They landed on their feet, Percy's breath halted and he ran over to the windows. The curtains aren't see-through but it still lets in some light. The streets were never empty, so it was a comfort to see them bustling. People were smiling and blissfully unaware of what was going on in the magical world. Percy envied them.
"There is a fair happening, I believe." Percy said, "That's a bummer, I wanted to take Her-" They appeared with a crack and he immediately lurched at her. Taking her face in his hands and checking for any wounds. "No internal wounds?"
"None." Hermione shook her head and Percy let go, he turned to the two awkward guys.
Harry cleared his throat, "Do you think we have time to go by my house?" He asked. "If it isn't too much to ask-"
"It's not." Percy said softly, he knows that Sirius was rather paranoid about death-eaters finding him and attempting to murder him. "I believe that Sirius said that they ransacked it, but that means that they won't be looking there again."
Ron nodded, "We'll come with, cover you back in case they do appear."
Percy licked his lips and looked outside again, "Let's do it tomorrow morning, though." He said and closed the curtains. "They won't do anything in open daylight, especially not in London." He said.
The three looked like they agreed with him. Harry went up the stairs and showed Ron an unoccupied room while Hermione was going up the stairs, she stopped when she realized that Percy wasn't following her. "Percy?" She called out.
He looked up at her, "I'm going to cast some more protective spells. Maybe a few runes as well."
Hermione looked at his determination and knew that she wouldn't be able to convince him to go to bed. She also knew that Percy wouldn't rest until he knows that they'll be safely asleep in the night. "Just," She sighed, "Just make sure you sleep enough."
Percy smiled at her and nodded. She walked up the stairs and he walked down to the sunroom where he kept his carving tools. He looked at the backdoor and he pulled his wand out. He casted the caterwauling charm on the door.
He took a tool out and carved over the old runes, making sure that they are strong. He went to the front door and repeated himself, he did it by the windows as well before he put everything aside and walked up the stairs.
He opened the door and walked in quietly. He quickly changed and got in bed with Hermione. "Percy?" He heard her whisper. He put his arms around her and pulled her closer.
"Yeah?" He whispered back.
"What's going to happen?"
"I don't know, Hermione." He said and pulled her even closer, regretful that he didn't know the answer. He was uncertain about everything but he knows that he has to help Harry. Having Hermione near was just a bonus. "Let's just sleep." He whispered.
Hermione nodded against his chest and he stayed awake until he could hear her breath slow down. He closed his eyes and thought about everything that happened.
—
"Sneaky bastard." Percy spit out and looked at the door. "We know, we should leave." He said, the gut was whirring inside of him. They had spent the rest of the day there for Harry's sake.
Percy's ears perked at the opening of a door and he squinted. His wand in his hand he walked over to the hallway, letting Hermione and Harry talk about the golden snitch. The door opened and revealed a well-known figure.
"Lupin." Percy breathed out in relief. He heard furniture being shoved behind him. The werewolf walked over and pulled Percy in for a hug.
"I'm glad that you're safe." He said and Percy patted his back. "You as well." Percy replied.
The werewolf walked into the living room and sat down at one of the tables after hugging everyone. "The new Ministry is being controlled by Death Eaters." Lupin announced and Percy felt his heart sink. They had never been helpful but in these times, the enemy had taken over all control of the magical England. "You are being searched for, Harry. You're wanted now."
"I could help you guys find the horcruxes." Lupin said and Percy stopped fidgeting.
"What about Tonks?" Hermione asked.
"What about her?" Lupin countered.
Hermione looked at him, cocking her head, "You know she's pregnant, are you willing to leave her?"
"Look now," Lupin said sharply and he saw Harry wince. "What if my child is a werewolf?" He questioned, "I can't deal with that."
Percy stood up from his chair, "You can't deal with that?" He questioned loudly, anger coursed through him, "What about Tonks?" He questioned, "How would Tonks deal with that then? You're a coward." Percy spit and the ground shook a bit.
