A gift for juniperus! (Part 2 of 2) Percy was true to his word; he made no effort to avoid Harry at work and their minimal interaction gave no indication that anything had ever happened between them. Percy was too busy to be bothered with Harry anyway. He had lots of things to keep his mind off what had happened. He was not watching Harry every time Harry wandered by his office, and Harry was certainly not peering in to look at him. Percy knew he couldn't be. If he appeared to be, it was just Percy imagining things. And Percy was not thinking about Harry's mouth on his neck or the firmness of his bottom. Percy was not wondering what the younger man looked like naked and he couldn't even remember what it was like to feel the weight of Harry's body on top of him, the heat radiating off him or his breath on his skin. He had far too much work to do to think about the silkiness of Harry's hair or how brilliantly green his eyes were or how strong his arm had felt around Percy's shoulders.
Percy didn't remember the journey from his office to the nearest restroom. He walked very quickly and didn't acknowledge anyone. He burst into the restroom and stopped. He looked from the stalls to the sinks and back again. What have I come in here to do? he asked himself. He knew what he wanted to do; his body was making one very clear, very obvious request as he eyed the stalls.
That's disgusting, he chastised himself. He went straight for the sink, removed his glasses and stowed them in his pocket, turned on the cold water and splashed his face several times. He stood hunched over the sink and looked up at himself in the mirror. Pull it together, Weasley. You're a man, not an animal.
He noticed movement behind him. His eyes went down and to the right and saw feet beneath a closed stall door. There was a flush and the stall door unlocked. The shoes looked awfully familiar…
"Hey, Percy," said Harry as he approached a sink and began washing his hands.
"Harry," said Percy stiffly. He'd immediately straightened up and started pretending to wash his own hands.
"You okay?"
"Yes, of course. Why?"
"Your face is wet."
"Oh, that." Percy shut the water off and went to dry his hands and face. "I was… hot. It's hot in here. Er, out there. In the office. I mean, it is to me."
"Okay. You know, I was thinking earlier about… our situation–"
"There is no situation."
"There's a bit of a situation."
Percy glanced nervously at the stalls. They were all open, which meant he and Harry were definitely alone. He put his glasses back on. "What about it then?"
"Well, there is the matter of Ginny and me." Harry finished washing up and approached the paper towel dispenser. Percy took a step back. "There's nothing serious between her and me, it's sort of an on again/off again kind of thing, but still."
"Is it on again or off again at the moment?"
"Off. I wouldn't have allowed anything to happen with you if it wasn't."
"What are you concerned about? There's nothing going on between the two of us."
"Well… okay, I guess. I just don't want things to get weird. I'm close to your family and I assume you and I and Ginny will all be in the same room at some point in the near future." Harry sighed. "It wasn't exactly nothing that happened between us."
"Yes, it was. And it isn't going to happen again."
"You know people say things like that, but things have a way of getting out of control. And to be honest, I do feel a bit weird about this. Don't you?" Harry threw his paper towel away and turned to face Percy. "Don't you feel a bit–" But Harry didn't get the chance to finish that sentence. Percy was on him in one long stride, had cupped his face and started kissing him. Harry didn't resist. He let Percy guide him back into a stall.
"Someone could come in any second," Harry whispered against his lips.
Percy broke the kiss to push the door closed and lock it. He then looked down into Harry's eyes. "Then we'd better be fast."
Harry gave him a nod and then tilted his face up to resume the kiss. He put his hands on Percy's waist and backed him up against the wall of the stall. He followed Percy's lead, giving him what he wanted. As Percy's kiss became wet and hungry, so did Harry's, his tongue probing deep into Percy's mouth. Percy pushed his crotch against Harry's, and Harry went one step further: he reached down in between them and began to unfasten Percy's trousers. He slipped his hand down into Percy's underwear and wrapped his fingers around the smooth firmness of him, and Percy sighed with pleasure and let his head fall back against the stall wall.
"You like that?" Harry whispered between soft kisses to Percy's exposed neck. "Is this what you came in here for?"
Percy could only groan as Harry's hand began to stroke him.
"Yeah, this is what you came to get," Harry growled as he stroked faster. "You knew I was in here, didn't you?"
