Title: Most Wonderful Time
Pairings: Oliver/Percy
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1578
Summary: Percy does some last-minute Christmas shopping.
Notes:Thanks, as always, to reinventweather for the read-through. ♥

Percy shivers, drawing his cloak tighter around him in an effort to keep in the warmth as he hurries down Diagon Alley amongst all the other shoppers. He always says he's going to do better the next year, get the Christmas shopping done before the final hour. And yet here he is, a week before Christmas, maneuvering his way through the crowds.

After an hour of staring hopelessly in shop windows, he ducks into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. The store is filled with last-minute shoppers, and George looks a bit frantic behind the register when Percy asks him where Ron is.

"In the back," he shouts, "but don't distract him!"

"George, I think you're forgetting who you're talking to."

George glances at him for a moment, then bursts out laughing. "You're right, you're right. Go on back."

Ron looks immensely pleased to see him, which makes Percy wonder how long he's been back here with only unpacked boxes for company. After a few minutes of catching up, Percy takes a deep breath and asks, "What did you get Hermione for Christmas?"

Ron gestures at a nearby box. "Skiving Snackboxes. She bloody loves them."

"Come on, Ron," Percy pleads, sliding his glasses off briefly and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm fairly desperate here."

"I can tell," Ron says with a chuckle. "Honestly, Perce, I don't know why you're asking me. Hermione and Oliver are nothing alike. You'd do better to ask her what she's got for me."

Percy sighs. He's already asked her, and the only thing that accomplished was to make Percy even more nervous about finding the perfect present.

"Why don't you just get him a broomstick or something?" Ron suggests, looking at least slightly concerned at Percy's distress.

"He's got several, most of them nicer than anything I could afford."

Ron reaches out to slug him on the shoulder, a gesture Percy has finally come to accept as friendly. "Chin up, Perce. You know him better than any of us. Try not to overthink it."

"Easy for you to say," Percy says with a frown. "You and Hermione have been best friends since you were 11." He pulls out his wand to help Ron balance the boxes he's currently floating across the room into different stacks. "What's in these anyway?"

"No idea," Ron says. "George has some big new reveal coming up. He won't tell me what it is." He taps the seal with his wand. "Can't get it open, either."

Percy's mouth twists as he stares at the box. He regards Ron for a moment, feeling a mischievous grin spread across his face.

Ron looks surprised for a moment, then echoes Percy's grin. "What?"

"I can do a revealing spell, if you like," he says, pointing his wand at the corner of a box.

"No way," Ron says, grinning wider. "Perce. That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Ron, one thing you never knew about me." Percy smiles to himself, making use of the unspoken spell to begin opening up a window in the box. "At times, I've been known to break a rule or two." The wood of the box begins to fade, letting him see inside. "I just know how not to get caught."

The box full of earmuffs means nothing to Percy, but Ron smiles like it's the best thing in the world. "He used Hermione's idea!" he says enthusiastically, tapping his watch with his wand. "Wait 'til I tell her. She'll be so chuffed."

Percy reaches out quickly to stop Ron from whatever he's doing. "Ron. This was supposed to be a surprise." He shakes his head at himself; he shouldn't have shown Ron what was inside. He should've realized George meant it as a surprise. "This is exactly why he wouldn't tell you. You can't keep a secret."

Ron pouts dramatically, but it has no effect on Percy. After a moment of attempting to stare Percy down, Ron lowers his wand with a sigh and says, "Fine. I won't tell her."

Percy eyes the watch for a moment before finally releasing Ron's wrist. "How were you going to communicate with her, anyway?"

Ron holds up his wrist. "We have linked watches. Mum got them for us as a wedding present, from that old wizard in Leadworth."

Percy's mind starts racing as a smile spreads over his face. "Ron, you're a genius."

******

"A planner." Oliver grins as he pulls the last of the wrapping away. "I can't say I'm surprised, Perce."

"I know, it's a lackluster gift."

