Okay, so it wasn't as preposterous as he thought it was.

He couldn't stop thinking about her. No matter how hard he tried to put her out of his mind to focus on things that greatly needed his attention. It was cliche and so utterly juvenile of him. What grown adult did this kind of thing? He was the head of a department and a father.

It wasn't right for him to be daydreaming on the job or while he was fixing dinner or getting lost within conversations and imagining those sparkling eyes of hers or that giggle that made his insides all warm and fuzzy. He needed to stop. Yes, he was getting entirely too sucked in. Right then and there, Percy vowed to stop thinking about Abby Adams.

But it wasn't that easy.

Sometimes, when he was laying in his bed at the dead of night, he wondered if he'd ever see her again. Unless she happened to be visiting, there weren't that many places in public where wizards and witches could gather in Britain. It came as a nagging nudge, where he yearned to return to the Alley to see if she was there. A tiny portion of him wanted to know if she was going to be there in hopes that he would be there as well. But that was silly.

Wasn't it?

They'd only just met. This wasn't like the fairytales he'd read to the girls when they were much smaller, curled up in his side until they fell asleep against him; life didn't always come with happy endings for everyone. Abby wasn't stricken with love upon their first meeting. She wasn't going to be daydreaming of him or wishing that they had another chance at talking to each other. She most certainly wasn't going to admit that she fancied him, should they ever be in the same place again. It was just how life was. Percy knew this, he accepted it.

He didn't tell anyone about the encounter. Not his daughters. Not his family. He knew better. If he'd have told them, their hopes would be sky high. His mum's especially; she would be frighteningly ecstatic and do whatever she could to help him with getting a date. She would be very persistent about it-helping him out with his clothes, on what to say, how to interpret what Abby was saying or doing. Percy wanted no part of that. He was perfectly content with living life as a single father. He'd done it for this long, so why change it?

But naturally, he should have known that nothing stayed a secret for long in the Weasley family. Someone was bound to find out and they did when George came around one afternoon. It didn't take long for him to notice. He stared at Percy with a blank look that left the older red-head feeling creeped out.

"What?" He said. That was three times now. Each time, George hadn't said a word. "Come off it, George. Is something on my face or-"

"You look different," George squinted at him.

"I do not," Percy felt a bit flustered. He wondered if this was his brother trying to yank his wand or if this was another prank of his. So far, he felt alright and nothing was out of the ordinary.

"You do," his brother insisted. "You're...happy. Well, happier."

Percy made a noise that was a mixture of a scoff and breathy laugh that was not done nervously. "I am not. Really. You're just seeing things."

"Sure," George snorted and a smirk came onto his lips. "Let me guess, another promotion? Are you going to announce it at dinner?" He stood up straighter, clearing his throat and did a poor imitation of Percy. "Hear ye, hear ye. I would like to take far too much time out of your day to inform my dearest family that I have yet again been a useful suck up and will now be the head of two departments because one apparently wasn't enough."

Percy rolled his eyes.

George grinned. "Only joking, Perce. Say, if you got another I'm happy for you. You know that."

"While I appreciate that, it has nothing to do with work," Percy said and realized that was the wrong thing to say. "There's nothing. It's nothing. Can I not just be happy?"

"No," was his brother's immediate response.

Percy rolled his eyes again. "Well I am. Nothing's different."

But George wasn't easily convinced. "Is it the girls?" He tried again. "Did Lucy have the highest grades imaginable and now you're trying to think of a way to tell the rest of the family without bragging even though you want to?"

Percy raised his eyebrows. "As much as I find it kind that you think so highly of my daughter, no. Her grades are fine. But it's got nothing to do with that." George was starting to open his mouth. "It's nothing! There's nothing going on, I assure you."

"I don't believe you," George narrowed his eyes and declared.

"So?" Percy said childishly.

"I'll get reinforcements," George threatened.

"I'm terrified," Percy deadpanned.

"You will be..." With that, George turned on his heel and hollered. "Girls!"

Percy's eyes widened in alarm. He wouldn't dare. Oh, no. Wait. He would. He would dare. He had no qualms about using Percy's children to get the information he wanted. That sneaky sod. "Okay!" he said hastily and in a lowered voice. "Okay, okay! I'll tell you but I don't want the girls to know!"

