Title: Walk Together
Author: celandineb
Characters: Percy/Harry
Rating: hard R
Warnings: Er, shamefully it's not really that kinky... frottage, I guess.
Themes/kinks chosen: Kinky Kristmas Extravaganza 2008
Word Count: 3401
Summary: Harry decides to walk one day... a small decision that changes much.
Author's notes: emiime asked for Percy/Harry, kissing, champagne, and a romantic tone.


Only a few days after Harry and Ginny had broken up, Molly Weasley Floo-called him and insisted that he should continue coming to Sunday dinner at the Burrow every week.

"It just wouldn't seem right without you," she told him, "and you know that Arthur and I look on you almost as a son."

Harry hoped that she wasn't thinking of him as a stand-in for Fred, nor that she had in mind that he and Ginny might get back together. There were several very good reasons why the latter would never happen, but Molly was not exactly the person he wanted to talk to about that. She would doubtless find out someday, but not now.

So he thanked her and promised to come, not that Sunday perhaps -- he thought it might be a bit much, the first week of the breakup -- but the one following.

It was the middle of autumn, and Harry decided that instead of Apparating directly to the Burrow, he would go to Ottery St Catchpole instead and walk. The air was cool and damp and full of a faint cidery smell with overtones of smoke. Perhaps someone was enjoying the first fire of the season. He wasn't walking all that briskly, but soon he saw another figure ahead, and without even trying, began to overtake him.

"Percy," Harry called out as soon as he was near enough to recognize the other person. "I didn't know that you liked to walk."

Percy whirled sharply. Even from that distance Harry could see the flush rising up in his cheeks. "Hello, Harry. Yes. I don't get that much chance to walk, working a desk job at the Ministry and all, so it sounded like a good plan today. Work up an appetite for dinner."

Harry chuckled. "Yes, your mother thinks she hasn't done her job unless everyone actually has to roll away from the table."

The corners of Percy's eyes -- so blue, so different from Ginny's -- crinkled behind the dark frames of his glasses when he smiled. "Too true."

They fell into step together, Harry lengthening his stride a bit to match Percy's, and he suspected that Percy had altered his own gait to allow that. It was surprisingly comfortable, walking with Percy, although they didn't speak the rest of the way to the Burrow. What was going through Percy's mind, Harry couldn't tell; he himself was thinking that Percy's lips were gorgeous, and wondering if Percy was a good kisser. Not that he even knew if Percy might be queer, much less if he would have any interest in Harry.

Those were the two major reasons that Harry and Ginny had broken up, after all. Harry had realized that he was more interested in men than in women, but he might have made a go of it with Ginny nevertheless except that her feelings for him always seemed to be more hero-worship than affection for him as a person, flaws and all. So he'd used his newly-recognized sexual preferences as an excuse that she would understand and be less hurt by, or at any rate that had been his hope, and it seemed to have worked.

When they reached the Burrow, Percy put a hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze before throwing open the kitchen door and greeting his mother. Harry followed him inside.

"I ran into him walking up from the village," he explained to Ron, who had expressed astonishment at seeing Harry arrive with Percy.

"Why didn't you just Apparate?" Ron asked. "Quicker, easier, and no need to talk with Percy."

"Actually we hardly talked except to say hello." Harry shrugged. "It was fine, Ron."

Dinner was as delicious as always, and the room rang with much noisy conversation. It had been far quieter the first several months after Fred's death, but over time even George had found his natural ebullience reasserting itself, though there were still moments when he unconsciously turned his head as if to listen to his missing twin. Two years wasn't all that long, Harry supposed, when you'd lost someone who was effectively the other half of yourself.

Harry was seated near the end of the table, with Arthur on one side and Ron on the other. He could watch Percy from there, on the far side between Molly and Fleur, cutting his roast potatoes into neat cubes before eating them. He didn't say much, but then no one seated between those two women ever did have a chance to get many words in edgewise.

At the end of the evening, Harry Apparated straight back to his flat, but the next week he went to the Burrow via Ottery St Catchpole again, just to see if Percy might be walking once more as well.

Percy was there, sitting on a bench in the village square, his head tipped back, eyes closed against the late autumn sunshine. Harry went and stood in front of him, blocking the sun, and Percy opened his eyes.

