Penelope Weasley, nee' Clearwater.

Penelope Grace Weasley.

Penelope Grace Weasley, nee' Clearwater.

Penny Grace-

"What are you doing?"

Percy yelped at the unexpected intrusion of his dorm mate. He wasn't supposed to be back for several more hours, given that he had been down on the field with the house's quidditch team and that he had a rather fanatical nature to him. Hurriedly covering the parchment with the other papers that were all over the table, he attempted to plaster on a nonchalant smile, dearly hoping that his dorm mate hadn't heard the girlish happy sigh he was interrupted from. Bemused by Percy's strange behavior, Oliver was in the doorway, his head tilted like a cat.

"Studying," Percy said with his nervous laughter, grabbing hold of the parchment papers he'd started out looking over but tossed aside moments after that when he was consumed by his distraction. He clumsily read over his notes. "We have that History of Magic exam soon. Have you forgotten? Did you start studying yet? You really should."

"Studying," Oliver repeated agonizingly slow, with a glimmer of doubt in his eyes. "You jumped like you were hexed."

"You startled me," Percy shrugged, feeling his palms start to sweat. He didn't want anyone to find out about... that . It was dreadfully embarrassing and he needed to destroy it at once. "So, erm," he said, weakly, "how was practice?"

Percy could be big enough to admit that was a little bit of manipulation on his part. Getting Oliver to talk about quidditch was a guarantee he'd forget about nearly catching Percy. It could make him forget about anything. He would know; he'd done it once or twice. Or many times since their first year. "Oh, it was fine," his dorm mate said, casually as he strode further into the room, setting his folder he kept which was purely for quidditch down on his bed. "Flint was there."

Percy's eyes kept subtly darting over to the parchment, before they refocused on Oliver. "Was he? You didn't fight him again, did you?" he said, warily. The fight between Oliver and Flint during fourth year had become legendary, mainly for Oliver's use of muggle style tactics, against a pure blood no less. He'd pounced on Flint after the Slytherin had insulted Percy for his family being poor for the umpteenth time, pounding him with repeated punches. Professor McGonagall had been furious and was assigned a month's detention. Percy told him, as he helped ice Oliver's face-a part of his punishment had been the refusal for Madam Pomfrey to mend his black eye with magic-that it wasn't necessary as it didn't phase him anymore, but he was grateful nonetheless.

"No," Oliver shook his head, scoffing. "Course not."

Percy crossed his arms, unintentionally giving off that mum look Oliver insisted he'd have on his face whenever he felt someone wasn't telling him the truth or about to do something incredibly stupid.

Oliver had received the look for both of those reasons many, many times.

"I didn't!" Oliver argued, having the audacity to be offended Percy would even question his innocence. "Wanted to, though."

That was said under his breath, but Percy heard it anyway. That was another thing, his dorm mate said he had mum hearing, which was supposedly unfair for Oliver.

"Of course you did," Percy grumbled. "Honestly, Oliver. You're sixteen now, you'd think you'd-hey! G...give that back!" He gaped rather dumbly when Oliver snatched the parchment from underneath the small pile of papers he'd hidden it under. Percy jumped to his feet, his stomach dropping all the way to the floor and his heart hammering.

"You give that back to me at once!"

"Is that an order?" Oliver snickered.

" Yes! "

"Too bad," Oliver once again laughed at the disgruntled expression Percy wore. "Now let's see what you're hiding- oh ."

Percy's face was absolutely burning at this point, rivaling his hair. "Yes well," he tried to sound prim but failed. "You see I was...I was just...I-"

He wanted to melt into the floor.

Oh, Merlin, this was horrible.

"You were what ?" Oliver's face indicated he was taking great lengths to not burst out into laughter.

"Nothing," Percy muttered, ducking his head.

"Nothing, aye? Is that what we're calling this?" His dorm mate waved the paper around. Was it too late to request a new dorm mate? He'd gladly take someone from another house, even. "Merlin, Perce. I didn't know you still had a thing for Clearwater."

