On Thursday, Percy entered his secretary's office looking a little worse for wear, having been stopped at least a dozen times to be asked if it were true. The first person had been strange, he'd note heard any newspaper broadcasts, TV broadcasts or read any newspaper articles since he'd woken up. He politely told Cindy that he and Mr Wood were simply old friends from school. She'd given him a disbelieving look and walked off. He'd told the same to everyone else but had found himself stuttering when the Minister himself had asked.

"Please tell me you've listened, seen or read some kind of media this morning" Bonnie peered at him pleadingly. Percy shook his head and she gasped slightly, he held out a hand to stop her.

"But I have heard.. It's been broadcasted that a mystery redhead from the ministry is being "Kept" by Oliver Wood" He rolled his eyes and she gave him a sympathetic look as he disappeared into his office, hanging up his cloak and jacket and put down his briefcase. He came out, wearing a black shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a pair of greyish blue jeans that just barely met the hem of his shirt. Bonnie nodded, watching as he loosed his blue tie and unbutton the top button before scratching his neck. His shirt rode up slightly

"Something wrong Mr Weasley?" Bonnie looked over at him, the man seeming to tense slightly.

"No.. well... you wouldn't happen to know somewhere where I could buy a lot of chocolate frogs from would you?" She quirked a brow, Percy rarely ate chocolate.. if he received any he'd usually take maybe one then pass them to Bonnie because she had more of a sweet tooth.

"Why, certainly, Would you like me to order some? Home delivery?" He gave a grateful nod.

"Do I take it these are for, by any chance, a meeting with a friend who likes chocolate frogs?" He shot her a look that clearly read "You know it" .She giggled.

"The may I suggest, sir, that you were an attire similar to what you are currently wearing.. that is, if he's a friend you'd like to be something more then a friend" She smiled innocently as he blushed, looking down at his outfit.

"You.. But.. I... I can't seduce Oliver Wood!" He looked so dismayed that she just had to laugh, it was too comical.

"Oh, Percy.. You wouldn't be seducing him.. just.. tempting him into making the first step" He shot her a quizzical look.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to explain it, sir. Now get inside, you have an appointment in ten minutes" Percy's eyes widened and he darted into his office, he needed to get all the files out and go over them. Bonnie just laughed, turning to look at her calendar for a few minutes. Oliver Wood certainly was handsome. She snapped herself out of her daydream and rang a friend in the sweet business, making an order and charging it to her own account, it would be her little present, to try and help things along.

Percy came out of his office a good few hours later, looking tired and bored out of his mind. Bonnie smiled as he turned for a moment and grabbed his jacket. He moved towards the hallway and paused, turning to her.

"Bonnie.."

"Yes?"

"Would you.. er.. would you like to come for dinner with me? my treat and all that?" She nodded, hiding her laughter and grabbed her own coat.

"I'd be delighted to, sir" It had been the first time he'd asked and she was happy to accept. Maybe people would ease up on Percy a little more if they saw him dining out with her.

Part way through dinner, Bonnie was struck with an idea.

"Red and black!" She gasped, dropping her fork. "Yes, red and black! perfect". Percy blinked at her, blushing as people glanced at them.

"Percy, you have black jeans right?" He nodded, she knew perfectly well he did, she'd told him about a pair she'd seen and said, rather forcefully, that he should buy them. He did of course, and wore them the next day.

"Great, were the tight blacks ones and you know that red shirt, the one with the black pattern across the shoulder that goes over the sleeve, around the back of the shoulders and down the chest with a white collar and cuffs?" He nodded "Wear those. You'd knock him dead". Percy just nodded, trusting her choice. "Wait! no! You need to bring them to the office tomorrow so I can make sure they're right.. Bring that blue and white striped rugby shirt too!" He nodded again and went back to his meal whilst she tried to imagine it in her mind.