He could feel Hermione reach for his hand, but he was already leaning over the table to poke the werewolf's chest. "Guys like you don't deserve to be fathers." He spit out and red in his face, Lupin stood up.
"Fine then don't accept my help." Lupin spit out and stormed out of the house. As soon as the door slammed close the ground stopped shaking.
Harry and Ron were staring at him, "How did you do that, mate." The Weasley asked. Percy casted his eyes at Hermione and he looked back at them with a clenched jaw.
"Not here." He said and looked around, knowing that Kreacher was prone to spying. Then once again they heard the door being rattled and Percy grabbed his wand and slowly walked into the kitchen only to see three house-elves push a small man in.
"Kreacher." He exclaimed and looked at the man, Mundungus. "Dung, I'd say it's a pleasure seeing you again, but that is not what I am feeling."
After some interrogation was done by the three of them, Dung finally confessed before Percy could get a word in. "I've sold it!" The paper slid to the ground beside him, "To her!"
Hermione picked up the paper and everyone looked at the smiling face of Dolores Umbridge. "Oh fucking bullshit." Percy said and he picked Dung up. "Are you sure?" He questioned again.
Dung nodded, scared.
Percy looked at his fist, his mangled hand with the scars finally fading. He doesn't like that particular scar. He hated it but he didn't want to give her any satisfaction of having it healed immediately.
He let go of Dung and looked around the house, finally resting his eyes on the three. "Let's go back to my place, and we have to make a plan." he said. Hermione nodded and the other two quickly followed.
"You've got to tell us about your powers." Harry said, and Percy sighed. He couldn't keep it a secret anymore, otherwise all the trust he had built would disappear.
"My place." He repeated and they left the house, not before kicking Dung out again with a looming threat over his head.
The four quickly make their way to his house and Percy immediately sets the kettle on the fire. Hermione walked in the kitchen while Ron and Harry walked into the sunroom. "You can trust them." She said quietly, as she walked over and sat down on the counter.
"I know I can." Percy said as he took the mugs out of the cabinet and placed them down, "The question is whether they'll trust me after this or not." He said and clenched his jaw.
Hermione reached over to him and pulled him closer to her. He stood in front of her with Hermione's arms over his neck. "They'll adore you."
"They'll look at me differently." He argued, "They'll think I'm some kind of fraud as well."
Hermione put a hand on his cheek, "They'll see you for who you are." She said and smiled, "A hero."
Percy leaned into her hand, "You should know this by now, Hermione. I'm no hero, I'm just a survivor."
"Who had a big role to play in the two wars he fought in, and another. You're a hero who survives."
Percy turned his head and pressed a kiss against her palm, "You always know what to say to me." He smiled.
"Well, I happen to know you very well." She grinned, "When you come home and are stressed, you make tea. Even though, before moving to England, you didn't like tea."
Percy smiled and leant in a bit, "Oh you know me so well." He said before kissing her. The two kiss for a minute before the kettle goes off. Percy reluctantly leans away and readies the tea for everyone. "Let's go give them a story time." He joked and she rolled her eyes at him.
The two walked in with tea and handed them out, "How did I tell you again?" Percy questioned and looked over at Hermione. She cringed and shook her head but he clapped and nodded, "I'm not entirely a human." He admitted.
Ron jumped up from his seat, "I bloody knew it, you're a vampire aren't you?" Hermione facepalmed.
"Ron." Harry hissed and pulled him back down, "Let's listen."
Percy decided to indulge in his thoughts, "A vampire, why?"
"Cause you're so wise, you know? And vampires are wise. You're freakishly strong, vampires are freakishly strong-"
"Perseus." Hermione said with her strict voice and Percy pouted at her.
"I'm part human and part god." He flat-out said. "Before I continue, I need you two to swear that you won't tell anybody else without my permission."
"Swear on what?"
Percy cringed, "Well, I can't let them swear on their life, so not the styx." He muttered and looked over at Hermione. The girl looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. "No?" She shook her head, "Just don't tell anybody." He decided and looked over at Hermione.