"Her name is Penny," Percy corrected. He stifled a groan when Oliver's eyebrows flew up again.

"Penny, hmm?" He said slyly.

"Oh, what now ?"

"Aren't her friends the only ones that call her Penny?" Oliver grinned. "Didn't think you two talked all that much to be friends."

"We talk," Percy said, defensively.

"When?" Oliver crossed his arms and added, "And the Prefects meeting doesn't count."

"We've talked outside the meetings, thank you," Percy shot him a look.

Which was not a mum look, either.

"Alright. Give me a time, then."

"Alright," Percy thought for a moment. "Once we were both in the library at the same time and I told her she dropped her quill. She thanked me."

Oliver looked like he was inwardly debating on whether to say what he was thinking or not. "Uh, huh. Well, in that case, it might take a bit more to get Penelope Weasley to notice you."

"Shut up!" Percy snapped, the tips of his ears going red. "It isn't funny!"

"It is a little," Oliver chuckled like the tosser he was. "I've never seen you so... smitten before."

"I am not smitten," Percy quickly refuted, bristling at how amused his friend was. "I'm just, er-"

"Madly in love ?" Oliver said, teasingly.

"Stop that!"

"Guess you've been, as the muggles say, bitten by the love bug."

"That is simply ridiculous."

"I can see it in your eyes. You're in looove ."

"Oliver Xavier Wood, don't make me obliviate you!"

"You won't," Oliver said, tauntingly. "I'm your best mate."

" Watch me."

His dorm mate waved off the threat dismissively. "'Sides, I'm your one way ticket to getting Clearwater, so you can't obliviate me."

Percy was going to retort, but paused. "What do you mean, my one way ticket ?" he asked, begrudgingly.

Oliver was pleased he'd asked. He slung an arm around Percy's shoulders, much to his displeasure. "Simple. You may have noticed I'm a bit of a ladies man-"

"Since when?" Percy raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Since always, thank you very much-"

"Weren't you just complaining about not understanding girls when Clara Mahoney threatened to rid you of certain...parts if you tried to talk to her again?"

Oliver scowled at the reminder. "As I was saying-"

"I fail to see how you see yourself as a ladies man when you haven't had a serious relationship yet-"

" As I was saying ," Oliver said with aggravation and then calmed down. Privately, that made Percy think of his mum and how rapidly her mood would change if someone stopped by the Burrow while she was just yelling at someone for something. "I know everything about girls. All their tricks and secrets. Just let me help you and you'll have Clearwater falling all over you."

"Oh, no," Percy snorted. "Thank you for the offer, Oliver, but I'd rather not."

He shrugged out of his friend's arm.

"Why?" Oliver demanded. "What's wrong with my help?"

Where should I start ? Percy thought, humorously.

"It's really none of your concern and I think it would seem more sincere if I did it myself."

"But you're not even doing anything!" Oliver whined and stomped his foot for emphasis.

Percy was not impressed.

"Now isn't the best time."

Oliver gave a dramatic sigh. "No time will even be good enough. You'll still be saying that when we're about to graduate."

"Which isn't anytime soon."

"My point is," Oliver stressed, "you've got to do it now before she thinks you're not interested and goes after someone else!"

"But-"

"Don't tell me it isn't the right time!" Oliver said a bit shrilly. Percy glared at him for the unnecessary noise. "C'mon, Perce, just let me help you! You want her, don't you?"

"Well, yes," Percy admitted. "But-"

"Why put it off, then? She probably fancies you, too, but she thinks you don't fancy her so she's hiding it," Oliver said, confidently.

Percy frowned, contemplating the situation. "I don't know," he said, hesitantly.

"Please?" Oliver wasn't above begging. "Please, Perce? Please?"

Percy groaned. "I'm going to regret this."

Oliver cheered in victory. "Aye, you worry too much. What could go wrong?"

