Relieved to be free of his family, Percy Weasley loaded his trunk onto the Hogwarts Express, careful not to pester his slumbering screech owl. He still could not believe how late they'd arrived to Platform 9¾. Sometimes he wondered if his parents even cared about their children's education at all. Especially today when they had no fiscal means of getting them to Hogwarts should they have missed the train.
Collect, calm, and breathe. He thought with intention. It was a mantra Penny had given him over the summer in one of her letters. He'd expressed the fact that Fred and George had broken innumerable laws to collect Harry Potter from the Muggle household he lived in, and how he felt conflicted as to whether report his father to the Ministry for enchanting the Muggle car to fly. She reassured him that his father, of course, would know all the applicable laws regarding such things, reminding him that it was his father's department after all, and then introduced him to the mantra. It'd proved rather useful throughout the rest of August to keep himself sane.
Forget about your family, he thought. He repeated Penny's mantra in his head as he drew his hands together, inhaled deeply, then released the breath. He opened his eyes, gripped the handle of his trunk and owl cage, and proceeded up the corridor to the Prefects' carriage at the front of the train. His thoughts were now entirely on Penny.
The entire spring term they'd been in a Prefects-only study group to revise for their O.W.L.s. By the end of it, only Percy and Penny remained in the group, everyone else citing some dubious reason to leave. The two of them agreed they were the only ones serious enough to study as hard as they did.
After taking their O.W.L.s, they had agreed to write each other with their results. This had turned into an ongoing exchange of letters all summer, and now Percy wondered if Penny's feelings had grown for him the way his had for her. Her last letter was vague, a response to his letter expressing that he hoped to speak to her once their prefect duties evened out back at Hogwarts. He hoped it was not too obvious that he meant to express his feelings to her, but she had not indicated either way in her reply. Merely agreeing that she looked forward to returning to Hogwarts and their prefect duties, and she would meet him in the Prefects' train carriage.
The Hogwarts Express jerked forward just as Percy reached the carriage. He braced himself as to not fall, then slid open the door to find it entirely full shy for one seat. He felt a flutter of nerves when Penny smiled up at him from her spot beside the single vacant seat.
"I worried you had missed the train." She said once he arrived next to her.
"Do not get me started on that." He pulled a face then rolled his eyes, "My family clearly does not understand the value of a packing list."
"Ah," Penny gave a sympathetic laugh. "Do you need help with the trunk?"
"Thanks, but I'm okay."
Percy pulled out his wand and levitated the trunk to the top shelf of the otherwise full luggage rack. He hung his owl cage on one of the free hooks beside the other sleeping owls and made sure she had enough water for the trip.
Penny stood, "Here, take the window seat so you can see out."
"Thanks," Percy slid into the seat. He'd told her in one of the many letters that he got motion sickness on moving vehicles, including broomsticks, and was touched she remembered this.
"I finished the biography." She said as she sat back down.
"Oh, and how was it?" Percy asked.
Penny had been reading a biography on the Muggle leader, Margaret Thatcher.
"Fascinating! She was really… well, it's hard to explain. Very different than our Ministers anyway. I brought it with me, if you'd like to read it." She said.
"Absolutely," Percy nodded.
Anything about government and leaders was of interest to him. Especially given how little was provided in the Hogwarts curriculum, even in Muggle Studies. History of Magic was, of course, an awful joke. Even the Muggle-born Gryffindor Hermione Granger noted this her first year, and he had helped direct her to some books of actual usefulness on the subject. Half of which she seemed to already have read, but he encouraged to reread them now that she knew more about magic in general. He hoped Ron's friendship with her would continue, as she seemed to have her head on straight.
"So, what did you want to speak to me about?" Penny asked, placing her hand on his forearm to regain his attention as he appeared lost in thought looking out over London.
"Oh, that." Percy startled. He felt his face warm and became very aware of Penny's delicate fingers on his arm. He swallowed hard and looked her the eye, "I hoped to have more privacy than this carriage allows for that conversation."
