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Percy Weasley had always enjoyed Divination. Though some students, including his younger brothers, scoffed at the practice, Percy had always found the subject to be perfectly respectable, seeing it as just another tool that might aid him in preparing for his future. Though he’d never admit it out loud, Percy did have another reason that he never minded the long climb through the North Tower to Trelawney’s classroom. A reason he looked forward to it, even. You were there.
Percy couldn't pinpoint exactly when his crush on you had formed, all he knew was that it was something he’d been holding closely for some time now – a collection of little moments that had formed into something special bit by bit. It was in the way you never laughed along with your housemates when Fred or George made jokes at his expense, or how on more than one occasion you’d brought him tea, unprompted, while he was poring over class notes late in the evening in the common room. You were always there, quietly in his corner. They were the sort of feelings he’d tried to bury under classwork and prefect duties, but that always resurfaced whenever you were around.
You were a distraction to Percy at the best of times, and utterly incapacitating to him at the worst, but Divination, at least, gave him the perfect excuse to embrace that distraction. He’d take any insight into his future, but he’d often imagine one where you’d be there with him.
With Professor Trelawney’s soft voice in the background, Percy found himself in his proximity-to-you-based distracted state one afternoon as he sat comfortably in her class, long legs crossed beneath him on one of the tufted poufs near the front of the room. Trelawney had been re-introducing the topic of palmistry, something Percy had felt decently competent in since first studying it in third year, so he’d felt comfortable paying a bit less attention then perhaps he ought to have. It was just revision, after all, and he’d have plenty more time to brush up on the topic before NEWTs later in the year.
Percy’s textbook was open to the relevant page, but his focus was on you, sitting across the rounded room from him at your own small table. You had a bit of a ritual when it came to settling into class every day – carefully undoing the buttons of your cardigan and shrugging the garment off before neatly folding it and setting it at your side atop your bag on the floor. The room was already warm, hence your choice, but the sight always seemed to give Percy chills.
You weren’t even showing skin, it was more the way your fingers moved gracefully, how neat you were with your things and – damnit he could try to dress this up as simply admiring you all he wanted, but at the end of the day, you were just so pretty, and if he knew what you looked like removing your cardigan, well, he could imagine what you’d look like removing your blouse.
In that moment, Percy was wishing he had a layer of clothing to remove as well. His thoughts had gotten away from him, more so than he’d typically allow for them to, and they left his cheeks feeling warm. Thankfully some sudden movement around the class room had shifted his focus from you and back where it belonged– on the lecture.
Except, Professor Trelawney wasn't lecturing anymore… She was standing behind her desk, gesturing airily while instructing everyone to move quickly and carefully as they paired up. Which could only mean… Group work. Fuck.
Had Percy really zoned out to the point where he’d missed such pertinent instruction? He didn’t even have time to chastise himself for his daydreams at the moment – though he’d surely do it later – because he should have damn well known a lesson on Palmistry would involve pairing off and practicing the skill on one another.
As Percy glanced around the room, he saw that mostly everyone was already settling in with their partners. It was always like this when group work was announced. Pairs would already be formed through silent nods and knowing glances before full instructions would even have been given, and Percy would often be the odd one out. This time he was fully anticipating as much, since he’d wasted precious time daydreaming rather than playing the social game. He was certain he’d end up having to work with Trelawney herself, which he’d of course be teased for, and oh Merlin he really didn’t need that, especially in front of you.
Scanning the classroom for anyone who wasn’t already partnered up, Percy saw something surprising, (or maybe it was unsurprising because your track record for being attentive and considerate were two of the things he liked most about you)… But either way, you were looking right at him, expectant, patiently waiting for him to realize he’d fallen a step behind. Once his eyes caught yours, you tipped your head towards the empty seat at your table as if to say “well, come on then.” As though it was a given that the two of you would be working together.
Not wanting to be presumptuous, Percy had half a mind to glance behind him to make sure you weren’t silently signaling to someone else, but no. Your eyes were on him, there was no mistaking it, especially when you arched a brow at his hesitancy. You’d been waiting for him from the start.
Percy gathered his belongings and made his way across the classroom to sit beside you, one of his knees knocking into yours beneath the table as he settled in with his supplies. The accidental touch made the warmth from his cheeks spread to the tips of his ears. If he was already losing composure from grazing your knee, how in the world was he meant to survive holding your hand to read your palms?
“Sorry about that,” he murmured, getting adjusted. “I was a bit late to… well, realizing we were supposed to pair off.”
“Too busy day dreaming?” you teased gently, a smile tugging your lips. “Don’t worry about it, I was saving this seat just for you, anyway.”
“You were? I mean… I appreciate it,” Percy choked out, trying (and failing) to regain his composure.
He hadn’t thought it was possible but he could have sworn he felt his face getting redder at your words. It was a curse, being so fair skinned, any hint of emotion as good as written on his face. But he looked up at you and noticed that you were blushing too, not seeming to mind that he probably looked like a glasses-wearing beetroot.