"Lesson number one," Oliver said after charms class was over. They were walking in the corridor but lagging. Penny was in ahead of them, her shiny, soft looking curls bouncing behind her. Percy ached to touch one and feel it wrap around his finger. His friend snapped his finger in front of his face. "Perce! Focus!"

"Sorry," Percy muttered, dazedly like he usually was after looking at her. "What was that?"

Oliver gave a sigh that conveyed great suffering. "Lesson number one," he repeated, "Carry her books for her. Girls are suckers for that gentlemen stuff."

"What if she doesn't want me to?" Percy said. "What do I do then?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Percy, Percy, Percy . It's a trap."

"A trap?" Percy said, rolling his eyes. "Oh, come off it, Oliver."

"I'm serious," Oliver said as they kept walking. "They might say no, but they're testing you. They really mean yes and they just want to make sure you're paying attention."

That didn't make sense to Percy. "So I'm just supposed to take them anyway?"

"Exactly!" Oliver beamed.

"But if she meant yes, why wouldn't she say yes?"

"Why do girls do anything?" Oliver was waving his arms around, not noticing the two girls nearest to them rolling their eyes at him. "Now go get your girl, Perce!" He pushed his dorm mate up ahead, nearly causing him to fall flat on his face.

Percy gave his friend a brief glare before running up to where Penny was. "Hi Penny!" he said a little too loudly and in his mind, he grimaced. She quickly looked in his direction, her eyes momentarily going bigger.

"Oh, hello, Percy," she smiled shyly.

"That was a, erm, fascinating lesson, wasn't it?" He said, making conversation.

That's the best you got?

"Oh, yes," she nodded. "I quite liked it, myself."

There was a lull and he scrambled, trying to think of something else to say.

"Where are you heading off to?" He asked, desperate not to sound like a fool.

"Potions," she said in a tone that suggested she would rather not go at all. "I do hope we aren't going to be partners with the Slytherins again. I got Bole last week and he's a nasty piece of work if you know what I mean."

Oliver was behind them, mouthing for Percy to do it now over and over-almost crashing into someone and tripping over his own foot in the process.

"Oh, yes," Percy winced again at his lack of volume control. "I do. That's quite unfortunate. Erm, say, Penny, may I hold your books for you? I can carry them down to the dungeons."

"What?" That caught her off guard. She put a piece of her hair behind her ear. "That's very nice of you. But no thank you. I've got them."

Percy was going to back off, but he could see Oliver out of his peripheral gesturing for him to grab them. Should he ? He hesitated. Eventually, he took them right from her grasp, eliciting a sound of surprise from her. "Don't worry, Penny," he hoped he sounded confident and manly, like Oliver told him to be. "Really. I insist."

"Well, alright..." Penny was confused.

He glanced over her, Oliver was giving him a thumbs up.

They were outside for the second one. It'd just finished raining, still drizzling a bit.

"Lesson number two," Oliver said as they were waiting for her to appear. "Put down your cloak on a puddle so she can walk over it."

"Why?" Percy said in angst. "It's going to get all dirty."

"Yes, but," Oliver said, patiently like he was some small child, "she'll appreciate it. Trust me, I saw it in a muggle movie once. She'll be grateful you care enough so she doesn't have to get her shoes dirty. Girls hate it when that happens. I know my mum hates it."

"That's just plain silly," Percy huffed.

"You can clean it later, you prat," Oliver bumped him.

"Why can't she just clean her shoes later? It doesn't make any sense."

"Just do what I say. You want her, don't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then go! There she is!"

Percy was shoved yet again . He went out there, his stomach doing those flip flops as she came his way. Alone . Thank Merlin for that. He didn't think he could've done it if he had an audience. "Hello, Penny," he greeted her, unable to help the shyness that crept up.

She'd been looking down for the part, but a smile came to her face upon seeing him. His heart did a leap. He made her smile. "Percy," she grinned. "Hello."

"It's rained," He said, which was not what he first intended to say.

I did not just say that

Did I?

She tilted her head slightly, giggling. "Yes, it has."

