Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Please, Percy?" came a young voice that could only be Ginny Weasley.

"No, Ginny, I've got to finish the de-gnoming," came Percy's firm voice in response. Oliver couldn't resist, getting up from where he'd been sitting, waiting for the Twins to finish getting yelled at by their mother. He quietly peeked around the edge of the ramshackle house to see Percy standing in the middle of the garden, looking harassed. Ginny was standing at the edge of the garden, in a swimsuit, with a pleading look on her face.

"Please, Percy? I asked Mom earlier, and she said I could go swimming, as long as I don't go alone. C'mon... I'll help you de-gnome later!" A distinct whine was creeping into her voice, and Oliver couldn't help grinning to himself. He'd been there a week, visiting the twins, and he hadn't seen her on any less than her best behaviour. Well, aside from going after George with an uncooked fish last night before dinner, but he really thought that would have been a reasonable response to the situation on the part of anyone.

"Why don't you get Ron to go?" Percy said, trying to get out of it.

"He won't play with me, because Oliver's here and the Twins are letting him play Quidditch with them." Ginny sulked.

"Well, ask the Twins and you can all go. I'm sure Oliver would probably like to go for a swim."

Ginny's eyes narrowed in a manner strikingly reminiscent of Percy on a bad day, and this time Oliver actually snickered. Fortunately, neither of them heard.

"I HATE the twins! They'll just dunk me, and put a spell to keep the dryads away, and take all the fun out of it. Please Percy? Please please please? I want YOU to come with me. Pretty please?" She was nearly jumping up and down by the end of her impassioned plea, and when Percy turned his head away from her for a moment, Oliver saw the smile he was trying to hide from her. Percy was clearly pleased to be the one Ginny wanted to spend time with.

Percy heaved a dramatic sigh as he turned back to his sister. "All right, all right, I'll go. Just give me a minute to change. And if you don't want the twins along you better not let them see you, or they'll want to come along for sure." He had the exasperated-yet-willing-to-humour-his-sibling thing down to perfection, Oliver thought, turning away. He stifled the wish that he could go along with the two of them. He'd never thought there would come a time he wouldn't want to play another game of Quidditch, but he was finding that practicing on his own, or with a team of good players, was very different from playing with his two insane beaters and their klutzy younger brother. All attempts he'd made to spend some time with Percy over the visit had been foiled by either Ginny or Mrs. Weasley demanding something from Percy, or the Twins dragging him away him away. He'd never figure out why the twins didn't just believe him when he said he considered Percy a friend. After six years rooming with him, you'd think the natural assumption would be that they got along fairly well. Fred and George, however, seemed to be convinced he was only being polite.

Ironically, if not for getting to see Percy in his natural habitat Oliver would be beginning to regret having let the twins talk him into coming to stay for two weeks. The twins were great... on a limited basis. The twins 24-7 were somewhat... tiring. Mind you, this was better than staying with his Aunt Joyce while his parents were out of the country: If he were there he'd have a whole new wardrobe by now and be expected to spend time with his cousin Kevin, who was as obsessed with the Violin as Oliver was obsessed with Quidditch. They never had much to say to one another. His parents refused to let him stay on his own while they were gone, so he really hadn't had an option. It wasn't, his mother had informed him, that they didn't think he could take care of himself at the age of seventeen; it was that they didn't think he could stay out of trouble for two weeks at the age of seventeen. No logic in the world could combat that, especially after that little incident with the out-of-control Bludger, the neighbour's shed, and the turkey. Which really hadn't been his fault, exactly…

The twins burst out the door, Fred grabbing Oliver by the arm. "C'mon before Mum thinks of some task to give us! Ron! Get down here!" he bellowed.

"Coming!" The answering yell, causing Oliver to shake his head once again. His mother would have lectured him for half an hour for yelling in the house. Outside, fine, but she expected Oliver to behave in a "semi-civilized" manner inside the house. He snickered to himself, wondering what she'd make of the Weasleys. He almost wished she could see them, so she'd realize he really wasn't that bad. Mrs. Weasley had so far referred to him as civilized, polite, gracious, possessing lovely manners, being a charming young man, and being so much better behaved than her gang of hooligans. His mother would faint, even if she HAD demanded of him that he be on his best behaviour about 27 times before agreeing he could stay with the Weasleys.

Ron caught up to them as they entered the clearing the Weasleys used for playing Quidditch, and then all his attention was focused on the game.

~~

The game ended quickly, when Ron crashed into a tree. He was relatively unhurt, but Oliver decided to take advantage of his advanced years and declare the game over before the boy killed himself. So they trooped back into the house in search of something to drink.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Oliver said when she handed him a glass of lemonade.

She beamed at him and pinched his cheek. "Such a polite boy. If only the twins could learn some manners..."

"We have manners," protested George.

"Yeah, we have normal people manners!" added Fred. "Oliver's just polluted from years of rooming with Perfect Percy."

"I wish you wouldn't call your brother that, Fred," Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Good manners never hurt."

"Where IS Percy, anyway? Is he done de-gnoming the garden already?" George asked.

"Oh, he took a break to take Ginny swimming, " Mrs. Weasley said, with more than a trace of affection in her voice. "You lot would do well to spend more time with your sister as well you know!" Oliver had noticed a certain tendency to dote on Ginny, but he couldn't tell if it was usual for any of them other than Percy, or a reaction to nearly losing her the previous spring.

Fred grinned at her. "Great idea, Mum!" He turned to the rest. "Let's go swimming!"

Oliver gaped as the three abandoned their glasses on the table and stampeded up the stairs.

Mrs. Weasley chuckled at him. "Better hurry and go get changed Oliver, or they'll drag you along as you are."

