Chapter 18: A Winter Ball
Percy
The ballroom at the Ministry was… large, to say the least. Intricate stone designs protruded from the walls, extending to the ceiling where Percy could barely distinguish from his vantage point. Rows of sconces teamed with a group of chandeliers to bathe the room in light, further enhancing the wall decoration with their flickering flames. Tall rounded windows added to the majesty of the room with their elegant designs etched into the glass, and though the sunlight normally shined bright, they were dark now, moonlight barely seeping through the pane.
"Auror Nymphadora Tonks and Hogwarts Professor Perseus Jackson!"
Their first steps into the grand ballroom were announced with a smattering of polite applause, a first for Percy. Formal dances were never in his wheelhouse. They began their descent down the staircase with their arms interlocked, though Tonks predictably grumbled unhappily at the use of her first name; a fact that always drew a chuckle from Percy.
Tonks' had adorned a simple dress, one that was much more practical than many of the other extravagant clothing Percy spied through the hall. If something were to happen, those other women wouldn't be getting anywhere fast. Her dress was mostly black, blue trimmings would catch the eye of any who examined it. It was form fitting for the most part, only tapering off below her waist so it flowed with her toned legs as she walked down the stairway next to him. The dress finished with two simple straps over her shoulder, dipping enough to show a little skin but nothing near to be considered scandalous.
The modest dress did nothing to detract from her beauty however, and Percy could tell that she had a tad more spring in her step than normal as she was practically glowing during their grand entrance. If Percy was honest, he stood a little straighter when he noticed his counterpart attracting a little more attention than some of the other ladies would have preferred, even in her more subdued outfit.
They completed their descent, moving together towards one of the empty standing tables to make room for more guests arriving after them. Percy rested his elbows on the table, slightly leaning forward. "Well, that was fun."
Tonks chuckled and mirrored his stance. "Not as bad as you thought, huh?" She nudged his shoulder with her own.
"It's still early." He watched the staircase they had just departed, where more couples had entered the ballroom amongst polite applause.
"Lucius Malfoy, member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and Narcissa Malfoy!"
Slightly more enthusiastic applause met the arrival of the infamous family, the first name that had carried any semblance of political weight since he and Tonks had arrived. He observed, with thinly veiled distaste he was sure, the platinum blonde head of long hair strutting down the stairs with his head held high amongst those he seemed beneath him. They reached the floor and immediately set a course where Percy knew the Minister resided. He had caught a glance of the inept man when they had taken their own turn down the stairs.
A cursory glance at Tonks revealed what Percy had already assumed, she felt the same way as he did. He had yet to cross paths with the Malfoy matron, but judging by her husband and the way she strode through the crowd, there wasn't much to think about. But, he had also been proven wrong before…
Another arrival announcement broke his concentration, he wasn't able to hear who was now descending and he didn't recognize either of them. When he returned his gaze to his previous mark of attention, they had disappeared, slipped into the crowd of attending patrons. He decided to let it go for the moment, certain he would see them again throughout the evening.
His attention changed, as it often did, towards Tonks at that moment. She was watching the parade down the stairs and Percy took that opportunity to study her. She was absolutely radiant. Percy knew that she was beautiful of course, but tonight… wow. She had her pink hair pulled behind her ears, revealing a set of small silver earrings with a dull pink gem dangling slightly next to her smooth neck. Percy hadn't seen her wear earrings before, but they absolutely suited her. Pink fingernails matched the shade on the earrings, combined with the small bag she had worn on her shoulder to complete her normally colorful ensemble that he had enjoyed so much.
Her warm eyes shone brightly that night, with no small amount of joy and contentment that had thus far been slightly marred by the events befalling the world during his stay. He was glad that she was able to relax for one evening and not have to worry about the war, or work, or whatever else had been causing her stress. He focused in on her eyes, which might very well have been his favorite thing about her, and Percy realized how truly lucky he was that this woman had taken an interest in him. He couldn't remember the last time thoughts like that had crossed his mind, it couldn't have been since…
A gentle weight fell upon the back of his hand, warmth spreading up his arm from the contact. A smaller hand adorned with pink fingernails had come to rest atop his. He looked up and into Tonks' questioning gaze. He had zoned out and she had caught him staring; not that he was ashamed, he knew he hadn't been the only one who's eyes were glued.
"Everything alright?" She asked softly. He wasn't sure how long he had lost concentration, but she looked slightly concerned.
"I don't know if I told you," He started, and she raised an eyebrow. "But you look beautiful tonight."
A large smile reached her rolling eyes and she turned her attention back to the arriving guests. Percy knew the eye roll was good natured. "Yes, you told me. Never hurts to hear it again, though." Tonks shuffled over, so that her arm rested entirely against his from their shoulders down to their hands, as her remained atop of his. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and a smirk played on the corner of her lips. "Is that why you were staring at me for five minutes? You were stunned by my beauty?" She mocked with accompanying motions from her free hand.
"I mean… yeah." Percy admitted. And it could not be any more true. She only exhaled and shook her head with a smile.
"You don't look so bad yourself." He was wearing a simple black suit, blue tie that matched the trimmings on her dress, and a white shirt. It was more mortal than anything anyone else was wearing, and he received a few odd looks, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
"Head of the DMLE, Madam Amelia Bones!"
"You're gonna have to tell me who these people are," Percy said. "I've only recognized a few of them."
"Well, that's Madam Bones." She pointed towards the stern older lady who looked like she hadn't smiled in a few years.
"I heard that." Percy quipped. "But who is she?"
"Madam Bones is the head of Magical Law Enforcement, the head auror answers to her.." Tonks explained.
