Penny woke with a start when Madam Pince hissed in her ear. Without realizing it, Penny had fallen asleep while studying for her evening astronomy class. Madam Pince, being as unlikable as she was, told Penny off for her horrendous treatment of her textbooks (she drooled all over) and insisted she leave the library and only return when she understood the value of knowledge.
Shrugging groggily, Penny packed her things and made her way to the Great Hall. She'd barely made it through her homework because drama club ran long due to Fred and George having detention and Flitwick asking Penny to stay behind so he could discuss stage management with the three of them together. Naturally, the extra time spent together amounted to much time joking and little time discussing actual logistics. Penny would pay for her leisure time that evening when she would need to stay up late after Astronomy to finish her transfiguration reading. Sometimes Penny wished she could not care and let an assignment go here or there, but that was impossible due to her perfectionist nature.
Glancing down the hallway as she rounded a corner for the stairs, she caught sight of a head of silky black hair. Turning, she realized half way down the hallway Cho Chang was talking to Cedric, who was identifiable by his hair, though most of his face was blocked by the back of Cho's head. Penny froze, horribly curious what the two were doing alone in such a deserted corridor. Cho's hand reached out and took hold of Cedrics', and then she raised herself delicately onto her tippy toes and appeared to kiss Cedric. Penny's insides felt as though they were tumbling out of her, and she dashed away, unsure where she was headed but desperate to put as much distance between her and the horrible sight as she could.
Frantic and unseeing, she rounded the corner into the Great Hall and made it part-way down the Slytherin table when a hand grasped her upper arm and twirled her around, forcing her to walk back toward the door with him.
"What the-"
"Let's go somewhere private," Draco muttered, smiling as though everything were normal, but fixing her with his worried grey eyes.
Penny allowed herself to be led away by Draco, neither of them saying anything until they found the safety of a cluttered but spacious unused closet. He shut the door behind them and sent a few glowing orbs out of the end of his wand so they could see each other, before leaning gingerly against the only clear wall, while Penny sank to the dusty floor. Her mental functions still had not returned, all she could see was Cho kissing Cedric on repeat before her eyes.
"Come come, tell me what happened," said Draco, crossing his arms.
"Why would something have happened?" Penny replied, in an attempt at a causal voice.
"Do you think I'm thick? You were fine at lunch, a little melodramatic with your refusal to speak to Snape when he came by the table, but you had your usual, overbearing pep,"
"And?"
"And when you walked into the Great Hall you looked like you were going to spew or cry or both at the same time," Draco replied, testily.
"Was it that obvious?" Penny said, desperately, finally turning to meet his ever knowing gaze.
"You are incapable of hiding anything, Penny," he said, rolling his eyes at her question.
"I saw Cho, she kissed Cedric," Penny blurted out, her eyebrows furrowing without her consent.
"That little tramp! She must be desperate after everyone was talking about you and Cedric at quidditch," Draco said, his voice laced with venom.
Penny stared at him, transfixed and confused at the same time.
"Well?" he pressed, as though she had only begun her story.
"Well what?"
"What happened! Did he kiss her back, were there hands? Details woman!"
"Oh. I didn't wait to see, I kind of ran away when I saw her kiss him," Penny said, blushing furiously at her momentary stupidity.
Draco observed her critically, as though he could not believe what he was hearing.
"You ran away and let that tr-that other girl take what is yours?" Draco said, in a deliberately slow voice to shame her.
"I-I-what was I going to do, march over and break them up!" Penny floundered, turning decidedly away from her snarky friend to watch the glowing orb hovering a few feet from her.
"Since when do you, Penny, who took a bludger to the neck to best Viktor Krum, not put up a fight?"
"Shut up Draco, this is completely different. Do I even like Cedric? Is that what this horrible feeling is?" she asked, more to herself than him.
"Oh lord," Draco sighed, moving across the room to sit beside her. "You are a most incapable creature when it comes to romance. At first I thought you were just playing hard to get, but you honestly are that oblivious."
Penny scowled at her friend, he was truly a Slytherin, so like his head of house, using her misery to ridicule her when she just needed someone to help her process what was going on. She refused to respond to him and instead tilted her head back against the lumpy drawer behind her and wallowed in her misery.