"Don't be daft. Predictable, yes. Lackluster, not in the slightest. I'm always saying I wish I could be as organized as you."

"There's something else," Percy says, pulling the box from his pocket.

Oliver's eyes widen when he gets the box open and discovers the watch, and he shoots Percy an incredulous look. "You said you weren't spending much this year!"

"Old friend of the family," Percy explains dismissively, taking the watch from him. "Let me show you what it does."

He sets the watch down on the table, tapping his wand against the face. "It has three different faces. One for weather conditions, just tap the side and speak the location."

He moves away to let Oliver try, biting his lip on a smile when Oliver manages to pack such an excited tone into the word, "Brussels."

Percy raises his eyebrows. "You're planning to go to Belgium?"

Oliver shrugs. "First place that came to mind." They watch as snowflakes float down the face of the watch; apparently it's snowing there.

"The second face," Percy continues with a tap, "is made like the clock you've probably seen at my parent's house. It can be configured for up to two people, and will keep track of their location."

Oliver makes an appreciative noise, picking up the watch and gazing intently at the different settings. "This is brilliant! I'll only need it configured for one, mind, but then I won't have to floo you all the time to find out if you're staying late at the office - it will just tell me!"

"And then you'll floo me anyway to tell me to come home."

"Naturally," Oliver says with a cheeky grin. "What's the third face do?" he asks excitedly, replacing the watch on the counter and gesturing Percy to show him.

Percy laughs a bit nervously. "The third face is a clock. I know, not very exciting. I haven't had a chance to test it thoroughly, but if all goes to plan, it will turn red when you're running late."

"How will it know that I'm late?" Oliver asks, seemingly interested.

"I linked it with the planner." Percy picks up the book and flips to the following day, scribbling in Staying in with Percy at 8 o'clock. He watches Oliver's face light up as the little reminder shows up on the bottom of the watch.

"Brilliant," Oliver says quietly, sliding the watch onto his wrist. He regards Percy with a sincere expression that warms Percy down to his toes. "Honestly, Perce. This is the best gift anyone has ever given me."

Percy feels his ears growing hot, and he glances away. "I wanted to give you something special for our first Christmas living together."

Oliver pulls him close, arms winding around Percy's body, and says earnestly, "Thank you." After a moment, he pulls back and adds flippantly, "My present to you is going to be absolute shite after all that."

"I'm sure I'll love it," Percy says confidently. Oliver always gives the best gifts, or maybe Percy's just easy to please.

"I spoke with my boss earlier this week," he begins, sounding wary. "They're sending me overseas for the first week of February."

Percy pulls a face; he can't help it. Their work hours are so often in opposition of each other, and that's bad enough. But a whole week is just unfair.

"I know," Oliver continues. "But when I came back and pointed out that travel wasn't a part of my original contract, they agreed to extend my stay to two weeks and allow me to bring someone along."

Percy can only stare at him for a moment. They've been trying to plan a weekend away for ages, but Oliver can never get the time off, and they can never quite afford it. Finally, he comes back to himself enough to ask, "Where?"

"Brussels," Oliver says, still a touch nervous.

"Bloody hell," Percy says, a smile stretching over his face. "That's excellent news!" he says, throwing his arms around Oliver.

Oliver laughs against his neck, holding him close. "I thought maybe you'd be against leaving for two weeks. I'll have to go out and conduct some interviews while we're there, for the first week, and we'll still have to budget anything outside of lodging and standard meals."

Percy shrugs. "I'll bring some work with me, get it done while you're away. And we've got some savings for just the occasion." He runs the scenario over in his mind again, and he still can't quite believe it. "A holiday, Oliver. A real, proper holiday." He pulls back and looks at Oliver before adding, "Together."

Oliver leans in to capture Percy's lips. Percy makes a pleased noise and shifts closer, deepening the kiss. When they break apart a few minutes later, Oliver tilts their foreheads together and says, "Happy Christmas, Perce."

Percy smiles, pressing another kiss to Oliver's lips. "Happy Christmas, Oliver."

THE END

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