"What's she like?"
"Strict, no-nonsense. I don't think I've ever seen her smile."
"Doesn't look like she does." Percy joked, and it drew a chuckle out of his companion.
"Madam Bones is one of the few Ministry officials who's avoided corruption. She's one of the good ones." Percy wasn't sure if Madam Bones had heard Tonks, but her eyes landed on the woman when she took her last step from the stairs and began moving towards their table.
"Auror Tonks." Madam Bones greeted her. Percy hadn't noticed the monocle that covered her left eye from afar. It only added more to her aura of strictness. "I trust you are well this evening?"
"I am. Thank you, Madam Bones." Tonks returned with a polite smile. "And you?"
"I am well." Madam Bones said, without a hint of happiness shown on her worn visage. "And who's this?" She asked her, gesturing towards Percy.
"Oh!" She must have forgotten to introduce him under the intense gaze of her ultimate superior. "This is my friend, Percy."
"Friend, is it?" She inquired, glancing at their arms and the lack of room between them. That was awfully damning evidence, and she quickly separated their hands, and the cold seeped back into Percy's limb. Percy was willing to admit he was a bit disappointed. "And what do you do, Percy…"
"Jackson, ma'am." He supplied for her. He was almost nervous to answer, afraid she would disapprove of his line of work, which doesn't make sense, he just met the woman. There was an air about her though, one that screamed you do not want to get on her bad side. "I work at Hogwarts."
"Percy's a professor."
"A Professor?" She sounded slightly impressed, to his relief. Percy was a professor for the moment at least, though he was hardly qualified to begin with. "Of what?"
"Care of magical creatures." He answered. Her eyes lit up in realization and she paused before she spoke.
"You must be the new Professor that Susan speaks highly of." Her lips twitched up slightly, but it was gone so fast Percy could have very well imagined it. "Always looks forward to your class. You're her favorite professor."
The pieces finally clicked in his brain, and he realized that the stern woman in front of him must be related to Susan Bones. Susan was a student with a mop of red hair that could give the Weasley's a run for their money. She was always pleasant, respectful and a good student. Though she was quiet, and not keen on speaking in large groups. Still, it was nice to hear that they enjoyed his class, seeing as how he was so hesitant to accept the position in the first place. "That's good to hear, ma'am. Though I'm only holding the position until Hagrid returns."
"That's a shame." She said, having probably heard the same stories he had. Hagrid was a gentle giant with a heart of gold, but the way he ran class was… questionable at best, or so he heard. "Perhaps we'll have to petition the board to keep you on full time. Hogwarts could use more professors like you."
"Thank you, Madam Bones." And he meant it.
"Of course." She bowed her head. "It was a pleasure speaking with you both. However, I must find the Minister. Auror Tonks, Mr. Jackson; enjoy the rest of your evening."
"Thank you, Madam Bones." They echoed the sentiment in unison. A slight, slow nod was her farewell, and she stalked off with a purpose towards the direction the Minister was last seen. He waited until she was out of earshot, though he wouldn't doubt that would be quite far. To be safe, he watched her disappear into the crowd. "Wow, she's intimidating."
"Isn't she?" Tonks exclaimed quietly.
"Wouldn't want to be the one who answers to her, and I've stared down some intimidating people." Mostly gods, gods tend to make you start tip-toeing when they're angry.
"I've had to answer to her for a few cases I've worked. Bloody terrifying, I tell ya." She exaggerated a shudder for his benefit, adding to the effect of her anecdote.
"I don't doubt it." Madam Bones was definitely a woman who you wouldn't dare feed an excuse to. Either her way, or the highway.
"She is fair though, and if you do good work she'll let you know." Tonks said, and she again reached over, and the warmth surged through his arm once more. "She's one of the reasons I became an auror, you know."
"Oh, yeah?"
"There aren't many females in the department for a reason." She said softly, leaning into his space. "For Madam Bones to be in the position she's in, it took a great deal of determination and perseverance. For most pureblood women, they're not meant to be anything more than a housewife."
"Like the Malfoy's?"
"Exactly. To see her make it to the head of the DMLE inspired me to give it a shot. Didn't think I would make it at first."
"And look at you now." He squeezed her hand slightly, to offer any reassurance she might need.
"Barely average." She smiled ironically at him and he found himself stuck in her warm eyes, unable to respond to her slightly self-deprecating idea. It was something he found himself doing a lot lately since he got back from Hogwarts and spent more time in close proximity with the bubbly auror.
"Told you you'd be a good professor, by the way." Tonks smirked, changing the subject on him and breaking their staring contest.
Percy shrugged, reluctantly tearing his eyes away. "I'm decent at it, I suppose."
Pfft. Tonks didn't seem to believe him. "Madam Bones doesn't give compliments lightly." She said, shaking her head slightly. "And don't try to take this away from me, I need a 'told you so' moment too. Don't get many of those opportunities with you."
"Alright, fine." Percy relented. "You were right." Percy grumbled, watching her lean down close, perching her chin onto her hands as her lips ended up next to his ear.
"I told you so." She breathed, and goosebumps erupted on his skin as her warm breath cascaded over his ear and down his neck. She leaned back after a moment, with a beaming smile, most likely relishing in the opportunity to lord over him.
"Happy now?" He gave her a side eye.
"Very." Percy caught a quick wink before she stood up straight, adopting a more professional look at another's approach to their little table.
"Good evening you two! Sorry to interrupt."
A mop of red hair drew his eye immediately, though a bit more under control than normal fiery hair he was used to, and the joyous face with possibly the only other mortal clothing in the hall entered his vision. "Hello there, Arthur." Tonks greeted the jolly man. "You're looking much better than when I saw you last."
