Underground Resistance | Percy Weasley

Chapter 18

Percy lets Acelina lead the way out of the room. Acelina tries to remember the layout of the Manor in order to find a corridor where they can speak in private. Percy's hand doesn't leave her lower back and Acelina can feel the skin tingle at his touch. Compared to Marcus, Percy's touches are feather-light and careful.

Before they exit the room, Acelina checks to see if someone is paying attention to them; Cecilia is engrossed in Adrian, her father is chatting with a couple of Ministry officials, her mother is occupied with ordering some house-elves around, and Marcus is flirting with a black-haired girl Acelina vaguely recognizes as Adrian's cousin. Edric and Draco are nowhere to be seen and when she is sure the coast is clear, Acelina slips out of the room and begins making her way through the abandoned corridors.

Percy's hand falls from her lower back as they exit the party and it leaves the skin cold.

Most of the offices and rooms they check are locked so Acelina decides to head to one of the darker corridors at the back of Pucey Manor. As far away from possible witnesses she can get.

"What is going on?"

Acelina turns around to face Percy when they are standing in a dark corridor. The windows are blocked by thick curtains and the only light is coming from a lantern at the beginning of the corridor. No wedding guests will interrupt them here. Acelina crosses her arms in front of her chest and leans back against the wall.

"Are you alright?"

Percy frowns. His question catches Acelina off guard for a moment. She straightens her back and tilts her chin up in order to appear more confident.

"Yes. What did you want to talk about? Did something go wrong with Haela?"

"Acelina..."

Percy's voice is not much more than a whisper. His tone pleading and Acelina feels her heart turn over in her chest. She shakes her head lightly, choosing to stare at the wallpaper on the wall opposite of them instead of looking at Percy whose gaze is setting her skin on fire.

"Did something go wrong?" Acelina asks again, her voice trembling slightly.

From the soft expression on Percy's face she can see from the corner of her eye, he has noticed it too.

"According to Shadow, everything went fine. She mentioned something about getting help from the Order."

Relief flows through Acelina. If there was only one person she was determined not to lose in this war, it would be Haela. And Percy, supplies a little voice in the back of her head. She takes a shaking breath, trying to control her heart.

The silence hangs in between them for a moment before Percy breaks it.

"You looked sad. During dinner," Percy's voice betrays nothing and Acelina wants to close her eyes but she keeps staring at the ugly wallpaper, "And back then, when Marcus was kissing you."

There is a harsh undertone in Percy's voice when he says Marcus' name and Acelina has to stop herself from turning her head to look at Percy. Focus on something else, a small voice in the back of her head whispers, like, why would someone decide on that colour of green for wallpaper?

This time, it's Acelina who breaks the silence.

"I do not want to talk about it."

"Why are you doing this to yourself?!"

Percy gently grabs Acelina's upper arm, pulling her close. Her head starts comparing his grip with Marcus's back at the party. Percy's fingers don't dig into her skin but they hold her arm lightly as if he wants her to know she can remove her arm whenever she feels like it. The tone of his voice, anger but not directed at her, makes Acelina look up.