"Hello, Harry."

"Walking to the Burrow?"

Percy nodded and rose to his feet, brushing off the back of his robes.

Once again they said almost nothing as they walked together. Yet it didn't feel to Harry as if he was being quiet because he had nothing to say, nor that Percy had nothing to say to him; it was a comfortable silence, as if they both knew that they would have all the time they wanted to talk when they felt like it.

They continued meeting in Ottery St Catchpole and walking together to the Weasley Sunday dinner for the next few weeks, into December. Though the weather grew colder and sometimes it rained, neither of them ever failed to turn up, and Harry was careful to bring a large umbrella for them to share.

On Sunday the week before Christmas, Percy asked, "I suppose you're spending Christmas day at the Burrow?"

"Yes, your mother asked me to come."

"Good." Percy gave Harry a little smile, and Harry felt an almost overwhelming urge to kiss those parted lips. "I have a present for you."

"Well, thanks," said Harry, his face heating. "I'll have one for you, too."

He had planned to have presents for all of the Weasleys, but he hadn't actually picked out something for Percy yet. It was difficult to decide what he might like. Harry resolved that the next evening he would go to Diagon Alley and perhaps find a book at Flourish and Blotts. He didn't really know if Percy had any hobbies, but he'd often seen him reading at school, and not always for class.

The book Harry finally chose was a comparative history of the wizarding governments in the different European countries. Personally he thought it sounded deadly dull, but it seemed the sort of thing that Percy might like, and since it had only recently been published Percy was unlikely to already own it. He wrote, Happy Christmas, Percy. From Harry, on the flyleaf and wrapped it in the same holly paper that he'd used for all his other parcels.

Christmas was a raucous affair; Harry had been there the previous two years, and it was becoming more familiar, but still very different from either the Christmases he'd known at the Dursleys' or those at Hogwarts. Theoretically everyone was supposed to take turns opening their packages, but in practice it tended to happen more simultaneously, which meant that Harry missed Percy's opening his book. When Harry opened his own present from Percy, though, he could see Percy watching him. Under the tidy paper and carefully-knotted ribbon, Harry discovered a very fine pair of leather Quidditch gloves. He smiled across the room and called out his thanks, setting them aside with his other gifts.

A little later, though, in the bustle as Molly refilled everyone's cups of tea, Percy moved to sit beside Harry and murmured to him, "Go on, try them on."

Harry pulled on the left glove first, which fit perfectly, and was about to take it off when Percy nudged him.

"The right one, too."

There was an odd expression on Percy's face when Harry glanced at him, but Harry shrugged and pulled on the other glove. One finger didn't want to slip in; there seemed to be something in there, something blocking the way. Harry pulled the slip of parchment out and looked at it, expecting it to be the name of the shop, or the person who'd made the gloves perhaps. Instead there was a note for him in Percy's tiny neat handwriting.

Would you like to spend New Year's Eve with me? Someone gave all the high-level Ministry employees a bottle of good champagne each, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather share it with.

Harry glanced quickly at Percy, whose ears were now pink. He had just time to say, "Yes, I would," and shove the slip of parchment back into the glove before Ron demanded that Harry come and see what George had given him.

If Harry had a somewhat goofy smile pasted on his face for the rest of the day, well, it being Christmas surely was enough of an explanation.

Harry had had several other New Year's invitations, but luckily he hadn't yet accepted any of them. The one that was hardest to turn down was Hermione's; she and Ron both insisted that even if he wasn't seeing Ginny any more, and didn't have a date, he ought to go to some party to cheer himself up. Harry kept repeating that he appreciated their concern, but what he really wanted was a quiet evening at home -- carefully not saying whose home -- and that no, he wasn't going to be depressed to be all on his own. Finally even Hermione gave up pestering him, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

There was a pleasant flutter in Harry's stomach when he arrived at Percy's flat on New Year's Eve, more than could be ascribed to the effects of Apparition. He wasn't quite sure what might happen that night, but he'd made his mind up that he would go along with anything Percy wanted.

"Hello, Percy." Harry held out a bottle of champagne. "I know you said you had some, but..."