“I may have also missed the actual assignment instructions…” he admitted after a moment of silence that felt like it had stretched a beat too long.
“You’re just hopeless today, aren’t you?” you said, a soft huff of faux exasperation passing your lips. “All we have to do is read each other's head line, heart line, and life line, and note down what we find.”
Percy couldn’t help but roll his eyes at being called hopeless. He agreed with you, of course, but he wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of confirming it. “Right, simple enough then. Would you like to go first?”
“I can do that,” you said, moving your text book to the side along with your notebook and palmistry chart.
You laid your left hand palm up on the table, ready to take Percy’s hand, but he hesitated for a split second and wiped his palms on the tops of his thighs before finally extending his hand to you. You definitely noticed, but he was thankful you didn't actually comment on it. He’d hate to hear about his sweaty hands right now.
“Alright, lets see,” you said, gently taking Percy's hand in one of yours and pulling it towards you to get a better look.
It took all of Percy’s focus to carry on breathing as you held his fingers, keeping his palm flat while you studied it. You were quiet for what felt like ages, looking between his hand and your palmistry chart. You jotted down your notes before even telling him what you were seeing, which made him feel a bit like he was being perceived, an uncomfortable knot settling in his chest as he waited for your findings.
You must have sensed Percy’s unease.
“Don’t want your thoughts on what I'm seeing to influence my note taking,” you explained, your quill scratching across the paper as you wrote, not even looking up at him.
“By all means, take your time…” he said, a bit more comfortable after hearing your explanation.
Your gaze shifted between your notebook, his palm and your reference chart, and as you worked, you kept a loose hold of his fingers. Percy didn’t feel like it was entirely necessary at the moment, but there was no way he was going to bring that to your attention because your hand around his felt too good, and he could be selfish when he wanted to be. He didn’t say a word, just kept focusing on his breathing while staring at the way your thumb moved subtly against his fingers while you kept his palm still and at an angle that suited your liking.
“Ok I think I’m ready, I’ll start with your heart line,” you said after another few moments, laying your quill down alongside your notebook. The pointer finger of your free hand came to run along the line closest to his fingers.
“It’s more straight than curved, I’d say, which can mean you’re more reserved when it comes to love,” you said, referencing your notes. “As far as how prominent it looks, I’d call that more faint, compared to some of your other lines, but it’s also long, so… you can tend to be guarded, but have a deep desire for personal connection…”
Your voice had started confident but trended softer the longer you spoke and as the reading got more personal. When you were finished with your first reading, you sat back in your seat, looking into his eyes as though you were waiting for him to weigh in.
As much as he loved his hand in yours, Percy wanted to crawl out of his skin and sink through the cracks in the wooden floor beneath his feet. He’d never felt quite so vulnerable around you, and he just didn’t know how to handle it yet – didn’t know how you’d treat him while he was feeling this way – running under the assumption that you could tell by the slight sheen of sweat on the bridge of his nose and his generally uneasy disposition that he was feeling exposed.
Still, he felt like he had to say something. “T-thats uh, r-rather… insightful,” he stammered. Percy felt completely ridiculous. This was silly, just a standard in class assignment that he shouldn’t have been getting all out of sorts over. Palmistry wasn’t an exact practice, he didn’t need to feel like he was bare and on display. But he did. He wiped off his nose and readjusted his glasses with his free hand, unsure how he’d be able to manage you reading two more of his palm lines after this.
Percy hadn’t been expecting the shift in your demeanor after that, your gaze turning soft and almost… What was that? Affectionate? He didn’t want to think so – he was almost positive his heightened emotional state was making him read things wrong. You were just being kind.
That was why you gave his hand a squeeze. You were being a good friend.
“Ready to keep going?” you asked him.
Percy nodded, swallowing hard.
“Your headline,” you carried on, your fingertip gently tracing along the center of his palm. Percy wanted to close his hand around yours, but he bit back the impulsion.
“This line’s long and straight, too. Could mean you’re analytical or a deep thinker, but that you also can tend to overthink,” you glanced up at him, a knowing little grin on your face. He couldn’t even argue with you.
“Keep going,” he said simply before muttering almost begrudgingly, “You’re too good at this.”
You knew that just meant you were hitting the nail on the head, so you kept on, taking some satisfaction in knowing you knew Percy as well as interpreting his palms would have suggested.
“Your life line… This one is definitely curved, and it seems to break a bit along the way,” you said, adjusting your hold on his hand, your fingertip pointing out faint little lines stemming from the thicker one that cut across the corner of his palm. “Looks like it says you’ll be in good health, but could face some big changes in life.”
Your last interpretation sat a bit more easily with him. It wasn't quite so personal. It was more of a prediction, whereas your other readings felt like they’d been written in plain text on his palms.
“That's… a lot to take in,” he commented, his face still red. He was sure his palm was sweaty again, but you never let go of his hand, even now that you’d finished your end of the assignment.
