InsaneJournal

How to be Brave (Percy/Neville, G)
Title: How to be Brave
Pairing: Percy/Neville
Rating: G
Word Count: 407 (I really don't know why I can't write hundred-word drabbles.)
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: Not mine. JKR's.
Summary: Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. (Franklin Jones)
Notes: An Advent Drabble for mrsquizzical, who requested Neville/someone, "courage".

Percy's heart was beating wildly in his chest with occasional leaps into his throat. He swallowed hard, forcing it back down into his chest where it belonged. He drew a breath, steadying himself, raised his fist to knock on the door, then paused just before his knuckles touched the wood.

"Okay," he whispered to himself, "Okay, okay. Be calm. Breathe. You've done this before and you can do it again."

Five minutes later, he still hadn't knocked on the door, and if he paced and worried much longer, he was going to be late.

And Percy Weasley hated being late.

He drew one final steeling breath and knocked before he could lose his nerve again. The door flew open almost immediately, and there stood Neville, dressed in what Percy suspected were his best robes, his mouth twitching into a grin. Percy couldn't help but smile himself, though his heart was doing that vaulting-into-his-throat thing again and his palms were clammy.

"Shall we?" he asked, and Neville nodded.

"It's good to see you again," Neville said, and Percy privately thought that Neville wouldn't have said that if he'd seen what Percy had been doing before he knocked on the door, sweating and mumbling and berating himself for his lack of courage.

Dinner went well—Percy managed not to talk about work, and at some point (maybe after the third glass of wine) he finally relaxed, and his heart stayed where it belonged, and he smiled lazily across the table at Neville, who grinned back.

"You know," Neville said on the walk home, linking his arm in Percy's, "I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" Percy replied, inhaling great lungfuls of the chill night air in an attempt to sober himself a little.

"You've been so calm on both our dates—I was a nervous wreck all day today, and last week, too. Some Gryffindor I turned out to be." Neville laughed a little, ruefully, and Percy stopped walking and looked around. There was no one on the street, and he inhaled sharply through his nose, bent a little, and pressed his mouth to Neville's in a nearly-chaste kiss.

His heart leapt into his throat again and lights flashed behind his eyes, and everything in him shouted what on earth are you doing?!, but then Neville sighed into the kiss and opened his mouth against Percy's, and Percy forgot to be afraid anymore.