Talking With Death

Talking With Death

By Chinesemoon

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It wasn't often that Percy Weasley got a proper opportunity to relax. Sometimes he was afraid to relax, in case one of his brothers saw him. After all, he did have the "workaholic" reputation to uphold.

He knew most of his brothers hated him. Or, if they didn't, they certainly acted like they did. Deep in his heart, Percy knew that his siblings had a reason to dislike him. He was snobbish, stuck up, and arrogant. Why should they like him?

He wondered why work was so important to him. In his second year, people began to tease him. He got glasses, which was the center of all his teasing, as far as looks went. His family was poor, also another center for teasing.

His remained quiet until his fourth year. That was the year that his grades scored high. He found that he liked bragging to his family, and mainly his brothers, about his intellect. It wasn't to prove it to them - it was to prove it to himself.

Now it was his seventh year. He was Head Boy, and he'd never worked harder in his life. He barely had time to talk to other students let alone socialize with them. He told himself that getting through Hogwarts with top marks was more important than having friends.

Or a girlfriend.

Percy lowered his eyes to the Prefects' bathroom floor. He looked out at the tiled, swimming pool sized bathtub. He ran his hand along the brass and silver handles. He tried to push his unpleasant thoughts out of his mind. Idly, he turned a brass knob and let the pool fill with warm water.

Despite it all, his thoughts drifted back to him. Or rather - one thought that wondered into his mind. His girlfriend. Or, what used to be his girlfriend.

Penelope Clearwater.

Percy shook his head roughly. He mustn't go thinking about her. He was far to busy right now, with N.E.W.T.'s coming up this year, to have a girlfriend. He couldn't go thinking that things would go back to the way they used to be. Or that's she'd take him back--

Percy's eyes scanned the bathroom quickly. He had the eerie sensation that someone was watching him. He shrugged it off. He was being ridiculous. Simply ridiculous. There was no one in the bathroom but him. Why should he be nervous? It was just a bath.

He reached his hand out and turned off the water. He held his breath. He heard nothing. He was being silly...

He let out a short laugh. Eyes scanning the room again, Percy quickly slipped out of his clothes, set his glasses on the edge of the pool, and slid into the warm water of the bathtub.

His long arms gave several strokes and he glided easily from one end of the pool to the other. He squinted at the blurry images of the bathroom. He felt blind as a bat without his glasses, and vulnerable.

Percy bit his lip. It was nice to have a chance to relax. He'd had a stressful day, a stressful week and a stressful year so far. All he wanted to do was sink into the water and forget the world around him - forget how people felt about him and forget God damned grades for once.

Why couldn't he close his eyes and be somewhere else?

Percy's thoughts drifted back the real world, and, more specifically, to Penelope Clearwater.

He stood up slightly, raising out of the water a bit, his eyes still closed, and imagining the dark harried Ravenclaw. She was everything that was beautiful in the world. Everything. Penny, with her long dark hair, her clear green eyes... the eyes he loved...

Percy bit his lip again, and let his mind and arms alike, wonder. The warm water felt nice against his body and the images of Penny were equally as nice. He let himself fall back into the water. Sighing loudly he stood up, so that the top half of his long body was out of the warm water.

Percy ran his hand through his flaming red hair. He pushed it out of his face, as if it would help him see. His wet hair fell back into his eyes and he sighed, using both hands this times to sweep his hair back out of his face.

A giggle to his right startled Percy so badly that he jumped from in the water. He stopped moving; no sound. He whipped around.

No one was there.

He'd been so sure he'd heard a giggle. It had sounded like a girl laughing... could he be hearing things?

Percy turned around, with his back to the door, his breathing slowing down to normal again. He was frustrated to find that his hair was in his way again, blurring his vision even more than it already was.

He dove under the water quickly and emerged, seconds later, with his hair wetted and slicked back.

This time he was positive he heard a giggle.

He whipped around again, facing brass handles. What Percy saw almost made him scream in fright.

A girl. She was sitting in the brass knobs...

Percy quickly ducked down into the water. He squinted to try and make out the girl. He thought he could make out a yellow tie... Hufflepuff?

"Wh-what are you doing in here?" Percy half shrieked, half hissed loudly at the pale girl.

The girl starred back at Percy, a small smile forming on her face. She shot Percy a sly grin, and eyed him carefully.

She sighed loudly, as if nothing was out of place. Percy continued to stare at her, his mouth still hanging open in shock.