"Yes, I assume I look much better now than in the bed at St. Mungo's." He joked with a slight laugh. He was still a tad paler than Percy was used to with a few more bruises added on to his visage, but all of the energy that the man normally had seemed to have returned. "But in all honesty, Percy. Harry told me what happened that night. I wanted to thank you for what you did, and for making sure my family made it back safely." The man had lost all of his boundless energy in that moment, and he was deadly serious. This was an Arthur Weasley that Percy had never seen before. It almost threw him off.
"Of course, Arthur. I'd do it again if I had to."
Arthur placed a firm hand on his shoulder, and with a tight lipped smile he gave a brief squeeze in thanks. "Well then, I should go find Molly." And his energy returned in an instant, he was bouncing on his feet like nothing ever happened.
"Where is she?" Tonks asked, watching the energetic man bounce around.
"She was getting a drink…" He said, scanning the crowd for the ever conspicuous red hair in the crowd. "Ah, there." He seems to have found what he was looking for. "I'll see you two around, yes?" He hurried off without waiting for an answer, making a beeline for another group. He sidestepped a few other patrons and disappeared once again.
"I'm glad he's doing better." Tonks said from his side.
"Me too. That night was awful." The night flashed in his head. He and Tonks had been sitting next to each other all night, watching the Weasley matron and her children all huddled together, anxious and awaiting better news. It was a long, stressful night. He could only thank the gods that Tonks had been there with him.
One last couple descended the stairs and that seemed to be it for the introductions, as the crowd began to move, blocking the staircase from the floor and began to migrate towards the dance floor.
She raised an eyebrow with a smirk, and nudged her head towards where the crowd was headed, the dance floor. Now, Percy was never good at dancing, he and Annabeth had tried many times before, he had almost broken her foot at one point when she was only trying to teach him the basics. One would think he'd be decent, seeing as how sword fighting is a dance in and of itself, but those skills most definitely did not translate.
"You, you want to dance?" He asked in a meek voice, hoping that she was joking.
She looked taken aback. "It's a ball." She stated plainly. "You're supposed to dance at a ball."
"I, uh… I'm not good at dancing." He admitted in a low voice. He wasn't proud of the fact, as others had attempted to teach him, but apparently he was just hopeless in the art. Never could get a hold of it, maybe if he just practiced more. "I can't, really."
"You c-can't dance." She said while trying to hold in a chuckle. Percy gave her a look and she immediately swallowed her mirth and glanced down towards the table to compose herself. "Why did you agree to go to a ball if you can't dance?"
"'Cause you asked me to." He answered without hesitation.
"That's-" she paused with a hand in the air, taking a moment to think of his unexpected answer. "That's endearing. But, why didn't you tell me sooner? We could've practiced or something?"
"Well, I meant to but couldn't find the time, honestly." He'd been really busy at Hogwarts and then with Arthur's attack, there wasn't much time. "I just don't want to step on your feet. I'm heavy, you know."
"I'll be fine, Perce." She laughed off his concerns. "Just one dance, please. For me?"
The look he received from the woman was not one he, nor any other man for that matter, could resist. He sighed, putting his reservations aside and just accepting his fate. "One dance."
Her face split into an excited smile and she gave a concealed fist pump in victory before grabbing his wrist and practically dragging him to the dance floor. "No time to learn like the present." She called behind her. They were there in no time, dodging other patrons as they went. Apparently she had learned how to weave through crowds since their trip to Diagon Alley. She swept them onto the floor amidst many other couples and in front even more onlookers.
They stood facing each other, awaiting the music. She brought their interlocked hands up to one side while his other caressed her slender waist and hers landed on his opposite shoulder. "It's going to be fine, Perce." She must have sensed his nervousness. Couldn't have been too hard to pick up on anyway. "Just focus on me, okay?" He nodded in acceptance to her plan and took a deep breath, attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to relax his shoulders.
And then, before he was ready - not that he'd really ever be ready - the music began to play. It was a light, joyful tune that rang through his ears, it was too bad he had next to no rhythm to complement the musicians' work. He knew he was clunky, with stiff limbs and jerky movements, but he was still unable to allow his legs to relax and move with Tonks. Who, by the way, seemed like a natural dancer. She led him around with smooth swirls and light feet, a far cry to how clumsy she usually was on a day to day basis; it was impressive how well she moved, from the perspective of someone who couldn't dance to save his life; his standard was admittedly low, but he was still impressed regardless.
Tonks looked like she was enjoying herself, even though she moved like a smooth flowing river and he was a stick stuck in the mud; and Percy knew all about flowing rivers, and just water in general, really-
-right! He was dancing with Tonks, trying to, that is. Mostly he was focusing on not trampling her feet in the process.
"I'm related to the Malfoy's, you know." She leaned in close and whispered to him. Whatever he had expected her to say, that wasn't on the list.
"I- what?" He blurted out graciously. Hint of sarcasm on the 'graciously'. He distantly noted that the upbeat tune had slowed, and Tonks moved ever closer. Their hands unlocked, and his subconsciously joined the other on the opposite side of her hips.
"Yup." She said, popping the 'p'. "Mad, I know. Think I'm Draco's cousin. Not by choice, mind you… sniveling little twat." Her head slowly came to rest on his chest as they swayed across the dance floor.
"How?" Percy asked, his curiosity peaked.
"How am I related?" She asked into his suit. He made a grunt to confirm the subject of his curiosty. "Well, my mom is Narcissa Malfoy's sister. Of course, my mom ran off and married a muggle, weren't too happy about that."
