Like the summary said, this is a short fic about Percy trying to convince a suicidal girl that dying is not the answer. Please excuse any spelling mistakes - I don't have anything to check my spelling with. Please review if you like this, thanks!

Disclaimer: Everything in this fanfic belongs to JK Rowling, except for the plot and Jenna, I made her up for this. Thanks for not sueing.

-----

What Is Easy Is Often Not Right

It was raining hard that night. Not a single student was permitted to go outside because of the horrible weather, so most of them sat in their common rooms complaining about it. They didn't usually go out after classes, but because they couldn't that night, it made them angry.

When dinner came, Percy found himself alone in the Gryffindor common room. He wasn't hungry, so he decided he would finish his homework and go to bed early. It was his seventh year, which meant he would be writing his N.E.W.T.s in only a few months, and he wanted to be well prepared for them. School is not to be taken lightly, as he would say, and he strongly believed it. If he wanted to work for the Ministry of Magic, he would have to study hard and be serious about his work. Unfortunately, his siblings didn't agree with him on this. Fred and George do get good grades, but they couldn't be serious if their lives depended on it, and Ron was always too busy having 'adventures' with Harry to concentrate on his school work.

But Percy had always been the 'outcast' of the family. Everyone expected him to be perfect, and he was constantly being teased by his brothers. Sure he knew they were only joking - weren't they? - but it still hurt to hear his own family making fun of him. That is why he prefered being alone instead of with people, because most people didn't understand him, didn't even bother to try to get to know him. They all just assumed that he was as he appeared to be - very strict and full of himself. Percy of course did admit he liked to follow the rules and believed in doing so, but sometimes he wished he could just do whatever he wanted, instead of pretending to be the perfect son and role-model student.

At times, Percy would feel so depressed, he would think about commiting suicide. Sure, he knew it wasn't smart to joke about - he probably shouldn't be thinking about it! - but it seemed to be much easier than putting up with life. His family would be rid of him, and he would be at peace. But, before he tried hurting himself or swallowing those pills he kept in his bathroom, he would come to his senses and push the thought away.

Only a few minutes after the common room had been deserted, Percy could hear muffled sounds coming from up in the dorm rooms. Stopping to listen, he couldn't quite tell what exactly it was, so he shrugged and continued working. He could hear the sound off an on for a few more minutes, until finally he couldn't stand it anymore. Heaving himself off the chair, he made his way to the stairs and listened - it was coming from the girls dorm rooms.

Percy didn't have the slightest idea what it was. He just stood there and listened until it began to sound like crying. It's the girls dorm rooms, I can't just go up there. He though to himself, silently debating what to do. But someone could be hurt. For a few minutes he thought this over, and eventually decided to go make sure whoever was up there was alright. He slowly walked up the stairs, not totally sure if he was doing the right thing. Deep down, he had a feeling he should check on the person, just incase something was seriously wrong.

He reached the fifth years dorm room, it seemed to be where the crying was coming from. Pressing his ear to the door, he could hear loud sobbing. Percy knocked softly, and could hear the girl inside the room gasp in surprise.

"Wh-what do you want?" The girls voice quivered slightly.

"I was just wondering if you are alright. Are you hurt?"

"Just go away!" Percy could hear her throw something at the door, most likely a pillow.

"I'm coming in." He said, turning the door handle and slowly opening the door. The girl sat on the far side of the room, opposite of the door, and Percy recognized her immediately. Her name was Jenna, and Percy had noticed she didn't interact with many students. She talked to a few of them, but other than that she was usually by herself. Kind of like me...

Jenna sat with her knees up against her chest, leaning against the wall. Her face was red, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, and tears were streaming down her cheeks. In her hand she held a razor blade, just barely pressing it against the skin on her wrist.

"Oh god..." Percy murmured, moving towards the girl.

Jenna pointed the razor blade at Percy, trying to back up further into the wall. "You stay away from me!" She shrieked.

Percy held his hands up infront of him, slowing down his pace. "Hey, it's alright. I won't hurt you."

"I'm not afraid of that you git! I can't put up with my life any longer. There's no way you can stop me from doing this." Her lip quivered and she moved the blade back to her wrist. She was hesitating, as if she really didn't want to cut herself.

Percy had no idea what to do; he had never dealt with a suicidal person before. He knew he somehow had to help her, but she didn't seem to want help from anyone. Unsure of what else he could do, he sat as close to her as possible without her moving away.

Both of them stared at each other for a few moments before Jenna said something. "Well?"

Percy blinked at her, "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to go get a teacher?"

Percy didn't answer her.

"You are head boy. Don't you want to turn me in?"