Percy knew Harry's question wasn't serious, but he considered it anyway. Had he known Harry was in here? He could have seen Harry head this way and then forgotten about it mere seconds later. He couldn't believe he would follow Harry in here to do this with him, not even unconsciously, and yet here he was, writhing up against a wall in a restroom stall. He wanted to be disgusted with himself, but he felt too good, and Harry was too nice to look at. Harry's eyes were downcast behind his glasses, watching what his hand was doing. A few strands of his messy, black fringe hung down over his forehead, and Percy had the uncontrollable urge to reach up and sweep them away. His fingers glided over Harry's forehead and up into his hair. Harry looked up at him then, his pupils dilated. Percy slid his hand to the back of Harry's head, pulled his face close and kissed him, licking across his lips.
"I'm gonna come," Percy whispered against Harry's mouth. He looked down and began to push his clothes down a bit. He needn't have worried about making a mess of himself, however, because Harry dropped to his knees, took Percy's cock out and popped it into his mouth. Seconds later, Percy was filling his mouth with come.
When Harry finally got to his feet, he tucked Percy back into his underwear and closed up his trousers.
"I can do that, you know," Percy said softly with a lazy smile on his face. Harry smiled back.
"I don't mind. Now go. We've been lucky so far, but someone's bound to come in here."
"What about you?"
"What? Oh. No, we don't have time for me. Just go before someone comes in."
Percy unlocked the door and stepped out and away from the stall. He checked his appearance in a mirror, adjusted his shirt and made sure his hair looked okay. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to return the favour another time."
Harry stepped out and looked at him quizzically. "Oh?"
Percy didn't look at him. "Are you free this weekend?"
"Er, yeah."
"We could do dinner Friday night. I could bring dinner."
"Er, yeah."
"Good. Excellent. I'll see you then." He nodded toward the door. "You should go out first, since you came in first."
"Er… yeah." Harry went toward the door, but stopped when he got there and turned back. "I thought we weren't gonna–"
"Harry," Percy said firmly, finally looking at him. "Not here."
"But we just–"
"Friday, Harry. We can talk over dinner."
Harry closed his mouth and shrugged. "Okay. Friday it is then."
Percy watched him go and then looked back at his own reflection. Weasley, what the hell are you doing?
* * *
Percy arrived at Harry's Friday night with bags of groceries. But the minute he put his bags down in the kitchen, it was clear that food was the last thing on his mind. He shrugged off his jacket, dropped it to the kitchen floor and went straight for Harry's mouth.
"What about the food?" Harry managed to mumble as Percy kissed him.
"It can wait. Bedroom."
They stumbled together from the kitchen, across the flat to Harry's bedroom, where they frantically undressed each other. The glasses came off last. Percy removed his and dropped them onto the pile of clothes they'd produced, and then he stood there before Harry, naked and ready.
Harry didn't remove his glasses right away. He wanted a good look at Percy first. Percy was facing the bedroom door and his body was illuminated by the light from the rest of the flat. Harry let his eyes wander down Percy's long, slender form. His body was even paler than his face, but just as freckled. Harry stepped close and reached out to touch, feeling Percy's firm biceps, his smooth chest and his flat belly. Harry didn't try to hide where his eyes were going. He stared blatantly down at the bright red thatch at Percy's crotch. As Harry's hand drew nearer to it, Percy's cock gave a little twitch. Harry smiled up at him.
"I think he's excited."
Percy nodded. "Oh, yes," he whispered. He gripped Harry's hand, pushed it down and wrapped it around his shaft. His eyes glazed slightly and he repeated in the softest breath, "Ohhh, yes."
They fell onto the bed together, and Harry finally discarded his glasses. Percy lay on his back and pulled Harry's face down to his, his mouth wide open for Harry. He reached down and gripped Harry's cock, feeling it all over. "I want it inside me," he whispered.
Harry looked down at him. "You sure?"
Percy nodded. "Fuck me."
Something deep in Harry's belly tingled and he sucked in a sharp breath. "I've never heard you use language like that."
Percy grinned and murmured, "I think the circumstances call for it, don't you?"
