"Hello, love. What are you- Oh, Oliver, I can't believe you!
You're reading Quidditch Through the Ages again? Don't you already have
that stupid book memorized?" I ask, walking into my bedroom. The dark
haired young man lying on my bed looks up at me and grins, putting aside
his book.
"Hey. Yeah, I do have it memorized, but I like looking at the pictures too." he replies, rolling over and sitting up. He gestures for me to come sit down with him, and I do, closing and locking the door behind me. I'm moving out of The Burrow next month, but until I'm gone, I'm saving Mother and Father the shock of walking in on Oliver and me.
"Oliver," I frown, pausing in front of the bed and looking down at him with my eyebrows furrowed, "the book only has eight pictures. Don't you have them memorized as well by this point?"
Oliver grins and grabs my waist, pulling me down onto his lap. "Probably." He admits as I lean back against him and tilt my head up so I can continue to look at his face. "Why? Does it really matter? It's still a lot more interesting than the papers you have to read and write for your work."
I chuckle and shake my head. "Perhaps it is, but you have no room to be calling my work boring when you don't have a real job of your own."
"I have a job!" he protests. "I play for the United Reserve Team!"
"I didn't say you don't have a job, I said you don't have a real job. There's a difference."
Oliver frowns and looks away. "That's real supportive of you." he says sulkily, sounding insulted and teasing at the same time. The expression on my face goes from a smile to a grin.
"Don't pout, you know I'm only playing. Now, are you going to be ready to move into our new place next month?" I say, changing the topic. His face lights up.
"You bet! It's really going to be great, you know, just the two of us together." He prates, sounding excited. "We'll be able to do whatever we want, without getting interrupted, and I'll finally have enough room to store all my Quidditch books and gear… You'll have your own study to work on your job in, and-"
I laugh, pleased at how excited he is about this. This is a huge step for us; I came out to my parents not too long ago; just after Ron, Ginny, the twins, and Harry went back to school, and Bill and Charlie went back to their jobs. That was about a month ago.
It was difficult, but Oliver was with me, so it could have been worse. Mother and Father reacted very well, all things considered. Mom was shocked, then upset, but she got over it. Dad was as cool about it as he's been with almost everything that's surprised him but not caused anyone harm; in fact, he helped Mum get over the shock of it and convinced her to not send an owl to everyone in the family.
Now the only problem I can think of is telling the others…
"Calm down, Oliver!" I say, twisting around in his arms so that I'm facing him. I kiss him solidly on the lips, effectively cutting off his words. We kiss for quite a while, actually, then just happily sit there once our lips part.
"So," he begins quietly after a few minutes. "Have you figured out how you want to tell your brothers and sisters?" It's just my luck that he brings up the one thing I'm worried about… Perhaps he can sense these things? With Oliver, there really is no telling; he's more talented than most people ever realize.
I frown and shake my head, then push my glasses up further along my nose; I hate it when they start to fall off. "No. I've been thinking about it a lot, especially lately, but… Have you come up with something?"
He shakes his head as well. "Nope, not yet. I'll tell you if I do, though."
A few more moments pass in silence as I debate whether I should continue this line of conversation, then decide that it's really best to talk about this all at once. "How do you think they'll react?" I ask, my face now half buried in Oliver's chest and my words coming out muffled. It takes him a while to come up with an answer.
"I'm not sure about Ginny; after all, I really don't know her. Ron will either take it very well or very badly, but whichever way, he's going to freak out first. And Fred and George… Well, I'm almost completely positive that they'll be surprised, but they won't have any problems with us, and I doubt that Bill or Charlie will either."
I'm puzzled by is response, or at least, by most of it. I can understand why he doesn't know what Ginny will think, because he really doesn't know my sister. I know that he's right about Ron; he will freak out first, regardless of how else he reacts. But why 'very' well or 'very' badly? And what does he mean about my four other brothers? He isn't making any sense…
He can tell that I'm confused, and begins to explain further.
"Have you really not noticed?" he asks, his tone surprised, almost disbelieving. What is he talking about? He chuckles and shakes his head. "Really, Perce… I know that I usually come out of things the ignorant one, but you… You amaze me sometimes!" His chuckling changes to blatant laughter.
"What is so bloody funny?" I snap, annoyed and exasperated. I know I shouldn't be, but… I hate missing things, especially when other people catch on to them, and to the fact that I haven't!