She didn't seem at all bothered by the mess that had just been made and left for her to clean up, so Oliver just nodded and headed up to get changed. He didn't know who was going to be more annoyed about this invasion: Percy, or Ginny.

~~

They heard them before they saw them, as they came around the curve in the path to the pond. They were engaged in a splashing fight, until Ginny abruptly squealed "Tea Party!" They both sank underwater and stayed there, till Oliver began to get nervous.

"What -?" he began.

"Tea Party," said Ron sullenly. "You go sit on the bottom of the pond, open your eyes, and then make faces at each other till one of you smiles."

As Oliver tried to keep the smile off his face at the thought of Percy making faces at anyone, the two swimmers burst to the surface, Ginny giggling like a maniac. "I win! Who's the man!" She gloated.

While Oliver contemplated the obvious gender confusion inherent in that gloating, the twins cannonballed into the pond right beside her, the resulting wave swamping both Ginny and Percy.

"WILL you two be careful!" Percy snapped at them, as Ginny clung to his shoulder, coughing. He absently patted Ginny on the back, glaring at his brothers. Ron, evidently not wanting to be left out of anything the twins were involved in, even one of Percy's epic lectures, cannon-balled in beside them, swamping all four. The twins promptly turned on him and started dunking him.

Ginny made a wordless sound of annoyance, launched off Percy, and swam further down the pond. Percy sighed, pulled the twins off Ron, and said firmly, "If you can't behave, go back to the house. You'd think with a guest around you could at least act like civilized wizards!"

He swam off to the other end, with a surprisingly strong and graceful stroke, ignoring the various faces being made and insults being issued by his brothers. Fred, George, and Ron resumed trying to drown each other, although Oliver noticed the twins were being a little more careful with their younger brother. Seeing they weren't paying attention, he wandered down to the other end of the pond, where Ginny was pouting at Percy about the "beastly" twins having driven off the dryads. They looked up as Oliver approached.

"Is it safe to come in down here?" He asked lightly.

Ginny scowled at him, but Percy grinned, a rare thing under any circumstances. "Safer than down that end, anyway."

Oliver slid into the water, which was actually fairly warm. Still cool enough to be a relief from the summer heat, he thought, ducking under the water. "That's much better," he gasped, as he surfaced. He thought he caught Percy's eyes darting away from him swiftly, although he couldn't have said why.

"Nothing better on a day like this than going for a swim," Percy said quietly, apparently focused on treading water. But he had a tiny smile on his face. Ginny, looking annoyed, swam away, kicking up enough water at them that they both spluttered.

"Is your entire family insane, Percy?" Oliver asked in bewilderment.

Percy snickered. "More or less, yes."

Oliver grinned, and then sobered. "Ginny doesn't seem to like me much; I haven't done anything to offend her, have I?"

"No. Whenever there's guests, the other three won't have anything to do with her, and it hurts her feelings. So she gets a bit bent out of shape with guests." Then he abruptly grinned again. "Except Harry of course. She and Harry spend all their time fleeing each other."

"Like that, is it?" Oliver said in amusement, shaking his head. "And when it's not Harry visiting, you, being a complete pushover, spend your days entertaining her."

Percy spluttered. "A pushover? Oliver, have you lost all sense? I merely wanted to get a break from the de-gnoming! I most certainly am not a pushover!"

"Uh huh.... She's got you wound round her little finger. Though having met your family I can now say that if my parents ever had another kid, I'd really want the sister. Your brothers are nuts! I knew they were before I got here, but not how much!"

Percy laughed so hard he nearly submerged, and Ginny abruptly re-appeared at his side. Her gaze looked a little softened, and Oliver realized with some embarrassment that she must have overheard him.

"C'mon Percy, race you down to the other end!" She said. Then grudgingly, "You too. If you want."

"Sure," he said amiably, and they lined up.

"Ready, set, go!" said Ginny quickly and took off, the older boys a beat or two behind her. Oliver made sure to stay a beat or two behind her, as he noticed Percy was, and she crowed happily when pronounced the winner at the other end.

Six races later, Oliver was getting a bit tired, but didn't dare say anything, since Ginny seemed to be thawing considerably. Percy pulled on his arm, muttering quietly, "C'mon back to shore." He was flushed from the exercise, and Oliver could swear he'd developed more freckles just this afternoon, as he followed the boy to shore. Considering the whole family seemed to have come back from Egypt with twice their usual supply of freckles, that would have been a remarkable accomplishment. Percy's method of getting out was rather novel, Oliver thought. He launched himself out of the water, grabbing a low hanging branch, and swung onto the ground, settling in.

He eyed the branch dubiously. Percy laughed and leaned to offer him a hand out. After a precarious moment, they were settled, water dripping from them, on the sunny bank. Ginny splashed up near them. "You can't be tired ALREADY," she grumbled. Oliver was astounded to see she didn't look even the slightest bit less energetic than when he'd arrived.

"We're old, Ginny, we need to rest," Percy said, with all the dignity he possessed. He sounded positively aged. "But," he grinned, returning to this fascinatingly more casual Percy, "I did bring the ring."

Ginny squeaked, and splashed a bit, clearly excited, as Percy picked up round, weighted ring, which was an alarmingly bright yellow in colour. Oliver watched, baffled, as Percy rose to his feet and threw it halfway across the pond. Ginny launched herself after it, moving remarkably quickly through the water, and dove down where it had entered the water. A couple moments later, she re-emerged, holding the ring, and swam back to deliver it to Percy. He took it, and as he prepared to throw it, Ron abruptly appeared at Ginny's side.

"I could have caught it faster than THAT," he said scornfully.

"Could not."

"Could too."

"Could not!"