"Say it again."
"What? Fuck?"
A low growl issued from Harry's throat and he went for Percy's neck. "Say it again," he ordered, his voice muffled against Percy's skin.
Percy laughed, put his arms around Harry and whispered, "Ffffuck."
Harry growled again. He finally pulled himself away from Percy, reached over and grabbed his wand from the nightstand. He then positioned himself between Percy's legs. "Legs up," he instructed as he gripped Percy's right leg behind the knee and began to push it up and back. Percy obeyed and held both his legs back with his hands. Harry pointed the wand down between his cheeks and cast a silent spell to relax the muscles there.
"Lumos," Harry whispered and his wand tip began to glow. "That's better." He kept his wand pointed between Percy's cheeks while his free hand began feeling Percy's cock and balls. "How do you feel?" he asked, looking up at Percy. He found Percy watching him, eyes surveying his body.
"Now," Percy whispered, meeting his eyes. "Right now."
Harry quickly lubricated himself with another quiet spell and then chucked his wand aside. It clattered to the wood floor. He shimmied closer to Percy, positioned himself at his opening and began to push inside. The way Percy groaned and pulled his legs back even further, the way his little hole pulsed against the head of Harry's cock, caused that low rumble to come from deep in Harry's throat once again.
Harry started slow, gradually building up speed as Percy became more comfortable. Soon, they were both panting and sweating.
"Harder," Percy moaned. "Fuck me harder."
"God, you're sexy when you swear." Harry pumped into him faster, their skin slapping together, the bed beginning to squeak. It suddenly occurred to Harry that Percy was terribly pretty. He was unmistakably masculine, and yet delicate in many ways; his graceful neck, his long, slender limbs, his pale, creamy skin. "Turn over," Harry suddenly said, almost snarled. He pulled out abruptly. "On your knees."
Percy was quick to flip over and get up on all fours. He positioned his knees far apart and got down on his elbows. He dropped his head between his shoulders as Harry pushed back inside and started pounding away. Harry gripped his waist and slid a hand down around to take hold of Percy's dick. He began to stroke Percy fast and hard.
Harry came first, exploding deep inside Percy's body. Percy came shortly thereafter, spurting in Harry's hand, his little hole clenching around Harry's shaft. Both of them were a quivering mess by the end. Harry slowly pulled out and Percy collapsed onto his belly. Harry managed to avoid falling on him, instead dropping onto his back next to him, exhausted.
Percy turned his face toward Harry and smiled. "Now, we can eat."
* * *
Harry awoke in the middle of the night to find Percy cuddled up to him and feeling him between his legs.
"Couldn't wait 'til I woke up, huh?"
"No. Hope you don't mind."
Harry didn't mind one bit, and displayed this by rolling onto his back and letting Percy do as he pleased. Percy crawled on top of him and began a slow appreciation of Harry's body. He licked Harry's nipples, pinching and rolling one with his fingers while suckling on the other. He kissed and licked all over Harry's torso as he moved down between Harry's legs. He took hold of Harry's cock and began to bathe it with his tongue, moving sensually up and down the shaft and around the head, his tongue's tip prodding the slit and tasting it. He stared right into Harry's eyes as he did this. He made nearly the entire shaft disappear down his throat and he sucked as though his life was riding on his performance. When Harry came, Percy drank it all down like a starving man.
"Your mouth is incredible," Harry panted as Percy crawled up and straddled him.
Percy sat proudly atop him and smiled. "And your come tastes so good," he purred, sliding a hand down his belly to his own erection and starting to play with himself.
Harry grinned. "No, it doesn't."
Percy laughed. "Well, as good as can be expected." He let his head fall back and hang there while he touched himself. "Do you like to watch, Harry?"
Harry was indeed watching. He couldn't peel his eyes away from that arched neck, the long torso which was slowly beginning to writhe, the very busy hand down below. "Mm-hm," Harry replied. "Since when are you so… sensual?"
Percy looked down at him with sleepy eyes. "Didn't think I had it in me, huh?"
"Hell, no," Harry said with a smile.
Percy stroked faster and began breathing harder. "There's probably a lot you don't know about me, Harry Potter."