"Okay you sook, enough of that. This isn't over, if that Chang girl thinks I'm going to let her win, she's got a fat one coming. This is war Penny, get yourself together so we can properly analyze what you did see happen. But first, I'm gonna get us some refreshments," Draco said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before getting up. At the door he turned back around, "You, stay put," he warned, his eyes narrowed.
Penny nodded and watched him go, bewildered by him and uncertain she understood any of the words that came out of his mouth. Draco seemed so confident in everything that was happening, but Penny did not understand how he could be, she was so confused herself and the situation was hers. Draco hadn't answered her, did she like Cedric, is that what she felt? They'd been friends for over a year now, when had things changed? The dwelling only served to annoy her, there were so many other pressing things going on in her life, she should not devote time to such futile endeavors. Cedric was much older than her, even if he did actually like her he would be leaving at the end of the year and then what? The thought left a horrible emptiness in the pit of her stomach. She'd never experienced a friend graduating before, it impressed on her the unwavering nature of time and how little control she had over it.
Moments were fleeting, had she taken for granted all the time she'd spent with Cedric, or was that what it meant to be human, to only realize the importance of something in retrospect. Mercifully, Draco dragged her from her horrendous trail of philosophical thoughts, returning with his hands full of several things.
"Firewhisky?" Penny said, skeptically, recognizing the bottle.
"You're not allowed to touch it until you've eaten, last thing I need is you pissed, crying about Cedric," he smirked, handing her a sandwich and a couple of pumpkin pasties.
Draco found a musty old blanket hanging off a chair, and a couple of pillows, whispered, scourgify and then laid it on the floor for the two of them. Penny wasted no time inhaling her food and then turned her gaze on the firewhisky. She had never tried alcohol before, though she'd heard of students getting their hands on some from time to time.
"How'd you get that?"
"Ask me no questions and I shall tell you no lies," Draco replied, pouring her a shallow glass.
Penny took it, swirling the contents in her glass. She remembered distinctly how the alcohol Tom had given her burned, though how she felt anything imagined in her head was a mystery to her. Knowingly, she tossed the entire thing back in one gulp, nullifying the burning, which settled pleasantly in her stomach.
"I didn't know you drank," Draco said, looking impressed.
"Me either, but I could get used to this," Penny replied, extending her glass for more.
Draco obliged her, "Sip it this time, I need you to be able to walk back to your dormitory when we're through here."
Penny rolled her eyes, but heeded his instructions and took a sip, crossing her legs and watching the blond boy, who was reclined lazily across from her.
"It's nice."
"Father has nicer, but it'll suffice."
"Right," said Penny.
"Alright, down to business," he said, pouring himself a second drink, "what exactly did you see?"
Penny explained the events precisely as she recalled them, although placing less emphasis on her running from the scene and instead describing herself walking casually. Draco clearly did not believe her, but she pretended not to notice.
"It's highly inconvenient you left before waiting to see if he snogged her back, but by the sounds of it she threw herself at him" Draco mused.
"He didn't exactly throw her off!" Penny said, defensively.
"Of course he didn't, would you? It could have been an awkward situation, do try to imagine yourself in someone else's shoes, Penny," said Draco, in a scolding tone that could rival even that of Aunt Petunia.
Penny rubbed her temples, a pleasant wave of dizziness overtaking her. While Draco was still lost in thought, Penny helped herself, casually, to more firewhisky, this time filling her glass to the brim.
"I'm not usually wrong, but maybe, maybe there is a chance he likes her, lord knows she's tried hard enough. But it doesn't make sense, he came to see you on Tuesday. Hang on, what did happen on Tuesday?"
Penny choked on her drink, "You don't want to know."
Draco raised his eyebrow and waited for her to explain.
"Snape interrupted us. . .shuddup!" Penny said, turning sourly on Draco who was snorting with laughter.
"So you'll be dating no one while at Hogwarts," Draco smirked, calming his laughter.
"ANYWAY. Cedric grabbed me and spun me around, told me how amazing the plays were. But then Snape demanded we separate, but when he told Cedric to go, Cedric took my hand and asked to walk back with me," Penny went on, looking reproachfully at Draco.
He seemed to perk up at this and took another drink, intrigued.
"Oh?"
"Of course Snape threatened to take points from Hufflepuff."
