Breaking Protocol {Percy Weasley}

Chapter Fifty-Five

Percy stumbled into his dorm room just before curfew struck, eyes dried but swollen and red. He wiped at his running nose, clear goo smudging across his sleeve as he sluggishly made his way to his bed.

"Dear Merlin, mate, you look bloody awful." Came Oliver Wood's Scottish voice. Percy didn't even look Oliver's way, but just crashed into his bed, not bothering to change out of his day clothes. Percy heard the mumbling of his three roommates before Oliver's voice spoke up once more.

"Hey mate, you alright?" Oliver asked, his heavy footsteps thumping against the ground as he made his way over to Percy who lie face first in his sheets.

"Should we get McGonagal?" Robert, their roommate, asked. Percy felt Oliver's weight on the edge of his bed and felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Percy. Talk to me. What's going on?" Oliver asked. There was a nervousness in Oliver's voice as he spoke. "Is it...Is it about Penelope Clearwater?"

Percy's body stiffened at the mention of that girl's name. His blood boiled but sadness flooded his mind. He couldn't decide if he hated Penny, or if he simply just wanted her to disappear. Of course, it wasn't all Penny's fault, she couldn't have created the human growing inside her without Percy, it was a two-man job.

Percy jolted upright, startling Oliver.

"It cannot be my child." Percy said, his blue eyes wide. This seemed to catch the attention of his other two roommates rather quickly. "It can't be." Percy shook his head. "Yes, Penny and I had sexual intercourse around seven or eight months ago, but we didn't finish, I mean I didn't--"

"Whoa, mate." Oliver said, waving his hands before him to get Percy to stop talking. Though there was a look of fear and panic in the Keeper's round brown eyes. "We don't need to know--"

"But you don't understand!" Percy shouted, getting to his knees and setting his hands on Oliver's shoulders. "The baby isn't mine! Penny had sexual intercourse with another male--"

"Hey." Oliver said firmly, crossing his burly arms over his chest. But again, that look of panic flashing across his eyes. "Don't go around making stories. The poor girl has gone through enough."

"But Oliver--"

"I said that's enough." Oliver said firmly, fire now dancing within his hazel ocean. "Percy, I know you're in shock but crushing the girl isn't going to bring things back to the way they were before." Percy's shoulders slouched forward, his lips curving downward.

"Clara has dumped me." Percy muttered, the walls behind his eyes beginning to burn again. Oliver was quiet as Percy settled against the headboard of his bed. "She's gone..."

"And you're just going to let her walk away?" Oliver asked. Percy looked up at him, frowning.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Oliver just rolled his eyes.

"Chase after her you bloody idiot. Show her that you absolutely love her and cannot live without her." Percy shook his head.

"But Penny. She's..." He sighed. "She's carrying my baby. Although the child was not planned, it is my responsibility to take care of not just the child, but Penelope." A tear found its way down Percy's freckled cheeks. "It isn't right, Oliver." Percy said, burying his face in his cupped hands. Oliver sat there, his hands folded in his lap as he listened to his friend. "This isn't how it was supposed to be, and Penelope is only a sixth year and she's pregnant. Her father is going to kill her--no he's going to kill me."

When there was no response from Oliver's side, Percy looked up to see the muscular boy just starting at him, no emotion evident in his face.

"Who says Penny can't just give the kid to someone who is ready to have a child?" Oliver asked. Percy shook his head, chuckling humorlessly.