Things had all happened quite fast for Percy Weasley. He liked to take life slowly and get all his work done on time and make sure that everything was as normal as possible.

Well, that was how he had liked life to be, but that was before he met the secretary. It had been a whole year since Audrey had started to work for him and now… well, now something had changed. Something in the very darkest reaches of Percy's mind had turned and was gradually snaking through the whole of Percy's being. And it all started with that secretary.

For what it's worth; they were good friends. Audrey was quite possibly the best friend he'd ever had. Not that he'd ever admit it to her.

Audrey Witherspoon had never liked the quiet life. She'd been born and brought up in a city. She was J-walking by the time she was eight. And she never liked to just watch the world go by while she sat around and did nothing. She'd found, though, that slowing down wasn't so bad. Sure, she still loved to go out on Friday nights with her friends but she'd also found a sort of serenity. Serenity! If she was thinking that in her own head she would have laughed out loud. But whether she liked it or not, she had. She had found something in the world to slow her down and she liked it. She really, truly did.

Percy sat in his apartment in London contemplating his next move. His queen was in danger but moving the bishop back to protect her meant he would risk losing the king,

"Come on Percy, I've got that taxi coming for me in two hours."

"Just give me a moment Callum," Percy leant further forward, another inch and he'd be fully off the sofa.

In truth Percy hadn't been thinking about the game and Callum knew it. Callum was one of the few people in the world who had stayed as Percy's friend, only problem was he lived in Canada most of his days now and rarely got a holiday long enough to return to his friend in Britain. But in his absence something had changed within Percy and Callum saw easily through the charade. Percy was confused. Callum knew what it was like to be confused but he was pretty sure this was a new experience for Percy. He smiled and leant back just as Percy leaned forward again.

And then, of course, there was this; Percy losing at a game of chess. In all the years the two had been friends Callum had never once even come close to winning game of chess against Percy Weasley.

"So," Callum decided to investigate, "Eh, how's your work at the ministry been going?"

"Oh, you know, so-so," Percy moved a pawn forward this had no effect on the game whatsoever and Callum was quick to order his knight to pummel the queen.

"Yes!" Callum congratulated himself. Percy continued staring at the board, "Eh, are you feeling alright Percy?"

"What? Yeah, yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, it's just, you know, you just seem kinda quiet."

Percy moved his pawn once again and Callum sent his bishop over to storm Percy's castle.

"Well, it's probably just work stress or something."

He moved his pawn one more time before Callum sent a castle ramming into it.

"Work stress, Percy? You realize the only time you were even in the slightest bit stressed, in all the time I've known you was during our O.W.L and N.E.W.T years," Callum was getting concerned now. Then he stopped and paused, he cleared his throat,

"Is it a girl?"

Percy jumped, "Who said anything about any girl, I don't even know any girls, I mean what gave you such a ludicrous idea?!"

"Alright, alright!" Callum sat up straight, "But you do realize that your denial just there is really what just gave you away. Well at least at the level of denial you're at, 'I don't even know any girls', for Pete's sake Percy if that's not a dead giveaway I don't know what is!"

Audrey sat with her best friend; Twiggy was what Audrey called her due to her tiny built and bony hands. Her name was really Velma but she was used to her friends teasing by now.

"Well, bottoms up," Audrey said as they linked arms and attempted quite messily to drink down their firewhiskeys. The two women resurfaced laughing as they wiped their chins. They talked casually about the usual things that just never got old, Twiggy's engagement, Audrey's bridesmaid dress, the flower arrangements for the wedding, a small amount of work, then back to the wedding and so on so forth.

It was only when Audrey asked a sudden question did the laughing cease at all.

"Twiggy, how do you approach someone who doesn't seem to want to be approached?"

Twiggy gave her friend a strange look, "What d'you mean like a stray dog or something?"

"No! I mean someone who seems completely oblivious to all kinds of hints that someone gives them."

"Ah, so there's a bloke involved," Twiggy guessed,

"What! No, no, no, no! You've got it all wrong Twigs," Audrey cleared her throat, "I just mean… Like, eh… If say… Fine there's a bloke involved!"

"Ah ha, you owe me three galleons my friend, you said, and I quote, 'The day I ask you for help with a boy is the day that I start coughing up chimpanzees', I'll take them now if you don't mind."

"What the chimpanzees or the galleons?"

"I won't even honour you with an answer to that question," Twiggy said sticking her nose in the air.

"Can you give me some advice anyway?"

"Oh, alright. But only if you agree to do anything with your hair for my wedding that I tell you to."

Audrey held out her hand and they shook.

So a year has passed and something within our two lovely characters has started stirring (FINALLY!). Even their friends are beginning to get pulled into their whirlwind of emotions. And there's a wedding coming up, guess what Twiggy's advice to her dear friend is going to be! I'm actually getting quite excited!

Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, if there's anything more you want to say don't hesitate to press the review button! I'd really appreciate constructive criticism!

Review please!