"Forget Snape, you're not ready to face that reality yet, but it's obvious, Tuesday Cedric had eyes only for you. I mean, grabbing you around the waist, basic heterosexual male tactic. You females fall for it every-time," said Draco in a bored tone.
"I did not!"
"Don't try and bullshit me Penny, it's insulting," said Draco, and reprimanded her by flicking her cheek. "Just admit you liked it."
"Fine," said Penny before downing her firewhisky. "It was nice, sometimes when he's so near it's hard not to be overwhelmed by him," said Penny, beginning to feel the world around her spin.
"Like there isn't enough time to take it all in, to feel every inch of them?" Draco added, quietly.
Penny met his sad gaze, "Blaise?" she whispered.
He merely nodded and she poured them both of them another drink and went to sit next to him, draping her arm around him.
"To our future happiness," and they cheered before taking their drink in a shot.
"Shh Penny, we're almost there. We don't want Professor McGonagall finding us," said Draco in an urgent whisper.
"Oh but Draco, let's go out in the snow, I'd really like to go play in the snow!" Penny exclaimed, tugging against Draco's firm arm.
"No Penny, it's midnight, and we have to turn your assignment into Professor Snape or you'll fail, remember?"
"But where is my assignment, Draco, we don't have any bags?" Penny hiccuped.
"Don't worry I have it," Draco said, his voice strained as he tugged her down the dungeon stairwell.
"How do you even know Professor Snape will be down here, what if we catch him in his nightgown," Penny giggled.
"I doubt he sleeps," he muttered as he stopped Penny outside Snape's office door.
He knocked several times before the door opened and Snape's tall frame appeared before them.
"Draco! what're you-"
"Please Professor, I didn't know who else to come to, my father, well you know, but Penny, she's had too much-" but before Draco could finish his sentence Penny flung herself at Professor Snape, tripped in the doorway, Snape catching her before she toppled to the ground. He looked down at her, his eyebrow arched critically.
"Professor, I was so mean today!"
Recognition lighting up Snape's eyes, he clasped a hand around her mouth and stopped her from talking and turned back to Draco as he pulled the unsteady girl over the threshold.
"What was it?" he hissed at Draco.
Draco shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Penny as though uncertain.
"Tell me what it was and you are free to go."
"Firewisky, sir, she saw Cedric with the Chang girl, and she had around 4 glasses of firewhisky," Draco said to the floor.
"Get to bed now, and tell no one," Snape said, as he struggled with a defiant Penny who did not like being silenced.
"She missed astronomy, sir, her brother will be looking for her," Draco added before leaving them, the door shutting with a snap.
"Go sit at my desk Ms. Potter while I find something to deal with your condition," Snape said, giving her a scathing look.
Penny heard none of it, and instead moved around the room, running her fingers along the jars that lined the wall. They emitted such a pleasant vibration she couldn't help but continuously run her hands over them.
"Stop that!" Snape hissed upon his return, grabbing her by the forearm and dragging her toward his desk.
"Oh wow, you feel even better than they do," said Penny, turning on Snape and rubbing the top of his hands, and then reaching for his cheeks.
He froze and stared down at her, his dark eyes trapped somewhere between amusement and fury.
"You're drunk Ms. Potter, I imagine everything feels good," he said, stiffly.
"It really does, why haven't I done this before!" she squealed, caressing his jawline. It was peculiar, she could feel stubble, though his face always seemed so smooth. On her tiptoes, she squinted up at him in the dim light, looking for the five o'clock shadow, finding it, and purring in delight.
"Sit!" Snape commanded, prying her hands from him and forcing her into the chair at his desk,
But Penny refused to oblige and slid out of the chair onto the cold floor, staring up at the twinkling ceiling, using her finger to draw different shapes in the air. Snape's shadow fell over her.
"I thought you were supposed to be upset about the Diggory boy, you do not look like a girl pining over an imbecile."
"Upset? I've re-evaluated the situation, now I'd really just like to kiss him," Penny replied, dreamily, suddenly tracing her own numb lips with her finger. "Can you fetch him!" said Penny, eagerly, sitting up too quickly and teetering over.
"I absolutely will not. I do not think you realize, Ms. Potter, just how many school rules you've broken!" Snape spat.
"Yet you let Draco go. But if you must, I'm here now, punish me professor," Penny simpered before breaking into a cackle. "Can we play some music, I'd really like to dance," Penny said, switching gears before Snape could even scowl at her.