"Could too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

Percy interrupted the argument before they could run out of syllables. "Okay Ron, prove it. My money's on Ginny."

Ron looked offended. Ginny looked smug. "Prepare to lose, RONALD."

"You're going to eat your words, VIRGINIA."

Percy tossed the ring, further this time, and they went after it. He grinned down at Oliver. "I convinced them this was a fun game when they were younger, and they're still strangely fond of it."

"Percy, you taught them to play FETCH! Didn't your parents ever get you a dog?"

"No money for a dog," Percy shrugged, with a complete absence of his usual touchiness about money. "Besides, this works quite well." Ron and Ginny were rapidly approaching with the ring. "Want to see something REALLY funny?" he added, with a mischievous smile that Oliver would have expected to see on the Twins's faces, not Percy's.

He watched with curiosity as Percy took the ring, and warned the two, "I'm going to throw it really long this time, so get ready." His youngest brother and sister bobbed in the water, eyes completely intent on the ring, like a pair of trained seals and Oliver fought down the rising urge to laugh. Percy drew the ring back dramatically, then threw it clear to the other end of the pond. It hit the water only a few feet from Fred and George who stopped trying to drown each other and dove after it instantaneously.

At which point Oliver broke down and started howling with laughter, till tears actually began to run down his face. Fred, in possession of the ring, was now playing keep-away with it, the other three in hot pursuit. Percy flung himself down on the bank, reclining, and closing his eyes in the sunlight, a smug look on his face as he waited for Oliver's laughter to wind down.

"All of them?" he finally gasped, lying down next to Percy.

He could hear the smile in Percy's answer. "All of them. And they've no idea. They'll keep that up for 20-30 minutes, then they'll be back to get me to throw it for a while. Then either Fred or George will insist they can throw it better. I'll put up a struggle over having my authority challenged, give up in disgust, and have about an hour to relax. Generally. Then I'll have to drag them out and head back to the burrow of course, but it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

"No," Oliver grinned, "This's great way to spend an afternoon. Now how do I convince the bloody twins to do this every day? I think this is the longest conversation I've been able to have with you all week!"

Percy laughed, quietly. "Well, if you really want to, just suggest it at lunch. We usually spend half the summer in the pond."

They sank into a contented silence. It was one of the things Oliver liked best about Percy. When he didn't feel he was on display, or that he had something to prove, he had this way of being quiet, without being unfriendly. It was...restful. Other than the sounds of the younger kids at the far end of the pond, and Percy's quiet breathing, he couldn't hear any sounds of civilization whatsoever. Birdsong, the wind in the trees, a nearby insect. The warmth of the sun was making him sleepy, and he slid into a half-drowse without even noticing, pondering Quidditch maneuvers.

Which was why the sudden wave of water hitting him what seemed like moments later nearly scared him out of his wits. He leapt to his feet, dripping, and stared at Fred as he stood over Percy, brandishing the ring. Percy didn't so much as open an eye.

"Percy," Fred lightly kicked his brother, who didn't respond. "C'mon, wake up and throw this for us. George and I have a bet on, and Ginny and Ron can't throw it far enough."

Percy opened one eye, and heaved a sigh of dismay. "For pity's sake, Fred, can't you lot do ANYTHING by yourselves?"

Fred's expression was strikingly similar to the pleading one Ginny'd used to get Percy to go swimming with her earlier, and Oliver reflected that he'd love to see the Twins slip up like this around Percy at school. Their vaunted coolness would vanish, if anyone saw them acting like a couple of ten-year-olds.

"All right, I'll throw it," Percy sighed, gracefully rising to his feet. Oliver found himself strangely fascinated by the stretch of pale, freckled skin over Percy's back, as he snatched the ring from Fred's hand.

Fred leapt back into the water, splashing everyone. "Ron and Ginny, go down to the end, you've got to be the judges," he ordered.

The younger two took off, and Oliver wondered if they ever got tired. Maybe it was something in the water? As they reached the far end and waved, Percy drew back the ring, and feinted throwing it, incurring outraged yells from the twins. He gave them his most supercilious look, and then threw it to the end of the pond, landing between Ron and Ginny. The twins vanished underwater.

"I always wanted a dog," Oliver said wistfully, as he sat back down on the now soggy bank. Percy looked at him in surprise. "I wanted a black lab, but neither of my parents are fond of dogs, and they pointed out that I certainly couldn't take it to Hogwarts with me. I asked for a cat for a familiar, but my dad's allergic, so I got an owl."

Percy looked down at the grass. "Well, an owl IS the most useful…" he trailed off, then looked at Oliver directly. "It's never to late on the dog front though. Want to throw the ring next time?"

Laughter chased away Oliver's contemplative mood. "Sure, why not," he grinned.

Another wave of water hit the shore as the twins approached. Fred and George always did seem to relish causing as much disruption as possible. Useful in beaters, less helpful when trying to have a relaxing afternoon.

"I won!"

"Not bloody likely!"

"The judges said -"

"The judges are NOT impartial."

"Excuses, excuses… you LOST, take it like a man."

"Percy, throw this, so I can prove once and for all which of us is the better twin."

Percy grabbed it out of his hand, and passed it to Oliver. "Throw it good and high, to land between Ron and Ginny," he instructed pedantically, barely restraining his obvious urge to reach out and show Oliver how to throw it.

Oliver turned the ring around in his hands, feeling the surprising weight of it. "What's this made of, anyway?" he asked.

Percy looked a little embarrassed. "It's just magicked rock, I made it when I first got my wand. I could do a better job of it now, of course," he broke off, squirming slightly, and Oliver was amused to realize that Percy simply didn't want to admit to a nostalgic attachment to the toy.