"No need to look so shocked," the girl whispered in distress. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't doubt it," Percy said, a sneer forming on his pale face. "What the hell are you doing in the Prefect's bathroom? Who are you?"

Tears filled the girl's eyes. She sniffed loudly, as if he had greatly offended her. She let out a single sob and continued to look at Percy.

"Myrtle Hemingway," the girl answered, stifling another sob. "Some people call me Moaning Myrtle."

Percy racked his brain to place her. He recognized the name... where had her heard it? Come on...where? That was it. Something in his brain clicked.

"The sixth year girl who was killed at this school," Percy announced, momentarily forgetting he was angry with the ghost. He looked back at Myrtle. She nodded solemnly at him, and Percy held back the smug feeling that rushed inside of him.

Percy frowned and ducked farther down into the water.

"Well?" he said expectantly. "Why are you here? Have you been spying on me all this time?"

To Percy's shock and amazement, the frown was whipped off of Myrtle's face, only to be replaced with a widened grin as the sixth year ghost's eyes trailed over him.

"It's funny," Myrtle said airily. "I've seen all of your brothers. The oldest, then the Quidditch player. One time the twin brothers came in here to play a trick on a Prefect. And then of course, I saw Ronald when he and his friends came in my bathroom. Although, it's funny... none of them were as striking as you."

Percy felt a flush creep up his face and ears. He masked his embarrassment with more anger and annoyance.

"What does that mean "striking?"" Percy said hotly. "Why are you here? Go away!"

Myrtle ignored his complaints and stayed put in her spot on the brass handle. "Striking," she repeated. "Simply so."

Percy stared at her, to shocked by all of this to be able to scream.

Myrtle leaned over and snatched up his glasses. She twirled them on her finger tips. "Once you've taken your glasses off, you're really quite "strikingly" good-looking."

Percy was dumbfounded.

"Look," He said loudly. "You'll have to leave right now! Leave or I'll--"

Myrtle looked crabby and bored at the same time. "But you have quite a big problem," She sighed, sadly. "You're quite arrogant."

Percy was taken aback by this comment. Everyone told him he was arrogant (and most likely, he knew he was) but it never bothered him as much as it seemed to at that moment.

"What would you know about it?" Percy shot, feeling wounded. "You don't know me!"

"No," Myrtle said, picking her chin. "But I know Penelope Clearwater."

Nothing could have prepared Percy for the shock that followed the dead girl's statement. His mouth hung open stupidly, and his eyebrows scrunched together in a frown that didn't make it to his eyes - or his brain, to his knowledge.

"You know," Myrtle said. "She left you. The sad thing is, you made no attempt to stop her."

Percy's head hurt. Why were his eyes blurring even more badly than before? Why were his eyes watering? Why? What was the meaning of this? his brain screamed at him. You're not crying. No. Not you, not Percy Weasley.

"She didn't leave me," Percy said, sounding rather nasty. Why not? He felt rather nasty inside. "We broke up. We both wanted it."

"I don't think so," Myrtle said glumly. "Because you loved her, and she loved you."

Percy was at his braking point. "What do you know about love?!" He shouted, forgetting himself. A tear ran down his cheek. He whipped it away, angered that it had escaped. "What do you know about how I feel?!"

Myrtle didn't seem upset at his outburst. Perhaps people shouted at her often. It didn't bother her much. That was odd - Percy thought she was Moaning Myrtle. Why wasn't she crying? More to the point - why was he?

"There are some people in this world who will always be alone," Myrtle said, her voice dry and sour. "I am one of them. Perhaps it is a fact that you are too."

Percy felt like ripping his hair out. He was leaving. This was crazy. He didn't have to take this disrespectful--

"You can't hide from feelings forever," Myrtle said sagely. "Because one day, they'll get the better of you. You have a chance to change now - don't let your pride overthrow you."

Percy picked up a bar of soap and threw it with all his might at Myrtle. The ghost girl's mouth quivered and ghostly, clear tears ran down her cheek. She stood up and floated in mid air.

"You should listen to what I said," Myrtle said, holding back a sob. "For it will be your downfall."

With that, she shoot down one of the brass knobs. Percy was left alone.

He climbed out of the Prefects' pool and put his clothes on. As he left the bathroom, he couldn't help but think about what Moaning Myrtle said.

"It's ridiculous," Percy said out loud to himself. "I am a great person. I don't need to change my ways for other people."

He turned and walked down the hallway, trying to forget what had just happened to him.

Soon it would be out of his mind, but Percy Weasley would never forget it.