RP: Sunday Surprises

[shh_hermione]

Date: November 19, 2004.
Character(s): Hermione, Percy
Location: Abandoned homes on South Street, Percy's house
Status: Private
Summary: Fancy meeting you in a place like this
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_percy]

Percy went very, very still, on hearing himself addressed, particularly by his full name, particularly when he was using that kind of language. His mother had always told him how swearing was never helpful and always crude. She had not, however, experienced being a cripple climbing on a roof, so he thought her advice might be dispensed with for the nonce.

"Er...yes," he said finally, sighing and levitating a pile of beautifully uniform shingles to the ground. He moved to the edge and looked down. "Ah--Hermione. I'll be down in half a mo'."

He climbed down the ladder with some grace (and a good deal of agonizing pain), using his arms to compensate for the inability to use his bad leg. He was sweating by the time he reached the bottom, but he never made a sound or gave a wince, just picked up his cane and limped over towards her.

"How good to see you again," he remarked with aplomb, ignoring the fact that she'd just listened to him swear like a sailor and watched him climb down a ladder like a monkey. "I hope you're well."

[shh_hermione]

It was Percy. Whatever in the world was Percy Weasley doing on a roof? Well, besides the obvious, of course. She was rarely caught by surprise these days, but this definitely left her rather shocked.

She watched him climb down the ladder and then limp towards her. He didn't show any signs of pain, but she couldn't imagine that such a climb would have been effortless considering the cane and injury he had obviously sustained at some point.

When he got closer, she noticed familiar circles beneath his eyes and how gaunt his face appeared. He'd always been rather striking with a thin face that had sharp edges (an observation she'd made during several months of childish infatuation many, many years ago), but now he just looked as if he weren't taking care of himself. She lowered her wand and tilted her head back to look up at him.

"It's very nice to see you, too, Percy," she said honestly. "I'm as well as can be expected, I suppose. And you?"

[shh_percy]

"More or less the same," Percy said with a bit of a laugh. "Too busy, I'm afraid. I begin to learn that restoring a house really well is the equivalent of a full-time job, and as I'm already doing two full-time jobs, more or less...ah, well, you know me," he concluded. "It's good to keep busy, to know that one's doing something really useful."

He gave her a somewhat confiding smile. "As you can imagine, years of working at the Ministry didn't precisely always give me that sense."

He stopped babbling and looked at Hermione properly. She looked more than a bit wary, which was natural, he imagined, though it would be nice if she would put her wand away. Perhaps Ron had told her that she should come and hex him.

Perhaps Ron hadn't so much as thought about Percy in years. That was a good deal more likely.

[shh_hermione]

"I wish I were busy and useful," she murmured, paying close attention to him. "You're restoring a house? That certainly does sound like a lot of work. And are you doing so on your own or do you have assistance? Two full-time jobs definitely sounds like it would occupy your hours. I assume you're still working for the Ministry, or whatever form it might be in at present, but what is the other? Just the restoration project?"

She snorted at his comment regarding the Ministry and nodded. "I can imagine," she agreed with just a hint of cynicism. "Useful and Ministry aren't two words that I'd associate."

He glanced at her wand, and she blushed slightly. "Sorry, it's habit," she explained with a shrug. She glanced around carefully, alert to her surroundings in a way that was second nature these days, and determined that they were, indeed, alone. She lowered her wand completely and focused back on him.

[shh_percy]

"Oh, yes," Percy said moodily. "We've an opportunity, but then, we've had a lot of those, haven't we? We'll see what happens. I'm not really a statesman, you know. Just a paper-pusher. I keep the lights on, and am a bit cynical at times, I fear."

As they arrived at Five Alarm, Percy led her inside and placed an order, waiting for it to be filled. "Anyway, as to the question of pictures--I think there would likely still be plates, at least, in many places. Sometimes...plates get corrupted, so extra sets of originals get locked away in queer places. I'm sure some fascinating things could be found if one cared to look."

He smiled a little. "And everything's possible, you said so yourself. We could be coopers and butchers and candlestick makers and iron-mongers and publishers and weavers. Or a nation of shopkeepers," he said with a little sigh.

[shh_hermione]

"The last few years would make anyone cynical, I think. Even with an opportunity, if people don't actually think ahead and start working together, well, we're just doomed for history to repeat itself, I'm afraid

[shh_percy]

Percy took the food when it arrived, tucked it under his free arm, and gestured to Hermione.

"There were some bizarre old archives. Many run by hobbyists and such, but that means they're more likely to have survived. People are protective of their passions. I could get you a list." He was already compiling one in his head.

"Anyway," he said, less gloomily. "Sometimes it's just a matter of people not thinking of things. If they consider all the things there are to do, perhaps fewer of them will settle for mere jobs."

His eyes lit up a bit as he led her down the street towards his house. "I did have an idea, actually, that I mean to bring before the council. Crafting and manufacturing both require resources, of course, to get started in. If we manage to get the Ministry funded on more than an emergency basis, we might be able to offer micro-credit loans in order to help people build businesses and such." He became quite animated as he talked about the idea.

[shh_hermione]

"Oh, that sounds lovely," she said honestly. Just the thought of talking to people who'd kept archives out of enjoyment for the subject versus a career was rather exciting. The stories they could share! "However, you've got enough on your plate right now, so please don't rush on my account. You need to take care of yourself, after all, so you can teach me about the bookmaking process