"Quite advanced work, for an eleven year old," he smiled at Percy, letting him off the hook, and then flung the ring to the opposite end. It was a bit hard to aim, but it landed more or less where it should, and the twins were gone in a heartbeat.

They were swimming back, seconds later, arguing. Oliver leaned in close to Percy, and whispered in his ear, "You're right, this is better than a dog." He felt Percy shiver, and realized he was invading the other boy's personal space, but found himself very reluctant to move away.

He took a step backwards, finally, as the twins arrived. Percy looked rather flushed as he accepted the ring, and immediately tossed it out again. He only threw it to the middle of the pond, which caused Ron and Ginny to forget they were the "judges" and swim after it. The next half hour passed in a blur of watching Percy throw the ring, and watching his siblings retrieve it.

He was caught off guard when Percy dramatically croaked "No more!", tossed the ring across the pond, and appeared to fall in. Oliver was on his feet in an instant, but Percy popped back up and smiled at him, a little shyly, from the water.

"You scared me for a second," Oliver said.

"It's almost time to go back - might as well swim for a bit more," Percy said, still looking self-conscious. Ginny swam up from behind him and put her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who?"

Percy looked thoughtful. "Let's see... is it Fred?"

"No!"

"Must be Ron then!"

"NO!" Ginny's peal of laughter would have surely given her away if her voice hadn't.

"I just can't figure out -"

"You know perfectly well, Percy Weasley. I'm the only sister you HAVE!"

Oliver attempted to stifle the snicker as Ginny unconsciously took on the exact tone of voice Percy used to tell off the twins when they'd broke the rules at school in some prank that Percy privately found funny. Unfortunately he failed, and found himself the focus of two pairs of Weasley eyes, one blue, one brown. They moved as one onto the bank, and Oliver found himself looking down into an innocent face framed with flyaway red hair escaped from its plaits.

"Okay, why do I feel like I should be backing away now?"

"Back away?" Ginny looked more innocent than ever, and Oliver actually took a step backwards. "Oliver, you're our guest! We'd never do anything to you... certainly not throw you in the pond." She beamed at him, and he returned to his earlier stand that all the Weasleys were nuts.

Another step backwards brought him into contact with a bare, wet chest, and he really hoped that the embarrassing squeak he made when he leapt away towards the pond had been internal. By Ginny's giggling and the small smirk on Percy's face, he doubted it.

Two hands set themselves firmly on his chest, and he had only a moment to look at Percy with the startled realization that he really meant to push him into the pond before they shoved, and he hit the water. He came up spluttering. "Percy!"

Percy looked away in an attempt to hide his grin. Percy never rough-housed with the rest of them at school. Never. Which was probably the reason for the blush growing on Percy's face as he glanced sideways at Oliver. So Oliver grinned, to let him know there were no hard feelings, as Ginny leapt into the water beside him.

Percy's return smile looked slightly shaky, but then he dove back into the water again, coming up behind Oliver. Oliver spun to keep this new, unpredictable Percy from getting a drop on him and dunking him or something. Which got him another little smile and a sheepishly pleased expression.

"You do understand, Percy, that my dignity demands that I get revenge for this affront," he said softly, letting his amusement shine through before diving his direction.

There was much splashing and yelling before Oliver actually made it through the free-for-all that resulted and dunked Percy, to the sound of the twins cheering. Wandering back up the path to the burrow he wondered exactly how much had changed now, as he watched Percy haranguing his siblings, thin arms continually moving in emphasis, as if it were the only thing keeping them moving towards the house. Ginny was bounding along beside Percy, singing quietly. Ron had lost his frequently sullen expression. Fred and George were taunting Percy at every opportunity. It certainly felt like something had changed, though he wasn't sure quite what. If he dreamt that night of red hair and freckled skin under shade, he forgot it by morning.

Chapter Text

Oliver apparated by the Weasley's front door, and found himself strangely reluctant to knock. Sure, Percy had invited him, but they'd never set a date or something. Maybe he wasn't even here, and then the rest of the Weasleys would think he was some sort of desperate stalker, not knowing he'd been invited.

He almost decided to leave when the door burst open and a small girl ran headlong into him before falling. He grabbed her at the last second. It was Ginny of course, and she beamed at him. The contrast between her behaviour in public and her behaviour at home never ceased to amuse him.

"Oliver! You must be here to see Percy! Are you staying a while? Fred said you got a place on the Puddlemere Reserve Team!"

Oliver laughed, relieved. "Yes, I don't know, and yes."

"Come in then," she said, graciously, showing a hint of her mother's hospitality. He blinked at the change from small hoyden to hostess, and then was amused to see the more adult behaviour vanish once they reached the foot of the stairs and she hollered at the top of her lungs, "Percy! Get down here! Oliver's here!"

There was a loud thud, and then a moment later Percy appeared at the top of the stairs, blinking, wearing the shabbiest and most ink-stained set of robes Oliver had ever seen him in. The smile on his face made the outfit fade into unimportance, however. He came down the stairs two at a time, and then, abruptly remembering his dignity, greeted Oliver solemnly.

"Hello, Oliver. It's nice to see you again," he said, holding out a hand to shake. Oliver looked at Percy in disbelief, then looked at the ink-stained hand, then back at Percy before pulling him into a hug, complete with back thumping. Oliver had come to the conclusion years ago that sometimes you just had to overlook Percy's strange behaviour. He got funny ideas about things when left to his own devices.

He heard Ginny laughing behind him as he released a red-faced Percy. "Hullo, Percy. Lovely to see you again too. Now that the formalities are over with, entertain me; I'm bored and I don't start practicing with the team for another two weeks." Suddenly it occurred to him that Percy might be busy, and he added, awkwardly, "Unless you've started work and are too busy, of course."