"I can imagine."
"Disowned her right then and there. Even blasted her face off the family tapestry."
"Didn't mess around, did they?"
"The original residents of Grimmauld Place weren't really the accepting type." The music ended, and Tonks took a step back, still facing him. She slightly bowed her head and Percy followed her lead. They shared a smile and the dance floor began to empty out in preparation for the next song among a round of applause. He made to follow the crowd, but a tap on the shoulder stopped him.
"Want to get some fresh air?" Tonks asked, gesturing towards a set of large intricate glass double doors. Percy agreed, and the pair moved away from the rest of the patrons. They were surprisingly light for their size, and Percy easily pushed them open, while everyone else was focused on the next group of dancers. The cool air immediately hit his nose, slightly burning at the rapid change in temperature. He took a deep breath of refreshing air, and he heard Tonks do the same behind him. The air inside was getting a little stale with all the guests filling the hall.
Percy didn't know where the actual manor they were in was located, seeing as how they took a portkey to the location. Percy, of course, had to be coerced to actually touch the godsdamned thing. It was one of the worst feelings, worse than shadow travel. But, Tonks had insisted so he relented.
Apparently, it was at the base of a small mountain. The moon was bright that night, lighting up the stone balcony and reflecting off the fluttering snowflakes as they fell to the floor and onto the pair. The snow-capped mountain in the distance was framed by the moonlight, and a picturesque horizon backdropped their view. They stood next to each other, elbows resting on the balcony's railing, gazing out over the landscape. A thin layer of snow had covered the grass and the scarcely placed trees, mixing the shades of white and green laid out before them.
"You're a better dancer when you're distracted." Tonks said after leaving time to appreciate the view in front of them. Percy thought back, and she was right. Once she had revealed her relation to the Malfoys, he hadn't thought of the dance at all. He had just moved with Tonks instead of solely focusing on not stepping on her feet. Maybe he'd been overthinking during all those other failed attempts. That's odd, because usually he wasn't the one overthinking things. He, in fact, tended to act without thinking much at all.
"Is that why you told me that? To distract me?"
"I had a hunch." She shrugged, glancing at him over her shoulder. "It worked, didn't it?"
"You're just using me for a dance partner." Percy joked, he knew for sure that was not the case. It did make him feel good that he was able to not look like a total buffoon on the dance floor for once, though.
"You caught me." Tonks laughed. Percy always enjoyed her laugh. "I just brought you along as arm candy. You know, impress the coworkers." She bumped his shoulder, and the snowflakes that had settled on his shoulder were brushed off, joining their brethren that had already hit the deck. Percy made sure she wasn't looking, and he discreetly gathered some fallen snow in his hand while she was admiring the landscape before them. He quickly packed it into a small ball, but loose enough that it would explode upon contact with his companion.
"Hey, Tonsky."
She swiveled her head with an expectant look, expecting him to say something. Instead of a question, she received a face full of snow courtesy of her chosen date. She yelped at the sudden cold on her face, and then she froze. Her eyes shut tight with scrunched eyebrows and lips pursed, the snowflakes sat on her face and in her hair as they slowly melted from her body heat. "That's what you get for using me." He pointed at her with an accusing finger, though with her eyelids clamped, she wouldn't be able to see it. It was the principle of the finger that mattered so it drove the point home.
"Perce, that's bloody cold." Tonks whimpered with her hands clenched around the railing.
That broke Percy's facade, and he was instantly worried that he had gone too far in his false outrage. "Oh, now I feel bad." He quickly, and carefully lest he upset her further, brushed his hand through her hair, knocking out all of the offending snow. Once he had finished her pink locks, he moved onto her face. Most of the snowflakes had melted at that point, but there were a few that remained. He subtly used some of his powers to banish the freezing droplets from her flushed cheeks.
"Your hand's cold."
"Well, it just had snow in it."
He quickly finished drying her face, and she finally opened her eyes and released the railing now that she was free from the offending liquid. She took her own hands and brushed off her shoulders, and then continued down, wiping off the snow as she went. He looked away as she bent down fully, and he was startled with a shout of A-HA!
He jerked back, only to receive his own faceful of snow. Now, the snow didn't necessarily affect Percy at all, seeing as how snow is a form of water, and he could dry himself at any time. But, he let it linger, dripping down his face and hair, because Tonks looked mighty proud of her work. "I suppose that's fair." He stated plainly.
"Of course it's fair! That's cold, right there." She exclaimed. "Why aren't you freezing?" She asked, watching rivulets drip down his neck and into his suit.
Percy stared at her with the blankest expression he could muster given the circumstances, and only shrugged his wet shoulders. "I'm a badass."
"Oh, you are, are you?" She raised an eyebrow, and he struggled to keep a straight face. It was not the reaction she was looking for. "And I'm not? I'm wearing less than you!" She pointed at each of her arms, giving them a good shake to draw his attention to the lack of fabric covering each appendage. "Merlin, I'm even more of a badass."
"I don't know…" Percy made an exaggerated show of rubbing his chin and peering at the mountain in the distance, pretending to contemplate her claim. He drew it out a tad longer than was necessary, and Tonks began to lean in, anticipating what he had to say. "I don't see too many badasses tripping over an umbrella stand everyday."
She immediately slapped a hand over her face, slowly dragging it down over her nose, then her lips and off her chin, letting her arm dangle at her side. There was a moment of nothing, just the two of them, staring into each other's eyes as the snow softly fell upon them. Then, a laugh.
