Percy loved working at Olivanders, Olivander valued his thoughts on the design of new wands and he carefully explained the process of wand making clearly. He loved libraries so being in a place similar to it with heavy tomes on material and files on every wand sold. Plus the slightly cramped towering shelves of wands we fascinating.
Percy had been working for Olivander for a few months now, working hard on his skills to design and create a wand. Today, he'd finished his first wand, a dragon heartstring made of Elm with twisting leaf designs on it.
Percy chewed on his lip as Olivander examined it, the man took his time. Looking at every inch of it and feeling it with his fingers before he nodded "marvelous work, dragon heartstring and Elm make a very nice combination for dueling. This is very strong and leafs make for a delicate touch, perhaps this one will be put in the hands of a future auror" Olivander said.
"You mean?" Percy's heart jumped into his throat, Olivander chuckled.
"Yes, my boy, it is good enough to be sold, more than enough" he added.
"Thank you, sir" Percy beamed.
"Thank you for being such a wonderful apprentice, now that I can trust you to make wonderful wands I'd like you to memorize my own wands. So you know their cores and materials" Olivander mentioned.
"Of course," Percy agreed, knowing the core of a wand is a magical intuition that could be learned which Percy had begun to learn but the wood had to be observed and memorized.
"We'll start that tomorrow, I want you to put this wand in a box and we'll make your magical signature. Your first wand is a special thing after all" Olivander said. Percy nodded and took the magic quill wrote his signature out and it imprinted itself on the box. "We'll put this on the shelves then," he said.
The rest of the day was full of Percy working on designs, rearranging shelves, helping with wand repairs and things. By the end, it was night time and Percy said goodbye to Olivander and left for home.
Percy picked up some fish and chips for himself and a chicken salad for Oliver since it was Quidditch season. He found Oliver on the couch asleep, he set the food on the table and walked to the bedroom.
He took off his slacks, shirt, shoes, and socks and put on some athletic shorts and changed into a t-shirt. He walked back to the couch where Oliver was still sleeping and smirked to himself.
He straddled Oliver's sleeping form and kiss his lips, Oliver kissed back still in his sleep. Percy run his hand through Oliver short hair as he broke the kiss "Olly" Percy said and Oliver chose then to open his eyes.
"God, you're so beautiful, I need sunglasses" Oliver mumbled and Percy flushed, he loved waking Oliver like this. Oliver took at least a minute to process anything after he woke up. It also meant he had no filter.
"Quidditch really knocked you out then?" Percy said, getting up off of Oliver as his boyfriend sat up and looked blearily at his feet. "Move em" Percy moved Oliver's feet so he could sit on the couch.
He took off his container lid for fish and chips and ate a fry as Oliver scrubbed his face. "You brought food?" Oliver asked.
"Chicken salad" Percy nodded and Oliver groaned in forlorn, Percy picked up a fry and held one out for Oliver. He leaned in and opened his mouth. Percy rolled his eyes and stuck it in his mouth. "I also have a cookie for you, sugar-free but they are good" Percy added.
"I love you," Oliver said, kissing Percy's cheeks five times.
"I love you too" he added, Oliver kiss him again, this time on his lips. It was tender peck not meant to lead into anything except to show his affection. Oliver then broke it and dug into his salad "hey, do you… want to get married?" Percy asked.
Oliver choked then and coughed, he set his food down and opened the waterbottle Percy had set on the table along with the salad and downed it. After he'd stopped coughing he looked at Percy "we've been dating five months, Percy" he said, coughing again before clearing his throat.
"Well that doesn't mean anything, we've known each other for twelve years at least. We're twenty-five and I've had a crush on you for around that long," Percy said.
"But after only five months?" Oliver asked "you're serious?" he said, Percy was still on the couch, his blue eyes blazing as he turned in his seat to face him directly.
"As a heart attack, c'mon Olly we live together like we've always done it. My family treats you like my husband already. Every time I go over their like "where's Oliver?" Do you not love me like that?" Percy asked, his voice breaking only a little as he doubted himself.