"Thank you, that was very thoughtful," Percy said, and went to put Harry's bottle in the fridge. Harry watched as Percy dexterously opened the other, already-chilled one, first untwisting the wires and then gently nudging the cork out with his thumbs until it gave a soft pop.

"I thought it was supposed to --"

"Explode?" Percy shook his head. "Not if you do it properly." He poured the pale wine into two flutes and handed one to Harry. "Cheers."

They clinked glasses and sipped. The tiny bubbles sparkled on Harry's tongue and he licked his lips and laughed.

"Shall we go sit down in the other room?" Percy suggested.

The wizarding wireless was playing something jazzy, and Percy turned the volume down before he sat on the sofa beside Harry.

"Thanks for coming tonight," he said.

"Thanks for asking me," Harry replied. Percy's face was only inches away, and Harry watched as Percy took another sip of champagne. A drop lingered on his upper lip as he lowered the glass, and on impulse Harry reached out and touched it, bringing the droplet on his fingertip to his own mouth and licking it away.

Percy's breath caught. Very deliberately he set down his glass, took Harry's and set it down, too, and then pressed his lips to Harry's own.

He was a better kisser than Ginny, Harry decided after only a few moments. Percy's tongue licked at him, coaxing his mouth open and then teasing. Percy sucked hard on Harry's lower lip for a moment before he gave nibbling little kisses along Harry's jaw line to his ear, where his warm breath made Harry squirm and shiver.

Percy pulled back, his spectacles slightly askew on his flushed face. "All right?"

"Very all right." Harry reached for Percy's glasses and gently unhooked them from his ears. Percy did the same for Harry and put both pairs aside. Then he stroked Harry's temple and brushed his lips over it.

"Come here." Percy shifted, half turning so that he lay propped up by the cushion in the corner of the sofa. One leg stretched along the seat, and his other foot rested on the floor, so that Harry could snuggle himself between Percy's thighs. He was pleased to realize that Percy was as excited as himself, but for now he wanted more kisses. He nuzzled at Percy's throat and then moved his head so that their lips met once more, firm yet yielding, nipping teeth sending shivers down Harry's spine, tongues thrusting, seeking. Percy's arms were around Harry's waist, holding him close, and Harry felt secure in that embrace. He sucked at Percy's tongue, his lips, and felt Percy's hips jolt a fraction in response. Emboldened, he kissed even more hungrily, rocking his body until he felt Percy chuckling against his mouth.

"We've all the time we want, you know." Percy lifted his hand and brushed back Harry's fringe, smiling. "I've been waiting for you for years; I can wait a little longer."

Harry felt his face grow hot. "Years?" His voice cracked on the word.

Percy nodded. "Since you were far too young," he admitted. "I used to envy Ron because he shared a room with you. I think that was part of the reason I wrote him that horrible letter about you -- I was jealous." He looked embarrassed. "I want to apologize, again, for that."

"All right, but never any more apologies," said Harry firmly. "I forgave you just after the war, remember."

Percy exhaled. "Right. Er. Anyhow. I wasn't even sure if you liked men -- liked me -- until tonight," he confessed. "I thought you might, from a few things you said or hinted, but I didn't know."

Harry grinned at him and wriggled his hips a bit to remind Percy that Harry was very definitely interested. "Guess I had the advantage then, because George told me about you ages ago. He said you hadn't told your parents yet though?"

"Oh, I have now," said Percy quickly. "I was tired of my mother always asking when I'd find a nice girlfriend, you understand. I can't stay she was exactly delighted by the news, but she took it all right, I guess, they both did."

It occurred to Harry that if he and Percy ended up together on any long-term basis, then he would be more or less a son to the Weasleys in the way that he knew Molly, at least, had hoped for when Harry was seeing Ginny. Not that that was going to affect Harry's choices -- it hadn't before -- but it was nice to think that he'd be making other people pleased besides himself and Percy. Ginny, and Ron too, would get used to the idea eventually, he hoped.

In the meantime he leaned in to kiss Percy again, tasting the sweet wininess of the champagne on his mouth. Harry ran his fingers up along Percy's neck, threading them into Percy's hair, his thumbs resting on Percy's cheeks. He could scarcely feel any roughness on that pale freckled skin, and realized that Percy must have shaved that evening just before Harry came over. Touched by the effort, he broke off the kiss with a breathless chuckle and rubbed his cheek against Percy's.

