know," Penelope said sadly, "But I like him."
"Has he told you he loves you yet? You've been dating him since your sixth year,"
"No, he hasn't, but he's slow with his emotions," Penelope said.
"Stop defending him. Do you love him?" Michael asked. Penelope sighed.
"If I tell myself the truth I like him, but I'm not in love with him," she said sadly.
"Then why are you doing this to yourself, you don't need him,"
"I think I should go now," she replied.
"Come on Penelope, please," he begged. They walked out of the shop. Percy sat there fuming for a moment letting them get a head start and then he followed them. Michael was walking with Penelope for a little ways.
They got to the corner where they'd met and Michael took her hand in his. Percy watched from a distance as they talked and then Michael had the nerve to kiss her again. This time however, Percy watched as she didn't even hesitate and didn't even try to stop him.
"Good grief Percy, are you sure you contained yourself, I mean, I wouldn't have. If I saw you kissing some other girl, I'd come hex you right then and there," Audrey said as Percy paused his story.
"Yes, I did. I didn't want her to know I had followed her, it was bad enough that I didn't trust her after that, I didn't want her not to trust me."
"Okay, well is there more to the story? That doesn't sound like you did anything terrible," Audrey commented.
"Yes, there's more, I just had to tell you that story so you'd understand why I did what I did.
"Oh, okay," Audrey said. She sat patiently and listened for the rest of the story
After Penelope started walking in one direction and Michael the other, Percy took off into a little store. It didn't take him long before he found what he was looking for. A Pensive. He bought it and then took off to Penelope's parent's house. He wanted to show her parents exactly what she'd done to him.
"Hello Percy," Mr. Clearwater said as Percy knocked on the door.
"Hello Mr. Clearwater, I have something I'd like to show you and Mrs. Clearwater if you've got a moment," Percy said.
"Sure, come on in," Mr. Clearwater said. Percy sat the Pensive down on the table.
"I know that you aren't used to magical things, but I'm going to show you a memory of something that has just happened. I'm not sure what to do about it and that's why I'm coming to you, it's about Penelope," he said. He pulled the memory out of his head and placed it in the bowl.
"All you have to do is lean your head into it and you'll appear in the memory. You wont be able to say anything or do anything in the memory, but you'll be able t see it. You'll come back out here when it's over," he said. He watched as her parents hesitantly leaned into it.
They'd been in there for a while when Penelope came home.
"Mum, Dad, I'm home!" she called. Percy panicked and left with a pop. He didn't really want the memory anyways.
Penelope walked into the kitchen and saw the Pensive on the table.
What's this doing here? She wondered. Her parents popped out of it as she moved to go into her room.
"Mum, Dad," Penelope said.
"Penelope, I don't know what this is, but your boyfriend was here just a moment ago. Take a look at this," Mr. Clearwater said. Penelope hesitated before she too entered the memory.
Five minutes passed and suddenly she came back into the room crying.
"I can't believe he'd do this!" she sobbed.
"I think he can't believe you did that," Mr. Clearwater said.
"It wasn't entirely my fault! Michael kissed me first!" Penelope sank down into the floor.
"Its okay honey, I'm sure you can go over to his house and talk to him about this when you've both had time to calm down. He seemed rather upset," Mrs. Clearwater spoke
"It doesn't matter what he thinks," Penelope said and she climbed the steps to her room.
"Come on Percy, you didn't," Audrey said in shock. "Why would you get her parents in on that?" she said rather upset.
"I realize now how stupid of me it was,"
"Stupid? Come on that's not good enough, you were a total arse!" Audrey said.
"Now you see why I waited to tell you? If I'd told you this before now, then you would have hated me and I just couldn't lose you," Percy said sadly.
"I don't hate you. That was the past, but what I don't get is why she doesn't still hate you. You're a git," Audrey said.
"I know," he said sadly, "There's a little bit more, she broke up with me remember?" he said.
"Oh, right, go on," she said angry at him, but yet she couldn't stay angry for something he'd done when he was seventeen.
Penelope knocked on the door of his flat loudly. He answered the door.
"Hey, how was your day?" he asked.
"Don't play stupid with me Percy Weasley. You know exactly how my day went don't you?" she yelled throwing the Pensive at his head, the memory breaking with it as it smashed against the door. All color drained from his face.
"It wasn't my fault you know. He kissed me first," she said tears streaming down her face.
"I know it took all my effort not to hex him," Percy said. Penelope dried her tears.
"It doesn't matter. We're over," she said and then she turned to walk away. He put his hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Penny, don't do this," he said.
"Don't do what? You've already done it all. Get your hands off of me, we're over and I'm leaving now," she said, "Don't talk to me ever again. I'm through with you and your games Percy," he let her go and watched her Apparate away.
"I have to say you deserved that," Audrey said when he was finally finished.
"I know I did," He lowered his head.
"Hey," Audrey said lifting his chin so that her auburn eyes met his blue ones.
"I love you," she said. "That was seven and a half years ago Percy, why would I hate you for your past? I could have hated you for leaving your family, but I didn't and I don't. It's okay. Don't be so hard on yourself. Thank you for finally telling me everything though," Percy couldn't think of anything good to say back to her. Instead of saying anything at all, he closed the small distance and kissed her, glad that she wasn't going to hate him.
Authors Note: Hey guess what! I get my computer back tomorrow all nice and new and fixed and what not :) :) Im really happy about that
Anyways, heres two chapters in one. My summers about to start getting really busy but im going to keep writing through out it when i can and i'll upload when i get a new chapter now that im getting my computer back :)
