Demigods at Hogwarts

Chapter 29: Water animals and (not) letting go

(Annabeth's POV)
I'd forgotten what the beach looked like at night, under a full moon.
Percy, of course, was messing around with the water, forming it into odd shapes and animals to amuse themself, and usually me.
But not tonight.
Tonight I was distracted, following the path of the moon on the lake, wondering.
Would this work?
And would it really be better if it did?
Percy hasn't changed, can still fight; they just have to use a different method. And, of course, this is lucky, for a demigod. Most of us are dead before even reaching adulthood.
Well, the Romans have made me rethink that a bit.
(Okay, I've had to rethink it a lot.)
"Annabeth, I've been thinking." Percy's voice is soft, hesitant. "I want to try this, I do, but I'm not sure that it will work." They reach out for my hand, dropping the owl. I squeeze back, not letting go.
"I've thought the same thing." I smile, trying to reassure them.
"And if it doesn't, everyone will be upset. They want their hero back, not someone who can't stand."
"You're still their hero, Percy." They shake their head.
"I'm not sure if I want it to work, Annabeth. I'm tired of fighting constantly, a new threat to the world, to our world, at every turn. I enjoy sparring and practice, but that's usually all in good fun, with our group. I just want to be done. I want to spend my days baking with Mom, playing with Estelle, and relaxing with you. If this doesn't work, I know I'm done yet; we've still stuff we need to finish, but I'd rather be done sooner, not later."
"It's a way out." I realize. Not the greatest one, but better than death. Definitely better than death. "You showed everyone today how well you can fight, even in your wheelchair. Why do that?" I reach out this time, taking their other hand tightly.
"Because there is a bigger threat coming, and we need to keep morale up. But this, Annabeth, this has to be it. This has to be the last war, the last fight we're in that teenagers shouldn't have to take on. I don't think I can take losing any more of my friends, even most of the campers. The younger ones especially. I certainly won't be able to take losing you. Honestly, when this is over, I was considered taking that job at Hogwarts for a while, to get away, and that was before this. There are good kids there, and having a young Slytherin professor as a role model can do nothing but good for those kids." They look out at the lake. "It would be hard, staying away from everyone for so long, but I get the feeling Thalia would come with, if Artemis allows it. Clarisse, maybe, too. And you..." I sigh.
"Well, you know I'm just horribly bored by the idea of spending more time at Hogwarts and being able to study the architecture. Really sounds like a nightmare." I tease, pulling one hand away to put it on my hip in a faux-stern manner. "We also have an invitation to attend as students next year again, you know that? If we want. We'd more likely be T.A.s than anything, but I think it'll be fun. McGonagall mentioned returning next year to me for the sole purpose of studying the castle and its foundations. They've had so much going on with all the rebuilding that they haven't explored most of the things they found." I ramble for a while, glancing at Percy, who smiles fondly and waves for me to go on.
"We're going to have a lot of fun with this, aren't we?" They're grinning now, a hint of their easygoing smirk in place, and they take their now-free hand and throw it in the air. "We'll be young professors, interesting, and with a fun class. And we can play minor pranks on each other and the other staff." It was my turn to laugh. Pranking the staff, of all things!
A younger me would never have agreed to it; I might not like all my teachers, but I was raised to respect them and be polite.
"Yes, it'll be fun. But what about our education here? Neither of us has officially finished high school, and none of the rest of our friends have either. Jason and Hazel haven't even been to modern school."
"Summer courses," Percy speaks quickly, but doesn't stumble over the words; they really have been thinking about this. "Online high school diplomas and maybe college degrees as well. We'd have to ask Leo if he'd teach us how to make magic-blocking laptops and the like. We can do it, Annabeth. It won't be the first time we've gone to school while multitasking."
"We'll work it out," I promise, because as wonderful as another year at Hogwarts would be I'm not going to give up on my dreams; I want to make a name for myself in the mortal world. In a century no one will remember the architect of Olympus; the gods don't care to keep such records. Mortals do. They will remember me.
"Hey, Annabeth," Percy startles me from my thoughts, sliding their hand out of mine, leaving me with cold fingers. As I watch, they form a bubble of water in the air, two figures inside.
"Well, since everyone else is being lame and not joining us here on this wonderful night, what do you say we recreate the best kiss of all time?" Their light tone is belied by the seriousness I read in their face. They know what they are about to do, and they are ready.
I hope I'm ready.
Even so, I stretch a smile across my face.
"What, like I would ever say no to kissing you?" I keep my voice light as well. We know what we are really saying. "Come on, Seaweed Brain." Instead of moving farther down the beach, Percy calls the water to us. It flows high above us, darkened by the sky and relit by the moon, and for a second I wonder what gods are watching us tonight.
Then I decide I don't care.
I grab Percy's hand again, lacing our fingers together tightly. I won't let go. No matter what happens, this is my Seaweed Brain, my friend, my partner, my Percy.
We slide under the rising wave at the same time, eyes locking.
A moment later we are kissing, and I know that it is almost over.
I don't know how it will end, but I don't care.
I am not letting go.

So... it has been several months. In those months, I have: Gotten a job, started my senior year of high school, and now I'm going to be applying for a second job. Also, I've been doing a lot of writing, I have a couple more chapters of this that just need some final edits and they'll be good to go. (Probably not going to be posted this week, though, maybe next. Hopefully next.)
Tell me what you thought! I live for comments, and honestly? This story gets votes, which are wonderful and amazing, but comments are what keep me motived to keep writing this. So please, even if it's just a keysmash to show your appreciation, comment.

As always,
Nix