Percy couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't just turn people in for doing things wrong because he wanted too. "I don't turn students in just because I feel like it. I follow the rules - that's why I am head boy after all." He sat up straight, and then slumped over when he realized what he was doing. There I go again, trying to make myself look better than everyone else. He mentally slapped his forehead.

Jenna nodded, sneering slightly. "Go away please." When Percy shook his head, she glared at him. "I need to get out. My life is worse than anyone else's here. No one understands."

But do you know what mine is like? Instead of speaking, Percy moved his hand to grab her wrist and pry the razor away from her, but she seemed to realize what he was doing and moved her hand out of his reach. "My life isn't grand either." He said.

At this, Jenna snorted. "How can yours not be? You're a perfect student, you're head boy, your girlfriend is head girl. You've got so many siblings, parents who love you." Tears were streaming down her cheeks once again, and she didn't bother to wipe them away.

"The only reason I have top marks is because all I do is study, and I'm head boy because I follow rules and because of my grades. I have too many siblings who love to make my life hell, and my parents don't really seem to notice."

This didn't seem to convince Jenna. She just shook her head and stared sadly at a spot on the floor. "Nothing can compare to my family."

When Percy didn't say anything, she elaborated.

"My parents think its quite funny to pretend I'm not even there, so I find myself with no one to talk too. I have a brother who is older than me, and a sister who is younger, but they're afraid of me because I am a witch. Obviously I'm Muggle-born, otherwise they wouldn't be so scared. They like to leave me out of everything they do. And to make matters worse I have trouble talking to people, so I don't make friends very easily." She took a deep, shaky breath and continued. "Some of the nicer kids here talk to me, like your sister, but not many other people pay attention to me. They're not cruel, like my family, but they don't seem to notice me..."

Percy nodded, he seemed to understand. He didn't have a best friend himself. Infact, he didn't really have a friend to speak of. He talked with a few prefects back when he was one, and sometimes he talked to Oliver - and then there was Penny - but other than that he didn't speak much to people. Perhaps it was because he was always so busy working, or he was anti-social. Deep down, Percy believed it was because he pretended he was better than everyone else, so they didn't want to talk to him.

With a whimper, Jenna slammed her head down onto her knees. Percy sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder reluctantly. He was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable around her, he just wanted to get her to Madam Pomfrey and let her handle this.

"If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way a lot. Sometimes I consider killing myself, I even have pills in my bathroom I've almost taken a few times now." Percy was amazed that he actually told her - a girl he barely even knew - about secrets not even his family knew about. "But, you know Jenna, commiting suicide isn't the answer. What do you want to do when you graduate?"

Jenna shrugged slightly. "I-I don't know."

"Well, what interests you?"

"I like animals... I sort of wanted to run a store in Diagon Alley... You know... where they sell owls and cats. Or else maybe I want to own a Muggle pet store."

Percy nodded. "If you were to just take the easy way out, you'd never be able to do something like that."

"But what's the point? No one cares what happens to me." Jenna said, dropping the razor onto the floor. Percy took this oportunity to grab it away.

"Look, Jenna, try talking to people. Maybe you'll make friends easier than you think. I'm sure Ginny would love to talk to you, she's nice to everybody." Percy said, trying to reasure her. If only I could take my own advice.

"I-I guess I could..."

They were both quiet for a moment, until Percy stood up. "Jenna?"

Jenna looked up at him.

"Were you really going to do it?"

Jenna considered this. "I-I guess not. I was really scared of what I might do... And I-I just don't know..."

Percy pulled her to her feet when he could hear people talking in the common room. "Jenna, just remember: the easy way isn't always the right way, alright?" Jenna nodded. "And if you ever want to talk to someone, you can talk to me - and my sister Ginny would probably like to listen as well."

"Are you going to tell somebody?"

"About what you were going to do?" Percy thought, he didn't really know if he should. Perhaps he should, but she may be expelled or sent to a hospital, but on the other hand, she may try it again and telling someone would get her help. He didn't know. "Jenna, if you promise to talk to someone next time you feel like this, I won't say anything to anyone. But if I see you acting strangely, I will report it, alright?"

Jenna nodded and managed a soft: "Thank you, Percy." before flopping down onto her bed. Percy left and walked down the stairs, hoping not to be noticed. Whoever had come into the common room had went up to their dorms or left again, because it was deserted once more.

Sitting back down in his chair, Percy began working on the remains of his homework. Only a minute later, Ron and his friends came in. Ron made a sarcastic remark to Percy about his work, but Hermione and Harry didn't say a thing, or even laugh. Percy ignored his younger brother and continued his work.

Later that night, Percy flushed his pills down the toilet.

-----