Rose! I've so enjoyed having you on the team, thank you so much for being here! You may have a quiet presence, but it's so nice when you pop in and chat so do it more often! Your stories were lovely! And so are you! :)

I didn't have to think too had about which of your favourite pairings to write—so here's Percy and Oliver! For this fic, please pretend Percy and Oliver are in the same year and try not to think too hard about the repercussions of that. :P

OoO

He was studying, as usual, in the common room, for the end of year exams. This wasn't anything new, in fact, most people would be surprised if he didn't have his head deep in a book. He ran a hand through his hair as he finished the paragraph and he took a break for a second, stretching his hand, leaning back in the chair.

The common room was quiet, just the way he liked it. Most of his year had a study period, and they were outside where the sun was shining on a warm summer's day. He didn't particularly like that, studying outside. There would be flies, bees and people wanting to talk to him. He needed little distractions for the next few days.

"Don't tell me you're still in the same chair you were in when I left you, Percy? At some point, you need fresh air, before you forget what that feels like."

He turned his head to face his dorm mate and best friend, Oliver Wood. That boy always had a cheeky grin on his face and had a clever comment to say. They met in first year—Oliver had stumbled into a few Slytherin's, while he had been on his way early to lesson, and he played a small prank on the group while he and Oliver got away. It was something he had never told Fred and George, because if they knew, he'd never hear the end of it.

Percy shrugged at the question.

"If you don't want me to tell you, then don't ask the question," Percy replied back, with a small smile as he watched Oliver collapse in the armchair nearest him.

"I'm serious, you need to take a break," he said as he closed his eyes. "It's so nice out there, perfect weather for flying."

"We're in a study period, not a flying period—"

"Well they should say that more clearly, then," Oliver commented, amusedly.

Percy picked up his quill again, while rolling his eyes in disbelief. There was no way of convincing Oliver not to fly. He had given up trying, and he honestly thought that the Professor's had too.

He started writing some more notes, his quill scratching onto his parchment in a quiet way. They both sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, while some students came back into the common room.

"Hey, you know what we should do?" Oliver asked, sitting back up in his chair as he hovered behind Percy, closely.

"What?" Percy asked, somewhat interestedly, somewhat boredly, not looking up from his studying.

"Go to Hogsmeade together this weekend. I hear they have some new sweets in Sugarplum's Sweet Shop, it'll get you to have a break for a bit and I promise we'll be back to fit some studying in in the afternoon," Oliver suggested with an excited grin on his face.

It was a look Percy struggled to say no to. Every time.

"Fine, only if you buy me the—"

"Chocolate covered marshmallows, yes I know. Great, it's a date!"

He coughed, eyes widened just a little as he stared at his friend. His heart skipped a beat, though he had no idea why. He spotted Oliver's cheeks turn a rosey red.

"Not a date, I mean, like, you know the saying 'it's a date' applies to whenever you agree with something…" Oliver trailed off. "You get what I mean," he said weakly.

"I—" Percy started, and didn't finish his sentence.

His annoying brother's joined them, sitting on the two seater couch, looking at them both curiously.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Percy and Oliver said at the same time.

"I'll see you later, Perce. I'm going to plan some Quidditch tactics." He told him in a rush, walking quickly up to the dorms.

He watched him go, with a thoughtful expression. Apparently, that was a mistake, because the moment the twins knew Oliver had disappeared, they were both standing next to him with knowing looks.

"See you later, Perce," Fred teased.

"Perce, you never let us call you that!" George complained, with a pout.

He groaned, banging his head on the table. "I don't like nicknames, you know that."

"Oliver gets to call you Perce. What did we just walk in on? You two were a lot closer than usual—"

"No we weren't," he muttered, trying not to blush or let their comment get to his head.

"Percy, everyone knows you're practically dating. Everyone but you two. Have been since year one. Why don't you just go on a date already?" Fred questioned.

He refused to answer.

"Percy and Oliver sitting in a tree—" they started to sing, both grinning mischievously.

"I'm going to study where you two aren't." He stated, packing away his things.

He needed peace and quiet to gather his thoughts.

Desperately.

OoO

He was walking with his best friend through Diagon Alley. He hated to admit it, but Oliver was right. He had needed a break, a proper break. He just couldn't get what the twins had been saying out of his head. Yes, he liked Oliver, as a friend.

Why did they think it was something more? Why did his heart skip a beat when his friend blushed?

What if he wanted the twins to be right about this? What then?

"A penny for your thoughts?" Oliver nudged him gently.

Percy swallowed, smiling nervously.

"Just hope it's not too busy around here. You know I hate crowds."

He wasn't lying, he just wasn't telling the whole truth. He ignored his stomach twisting at the thought of lying to him. He didn't want to admit the truth just yet. What was there to admit? Nothing.

"If it is, we could get ice cream and then go to the park," his friend said, thoughtfully.

"Sure," Percy replied.

That did nothing to ease his mind.

OoO

"You've already eaten the marshmallows. I think that's your new record," Oliver commented, chuckling as he licked his ice cream.

Sitting on the bench with him felt so right, so comfortable, that suddenly, his thoughts quietened. He decided to not think and just go with whatever happened.

"I can't believe you got both mint chocolate and strawberry on your cone, it's a crime," Percy said, shaking his head, with a grin on his face. He had his own ice cream, which had vanilla and chocolate scoops. Much more sensible.

"Try it, go on. Then you'll understand why."

Percy glanced at Oliver, who was waving the ice cream in his face carelessly. So carelessly that he managed to get some of it on his cheek while he was trying the weird flavours.

He hummed as he finished the taste test. Alright, Oliver was right, those two strangely went together quite well. He rolled his eyes, fondly.

"Fine, you were right," he mumbled quietly.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Oliver said, way too happily.

"I said you were right!" Percy exclaimed, not as frustrated as he sounded.

"You've got something on your cheek, by the way," his friend told him, moving closer so their legs were touching.

He was trying not to overthink it as he glanced at Oliver. He didn't say anything as the other boy brought his hand to his cheek, holding him gently as he wiped away the ice cream with his thumb.

Percy never wanted the feeling to go away. He didn't think as he leaned in to kiss Oliver on the cheek.

Until he remembered what he was doing and he jumped up.

"I'm—"

He was brought back down by Oliver's hand.

"You missed."

"W-what?" Percy asked, stressed.

Oliver closed the gap, this time kissing him on the lips.

Alright, Percy thought as his stomach did flips, that was one way to stop the world for a moment.

OoO

"You owe me ten galleons." Fred said to George with a grin as he watched Percy and Oliver walk into the common room, hand in hand.

"I swear they wouldn't have realised till the end of the year, this is so not fair."