Playing With Fire (Charlie Weasley X Reader)

Chapter 1: Abyss of Fatherly Love

Chapter 1: Abyss of Fatherly Love

"Y/N, just the girl I was looking for!"

"Percy," I greeted, not looking up at him from my spot in the library.

"Did you forget about our study date?" He asked and took a seat across from me.

"First of all, don't call it a study date. And no. I just decided that I would rather enjoy myself," I said and looked up at him, not at all surprised by the disappointed look he was giving me.

"Y/N, you were the one that asked me if I could help you," he scolded.

"I know. It was a moment of weakness," I said sarcastically and went back to doodling on my parchment.

"Your mother said-"

"I know what she said, Percy. I just can't do it, okay?" I snapped.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. His face was hurt.

"No, I'm sorry. It's just that my mom holds these things over my head and it makes everything so much more stressful. You know me; when I've got too much to do..." I trailed off.

"You don't do any of it," he finished.

"Yeah," I said and set down my quill. "I really want to get better, I do, but the idea of not being able to visit your house during break is really fucking with me."

"Just let me help you. I promise that it isn't as much work as you think. I'll make it fun," he said.

"An incentive?" I asked interestedly. "Pray do tell."

"I don't know yet. But I'll think of something, or you can. We've got to get you back on track."

"I don't know if we can at this point, Percy. I'll try again next year," I said.

"You shouldn't have a next year, not here anyway. We've always wanted to graduate and start our lives after Hogwarts together. What happened to that dream?"

"I decided that I wasn't going to fuel the capitalistic agenda of those who force unknowing youths into wasting away their lives on materialistic goals that only end in disappointment provided by none other than the very desensitized capitalists that preach fulfillment," I said monotonously.

"Merlin, Y/N," he muttered. "Put the effort that you put into procrastination into your schoolwork and you'd be top of the class."

"I don't care about it like you do, Perce," I said.

"Y/N, please just do this for yourself. Try one lesson, just one, and we'll go from there. If it's so unbearable, then I'll leave you alone," Percy said.

"Fine. One lesson," I said.

"One lesson," he confirmed. "I'm assuming you don't want to do it tonight."

"You read my mind."

He smiled at me. "I'm proud of you," he said.

"Shut up," I groaned.

"I really am. You don't hear it enough," he said and smiled once more before turning to leave the library.

I rolled my eyes at his back. My grades weren't even that bad, or at least that was what I liked to tell myself. A few months prior, I struck a rough patch with my family and got a bit behind in work. I didn't put in the effort to catch up and consequently, I was pretty much past academic redemption. And I was fine with it. As far as I was concerned, the school system was fucked anyway.

Percy, on the other hand, was convinced that I just needed a little push to get right back on track and to where I was before, a couple of points behind Percy in GPA. Poor Percy had never been in my situation before. He would never have let it get to this point. I knew that I could never get back to where I was because, once again, the school system is fucked. If a little bit of effort meant getting Percy off my back, then I was willing to try if only to get him to shut up.

Percy and I had been friends ever since we first started Hogwarts. If we had met now, I'm sure that we would hate each other, but we met when he wasn't as much as a prat and I was much more of a prat. Despite all of his flaws, I loved the guy. He showed me what family was meant to be, how it should be chosen, not assigned. He shared his family with me. There was barely enough to go around as it was, and yet he was willing to invite me in.

My family life wasn't the absolute worst, but it wasn't the Burrow. Some kids would have been alright having a single mother that only handed out repercussions when absolutely necessary, and repercussions alone. I wasn't in that category. I always needed that extra encouragement and if I couldn't get it... well, repercussions were the next best thing.

Percy stuck by me when I went from a star child to a living embodiment of the devil more concerned with screwing up as much as I could in the shortest amount of time possible. He helped me through and gave me a new outlet, a family who would listen to me. A family who actually gave a fuck about me. A family.

It was enough to pull me out of my funk and set me on the right path. That was until my deadbeat dad came from the abyss of fatherly love. You know, the one with all the milk. He had no money, minor alcoholism, and a tumor. It didn't last long, but long enough for me to get attached. That was when I decided that my family was more important than my performance in school. But the school system is fucked and doesn't give a shit if your dad is dying and you just want to spend your first moments with him in his last moments.

I unofficially dropped out of school to be with him, living in the hospital more than my own house. He started getting treatment and everything looked good for about a month. I was trying to ease myself back into school. I was attending classes every other day, finally getting back into the groove. Then I got the message that he was receiving hospice care.

They pumped him full of drugs and dragged the death process out for as long as they could. But it still came. After he died, my mother sent me back to Hogwarts. I stole floo powder and got back to the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley let me stay for a couple of weeks before she got worried and sent me back to Hogwarts. That was three weeks ago.

And now I'm back, desperately plotting my next ploy for escape.

Welcome to Playing with Fire!

What's a fanfiction without a little sprinkle of *daddy issues*?