Percy gave up on dignity and grinned at him. "No, I don't start till August."

"Where're they putting you, then?"

"Department of International Magical Cooperation."

"Oh well, that's great…. What do they do?" Oliver knew Percy had all sorts of convoluted plans to change everything in the ministry and solve the ills of Wizard society; but nobody started in the Ministry at anything but menial tasks. And he couldn't remember this department being on Percy's short list of desired starting places.

"It's… do you really want to know this?"

"Of course I do! If I'm going to bore you with the full description and analysis of all my future team-mates, the least I can do is listen to the arcane explanation of whatever it is you're going to be doing."

Percy rolled his eyes, but started into a detailed description as they moved towards the kitchen, Ginny trailing unnoticed behind them.

~~

An hour's worth of animated conversation abruptly came to an end when an explosion of noise, arms, legs, and red hair burst into the kitchen, and Oliver was patted on the back and questioned till he was nearly deafened.

Mrs. Weasley distracted him from the baffling offer on the part of the twins to "save" him from Percy by reaching around Ron and sliding a plate of food onto the table in front of him.

"Thanks," he said, somewhat blankly.

Mrs. Weasley's answering smile was kind, and more than a little amused. "You're very welcome, Oliver, it's always nice to have one of Percy's friends over."

"Percy's friend?" burst out Fred, with an exasperated roll of his eyes.

"He's our friend too, Mum," said George with annoyance.

Ron had evidently gotten bored of Oliver, much to his relief, and was engaged in a kicking fight with Ginny under the table. He winced as a badly aimed kick on someone's part caught him in the shin. Just eating in this household was more dangerous than professional Quidditch could ever be. Oliver made a mental note to point that out to his mother, who was being ridiculously paranoid about his chances of injury in his chosen field. She still wanted him to get a job at Gringott's. How she thought he'd get a job for them with that incident involving the Snitch, the owl, and the public nudity outside Gringott's on his record from a few years ago, he'd never figure out. Mothers were strange.

Great quantities of food were consumed as Oliver lectured the twins about what they should do during Quidditch next year. Without him around, he was certain they would slack off and forever dishonour Gryffindor. If only Harry was a little older, the rest would probably vote him Captain. Since he was too young, Oliver could only pray they'd vote for Angelina, rather than either of the twins. Or the team was doomed.

Percy looked strangely amused, although Oliver couldn't imagine why. This was important business. But then, Percy thought that rat tails and flying carpet regulations were important business. He had very skewed priorities sometimes.

Both Ginny and Ron were gazing at the table with glazed expressions, however, and Oliver didn't think any further lecturing would make the twins take the situation any more seriously, so he leaned over to Percy to mutter, "So, want to go swimming?"

"Sure," Percy said, standing and grabbing Oliver by the arm. "We're going swimming," he announced to the others, before bolting towards the door, Oliver in tow.

The door crashed shut behind them, cutting off the chorus of "me too!"

"Do you have your swim trunks on, or do we need to go back in?" Percy asked, sounding like he was suggesting a terrible fate rather than a momentary delay.

"I'll just go starkers," Oliver said, to get a reaction.

He got one all right. Percy stopped dead in his tracks, and turned to him red-faced. "Not in front of my sister you won't!"

Oliver burst out laughing. "I'm JOKING, Percy. Yes, I'm wearing my trunks."

The look Percy shot him was aggrieved, as he turned with a sniff and headed towards the pond, a chuckling Oliver following and filing away the thought that Percy had no problem with a lack of swim trunks if his sister wasn't there.

~~

When they reached the pond, Oliver was amused to realize that Percy's old robes were worn over only his swim trunks. He'd obviously been planning on going swimming at some point today.

He found it difficult to look away as Percy impatiently shrugged them off and then proceeded to fold them flat, so that no creases would mar them. Only Percy, he thought, tossing his own robes on the ground next to Percy's.

"C'mon Percy, let's go! Mine don't NEED folding, " Oliver grumbled, as Percy began straightening his discarded robes.

Percy finished folding, and turned, brushing his hands in satisfaction. "There, now we can - "

He was interrupted by Ron and Ginny racing past and leaping in, splashing both of them and their neatly folded robes.

Oliver hid his smile and dove in after them. Lovely. The water was a little cooler than last year, but then, it was earlier in the summer than last year, and a colder year all around. He dove under the water and swam to the far end, determined to be out of range when the twins arrived.

He burst up for air at last, brushing his hair off his face and the water from his eyes, feeling tension he hadn't even known was there drain out of him. It was such a relief to be out of the house, and away from his mother's lectures about the instability and danger of his chosen career, away from his parents fighting over whether to accept his choice. If his father hadn't been so approving, Oliver didn't know what he would have done.

Something brushed against his side, and he nearly leapt out of the water. It was Percy, surfacing just behind him, looking far too amused. Oliver decided to let his action go uncontested, figuring it was Percy getting even for the earlier joke.

Percy flipped up into a lazy backfloat, arms outstretched. Not so many freckles this year, Oliver noticed. And his friend seemed to be finally filling out a little too… the shoulders seemed a bit broader, and lanky body a little less scrawny. It amused him, and filled him with affection, that his friend would expend the magic to keep his glasses on his face and clear of water.

Percy couldn't even take the idea of being unable to see clearly when swimming. He had to be the most compulsive person Oliver had ever met. He realized Percy had opened his eyes again and was watching Oliver staring at him. He couldn't prevent the blush from spreading across his face, so he ducked down under the water again, cursing himself for his carelessness.

He'd brought them near something they'd been dancing around and avoiding mentioning for almost a year. He was pretty sure he knew where he stood on the matter, but Percy had Penelope. Even if he broke up with her, as he'd been mumbling about near the end of school, it didn't mean he was necessarily - Oliver broke his train of thought and swam back to the surface, a couple feet away from Percy.

