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Fortune_Cookie · 05-12-2006, 07:52 PM

Recently, I’ve been on a one-shot fanfic writing roll. I’ve written another one about Percy’s romancing, more pleasant days. I repeat: this is a one-shot fic. Hope you like!

I watch the rain beat down on the windowpane of my office in the Ministry of Magic. The weather matches my mood. I’ve only been working in the Department of Magical Transportation for a week now, and it’s bored me to tears. My co-workers are all dreary and dull and I come home to an empty house without a living soul around.

These days, when the going is slow, I allow myself to daydream and go back in time, when life was sweet and full of possibility. One person I remember is Percy Weasley, my former boyfriend at Hogwarts. Now, after four years, I’ve heard from others that he has abandoned his family and is a workaholic who doesn’t see the light of day. I shudder to think of it. Of course, Percy was always the one cut out for work.

However, present hurts also remind one of happy memories. I remember when we used to bet on whose house team would win in Quidditch, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. And how Percy used to shine his badge and display it proudly to me, hoping to woo me. My mind begins to drift back to that one day in my sixth year…

Percy and I sat in the empty arithmancy room after the final school bell hand rung and our fellow sixth year classmates had jostled out. This was the routine every Thursday; Percy would help me with arithmancy (the only subject that I lagged in) and I would attempt to understand what he tried to clarify.

“It’s simple, really. All you have to remember is that this number combined with this number over here is the sum of the product of this number divided by those two numbers,” Percy explained to me, his finger jabbing at different places on the page where many numbers were scattered.

My burrow furrowed in bewilderment. “Ughh, I hate arithmancy,” I groaned, leaning back in the chair, the usual sign of me giving up for the moment. Percy didn’t know that every night after a tutoring session, in my dormitory, I practiced what he’d taught me over and over again just to win his approval next time he educated me in arithmancy.

“You’ll get it soon enough, Penelope,” Percy told me reassuringly, the red curls on his head waving about his face. We’d opened the classroom window to let in a breeze. He smiled and ran a hand slowly down my cheek.

We’d been going out since the end of last year, which made it eleven months; almost a whole year. This summer we weren’t able to see each other, as he and his family were on vacation in Egypt, so he wrote to me faithfully every day. Lots of times the letters contained the wonders of the pyramids in Egypt and what traces of ancient civilizations he’d found. I didn’t mind; in fact, I loved reading about his interesting theories. As a Ravenclaw, learning was what I did best. Nerdy, yeah, but everyone’s different.

Other times, his letters would tell me how much he missed me even though he was having so much fun touring the chambers of Tutankhamen. He wrote one letter to me completely in hieroglyphs and expected me to decipher it; thankfully, he gave me a legend and after two hours of slaving over two pieces of parchment, I was able to read it. There were occasionally poems enclosed too—well, Percy’s clumsy attempts at poetry, at least, to be honest.

Smiling back at him, I wrapped my fingers around his hand, squeezing them gently. “I don’t really feel like arithmancy right now, do you?”

He shook his head. Now letting his fingers brush through my brown spirals, he said, “You know what I realized? Eleven whole months (and eight days) of going out and we haven’t kissed yet. I’ve studied it, you know, and the statistics in the wizarding world inform me that usually the first kiss occurs at an average of three weeks and a day after a boy and girl start going out.”

“Extraordinary,” I commented. I knew now not to butt in on one of his inspirational speeches.

“So, as you see, we’re a bit behind. Now, I don’t want to pressure you or anything, but I’ve wanted to kiss you know for quite a long time. I’ve worked out the possibilities of you refusing my offer, and, well, it’s 100% that you’ll accept.”

Giggling, I moved closer to him. “I accept.”

“That’s good,” Percy told me, grinning, and kissed me slowly on the lips. His mouth was softer than it looked. I felt myself relaxing into his arms.

Breaking apart, I leaned against his shoulder. “You know what?”

“Hmm?” Percy said in a slightly dreamy voice.

“You’re way to nerdy for your own good. But I like it.” I kissed him again, feeling his lips let out a chuckle at my comment. Then—

“Percy? Is that you?!” A young, piping voice came from the door.

Immediately stopping, I jerked my head around to see who it was. There stood Ginny, Percy’s little sister, with a funny expression on her face. I figured it was a mixture of astonishment and disgust.

“Gin,” Percy told her crossly, “Didn’t Mum ever tell you to knock before entering?” His face was very red.

Ginny gave him a look of exasperation. “The door was open.”

“Oh.” Percy turned even redder. This made me giggle.

“I suppose I should leave you to your privacy…” Ginny said with a bit of a laugh in her voice. She turned to walk out the door.

“Ginny?” Percy said, which made her stop to face him again. “I think it’d be better if no one else knew about it for the time being,” he stated.

