This chapter contains brief, non-graphic descriptions of consensual acts of intimacy. I fully intend to keep this story at a "T" rating, but my characters are young adults and sex and sexuality are a large part of growing, maturing, and learning.
16 Weeks After The Final Battle
Percy swung by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes after work, and was pleased to see Fred at the front of the store, restocking shelves. He wasn't using his walker today, just a cane.
"Hi Percy!" Alicia greeted, appearing from the backroom.
"Hi Alicia, hello Fred," Alicia offered Percy a quick hug, "Fred, let me grab you another box of Daydream Charms. We've been selling an awful lot of them, lately,"
"Alright. Save me one, will you? Backpack. Pocket."
"Put it in your backpack?" Alicia repeated. Fred nodded, "Will do," Alicia disappeared.
"Daydream charms. My finest invention," Fred winked conspiratorially at Percy.
"Why Daydream charms?"
"Well, if you. The activation incantation. Change a little. You can have a...pretty good dream, if you know what I mean," Fred wiggled his eyebrows. Percy fought to keep the blush off his face.
"Good to know, Fred,"
"Add the word Priapio. To the end. Works every time,"
"Good to know, Fred," Percy repeated. Alicia reappeared, and Percy lost his fight to keep from blushing. Alicia, thankfully, did not comment.
"Percy, Alicia and I have picked a date for the wedding. October 4th. We'll be married at 2pm or so, still working out the exact details. We'll put invitations in the mail next week, so look for that,"
"Sounds good," Percy had been researching what, exactly, it took to be a wedding officiant. In the wizarding world, it was thankfully simple. There were a few spells, and some paperwork. And he'd have to figure out what he wanted to say to start and end the ceremony. Which would, likely, entail hours of stress and even more research and probably asking Hermione to proofread it.
He hoped Hermione would be back in time. She'd initially said a month, but the process to move internationally was long and complicated, made even more complicated by needing to comply with both muggle and magical legalities.
"Where's George?" Fred asked, "It's almost closing time,"
"He and Verity are in the back," Angelina came over to join them, "They said they were 'making inventory', but if you ask me, they're 'making' something entirely different," Again, Percy blushed.
"Of course they are," Alicia chimed in, "When are they going to tell your mum about the two of them, Fred?"
"They're waiting. But soon. Mum tends to go a little nuts with our girlfriends," Fred nodded to Percy, "Not Hermione, though,"
"Hermione's known our family for so long, that's probably why. Mum's only met Verity a handful of times," Mum tended to be...overbearing was probably the kindest word for it, around the people that her children dated. Hermione and Harry were possibly the only exceptions, given that they'd been friends of the family for years before either of them became significant others.
"If they wait until after Hogwarts starts, at least it'll be less busy around here," Hogwarts students were going back to school in a few days, and the store had been packed with students trying to get last minute prank shopping in.
"True," Angelina went back to the counter to assist the last customers of the day. Alicia took the now empty box of product, and Fred moved to sit down on a stepstool nearby. Percy transfigured another empty box into a chair, and sat down with Fred.
"Got a question, Percy," Fred said, speaking in a low voice.
"Sure, what is it?"
"I want to take Angelina out. Our anniversary. But I don't want to tell Mum."
"Okay, when?"
"Friday night. You can pick me up and take me?"
"Sure, Fred," Percy's Friday night was going to be boring and quiet, anyhow, "We can pretend I'm taking you to a muggle movie or something,"
"Yeah," Fred smiled, "Angelina doesn't know, not yet,"
"Are you going to ask her soon?" Today was Wednesday.
"Yeah. After work," Fred lowered his voice, "I'm a little nervous,"
"Nervous about what, Fred?"
"Well. We were together before. You know. Together," Fred's emphasis on the word told Percy exactly how close they'd been, "But not since I was hurt. And I know I can. It can...it works. I know it does. But I'm. Nervous. You know?" Fred's halting sentences were vulnerable, and had the edge of a nervous teenager that Percy was surprised at.