"What is it, Harry, what's so funny?"

Harry laughed again. "I'm just happy, being here with you like this. I never expected it."

"Me, either." Percy touched Harry's cheek. "Um. Sorry if it breaks the mood, Harry, but my legs are falling asleep. Maybe we should take this somewhere else?"

Rather awkwardly, Harry scrambled backward off Percy's lap and stood up, holding out his hands to help Percy stand also. "Why don't you give me the five-Knut tour of your flat," he suggested, "and maybe we can finish it up in the bedroom?"

Percy nodded, slipping his specs back on and handing Harry his.

The kitchen had several dishes arranged on the counter, each neatly covered, and Percy said, "I thought we might want something to eat, later." Harry nodded, and they went on. There was a spare room in which Percy kept his desk and some of his books and other things, and a bath so sparkling clean that Harry pretended to be blinded by the white tile, making Percy give a gulping little laugh and flush.

"And here's the bedroom," he said, leaving Harry into it.

"So I see."

Like the rest of the flat, Percy's bedroom was extremely tidy. There was a framed photograph of the Weasley family on the bureau -- Harry saw that it was the one that had been taken when they were all in Egypt, before Percy's estrangement, long before Fred's death -- and a couple of landscape paintings on the wall. The bed was made up with an absolutely unwrinkled duvet, and Harry itched to disarrange it. He started to undress Percy without another word, and Percy reciprocated, taking their glasses off last.

When they were lying on the bed naked, facing each other, Harry ran his hand along Percy's narrow chest, his fingertips seeking out Percy's nipple amid the sparse red curls.

"Harry." Percy's breath was warm on his cheek. "I don't know how much experience you've had with other men, and I don't need to know --"

"Enough," Harry interrupted.

"-- but what do you prefer? Because I'm willing to do whatever you like."

Percy's eyes were very blue and serious as Harry looked at him, trying to decide what to say. He had had a few partners, that was true, but none of them had ever asked Harry what he wanted, not outright like this; things had always just sort of happened one way or another.

"Um." Harry swallowed. "Would be all right with you if we just, you know, touched each other this time?"

"Of course. As I said before, we have all the time we want. We needn't rush into anything at all." Percy brushed his lips over Harry's, and Harry gave himself up to the warmth and sweetness of that kiss, putting his arm around Percy and wriggling closer until he could feel Percy's heart beating in his chest, echoed by the pulse of the blood in Percy's cock.

"Here, lick," Percy murmured, bringing his palm to Harry's lips. When Harry had done so, Percy reached between their bodies and began to stroke their two pricks together. "Is that good?" he asked, and Harry moaned.

"'s brilliant," he managed, and Percy smiled.

"Help me?" he suggested.

Oh. Harry fumbled, reaching for Percy's cock. He rubbed his thumb over the base of it, jostling Percy's bollocks against his own, which he could feel tightening in their sac as he neared orgasm.

He kissed Percy again, their tongues flickering together. Sparks seemed to slide down Harry's spine and he heard himself give a moan as the heat spiralled through him.

Without a warning he felt Percy shudder, and his hand, now wet with spunk, slid faster on Harry's cock. The sensation tipped Harry over the edge, too, and he bucked his hips against Percy's as he came in an immensely satisfying series of spurts.

Harry wiped his messy hand off on his hip and then shoved his sweat-dampened fringe back from his forehead. "Wow."

"Pretty much," Percy agreed, stretching until Harry heard his joints pop. He looked faintly uncomfortable, however, and Harry guessed it was at the mess and stickiness between them. He drew Percy close and kissed him once more.

"Shall we clean up and then perhaps go have something to eat and finish that champagne?" he suggested

"Good idea." Percy Summoned his wand.

They ate cheese and biscuits and olives, and Percy had made a pear tart, and they finished Percy's champagne and started in on the bottle that Harry had brought, all the time talking about nothing in particular, and sometimes just sitting silently together with their fingers entwined, listening to the music on the wireless.

As midnight struck, Percy kissed Harry and said, "I'm glad you're here with me at the beginning of the year, and I hope you'll still be here at the end of it."

"I plan to be," said Harry happily, and held him tight.