"Well, how about you bloody tell us?" Ron said and Percy snorted, starting the story at the first time he ever saw a monster.
—
"Still can't focking believe you did all that mate." Ron said.
"Language." Hermione muttered.
Percy let out a breath in amusement and just pulled her closer. The girl had slowly gotten more tired and just leant against him for the remainder of his story. Funny thing was that he only had gotten to the Labyrinth. "I'm not even halfway Ron." Percy chuckled.
Harry had been oddly quiet through it all. "Do you have a pensieve?" Harry asked.
Percy halted his chuckling, "Are you sure?" He asked, "It's quite heavy." Hermione perked up as well, Ron was looking too. They all had his attention again and he clenched his jaw. "I have one upstairs, I'll get it down here."
Percy stood up, Hermione looking up at him in mild concern. "I'm only showing you guys the parts that you want to see, under the conditions that I will let you."
The three nodded.
He took his time walking up to the attic and pulling the pensieve off of the marble table. He carried the magical item carefully down the stairs. Magic couldn't be trusted with an item this rare.
He put it down on the coffee table and looked at Hermione. "You already know the stories, choose a moment, please."
"Capture the flag." She said quietly and Percy nodded. He pressed his wand tip lightly against his temple and pulled a string of silver out of his head. He pushed it down to the liquid light.
He went down on his knees besides the rest and nodded at them. They all put their heads down into the liquid. He was shot back to watch him fight in his first Capture the Flag game.
It was weird, to not see him fight in first person but to actually see him fight. He cringes the whole time at his sloppy stance and Hermione just giggled. "You were so cute." She said.
Percy smiled and shook his head, "I looked a bit childish."
"That's because you were a child."
Percy clenched his jaw, "Right, I forget about that sometimes." She took his hand and squeezed it before watching him fight against Clarisse.
He was thoroughly entertained by Hermione's reactions to everything. Whenever she thought he might be in danger, she'd squeeze his hands or with her free hand, grab his wrist. As if she was reminding herself that he was actually alive and there.
—
They sometimes watched random memories after they had done their spying on the Ministry of Magic. Percy wasn't good at espionage at all, but he was good at lying a bit. He didn't like the idea but he was caught staring at their target, Hopkirk.
"You're the Grindelwald man, aren't you?" She said, smiling at him. He froze as she stopped by a random café where she lives near. Where he was drinking some tea. The three were spying at a distance.
Percy just smiled up at her, "Yes I am." He said in his most Canadian accent. "Who're you?"
"Mafalda Hopkirk, I work at the Ministry." She said.
He cocked his head, "From the pureblood family, Hopkirk?" He questioned.
The woman nodded and beamed at him. "Why don't you sit down, love." He sent her a flirty smile. Gods, he was puking on the inside. "I'd love to talk about your blood."
Hopkirk smiled back at him and nodded. "Would you like a drink?" He asked, "It's on me, dear."
He was good at being charismatic. Just like a true slytherin. The woman blushed and ordered some tea as well.
"Say, what do you do in the Ministry?" He asked, "Because even getting a job there is quite impressive. Nothing like the American Ministry."
The woman smiled and put a hand behind her ear, "I'm an assistant in the Improper Use of Magic Office."
Percy cocked his head and kept staring at her, "Really?" He asked, and he put his hand over hers, "That's quite impressive."
The woman blushed and Percy begrudgingly checked her face out. "Tell me, have you found a pureblood to date, yet?" He asked and started to stroke her hand.
"Oh." She said, flattered. "No I haven't."
Percy smiled and from his button-up shirt he pulled his pen and paper out. He slid it over the table, "Do you think I could have your address?" he asked, "Could be easier to owl you when I have time for a dat." He said and winked.
The woman's feet started to caress his legs as she wrote down her address. "Send me an owl, anytime. Grindelwald." She winked and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit late."
"Sorry to hold you up, love." Percy called after her and his smile dropped so fast once she stopped watching. He shuddered and pocketed the pen and paper before walking back home quickly.
