8 April 2051

Percy and Audrey spent their fiftieth anniversary in Audrey's hospital room, with Molly and Lucy. Audrey had been ill for nearly six months by now, but in the last few weeks or so, it had gotten to the point where Percy couldn't care for her by himself.

Audrey was in excellent spirits, smiling and laughing. Anybody might have thought she'd just been in St. Mungo's for a quick stay, were it not for her pallor and rather emaciated appearance. That, and the absence of even Molly and Lucy's husbands and children. Their daughters seemed to know that Audrey would want this day for just the four of them.

"Tell us how you and Daddy met, Mum," Molly said, smiling at Audrey, who was propped up on pillows and holding Percy's hand tightly.

"Your favorite, ever since you were about five," Audrey laughed knowingly. She took a breath. "Well, my first day at the Ministry, I was going down a corridor, hurrying back to the Minister's office, when this red-haired man, completely absorbed—what were you reading, dear?"

Percy shrugged, shaking his head.

"Well, he knocked me down," she said, grinning at Percy.

"Only nearly," Percy said with a chuckle.

Audrey shook her head. "And then he looked down at me, very annoyed, and told me that I needed to get back to my desk if I expected to get anything done that day."

Molly and Lucy burst out laughing, and Audrey took a breath, meeting Percy's eyes and smiling. Percy lifted her hand to gently kiss her thin fingers.

"Sounds like you, Dad," Lucy teased, moving her chair closer to Audrey's bed.

"Well, she was causing an obstruction in a Ministry corridor," Percy joked, and Lucy laughed again. He looked up at Audrey. "Though I wasn't all that annoyed. I thought you were rather pretty."

"Oh, please," Audrey said, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "We barely looked at each other for three months."

"Just because you didn't look at me doesn't mean I didn't see you," Percy told her in a dignified voice, and Audrey blushed faintly.

"Oh!" Molly cried suddenly, digging around in her pocket. "I got—where—oh, here. I got a note from the boys for you two," she said, handing an envelope to her mother. Audrey beamed.

"Here, Percy, will you open it?" she asked. Percy's eyes met hers only briefly as he took the letter. Audrey settled back as Percy adjusted his glasses and read the letter from their youngest grandsons, a fifth- and sixth-year at Hogwarts. "'Dear Gran and Granddad, happy anniversary. We're busy studying for exams, but things are going well here. It's only been a few weeks since Easter holiday, but we miss you. It'll be summer soon, though, and we can't wait to see you both.'" Percy's voice faltered slightly, but he passed it off as a slight cough, pretending not to notice the way Audrey's hand tightened on his. "'Happy anniversary again, love, Percy and Thomas.'"

Audrey swallowed a slight lump in her throat, smiling at Percy as he folded up the letter. "Oh, tell them thank you for me, sweetheart," she said, leaning forward and reaching for Molly's hand. "I'm excited to see them, too." Molly nodded, smiling, but she was seemingly unable to speak. Audrey sat back, feeling a little tired, but unwilling to say it. She looked at Lucy, who was staring into space. "Lucy darling, tell me how Anna is. Does she like France so far?"

Lucy started, then smiled. "Loves it," she said. "She'll be back at the end of the week for a short stay, so we'll definitely come by and say hello."

"Oh, good," Audrey said eagerly, lying back. She looked around at the three people she loved most and smiled. "Lucky me, all these visitors."

Percy, Molly, and Lucy chuckled, but Audrey could feel in each of their hearts exactly what she felt in her own, and that seemed to take the humor away.

Late that afternoon, Percy came back into the hospital room after seeing the girls out. Audrey, who was lying down, totally exhausted and dozing lightly, watched him through half-closed eyes as he sat down beside her and picked up his book.

"Mm," she murmured, holding out her hand. "Come here."

"What?" Percy asked.

With great effort, Audrey pushed herself to the edge of the bed that was farther from him, and patted the empty space. "Come here," she said. She was so small now that there was plenty of room for Percy to climb in beside her.

"Audrey, I don't think that's—"

"Percy," Audrey said, raising her head slightly and meeting his eyes.

Percy paused for a moment rather nervously, but got up and seated himself on the bed next to her. He smiled, putting his arm around Audrey and helping her to lie against his shoulder. She sighed a little uncomfortably and closed her eyes.

"I got you a present," Percy said quietly, and Audrey looked sleepily up at him.

"Oh, Perce," she said, and Percy shrugged. He reached into his pocket and withdrew something small and square. Audrey frowned, lifting her head slightly as Percy drew his wand and tapped it.

"Engorgio," he murmured, and the little flat square began to expand, larger and larger, until Audrey saw that it was a framed photograph. Molly, Lucy, their husbands, Charlie and Lysander, and all three of Percy and Audrey's grandchildren—Thomas, Percy, and Anna—were gathered around the Christmas tree in the Burrow. Audrey could see herself seated in the midst of them, laughing with Percy, who was hugging her tightly.

Audrey felt a lump rise in her throat, and touched Percy's face in the picture. "It's beautiful, Perce, thank you," she said softly, feeling a few tears burn in the corners of her eyes. "I'm glad we took this, it wouldn't look nearly so nice now," she joked.

Percy squeezed her shoulders. "You're beautiful all the time, Audrey." Audrey held up her left arm before their faces. She could see her wedding ring dangling from the fourth finger of her painfully thin hand and sighed. Percy caught her arm, pulling it back and kissing her fingers. "Audrey, all that matters right now is this. You and I together. Our family. Nothing else, all right?"

Audrey blinked several times before she looked up at him and beamed. "Happy anniversary, Percy. I love you."

"I love you too," Percy smiled. "Happy anniversary."

And with the same wild, fervent energy that had filled her the first time she'd ever kissed Percy Weasley, Audrey pulled him close, smiling as their lips met.