"Promise?" George demanded.

There came thudding from upstairs. The girls were moving to see what George wanted.

"Yes!" Percy said in desperation.

George was revoltingly smug. Percy wanted to wipe that look off his face. Or smack it off. Something that would cause plenty of pain.

"Yeah, Uncle George?" Molly was at the end of the stairs with Lucy behind her. They looked questioningly at them both.

George had no trouble coming up with a quick lie. "I was just telling your dad that I think you're both overdue for some ice cream. My treat. I might even buy your dad one. Does a kiddie cone sound good to you, Perce?"

Molly and Lucy laughed.

Percy's heart rate was returning to normal. He managed to laugh along but it didn't sound natural. His daughters noticed. They gave him a strange look, which he avoided acknowledging. George was enjoying this, he knew. His younger brother looked like he was struggling not to burst out laughing.

"When are we going?" Lucy wanted to know and broke the silence.

"In a bit," Percy said before George could. "Uncle George needs some help with paperwork."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Great," she sighed a little. "That'll take forever."

George sniggered.

Lucy yanked on her sister's sleeve. "Come on. I think the game's still on." They must have been listening to Oliver's quidditch game that was playing on the wireless.

They were.

"Uncle Oliver's team is winning," Molly informed them.

"Good thing, too," Lucy added. "He went a bit batty that time they lost to the Falcons."

"Has he always been that way?" Molly wondered.

George did a dramatically heavy sigh. "I'm afraid so, girls. Ollie's been a bit of a dictator since his Hogwarts days. Wouldn't be surprised if he made his team get up at dawn to practice."

Percy wouldn't have been surprised either.

Molly and Lucy went back upstairs, eager to catch the rest of the game. Meanwhile, George plopped down in a chair, his hand doing a sweeping gesture that conveyed to Percy that he was waiting. "So, what's this nothing that's a something that you won't admit?"

Percy chewed on his lip. He didn't want to tell his brother about Abby but he didn't want to risk piquing the girls' curiosity. Molly would do whatever it took to find out. "Well," he began, fiddling with his clothes, "it's not really a something. Barely an anything. Not much of anything, really-"

"You're stalling," George told him.

Percy groaned. His brother was going to be the death of him. "Alright, fine. I went to Florean Fortescue's on Friday..." he trailed off, unsure of how to proceed.

As for his brother, he took that as Percy's confession, making a couple different faces and then nodded slowly. "I can see why you didn't want the girls to know. That's a doozy. Dunno how they'd take it."

"Oh shut up," Percy, despite himself, snorted. "You didn't let me finish."

"Finish what? You weren't saying anything."

"Yes, well," Percy didn't have a retort to that. He ran a hand through his flaming hair. This shouldn't be so hard. It wasn't as though he and Abby were actually something. They were nothing, matter of fact.

So why was it hard?

"Tick tock, tick tock," George drawled.

Percy wished he had some firewhiskey. To drink or maybe throw in his brother's face.

He inhaled. "I went to Florean Fortescue's and I ended up meeting this rather...cheerful girl and-"

George had been slouching in his chair, now sitting straight up. His mouth was ajar and eyes the size of supper plates. Percy felt uncomfortable being stared at like that. "Well don't keep doing that. Say something if you must."

"You met a girl? You did? Blimey. Didn't see that one coming. No wonder you're so out of it."

"I am not out of it," Percy protested. "That's preposterous."

"Percy," George rolled his eyes. "Remember last time at dinner? Mum's worried something's wrong with you."

Percy did remember quite unfortunately and blushed.

They'd been in the midst of dinner, a delicious feast cooked by His mum with tons of dessert choices for afterwards. He hadn't been too hungry. His stomach was in knots, what muggles apparently referred to as butterflies. While the rest of the table was engaged in a conversation, Percy stayed quiet and looked off to his left where the wall was. He didn't realize how long he'd been looking at it. Not until he was nudged by George, reverting his attention to his mum who, with concern, asked if everything was alright. The rest of the table's occupants were lookin at him, his daughters included. His face had pinkened and he muttered that he was fine.

