Breaking Protocol {Percy Weasley}

Chapter Twenty-Five

After the busyness died down, Clara found herself seating in the loveseat with Bill Weasley, attempting to beat him in a staring contest when an owl swooped into the cluttered family room, startling the girl.

"You blinked!" Bill yelled, laughing. "I win!"  Bill let out a cry of triumph, causing Clara to role her eyes.

"That was not fair." Clara said, crossing her arms over her chest. "The owl distracted me. I want a eh...eh..."  Clara frowned, not knowing what words to use. She turned to Percy who was sitting in an armchair, reading the book his father got him for Christmas. "Percy. Je te propose une revanche."

Percy looked up from the text, sighing.

"She proposes a rematch, Bill." Percy clarified. Bill grinned, turning to look at Clara as he wiggles his eye brows.

"Prepare to loose, Frenchy." Bill teased, and the two began their staring contest once again. Bill smirking as Clara's dried eyes begged her to blink.

"DID NO ONE GRAB THE POST?" Came Mrs. Wealey's loud voice. However Clara did not let that loose her contest against the Weasley boy, and neither did Bill.

"I'll get it!" Charlie shouted, thundering into the living room. Clara and Bill continued to stare at each other as Charlie grabbed for the package the owl had brought in. "No way... It's for you Perce!" Announced Charlie. Percy jumped in his seat, turning all his attention to his older brother.

"Give it here." Percy ordered. Clara giggled, still not looking away from Bill as Charlie ran from Percy, holding the large rectangle package in his arms. Clara was determined to win, staring intensively into Bill's blue eyes that were so much like Percy's.

"Who may this be from?" Charlie teased, reading the front of the package. Percy struggled to grab the large package from his brother's arms.

"Charlie! Give it here!" Percy groaned.

"Oooh, who's Penny?" Charlie asked.

Clara did not win the staring contest.

"What?" She tore her gaze from Bill. "Penny?"

"Who...is Penny?" Bill asked. Clara forced a smile, laughing lightly to mask her panicked expression. Of course Clara didn't expect Percy to choose between Penny or her. Penny was an important person in Percy's life, his first love, his first kiss...possibly his first more.

Clara cared a great deal for Percy, but it was ultimately his choice. Whether or not he preferred Clara or Penny was not something Clara couldn't decide for him. So for now, while Percy struggled with his own conflicting feelings, Clara was going to stand by his side as his caring friend.

Even though it pained Clara to be so close to him, yet so far away.

Clara breathed in a deep breath, this time a genuine smile spreading across her lips. "She is a wonderful girl." Clara said, turning to Percy. Percy gave Clara a bewildered look, Charlie and Bill exchanging a look of great confusion.

"Erm...well. Here you are then Percy." Charlie said, slowly handing the package to his younger brother. Percy grabbed for the package, backing out of the room.

"P-Penny is a f-friend." Percy said. "N-nothing more." And with that, he vanished up the stairs.

"Very odd child, that one is." Charlie said. Bill stood up and clapped his hand against Charlie's back.

"Right you are, brother. Right you are."

Percy closed his bedroom door behind him firmly before he plopped down on his book covered bed. He didn't waste a minute as he tore open the package Penny had sent him, his heart racing at one hundred kilometers an hour.

His brothers were surely going to tease him later on for this. They were going to bug him to no end about Penny until he admitted to them the truth. That Penny was his girlfriend. A girl he did love dearly before he broke things off due to school.

If that secret got out, Percy would surely be the laughing stock of the family.

Tearing off the brown paper, Percy's heart dropped in his chest as he stared at the stunning painting. Percy knew Penny enjoyed painting, but he never knew she was this good.

Percy traced his fingers over the thick paint that blended together to create almost the exact image of himself. He stared in awe at the skill set Penny had to have in order to complete this painting to these standards. He studied every inch of it. From the suit Penny painted Percy in, his curly red hair that looked quite longer in the painting than it did in real life, to the dark background with smooth white patterns cascading across it.

However it wasn't just any pattern.

Percy looked closer, only to notice what he saw as a unique white pattern in the background of the picture was actually words painted in Penny's beautiful handwriting. It was a poem, Percy realized as he read through.

I never realized love was something you could lose.
Something to be shut off like a light switch to the heart.

But you said it.
You said those words before I even knew what they meant.
And I followed blindly,
I followed into the Ignorance of love,
The sappiness of living out every single movie cliché.
And I was happy.

You'd say goodbye and I love you.
Pull me in by my belt loops,
Stare into my eyes and whisper,
I love you.
Run your hands through my hair,
I love you.
Long nights of intensity and passion,
I love you.
Through thick and thin,
I love you.

Days.
Weeks.
Months of I love you,
And I had fallen.
I had fallen hard and you were there to catch me.

But that day,
That day was different.
You sat me down on my bed.
Ran your hands through my hair.
And spoke words unimaginable,

'I no longer can love you'

The world froze.
Something I thought to be so permanent,
So easily destroyed.

The sky was blue,
But the room was dark.

But still I say,
I  love you.