He takes a few deep breaths, finally managing to control his laughter, but his eyes still sparkle with amusement. "I'm sorry, Percy." He gasped, his voice serious. "It's just… Never mind. I won't get into that and risk getting you angry. But… you really haven't noticed it? About any of them?"
"Haven't noticed what?" Why doesn't he just tell me already? Work wore my patience thin, and much as I hate to admit it, I don't have much of it left now that I'm home.
"Your brothers. Ron and the twins for sure, and I'm almost positive about Bill, just from what I saw when he came to visit…"
"Oliver, love, you still haven't told me just what it is you're talking about." I try to sound as gentle and patient as I can.
He blushes and looks away; I can't help forgiving him, he's so cute. After a few seconds, he turns to face me again, his face completely sober. "Your brothers, Percy… They're gay, or at least bi." He explains gently.
My jaw drops down, and I stare at him in shock. Gay? Bi? My brothers?!?!? This… It's not… He can't be… What the bloody hell is he talking about?
"All of them? With who? How can you tell?" I stammer after a few moments. It just isn't clicking correctly in my mind.
"Yes, Percy, all of them. I can tell you're not going to believe me right away, and I'll probably end up having to give details, so which one do you want me to start with?" He sounds almost like he's talking to a little kid, or some incredibly ignorant or stupid person.
"With Ron, I guess…" I reply, his name being the first to come to mind. Oliver covers his mouth with his hand, trying to hide his smile and muffle his laughter. It's getting annoying, to say the least. Why can't he just stop being amused by this all and get around to telling me?
"I'm sorry, Ron, but how can you be so bloody ignorant? I know he's your brother, but…" I glare at him, and he sobers up enough to continue. "Sorry. It's just that the poor kid can be so flaming sometimes… Do you really mean to tell me that you've never noticed the way he looks at Harry sometimes, when he thinks nobody's looking?"
I stare again. "Harry?" They're best friends, and they say it's only one small step between friendship and love, so I suppose it does make an odd sort of sense…
Oliver nods. "Just watch them together sometime. Ron stares at Harry like a lovesick puppy every time Potter turns his back. I think that Harry and Hermione, and you, Genny, and your parents, are the only ones that haven't noticed yet."
Thinking back on different times I've watched my little brother and his best friend together, I see what he means, but it's still hard to believe. If it's really that obvious, then how can my family, Hermione and I all have gone so long without realizing it? Maybe it's because we're so close, and the way they act around each other seems so natural, that we're blind to anything out of the ordinary seeming about it.
"Okay… I suppose I can see that one… What about Bill?" I don't know how he can know anything about the brother I admire so much, seeing as he's only seen or talked to him a handful of times, but I'm willing to hear him out.
"What about him? I know that I'm the first guy you've admitted to liking, Perce, but you already know that I've liked guys before you. And among the guys at school, the gay and bi ones at least, Bill… Is a living legend. To say the least. I could tell you more about his… adventures… than you'd ever want to know. Some of the guys could tell you more than anyone would ever want to know, and a few of the girls could tell you so much that Bill himself would probably die of a heart attack if he were to overhear them."
He has an incredibly huge grin on his face, and he laughs. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was for me to keep a straight face around him."
"How do you know the stories aren't just rumors? Lots of kids at school admired Bill. Quite a few of the teachers do, as well. There's always at least a half dozen Slytherins wanting to spread rumors about the favorites of the other houses, especially Gryffindor…"
Oliver starts laughing even harder, but even once he's stopped, he seems to be blushing. I wait as patiently as I can for him to explain his suspicions.
"How do I know? Percy, don't be upset with him, but he came up to me a while before he left and asked if I wanted to go out with him some time. Said he'd always wanted to date a truly talented Quidditch player." His face glows an even brighter red, and I'm torn between laughter, jealousy, and disbelief. Laughter and jealousy win out.
"I can't believe it!" I gasp, finally managing to stop laughing after a few moments. "What'd you tell him?"
"I just said that even though he was incredibly handsome, I was already with a gorgeous redhead of my own. He grinned and winked; I think he probably realized already just who it is that has me." I blush, but still feel relieved. If it's true, then I'll have at least one person assuredly on my side. A thought hits me suddenly.
"You said that you'd doubt Charlie would mind. Why do you say that?"
"Well, considering the fact that Charlie is the one that hooked Bill up with several of his boyfriends, I don't think he has a problem with a sibling of his being homosexual. He might be straight, but from everything I've heard, he's very open-minded."