A rich, joyous laugh erupted from Tonks that warmed Percy to the soul. Her shoulders rattled and she threw her head up, facing the falling snow as the laughter racked her body. He had no choice but to join in with her, in a more subdued way at least, chuckling at their expense. Eventually she calmed down, but the smile remained on her face. "Why do you think I stay away from heels?" She grabbed Percy's wrist, drawing his arm over her shoulders and shoving herself into his side. "And it's not every day." She clarified into his jacket. They remained that way for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet that would dissipate the moment they stepped back through those doors.
Tonks reluctantly retracted herself from under his arm, biting her lip in an expression that meant she was unsure of herself, as Percy had come to realize. "Perce, I-" She hesitated, and shifted her gaze back towards the majestic mountain. She took a few visible, deep breaths that caused steam to billow from her mouth and quickly dissipate into the cool night. "I'm getting cold." She finally said with a huff after a long pause. "We should go back inside." And she turned and slowly shuffled towards the large glass doors they had exited from a short time ago. Her dress gave one last flutter in the wind, and Percy watched her step across the threshold and back into the ballroom.
With one more cursory glance at the snowy landscape, he followed.
The dance floor must have run its course, as the majority of the crowd had dissipated to their own small groups, the majority cluttered around the small tables as he and Tonks had been when they arrived. There were a few more stragglers that remained on the floor, spinning to the current tune, but there was hardly an audience any longer. He caught up to his pink-haired friend, who had stalled to wait for him just inside the door.
"I need a drink." She told him simply.
"A drink?"
"It'll warm me up." She turned around, looking up at him innocently. "Want one?"
He hadn't really come to the ball with the intent of drinking any alcohol, though that certainly wasn't the thought of many others, as plenty of clinks were heard around the hall amidst small bouts of laughter. He sighed and relented under her expectant gaze. "I'll have one." He emphasized. He had a current track record of being unable to say 'no' to the auror that stood in front of him. She took her cue, and headed to the bar that was situated near the dance floor while she left him to find a table to linger at. He wandered through the crowd, offering polite nods or greetings as he passed by when others did the same. He found an empty table in the corner, past the throngs of guests, and settled in, awaiting Tonks to find him after her trip to the bar.
Large crowds of people never bothered Percy, growing up in New York City there was hardly anywhere to go without a crowd. He either had to get used to them, or he was shit out of luck. But, the crowd that was in the ballroom was different. It wasn't just people going about their day, moving from one place to the next. No, Percy felt himself being scrutinized with every step he took. Vultures that prayed on any weakness they could find, only to use them for their own gain and others' misery. The type of people who believed the only thing that mattered was strength and power, and would step on anyone's shoulders to taste just a little more of their prize.
Or, he was just being dramatic. But, a demigod that is always comfortable is not one that survives for long. He had a valid reason for always being on edge, he was essentially made for it.
His musings were cut short when Tonks finally reached him, short cocktail glasses in each hand. "There you are, Perce." She placed the two glasses down with a soft thunk and leaned onto the table. She took a sip of the amber liquid and grimaced when it slid down her throat. "Oh, that burns."
"What is this?" Percy asked her when she had recovered. He eyed the contents of the glass with trepidation. He had never been a drinker for a few reasons. One, his lifestyle always required him to be on high alert. And two, his experience with Gabe turned him off from the stuff altogether for what will probably be his whole life; barring any extenuating circumstances. And this event was an exception.
"Whiskey." She choked out after allowing her throat to rest for a moment, before going in for another swig. This one went down a bit smoother, with only a slightly pained expression and no accompanying remarks. Percy tried his own sip, and Tonks was right, it did burn. He placed the glass down and bowed his head, joining his companion in slight agony when the offending liquid slid down his throat and settled in his stomach. He felt it the whole way down.
"So." Percy began when they both recovered. "There's still a lot of guests to tell me about."
"Right." Tonks began scanning the crowd from their spot in the corner. It wasn't the most ideal spot for people watching, but she soon found a proper topic of conversation. She slyly pointed a finger, leaning in close so her words were not overheard. "See that bloke over there, long black hair, walks like he's got a stick up his arse?"
"Don't you know it's rude to point?"
"Piss off, Perce." But she dropped her hand back onto the table, only to raise the glass and take another sip. "Do you see him?"
Percy strained his eyes towards the general direction that her finger had pointed. He noticed one man who stood out slightly from the crowd. He was walking briskly, as if he had an important business meeting to attend and it took him too long to get his morning cup of coffee. His lips were pursed and eyebrows scrunched, frown lines marred his face from overuse. "The one who looks like he just ate a whole lemon?"
"Yeah, him." She swallowed another mouthful of whiskey. "That's Rufus Scrimgeur. He's the current head of the auror office. Real go-getter, they say."
"Who's they?" Percy asked, cutting her off briefly.
"Dunno." Tonks shrugged without hesitation. "Really believes in the good fight, though. Even if he's a little stiff in the britches."
"Good to know there's a few ministry employees who actually care." Percy mused. His previous interactions with Ministry officials did not inspire confidence in the former leader. He had seen how an organization preparing to fight for their lives, their existence functioned, and the Ministry of Magic was a far cry from where it should be.
"There are a few sprinkled around." She rose up to her tiptoes, straining her neck to look over heads and tall hats on some occasions, scanning for another subject. She hummed and clicked her tongue a few times during her search until she found a suitable candidate. "Ah, there." She pointed out a shorter, squat man with a round face and light brown hair that looked like great care had been taken to ensure the mop was split evenly right in the middle of his forehead. His eyes set far apart, and they were open wide as he was listening intently to a story in a group of five, drink in hand. He looked out of place in the group, the least athletic looking man at the table. "Auror John Dawlish." She supplied.
