I couldn't be happier -- December 1995

It had been over a year since graduation and pretty much disowning my family.  Penny and I had our own flat.  I was just getting home from the ministry and saw my beautiful fiance sitting on the couch snuggled up in a blanket with a steaming mug of cocoa and som epapers she was working on.  She was having to write some papers for Muggle Relations.  She worked at hte Ministry as well, just in a different department.  She ended up having ot deal with my father on occasion due to their departments pretty much working hand in hand.  I felt bad for her.  I could not help it that I was making a name for myself and going farther than he ever had at the Ministry.  I sighed, pushing the past from my mind.  I set my briefcase down and sat on the couch with her.  I lifted her legs so they went across my lap.  "Hi, honey," I said to her.  I squeezed her thigh and smiled at her.  We spent our evenings quietly like this... working on paperwork, reading, sharing our thoughts.  It was definitely always a nice way to spend an evening.  We could make each other smile without saying a word.

I smiled at him and put my papers on the coffee table and moved so I could cuddle with my fiancee.  I really wished hat we could share the good news with his family... but I knew a lot was said and there was no way I was going ot get in the middle of that right now.  We had been engaged since June... and his family had no idea.  Well, they did know since I tried to write to Molly without Percy's knowledge.  I kenw that was wrong, but they deserved to know what was going on.  And I wanted a relationship with my future family.  I got to tell my mum and brother, so why should Percy's family not know?  "How was your day, Perce?" I questioned.  I knew that it had been a long day.  It was quite late.  I squeezed his hand.  I was havin ga hard time with my own workload, let alone what percy was dealing with.  He was in a higher position than I -- for which I was extremely proud of him for accomplishing.  Getting that far at our age was nearly unheard of.  Shows what ambition and hard work get people in life.  I just wish that it had not caused so much strife in Percy's.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair while wrapping the other arm around Penny when she sat up to be closer to me.  I let her readjust the blanket.  "It is just a lot of paperwork... it's grueling," I said, groaning slightly.  I knew what waited for me to finish up in my briefcase, too.  I rather not think about it at the moment and just enjoy sitting with Penelope at the moment.

I could not help but laugh.  I kissed his cheek and stood up.  "Oh, honey, I'm sorry," I said, moving towards the kitchenette.  I pulled supper out and waved my wand to warm his portion up since I ate earlier without him.  I came back and set hte plate in front of Percy and sat back down.  "You still need to eat," I informed him.  I knew that Percy had a tendency to just start working on finishing what he did not complete at work without thinking about what his own body needed.  Like food and sleep for instance.

I grinned at Penny.  I leaned towards her and gave Penelope another kiss.  "Thank you," I said, planning on getting it myself but grateful she had gotten it for me.  I was just enjoying sitting and not doing anything but be with her.  I looked over at Penny while I ate.  "How was your day?" I asked, hoping it was better than mine.

I had run into Arthur, but I was not going ot tell Percy that.  "It was pretty uneventful," I explained.  It was true... nothing exciting really happened.  Not much happened today.  Things did not always occur in my area of expertise... at least not to the point of Percy's strenuous paperwork.

At least her day went better than mine.  I set the plate down and looked at Penelope.  I sighed and claped my hands on my knees.  "I'll go clean this up and then I have to start working on some paperwork that needs finished," I told her sadly.  I stood up and went to wash my plate off.  I heard Penny follow me.  I turned around and noticed her mischievous grin.  "What is it?" I inquired.  I did love that little smirk of hers.

I had followed Percy into the kitchenette.  I wraped my arms around him and put my hands in the back pockets of his pinstriped pants.  I kissed him lightly.  "Why don't you not do work... and we could have a little bit of fun," I suggested, kissing him agian.  I really thought his paperwork, along with mine, could easily be pushed to tomorrow.  We hardly had time for ourselves the past few weeks.

I put my hands on her shoulders and shook my head.  "Penny... I don't think we have time for anything," I explained.  SHe should know that... she had just as much as me to do it seemed.  I was not sure if I wanted to push my load until the morning.  It would mean I would have ot do that much more tomorrow.  Though relaxation did sound enticing at the same time.

It sounded like Percy needed to have some persuasion.  I kissed him again, this time tilting my head to deepen the iss.  I pressed against him, pushing him against the counter.  We had never gone all the way -- he was saving himself for marriage.  I thought that was really sweet.  But I still got him to have some fun.  There was nothing wrong with that.  I pulled away from him and started to walk away, extending his hadn as far as it could reach.  I let it drop down to his side and wlaked towards our bedroom.

Only Penelope could have the power to get me to avoid doing work.  We laid in bed and cuddled after the apparently much needed distraction.  Our fingers were intertwined and I had my arm around her while Penny's head rested on my chest.  "You have no idea how much I love you," I spoke softly.  She was the only person who accepted me for who I was -- the good and the bad qualities.

I propped myself up on my elbow as I gazed at him.  "I love you, Percy, with all of my heart," I whispered.  I leaned down and kissed him.  I pulled away and looked at him, smiling.  I knew what I was thinking was crazy, but I had to tell him.

There was that mischievous grin again.  She had something up her sleeve.  "What's on your mind?" I questioned.  I pushed some of her wavy hair away from her face.  She was so beautiful... the moonlight coming in through the window illuminating her face made her eyes twinkle.

I had been doing some thinking.  "Why don't we just get married?" I suggested.  I did not need a big wedding.  Just something small... with just our parents.  But of course he was not speaking to his family.  Maybe it owuld not be a good idea after all.  I wanted to marry him, though.  I figured we could do something small at the Ministry... I did not want a big wedding.  My dad was not allive -- either one of them.  I could always have Remus walk me down the aisle, but what was the point of a big wedding if half of the family was not going to be there?

I was rather surprised by Penny's revelation.  I sat up and looked at her.  "What about all of the wedding magazines I've seen you looking at?  Or the numbers of caterers you've been gathering?" I asked.  This was something we have not really discussed.  We both wanted to get our careers in order and on a roll before we got married.  We were decently settled in at the Ministry, so I knew we would be figuring out a date here shortly.