Hogwarts was getting ready for the Christmas holidays. Snow had settled throughout the grounds and an inescapable coldness had penetrated the castle. Most of his professors attempted to warm their classrooms, except Professor Snape who seemed to enjoy watching the student's hands go numb due to the cold.
Teachers were giving last minute assignments and students were reluctantly finishing them. For Percy, his life seemed to be improving. Oliver, who was ever thankful that Percy had helped him defeat Marcus Flint was definitely closer to Percy.
"I had no idea you were such enjoyable company." Oliver would tell Percy from time to time as this was their first year to consider themselves friends. This usually happened during their tutoring sessions that had now turned into more than just studying.
If they studied in Hogsmeade they would usually hang out for a while in the Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer or visit the Shrieking Shack and dare each other to go inside.
If studying at Hogwarts, they would sit by the lake and skip rocks, at times they would pretend they were going to throw the other one in the water. For the first time in his life, Percy was glad to say that he had not only fallen in love but found a friend.
He couldn't act on his feelings because he had no clue if Oliver felt the same way about him, or if he was even attracted to men. There were times where he believed that they were flirting, but when he reflected on the events in private it was obvious that he was only making himself believe that.
For the most part, Oliver remained a mystery to him surrounded by a provocative mist that fed his desire to solve the mystery that was Oliver Wood.
But his fear of losing Oliver was greater than the desire to be more than friends. So he didn't say a word about his feelings.
In Percy's life outside of Oliver, things were rather dynamic. The book in the restricted section that Professor Quirrell had promised to lend to him if he tutored Oliver was doing wonders for him. He had learned, though he hadn't quite gotten the hang of, many advanced spells.
Of course he couldn't publically practice them as they were considered inappropriate for students, but he found that he was most fascinated by memory altering spells.
Furthermore, Penelope Clearwater, after weeks of harassment, had finally managed to get what she wanted: a talk with Percy.
"We need to talk." she said to him two days before the end of the term. Percy pretended not to hear and kept walking but she grabbed ahold of his arm.
"I just don't understand what I did wrong." Penelope said to him.
"I can't talk now, I've got to meet someone." he said. And indeed he was, he was supposed to have his last tutoring session with Oliver and he had planned to give him a special present.
It wasn't really special, he was just returning his sweater but in Percy's fantasy's he imagined that it would be romantic.
He moved passed her and was walking away when—
"Percy, please talk to me." came Penelope's voice. Percy turned around to look at her. Her eyes were pleading. It was then that he felt guilty. Had Penelope fallen in love with him? Could she have the same feelings for him that he felt for Oliver?
"Tomorrow." Percy said reluctantly, but he had to give her some closure.
"Where?" she asked.
"The Prefect's restroom. First thing tomorrow morning." he said and took off without another word. He chose that place because he wanted somewhere private to talk. If things went well, maybe he would tell her the truth. That there was no possible way they could be together because he was—
Well, that's if it all goes well.
After fetching Oliver's sweater from his dorm and his books, he was now walking up to the lake where he could see Oliver sitting on a large rock. The lake was frozen solid and the temperature was freezing. But simply having Oliver in his line of vision was enough to warm him up.
"Is that my sweater you got there?" asked Oliver as Percy walked up.
"Merry Christmas." Percy said smiling and tossed it to him. Oliver quickly threw it on. He was already wearing one, but had decided it wasn't enough.
"I thought I'd lost it. How'd you get ahold of it?"
"I've had it for ages but forgot to return it to you." Percy lied. He really didn't want to return it at all.
"Thanks mate."
They began the laborious task of studying but stopped after only thirty minutes because it was clear that neither of them wanted to continue.
"I don't want to do this anymore. It's bloody cold." Oliver said.
"Fine." Percy said and shut the book closed. They were sitting on the rock side by side facing the lake.
"Oliver…" Percy began.
"What?" Oliver asked.
"What would you have done—if, er, I hadn't beaten Marcus Flint in a duel and I was the one who ended up in the hospital wing?"
"First of all, I'd get revenge twice as hard for hurting you and because that bastard came at us without warning. And then after that, I suppose I'd go wait 'till you gain consciousness and tell you all about how I kicked his arse." he said smiling.
"Would you have taken some chocolate frogs for me?"
Oliver chuckled. "Well if that's what you like, mate. Then sure."
Percy scooted closer to Oliver so that their arms, thighs, and dangling legs where touching.
"You're getting clingy." Oliver joked.
"It's cold." Percy simply said.
"Fair enough." Oliver said as a cold breeze slapped his face.
"What're you doing during break?" Oliver asked him.
"Staying at Hogwarts. My mum and dad are going over to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. What about you?"
"Playing a lot of Quidditch."
"I should've guessed." Percy laughed. This felt so right. Just the two of them. He took a deep breathe to catch the smell of pines that was ever present in Oliver.
"Have fun all by yourself." Oliver said.
Yourself. Percy's eyes grew wide. He was going to be spending an entire Christmas break alone. Without Oliver. How could he manage? For him, sleeping was an eternity because he couldn't see Oliver until the morning.
"Let's head back to the castle. I want to get something warm from the Great Hall." Oliver said as he jumped down from the rock.
Panic and urgency began form in Percy's heart. He couldn't imagine not seeing him. Every moment not spent with Oliver was a wasted second that filled Percy with anxiety.
Oliver took a step to walk away and Percy jumped down.
"Wait." he said and reached frantically towards him. Oliver, who was caught by surprise at Percy's urgency, tried to avoid his grasp and slipped.
"Help me up, mate." he said laughing. He was holding up a hand for Percy to take.
Percy looked down at Oliver and couldn't help but liken him to an angel. He was perfect. The way the snow reflected the morning sun all around Oliver made it seem like this glow, this awesome aura of light was being caused by the angelic boy on the ground.
It was now or never. He had to tell him that he loved him…
"I'll do it myself then." Oliver said and tried to get up but Percy dropped to his knees beside him and placed both hands on his chest.
"What're you doing?" Oliver asked. Percy pushed him towards the ground and then after a moment's hesitation, climbed on top him. Percy was now on his knees and Oliver was in between his legs. Their groins brushing dangerously against each other.
This was the moment that Percy had dreamed of since the day he had realized that he was in love with the boy whom he was pinning to the ground.
He looked at Oliver's inviting, soft lips which he had lusted after for months. His hands turned white as they aggressively grasped his sweater in an attempt to lift him up so that the keeper's lips met his own quivering ones.
He could now feel Oliver's breathe against his face. He could smell it. Mint. He closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss. In a matter of seconds the coldness his lip felt would disappear and be replaced by warmth.
Their lips were just about to touch when Percy felt himself flying backwards. He hit the rock which they had been sitting on and slid down towards the ground landing in a sitting position.
"ARE YOU MAD? WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Oliver yelled and stood up. He was outraged.
"Oliver I didn't—I—I—it's nothing, please!" Percy said standing up.
"I'M NOT BLOODY GAY."
"I know you're not! I—me neither! Please, let me explain!" Percy said panicking. He placed a hand on Oliver's arm who shook him off furiously and stormed off back towards the castle.
Percy's heart dropped to the ground at 1000 miles per minute that it knocked him to his knees. Both hands on the ground now to keep himself from collapsing completely. His breathing became difficult.
Tears streamed from his eyes, down his cheeks, and onto the snowy ground. His cheeks stung as the warmth that the tears left behind was overcome by coldness.
He watched Oliver who was now a good distance off walk away. Watched as the boy who he had fallen in love with was leaving him alone in the cold and taking his warmth with him.