"One of the good ones?"
"Sort of." Another sip. "He's a good auror, but he's one of those 'follow every order' blokes." She made extensive use of air quotes. "He'd do whatever he's ordered to do, no matter what that may be."
"That's dangerous." Percy summarized. It was no good when you had people who never questioned their orders, to think freely on the morality of what they were tasked with doing. That's how you ended up with… well, many of the atrocities that littered human history.
Mmhmm. Tonks agreed with a nod, pausing her hand in mid air, hovering the glass before her lips. "Especially if there were to be a, Merlin forbid, regime change." They both allowed that thought to settle, to fester in their minds while they continued to observe the crowd. It was getting more raucous then, louder chatter and some boisterous laughter accompanied the not quite absurd amount of inebriated stumbling around.
"There." Tonks smacked his shoulder to get his attention, forcing him to focus on a group across the hall. He recognized two of them, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy stood, noses upturned towards the ceiling and matching haughty expressions. Tonks couldn't have been pointing them out, he already knew all about them. Then, Percy followed a gesture from Lucius to the man next to him, urging him to speak with that stupid cane of his. That must be the man Tonks was pointing out.
Percy wasn't too keen on messing with him, but it wasn't the physical aspect that threw him off, there was just something about him. He stood there, uninterested, and looked over the rest of the attendees with contempt, as if he couldn't fathom why he had to attend such an event that was beneath his station. There was an air of mystery, and of subtle authority that Percy could sense from across the hall. The man gave him a similar feeling to that of a monster in disguise.
"Gareth Greengrass." Percy didn't know how common that last name was in the wizarding world, he would hazard a guess to say it wasn't. Was that Daphne's father? Daphne didn't look too much like him, though, if he was. "Got two daughters in Hogwarts." Must be Daphne's father, then. Sort of made sense now, how the Slytherin girl acted in public, remaining standoffish and cold.
"Daphne and Astoria." Tonks raised an eyebrow at him, clearly curious on how he knew their names. "I've had both of them in my class." He explained.
"I didn't know their names."
"There ya go, now I'm teaching you something."
Tonks only rolled her eyes, something Percy noticed she did quite often when she was with him. Annabeth did it a lot too. "Anyway, Gareth over there is an Unspeakable."
"What's an Unspeakable?" Percy had never heard that term thrown around before. Of course, he'd only been here for a limited time, and was still unfamiliar with many of the inner workings of the wizarding government.
"They work in the department of Mysteries." She said, as if that explained everything.
"And… what do they do there?" Percy urged her to continue explaining. It was probably common knowledge to the rest of them, but not him. She didn't respond. He looked over, and she was looking away from him, eyes fixated on the bar area where she had gotten their drinks. She brought the glass back up, finishing off what was left. He tapped her shoulder, and she startled, whipping her head back around. "Tonksy! What do they do at the Department of Mysteries?"
"Huh?
"You know you should slow down with those. Won't feel great later."
"Right." She breathed, looking back at him. "Nobody knows except the Unspeakables. They're forbidden to speak of their work, or the department itself." That would explain the air of mystery that surrounded the Greengrass man. He must have been an exceptional wizard as well, to hold a position of that magnitude.
"Huh. Good to know. Anyone else you want to tell me about?"
"Oh, there's a lot." She raised the empty glass, playing with it, tipping it from side to side with an inquisitive look. "But, I need another drink. You want one?" She pointed at him with one finger lifted from the glass.
"I'm good." He shook his head. He hadn't touched his drink since that initial sip, and it sat mostly full on the table in front of him since.
"I'll be back." She assured him, and she left the table, dodged around a few wandering folks, and vanished in the direction of the bar.
Percy swung the front door open, dragging a lagging Tonks that was essentially hanging off his arm. She took a few unsteady steps and stumbled, forcing Percy to throw his arms out to stabilize her. Her pink hair was a mess, and she took deep breaths as she stood supported by Percy.
"I don' ffeel good." She slurred out, wrapping a free arm around her stomach.
"I warned you to not drink so much."
Tonks lurched, which a few agonizing moments later, turned out to just be a small burp. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes angled up towards the ceiling. She swallowed thickly. "You were right." She admitted. "I shoulda listened."
"C'mon. Let's get you to bed." Percy urged her to keep moving, eager to get her to bed to lie down and get some rest. She agreed, running a hand through her hair to remove the strands from her face. She began to move, leaning on Percy while he led her through the living room. Past the spacious couch and the television, they broached the threshold of the bedroom, pained moans following their path.
A bit more shuffling later and Tonks collapsed on the bed, her knees giving out without Percy's support. "This isn't m'bed. Where are we, Perce?" She asked hazily.
"Brought you to my house. Don't know where your apartment is."
"Flat."
"Huh?"
"It's a flat, not an aparmet." Her words were quite slurred and she was still in her dress when Percy hauled her to the pillow and drew the blanket up to her shoulder. Percy looked around the room, locating her shoes and collected them, placing them against the wall by the door for the morning.
He assumed she had passed out, no noise had come from the bed in a minute or two. He made to turn off the light, intent on going to his room for the night, when her voice stopped him at the doorway. "Can you stay, Perce? Please."
He signed. It wasn't his intention to stay, didn't want any questions to arise with her in the state she was in. But, it was becoming so hard to say no to the woman lying in the bed, and he didn't have enough willpower to muster any resistance after the long night. He kicked off his shoes next to Tonks' and flopped on the bed next to her, slipping under the blanket.
She stayed facing away from him, planted on her side with her hair splayed out on the white pillow. He stared up in the dark with a vacant expression, determined to stay awake until she passed out. "Why don't you like me, Perce?"