"No, I would absolutely like to marry you," Oliver said without thinking and he was surprised to find it was true. The idea of having Percy always was making his head go to cloud nine. "Merlin, you don't hesitate anything, do you?"
"Mum and dad got married after three months," Percy added, looking down at his hands which were so beautifully pale and thin. They'd look better with a ring on one of his fingers.
"Seriously?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"Mum said that when she met dad and started dating him she just knew, she said to follow my instincts and everything about me wants you and that's it. So?" Percy said, he gripped the couch he sat on tightly to settle his nerves.
"Yes, do you think any jewelry shops are still open?" Oliver asked and Percy blinked. Oliver's heart was going crazy, he had never thought that Percy would ever say something like this. But he also felt it was right, he could imagine a life with Percy, from boring days of just sitting on the couch to date nights.
"Now?" Percy asked.
"Yes, we're getting rings right now," Oliver said taking Percy's hand "you got to ask first but I'm damn sure that I'm the one who'll go down on one knee," he said.
"Wait, Oliver, I'm not dressed properly for this" Percy protested.
"Well then put on something because we're getting rings tonight," Oliver said, grinning. Percy went to the bedroom and came out wearing jeans and a collared cobalt blue shirt.
Oliver took Percy by the wrist and pulled him to his chest and apparated "now who's in a rush?" Percy murmured.
"I want a ring so people know I'm yours, tomorrows Saturday so we'll go over to the Burrow and announce it," Oliver said and Percy flushed. Oliver pulled him into the jewelry shop.
"Can I help you?" a witch in royal blue robes asked.
"We just got engaged" Oliver explained.
"Congratulations, I'll show you our collection then?" she asked.
"Please," Percy said, they took a long time to agree on metal, if they wanted precious stones and type. Finally, they both agreed on a silver set with a small inset ruby in the center.
"I'll pay," Oliver said once they'd decide that they wanted that.
"What but I was the one who asked?" Percy said.
"But I'm the one to get down on one knee," Oliver said.
"Oh for the love of" Percy sighed "fine, you pay this but the wedding ceremony is on me," he said.
"If I get to pay for the reception" Oliver grinned.
"So you are fine with the whole works?" Percy asked.
"Pretty sure Mrs. Weasley would chew me out if we didn't do all the bells and whistle for her second son to get married's wedding. She loves that stuff, doesn't she?" Oliver asked.
"See? Your family already" Percy said then paled "oh no, we have to invite your parents over on Saturday too."
"I'll owl them the second we get home," Oliver said and signed the paper and placed his first payment of their rings on the table. They walked down the street of Diagon Ally
"This is happening really fast," Percy said.
"That's what I said" Oliver laughed "but I'm fine with it, Percy you're it. We argue and tease each other, your hot as hell, and the only reason I never noticed until now is that you got it in your head you had to be something you aren't."
"That was stupid, wasn't it? I wanted to Minister of Magic but not after everything I've been through," Percy said, running a hand through his slightly longer hair.
"Even at Hogwarts, your sass rivaled anyone else's though, why do you think I liked to hang out with you so much?"
"Honestly, it was of the mysteries of my years at Hogwarts, we were nothing alike and I was never a fun person to hang out with" Percy shrugged.
"It's because you were so… sassy and I dunno, I was just attracted to your wit and how sometimes you let that faqade fall and you would get drunk with me," Oliver flushed then took out the ring and got down one knee. "Percy, will you marry me?" he said.
"Yes," Percy said offering his hand and Oliver slipped the perfectly fitted ring on his finger. "Now let me put on yours" he added. Oliver stood and handed him his own box with his ring and Percy slipped his on then kissed his hand.
"What a weird day" Oliver said "we left our food" he added.
"I'm not hungry anymore," Percy shrugged, holding Oliver's hand tightly "my heart's too full," he said.
Oliver swung their hands as they walked down the street "this is like some romantic comedy know?" he said.
"I like those, gives you more faith in humanity that way," Percy said, "how are we going to tell my parents?"
"I say we just put our hands out with our fingers and let them figure it out," Oliver said, Percy smirked.