“You don't have to look so nervous, you know?” you assured him, your voice quieter now. “It’s just me, and it’s not a test. There’s no right or wrong way for your hand to look.” you added, giving his hand another squeeze.
“No, I know,” Percy muttered, his voice low. “I suppose it's just… it felt more like you were reading a book than my palms. I don’t like feeling so deciphered.”
Your expression softened at that, a fond look passing over your face. “I don’t think you’re easy to read. I think it’s just that I just know you well.”
Percy’s stomach swooped at that, heat crawling back up to his ears. He couldn’t decide if that thought terrified him or thrilled him. On second thought, it was definitely both, and he couldn’t help but crack a smile, looking from your joined hands to back up at your face. “Maybe you’re right…”
“I know I am,” you told him, a grin on your face that lifted the mood effortlessly. You glanced at his palm one more time, and pointed to a line Percy wasn’t even sure the name of. “This one is actually pretty interesting. I read that it means that you currently have feelings for someone...”
Percy was floored, you’d spun things on him so fast, going from teasing him to reassuring him and back again so quickly it’d practically made him dizzy. If it wasn’t for that coy grin on your face, he’d have totally lost his bearings. He knew that look on you, the playful, good natured teasing gleam in your eyes. Yours was the only brand of teasing he didn't mind being on the receiving end of. Still, he blushed an incredible shade of crimson, and fought back weakly. “There’s not a line that indicates that and you know it.”
You stifled a giggle, not wanting it to be obvious that the two of you had deviated from the assignment at this point, and you leaned in a little closer when you spoke. “Maybe not a line, but those cheeks of yours are another story.”
Percy groaned, his free hand coming to his forehead as his arm rest on the table. “That’s not fair, I can’t help it,” he murmured.
“Mmm,” you hummed, your thumb brushing over his palm once again. You tilted your head, watching him carefully. “You’re not denying it.”
Percy opened his mouth, then shut it again, his throat dry. The words were right there and part of him wanted to tell you. If he was being honest with himself, he’d wanted to for a while, but never had the nerve. Percy could barely meet your eyes at this point, but when he did manage to look up at you and he saw the expression on your face, patient but expectant, encouraging even… He knew you weren’t backing him into this corner for no reason. You weren’t cruel. He just had to trust you.
“You’re right,” he admitted, then finally gave into the urge he had earlier – closing his hand around yours and holding it tight. “There is someone… and I think you know who it is. You know it’s you.”
The world seemed to stop for a moment, the voices of your classmates seeming to fade away. You blinked at him, surprise flickering into something softer. He’d actually admitted it. Finally. A smile spread on your face, slow and sure. You didn’t tease him this time, just squeezed his hand back.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” you murmured.
Percy laughed, the sound still a bit nervous and shaky, but it was real, and the knot that had formed in his chest when you first took his hand was finally starting to loosen. “Yeah?” he asked hopefully.
“Yeah,” you said, your voice still low, but playful as ever, especially now that you’d gotten what you’d wanted out of him. “I think I figured it out a while ago. You’re not half as subtle as you think you are, Percy Weasley. Staring at me in class every day.”
“I guess I’ll have to work on being more smooth,” Percy murmured.
“No need,” you told him, giving his hand one last little squeeze before finally and reluctantly letting go. “I like you exactly as you are.”
Percy’s cheeks were still pink and his pulse was still racing, but for once he didn’t mind how exposed he felt. Not when you were smiling at him like that.
Before either of you could say another word, Professor Trelawney’s voice floated over the low chatter that had been filling the room. “Alright, my dears, time is up for today,” she said. “If you’ve not yet completed your readings, you may continue them during our next lesson.”
You and Percy both startled, glancing up suddenly as the rest of the class began to stir, the sound of books clapping shut and papers shuffling filling the room. Neither of you moved right away, your hands still close on the tabletop, his notebook sitting blank beside them.
“Looks like we’ll have to finish up next time,” you said softly, amusement tugging at the corner of your mouth as the two of you started packing up your supplies.
“Appears so. We got just a bit side tracked, didn’t we? I blame you,” Percy teased, finally feeling confident enough to dish the teasing back out to you. Merlin, it was so much easier to talk to you after having the assurance that you liked him back. He stood beside your table with his bag slung over his shoulder and waited as you finished packing away your things.
“You can’t blame me, like I said – your staring – that’s what got us here,” you countered.
The pair of you headed out, Percy letting you take the ladder down from the tower first, while he followed after. He rolled his eyes at you once his feet hit the stair landing next to you.
“Thats not important, I’m just glad for another chance to hold your hand, even if it is just to read your palms,” he said.
“You do realize that you don't have to wait until next lesson to hold my hand, right? Not anymore,” you said though it was obvious, extending your arm out to Percy, who seemed like he hadn’t thought that far ahead. Again, he never wanted to be presumptuous.
“Right, of course,” he said and took your hand, properly this time, his fingers slotting between yours. He could really get used to that feeling, already becoming addicted to it as the two of you headed to your next lesson.
Together.