"Race you," he offered. Then stared in shock as Percy cast him a challenging look and took off without waiting. "You… cheat!"

Without Ginny to consider this year, Oliver swiftly caught up with Percy, even laughing. He wasn't laughing by the middle of the second lap, when Percy easily pulled ahead. Percy did Academic, he did Sports. It was a good split, it had always worked for him, and he was not about to lose to Percy Weasley!

He lost.

He grew resigned to his loss when Percy threw himself down on the grass beside him very close, gasping for breath. He slid his hands behind his back to resist the temptation to reach out and touch.

"I can't believe you beat me," he grumbled, half-heartedly.

He got a full smile in return. "I can't believe I beat you."

"Yeah, well, had to happen sometime, I guess."

"Like when you got a higher grade than I did in transfiguration that one time," Percy said, frowning faintly at the memory.

Now it was Oliver's turn to smile smugly. He'd probably just subconsciously LET Percy win, to make up for that incident. That was it.

"Did you break up with Penny?"

That was not what he'd meant to ask. It really wasn't. It wasn't like it was preying on his mind or anything, he just occasionally wondered, and it slipped out.

Percy was looking embarrassed, an almost pleading expression on his face. "Not yet."

"Oh." Oliver sat up and looked away. It wasn't like it mattered anyway.

"I AM going to, though, Oliver." Percy touched his arm hesitantly, and he turned to look into blue eyes that seemed very close. "She's just out of town till mid-august, and I don't want to break up over Owl. We are breaking up though, and I don't… I don't think she'll be all that surprised, I just. If … I want to do this RIGHT."

Oliver found his lost smile. "Percy Weasley do something wrong? Never."

Percy looked relieved.

"Well, except for the time a certain Percy Weasley raided the kitchen for snacks to keep his late night study session going. Oh, and the time Percy Weasley lied and conned passes for both him and I to go into Hogsmeade for my birthday. And the time he put the dragontongue into his potion rather than the dragoneye, and turned everything purple. And the - "

Percy slapped a hand over Oliver's mouth. "Shut it. You'll give my siblings the idea that I was something other than perfect," he grumbled. Unable to resist, Oliver licked his hand, which was snatched back with an indignant look.

A wave of water soaked them both as George leapt into the pond in front of them. "You two get stranger every year," he said with an amused look.

Fred stood beside them on the bank with a faint frown on his face. "Are you prats here to swim, or are you just going to hang out and exchange tips on how to be obsessive?" He said, sounding faintly put out.

Oliver felt his eyebrows rise. Usually the twins at least had a reason for starting on one of their fits of teasing their brother into a rage. And it was the first time they'd dared do anything similar to HIM.

"Swim, of course," Percy said, face losing animation, body stiffening. He rose to his feet stiffly, and dove into the water.

"Fred, give it a rest," George muttered. "Coming, Oliver?" He took off in the direction Percy had gone in.

Oliver got to his feet, not looking at Fred. Ron and Ginny were playing tea party and Percy was slowing down near them.

"Sorry," Fred said quietly. Oliver glanced over to see that Fred did actually look regretful now.

"You always… poke at Percy," Oliver said, "why do you do it, anyway? You know he'd do anything for you lot."

"I-"

Fred looked lost for words, so Oliver let him off the hook. "Well, I'm going swimming. If there were some way to steal this pond from you Weasleys, I'd do it in a second. I love this place." He jumped in, aiming for maximum splash, and Fred followed after a moment of spluttering laughter.

~~

Seemingly endless games of ring-toss and keep-away later, they all dragged themselves out of the water. Ron seemed less sullen this year, Oliver thought. Or maybe he was just used to Oliver enough to not mind being seen playing with his sister this year.

Whatever the case, he was cheerfully helping her gather flowers for their mother. While Oliver rather doubted that the weeds would impress Mrs. Weasley, she'd probably like them anyway. She just seemed that sort of mother.

Come to think of it, when he'd been small and brought his mother weeds, she'd always put them in her best vase and shown them off to any visitors. Impulsively, he began gathering a few for his own mother, as he ambled along beside Percy, who was arguing with the twins about their proposal to open a joke shop.

A joke shop. Wouldn't that be just perfect for the twins. They'd probably do really well at it, too, although if Percy sounded any less impressed…

When they reached the burrow, Oliver stopped Percy before he followed the rest into the kitchen.

"I'm off home now, I just wanted to say that I had a good time, Percy," Oliver said awkwardly. "Would you - If you want that is. Would you write? I mean, I'll probably see you at the World Cup, but other than that." He ran a hand through his damp hair in frustration, before looking directly at Percy.

"Every day, for most of the last seven years, I've come back to our room and talked everything over with you. And now I can't. Will you write? It won't be as good, but -"

"I'll write. As long as you write me back." Percy was smiling again.

"Okay, then. I'll be off." Oliver sketched a mock salute and moved back to apparate.

"I AM breaking up with Penny, Oliver." Percy spoke quietly, but Oliver caught it.

"Why?" he asked helplessly.

"Because I don't love her," Percy said matter-of-factly.

Oliver apparated into the kitchen, and before his mother could begin her traditional lecture about apparating into the front hall like a normal person, he caught her up in a hug and spun her around.

At her laughing protest, he set her down and presented her with the wildflowers.

"Why, thank you, Oliver!" She said, still looking surprised. "They're lovely." An elegant swish and flick of her wand later, her best vase was floating to the table, where she placed the flowers, smiling fondly.

Oliver grinned at the reaction and resolved to bribe his mother with flowers more often.