"Oh!" Penny flamed red at this and she hurriedly said, "Sorry, of course. You said once our prefect duties evened out, of course."
"Yes, exactly." Percy smiled reassuringly.
She was looking him in the eye now, a warm smile reaching her beautiful hazel eyes. Percy longed to run his fingers through her loose, blonde curls, which all seemed to fall perfectly in place as though she had charmed them into order. He would never have believed someone could be so beautiful and so intelligent at once, but here Penny sat as proof.
He'd written his eldest brother for help on the matter of telling her his feelings. Bill not only kept his promise of confidentiality but gave sound advice. He told him, in so many words, to go for it. Percy asked how he would know when the right time was 'to go for it,' and Bill assured him he would just know. Clearly Bill knew what he was talking about because Percy knew this was the moment. He placed his hand on top of Penny's. Her skin was warm under his touch and he had to take a deep breath to calm down.
"We should do a patrol of the train. Make sure no first years need help." He said.
"That's a good idea." Penny nodded. "I'll tell Cora."
Cora Harris was the Head Girl and someone Percy respected since she strictly adhered to the rules, no matter what. He stayed in his seat while Penny went to her, so he could continue looking out the window and avoid getting sick.
Penny returned soon after with a nod of confirmation and Percy stood to lead them towards the back of the carriage that led to the rest of the train. He opened the carriage door and held it for her. She slipped past him into the small space between the two carriages and opened the next carriage's door. This was where the Slytherin upper classmen liked to sit and none of them gave Percy and Penny any trouble as they swept through without speaking. Next was the dining carriage, which was currently empty since no food would be served for another couple of hours. Most students brought food or bought snacks off the trolley anyway.
Percy's nerves started to eat at him, especially as Penny's pace did not let up. He realized he would not be able to naturally stop her before she attempted to enter the next carriage. That one was the start of the long corridor that featured the six-seat compartments most of the students preferred for their privacy. The corridor beside these compartments, however, lacked any privacy at all.
He took a deep breath and called out softly, "Wait!"
Penny stopped, her expression relaxed and unquestioning. She wanted to stay there longer alone with him, he reasoned, and felt his lips tug into a smile.
"This should be sufficient privacy for what I wish to say." He said.
Penny turned fully towards him and nodded.
"This summer was quite wonderful for me, conversing with you in so many letters." Percy said.
"Yes, I commented to my mum at tea just yesterday that it was the best summer I have ever had." Penny smiled.
"I knew I had feelings for you in the spring, but they have grown so much since then." He said.
Percy stepped closer to Penny and reach for her hand. She let him, looking up at him with wide, eager eyes. Percy frowned, "Your eyes are so green now."
"Yes, they get greener when I am happy." She explained with a blush.
"Oh," Percy said, his face also growing warm. His heart raced as he drew up the final courage to say how he felt. "Penny, I would very much like to be your boyfriend."
"I would like that very much too." She grinned.
Percy smiled broadly and let out a relieved breath. Penny gave his hand a tight squeeze and stepped a little closer to him. Without planning it at all, Percy leaned down to kiss her. To his delight, she kissed him back. They looked at each other and Percy felt as though the entire world had fallen away and it was just him and Penny.
"Well," she said then giggled. "We should probably do our patrol now."
"Yes, we should." Percy nodded.
"I should think we could manage to patrol together at Hogwarts as well." Penny added coyly.
"Penelope Clearwater! Why I never!" Percy teased.
She leaned into him and he kissed the top of her head. Sixth year was off to such an excellent start, he'd forgotten entirely about the morning leading up to this moment.
"All right," he sighed. "Let's go before we're caught."
Penelope agreed. They both realized that inter-dating between Prefects was frowned upon by the Head Girl and this would have to be a secret. Percy opened the door for her, and they continued into the next carriage.