Breaking Protocol {Percy Weasley}

Chapter Seventeen

Clara remembered a biology lesson with her personal tutor, a tutor her father insisted she had before the family found out she was a witch. Miss Mae had been talking about the human heart, the tendons inside the heart. She told Clara that the heart strings can sometimes break after a deep emotional trauma, causing the heart to lose form. As a result, Clara learned that when this happened the heart became unable to pump blood effectively, meaning someone can literally die of a broken heart. 

Clara never knew how such an awful thing could happen to a person, how a situation in their life could lead to their heart bursting. It wasn't until Clara spotted Percy Weasley from across the room, after her roommates informed her of what he did with Penny the other night, that Clara finally understood. 

It was hard. The pain actually so physical Clara had to grasp a handful of her clothing above where her heart felt like it was crumbling to pieces. She gasped, the walls behind her eyes beginning to burn. 

Clara didn't think she was angry at the boy anymore. No. She did not hate Percy Weasley for what he did to her, and she wasn't about to attack the boy. She didn't feel depressed, or jealous of Penny. When she had first heard the news, Clara felt so many emotions she didn't know what to do.

But now, Clara just felt broken. 

She felt like her heart had imploded inside her, its pieces lodged into the crawlspace of her chest. 

"Clara. Eat something." Niki was saying, waving a piece of bread in front of her friend's face. Clara only shook her head, her gaze falling down to the platter full of food Michelle had made for her. Clara hadn't eaten for three days straight, and the constant pain she felt inside of her was now visible in her facial features. It wasn't just her friends that were worried about her anymore, but Professor Sprout had expressed her concern to Clara as well.  

"Now listen here, little lady." Erika began, looking sternly over at Clara. "I don't care what the hell is going on in your head right now, but Percy Weasley will not be the death of you. You understand? In order to survive this hell hole we call life, food is essential, smiles are worth it, and boys are just an accessory.

"Percy did a number on you, that's obviously apparent. But you do not need him to survive. Us girls can survive on our own." Clara sighed, looking up to meet Erika's stern look. 

"I...just want to sleep." Clara said quietly, shakily getting to her feet. "Do not bother following me." She said, stepping over the bench. Ignoring Erika's deadly glare, and Niki and Michelle's concerned looks, Clara shuffled out of the Great Hall. 

She barely made it past the entrance when a set of footsteps fell in sync beside her. Clara sighed heavily. "I just want to be alone--"

"Hear me out." A deep voice said, and Clara froze. She had expected one of her roommates to follow after her, but as she glanced up her dull eyes met Percy's bright blues. 

"I-I..." Clara couldn't find the words to say, and for a moment, it didn't seem like Percy knew what he was going to say either.

"I'm sorry." He finally said. "I...I'm just. I'm sorry." He said, his gaze falling to the floor. 

"No..." Clara whispered, causing Percy to meet her gaze again. "No. I-I'm sorry." She said, her stomach twisting insider her. 

"Wha--"

"Percy." Clara cut him off. "I am sorry I held you back." Percy stared as Clara continued. "I...I pushed myself on you. I dragged you to places you did not want to go to, and I took you from your work." Clara sighed. "But...Percy you did not have to pretend." 

"No. Wait a minute--"

"I took you from Penelope." As the girl spoke, unwanted tears squeezed from her eyes but she was used to crying by now. "I-I backed you into a corner. A-and--" Clara's voice cracked and she dug her finger nails deep into her inner forearm to take away from the dizziness she felt. "You could have just said no. Told me you were taken. Told me you stilled loved Penelope, and that you could never like me. Percy it would have hurt a lot less if you never kissed me, never showed me what it was like to fall arse over apple cart for a boy I only knew for three months."

Clara drew blood and Percy grabbed her wrist, stopping her from hurting herself further. He had a pleading look in his eyes, but Clara had to blink a few times for her vision to focus on the boy before her. 

"I could never like you?" He asked. Clara pulled away from his grasp, stumbling back a few steps. 

"I do not want you touching me." Clara said. "Please. Leave me, Percy Weasley." 

"No, Clara. Please. Just listen to me." Percy pleaded, stepping towards her. 

Suddenly, a tall figure stepped between the two, facing Percy. Clara studied the back of the figure's ginger hair, but at this point she could only make out a blur of colours before her. Clara's stomach turned again, and she was beginning to loose her sense of balance. 

"Perce. I think it's about time you went back to your school work." The figure said, and Percy did not look pleased at all.

"Fred. This is none of your business--"

"Oh, but I think it is." Fred said. "I don't know about you, dear brother, but I don't take kindly to women being mistreated." 

"You have some nerve, Fred--"

"Yeah. Yeah I do, Percy. Come any closer to Clara and I'll show you just how much nerve I really have." 

Clara didn't hear Percy's response because with one last wave of dizziness overwhelming her body, her eyes rolled back and her body went limp. Her body shutting down, unable to keep her conscious because like a car without gas she was getting nowhere without energy. 

George let out a startled yelp as Clara's body crumpled against Fred's back, before crashing toward the floor. Diving forward, George scooped the girl into his arms and held her close to his chest.  

"Bloody hell." Fred muttered, turning to look at the passed out Clara in his twins arms. George looked terrified, his face draining of the little colour he had as he looked down at Clara. 

"What's the matter?" Percy asked, panicked. He rushed toward Clara, but Fred stopped him with his arm, 

"I think you've caused enough trouble, brother." Fred said sternly. 

"Now listen here Fred!" Percy shouted. "You haven't got the slightest clue on what's going on between Clara and I. I do not like this attitude you're giving me, but I assure you once mum hears about this--"

"Oh, we're telling mom what happened now?" Fred snorted. "It'll be one hell of a Christmas if you tell her this story." 

"Fred Weasley--"

"Don't you Fred Weasley me." Fred said. "We're going to do the right thing and take her to the hospital wing. Because unlike you, Percy Weasley, we don't like to see Clara suffer." 

Percy watched in utter shock as his twin brothers walked away from him, Clara's body swaying in George's arms. He didn't want to believe what just happened had happened, and as Clara vanished from his sight, his eyes began to burn. 

"I could have loved her." Percy whispered to himself. 

And at first slowly, then all at once, the tears fell and Percy didn't foresee them stopping anytime soon.