I've Changed, I Really Have

By Moony

Yay! Hope you saw my new fic, titled 'Does Hurt Ever Go Away?' about Ginny Weasley! –Moony

Chapter 4

Percy began to protest as Penelope pulled him in.

"But I don't dance!" he spluttered.

"You do now," Penelope said.

"I haven't danced with a partner for a year!"

"Well, then you can hone in on your dancing skills. Come on, I know you're a good dancer."

"I am not going to dance."

"Yes you are."

"I'll look ridiculous!"

"So? Who cares? Do you think anybody in here's gonna give a damn if you look ridiculous? Do you think they're gonna say to your face that you look ridiculous? And if they do, do you seriously care what that stupid idiot has to say? Why do you care about what other people say about you? Huh? Huh? Do you think it really matters? Loosen up! Just let go! Do what you want, and care less what everyone says about you Percy. It's called life. Now, you are going to dance and enjoy yourself. All right? Let's go."

Without another word, Penelope pulled him to the floor.

"Know how to tango?" Penelope asked as the music began to play.

"Oh no, I am not – "

Too late. Penelope had already led him into a fast tango. She was steering, and Percy could only follow. He felt his face grow red. He had only just met Penelope again the day before yesterday, and already she was going to dance with him? Was this really the Penelope he had dated a year ago? Percy imagined how ridiculous he looked. Oh man, if Fred and George or Ginny or Ron saw this, they would torture him!

For the first time, the thought of his family didn't give him a sinking feeling.

"You're doing good!" Penelope said.

"Really?" Percy asked in disbelief.

"Yeah!"

Percy turned his head to look. Some people had stopped dancing to watch them. Percy wanted to impress them, and make them say, "Wow, look at that young man!" It was an odd feeling… he hadn't had that feeling since the row, when he wanted to impress his father.

He looked at Penelope's face and tried to conentrate.

Step, step, step, step, close… step, step, step, step, close…

"Wow, Percy, and you were telling me you couldn't dance?" Penelope asked, beaming.

Percy smiled. He hadn't smiled like that for a long time. It was a genuine smile, a smile from the heart. He had wanted to smile. He felt a sensation he had not felt for one year… he felt happy. He was enjoying himself.

Penelope was right. This was good for him. At last the music stopped, panting, they stepped out for refreshments.

"That was great Percy!" Penelope said.

"I dunno what just happened. I felt happy. It was so different, I even thought of how ridiculous my siblings would have told me I looked, and it didn't make me sad like when I used to think about my family…"

But now that the dance had been replaced by a slow ballard, Percy felt his heart sinking again. Would someone ever love him enough to dance a ballard with him? Slowly, romantically, the music playing all around, like those scenes in movies? Would he ever be a lucky man with a girl dancing like that?

He looked at Penelope. She was a good friend, but Percy did not think she would ever dance a slow ballard with him. Especially with her marriage gone all bad…

"Wanna dance to this?" Penelope asked, after gulping down some punch.

Percy shook his head. He didn't want to dance anymore.

"N-no. I'm tired," Percy murmured.

"Ok… say, let's go stop for ice cream!" Penelope said, jumping up.

"What!" Percy was nearly jumped straight into the ceiling.

Ice cream! Was Penelope out of her mind? Couldn't she see that he wanted some quiet? But he tried to remember the last time he had had ice cream… it was a long time ago, come to think of it. Perhaps when he was what, ten? Ever since he entered Hogwarts, he was dedicated to law enforcement! He had not time to eat such a silly, sticky, sweet treat. He wondered what it tasted like. He couldn't remember. Was it milky? He knew it was definitely sweet, and cold…

"Ice cream, Perce, ice cream," Penelope said patiently, as if she were talking to a four-year-old.

"I – oh all right."

Penelope smiled gleefully and they hurried out of the room into the dark alleyway. Once again, Penelope led him through twists and turns until they were in Diagon Alley. The wizards and witches in bright colored robes and the shops were very warming and familiar to Percy, and he felt more comfortable.

They went along with the crowd and walked into Aphrodite's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a cute little shop, with small tables inside and tables outside with bright colored umbrellas over the tables. Everywhere, small children and parents and couples were enjoying delicious ice cream. Not only was there ice cream, there was also coffee and cake, as well as doughnuts. Percy usually ordered doughnuts from the parlor, but today, he did not want any doughnuts. Today he wanted to taste the sweet, cold ice cream on his tongue again. His first ice cream in ten years.

Penelope and he stood in line. When it was almost their turn, Penelope asked,

"What flavor do you want? Mint? Peach? Rocky road? Cookies and cream? Blood? Lemon?"

Percy was dismayed by all the favors available.

"Isn't there… vanilla?" he asked, remembering from a long time ago.

"Oh come on, don't be so plain!" Penelope teased.

Percy stared at all the buckets full of different types of ice cream, all different colors, all different tastes…

"Oh all right… I'll have, that…"

He pointed at a bucket with chocolate ice cream, with huge chunks of chocolate.

Penelope hurried up to the counter.

"Two rocky roads please!" she said.

"Cones or bowls?" the plump lady there asked.

"Sugar cones. And add some sprinkles and nuts if you please."

"Twelve sickles."

Penelope fished out the silver and placed it on the counter.

"Oh, you don't have to pay for it all, Penny, I have money," Percy said, digging in his pockets.

"Don't worry about it Percy, it'll be my treat."

Percy nodded meekly. What in the world had gotten into the shy, quiet, loving girl he had dated so long ago? She was much more… peppy. Percy wasn't sure whether he liked it or not. She was much more fun and talkative. On the other hand, she wasn't Percy's type.

The cones came and Penelope pulled him out into the streets.

"We can shop while we eat."

Percy was ready to take a lick. A first lick of ice cream in ten years.

"All right, but wait."

He was going to stand still to cherish the moment. He stuck his tongue out, and licked. Sweetness hit him, but it was cold, creamy and melted on his tongue withs sweetness. It wasn't the sugary sweet, but it was the creamy type. The coldness numbed part of his tongue, and his teeth felt frozen when some of it touched. It was a delightful feeling, a feeling of childhood and happiness blended into one.

"Done yet? Let's go!" Penelope asked.

They went into every single store and bought something from every single store. At long last, they hurried back to Percy's home, shopping bags full of products. Percy sat down on the couch and took out the things he had bought one by one. He laughed at everything. He had never bought things like this before!

A snowglobe, a clock, a mirror, kitchen utensils… much useless baubles. But it had been a fun day. Tango dancing, ice cream, shopping and buying… who knew Penelope was great at making the misery in his heart loosen?

And he had only just met her again yesterday…

"I'm going to go Perce, see ya round."

"Wait, give me your – "

But she had already apparated away, leaving Percy completely alone in his empty apartment. The room began to grow silent, and the misery started to flood back. But Percy stared at the items all around him, and he smiled. He turned on the TV, and this time, he actually paid attention to the story.

Perhaps he was changing…