"Clearly."
Percy was breathing harder, his chest rising and falling fast, his narrow hips rolling all around and back and forth, pushing his dick into his fist. Harry reached over to the nightstand, grabbed his glasses and Percy's wand, shoved the glasses haphazardly onto his face and then lit the wand's tip and pointed it at Percy's body. His free hand reached out to caress Percy's thigh and glided up over the freckled hip.
"Gonna come," Percy whispered. "Here it comes, ohgodohgodohgod!"
The first dollop landed right down the centre of Harry's face, on a slight diagonal. The next landed on his neck. Percy shuddered on top of him and painted him with semen until the flow tapered off and finally stopped. Percy leaned forward and lay down on top of Harry, who set down Percy's wand, wrapped his arms around Percy and held him while he caught his breath.
* * *
It was easy to sleep late in the morning, and even when they did wake up and stay awake, they only went so far as to fetch some breakfast and bring it back to the bed again. When they finally dragged themselves out, long past tea, it was only because Percy had to contact his family to inform them that he wouldn't be seeing them for dinner that night. He showered and dressed and situated himself before the fireplace in Harry's living room while Harry went to take a shower himself. Percy ignited a fire with his wand and stuck his head inside.
It was Ginny who saw him first. "Hey, Perce!" She pulled a chair from the Weasleys' kitchen table over to the fireplace and sat down. "You on your way yet?"
"Um…"
"Please get here quickly. Mum's really on her game today. She was on Ron and me about our love lives soon as we walked in the door. When am I going to settle down? When are Ron and Hermione going to give her grandchildren?" She rolled her eyes. "We need you here to take some of the brunt."
"Is Mum or Dad around by any chance?"
"Yeah. Hang on." Ginny stood, pushed the chair aside and disappeared from view. A moment later, Percy heard her voice yell for their mother at the top of her lungs.
Moments later, Molly appeared and smiled. "Hello, dear." Her smile faded quickly, however. "What's wrong?"
"What? Nothing's wrong, Mother."
"You are coming to dinner tonight, aren’t you?"
"Actually–"
"Percy!" Molly snapped. "It's Saturday dinner. You don't miss Saturday dinner. It's the only night we can all get together."
"I know, and I am sorry. It can't be helped. I have a ton of work to get through before Monday. Shacklebolt will have my hide if I'm not on top of things."
"What? He's not coming?" It was Ron who'd walked in and was now staring unhappily into the fire. "Are you joking?"
"Hello, Ron," Percy sighed.
"How can you not be coming? Hermione and I managed to make it, and it's not like we didn't have better things to…" Ron trailed off and glanced at their mother, who was staring at him through narrowed eyes. "I mean, er… I love you, Mummy."
"Hmph. Ungrateful little–"
"Wait. He's not coming?" This was Ginny returning to the kitchen. She stood in front of Ron, hands on her hips, a perfect echo of Molly. "What've you got to do that's so important?"
"Work, Ginny. It's imperative that I… that I…" Percy had to pause to yawn, covering his mouth with his fist. "That I get everything done by Monday morning."
"My goodness, why are you so tired?" asked Molly.
"I'm not, Mother. I'm fine."
Ginny shook her head and glared at him. "He's lying."
"I am not, Ginny. I'm fine, I swear it."
"Not about that. About having to work. He's lying, Mum, I can tell!"
"Now, Ginny, don't accuse your brother of such a thing," said Molly, shunting Ginny out of the way. "Because he knows that if he is lying, he'll have a lot more than Kingsley Shacklebolt to worry about."
"Hang on," said Ron, squinting into the fire. "Is that the same shirt you wore to work yesterday?"
"What?" Percy's stomach dropped; Ron could see his collar. "No, of course not."
"Yeah, it is. I know it is, because I remember walking by your office at one point and I looked in and said, 'Hey, could you not find the men's department when you bought that shirt?' and you told me to bugger off, and then I said–"
"I did not wear this shirt to work yesterday," Percy said firmly.
"Wait," said Ginny, squinting at him too. "Is that a ladies' shirt?"
"No!"
