"Have a seat, Mrs. Johnson," Percy gestured to the empty seat across from him. He sat down behind his desk, adjusting until he was comfortable, trying to avoid making eye contact with her.

"Call me Tawny, Mr. Weasley," Mrs. Johnson said with an attempt at being seductive. "We've known each other for a while now."

Percy's smile was strained. Ever since Billy told him how his mother had been keen on catching him in her clutches (though, that certainly had not been the boy's words), he'd done his best at staying clear of her. Unfortunately, this could not be kept up when it came time for the open house. Hence now, where he wished for nothing more than anything to get him out of this.

"If you don't mind," At this, she gave a girlish giggle. He inwardly grimaced. It was a bit too reminiscent of Umbridge. "Can I call you Percy? Mr. Weasley just seems so...formal."

He cleared his throat. That was probably the wrong thing to do. Mrs. Johnson got a gleeful look in her eye. She must have misinterpreted his reaction; thinking that he'd done it because of her. He pulled at his robe collar. He could say no. That was an option. But the head staff encouraged all the teachers to be friendly and make sure the parents were comfortable since this was a new thing they were trying out. "Sure," He managed to say, knowing he would end up regretting it.

"Wonderful," She purred and no that was not an exaggeration.

Right, exactly what I was thinking...wonderful

"Have a seat, please," Percy's tongue felt flimsy and eventually he was able to put together a coherent sentence. She sat down and he swore she subtly tried to pull her shirt down enough to reveal more of her cleavage. Merlin above, I don't get paid enough for this job. "How are you today...Tawny?"

If she noticed his hesitance, she didn't acknowledge it. "Oh, just great, Percy. And how about you?"

She fluttered her eyes or tried to. Honestly, it just made her seem like she had something in her eye.

"Quite well." Considering... "Billy, I must say, is a pleasure to have."

Mrs. Johnson preened at his compliment. "Thank you. My Billy just adores you. I think he looks at you as a father figure."

Percy raised his eyebrows. He didn't forget that Billy already had an active father in his life. "...I see."

"Just out of curiosity-" That was never good when a parent eagerly ventured off from professional to personal. "How old are you? You seem young to be a teacher."

"I'm twenty six," he said.

Was he just imagining it or did her pupils just dilate?

"Oh, my," She said. "I wouldn't have thought of you as that young. I'm thirty, myself."

He hoped she didn't expect him to compliment her for her age. While Mrs. Johnson was not ugly looking or even easily mistaken as considerably older than she was, it would have been a downright lie to say she could be thought of as still being in her twenties.

"Right," he said.

"Are you married by chance, Percy?" Mrs. Johnson asked with hope.

"No," he said carefully. "I'm not."

"Really?" She said with a poor job of hiding her glee. Percy inwardly cringed. "Oh, my. What a surprise. I would have thought with what a handsome bloke you are, you would've been snatched right up."

Percy laughed without any humor. It tapered off with him glancing to the side, wishing he could be done. "Oh, no. No, no. None of that. There's been no snatching of any kind."

"It's their loss," Mrs. Johnson declared.

"Right," Percy said with a strained smile. "I completely agree."

A knock sounded on his door. Billy peeked in. "Can I come in?" He asked in a stage whisper.

Percy smiled genuinely this time. "You can," he confirmed.

Billy came beside his mum, holding onto a piece of sticky looking candy.

"Mr. Weasley?" Billy said, beginning to munch on his sweet.

"Yes?" Percy said.
"Are you gonna be my new daddy?"

If he'd been drinking, Percy would've choked.

"Pardon?" he said weakly.

"Well, my mummy said-"

That was it. He was asking for a raise.