His father was already at the table, looking at Oliver with a raised eyebrow. "I take it you had a good visit, then, Oliver."

Oliver attempted to tone down his grin, but found it nearly impossible. Percy was definitely saying- or at least it seemed like he was -

"You know, we'd like to meet this Percy sometime," Oliver's mother said, mildly. "We've heard so much about him, particularly this last year."

He looked over in time to catch her lips twitching with suppressed laughter, and couldn't help blushing. It seemed he never had any secrets around here. Still… "You'll like him," Oliver said, with utter conviction. "He might come off a bit stiff at first, but he's really not."

Oliver's father looked like he was trying to suppress a smile of his own, but he said merely, "I'm sure we will," and left Oliver to gaze dreamily into space without further interruption.

Chapter Text

Oliver found himself swept into the kitchen, seated, and handed tea by Ginny before he had time to think. She'd changed a lot since last year. But then, he supposed kids her age did. He wondered when he'd started thinking of thirteen-year-olds as small children, rather than as third years. Maybe when they were his friend's baby sister.

"How's Percy?" he asked. Returning to the country to find Percy the footnote of a scandal had been unexpected. Not a word of it had reached him through Percy's nearly daily letters. He still wasn't sure if he was angry, offended, or just very, very worried.

"Well, he's temporarily suspended for not reporting Mr. Crouch, can't go back to work till September, and is blaming himself for everything bad that's happened since he was born. Possibly before."

He saw the traces of worry around her eyes and tried to reassure her. "Well, that's Percy for you, he's an overachiever even when it comes to guilt. I'm sure he's been very thorough in his condemnation of himself."

A giggle escaped from behind the small, freckled hand covering her mouth. "He'll be glad to see you. I thought the two of you were going to just about kill Hermes, you had him carrying letters back and forth so much."

"Well, you know, lots of news. He never wrote a word of this though." Anger crept into his voice.

"You know Percy, when things are going well, you hear about them till you want to throttle him. Things go bad, he gets...stoic," she said, almost apologetically.

"That's one word for it," Oliver muttered darkly. Another word might be 'stupid', or 'stubborn' or even 'really bloody stupid'. But that was three words. "Is he around," he asked, trying not to look anxious.

"Is who around? And who are you, by the way?" A voice said from the doorway. A man in his late twenties or early thirties stood there, and the earring and ponytail would make him Percy's oldest brother, Bill. Oliver suddenly felt vaguely shabby and intrusive.

Ginny moved closer to him. "This is Oliver, Percy's...friend," she said, hesitantly. Oliver heard the faint pause before 'friend', and knew Bill did too as his eyes widened slightly.

"We're not- That is- " he said, searching for something to say.

"So you're Oliver," Bill said thoughtfully, reversing a chair and sitting down.

Oliver was beginning to think dropping in unannounced was not one of his better ideas.

"And you've come to see Percy."

"Yes?"

"Am I going to have to throw you off our property for making things worse?"

"Worse?" Oliver heard the hurt sound in his voice and winced.

"Leave him be, Bill. He's not like Percy's so-called friends at the Ministry. Percy's always happier when he's around," Ginny said indignantly.

"He is? What did those Ministry blokes do?" Oliver glared at Ginny, fists clenched.

Bill laughed abruptly and waved Ginny to silence. "All right, Ginny, I trust your judgment. Oliver, nice to meet you. The rest, including Percy, are down at the pond. I just came up to change and get Ginny."

"I've got to change," Ginny squealed, losing all signs of her sudden maturity, and Oliver and Bill exchanged grins as Oliver slipped out the back door.

The path to the pond was familiar now, and he could hear yelling and splashing. Somehow the yelling seemed lower-pitched this year. He entered the clearing and tossed his robes and bag aside. Four redheads bobbed in the midst of what looked like a geyser of water, but he spotted Percy lying out the far bank of the pond. In their usual spot, Oliver thought, feeling vaguely guilty for thinking of it that way.

He walked around the pond as quietly as possible. Percy lay still, with his eyes closed, which somehow just made the dark circles stand out more in his pale face. Oliver could have counted his ribs, as they stood out, deforming the smooth skin. He looked, and he didn't like what he saw, not one bit.

"Percy?" he said softly.

Blue eyes opened instantly. "Hello, Oliver," Percy said distantly. "I wasn't expecting you. I guess you've heard, then."

"Yeah, I heard," Oliver said.

Percy gave a curt nod, as if that was the end of the conversation. Hell, as if he thought Oliver would just LEAVE now, and that was just bloody stupid. Sometimes all Percy's brains didn't do him the least bit of good.

Oliver sat down beside Percy, and unceremoniously pulled the other man closer, wincing at the way his collarbones stood out. "What've you DONE to yourself, you git?"

Percy stared at him before replying, hesitantly, "Oliver. You know, right? I messed up. Phenomenally. In the most major and destructive way I could possibly have done so, and with no excuse other than that I was too proud and too stubborn, and - "

"Percy," Oliver said absently, running his fingers along the offending collarbones, "Did I ever give you the impression that I thought you were anything but a normal, fallible, man?"

Percy shivered in the pause before answering, "Err... No?"

"There you go then," Oliver mumbled, growing distracted as he ran his hands down Percy's arms. Too thin altogether, just skin and bones. He never did eat much when he was stressed out, the prat.

"So you're just... Oliver, what are you doing?" Percy said, voice taking on a distinct squeak as Oliver slip his hands across Percy's ribs.

"Too bloody thin, what've you been doing, FASTING?" Oliver grumbled.

Percy burst into laughter, leaning forward to rest his head against Oliver's shoulder, body shaking. He sounded a little hysterical, but Oliver wrote it off as the release of tension and concentrated on the feel of Percy's warm breath on his shoulder.