"Hey, what's all the commotion?" George had wandered in now, along with a tall, athletic and very pretty black woman whose hand he was holding. Percy stared at them, unable to look away for a moment, as though they were a car wreck in progress. "Oh, hey, Perce! When are you getting here? I've got a new product I need to try out on you."
"He's not coming," said Ginny from out of view.
George gave Percy a withering look. "Figures. Probably thinks he's got something more important to do."
Yeah. Harry, Percy thought. "Yes. I have work to finish. Hello, Angelina." He nodded politely at George's companion. She returned the nod. "I'm sorry, George. You can try your product out on one of the others, can't you? I'm sure Ron will be happy to help."
George looked at him with mock horror. "Are you, mad? I'd never do something like that to Ron."
"You'd never do what to Ron?"
"You don't wanna know," said Ron, who headed out of the kitchen. "Might as well stay where you are. You're safer there."
In the background, Percy heard Harry shut the shower off. He panicked a bit. "I should go. Work to do, you know."
"Sure, sure, run off and leave us," muttered George, who led Angelina from the room as well, leaving Molly and Ginny glaring into the fire.
"I'll see you next week, George!" Percy called. Somewhere behind Percy, a door closed a little too loudly and he winced. There was no way his mother and sister hadn't heard that.
"What was that?" asked Molly.
"Probably just the wind making a door slam," he said hastily. "I should really get going." Percy said goodbye to them, pulled his head out of the fire and extinguished it. He sat on his hip and sighed with relief just as Harry stepped out into the living room with damp hair and a towel around his waist.
"Did you speak to them?" he asked. "How are they?"
Percy didn't want to discuss it; with Harry standing half-naked before him, Percy had far more interesting things on his mind. He gave Harry a very quick, vague answer and then promptly pounced on him.
They made love right there before the fireplace, left Percy's clothes and Harry's towel in a pile there and headed back to the bedroom, where they stayed until dinnertime. There was no discussion of Percy going home that night, as they both seemed perfectly happy with him staying until Sunday.
* * *
Sunday afternoon, Harry returned home after stepping out to get the paper and something to eat. He found Percy lounging on the loveseat in the living room in a pair of Harry's underwear, sipping tea with his feet up.
"Hey. I grabbed some pastries from the shop next door."
"Sounds good." Percy sat up, set his tea down on the coffee table next to the tea pot and an empty cup, and began to prepare a cup for Harry. He yawned hugely and nodded at the paper. "Anything interesting happen in the world this morning?"
"Oh, yeah," Harry said, taking a seat next to him. He opened the paper to a random page. "Says here, it says, 'Percy Ignatius Weasley goes missing: Ministry now in shambles."
Percy grinned. "Is that your subtle way of saying you'd like me to go home now?"
"What, and miss watching you make me tea while wearing my underpants? I don't think so." Harry tossed the paper onto the coffee table, sat back and watched Percy. "I am wondering, though, what exactly we're doing here. I mean, is this a one-time thing? Are we doing it again next weekend? Are you just using me for my money?" he asked with a grin.
Percy shook his head. "No." He sat back and handed Harry his tea. "I'm using you for your humongous cock."
Harry snorted. "Likewise. But really, Percy, what's up? Or is it too soon to ask that? We've had sex about a million times this weekend, and in every conceivable position, so I figure we're past the first date stage."
Percy sighed, put his head back and stared at the ceiling for a long while. He finally looked over at Harry and said, "I don't know."
Harry sipped his tea and watched him, waiting for him to continue.
"I don't know what made me pull you into the restroom stall at work last week. That was… so unlike me. I've never done anything like that before and frankly I'm a little ashamed."
"Don't be. That's the best time I've ever had in a restroom. Unless you count the time I found that Galleon in one of the stalls."
Percy chuckled. "Well, I'm pleased I rank nearly as high as free toilet money."
Harry laughed and leaned forward to set his cup down. He then sat back, snuggled close to Percy and kissed his cheek. "You have no idea where this is going?" he asked, his face close to Percy's.
Percy shook his head. "I… I like talking to you. You're the first person, other than my therapist, who I can really talk to about… you know. And the only reason I can talk to her is because it's her job. She can't very well sit there and tell me I should shut up and get over it."
