Year One, Part Four: I took for Granted
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"Perce!" Oliver said jumping onto his friend's bed, accidentally sending the boys papers and ink on a first class trip to the floor. He managed to snag the ink, but the rest fell. His expression changed to one of dismay and he sighed. He was always doing that sort of thing.
On a broom he was king, on the ground he was a klutz.
"Sorry." He muttered, dropping to his knees.
"It's fine Oliver." Percy said smiling a little and brushing a strand of hair from his face. "I was about to take a break anyway, my eyes are burning again."
"Because you spend all day doing work and staring at that itty bitty print, like it's the most important thing in the entire world." Oliver said, gathering up the homework. "You should come hang out with the other kids with me."
"The other kids don't like me." Percy said, rolling on to his back so he could look his best friend in the eye. "I don't think they ever did."
"That's not true." Oliver said stubbornly, even though it was true and they had had this argument more times over the past month then anything Oliver had ever argued with anyone about before. They both knew something about Percy had turned off most kids instantly, though what it was neither was really sure of.
Oliver personally couldn't understand for the life of him why anyone would do anything less than adore Percy. They'd only known each other a few weeks and already they were best friends. Sure, Oliver had plenty of friends in every house, but Percy was his best and always would be.
Even if he did act years older than the rest of the kids. In Oliver's mind that was part of what made Percy so great, he always knew exactly what was going on and exactly what to do, but he never tried to force anyone to do anything.
"They think I'm stuck up and that I think I'm better then the rest of them." Percy rolled his eyes a little. Times like this he wished he had just ended up in Slytherin, because if he was in Gryffindor because he wanted love, then it just seemed stupid. Everyone here hated him.
At least in Slytherin that would be normal. Here he was a freak.
And a stuck up freak, which didn't make sense. Percy wasn't stupid after all; he knew that his family didn't have much except each other. He didn't think he could really be arrogant considering…apparently he was wrong though.
"Well-"
"And they think I've cast a spell on you, because why else would you even bother talking to me all of the time?" Percy added, ignoring Oliver. "I think I'm better off with my school work, it makes a lot more sense to me."
"But I want you to come out more." Oliver whined. Percy laughed.
"You sound like my little sister."
"I do not." Oliver said, ignoring the fact that he sounded a lot like his little sisters. "I just…wish you'd come out of here more."
"I know. Bill and Charlie say I should learn to bend more to other people's wills, and not be so 'stiff' all of the time." Percy sighed. "Maybe they're right."
"NO!" Oliver said loudly then looked at the ground flushing at the surprised look Percy graced him with. He hadn't meant to shout, but he really didn't like the idea of Percy changing for anyone else. "Percy, I already told you, anyone who can't like you the way you are isn't as smart as you and I are, because you're you and I know that you're perfect."
Percy flushed. "You're really weird you know that?"
"Well, yeah, but you love me that way don't you?" Oliver grinned cheekily.
"Yes Oliver, of course." Percy said, not able to stifle his happy smile. "All right, what did you want me to come and do with you?"
Oliver had once again won him over. It was hard for Percy to not give in to everything Oliver asked of him
"Watch the team practice with me?" Oliver asked.
"Sure." Percy rolled out of his bed and grabbed his robe. "Do you think you'll try out next year?"
"No way." Oliver turned pink. "I'm no where near good enough to play on the team."
"Sure you are." Percy said, wrinkling his nose like he always did when he was amused. "No one in third year or lower is better on a broom or understands the game better then you do."
"You think?" Oliver asked, turning a dark shade of pink, bordering on red. They stopped talking for a moment as they walked through the common room then went through the portrait hole. They didn't talk much in front of other people.
Something about being the first friend either had made in Hogwarts made them want to keep their friendship away from the prying eyes of others.
"No, I'm just saying that for lack of anything better to do." Percy didn't even bother to roll his eyes. There it was again, the way Percy seemed so much older than anyone else. He said things and made jokes that other kids just didn't get.
Sometimes Oliver didn't get them, to be honest.
"Sometimes you're a giant idiot." Percy concluded.
"I know." Oliver said dismissively. "Sometimes you're a big know-it-all."
Percy stopped and turned around, looking stricken. "I am?"
"Yeah, but never around me, if that's what you're worried about."
Percy bit his lower lip. "I don't mean to be that way."
"Well…it's not that bad and you only do it with the people who deserve it."
"Oh."
