(A/N: Another drabble for sugarquill. This one is for the "Love is in the Air" challenge. The idea is to write about a minor character asking another character out on a first date, all the while staying as close to cannon as possible. Well, I stuck so close to cannon that I did something J.K confirmed in the books. So here it is, Percy Weasley asking Penelope Clearwater out on their first date. I had to do this. It's been so long since I could write about Percy and not feel guilty for still liking him. Enjoy)
Are we Friends or Aren't we?
Her face pinked as she heard footsteps behind her. She knew it was him, it always seemed to be. Holding her breath she waited for him to speak, he sat down instead.
"Evening Penelope," he said quietly removing his books from his satchel.
"Evening Percy," she was disheartened by such an informal greeting. She thought she'd had a break through; he'd taken to calling her Penny. Why the change, she wondered as he set about straightening his things. Had she been wrong? Had she misread the signals he'd been giving?
"So where were we," he asked interrupting her thoughts.
"The active ingredients of the Amortentia potion and their contribution to the mixture."
"Ah," he said pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "That's right."
Then silence fell. This was what it was like, studying with Percy Weasley. He was never one to offer unsolicited conversation and actually intended to spend the evening studying. It was a matter of pure dumb luck that she'd gotten him to loosen up almost a week earlier. They'd been alone in the library, even Madam Pince had left them, trusting that a pair of prefects could be trusted alone. In her absentminded fidgeting Penelope had began to twirl her wand in her long curly hair. This had, on many occasions before, caused her some degree of trouble. Often when she found herself doing this she would later find that her raven locks had change in color. On the night in question her hair turned bright red. She, as was usually the case, didn't notice until Percy began laughing hysterically. And after commenting that she could pass of one of his family he assisted her in changing it back. That had been the break they'd needed, the little spark to ignite a conversation. They'd spent the rest of the evening talking about everything but lessons. Person talked about his family, and thought he complained about his brothers she could tell there was a deep love there. She asked many questions. Being an only child she was curious as to what it was like having brothers and sisters. They talked about quidditch, and were both surprised to see the others interest in the sport. By the end of the night he had started addressing her as Penny and smiled when he bid her goodnight.
The over the next few nights, however, Percy had slipped back into his old self. He focused on his assignment with unbreakable concentration and only stopped writing when he noticed she had.
"Is something the matter?"
"What," she said forced once again out of her own thoughts.
"You've stopped writing, is something the matter?"
"Oh," she hoping this would lead to more conversations, "no, just a little distracted I suppose."
"Alright then, just so long as nothing is wrong." Then he returned to his work.
Penelope sat staring at him; mouth wide in a mixture of shock and anger. They were supposed to be friends. She'd hoped for me, but they were supposed to be friends at the very least, and he was satisfied with her answer. He wasn't going to press her further. He wasn't going to ask what had her distracted. Frustrated at her own foolishness, she gathered her belongings in one swoop and left the table.
"Penny, what's the matter?" He asked as he struggled to follow at her quick pace.
"Oh," she said turning back on him, "its Penny again is it? Why don't you make up your mind then Percy?"
"What."
"Are we friends or aren't we?"
"Yes," he said sheepishly, "I'd like to think we're friends."
"Really Percy? Well, friends talk. Friends laugh. Friends find out what is bothering one another."
"You said it was nothing," he answered in surprise.
"I was lying!" she shouted. "If you cared about being my friend you'd know that."
She tired to leave again but Percy grabbed her arm to stop her. "Penny wait."
"No Percy. I'm finished. I'm through with trying to maintain a one-sided friendship," she snapped back at him, "and the think I'd entertained the thought of becoming more."
She exited the library in a huff. Percy burst into the hallway behind her.
"You what?"
"Forget I said anything Percy, it's too late now."
"No, but you..." he tried to make the words come out correctly. "You want to be more than just friends?"
She stopped, seeing that he wasn't going to drop it until she clarified herself. "Yes. You know for someone who's supposed to be so smart you can be so stupid."
"But I," he stammered now, "I never thought that you'd. Penny if I ever thought you'd like me back I would have acted differently."
"Save the excuses, Percy."
"No," he pleaded. "It's the truth. I never thought I had a chance. I thought I was lucky just to get to study with you. Then we became friends and I thought it would be pressing my luck to even hope for me."
Her heart wanted to believe him, but her head was telling her to keep walking. As her body listened to her head Percy pursued her further.
"Please Penny," he was begging now. "Give me a chance. Let me prove that I care for you. Meet me tomorrow night. No studying, we'll go for a walk. We'll talk, we'll laugh. It'll be a lovely evening."
She had to admit it did sound rather appealing.
"Please Penny, please see me tomorrow night?"
She sighed finally giving in to her heart. "Alright," she said quickly as if she might talk herself out of it, "but if you so much as mentions lessons I will never speak to you again."
"Agreed," he smiled. "It's a date."
(Please review. I always value my reader's opinions.)