I know myself that he's probably right; Charlie has been quite open-minded about most things his entire life. Not to mention the fact that he really loves Bill, and wouldn't do anything to upset him if he could help it. Even if he'd had a problem with Bill's sexuality, he would have learned to deal with it as best as he could.
"He is that." I admit, nodding. "Especially when it comes to Bill. So… The twins?" I don't think that anything Oliver can say will surprise me at this point. Not after finding out that Perfect Bill isn't so socially perfect… That makes me feel a little better about myself, and life in general, actually.
"It shouldn't come as much of a surprise; they're with Lee. That's an official one, just so you know. They told me a while back, after Quidditch practice one day, during my last year."
I sigh and shake my head. I know that I said I wouldn't be surprised, but… "They're with the same guy? Do they have to share everything?" I moan, amused in spite of myself.
Oliver shrugs. "Lee doesn't seem to mind." He grins widely.
"I can imagine he wouldn't."
It's quiet for a few moments as I try to absorb all I've been told, then Oliver breaks the silence. "I only wonder… How has he managed to survive so long? I'd think that one of the twins on their own would be enough of a handful, but both of them at once?" We both laugh, and I fall back into his arms.
"Well…" I begin quietly, looking up into my love's sparkling eyes. "It's good to know that I'll have people in my family that can truly understand, but… It's just too strange. Homosexuals aren't exactly in the majority, not even among wizards, and five in one family? My parents will go crazy when they realize… Oh - bloody - hell. If my parents reacted like they did to my… sexuality… What will they do when they find out about the other four?"
Oliver raises his eyebrows, an expression on his face that switches somewhere in between a smile and a frown. "Uh… Well, I'd guess that your mum would have a heart attack, and your father… I'm not too sure. He's probably be so confused that he'd faint."
I grin; he's right about that too. Poor Dad, he doesn't know what to do when Mum isn't there to tell him what to think about matters concerning his children…
"I suppose we'll just have to wait to find out, then." I say, edging just a little closer to my lover. "I'd imagine that once any of the others find out about the two of us, then at least the twins will say something as well, even if it's only to get a rise out of Mum."
Oliver smiles and kisses my forehead gently. "That would be just like the two of them, wouldn't it? And I've got the feeling that Lee would be only too eager to help them get into trouble… But let's not think about this anymore, okay? I can think of all sorts of better ways to occupy the rest of our evening…"
He kisses me again, and for the next few hours, I don't give the matter another thought.
"Hey. Yeah, I do have it memorized, but I like looking at the pictures too." he replies, rolling over and sitting up. He gestures for me to come sit down with him, and I do, closing and locking the door behind me. I'm moving out of The Burrow next month, but until I'm gone, I'm saving Mother and Father the shock of walking in on Oliver and me.
"Oliver," I frown, pausing in front of the bed and looking down at him with my eyebrows furrowed, "the book only has eight pictures. Don't you have them memorized as well by this point?"
Oliver grins and grabs my waist, pulling me down onto his lap. "Probably." He admits as I lean back against him and tilt my head up so I can continue to look at his face. "Why? Does it really matter? It's still a lot more interesting than the papers you have to read and write for your work."
I chuckle and shake my head. "Perhaps it is, but you have no room to be calling my work boring when you don't have a real job of your own."
"I have a job!" he protests. "I play for the United Reserve Team!"
"I didn't say you don't have a job, I said you don't have a real job. There's a difference."
Oliver frowns and looks away. "That's real supportive of you." he says sulkily, sounding insulted and teasing at the same time. The expression on my face goes from a smile to a grin.
"Don't pout, you know I'm only playing. Now, are you going to be ready to move into our new place next month?" I say, changing the topic. His face lights up.
"You bet! It's really going to be great, you know, just the two of us together." He prates, sounding excited. "We'll be able to do whatever we want, without getting interrupted, and I'll finally have enough room to store all my Quidditch books and gear… You'll have your own study to work on your job in, and-"
I laugh, pleased at how excited he is about this. This is a huge step for us; I came out to my parents not too long ago; just after Ron, Ginny, the twins, and Harry went back to school, and Bill and Charlie went back to their jobs. That was about a month ago.
It was difficult, but Oliver was with me, so it could have been worse. Mother and Father reacted very well, all things considered. Mom was shocked, then upset, but she got over it. Dad was as cool about it as he's been with almost everything that's surprised him but not caused anyone harm; in fact, he helped Mum get over the shock of it and convinced her to not send an owl to everyone in the family.