He opened the door and found a mad girlfriend. "What did you think you're doing!" She said and slapped him with a pillow. In the back stood a scared Harry and Ron, clearly hiding from the mad girl.
"I was improvising!" He exclaimed and tried to reach out to her. The girl slapped his hand away and Ron oh'ed from the back. Percy looked up and glared at him.
"Improvising?" Hermione exclaimed, "You couldn't have just said hi and left?"
He pulled the paper out of his chest pocket and plopped it down the table, "I was panicking and instead of being useless and blowing our cover. I got her home address!"
She looked back at the paper and up at him, "She put a heart next to her address." She said and folded her arms. "Does panicking include flirting? With a six year older woman!" She exclaimed and started punching him with a pillow again.
"Hermione, love!" He said and took the pillow from her hands. "I've got her home address, I know what position she works in and I know that she's a pure-blood supremacist."
"We already knew that you cunt!" She said loudly and she stormed up the stairs. Percy watched as she walked away.
"It's not looking good for you." Ron said quietly.
Percy turned to him, "You don't think that I can't see that?" He sighed and fell into the leather couch.
"I hope you can see that because I might be hallucinating Piper." Harry said and frowned as he pointed at the floating projection of her.
Percy blinked and willed for the Iris Message to come over to him. In front of him stood Piper. He squinted at her, "How'd you know?"
"Felt a disturbance in the fabric." She exclaimed and waved, "Hey Harry, can I have a moment alone with my boy here?" she asked. "You told them?" The two boys went up the stairs and Percy assumes that they're just going upstairs to talk about him and Hermione's dispute.
"I nearly collapsed their house because a father was thinking of being a deadbeat." Percy shrugged and Piper nodded. "We're in deep shit." He said.
"Deep shit how?"
"Deep shit as in, Harry is wanted." He sighed and threw his head back to look up at the ceiling. "We're in hiding, or well, he mostly is. I think that the rest of us is fine, but still would be given a heads up about if we're seen because of our association with Harry."
"So I shouldn't go in hiding as someone associated with Harry."
Percy snorted, "I don't think so." He said but he grew a bit concerned. "But stay alert, and stay strapped." He said. "I asked for my family to go into hiding, I don't want that for my other family."
Piper nodded, heeding the warning. "About wizards, how are things with Hermione?"
"Well, she's mad at me." He pouted. "I think I might have to sleep on the couch."
The daughter of Aphrodite cringed, "That bad huh? What did you do?"
He sighed, "For the sake of the mission." He enunciated. "I flirted with a woman." He confessed and Piper was shaking her head in disappointment.
"Did you at least get anything out of it?" She asked.
Percy pursed his lips, "Well, I just learnt that we already had that information."
"Oh Percy." Piper cringed, "When did this happen?" She asked.
Percy looked down at his watch, "Just now."
The girl squinted at him, "What more did you do?"
He took in a breath and looked at the I.M. with wide eyes, "How do you know?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, I felt a disturbance a month ago, but I couldn't reach you then. I forgot about it, actually, what happened?"
"I got a house from my dead headmaster. And he insinuated that it was a family house." Percy said and smiled thinking about it. "It was a lot at the moment but we really haven't discussed it more since we got attacked after half a day."
"That's why I couldn't reach you." Piper snapped her fingers, "When you're in the clear you should come over and tell me all about the wizard stuff that is going on."
Percy chuckled and nodded.
"Now about the other thing before you flirted with that woman for information!" Piper exclaimed, he forgets that she's ADHD as well. "Before that I felt another ripple through the fabric."
Percy frowned, not really knowing what she meant by disturbance and fabric and such words. He had a small smile on his face as he rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a small velvet box. "I had to pick it up today." He said, "From the post office next to the café where the lady lived." He explained.
Piper urged him to open it and he chuckled. The ring was made out of imperial gold and the biggest jewel was the moonstone with small diamonds on the two sides. The daughter of Aphrodite gasped and immediately started fanning at her face.
