"Abby, would you do me the honor of becoming my girlfriend?"

Percy frowned. That sounded far too close to a marriage proposal. He'd have to do better.

"Abby, what do you think of us becoming exclusive?"

No, no. That wasn't right either.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

That sounded juvenile.

He cleared his throat and tried again.

"We're compatible and we clearly enjoy each other's company. I believe it is within our best interest to get together if you would like. What do you say?"

"I think you need to do better than that, mate."

Percy whirled around to find Oliver standing there with a mischievous smile on his face. He blushed at being caught, immediately taken back to their fifth year when he fancied Penny for many months before having the courage to talk to her. His dormmate had found him practicing in front of a mirror, interrupting with a bellow of laughter that resulted in a nasty hex Percy did not regret.

"Oliver...I...err," Percy stumbled over his words. "I was just-"

"Planning on asking out Abby," Oliver said teasingly.

"Don't you have your own flat to be at?" Percy said exasperatedly. "What did you want anyway?"

"Can't I come visit my best mate for no reason?"

"No," Percy said pointedly.

Oliver huffed.

"You're as bad as George and I don't want to hear it from either of you."

"That hurts, Perce," Oliver said solemnly to which the red-head rolled his eyes. "That really hurts."

"Too bad," Percy deadpanned.

Oliver suddenly grinned which made Percy feel wary. He was not so lightly punched on the shoulder, his friend's eyebrows wiggling suggestively. "You're really asking her to be your girl, aye?"

"Yes, what of it?" Percy felt defensive. Then unsure. And worried. His face fell into a frown and he looked at Oliver. "Do you think it's too soon? Should I wait? I haven't told the girls yet-oh Merlin, the girls! They don't know about any of this yet. I thought it was best to wait. Should I tell them now? After we get together? But what if Abby doesn't want to get together? I haven't really thought about it. I'm hoping she'll say yes but-"

Oliver covered his mouth with his hand. He received a glare but that was all. Percy wasn't Oliver or his siblings; he wasn't going to lick his hand for it. "Calm down, will you?"

"Calm down?" Percy shoved his hand off his mouth. "How can I calm down when this could ruin our relationship? What if she never talks to me again, hmm? Then what?"

"I think you're overthinking this a wee bit," Oliver said, trying to suppress his laughter.

"It's not funny," Percy did not whine. He was a grown man. He wasn't a child. But he certainly didn't appreciate Oliver laughing at him. "What if she doesn't want to be with me?"

"Then she wouldn't have gone on all those dates," Oliver shrugged. "Why do that if you're not ready?"

"Perhaps she wanted something casual?" Percy said weakly. Then he sighed heavily and dropped his head into his hands. "I'm worried, Oliver. I don't want to risk her saying no, but I also don't want to ask her. I'm too nervous."

Oliver rubbed Percy's shoulder comfortingly. "You'll be fine. Remember, Penny?"

"I messed up with her too," Percy said miserably. "Remember, I spilled her tea all over her clothes?"

"On accident," Oliver reminded him. "You fixed it quick enough. 'Sides, she still went out with you."

"This is different!" Percy flung a hand to the left for emphasis. "We're not sixteen anymore."

"Thank Merlin for that, aye?" Oliver grinned.

Percy didn't smile.

"I've got kids now I have to think about. I don't want them confused and I don't want this to be a fling either. I really like her, Oliver. I haven't felt like this in so long."

"That's a good thing," Oliver smiled encouragingly.

"I suppose," Percy admitted. "It makes me nervous. I don't want her to say no."

"How could she say no to you?" Oliver reached out to playfully pinch Percy's cheek.

Percy scowled and pushed his hand away for the second time. "Stop it!"

Oliver snickered, plopping down on Percy's bed, much to the red-head's displeasure. "You're worrying for nothing. Abby will say yes and then you'll take me to the quidditch store because I was right."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Now I know you're mad."

Oliver ignored that. "Just be confident, Perce. Look 'er in the eye and ask her. It's not that hard."

"Maybe not to you," Percy muttered. "But it is to me. I don't want to mess this up."

"You won't," Oliver was doing his best to be reassuring. "Just be confident and if that doesn't work, pretend you are. You'll feel it eventually."

Percy's gaze lingered on Oliver for a moment or two. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Abby told me the same thing when we went to the Leaky."

Oliver looked triumphant. "That just means I know what I'm talking about!"

"Merlin forbid," Percy muttered.

"Come on Percy. You can do this. I believe in you! You just need to ask her and then you're in!" Oliver was nodding his head vigorously. Then he shot him a sly look. "And maybe you can manage to go back to her place tonight. I'll watch the girls!"

"Why are you and George so eager for us to sleep together?" Percy demanded.

"Living vicariously through you?" Oliver tried. He snorted and added, "You're living the dream. You've got a younger woman and you didn't even do anything to get her! Imagine what she'll be like in bed."

"I don't want to imagine," Percy rolled his eyes. "When the time comes, we'll deal with it but for now, I want to take things slow. I don't want to take her into bed immediately."

"Alright, alright," Oliver held up his hands as a sign of surrender.

"But you've thought about it, right?"

"Oliver Xavier Wood!"