He craned his neck, to look at where she was lying even though he knew she couldn't see him. "What do you mean? Of course I like you. Why would you think that?"
Tonks' words were soft, but Percy could tell they were filled with emotion when her voice cracked and shook at points. Especially in her less than sober phase. "I just… you're this awesome bloke - handsome, funny, smart, strong, always do what's right - and you don't fuck up… you're like, perfect." She moved her forearm in a sideways motion, in what Percy assumed was wiping her face or her eyes. "And I'm just a shit auror, and I screw up all the time. And I'm clumsy, you said so yourself."
"I'm very far from perfect, believe me." Percy said quietly, his mind flashing so many of his lost friends' faces before his eyes.
"Bollocks." She grumbled towards the wall, still facing away from him.
"Is that why you think I don't like you? Because you're not perfect?" Percy asked incredulously. Even if the alcohol impacted her judgment, it still forced her deepest insecurities to the surface. "Tonksy, look at me."
She reluctantly rolled over, and she placed her hand between her head and the pillow. She looked up at him with misty eyes illuminated by the moonlight seeping in through the window. "It's those 'flaws' that make you unique. You don't want to be the same as everyone else, that's boring. You are a bit clumsy, sure. But not when you're fighting, when you're dancing - and that's part of what makes you so charming and fun to be around. These traits aren't harmful or unappealing, they're endearing and what makes us human."
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaning his head against the headboard. "Do you know why I loved Annabeth?" He released her name much smoother than he had in the past to his relief. He had to be the one that stayed strong tonight.
"Your first girlfriend?" She asked for clarification, and he nodded as an answer. "Because she was gorgeous?"
"Annabeth was beautiful, and that was one of the reasons I was attracted to her. But, it wasn't one of the reasons why I loved her." He could feel his eyes begin to water, and he blinked a few times in rapid succession to hold back the flood. "She had lots of small quirks and tendencies that only I knew about, and they only made me love her more."
"Such as?"
"Well." He sniffled and wiped his eyes. "She was terrified of spiders, no matter the size. You'd barely be able to see the thing, but she would jump up onto something, yelling at me to kill it. She'd stay up there until I could prove the spider was gone." He chuckled at the memory of Annabeth suddenly springing up on top of her desk, knees tucked under her chin, when a spider half the size of a pencil eraser crawled out from under her desk in the Athena cabin.
"A tad excessive."
"That's my point." Percy said in response with a flourish. "Others see these things as 'flaws', but that's the good stuff. That's the stuff you remember." He relaxed back into the pillow, feeling that his point was successfully proven.
"Do you still love her?"
"I do." He said without hesitation. "But, she's gone now."
"Is that why you never-?" Tonks asked in a small voice. He really hated that she felt that way, and it was his fault. But it still was partly the reason why, with circumstances that she couldn't begin to understand right now, especially tonight.
"Yes and no." Percy cut off her question, grasping her hand that was lying outside of the covers and met her eyes in the dark room. "I never wanted for you to feel that way, and I do enjoy our time together, trust me - maybe against my better judgment." She opened her and sucked in a breath to respond, but Percy didn't let her. "It's absolutely nothing to do with you, Tonksy. It's just difficult to put myself out there again after what happened."
Percy immediately felt better when a teary smile blossomed in the moonlight with his reassurance. "Will you tell me sometime?"
"Tell you what happened?" He asked for clarification. She nodded, and her hand flew to her mouth with a gagging sound from her throat. It luckily passed, groaning in relief she relaxed into the bed again.
"I promise, one day." He rubbed the back of her hand with his rough thumb. "But it's a very, very long story, and not for tonight." Tonks' hand followed his as he retracted it, seeking the small amount of comfort it had provided. "It's time for you to get some rest."
Her eyes had dried up, and her gaze was much brighter when it looked back in his direction, though a tear track of two remained on her cheeks. "It's gonna be a rough morning, huh?"
"I don't envy you." Percy said to her dismay. "And you probably won't remember much of our conversation." She sighed and dragged her hand down her face, pushing a breath out through her lips so she sounded reminiscent of a horse. "The more sleep you get, the better it'll be. So you better start."
"Fine. Goodnight, Perce."
"Goodnight, Tonksy." He pulled the cover up and closed his eyes. A soft snore alerted him that Tonks had fallen asleep almost immediately, and he was not much further behind.
Tonks
She blinked, rising from a dreamless sleep with her head smushed into a pillow. Recoiling, she quickly shut her eyes tight once again at the overwhelming brightness of the light streaming in the room, her eyes were apparently quite sensitive that morning. She rolled over, seeking the other side of the bed that was shrouded in shadow, and her head erupted in pain at her first movements of the day.
Her hands flew to caress her forehead, and she lay there, awaiting the throbbing in her head to lessen. Tonks found she had little recollection of last night after Percy had dragged her away from the bar and the ball despite her resistance. He had at least saved her from making a complete fool of herself in front of her peers from the Ministry.
A vague memory rushed back to her. She remembered that Percy had brought her back to his place, and she was grateful - the bed she was curled up in was much more comfortable than hers - were these silk sheets?
She recalled begging Percy to stay, then a long conversation while she fought exhaustion. She remembered being upset, and that quickly turning into excitement, but the reason evaded her memory. Oh Merlin, had she made more of a fool herself in front of just Percy? That's just what she wanted to do.
Her despair was cut short when the smell of delicious searing bacon seeped into the room. She shot up, doing her best to ignore the stabbing pain in her head, and threw on some clothes that were neatly folded in a chair next to the bed. They must have been Percy's clothes, because she did not own a blue tank top that was a tad too big, and the gray sweatpants were way more comfortable then any pants she owned.