"Why are you crying?" He frowned and felt concerned. The girl never cried that fast over something.
"Sorry, it's the hormones." Piper started to wipe away a few tears, "Annabeth and I are looking to have a child and they first make you inject hormones." She continued to wave at her face.
Percy smiled, "Please tell me that I am the godfather and that I can actually wear a three-piece suit with a cigar in my mouth."
Piper glared at him and he was shocked at the mood switch. "You're not smoking around your godchild."
Percy smiled, "So I am the godfather?" He asked.
"We don't even have a child yet." She argued.
"So?" Percy shrugged and put the ring away.
"What would Hermione think about it?"
"She'd be delighted to, I think." He said and looked at the empty hallway. "I need to talk to her."
"Don't propose when she's mad at you!" Piper called out before he could stand up, "That would make her think that you're just doing it because she's mad."
Percy frowned, "You really think-"
"Yes." Piper cut him off and waved, "Good luck on your gods knows how many-eth quest!" She said before waving through the iris message.
Percy sighed and stood up out of his leather chair and walked up the stairs, knocking at his door. He glared at the guest room door where it cracked open a bit. Harry and Ron, nosy. "Hermione, love?" He called out.
"Go away." She called back and Percy's heart broke. It sounded tearful and he opened the door. He saw her puffy eyes and he sat down in front of her. He leant over and wiped away the tears.
"Why are you crying?" He asked softly after he kissed her forehead.
"It's just been a lot, and I know that you were just trying to help and-" Percy heard enough and pulled her in for a hug.
"I shouldn't have done that." He said quietly, "I should've just greeted her and walked away, but I didn't." He shook his head and brushed a hand through her hair, "You're the only woman I enjoyed flirting with, ever. All the other times it felt forced and it's never like that with you." He said and smiled.
"Even with Lou?" She asked.
Percy laughed, "Even with Lou." He repeated. "You complete me Hermione, not some assistant." He said and pulled away to look into her eyes. "Did you know that Aphrodite was at the wedding?"
Her eyes widened, "No, I didn't."
"She came to see Fleur get married." Percy chuckled, "And to congratulate me."
"On what?" She asked, she looked a bit happier now.
"On being in a relationship with you." He smiled, he knew that the word that the goddess used was soulmate but she still wouldn't be ready for it. He knows they were in the way that she completes him, the way that he just wants to worship the very ground she walks on and the way their patronus' are the same.
An otter, otters who mate for life.
"She also teased me by joking that you were pregnant." He huffed out a laugh, "I was very surprised but she immediately put the thought to halt. After that, she asked me why I wasn't jealous of Krum flirting with you."
"What did you say?"
"I said, 'Why should I be? At the end of the night she's in my arm.'" he said smugly and looked down at her, in his arms.
She laughed softly and put her head against his chest. "Hermione, I don't think anyone could do any better after meeting you. So far, every girl I've talked to, friendly, of course, had never stood a chance with you. I keep comparing them in my head and they can't even get close."
Hermione chuckled softly. "Thank you, Percy. I needed that."
He leant down to press a kiss against her forehead, "I'm sorry, for flirting with that woman."
"You were doing it for information." She sighed. "We didn't have her address before this, so you actually helped."
Percy smiled softly and pulled away, "I'm sorry love, but I need to shower." He shuddered, "That woman was touching me a tad bit too much." He stood up and leant down to press a soft kiss against her lips.
He was pleasantly surprised that Hermione wasn't just accepting a soft kiss. She grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him closer to her. After making out for a few seconds, she pulled away, not straying far from his lips. "Let's wash her off of you." She whispered and crashed her lips against his before standing up and pulling him into the bathroom.
Percy waved his hand over the room and quickly put a silencing charm on it. "Whatever you want, love." He swallowed as he looked over at her, she was turned away from him and took her shirt off.
He looked at her lean back and the shower suddenly got hot real fast as the room started to fill with steam. "Can't waste the water, can we now?" He asked as he started to pull his shirt off.