I am SOOOOO sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I've been really busy lately, and hasn't been letting me log in. Please keep reading, I promise that the chapters will be coming regularly again. Enjoy, and remember to please REVIEW! Your comments are important to me:) Recommend this story to your friends too!
Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.
"Can't it wait till later? You're going to have to get back to Percy soon. Tell me while we walk back. Let's just enjoy this moment." He scooped me up in his arms and held me as we gazed at the moon and the stars.
For a minute, I actually contemplated not telling him. I really did just want to stand there in his arms, to let everything else just fall away. Why did this all have to be so complicated? I just wanted to be with him and not have to worry about Percy and everyone else. If any of them could just be us for 5 seconds, they would see we were really meant to be together.
So I stood there, in his arms, breathing into his chest and soaking in the moment. Maybe it would all turn out alright. Maybe breaking up with Percy would turn out even better than I thought. Maybe Oliver would decide we could just be together now and not have to sneak around.
So with those thoughts in mind, I blurted it out. I shattered the sweet peaceful silence around us. His body stiffened and his steady breathing stopped. Feeling that he was going to back away from me, I held onto him tighter as if it was going to be the last time I would ever have him in my arms.
"I'm sorry Oliver, it just happened. You know how he can be! I couldn't take it anymore. He's unbearable. He treats me like a child." Still, Oliver remained silent. "This is good though, isn't it? Don't you see? Now we don't have to sneak around behind his back. It's better this way. Right?" I stepped back, my arms still around him to see his eyes.
They looked distant and troubled. "Is it better, I suppose." he started slowly. "But we still can't be a common couple. If we turn up tomorrow, or even in a week from now, it would be too soon. You two were together for over a year. And I'm his best friend. It would destroy him."
I looked at the ground. He was right. We still would have to sneak around. No matter how much I despised everything Percy was a stood for, I didn't want to hurt him...at least not emotionally.
"I suppose you're right. But Oliver, I just couldn't bear him anymore. Are you mad at me? Please don't be." The last thing in the world I wanted was for him to be mad at me too. If I lost him, after all I went through to realize he was the one for me, I wouldn't be able to go on.
"I could never be mad at you." And with that, he held me against him again. I sighed into his chest and looked out at the pitch again. Would we ever be able to be something more than a whisper?
"We should probably get back." He started. "Filch might come around soon."
"Just a few more minutes. Please?" He feel silent and we watched the stars dancing. They were free, why couldn't we be? "Your first Quidditch match is next weekend. Are you nervous?"
"I have a feeling we'll do alright. Harry's been feeling a little under the weather, but he's never let me down before."
"You'll do great. You have the best team in the school."
"You're just saying that. Besides, we're playing Ravenclaw. Your house-mates wouldn't want to hear you talking like that."
"I won't tell if you don't." I couldn't help but smile. Not so much at the conversation, but that we were actually having a conversation. One that didn't break hearts or feel awkward.
"I promise not to. Come on, we have to go now. I have a feeling McGonagall already knows about our escapade our first night back, we can't risk anything else."
With that we headed down the stairs. His arm was around my waist, something Percy could never do. We walked with ease, and I leaned against him. I never felt so content, until Oliver stopped before turning the corner to the Head dorm.
"I should stop here, in case Percy is waiting. If he sees me, all hell will break loose."
"Alright, I'll see you soon." I stood on the balls of my feet to reach up and kiss his lips. "I love you."
He leaned forward and slipped his arms around me, turning the good-night kiss into something much more passionate. When we finally broke apart, I had to force myself to back away from him. I couldn't pry my eyes away till I turned my back around the corner.
I felt like I wanted to jump in the air and scream when I heard him call my name softly. I turned to see his head popping out from around the corner.
"I love you too." He blew me a kiss, winked, and was gone. My heart swelled, and wandered into the common room, completely unaware of the world around me.
As I got to the stairs however, I was jolted back into reality by Percy's chastising voice.
"And where exactly have you been? You know what, it's not even of importance. What is important is that you have been gone, after hours, for nearly 2 hours now. I know that it doesn't take that long to make your rounds. I know we quarreled earlier, but I figured that after at least a half hour you would have calmed down. Honestly, Penelope, you can be so childish." His hands were on his hips as he stared down at me. He still hadn't changed his tone of voice from earlier.
"You actually think that what I said earlier was just some common quarrel? Percy Weasley, I meant every single word I said earlier! I don't want anything to do with you anymore! We are over! Think back to everything I said to you earlier, and actually have it register in your mind this time! We are finished. I thought that a genius such as yourself could have gotten that through your thick skull by now." I pushed past him into my room. Slamming the door shut, I put as many locking spells as I could muster on it.
"Penelope, really, open this door now. If you don't, I will. Do you think that I can't get through these charms?" He yelled from the other side of the door.
"Percy, I swear, if you undo a single one of those locks, I will hex you into oblivion, and don't think I won't do it. You know perfectly well that I am capable of it too." That seemed to shut him up, because there was silence for a minute, until I finally heard his door shut on the other side of the hall.
I breathed a sigh a relief. I hoped that we wouldn't have to go through this every time we came into each other's presence. I didn't want to take a chance with another encounter, so I decided not to wash up and just put on pajamas.
Climbing into bed, I felt how hoarse my throat was becoming from all the shouting that had taken place. The next time I saw Percy, I would simply walk away.
Sleep came and went during the night. At first it came easily, the dawning of exhaustion sweeping over me quickly, but about an hour into my peaceful slumber, I could have sworn I heard Percy shouting a spell, and woke with a start. After that, I couldn't help but toss and turn. Soon I decided to just lay with my eyes closed, hoping that sleep with come over me in its own time.
After a while, I thought it had. The last thing I remembered was a cool breeze blow through my hair and against my cheek. Soon, the same dream that I had had that first night came over me. My wrists were above my head, pinned softly yet firmly against the pillow, and kisses were planted all along my collar. I moaned softly, enjoying the tingle of his lips against my skin, sucking in the sweet aroma that rose from him.
This time, however, the realization sunk in fast, and my eyes snapped open, revealing that this was no dream. I could barely see at first as my eyes adjusted to the dark, but soon his silhouette began to form, and finally, his features began to form outlines in the darkness.
"Now, that I know your style, Oliver, I won't have to worry about this being some ghost dream."
He smiled through his kiss that he planted firmly on my lips. This time, when he let go of my wrists, he allowed me to run my hands through his hair as he tenderly caressed my face and our lips met. There was nothing more perfect than him being here with me now.
His kisses were soft and tender, but soon we both grew desperate for each others touch, and they became harder, more passionate. We both wanted it to last forever, but night enclosed around us with each second, dawning the familiar feeling of sleep upon our eyes.
Oliver rolled off of me, and held me close against him. His fingers played through my hair as I stroke his face, staring into each others eyes.
"How did you get in here?" I whispered. Preforming all those spells to unlock my door would surely make some kind of noise, waking both Percy and I.
"The window. I always keep my broom in my room with me. I just stayed close to the castle wall and guided myself to your window." I closed my eyes and smiled. We would always find ways to be with each other, I suppose. Even if the world couldn't know about us, we would still find a way to make sure our love was as declared to each other as it was silent to everyone else.
His forehead rested against mine, and the sound of his breathing and the feeling of our bodies laying so close together, lulled us both into a relaxing sleep, with dreams of each other playing in our minds.