The sun shone through the window of Lupin's office and fell across his pretty face. Penny was sitting across from him, she'd finished her cup of tea from the chipped cup of his she found so charming. It'd become routine to visit Lupin, when he was feeling well enough. Almost as routine as it was to bother Snape in her free time. Time spent with Lupin, however, was never anything like the gymnastics Snape put her through. In place of snarky back and forths' and arguments, was a gentle companionship, filled with laughter and much absurdness.
Today was no different and Lupin seemed to be in good spirits though he looked rather tired. Somehow the two ended up in a thumb-war showdown, the random topic came up when Penny made mention of young Harry's obsession with it. Lupin, curious, inquired to know what a thumb-war and after losing in the demonstration to Penny demanded a best of three.
It was hard for Penny, who, by the sixth try, was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, her right hand trapped in Lupin's, who was giving her an this-is-serious arch of his brow.
"I can't-professor-the look on your face," she gasped.
"Do it for me?" he said, turning the full force of his sweet brown eyes on her, which in this moment seemed to be channeling the heart-melting power of a puppy dog.
"You've lost every time, It won't change," she hiccuped, straightening herself, trying her best to force the bubbling hysterical laughter back down her throat.
"Yet, the thrill of possibly beating you drives me onward," Lupin said, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.
Their thumbs lined up, "One, two, three, four I declare a thumb war!" they chimed in unison.
It did not take Penny long to conquer Lupin yet again, causing him to yell out, "Honestly, again!"
Penny, burst into another fit of giggles that she tried to hide by placing her head on the table so Lupin could not see how her laughter brought her to tears. But he was more observant than she suspected.
"Are you crying?" he said, his bewildered amusement evident in his tone.
Penny shook her head, unable to form words just yet.
She felt his hand begin patting her head softly, almost pityingly. The sensation was enough to bring the onslaught of amusement to a halt, as it was the most glorious of feelings. It made her want to close her eyes and fall asleep, but his voice kept her from doing so.
"I suppose I cannot be cross with someone who looks as adorable as you do when you laugh," Lupin sighed.
Penny sat up to face him, "I am sorry. I wasn't laughing at you, you are just so absurd sometimes, but thats what I like about you. However, you truly are awful at this game," said Penny, giving him a wicked grin.
"I see what you did there, tell me how awful I am after I've been distracted by the fact such a special girl as you would say she likes me. But I won't be beguiled," said Lupin with a lopsided grin.
"Sounds like a challenge," said Penny, leaning forward.
Mimicking her body language, Lupin met her face in the middle of the desk, leaving a few inches between then.
"Penny Potter, are you being greedy? We can't have that. Perhaps I need to put back on my professor's cloak and teach you a lesson," he said, cocking his head slightly.
For a moment, Penny thought she should back down, accept she'd already won the day. But the temptation in Lupin's eyes trapped her, egging her onward. She should have realized it was a bait, Lupin saw right through her, knew her weaknesses too well. But she plowed forward, recklessly.
"My dear Professor, are you threatening to be stern with me? I confess, not for a moment, do I believe you." she said, confidantly.
"Is that so?" he replied, looking intrigued. "I suppose there has to be a first time for you to be wrong."
And with a devious glint in his eyes, he stood and made his way to the other side of the desk, stopping just behind Penny, who was utterly bewildered and unprepared for the warm hands that grasped her sides and began ruthlessly tickling her. Penny half yelled and half laughed, as she tried to squirm away from him.
"I didn't mean it!"
"Giving up already? That won't do, no I think a little longer will ensure the lesson sets in," came his husky reply, as he mirthlessly continued his rampage on her sides.
In her fit to wriggle free, she slid to the floor believed for a moment, herself free, but then he knelt down beside her and continued. Their eyes locked on to each other, Lupin now openly laughing as he watched the laugh-crying girl giggle, cry and squirm all at the same time.
"Please-" she gasped. "You win, uncle uncle!"
His hands paused, "uncle?" he repeated, "what has your uncle got to do with this?" he asked, looking perplexed.
"Do wizards not use that saying?" Penny said, chest heaving, glancing at the hands that still hovered at her sides suspiciously.
Lupin shook his head in response, brows furrowed.
"In wrestling matches people say it, it more or less means I give up," she said, eyes narrowing in bitterness, she had not expected to lose.
"Pouting does not suit such a pleasant face as yours," he teased, pushing at the edge of her cheeks to try and force her frown back into a smile.
She studied him for a moment, his features endearing and looking back at her with an affectionate sort of look. But when she went to respond the door to the classroom swung open.
"Lupin, you'll need to drink this imm-" Snape drawled, stopping when his dark eyes scanned the scene before him. Penny on her back heaving, Lupin's pointer finger still on her cheek.
"Professor Snape," Lupin said, getting to his feet, nonchalantly.
"Have I intruded on something," Snape said, delicately. His dark eyes locked onto Lupin's, his brows disappearing into his hairline.
"Lupin was just giving me a private lesson," Penny said, sitting up.
Lupin shot her a warning glance, but she ignored him as the dark eyes narrowed on her face. Penny merely smiled back at him, jovially, relishing the irritation she could see boiling below the surface.
"Is he now?" Snape said, softly, giving Lupin a damning look.
"Penny is just trying, what's that proverbial saying? Stir the pot, you musn't listen to her, she is a troublemaker through and through," Lupin said, lightly, and he strode across the room to accept the steaming goblet, filled to the brim with a blue liquid, from a very stiff Snape. " I am in your debt, Professor Snape."
Penny observed the exchange, still half perched on the cold floor, the skin on her legs beneath her skirt sprouting goosebumps from it.
"Indeed. Now if you would not mind, I'll ask Ms. Potter to accompany me, unless of course you have not finished yet," Snape sneered.
"You'd have to ask Penny, I've no say in where she goes," Lupin said, pleasantly, turning to Penny with a kind smile.
Both pairs of eyes were staring at her, causing anxiety to rise in her chest. This had to be some sort of test, one to which there was no right answer. She was such a pleasant time with Lupin and did not want to see it cut short, yet again. But the Potions Master requested her, which was a tantalizing gesture in and of itself. The deciding factor came in the form of the goblet in Lupin's hand. She knew what was inside it and what it was for. It would be hard for her to pretend otherwise if she remained as he drank it, so she sprang to her feet.
"Have you finally looked at my thoughts on the recipe for the Wiggenweld Potion and my reasoning for the revision?" Penny asked, hopefully.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lupin shake his head, as he muffled a chuckle and made his way back to his desk, set down his goblet and retrieved Penny's book bag and returned to her.
"Thank you for the lesson on thumb wars, Penny. I look forward to our next rendezvous to see if you've learned the importance of modesty," he winked.
Penny smirked, and turned to her rigid potions master, following after his billowing cloak.
"You didn't answer me, sir!" Penny said, as the door thudded behind them.
"I'll answer you when I'm good and ready," he spat, fixing her with his furious stair before striding off toward the dungeons.
Penny followed after him, feeling it would be better to remain silent until he cooled off a bit. He was an impossible man, but she'd given up time with Lupin so he would need to deliver or there would be hell to pay.