"Stop sulking Percy!" Oliver commanded, glaring at him. Percy shrank back and Oliver's glare intensified. "I mean it, there is nothing wrong with you, anyone who says there is, is a wanker and I'll kick their ass, understand?" Percy nodded and Oliver smiled sweetly. "Good. Let's hurry up before they start."
"You know, I think they have a name for what's wrong with you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. ADHD." Percy smirked at the confused look the brunette had on his face. "I'll explain it to you later. I read it in a book I found."
"If you say so." Oliver said, already dismissing it. He may very well forget about it by morning. "Are you staying for Christmas?"
"Maybe. You?"
"Yeah. My mom's busy and can't have me home right now." Oliver said, frowning a little bit. Percy had noticed that Oliver always seemed to get sad and quiet when he talked about his family, but was always eager to hear about the Weasley family.
Percy didn't know why, he thought his family was pretty embarrassing.
"Well…you could come home with me if I go." He offered, tilting his head off to the side. "I think we'd be glad to have you, my mum loves having people over. And Charlie's bringing his girlfriend home, so my parents are so happy they'll say yes to just about anything."
Oliver stared at Percy, looking as if he'd just said something outrageous. Percy stopped walking and stared at his friend, wondering what was going on. Was it something he'd said?
Then Oliver nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'd like that. Thanks Perce."
"No need. It'll be fun." Percy said, smiling again. He'd never had anyone over to his house before…or at least no one to visit him, except for cousins and they didn't really count, since he didn't really like any of them. But he wasn't allowed to tell them that, Mum said family was family and you had to be nice to them no matter what.
Percy thought that was a stupid idea. If they didn't like him, than why should he act if he liked them? It wasn't like he saw them more than once a year. He said as much to Oliver, who turned and stared at him as if he'd suddenly grown another head.
"What?"
"Nothing Perce it's just…you're kind of weird, you know?"
"Gee, Oliver, thanks." Percy deadpanned. Again Oliver just looked at him oddly and with a start Percy realized he was going 'it' again. So much for never doing it with Oliver. He didn't know how to shut it off, but it was certainly a pain in the arse.
"I don't mean bad weird you know, just weird weird. Percy weird. The things you say and not you know what you know about stuff…others kids don't get it. I don't get it a lot of the time."
Percy nodded then stopped walking. "I don't think I want to go outside right now."
Oliver frowned, clearly taken aback. Percy didn't blame him, up until this moment Percy had never refused Oliver anything, no matter how much he didn't want to do it. But right now he really…just wasn't in the mood.
"I have work to do."
"You do not!" Oliver looked totally shocked now. "Percy, you never have homework, you get it all done weeks in advance or else you have a fit." Then he frowned, worrying his bottom lip while Percy blushed, embarrassed to be caught in a lie. "If you don't want to go, fine, but you shouldn't lie about it."
"I…I'm sorry Ol."
"Sure." Oliver muttered.
"I am."
"So you'll go?"
"No. I just…I don't want to be with you right now." Percy knew the moment the words left his lips they'd been the wrong thing to say. "I don't mean-"
"Its okay." But it wasn't and Percy could see it. "You don't have to be with me if you don't want. I can find someone else to watch the practice with."
With that Oliver walked off, hands shoved into his robes and his head bowed.
He watched, worrying his bottom lip between his teen then shook his head and trudged back to the dorm feeling the eyes of the other students on him as he walked through the common room. They were probably wondering why he'd come back without Oliver. Rumors would start about he'd driven even Oliver away from him and was a horrible person, but he found he didn't particularly care at the moment. Normally the idea would be horrifying, but today…it was nothing.
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Mugs: Aww...don't throw things at Ron! I mean, sure he's a bit of a pain in the arse...hmm.... nevermind. Ignore me. Throw away. And really I don't know why I didn't like it exactly. Mabe it was just a bit...awkward to get into Oliver's head. Which is weird because he isn't supposed to be that damn complex. Stupid Oliver and his damn character development.
Curious: Well I'm glad you liked your first glance at the Wood family. They aren't that important until the second/third year tales start to come out. Something to look forward too, ne? And Bill's very funny. I love Bill. I need a boyfriend like Bill.
PW: ...I'd like to say things get happier for Oliver but...well. I'd be a liar and since lying is one of Oliver's pet peeves and I so hate to have the muses mad at me...I won't say that. LOL. That made no sense...
Angel: If you think that was painful wait until I get around to writing the Christmas chapter. Lots of sweetness.
Brien: I can't wait to see where this is going either. Would you believe this started out as a four page one-shot and some how became a (at present) twenty chapter series?
Sheepgomeep: Bill is the greatest, I must confess.