She stumbled towards the closed door, and sharp pain shot through her head, forcing her to stop and brace on the door. Her head was close enough, that soft voices filtered through the door. One she recognized as Percy, and the other was unfamiliar.
-ant you to be happy, Percy.
-I know. It's not only that, it's just-
It sounded like a private conversation, and since the pain had faded temporarily, she decided against her urge to eavesdrop. So she pushed open the door, and the voices paused at the sudden noise. She struggled to take each step, but the alluring aroma of sizzling bacon was all the encouragement she needed. She fought through the pain, taking much longer than any normal person would to cross the hall into the kitchen.
She plopped down on a stool that sat at the kitchen island, that opened up into the living room and the giant television that Tonks recalled being there. She raised her averted eyes, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Percy stood there, apron covering his clothes and spatula in hand. Tonks located the origin of the reason she got out of bed, a pan of bacon filling the room with a delicious aroma. Next to that there was, "are those pancakes blue?"
"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "When I was younger, my step-father, well, he liked to drink and he didn't treat me and my mom well. One day, he insisted food couldn't be good, so she went out of her way to spite him and dye all of her food blue. Started a new tradition at breakfast." He explained while loading up a few plates full of food.
Two blue pancakes and a few strips of bacon were placed on the island before her, and Percy drizzled a generous helping of syrup over the whole plate. She quietly thanked him and took a moment to inhale the pleasant aroma before popping a whole strip of bacon in her mouth. She closed her mouth, savoring the juicy flavor that suddenly coated her taste buds.
"That's bloody delicious." She mused. "And you can cook now, too." She dropped her forehead to her hand, slowly swiveling from side to side with closed eyes and a sigh.
He shrugged a shoulder and continued flipping a pancake on the stove. He looks back over his shoulder to answer. "I assumed you wouldn't be in any state to make yourself breakfast."
He was right of course, and she voiced that. It had taken all of her willpower to even get out of bed and make it to the kitchen. "Is that why you don't drink, your step-father?" She just connected the dots, but her mind was also a tad lagging that morning. He confined her suspicions with one word. She was curious for more, but didn't want to push him further with what was certainly a private topic.
She settled for a change and subject, and while digging into the fluffiest pancakes, she just remembered when she was struggling at the door, she had heard two voices, but Percy was the only one in the kitchen when she stumbled in. "Hey Perce, who were you talking to earlier?"
Hmm? He had just put some more bacon on the stove, and the loud sizzling drowned out her question. She repeated her inquiry and he adopted an inquisitive look. "Ah, yes." He said after a moment of thinking. "That was my dad."
"Thought you didn't see your dad that much." These really were some of the best pancakes she'd ever had. Would've never guessed Percy would be the one to produce them.
"I don't." He confirmed. "Had some time, stopped by to talk."
Tonks swallowed another bite of pancake. "What you talk about?"
"Nothing important." He shrugged. "He just wanted to catch up." He walked around the kitchen island, setting down another setting for himself, and plopping down next to her. Tonks just finished her last few bites, making sure she got everything, and leaned back from the table; full, satisfied, and feeling much better.
"Want any more?" He asked between bites.
She politely declined, thanking him for his wonderful cooking. They sat in silence while Percy ate his breakfast. He ate quickly, time between bites was nonexistent and Tonks didn't think he savored his own food at all. Soon enough he finished, and he rose, grabbing both their dishes and heading towards the sink. She was about to offer her help, but he declined with a wave of his hand and a smile, stating she needed rest.
Pushing back against his observation, she got off the stool and began to move towards the sink. She took two steps, and he turned back around. The dishes were all clean, just like that. It had only been thirty seconds since he had left his seat.
Perplexed, she stood there, and Percy just smiled. "Glad you're feeling better."
"I appreciate you taking care of me, Perce." She said shyly, slightly embarrassed with what happened the night before. Tonks was not a heavy drinker, it was quite an outlier with how much she ended up drinking at the ball, and she hoped Percy knew that. She can't even really remember what drove her to drink that much either…
"Do you remember what happened last night?" He asked quietly.
She slowly shook her head. "Not really. Don't remember leaving, or after we got here." She wished she did, it sss very unnerving to have a whole chunk of the previous night leaving a void in her memory. Unfortunately, while she would love nothing more than to spend a whole day with Percy, she did have things she needed to get done. "Thank you, Perce. But I do need to get going."
"Of course." He said, flipping a dish towel over his shoulder and leaning his rear on the counter. "Take it easy with the liquor from now on, yeah."
"I will." She headed for the door, her steps even now after Percy's delicious breakfast filled her stomach. She was still wearing his clothes, but she didn't care. Hopefully he won't mind if she kept them a bit longer, she'd see him soon anyway, the next meeting at the latest. She grabbed the jacket she had worn the previous night and slipped on her shoes, opening the door to encounter beating sunlight and a cool morning breeze.
"Tonksy!" Percy called to her before she could step out. He was still at the counter, he hadn't moved, with a troubled expression. He eventually sighed, seeming to come to a decision on an internal debate he had taken part in. He threw the towel on the counter, lifting himself up to face her. "I was planning on going back to the states for a visit soon." He said, then his hand came up to rub at the back of his neck once again. "You want to come?"
She felt a smile push to spit her face wide open, she struggled with herself, fighting to keep it at a respectable level as to not seem too eager. But, she had been waiting for something like this really since she met him. Tonks didn't think she won the struggle with her face muscles. "Of bloody course I'll go."