It took Percy a moment to figure out what to say. He didn't have a whole lot of experiences to go off of that were particularly helpful for this situation. But he found a few words, after a moment.
"It's okay that you're nervous. I think Angelina will probably be nervous, too. But if you're honest with each other, and patient, it'll be okay. Angelina loves you, remember?" Angelina had been to visit Fred frequently when he was in the hospital, but she'd chosen to avoid visits when Mum was around. Percy didn't know how long they'd been together, but it was clear they cared about each other deeply.
"Thanks, Percy," Fred said. Percy saw that Fred's cheeks were a little red. Just like mine, after talking so much about sex, Percy thought.
That night, Percy, slowly, pulled the Daydream Charm out of his closet. It was a small, marble-sized bubble filled with a soft lavender gas. The activation was simple: flatten the bubble between your palms and state the activation incantation within 5 seconds.
Fred and George's instructions and description of the product were straight forward. The charm left the user aware of their surroundings, but the more you allowed yourself to tune into the images, the more pleasant the experience.
It would last 20 minutes, unless the user's name was said within earshot. This was no doubt a failsafe, meant to keep students in class from getting in trouble for daydreaming. There was also a list of ingredients, magical and muggle, and a warning about not using more than one charm per day, or trying to apparate or fly a broom while under the influence of the charm.
Percy was more than a little curious about what Fred had told him earlier in the day. He double-checked that his door was locked before he decided he was indeed curious enough to, carefully, flatten the bubble beneath his hand and murmur the spell, adding Fred's recommended word: priapio. The lavender gas released from the bubble, spreading out from under his fingers and dissipating quickly. It smelled a little bit of vanilla. Percy felt his eyes grow heavy, and he closed them, drifting off.
In the dream, Percy walked slowly down the path to the beach. It was dusk. There was a picnic blanket waiting on the sand, illuminated by moonlight.
Hermione was there in the dream, and Percy embraced her. For several long moments, everything was warm and she fit perfectly in his arms. The waves washed on the sand. There was music, soft music, playing from somewhere that Percy could not see.
Dream Percy led Hermione to the picnic blanket. They lay down, gazing up at the stars together, her head pillowed on his chest.
And then they were kissing. Kissing, and kissing, and kissing. Hermione rolled on top of him, just the way she had on their last night at home together. Percy's hands found their way around her back, fingers dipping beneath the hem of her shirt as they had before.
Percy was aware enough of his senses to know that this wasn't real, but damn, did this feel amazing. Not as good as the real Hermione, but wow.
The dream changed, slightly. Hermione climbed up off of him, and stood, silhouetted by the moon. She turned and walked toward the ocean. She peeled her shirt off, and then her pants to reveal a bathing suit, a muggle style bikini. He stood and pulled off his own shirt and pants, following her to the water.
They stepped into the ocean together, and the water was warm. They continued to walk further into the water together, feeling the waves push and move their bodies in a gentle rhythm.
The water was up to Percy's chest when he stopped. He reached for Hermione's hand and pulled her to him. She used the water's boost to wrap her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and they returned to kissing, faster this time, rocked by the waves. His hands explored the skin of her back. The waves rocked them, and her hips pressed into his again and again.
Percy felt his heart rate pick up. His hand drifted down to his stomach, then further down, to his waistband. Then...further down.
Oh. Ah. Just...there.
The daydream was starting to fade, details becoming less clear. Percy pulled his mind from the dream, and instead turned to his own memories of Hermione.
Oh. OH. OH!
Several minutes and one hastily applied cleaning charm later, Percy knew he'd never be able to live it down if Fred ever asked if Percy took his advice about the daydream charm.
He instead turned to pick up Hermione's book from his nightstand. Hermione had written, telling him about her day, an update about her mum, who was doing really well. He wrote back, telling her about his work day and his visit to the shop (sans any mention of sex), Fred's upcoming date with Angelina, and Alicia and Penny's wedding date.
I miss you, he wrote, ending the letter, it's not the same here without you.
Letter written, Percy set his alarm for the next morning, and fell asleep quickly.