"My point exactly," George took his silence that he did indeed remember. "You were out of it."

Percy didn't want to dwell on that anymore. "Look, it wasn't on purpose. I didn't mean to meet her. It just happened."

"Love at first sight, aye?" George said teasingly.

Percy scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, George."

"Is it really? Come on, you've been single long enough. You know Mum wants you to go out and meet a girl. Now she'll be pleased."

"We didn't meet like that. It wasn't that kind of meet. She ran into me and got ice cream on my robes and introduced herself. That's it. Nothing's going to happen."

"But you want something to happen?" George clarified. "Right?"

That question made Percy feel flustered all over again. Of course not. George didn't know what he was talking about. "No!" he said too strongly and made his brother smirk. "No. No. Definitely not. That's...we just met last week. Why would I want something to happen?"

"You're rambling," George said in a singsong voice.

Percy rubbed at his face. "I don't want anything to happen. It's not going to anyway. She's clearly not interested in me."

That was the wrong thing to say.

George pointed an accusing finger at him. "Aha!" And Percy had to shush him. "I knew it! You do want something to happen!"

Percy sunk in a chair, burying his face in the palms of his hands. "I don't know!" he said with frustration and looked back at his brother. "I just met her and I can't stop thinking about her. It's illogical." It made him feel things. Feel like a bloody teenager all over again. Just like when he fancied Penny. He'd spent months watching her from afar and-according to Oliver-having that dreamy look on his face.

"See there's part of your problem. You're looking at this all wrong. Stop looking at it like some ancient arthamacy problem you have to work out and ask her if she'd like to get a butterbeer at the Leaky with you."

"I can't," Percy shook his head.

"And why not?"

"I can't go out like that. What if the girls find out?"

For once, George didn't make any jokes. With the way he was looking at his older brother, Percy might even call that sympathy. "Perce, it's been thirteen years. You're allowed to move on."

"I just...but what if now's not the right time? Maybe I should wait until the girls are done with school."

"And then what's your excuse going to be?" George retorted. "First it was too soon. Then you wanted to wait until they were both in Hogwarts. Then you insisted you still needed to wait because you were busy with work and now this. You can't keep doing this to yourself." Percy was silent. "Don't you want to be happy?"

"I...I am happy," Percy frowned. "I have my girls and the rest of the family. What more do I need?"

George sighed. "Don't keep lying to yourself. You miss having someone. I know you do. I've seen the way you look at people while we're out sometimes."

Percy flushed. He didn't think anyone noticed. He'd thought he was being subtle.

George didn't say anything right away. He let the silence loom over them for a few pulsing minutes. "Do you think you fancy her?" He asked suddenly.

Did he?

"I don't know," Percy looked down. "We've only just met. She's...she's intriguing. That's for sure."

George nodded encouragingly. "That's something, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

"You should ask if she wants to get together," George suggested.

"I can't."

George groaned in a whining sort of way. "Didn't we just-"

"I can't," Percy cut in, "because I don't know anything about her besides her name and that she was in Ginny's year."

He really shouldn't have said that.

George grinned mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows. "Percy. You didn't tell me you were interested in a younger woman!"

Percy scowled. "Shut up."

"Didn't think you had it in you. Suppose we all have needs."

"Shut up, George."

"Okay, okay," George snickered. "Look, why don't you just ask Ginny if she knows anything about her?"

"Absolutely not," Percy said firmly. "I don't want anyone knowing anything about this."

"Oh come on-"

"Mum will go mad if she knows. She's worried about me enough as it is. Promise me you won't say anything," Percy was looking at his brother expectantly.

"Alright," George said begrudgingly. "Fine. I'll keep your secret. But if you don't say anything, how else are you going to find her again?"

"I don't know," Percy sighed. "Can we drop this? We can take the girls for ice cream now, if you'd like."

George agreed and called for the girls. It didn't take them long to come down.

"Where are we getting ice cream from, Uncle George?" Lucy asked.

Percy didn't like how George was smirking at him.

"Is Florean Fortescue's, okay?" His brother said innocently.