"Who could possibly say that to you? There's no way you could just get over what happened. There's no way any of us could. I think a great number of us are probably suffering from post-traumatic stress."
"Probably. But not everyone can talk about it like you can. Or rather, I should say that not everyone can put up with hearing me talk about it like you can. Thank you."
Harry bit his lip and seemed to hesitate. "Percy, you know, I can't help but notice that you and I barely did any talking this entire weekend."
Percy grinned. "I know. Well… fucking each other's brains out is a type of therapy, isn't it?"
Harry smiled back. "I suppose. But I just wonder…"
Percy raised his head. "What?"
"I just wonder if you're not just running away a little bit."
Percy looked at the ceiling again. "You think I'm using sex as a way to avoid dealing with things."
"Well…"
"That's not what I'm doing. I am dealing with my feelings. No one is dealing with their feelings as much or as well as I am."
"Okay. It was just a suggestion."
Percy looked at him. "My family are the ones who aren't dealing with things. You know, when I spoke to them yesterday, George was there and he'd brought Angelina with him. He brought her to Saturday family dinner. Can you believe that? I…" He paused and took a breath to calm himself. "I don't have anything against Angelina. I need to make that very clear. She's a lovely woman. Smart, funny, tough; she'd be perfect for George under different circumstances. Of course she's welcome to have dinner with my family. I just… She's sleeping with his twin." He shook his head. "He's dead and she's shagging his identical twin brother. What the fuck is that about?"
Harry hesitated again. "Percy, remember when you told me about your recurring nightmare? The one in which you're carrying Fred's body around and can't put him down."
Percy swallowed. "Yes."
"Well, that's kind of… symbolic, don't you think?"
Percy didn't answer. His eyes went down to his lap.
"You look tired," said Harry, reaching out to stroke Percy's hair.
"Well, I wonder why," Percy said with a grin and a sidelong glance.
"Yes, I'm sure we both gave each other quite a workout. But it was always you who'd wake me up in the middle of the night. You couldn't sleep, could you? Were you carrying Fred through your dreams the whole time you've been here?"
Percy was now very determinedly not looking at Harry.
"You certainly never look this tired at work, so I assume you're sleeping okay at home."
Percy glanced at him again. "Maybe I've been too distracted by you to sleep."
Harry scooted closer and slid his arm across Percy's shoulders. "Well, that's very flattering, but I don't think so."
Percy closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Harry's. "It seemed so easy to just let you have me and forget everything else. And it worked. I've barely thought about… other things since I've been here."
"I'll take a stab in the dark and guess that that only caused the dream to occur more than usual."
"And there's the kicker."
They both raised their heads and stared into each other's eyes for a long silent moment. They smiled at each other and Harry reached over to take Percy's hand.
"You really are very pretty, you know."
Percy frowned. "I'm what?"
Harry laughed. "In a very masculine way, but pretty nonetheless."
"Hmph. Well, that's a first. Thank you… I think."
"You're welcome." Harry leaned forward and picked up the bag of pastries. He reached inside and pulled out a croissant. "Here, eat something."
"I'll split it with you." They each pulled an end, like a wishbone, Percy ending up with the large end. They ate in silence for a while, and then Percy said, "I have to go home."
"I know."
"I don't want to, but I know I have to." He finished his half of the croissant, wiped his hands and sat up. "Besides, we don't want to get sick of each other."
"Are you coming back? Next weekend or… whenever?"
Percy thought about it and finally said, "I don't know." He held Harry's gaze for a moment longer and then finally stood and headed to the bathroom to shower.
* * *
Monday morning, Harry was early. He arrived before any of the other Aurors and sat in his cubicle staring blankly at the newspaper clippings and funny pictures tacked to his walls. And he listened as the others began to trickle in, listened to them greet each other. He didn't stand up or make a sound. He gave no indication that he was there, though it was only a matter of time before someone found him.
"Hey," said Ron as he wandered in and sat on Harry's desk. "How was your weekend?"
"Good," Harry replied without looking up at him. "Yours?"
"Not bad. I'm a little peeved at Percy, though. I can't wait to run into him and tell him exactly what I think."
