Percy strode along the corridor to the library, books in his arms. He could hear two of the male students in his year, both Ravenclaws. They were laughing and joking, and percy couldn't help but suspect they were laughing at him. He had been told before that he carried his books like a girl. "Honestly, what's the difference? How does one go about carrying his books like a man?" he'd thought to himself. Then, just as the two boys turned the corner, one of them snaked his arm out and... swish-CRACK! Both ran away down the hall laughing, leaving Percy in peace to rub his stinging buttocks. That wand must have been made of willow, he mused. He was used to being harassed like this. And if it was this bad already, imagine what it would be like if he somehow managed to come out...

Oh well. No time for that now; he needed to study. But this was not "needed to study" in the stereotypical Percy way. It wasn't "needed to study" in the way everyone assumed he said he needed to study, so that he got straight A+'s. No, this was "need to study" in the "need to get grades up" way. Due to his depression and subsequent apathy about life, the grades which had previously been obsessively maintained were slipping. At first it had been a very convenient thing for him. He could hide so easily behind his "perfect student" facade, declining social invitations that would have been hell for him in his present state by simply asserting that he needed to study for some exam or work on some report. People would notice no difference in his behavior, since he'd always hidden behind his books in one way or another. None of his fellow students had become the slightest bit suspicious.

However, now that his depression had so much affected his abilities to concentrate and pay attention, it was beginning to show in his grades. This meant that even though the other students didn't suspect anything was wrong, some of the professors were beginning to have their doubts. Flitwick had asked him if there was anything going on with his personal life, and McGonnagal had asked if there was anything he needed to talk about. He had answered no on both occasions, but he could tell it was only so long before people would see through his mask and finally realize there was something wrong..... Sigh. He walked into the library.

oh, there was Penny talking to some of her friends. Her friends noticed Percy first, and stared overtly at him until she finally turned around. "Ah, hello, Percy. Excuse me, girls." She left them to continue their gossip, and Percy noticed one of them pat her on the shoulder, another give her the thumbs-up sign, and a third whose mouth undoubtedly formed the words "good luck". But he just stood there, not knowing what to make of it. She walked up to Percy in that gait of hers, the stride which was singularly Penny's. It was upright and perfect in posture, but her hips still had just the right amount of sway to make her radiate both sexy confidence and delicate poise. It was one of the first things Percy had recognized in her once the two had started dating. "Perce," she stood on tiptoe and whispered, her breath blowing warmly into his ear. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" "Sure, Penny. What about?" He still hadn't pieced together the puzzling behavior of her friends. "Oh, about us." She swept a thick auburn lock behind one ear before turning. "Come over here."

She led him over to a very much solitary table in the corner of the library by the Restricted Section. Percy pulled out a chair for his girlfriend before seating himself. As he did so, his upper leg brushed hard against the edge of the table. He winced visibly, and she stared, questioning. He didn't notice. "Percy, I need to talk to you about something." Oh, great. Not her too. How could he explain...? "Alright, Pen, what about?" She glanced nervously to one side, again tucking her hair behind her ear. It was one of her nervous habits, Percy knew. But what could that mean right now? His head hurt; girls were just too hard for him.

"It's- it's about our relationship. I feel that lately... it's been kind of one-sided."

His head cocked to one side. "How do you mean that?"

"Well, you never stay after class and talk to me anymore like you used to. You never ask me out places, and when I suggest us doing something together, you refuse. It's like you never want to spent time with me anymore. I mean, if you don't feel it anymore and want to split up, you only need to say so."

He looked down, tracing invisible patterns in the solid face of the table. "No, no, Penny, it's nothing about you... it has to do with me. I'm just-" Could he say it? Nope. "I'm just really very busy lately, that's all. I hardly have enough time to think, much less-"

"Oh. So you don't have time for me anymore, is that it? You know, Percy, I don't have a lot of time either. But I *make* time. For you." She finished brusquely, her hair now tight behind her ears but still being tucked with a vengeance.

"I'm, that's not what I meant, honey, I just.... Well, to be truthful I've been having a hard time lately, but, well, it's kind of personal."

She made a noise through her nose which could have been easily interpreted as a snort of derision. "'Kind of personal'? Percy, I always told you everything. I even told you when I thought I was pregnant! And you can't tell me whatever this is?"

Percy lifted a finger and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "First, it was absolutely my business if you thought you were pregnant. Second, I'm doing this as a service to you. I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"That's another thing. How long has it been since we last had sex? If it's all the same to you, I would prefer the consummation of our relationship to be followed by a more loving and sharing spirit..."

Percy tuned out the last part of her tirade. He was more preoccupied by the first question. How long had it been? "Over four months," he interrupted.

"What?"

"It's been over four months since we last had sex."

Penelope looked ready to scream. She yanked handfuls of hair back behind both ears, and gasped in frustration. "You *never* pay attention to me anymore! I'm sick of this, I deserve better. Percy I. Weasley, I simply cannot put up with it any longer. I'm sorry, but we're through!' She stood up sharply, forcing her chair back with a loud scrape against the marble floor. Then she stomped off, tears threatening to fall down her flushed cheeks. She was not going to be able to talk to her now ex- boyfriend for a while.

Said ex let out an impossibly long sigh before slumping to the table, his fingers catching in his ginger hair as he leaned hard into his hand. "Oh God, what have I done?" He removed his glasses, feeling as usual for the slightest sign of moisture, the smallest indication of hope. No luck. "How I wish I could cry..."