/

"Hi!" Abby exclaimed after she arrived. He'd been waiting at the Leaky for her. "How was your day? Was it good? Or was it bad? I hope it was good. Mine was alright. I've been working all day since five this morning. I'm so tired. Oh, fiddlesticks, I think my braids are coming undone."

She pulled her hair tie off and untwisted her hair until it was all free from both of them. Percy watched, mesmerized by the way those silky looking blonde locks fell down her shoulders in waves. "Wow," he murmured. She'd never worn her hair down before and he wanted to see more of it, so when she was preparing to re-braid it, he blurted out, "Wait!"

She blinked.

"You should leave your hair down. I mean...if you want to, of course. I just...I think you're really pretty with it down."

He blushed.

"You think so?" She giggled and threw the section back over her shoulder. "Okay."

"Okay," Percy breathed out and nodded.

"It's your turn to pick, right?" Abby smiled up at him. They'd come to an agreement that they would each take turns picking what they would do for their dates. It was his decision this time.

"Right," he agreed, daringly slipping his arm around her waist. She leaned in closer to his side, putting her own arm around his middle. "I was thinking we could take a nice stroll through muggle London. There's much I would like to see, if you're alright with that?"

"Of course," Abby said. "Ooo! There's this bakery not too far from here. Ever had muggle sweets before?"

If he were George or Oliver, they would have made some remark about her being sweet in some attempt at flirting. A bad attempt at that. But Percy wasn't like his brother or best mate.

"Not that I recall," he said. "But I'd love to try one."

Side by side, they made their way out of the wizarding world and into the muggle world, walking down the sidewalk with her subtly pointing out things to him. It was really intriguing. Despite living in a muggle neighborhood, Percy hadn't explored much of the muggle world. It had been Audrey's idea to move there after the war, deeming it safer, considering the role both of them played and being as close to Harry as they were. Nowadays, he apparated there and back to his job or flooed.

They came to the front of the shop. When they went inside, there came a soft ding.

"Oh, my," Percy murmured. There were all kinds of sweets in clear cases and colorful wrappers.

"Cool, huh?" Abby's voice was lowered so no one would hear them. "Are you getting anything?"

"Oh, erm," it occurred to him that he couldn't enjoy any of this because he hadn't exchanged any wizarding money for pounds. He couldn't pay for it. "I don't have any-"

"That's okay," Abby said. "I've got it! I've got plenty!"

He frowned. "I wouldn't feel right. I should be paying for you."

"You don't have to, silly," she grinned. "Just let me pay and we'll do whatever else you like."

"You're not giving me an option, are you?" He said with a wryly smile.

"Nope!"

"Thought so," he sighed.

Abby gestured toward the display cases with a sweep of her hand. "Go on. Pick something. What looks good to you?"

Percy was a bit overwhelmed by the large selection. He didn't quite know what he wanted. And he wasn't even usually indecisive like that. "Er, what do you recommend?"

"I like cinnamon rolls!" Abby chirped. "They're so good! I like icing. Do you like icing? They put lots of it on their rolls. I like eating it with hot chocolate. I know it's summer and all, but it's still really good!"

"Then I suppose I'll get that," Percy felt embarrassment creep up by the way the bloke at the counter was raising his eyebrows.

"Okay!" Abby ordered two cinnamon rolls and two cups of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. After she paid for it, she was handed a small box which he assumed was containing the pastries and then two steaming mugs which she carefully passed one to him.

They sat down at a table in the corner next to the window. They ere across from one another just like at the Leaky. Abby put his roll on a napkin and gave it to him, immediately digging into hers. Percy found it endearing when he noticed icing was on the tip of her nose.

"What?" She looked at him with a tilted head.

He couldn't hold back his smile. He pointed to his own nose. "You've got a little-"

Abby tried to wipe it off but she was missing the exact spot of where it was. "Did I get it yet?"

"No," Percy laughed a little. "You're missing it. Here, let me."

He leaned forward to do it, his jaw dropping a little when she so blatantly took some icing off of her roll to put on his nose. She grinned mischievously, boldly wiping at the spot now. She didn't miss it this time.

"You're very lucky we're in public."

"Oh?" She said innocently.

He grasped her hand, caressing the top of it with his thumb. He swallowed, feeling his nerves start to bother him. "Abby," he spoke up.

"Hmm?"

"There's something I wanted to ask you," he tried to calm himself so he didn't mess this up.

"Yeah?"

"We're compatible and we clearly enjoy each other's company. Not to mention-" Percy inwardly grimaced at how it sounded. It was so bland and unfeeling. "Actually, let me start over."

She waited patiently.

"Abby, love," his heart started to beat faster, "will you be my girlfriend?"

He braced for the rejection. When she seemed surprised, his heart sank further.

"I thought we were already dating?"

His head snapped up. "What?"

"I thought we were already dating," she repeated. "I told Randy we were."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh. Oh."

"Were you worried?" She asked, noticing his facial expression.

"A little."

"You had nothing to be worried about," she said warmly.

"So that means-?"

"I'll be your girlfriend," she accepted.

He beamed.

His girlfriend. Abby was his girlfriend. He had a girlfriend.

She giggled. "Percy?"

"Yes?"

"You still have icing on your nose."