"And those shoes of yours," he motioned down at her feet, praying to Merlin that he was doing their right, "look new. I'd hate for you to ruin them."

She furrowed her brows. "These are the same school shoes I wore last year.."

Curses , Percy's smile became fixed. "Yes, well," he had to recover somehow, "they look very nice so, erm, here!" He unfastened his cloak, laying it down in a sweeping motion down on the puddle in front of her. "Now they won't get wet."

Penny looked down at the ground and back up to him. He'd expected- hoped -to see love shimmering in her eyes, a wide smile on her lips and perhaps her hand on her heart. She would gush oh Percy at him, placing her hands on his cheeks and lean in for a-

"That's nice of you, but I think I'll just..." Wordlessly, Penny stepped to the side , giving him an awkward smile which was not resembling what he thought would happen and walked off.

It left him standing there like a fool.

Oliver came out from where he'd been hiding. "That could've gone better," he remarked.

Percy scowled. "My cloak is wet and dirty and that's all you've to say?"

"At least she didn't laugh, eh?"

Percy, with an emotionless expression, flicked his wand so that the dirty water from another nearby puddle hit Oliver in the face.

"Lesson number three," Oliver began in his most important voice. Percy had gotten a tad peeved after his cloak got soaking wet and made Oliver dry it and clean out the muddy spots the muggle way. "Pick up lines."

Percy frowned. "Are those really effective?"

"Of course! They show them you're confident. I'll demonstrate," Oliver declared, glancing around before setting his eye on a girl that was sitting on one of the ledges in the corridor by herself, reading a book. He approached her boldly. " You know," he said, flexing his muscles as she looked up, "people say I look like Viktor Krum."

He barely finished before the girl shut her book and walked off.

"I have to applaud you for that one," Percy said, dryly. "You got rejected in under a minute. I believe that's a record."

"Sod off," Oliver hit him on the shoulder. Percy smirked. "Wasn't my fault."

"Oh, of course not."

"She was too intimidated by me," Oliver dismissed it.

"You really believe that?"

"Aye, I'm a bloke. I play quidditch. I work out. She must not be used to blokes like me noticing her so she left before she could embarrass herself."

Percy's eyes closed as he looked up to the ceiling. He wondered, not for the first time, why he accepted Oliver's help in the first place.

"Now, here's what you'll do: Penny's in the hall, so you'll go to her and say one of those lines I taught you. Choose a good one. This will make a lasting impression."

"I'm not so sure this is a-"

"Shh," Oliver put a finger on Percy's lips, who looked annoyed by it. " Who here knows all about girls?"

Silence.

Percy removed Oliver's finger. "If you're waiting for me to say you, you're going to be waiting a long time."

"Fine," Oliver said, grumpily. "Just go and do it."

Percy started to walk toward the large doors, ignoring Oliver's don't mess up from behind.

Penny was inside, just as Oliver said she'd be, sitting at the Ravenclaw table with her homework in front of her. Taking a deep breath, he strode over to her. "Excuse me," he said and just the girl that Oliver tried to woo, Penny looked up at him. "But I think I dropped something...my jaw."

She blinked.

"Do you have a band-aid? 'Cause I scraped my knee falling for you."

Penny seemed to be looking at him in a way that was a mixture of surprise and confusion. A few people that were close nearby snickered. Percy momentarily faltered, but managed to recover. "Can you touch my hand? I want to tell everyone that I've been touched by an angel."

Hh actually got a blush from her for that one.

"Your face must be magnetic because it pulled me over here."

Nope. Not this time. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes, it is true," he announced in his most important voice-what Oliver deemed to be his Prefect voice, "I am Mr. Right."

More people busted out laughing. It made Percy incredibly flustered. His face reddened. This...this wasn't supposed to happen! And why wasn't Penny smiling or reacting the way Oliver said she would?

"I...I-" He tried to come up with another line but fell flat when he couldn't.

