The Problem with Men and Me

"Poignant - keenly distressing to the mind or feelings."

Chapter 21: Poignant

"Hey, Penny, want to play gobstones?" Mary asked me, looking over at me from her bed.

I did want to play gobstones with her. "I can't, Mary-Berry. I've got practice in five minutes, and I still have to finish these translations for Ancient Runes." I held up the piece of parchment I was scrawling my translations out on. It was messy, but the translations, at least, I knew were accurate. Ancient Runes was my favorite subject.

She gave a heavy sigh; "You spend all your time on quidditch and school, Penelope. We haven't hung out at all this year."

To be fair to me, it had only been a little over a month. "I won't finish this homework them. You've got me until practice." I set aside my things, and walked over to her bed.

"Don't be silly!" Mary scolded, "Get back to work! I only meant that, I don't know, maybe you're working too hard." She paused, looking surprised; "I can't believe I just said that to you."

I stared at her, just as shocked; "Neither can I. I think I'm going to have to get that in writing, for the next time you call me a lay-about, good for nothing, lump."

She glared at me, and bid me to get back to my translations, which I did, all the while deciding in my mind that I'd devote my practice-free Saturday entirely to playing gobstones with Mary. It wasn't fair to neglect one's friends, even if one had suddenly found herself very busy. Mary and I had been friends with first year. She found a way to balance Gobstones Club and school. I could certainly balance qudditch and school.

I finished my homework a couple of minutes early, but I headed down anyway, not wanting to risk suffering James' wrath (Which I knew was bound to happen if I was late.).

Upon climbing out of the portrait hole I nearly ran right into Leo Smethwyk- the seventh year boy who's also tried out for Beater. "Oh- Sorry." I said, while edging around him.

He shrugged; "It's cool… off to practice then?" He asked, gesturing at the scarlet athletic bag I had slung over my shoulder.

"Oh- Yeah." I adjusted the strap and shifted feet. "Between you and me, you're lucky. James is a bloody tyrant."

He grinned and raised an eyebrow at me, "Want to trade places? You can be the reserve and I'll be first string?"

If I haven't been able to tell he was joking with me, I wouldn't have had a clue how to answer. "Sure. Then you can be the one Ambrosia forces to braid her hair before take-off." For some reason, just because I was the only other girl on the team, Ackerly assumes I knew how to braid hair. I definitely didn't. Luckily she had no mirror on the pitch, so she assumed that rigorous practicing was what reduced her blond hair to a knotted, lumpy, semblance of a braid. No one wished me enough ill to let her know I was just a shite braider.

Smethwyk gave a shudder. "Never mind, I think I'll stay on the reserve."

"Penny, what- Uh… Smethwyk?" I turned back to the portrait hole, where Sirius was climbing out. "Hey." He said carefully.

I waved. Smethwyk shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hey, Black."

Sirius eyed the large seventh year carefully; "Hey."

"You already said that," I pointed out helpfully. "On your way to practice?" I asked, even though he obviously was.

His eyes scrutinized my face, "Yeah. Wanna walk down with me?"

I shrugged at him, feeling awkward and not really knowing why. I think it was because there was a sort of secret man showdown going on between Sirius and Smethwyk that I didn't really understand at all. "As long as we're going to the same place, right?"

"Right." Answered Sirius bluntly. He nodded as Smethwyk.

Smethwyk nodded back.

Why did it seem like guys seemed to resort to as little words as possible when they didn't really know each other? It was so weird.

"Bye, Smethwyk." I waved, as Sirius gripped my elbow and led me away.

He waved back. "See you around, Lyon."

Yes. yes, I know, you all knew.
Penny didn't/doesn't though, so don't ruin it. :)