Chapter 3
They sat in silence for a few second. A sad, melancholy silence.
"I know I've said it about twenty times but I can't get over you and Oliver being together."
He laughed, "Yeah, well Oliver is wonderful."
"But like seriously, Oliver is like... a proper catch."
"Haha yeah I know right."
"So Kayla is in seventh year, and Jesse is in four year right?"
He hummed, "Yep and Nat is six."
"Do they know Bill's kid? Like how much do they know about us?"
His smile drooped a little, "Well, of course Nat doesn't know anything about it. Jesse knows that there were some issues between me and you guys, and Kayla knows the majority of it."
"Are you sure mum and dad are, ya know. Judgemental."
"They never said anything round you guys.", he regained eye contact, "But they've said some messed up shit, Ginny."
Ginny couldn't find any words, so she lisened.
"About people like that, like me. Most of it was basic homophobic stuff, little comments or rants about it. But after it all it was really hard to feel okay with myself and stuff."
She paused, "That's fucked up Percy."
"I know.", he took a breath, "I just hope the others know that."
The door opened with a click and in walked Oliver Woods.
Ginny had seen him last in the middle of a game, all focus and blunt force. Now here he was. A weekend sized bag in one hand and a shopping bag in the other. He seemed relaxed and happy.
"Hey love" Oliver said as he sat down next to Percy on the sofa, kissing him on the cheek.
He hadn't seemed to notice Ginny's presence yet.
"Hi Woods." She said with a smile.
She obviously startled him. Turing to her like a dear in headlights.
"Ginny!" His face a rollercoaster, from confusion to joy to a guarded smile. Oliver turned to Percy, who gave a smile and a nod.
"How are you?", he asked in earnest.
"Good yeah. Great. All perfect."
Woods hummed and kept the same smile.
As if the world seemed to understand the concept of comedic timing, the door clicked open.
"Da!!" Nat screeched, launching herself headfirst into Oliver.
"Hey pumpkin."
They talked. Laughing about something or other and talking about places Oliver had been and how much he'd been missed. It seemed so domesticated. So homely. She looked on at the scene like an outsider, watching how they split they're attention in the flow of the conversation.
It reminded her how life had been growing up. How they'd never really shared attention, always one of them in the spotlight and the rest left in the background. It happened even now, them sat around the Weasley table, now extended for partners and kids. Their parents always fixed their focus on one of them for the whole meal.
She just couldn't remember a time when Percy had the attention.
Ginny had left in the afternoon. It left her with a gnawing feeling in her gut, but it also relieved a lot of her worries. Her brother was happy. He had a family. He was in a good place with good people.
She was just sad she and the others weren't a part of that.