He felt like a fool just standing there with his flimsy tongue. So he fled from the Great Hall, not seeing Penny jump to her feet, frowning.

He went to the only place he could without Oliver barging in to give him more advice or the twins mocking him or anyone else that wanted to take the mickey out of him: Filch's cleaning closet. He turned a bucket upside down to sit on it in the back corner. It was dimly lit, smelly and ironically dirty. He hated every second in there. But it gave him peace and quiet.

He should have just trusted his instincts! He should have waited until he felt it was the right time to approach Penny. Now she'll never go for him. Not after he made himself look like some idiot. He likely embarrassed her as well and while he may not have known a ton of things about girls, he did know that no girl was going to want to be with a bloke who embarrassed them in front of a good portion of the school.

It hurt, that thought did. Just knowing he had no chance now. It had all gone down the drain so fast! Now instead of dating him, she would find some other sod and get married and have that perfect marriage with their perfectly looking children in a perfect flat with their perfect careers and-

The door creaked open. Percy flinched and was startled to find Penny there in the doorway. She smiled in an awkward, shy sort of way, the kind he found most endearing. He didn't know what to do or say, so he gaped at her.

"P...Penny. You're here."

She closed the door behind her, her eyes lowering to the floor. She was still smiling. "Yes. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"But how did you know I was here?" He frowned, confused.

"Someone saw you go in," she clarified as she made her way next to him, sitting beside on the floor.

"Oh," he muttered.

She hesitated. "Are you okay, Percy? You looked a bit...embarrassed back there."

You mean after I humiliated myself? Of course I am

"I'm fine," he lied.

"You don't look fine," she said quietly.

He said nothing.

"Percy," she tried again, softer this time, "why did you use those pick up lines? It's not like you."

He mumbled incoherently.

"What?" She tilted her head. "What did you say?"

He groaned, holding onto his head. "Oliver wanted to...help me," he admitted.

She blinked. "Help you? Help you how?"

It certainly wasn't the setting he imagined confessing his feelings for her; not in some dingy closet with a moldy aroma. But he made it work. "I..." he cleared his throat, "I fancy you, Penny. You're the most beautiful witch I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Oh, Percy," her hand was on her chest. She looked touched. "That's so sweet of you."

Here it comes

She's going to reject me

He waited for the but , the catch, the part where she apologetically told him that while he was a nice bloke and all they were better off as friends.

It never came.

A flush lit up her pretty face. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. "I've fancied you too, actually...I just never thought you were interested as well."

He was stunned. Snapping his head up, he stared at her. "What?"

She nodded. "It's true."

He was flabbergasted by the news. "Wha-when? Why hadn't you said anything?"

"Since second year," she said bashfully. His eyes bulged out. Since then? Oh, Merlin. "Like I said...I never thought you fancied me back and I didn't want to ruin our friendship if it was true."

They sat quiet for a few moments.

"So it's true." She'd already confirmed it but he was still in shock and hadn't fully processed it yet. "You fancy me. You actually fancy me."

She giggled, slowly taking his hand into hers. "Yes, it's true."

He grinned goofily.

"I just have one more question," she looked into his eyes. "Is Oliver the reason why you did all those things?"

What a way to spoil the mood.

"Yes," he rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand, sheepish. "He wanted to help us get together. Otherwise he feared we never would."

She nodded. "That's kinda sweet...and a little strange."

"Agreed," Percy let out a bit of a laugh despite the situation. And then he did something he'd wanted to do for years. "Penny?"

"Hmm?" She looked at him, so angelic. Like a real angel. So perfect and special.

"Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to Hogsmeade?" he asked with hope in his voice.

She beamed. "How could I say no?"

They stood, wrapping their arms around each other in a tight embrace. Penny's head rested against his chest, sighing softly in content. Percy was finally able to touch her hair and relished in the moment, simply adoring how silky it was. She glanced up at him seconds later. "Say, Percy?"

"Yes?"

"Do me one favor," she smiled.

"What's that?" He said, curious.

"Never take advice from Wood again."