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Percy glanced over at Oliver as he straightened his own tie in the mirror. Oliver had been silent ever since he had outlined how he was hoping the evening would, and he couldn't help feeling a little concerned. He was about to ask if everything was okay when Oliver spoke first.
"So, do you think they don't like me?" Oliver asked as he undid his tie for the third time.
Percy moved to stand behind him and took hold of the tie. "No, it's not that at all," he said, trying to be reassuring. "It's just that this is serious, and I want them to see it that way." He adjusted Oliver's tie as their eyes met in the mirror. Percy grinned. "If you would rather we wait--"
"No, I just feel like maybe you're putting too much pressure on this, Perce," Oliver interrupted as he turned to face him. "You know tense you get when it comes to the things you want to go perfectly. I think it will go well either way and you don't need all of these rules."
Percy hugged him and rested his chin on his left shoulder. "Okay, if I promise to try to relax, you'll follow my plan?"
"Well, I still don't think we need a plan at all, but if it's the best I can get, I'll take it." Oliver let out a chuckle as he ran his hand across the back of Percy's head. "But we had best get going. You know your mother doesn't like it when we're late."
Percy jumped and pushed away from Oliver. In one quick motion, he grabbed both of their jackets, pulled Oliver to the fireplace, and called out "The Burrow". In what seemd like less than a second, they were standing in the Weasleys' living room.
Molly came into the room to welcome them. "Well, how did these two handsome young men just magically show up in front of my fireplace," she grinned as she gave each of them a hug. She stepped back and looked them both up and down. "Don't you both just look stunning tonight."
"Oh, c'mon, mum," Percy replied. Oliver grinned and opened his mouth to say something. Instead he flashed a sideways glance at Percy, stopped himself, and nodded an acknowledgement at Molly.
"Can't I give you compliments anymore?" Molly shrugged and gave a Percy a stern look. "Your father's already sitting at the table reading The Prophet. Why don't the two of you run along in there? Dinner is almost ready."
"Do you need any help, Mrs. Weasley?" Oliver asked.
"Oliver, dear," she repled as she walked over and put her arm around his shoulder. "I've told you many times now, please, call me Molly. And no, I have everything under control. I do appreciate the offer." She smiled for a moment as she looked back and forth between Oliver and Percy. "Right then, run along," she added, shooing them out of the room.
Arthur put down his paper and stood as the boys entered the room. He walked over and shook both of their hands as he greeted them. "Well, now, I apologize. I didn't know this was meant to be formal. I daresay I feel a bit underdressed." He grinned at Percy as he returned to his seat.
Percy looked tense. "It's just that--"
Oliver put his hand on Percy's arm. "He's joking, Perce. Relax." Percy started to object, but stopped when he saw the look in Oliver's eyes. He had agreed to try stay as relaxed as possible. He pulled out a chair for Oliver to sit and then took his own seat next to him.
Arthur smiled as he watched the two of them from the other side of the table. "So what was so important that you wanted to have dinner tonight, Percy?"
Before Percy could answer, they were interrupted by Molly as she came from the kitchen with a tray of food. "Now, Arthur, food first. Conversation later." She flashed a smile at Percy and gave Oliver a wink.
As always, Molly's food was so delicious, that the reason for the dinner didn't even get mentioned again until it was time for dessert. Instead, they talked about the various goings on of their respective daily lives. Molly and Arthur updated the two of them on the lives of the other Weasley children and Oliver let Molly know how his own mother was doing. Percy had been able to relax completely and nothing had happened that went against his plan. Overall, the meal had gone quite well.
"Before you grab dessert, mum," Percy started, a bit nervously, "there was something I--we--wanted to discuss with you."
Molly and Arthur looked at him, expressions mixed between curiosity and concern showing on their faces. He felt himself tense up when he looked at them, but managed to relax slightly as he felt Oliver's hand rest on his knee under the table.
"Oliver and I have decided we're going to get married."
There was a hush over the table and Percy was certain the world stood still for a moment. Molly and Arthur turned to face each other and seemed hesitant to say anything. Oliver could tell that Percy was starting to tense up again, but he did not want to break any of the rules that had been set for the evening.
Molly was the one who broke the silence. "That's fantastic, dear. Simply wonderful!" She jumped up and went the other side of the table. She stopped and gave Percy and Oliver each a hug and a kiss on the cheek before moving to stand at the end of the table.
"Of course it is," Arthur added.
"I'm glad you feel that way," Percy replied, "but why did it take you so long to respond?" Percy had expected his mother to jump up right away. The momentary hesitation on the part of his parents was a sign he did not find particularly positive.
"Well, I think it's just that with all of the seriousness surrounding this dinner, we thought it was something more serious?" Arthur tried to explain.
