𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧: 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

"Oh! I can just let you fly from here," you said triumphantly. "Aren't you a smart bird?"

(O/n) nips your ear before flying off your shoulder and outside the castle. You watch him circle around the sky before flying upwards and out of view.

The Weasley brothers and Harry were already eating breakfast by the time you arrived in the Great Hall. The teachers and staff were seated at the elevated long table and the four house tables were almost empty save for the few students speckled here and there.

The prefects occupied another table while Percy was seated with his brothers, looking disgruntled. Ron and Harry were happily chatting before Ron sees you.

"(Y/n)! Come sit—oh no," Ron groans as you neared their table. "You're wearing a Weasley sweater."

"Weasley sweater?" You inquired, sitting beside Harry while looking at your sweater.

"Mum makes sweaters for us every year," said Fred with his mouth full. It was true. All of them seemed to wear different sweaters with their first initials on it. Even Harry has one.

While Percy lightly scolds Fred, George piped up. "Ickle Ronniekins must have told her you were staying here with us."

Ron was scratching his head. "I told Mum that Harry didn't expect any presents, and I also mentioned you in my letter so..." his face turned redder than his hair with every word.

You feel a surge of warmth spread inside your chest. "Ron, that's really thoughtful of you! Thank you. The homemade fudge was great too."

You feasted at the abundant breakfast in front of you, laughing at Fred and George's jokes and talking to Harry about how this was the best Christmas you've experienced in your entire lives. Ron often joined your conversation, but was too busy stuffing his face to respond most of the time.

"We're thinking about having a snowball fight today," George said after breakfast, grabbing Percy's wrist when he tried to stand up. "Now, now, Percy. Christmas is supposed to be a time spent with family! Not with other prefects. Fred, help me—"

"But I don't want—" said Percy as he struggled valiantly against the twins. He was frog-marched outside the hall as you, Ron and Harry followed after them.

△⃒⃘ ⌁☍ ❾¾

"I told them this was a bad idea," Percy grumbles under his breath.

You and Percy were at the front steps of the castle. The snowball fight had been fun, but after the Weasley twins relentlessly pelted you with snow, you started feeling numb and cold. It was bearable at first, but when Ron and Harry threw a gigantic snowball at your head, you began to sneeze and shiver uncontrollably. That was when Percy had to intervene and insisted you must return to the castle for warmth.

The twins, Ron and Harry were still playing in the snow, but not before taking off their own coats and making you wear them. Percy was just wrapping his own scarf over yours when you protested at his offer.

"I look like a marshmallow," you huffed, extending your arms on both sides while waddling past Percy to the entrance hall.

Percy inspects the five layers of clothing you wore. He suppresses his laugh with a cough to his fist before waving his hand dismissively.

"You look a little bloated, but it's better than freezing," he reassures you. "Come on. Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey for your cure."

The medicine for your cold left a bitter taste in your mouth. While it stopped you from sniffling and retained your normal body heat (you were finally able to take off the coats), you were still reeling from the disgusting flavor.

Percy had left after taking you to the hospital wing, but surprisingly came back with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. You gratefully accepted it, beaming at him when you see little marshmallows on the surface.

"Thanks, Percy."

He sits beside you on the bed, drinking from his own mug. "It's no problem. Somebody has to be the reliable one and look after you."

"Fred and George aren't that bad."

"Yes, well, you haven't lived with them like I did. All they do is cause chaos wherever they go." Percy sighs while staring at his mug. "They don't exactly respect me both as an older brother and a prefect."

You purse your lips. "Well, I respect you," you said, smiling lazily, "I think Professor Dumbledore was right to choose you as a prefect."

"Just doing my job," Percy responded shortly, his face turning slightly pink. He tries to hide his satisfied smile by drinking his mug.

You both just sat there in silence, drinking hot chocolate and watching small wisps of steam emanating from your mugs. Your mind and body were at ease. When your mug was empty, you feel your eyelids becoming heavy, and it was hard for you to stay awake.

Percy flinches when he feels your head lean against his arm. He catches your mug with great difficulty before you could let it go. He shifts so he was lifting the mugs away from you, which leads to your head to land on his lap instead.

"Honestly," Percy mutters,
exasperated. He watches your face for a minute, not knowing what to do, until Madam Pomfrey went out of her office and helped him move you on the bed properly.

Needless to say, you were surprised to wake up in the hospital wing with a face full of Christmas-themed doodles and a plate of cookies on the nightstand from Harry and Ron as an apology.