Now the only problem I can think of is telling the others…
"Calm down, Oliver!" I say, twisting around in his arms so that I'm facing him. I kiss him solidly on the lips, effectively cutting off his words. We kiss for quite a while, actually, then just happily sit there once our lips part.
"So," he begins quietly after a few minutes. "Have you figured out how you want to tell your brothers and sisters?" It's just my luck that he brings up the one thing I'm worried about… Perhaps he can sense these things? With Oliver, there really is no telling; he's more talented than most people ever realize.
I frown and shake my head, then push my glasses up further along my nose; I hate it when they start to fall off. "No. I've been thinking about it a lot, especially lately, but… Have you come up with something?"
He shakes his head as well. "Nope, not yet. I'll tell you if I do, though."
A few more moments pass in silence as I debate whether I should continue this line of conversation, then decide that it's really best to talk about this all at once. "How do you think they'll react?" I ask, my face now half buried in Oliver's chest and my words coming out muffled. It takes him a while to come up with an answer.
"I'm not sure about Ginny; after all, I really don't know her. Ron will either take it very well or very badly, but whichever way, he's going to freak out first. And Fred and George… Well, I'm almost completely positive that they'll be surprised, but they won't have any problems with us, and I doubt that Bill or Charlie will either."
I'm puzzled by is response, or at least, by most of it. I can understand why he doesn't know what Ginny will think, because he really doesn't know my sister. I know that he's right about Ron; he will freak out first, regardless of how else he reacts. But why 'very' well or 'very' badly? And what does he mean about my four other brothers? He isn't making any sense…
He can tell that I'm confused, and begins to explain further.
"Have you really not noticed?" he asks, his tone surprised, almost disbelieving. What is he talking about? He chuckles and shakes his head. "Really, Perce… I know that I usually come out of things the ignorant one, but you… You amaze me sometimes!" His chuckling changes to blatant laughter.
"What is so bloody funny?" I snap, annoyed and exasperated. I know I shouldn't be, but… I hate missing things, especially when other people catch on to them, and to the fact that I haven't!
He takes a few deep breaths, finally managing to control his laughter, but his eyes still sparkle with amusement. "I'm sorry, Percy." He gasped, his voice serious. "It's just… Never mind. I won't get into that and risk getting you angry. But… you really haven't noticed it? About any of them?"
"Haven't noticed what?" Why doesn't he just tell me already? Work wore my patience thin, and much as I hate to admit it, I don't have much of it left now that I'm home.
"Your brothers. Ron and the twins for sure, and I'm almost positive about Bill, just from what I saw when he came to visit…"
"Oliver, love, you still haven't told me just what it is you're talking about." I try to sound as gentle and patient as I can.
He blushes and looks away; I can't help forgiving him, he's so cute. After a few seconds, he turns to face me again, his face completely sober. "Your brothers, Percy… They're gay, or at least bi." He explains gently.
My jaw drops down, and I stare at him in shock. Gay? Bi? My brothers?!?!? This… It's not… He can't be… What the bloody hell is he talking about?
"All of them? With who? How can you tell?" I stammer after a few moments. It just isn't clicking correctly in my mind.
"Yes, Percy, all of them. I can tell you're not going to believe me right away, and I'll probably end up having to give details, so which one do you want me to start with?" He sounds almost like he's talking to a little kid, or some incredibly ignorant or stupid person.
"With Ron, I guess…" I reply, his name being the first to come to mind. Oliver covers his mouth with his hand, trying to hide his smile and muffle his laughter. It's getting annoying, to say the least. Why can't he just stop being amused by this all and get around to telling me?
"I'm sorry, Ron, but how can you be so bloody ignorant? I know he's your brother, but…" I glare at him, and he sobers up enough to continue. "Sorry. It's just that the poor kid can be so flaming sometimes… Do you really mean to tell me that you've never noticed the way he looks at Harry sometimes, when he thinks nobody's looking?"
I stare again. "Harry?" They're best friends, and they say it's only one small step between friendship and love, so I suppose it does make an odd sort of sense…
Oliver nods. "Just watch them together sometime. Ron stares at Harry like a lovesick puppy every time Potter turns his back. I think that Harry and Hermione, and you, Genny, and your parents, are the only ones that haven't noticed yet."
Thinking back on different times I've watched my little brother and his best friend together, I see what he means, but it's still hard to believe. If it's really that obvious, then how can my family, Hermione and I all have gone so long without realizing it? Maybe it's because we're so close, and the way they act around each other seems so natural, that we're blind to anything out of the ordinary seeming about it.
