Harry Potter Oneshots

Underestimated (Percy Weasley)

Despite all we claimed, Hogwarts was absolutely full of house prejudice. Gryffindors and Slytherins were constantly at one another's throats, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff egging them on (however subconsciously). The sneers Slytherins gave when a Puff answered incorrectly to McGonagall, or the whoops the Gryffindors gave a Ravenclaw stumbling over their words all served to increase the divide between the houses.

The eating arrangement in the Great Hall didn't help. Segregated by table, it was incredibly rare to spot the wrong colors at the tables. Everyone came together at meal times, though were we truly together if we were split up this way?

No, the only time we were truly together was on the train to Hogwarts. First years scattered throughout the carriages, no houses assigned to separate them, and cross-house friends met up and discussed the events of their breaks.

It was a lovely time that I now had to miss out on due to my status as Head Girl. I head to the carriage assigned for the Prefect's meeting only to spot a familiar face already there.

He doesn't notice me upon entering, and I can only assume he was so engrossed in his novel that he was completely unaware of his surroundings.

Grinning, I sneak up to him and slam my hands on his shoulders, shrieking loudly. He jumps and throws his book into the air, yelling and pressing his wand into my throat all in one fluid motion. The anger in his eyes extinguishes immediately upon my mischievous grin. "Hedgemond," he sighs.

"Well, Weasley, it looks like we'll be working together this year." I tap the Head Girl badge pinned to my robes and his brows furrow at it. "Thank Helga, too. I was worried I wouldn't have any eye candy this year."

"How did you get Head Girl?" He asks brusquely, ignoring my comment, though the pink tint climbing his neck says otherwise.

I laugh. "You know, others would take your tone quite offensively." He blushes at my teasing as I continue. "I got it the same way anyone gets it; by being one of Dumbledore'e favorites." I gesture to myself with a joking flourish that I notice he doesn't return with a laugh.

Instead Percy frowns slightly, probably miffed at my insinuation. "That's not how I got it."

I shake my head, my mood turning somber. "I'm sure. Sorry, I know you work extremely hard."

He doesn't say anything but his posture relaxes a little. I take that as a signal to continue with my teasing. "But I do wonder what it looks like when you really relax," I layer the words with double meaning and his face reddens instantly. I suppress a laugh at his reaction and move to stand next to him as we await the arrival of the rest of the prefects.

And if he seems to shuffle away a bit and clear his throat who am I to point it out?

Once everyone is in, we begin the meeting. Percy takes over it while I settle for sitting on a table and swinging my legs back and forth while watching the rest of the students watch Percy.

I could tell by the way they were looking between us that they were curious about what the dynamic would be, and I found myself wondering as well.

Would we be 'Good Cop-Bad Cop'? Or would we be more along the lines of mellowing one another out? Merlin knew how we would play out, but I for one was excited to see. I let Percy run the rest of the meeting, seeing as he seemed to have planned out everything and I didn't want to ruin his flow.

This time, anyway.

A devilish grin forms on my lips as Percy dismisses everyone and they head out with precise instructions for the rest of the train journey as well as our arrival.