Seven

Looking back through time, you know,

It's clear that I've been blind, I've been a fool

To open up my heart to all that jealousy,

That bitterness, that ridicule.

She never thought she'd feel sorry for Percy Weasley, but time passed and things changed and somehow she found herself with this unexpected pity. He had never been particularly nice to her at school, despite the fact that she was clever, studious and thoroughly disapproved of rule-breaking (unless it was for the greater good, of course). In that way she was much more like him than his little brother. But Percy was sanctimonious, pompous and far too proud and Hermione hoped that she was none of those things.

Oh, Percy was definitely proud. That was a trait he shared with the rest of his siblings. They were a very proud family, sometimes Hermione thought they were worse than the Malfoys when it came to matters of pride. It was pride that had got Percy into this mess, and pride that kept him there. She knew that he thought it was far too late to turn back. Too late to apologise for his behaviour, for his disbelief, for his insistence on choosing work over his family. Ron and the twins certainly agreed with him. Molly still cried for him. She would have welcomed him home in an instant. All forgiven. All forgotten. If only he weren't so proud.

She knew he would never admit that he wanted to return. So, Hermione found her own ways of trying to ease his pain. She hoped Percy never guessed that she did these things for his benefit. If he had seen through the thin veils she pulled over her kind-hearted gestures he would have put a stop to them immediately. As it was, he didn't seem to guess.

Hermione and Percy worked in different departments at the Ministry. They didn't run into each other often, but when they did they greeted each other with curt nods

"Hermione."

"Percy."

No hello. No proper greeting, just a brusque exchange of names.

Percy did not know that Hermione knew exactly when she was likely to bump into him. She engineered these meetings. Whenever there was a new development in the Weasley family, she made sure to see Percy in the following few days. She would gossip loudly and brightly with colleagues.

"Did I tell you? Charlie's coming back from Romania! He says they're setting up a new colony in South America and he's been asked to go. He can't tell us where exactly yet. It's all top secret at the moment. Isn't that exciting? He's coming back to England for a few months rest before he goes."

She'd see Percy, nod to him, then continue on, pretending to wait until he was out of earshot. Of course, she knew he wasn't out of earshot. She made sure of that. Hermione hoped it would be easier on him if he knew how his family were. That he wouldn't have to wonder. She knew he would never deign to ask.

~~~~~~~

Percy could hear her coming down the corridor as he headed out for his lunch break. Unfortunately it was far too late for him to avoid her. He groaned inwardly and forced his face into what he hoped was a blank, indifferent expression. She came round the corner with a gaggle of women from her department. They were clearly off for a girly lunch together. He nodded at her as politely as he could manage and let out a sigh of relief when he was out of earshot once more.

It was infuriating! That Hermione Granger was always so loud and gossipy. Percy was sure she hadn't been like that at school. Wasn't she the quiet, studious type? She must have changed a lot since the war. Percy was glad that, although they worked in the same building, he didn't see the woman often. She was always rabbiting away with those awful friends of hers about who did what with whom and when. So irritating. Didn't they have anything better to talk about than his infernal family, for Merlin's sake?

Deep down, he was grateful.