"You. Are. Completely. Mad." Gasped Percy.

"Well, there's news then," Oliver mock-grumbled, sliding an arm around the sun-warmed body.

They both looked up at the sound of a throat being politely cleared.

"You must be Oliver. Of the 'Daily Letters' fame." The unfamiliar man said with a smile. He was draped half across a low lying branch, and his red-hair and stocky build meant he was probably the other older brother, Charlie.

"Yeah, that is, yes - " Oliver could almost feel the heat radiating from Percy, and a glance confirmed that Percy was well on his way to outdoing himself on the blushing front.

"Just noticed the two of you over here and thought I'd recommend you go swimming. Or go away, whichever. Mum would be a little ... perturbed if the little ones saw something they shouldn't." Charlie looked so deliberately casual that it took a minute for his meaning to sink in.

"We're not!" Oliver protested, at the same moment Percy said "We wouldn't - We aren't'. Why would you-" Percy was nearly beside himself.

Charlie looked amused and directed a pointed look to where Oliver's hand rested on Percy's hip, just at the waistband. 

Hastily, Oliver snatched his hand away. "Whoa. No! I wasn't - "

"Oh bloody hell, I'm going swimming," Percy muttered, as he untangled his legs from Oliver's, leaving him feeling oddly bereft.

Left sitting on the bank, facing Charlie alone after Percy entered the water, Oliver stuttered, "I wouldn't... take advantage - I- "

"Clam down," Charlie said kindly. "And go catch up with my brother. That's the most I've seen him smile all week." 

Oliver rose to get into the pond.

"Oh, and Oliver?

"Yeah?" Please kill me. Not another brotherly lecture. This really couldn't get any more embarrassing.

"You should still be in practices another three weeks."

He would know. He didn't know Oliver, but Oliver knew all about Charlie Weasley. Best seeker the school had, until Harry. Turned down professional Quidditch for dragons. Clearly insane. "I took personal leave for a week," Oliver muttered. The water did not quite muffle the sound of Charlie laughing.

~~

Percy was playing tag with Ginny and the twins when Oliver caught up. He frowned at the hectic colour of Percy's cheeks, but assumed Bill, who was throwing the ring for Ron nearby, would say something if Percy were over-exerting himself.

He still couldn't believe Charlie had thought he'd take advantage of Percy in his current state. Sure, he'd had PLANS, before this. After all, Percy had broken up with Penelope last year, and he hadn't started dating anyone else. And Oliver thought, even though Percy never came out and said it, that he was waiting. For Oliver to say something.

Which he'd fully intended to do, before seeing Percy today. It was out of the question now. Percy needed a friend, and a friend was exactly what he was going to get.

Percy's smile was hesitant, so Oliver beamed back reassuringly. And was promptly smacked on the arm by Ginny. "Tag! You're it!" She chirped angelically before swimming away. Laughing, Percy took off in the other direction. They'd set him up!

He went after Percy, of course. 

He didn't catch him till he finally trapped him amidst some overhanging tree branches.

"You're it," Oliver said firmly.

"All right," Percy said agreeably, kissing Oliver on the cheek and heading off in search of his brothers and sister.

Kissed, thought Oliver. Kissed me. Someone should tell him I'm not taking advantage of him till he's feeling better. Wait. I mean I'm not 'taking advantage' ever. When he's recovered, I'll tell him how I feel, and he'll say how he feels, which is hopefully - Well, obviously - 

Someone slapped him on the shoulder. "You're it," Ginny said cheerfully.

"Again! What is this, a conspiracy?"

"Percy went that way," Ginny said, pointing.

With a long-suffering sigh, Oliver went to find Percy. It wasn't hard, since he was treading water in the only other part of the pond that was properly screened by the trees.

"You're it," Oliver said softly, looking into amused blue eyes.

"Better swim away, then," Percy said.

And kissed him. 

On the forehead.

By the time Oliver opened his eyes again, Percy was halfway across the pond. Oliver began to suspect that he was not the one taking advantage here, and clearly Percy had come up with some plans of his own before the events of the Tri-Wizard Cup.

Percy tagged Ron. Who tagged George. Who then tagged Percy. Who ignored Oliver treading water right next to him and tagged Ginny!

To Oliver's aggravation, they continued in that fashion for half an hour. Finally, he threw himself in Ron's path. "Tag me," he growled.

Ron, looking far too amused for such a young kid, complied, and Oliver went after Percy with the single-minded dedication generally reserved for Quidditch.

Percy evaded him.

And again.

Until Oliver drove him into that same section of the pond, and kissed him.

Swiftly.

Quickly.

And okay, the third kiss lasted a little longer. He pulled himself away reluctantly.

Percy looked at him, with a smile trembling on his lips.

"Uh. You're it?" Oliver said, weakly.

Percy laughed till he nearly drowned himself. Eventually, Oliver gave up and laughed with him.

~~

They walked down the path in a jumbled, ever-changing group.

"Oh no, Bill, Oliver and I aren't... like that. We're just friends." muttered Bill as he passed Percy and Oliver to keep Ron from injuring Fred. Ron's growth spurt put him on even footing with his older brothers now, and he was taking every opportunity to take advantage of that.

"Oh no, Ginny, it's not - Your brother and I aren't -" Ginny murmured, apparently to Charlie.

"Charlie, Oliver and I write so often because we're in the habit. Why don't I write my other old roommates as much? They're not much for corresponding," Charlie said, slightly louder, and the two of them laughed from behind them.

Percy marched along, head high, ears and neck flaming red. Oliver used his newfound privilege to reach over slightly and brush his hand against Percy's. And tried not to grin too fatuously when it was caught and held.

The End