Harry swallowed. "Tell him what you think about what?"
"He cancelled on us on Saturday. You know, Saturday dinner with the family isn't always number one on my list of fun things to do, but I still show up."
"Course," Harry said without much conviction.
"And do you think has to listen to Mum complain about him not showing up, hm? All the people who actually showed up, that's who."
"That's terrible."
"Sometimes I think he deliberately makes sure he's got work to do over the weekend just to avoid coming home."
Harry suspected Percy was just genuinely busy a lot of the time, but he didn't say anything.
"And, funny thing, when he spoke to us, I could've sworn he was wearing the same clothes he wore Friday. But that can't be right, can it?"
Harry busied himself shuffling papers on his desk. "I dunno. Can it?"
"Same shirt two days in a row? He doesn't do that, even if he's staying in. You know how anal he is."
Harry looked down to hide his smile. Ron, you have no idea, he though. "Hmph. Weird."
"Tell me about it."
Just then, Harry heard a voice coming from the short corridor that led from the lift. It was Percy's voice. He was chatting with someone as he approached. Harry couldn't hear what he was saying, but he listened until the voice was too far away to hear.
"Oi," Ron said, smacking his arm. "What's with you?"
"Nothing. I'm just tired. Listen, Ron, I've got some things I need to get started on, so…"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. You know, you never had this good a work ethic when we were in school."
Harry smiled as Ron wandered away, but his smiled quickly faded. He considered going to see Percy, but decided that would make him seem desperate or clingy or just plain pathetic. They weren't dating. They were barely even lovers. They'd spent one incredible weekend shagging each other senseless and that was it. There was no guarantee that anything was going to come of that. It was over, Harry told himself. Percy had gotten what he needed, and it was over.
"Good morning, Harry."
Harry jumped and twisted around to find Percy standing at his cubicle's entrance. "Oh, hey, Percy."
Percy, tall and narrow and perfectly pressed, entered the cubicle and stood next to Harry's chair. "Good to see you again."
"You too. You look well. You look like you've had a good long sleep."
Percy smiled. "Not as long as I would have liked, but long enough. Here, I brought you this." From behind his back, Percy produced a tall, thin bag. He set it down on Harry's desk. "A little thank-you gift for all your help."
Harry took it and peered inside. It was a very nice bottle of red wine. "Thanks, Percy. You didn't have to."
"No, I did. It's just my style. Besides…" Percy idly fingered a photograph he was examining on Harry's wall and he said in a low voice, "I need to make sure there's something acceptable for me to drink next time I visit."
Harry looked up at him. "Uh… really?"
"Well, if I come over," Percy said casually. "This weekend I'm busy. Next weekend as well. The weekend after that, though…" He paused and his eyes darted a bit as he considered. He then smiled at Harry and shrugged. "Well, I guess we'll see, yes?"
Harry blinked up at him in slight shock. "Er, yeah. But, well, is that wise? I mean…" Harry lowered his voice. "Is it healthy?"
"Nothing wrong with a little escapism. In moderation, of course."
"Er, of course, but–"
"Harry." Percy held up a hand to silence him and glanced back at the cubicle's doorway. He looked back down into Harry's eyes and leaned closer to him, bracing himself with a hand on Harry's desk. In a hushed voice he said, "Harry, I… I want to do it again, okay?" He shrugged. "Simple as that."
Harry stared up at him. He had his misgivings about continuing to sleep with Percy and thought it might not the best decision Percy could make for himself, but he couldn't deny that he didn't want it to end either. "I want to do it again too."
With a deep breath, Percy straightened up again, nodded and clasped his hands at his back. "Good. Good, good." He glanced around the cubicle with a content look on his face, like someone with a very pleasing secret. "If you like, we can even have a discussion about the future."
"The future?"
"Yes." Percy looked at him again. "As in what we'd both like to see happen."
"Oh. We could do that, yeah."
"Good," Percy repeated. "I'll be in touch then."
"Sure. Me too."
"Have a good day, Harry." And with a wink and a lopsided smile, Percy spun on his heel and left the cubicle. Harry watched his small, pert little bottom as he strolled away until he turned a corner and disappeared.