Of course, the next day he brought the two shirts and pair of jeans, aswell as another pair that were light blue with frayed edges, rips and tears from the knee down. She had him try both out fits on, the red shirt with both pairs of jeans, the torn first, then the rugby shirt with the black jeans, then again with the torn jeans.

"Stop!" She bounced up, moving to where Percy stood near his door, looking sheepish and ready to bolt.

"You have sneakers right?" He nodded and her grin widened. She reached up and mussed his hair, opened the two buttons of his shirt and pushed the sleeves up to his elbow. She smiled and stepped back, gesturing to the small mirror across the room. He frowned uncertainly for a moment before going to look. He blushed and turned back to her.

"Percy, don't say anything.. just wear that and leave your hair messy tomorrow, ok?" He nodded and after a nervous glance at his feet, hugged her.

"You look gorgeous Percy, he'll like you"

"But I don't want to.."

"Seduce, him, yeah yeah, I know, but it's too late" Percy eyebrows shot up.

"What? But I .."

"You tried to keep your feelings hidden, I know.. but the guy so obviously likes you" She winked, pushing him towards the door.

"Now go get changed, you have an appointment with a Miss.." she trailed off, moving to check the schedule on her desk "Skeeter, in twenty"

"Skeeter? Rita Skeeter?" She looked for a moment before nodding.

"Oh Percy!" She gasped "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise.. she's that reporter isn't she?" He nodded grimly.

"I'll cancel it!" she darted towards the phone " Tell her you've had an emergency.. you had to take your dog to the vets" He eyed her for a moment.

"Bonnie, I don't have a dog"

"Oops?" She giggled nervously.

"Just leave it, If it's what I think it is then I'll just tell her.."


Thirty minutes later

"Miss Skeeter, There is nothing going on between myself and Oliver Wood. We are merely old friends who went to Hogwarts together"

"But you've been going out to dinner with him"

"Yes, friends tend to do that, Miss Skeeter"

"But didn't you two share a dorm for seven years?"

"Yes but.."

"By yourselves.. just the two of you?"

"Only for the last year!" Percy glared across at the woman

"That's nearly twelve months in a room, just two of you, all alone..."

"We were not alone all the time. I was head boy and students came to me for advice"

"I bet there were some uncompromising situations then"

"Miss Skeeter, I have told you at least twice that there is nothing between myself and one Oliver Wood. We are old friends, nothing more to it" She snorted and his glare darkened

"Please! Sources say you go to dinner at least three times a week"

"Friends"

"That's twelve dinners in a month Mr Weasley, and more"

"Miss Skeeter , I suggest that if you have nothing more to talk about that you leave. You don't seem to be able to get that I am not in a relationship with Mr Wood. If we were I'm sure we wouldn't be having dinner three times a week" He glared and the rose from his seat, walking briskly towards door.

"Oh.. you mean you'd be spending your dinner hour sha.."

"Miss Skeeter!" Percy barked at the woman, taking her by surprise. She smiled sweetly and walked out. She nodded towards Bonnie who was looking with concern towards Percy in the doorway.

Rita stopped.

"Oh.. nice calendar. Did your boss get his boyfriend to sign it?" Rita smiled innocently.

"No, actually. My friend got Oliver to sign it as a birthday present. He won a competition to meet the team" Bonnie smiled back, Rita growled and stalked out.

"You ok?"

"Yes.. just.. No one's noticed for three weeks that we've had dinner together, and now suddenly, people suddenly think we're a couple" He frowned and retreated to his room. Bonnie frowned and looked down at her schedule. She reached out for a quill and all-seeping ink, then scribbled across the corner of the page,

"Never allow Miss Rita Skeeter to have an appointment with Percy" She flipped through the pages to check it had worked and smiled as she saw the ink had worked, each page had the same words scrawled across the corner.


Author's Notes: Ok so it's a long one folks. The next chapter is shorter but you should like the end of it, but guess what! it doesn't end there! We'll have more mention of Miss Skeeter, some drunkeness, some kisses (and hickeys) and a few more chapters