Percy's face started to redden. Oliver squeezed his knee. "Wait, so my getting married isn't serious?"
Arthur's face went stern. "No, we just thought you were going to tell us something that we should be concerned about? Something negative? I think even you have to admit you've been a little uptight tonight."
"More than a little." It took a moment for Oliver to register that the words had come out of his own mouth. He could feel Percy's glare on him before their eyes met.
"Percy, dear," Molly said as she pulled on his shoulder, "why don't you come help your mum with dessert?"
"I don't particularly feel like it?" He knew as soon as he said it that he shouldn't have. She wasn't asking, she was telling. He stood from his seat. "Sorry, mum, I'd be glad to."
As soon as the door closed to the kitchen, Molly turned to face him. He knew that expression. He wasn't getting back out to the table until they had a heart-to-heart.
"Care to tell me what that was all about?" She crossed her arms and stared into his eyes.
For a moment, he considered whether he could get out of this conversation by just not saying anything. But he knew his mother and he knew he did not have that kind of staying power. "I'm sorry, mum, it's just that I sometimes worry that the two of you don't take my relationship with Oliver as seriously as Harry and Ginny or Ron and Hermione."
"Why would you ever even say something like that?" Molly sounded mildy offended.
"Well, it's just that whenever we come over, there's always just a bunch of joking about our relationship. No one ever asks if we have serious plans like they do everyone else. Do we plan to get married? Do we plan to have kids? Those are both things we can do, too, you know."
Molly stared at him for a moment. "So is that what all of this is about?" she asked motioning to Percy's suit. "And is that why Oliver hasn't said much of anything tonight?"
"I just figured if we showed up and showed you that we can be serious, too, maybe you'd be happy for me," Percy's voice cracked a little as a tears started to well up in his eyes.
Molly uncrossed her arms and grabbed a tissue to wipe Percy's eyes. "Percy Ignatius Weasley. Your father and I are happy for you. As far as we're concerned, we raised an upstanding and confident young man. You are successful in your career, you care about others, and you always make excellent choices. We know it hasn't been easy for you at times, but you have always handled yourself with dignity and grace and have overcome and are still continuing to overcome some great challenges. And I, personally, couldn't be happier with the fact that Oliver is at your side. He's a fine young man himself and the fact that he's not always so serious seems like a perfect complement to you, Percy, dear. It's clear how happy you two make each other. Well, it has been until tonight when you both show up here not acting anything like your normal selves."
"That was my idea. Oliver tried to talk me out of it." He took the tissue from his mother's hand and wiped away the new tears that were forming.
"And you would have had good mind to listen to him, Percy." She gave him a hug. "We love you both for who you are - exactly as you are. Life is tough enough when the rest of the world is trying to tell you who to be. There's no need for you to do it to yourself, too."
Percy stepped back and took her hands in his. "I know. I know."
"Percy, you know we want to support you, but you need to be more open with us so we can actually do that. I know that doesn't come easy for you; you've had to go through life feeling the need to hide so much. But there's no need for that anymore, dear."
"I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier, mum," he said as he gave her another hug.
"I know, love. Just don't ever let it happen again." She pinched him in the side as he tried to pull away and they both laughed. "Now grab the cream and get back out to the table. We've left your father and Oliver alone long enough. Who knows what kind of trouble could have got into by now."
Percy did as he was instructed, but he stopped in the doorway and turned his head back over his shoulder. "I love you, mum."
"I know, dear," Molly replied not turning to face him. She waited until he was gone before she wiped her own tears from her eyes. Molly had sometimes wished she could make things easier for Percy. She was never so presumptuous to actually wish he was interested in women (which may or may not actually be easier for anyone), but just that he didn't always feel like he was fighting uphill battles. That night, though, she had never been prouder of her son.
Percy set the cream down in the middle of the table. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked as he took his seat, grabbed Oliver's hand and rested it on the table.
"Well, just--" Oliver stopped and stared at their interlocked hands for a moment. This went against Percy's twenty-third rule of the night: "No Public Displays of Affection." He glanced up at Percy's smiling face and saw him give a slight nod. He wasn't sure what Percy and Molly had discussed, but it appeared it was a good thing. "Arthur was just telling me about the time when you were six and he tried to teach you to play Quidditch."
"The pitch was damp and he was so worried he was going to get his broom dirty, he flatly refused to play!" Arthur continued.
Oliver looked at Percy out of the corner of his eye, waiting for his response. "Oh, c'mon now. I had just spent four hours polishing it and everything. What did you expect?" The three were enjoying a good laugh when Molly returned with a fresh-from-the-oven chocolate cake.
"Dessert is served!" Molly resumed her place at the table. "Now, tell us, have you boys set a date?"