"Okay… I suppose I can see that one… What about Bill?" I don't know how he can know anything about the brother I admire so much, seeing as he's only seen or talked to him a handful of times, but I'm willing to hear him out.
"What about him? I know that I'm the first guy you've admitted to liking, Perce, but you already know that I've liked guys before you. And among the guys at school, the gay and bi ones at least, Bill… Is a living legend. To say the least. I could tell you more about his… adventures… than you'd ever want to know. Some of the guys could tell you more than anyone would ever want to know, and a few of the girls could tell you so much that Bill himself would probably die of a heart attack if he were to overhear them."
He has an incredibly huge grin on his face, and he laughs. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was for me to keep a straight face around him."
"How do you know the stories aren't just rumors? Lots of kids at school admired Bill. Quite a few of the teachers do, as well. There's always at least a half dozen Slytherins wanting to spread rumors about the favorites of the other houses, especially Gryffindor…"
Oliver starts laughing even harder, but even once he's stopped, he seems to be blushing. I wait as patiently as I can for him to explain his suspicions.
"How do I know? Percy, don't be upset with him, but he came up to me a while before he left and asked if I wanted to go out with him some time. Said he'd always wanted to date a truly talented Quidditch player." His face glows an even brighter red, and I'm torn between laughter, jealousy, and disbelief. Laughter and jealousy win out.
"I can't believe it!" I gasp, finally managing to stop laughing after a few moments. "What'd you tell him?"
"I just said that even though he was incredibly handsome, I was already with a gorgeous redhead of my own. He grinned and winked; I think he probably realized already just who it is that has me." I blush, but still feel relieved. If it's true, then I'll have at least one person assuredly on my side. A thought hits me suddenly.
"You said that you'd doubt Charlie would mind. Why do you say that?"
"Well, considering the fact that Charlie is the one that hooked Bill up with several of his boyfriends, I don't think he has a problem with a sibling of his being homosexual. He might be straight, but from everything I've heard, he's very open-minded."
I know myself that he's probably right; Charlie has been quite open-minded about most things his entire life. Not to mention the fact that he really loves Bill, and wouldn't do anything to upset him if he could help it. Even if he'd had a problem with Bill's sexuality, he would have learned to deal with it as best as he could.
"He is that." I admit, nodding. "Especially when it comes to Bill. So… The twins?" I don't think that anything Oliver can say will surprise me at this point. Not after finding out that Perfect Bill isn't so socially perfect… That makes me feel a little better about myself, and life in general, actually.
"It shouldn't come as much of a surprise; they're with Lee. That's an official one, just so you know. They told me a while back, after Quidditch practice one day, during my last year."
I sigh and shake my head. I know that I said I wouldn't be surprised, but… "They're with the same guy? Do they have to share everything?" I moan, amused in spite of myself.
Oliver shrugs. "Lee doesn't seem to mind." He grins widely.
"I can imagine he wouldn't."
It's quiet for a few moments as I try to absorb all I've been told, then Oliver breaks the silence. "I only wonder… How has he managed to survive so long? I'd think that one of the twins on their own would be enough of a handful, but both of them at once?" We both laugh, and I fall back into his arms.
"Well…" I begin quietly, looking up into my love's sparkling eyes. "It's good to know that I'll have people in my family that can truly understand, but… It's just too strange. Homosexuals aren't exactly in the majority, not even among wizards, and five in one family? My parents will go crazy when they realize… Oh - bloody - hell. If my parents reacted like they did to my… sexuality… What will they do when they find out about the other four?"
Oliver raises his eyebrows, an expression on his face that switches somewhere in between a smile and a frown. "Uh… Well, I'd guess that your mum would have a heart attack, and your father… I'm not too sure. He's probably be so confused that he'd faint."
I grin; he's right about that too. Poor Dad, he doesn't know what to do when Mum isn't there to tell him what to think about matters concerning his children…
"I suppose we'll just have to wait to find out, then." I say, edging just a little closer to my lover. "I'd imagine that once any of the others find out about the two of us, then at least the twins will say something as well, even if it's only to get a rise out of Mum."
Oliver smiles and kisses my forehead gently. "That would be just like the two of them, wouldn't it? And I've got the feeling that Lee would be only too eager to help them get into trouble… But let's not think about this anymore, okay? I can think of all sorts of better ways to occupy the rest of our evening…"
He kisses me again, and for the next few hours, I don't give the matter another thought.