Audrey was an angel, Percy had decided. An angel sent down to watch over him. He didn't know exactly what he did to deserve such a blessing, but he was far too selfish to deny himself her comfort and patience.
Even if she was a bit of a nutter.
Within two weeks, his life had changed into something unrecognizable. A whole other world had been opened up to him and he found himself enjoying the vast majority of it.
He learned that Audrey was shamelessly and unapologetically what muggles called a stripper. She got up on stage in nothing but her underwear and danced for men. Maybe at one time, Percy might have turned his nose up at such a profession, but if anything, he found himself admiring her confidence in herself. He wondered if there was a time that he felt good about himself, but he couldn't remember.
She also loved the moving drawings on the telly called cartoons and animated movies. Especially if they had the word Disney. So far, Percy had watched Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Snow White, Toy Story, Cinderella and The Fox and the Hound.
The Fox and the Hound absolutely did not make him tear up. He did not sniffle when the old lady had to abandon her beloved pet in the forest.
And he and Audrey were absolutely not bawling messes when the two best friends had to say goodbye forever.
Audrey had books on all sorts of subjects Percy had never even heard of. Muggle fantasy tales and urban legends. Children's fairy tales and huge books about paint and clay and pastels. They were scattered in piles around the house. Percy's OCD tendencies kicked into overdrive and one day she came home to everything neatly organized and polished clean.
Within a few days, she'd managed to mess everything up again. But Percy found he didn't mind. He just cleaned again. And on and on they danced.
When she brought him books on muggle history and science, he'd been rendered speechless. He spent the rest of the day looking through them, and found the muggle world was far more sophisticated then wizards could ever imagine.
Another thing about Audrey that Percy had grown to enjoy were her paintings. The various paintings ranged from soothing and nice, to rather horrifying. There was a black and grey painting of a skull with flowers growing out of it. Next to it was a painting of a cracked egg with a snake winding around it.
His favourites were the ones featuring magic creatures.
Can never go back...
They made him feel a bit more at home in such a strange world.
Audrey's studio quickly became Percy's favourite place. Audrey spent a lot of free time painting, and Percy was content to sit in an armchair and watch her, sometimes for hours at a time. It was like the brush strokes were hypnotizing. He was able to watch and let his mind go blissfully quiet; to not think about anything or any of the people that were constantly lurking in the back of his mind.
As far as he was concerned, the only world that existed was this little muggle home in this little muggle trailer park. Population: three. That was all he needed right now. All he could handle.
"Hey Percy," she said, slipping into the kitchen.
He looked up from his cornflakes, and nearly choked. Audrey's hands were tucked behind her back. Her arms were coated in drying mud. He raised an eyebrow questioningly at her beaming face, all pearly white teeth and dimples.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," she said, a tremor of excitement in her voice.
Confused, Percy did as he was told. He didn't know what he expected. Maybe a new type of muggle treat or a brand new book (in hindsight that was a stupid guess. With her hands covered in muck and all...).
When something thin, and made of wood, and painfully familiar was pressed into his hand, and warm energy rippled through him, Percy's eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping his lips. His fingers closed around something he hadn't allowed himself to believe that he'd ever see again. Other than a couple scratches and a bit stained with dirt, his wand was in perfect working condition. He looked up at Audrey speechless.
She seemed to bounce slightly, her grin widening. "I went looking for it this morning. I knew it still had to be there."
Without even thinking about what he was doing, Percy jumped up from his seat. Audrey let out a startled yelp as he flung his arms around her neck, burying his face in her hair. Thin arms wrapped around his waist and she laughed slightly.
"Like it?"
Merlin... That was the biggest understatement of the century. A lump formed in his throat as he clutched his wand tightly in his hand. He was a wizard again. He would no longer be fumbling around in a confusing world, barely able to take care of his most basic needs.
"Thank you," he murmured. "Thank you."
To his surprise, she pecked him on the cheek and pulled back slightly so they were eye to eye. "I'm glad you like it. I hadn't known whether I'd find it in one piece or not. Does it still work?"
He let his magic answer for him. With a flick of his wand (how amazing that was. He'd never take his magic for granted again) the mud and dirt that coated her disappeared. She looked startled for a moment, but it was replaced by a look of awe.
Her round eyes were a deep brown, the colour of dark chocolate. Her curls framed her petite face, and fore the first time, he noticed the freckles that dotted her cheek. She was so different from anyone he'd ever met. Happy with such a simple life. Completely confident with who she was. She was everything he wasn't. Chaotic, bouncy, disorganize, and sometimes immature but in a good way.
He didn't think twice when he kissed her. He somehow knew that that was the right thing to do.