Susan placed the latest letter from Percy on top of the ever-growing stack of their correspondence. He wasn’t immediately likable, she mused, but he was definitely starting to grow on her.
She grinned as she remembered that first lunch. It had been more awkward than Susan had expected, not least because he stared like an idiot when he saw her.
“You look nice,” he’d blurted before pushing in her chair for her. Susan realized he’d never seen her except when she’d been crying.
Conversation after that was stilted. Percy was proud, and admitting that he was at all in the wrong went against his nature. However, he choked out his apology and was solicitous in inquiring after Susan’s life after that, seemingly determined not to let an awkward silence fall. It was awkward enough despite his efforts, especially when he repeatedly blew off all of Susan’s attempts to make similar inquiries into his life. He did insist on paying for both of their meals, though, which Susan thought was a nice touch.
“I’m glad we have taken care of our disagreement,” Susan said as he walked her toward the exit. “Life is too short to hold a grudge.”
Percy had gone oddly red at that and Susan remembered the look on Ron’s face whenever he saw him. Apparently, he still hadn’t reconciled with his family.
“I shall speak to you again soon, Miss Bones,” Percy had said formally, and indeed a letter had arrived from him the very next day, full of amusing little anecdotes about Ministry life.
Several months had passed since then. Professor McGonagall had announced the reopening of Hogwarts and Susan had been studying for her N.E.W.T.s at the end of the year just like any normal seventh year. But this year was not in the least normal. Dour-faced guards stood in on every lesson and escorted them to their common rooms. It reminded Susan of that time in second year when the Chamber of Secrets monster was loose. It wasn’t a pleasant reminder.
However, the dreariness of the year was brightened by frequent correspondence with Percy. She regaled him with funny stories from her childhood, from her time at Hogwarts, and various musings she had about missing socks and perception of color. It took time, but eventually Percy began telling her about growing up in his family: all the scrapes they would get into, cute things his sister used to do, and how he used to look up to his big brothers; never, though, about what had happened. It was as if his family had disappeared two years ago. Susan could tell that he missed them terribly and, in seeing that, began to fall for the person he might be if he had his family back.
They’d met for lunch a few more times “ Susan had gotten permission from Professor Sprout (who had cleared it with McGonagall) to have him come over to Hogwarts some Saturdays like some parents had begun to do, since Hogsmeade visits had been canceled. The house-elves would set up a little room for just the two of them and they would talk “ mostly about Susan’s studies, for Percy still remembered his N.E.W.T. classes and was glad to give her hints. Sometimes they talked about other things, too, important things like the meaning of life, and Susan began falling for the person she sometimes saw behind his eyes.
“I really will pester him about his family today,” Susan told herself, checking her hair in the mirror. “It’s almost Christmas. He can’t go another Christmas without being part of them again.”
With that determination, she went to the entrance hall; it was almost lunchtime, and she had a stubborn git to persuade.
Percy was already waiting for her, standing uneasily by Filch, who had to escort all visitors personally (with a few guards along as well). “Hello, Miss Bones,” he said, his eyes lighting up when he saw her.
“Why hello, Mr. Weasley,” she replied, offering her hand to shake. “What a pleasure to have you join me.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Percy replied gallantly, twirling his wand and Conjuring a bouquet of flowers. “For you, m-madam.”
It wasn’t like him to stutter, so Susan turned and caught the eye of Ginny Weasley, who looked shocked and not a little angry to see her brother standing in the entrance hall. She turned around sharply and ran back upstairs. Susan gave Percy a sharp stare.
“May we discuss something?” she said sweetly, her voice belying the look in her eye.
“Anything you like,” Percy said, suddenly a little nervous.
“Then let us proceed to our dining room,” Susan said, and Percy put out his arm for her to take.
“So,” Percy said once he’d deposited her in her chair with a rather businesslike flourish, “what did you want to talk about?”
Susan busied herself in arranging her bouquet, working up the courage to say what she needed to. Finally, she looked up at him. “Your family.”
It was discouraging to see the way his eyes hardened, but she pressed on.
“Look, you miss them, and they miss you! You’re doing no one any good being estranged like this!”
“If they miss me so much, how come last Christmas I left with mashed parsnip on my face?” Percy retorted, trying to keep his voice steady despite his reddening ears.
Susan blinked and tried not to smile at the image. “Perhaps things have changed,” she said quietly, remembering her thoughts at Dumbledore’s funeral. Impulsively, she grabbed Percy’s hand. “Oh, Percy, don’t you remember what I said? We need as many allies as we can get! Can’t you see that your family is the best ally you can have?”
Percy’s hand stiffened for a moment as if he were going to pull it away. He glowered at her. “You don’t understand,” he muttered.
“I think I understand very well, thank you,” Susan replied. “You’re going to reconcile with your family or I will refuse to speak to you!” Immature, yes, but it might work, she thought. She pulled her hand away.
“No!” Percy said, a little too quickly. “No, I’m not going to lose you as an ally.” He grabbed her hand back and squeezed it tight. “All right, I’ll do it. Just give me time.”
“By Christmas,” Susan told him. “It’s the best time to be with your family.”
“Last Christmas didn’t go so well,” he said, scowling.
“Were you trying?” Susan persisted.
“No,” Percy admitted, rubbing his nose. “I was there with Scrimgeour.”
“Tuh,” Susan said. She knew what that meant.
“Will you come with me?”
“What?”
“I can’t do this alone. Will you come with me?”
“So you’re saying I’m a better companion than the Minister of Magic,” Susan began wickedly, before the look in Percy’s eyes stopped her. “You really want me to come?”
“Yes, dash it!” He pounded his fist on the table.
“All right, all right!” Susan said before he got really angry. “I’ll come! Let me get permission from my parents first. I don’t know how they’ll feel about me being in a house with six Weasleys.”
“Six?” Percy said absently. “No, there are seven of us. Nine counting my parents, I suppose.”
“Seven? Really?” Susan was completely sidetracked. “I didn’t know there were that many of you.”
“Yes, really,” Percy said. “Bill, Charlie, me, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. Surely you knew that.”
“I guess I never bothered to count before,” Susan mused. Percy laughed at her. “Well, it’s not like I have any siblings for you to keep track of! You have no right to make fun of me until you have to deal with it yourself.”
“All right, Susan, that’s fair,” Percy said, still chuckling. “Well, shall we eat?”
We Need All the Allies We Can Get by Cinderella Angelina
Chapter Notes: This is the chapter where I at least use the word "seven."
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