“For the time being…” she repeated mischievously and grinned.

Percy rolled his eyes. “And can you please shut the door when you go out?”

A clap of thunder jerks me out of my stupor and I rise to check and monitor the progress of the Hogwarts Express. It’s on its normal route for the time being. Then an office note flies towards me, whirling around my head. Annoyed, I nab it out of the air and open it up. I am to pick up a copy from the lobby desk about using dementors for defence on public wizarding transportation.

Groaning and making a mental note to quit this job as soon as possible, I open my office door, walk down the hall, and press the button for the elevator.

The sound of footsteps causes me to look down the hall. Heading in my direction is Percy Weasley, his steps brisk and purposeful. He notices me and I see his eyes widen for a second. His mouth forms into a line and he nods to me in a serious greeting. I nod back, not sure of what else to do.

As we step into the elevator and descend, we don’t exchange any words. I want to ask him how he’s doing and what’s happened since seventh year. But I don’t dare. He looks exactly the same, except I detect bags under his eyes. There’s something in his eyes that’s different. It’s as if a layer of hardness has encased them and he only looks forward.

One time, almost when I’m about to exit the elevator, he opens his mouth to speak. I look at him and our eyes meet, but he snaps his mouth shut. I move towards the elevator door, which is opening to let me through. I can’t help myself. Before I leave, I turn around to look him in the eye and say, “It was nice seeing you again, Percy.”

Pausing for a moment as if deciding what to say, he looks at me with an expressionless face. “Or was it?” He asks, his voice cold and hard.

The elevator door closes behind me, its bars encasing Percy. I glance behind me, and as he’s slowly descending, I see him hastily wipe something from his eye.

It’s then that I don’t believe what people have told me. He hasn’t changed. Not really. It’s just that he’s chained to his ambitions and lofty goals, like a bird trapped in a cage. I wonder if he will ever break free.

fin

hphg · 05-12-2006, 11:21 PM

Ok,not bad.PAMS!!!!!

Dasha · 05-13-2006, 01:40 PM

Different.I like it!Pams Pams Pams

hphg · 05-13-2006, 01:50 PM

Pams!pams!!!!!!!!!

Mrs Felton · 05-13-2006, 02:37 PM

That was great, Cookie!! I love your one-shot's.

Fortune_Cookie · 05-13-2006, 04:00 PM

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Ok,not bad.PAMS!!!!!

Erm, it's a one-shot fic, so that's the end.

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Different.I like it!Pams Pams Pams

As I said up there. And yes, it is different, isn't it? It's one of those stories with meaning, where you have to look beneath the surface and think about what everything means.

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Pams!pams!!!!!!!!!

*sigh* It's a one-shot!

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That was great, Cookie!! I love your one-shot's.

Thanks! You're the first person to realize it's a one-shot fic. lol.

hphg · 05-14-2006, 01:51 PM

OK.I still liked it anyway

LilFox06 · 05-15-2006, 11:18 PM

Congrats on another one Cookie!!

You always have such fantastic, orginal ideas.

Keep it up!

~Amy~

Fortune_Cookie · 05-16-2006, 12:14 AM

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OK.I still liked it anyway

Thanks

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Congrats on another one Cookie!!

You always have such fantastic, orginal ideas.

Keep it up!

~Amy~

Thanks! I hope I don't run out of ideas soon...

Faerilicious · 05-17-2006, 09:07 AM

Wow...You are the best!!!!!!

rupertsgirl67 · 05-21-2006, 03:22 PM

oh, i really liked that. I liked how it was about Percy, for once. It's like everyone has forgotten about him

Fortune_Cookie · 05-21-2006, 03:40 PM

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Wow...You are the best!!!!!!

I'm not sure about that, but thanks!

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oh, i really liked that. I liked how it was about Percy, for once. It's like everyone has forgotten about him

Yeah, I decided to use two old characters.

Thanks!

Granger1814 · 06-08-2006, 04:56 PM

Another excellent job Cookie! I enjoyed the coupling of Percy and Penelope. Very cute.

HPlover_09 · 06-10-2006, 07:53 PM

That was really good; keep writing..... you are excellent! Since it's over, you should ask the mods to put it in the finished fanfic section, so it dosen't get deleted.

Fortune_Cookie · 06-10-2006, 11:45 PM

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Another excellent job Cookie! I enjoyed the coupling of Percy and Penelope. Very cute.

Thanks! Well, they were a real couple.

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That was really good; keep writing..... you are excellent! Since it's over, you should ask the mods to put it in the finished fanfic section, so it dosen't get deleted.

Thankies!

Yes, I will leave this fanfic up for a month (which is nearing) like they say to do for one-shots and then PM the mods.