"Enough!" Snape said, furiously, yanking her from the floor and forcing her to sit on the edge of his desk, where he stood before her, trapping her.
"You know, maybe I was right ignoring you today. You tried to hit me the other day, and here you are being violent yet again. You really need to get yourself together man."
"You'll permit me not to take life advice from a girl who cannot hold her liquor."
"Oh pleasee, stop acting so superior. I merely got drunk, you went and took the Dark Mark in your rebellious stage," said Penny, laying backwards on Snape's desk, until her head just dangled off the other-side.
"Potter! You will drink all of this" Snape said, angrily.
"No, I don't think I will."
"Why not," said Snape, in a low voice.
"Because I'm sick of you telling me what to do, and never thinking about how your actions affect me. Do you find it amusing when I suffer?" Penny asked, sitting back up and fixing him with her fierce green eyes.
"I never said-" Snape replied, shifting uncomfortably.
"No you don't ever say anything, you just make demands of me, rage at me and lash out before ever trying to speak to me like I'm a capable human being," she finished, cocking her head sideways, as though she'd never truly seen the man properly before.
His hands took hold of her shoulders to straighten her as though he were afraid she would continue to fall off balance. Penny reached up and held onto his left forearm, closing her eyes in an attempt to make the world stop spinning. However, an eerie prickling was moving through her fingers and into her spine. Eyes fluttering open, she turned and pulled his left arm into her hands, Snape allowing her.
"It feels different here," Penny said quietly, running her fingers over the black fabric that covered his forearm.
Without a word, Snape undid the button at his wrist and rolled up his sleeve, exposing his pale, smooth and muscular forearm, on which, a grotesque image was emblazoned, though it looked as if it had been smudged off over the years. Penny's breath caught in her chest, and she could feel his eyes watching her intently, measuring her reaction. Very slowly, Penny moved her pointer finger toward the mark, unsure if he would let her. When her finger connected with his cool skin, she began tracing the outline of the mark, a horrible sickness flooding through her from it. But she persisted, searching for every inch of the dark magic, trying desperately to understand it.
"Sometimes there are things I can't explain."
Penny made it to the snake's head, considering his words, but then was suddenly overcome with the sickness, pushed Snape's hand away and spewed over the side of his desk. She gasped for breath, her stomach continuing to convulse, Snape making a noise of disgust as he took several steps away from her.
When it finally calmed down, "Perhaps I'll have that potion now," Penny conceded, trying not to spew again at the sight of her own mess.
Snape cleared it with a wave of his wand and walked back toward her, extending the bottle to her.
"You'll need to drink all of it and not spew again, or it won't work," he said, briskly.
Penny had ruined the moment, there was no getting him to return to his vulnerability. She could kick herself for the timing. There was so much she could have said, should have said, and of course she went and puked all over him. Once she became sober again, the man would more than likely make her pay for it, too.
"I shouldn't have drank so much, I didn't realize-" Penny said, quietly, glancing at him.
"Tomorrow you will attend all classes, you will not go to the Hospital Wing, no matter how awful you feel. If you do take something to help with the hangover, I will revoke my mercy, do I make myself plain?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. One way or another, I will impress upon you the importance of pain as an effective learning tool," he said, his lip a thin line. "And Ms. Potter, next time, just tell the boy you like him, and spare us all the mess," Snape smirked as he helped her from his table and toward the Gryffindor Common room.
Penny couldn't believe the man, she would have done just that if Snape hadn't been the- well never mind, it didn't matter now. Her mental faculties were returning, and they were extremely painful, causing her to feel like she might start spewing again. On top of it, she remembered she skipped astronomy and therefore did not turn in her assignment. Penny had never not turned in an assignment, the horror of it made her want to cry, but she dare not in-front of Snape.
Tomorrow's double potions and evening expression lesson were going to be misery, there was no doubt Snape would ensure that. But in this moment Penny couldn't shake the fact Snape had shown a side of himself he'd never shared before, and she doubted he'd shown many others the mark. She still clutched the bare forearm, wondering how many thoughts of Snape's he didn't know how to explain and Penny had misinterpreted. As grotesque as the mark was on his arm, there was something entirely comforting about the ease with which he left it exposed to her. The gesture impressed upon her more feelings and emotions than any of his words ever could. The man was a mystery, but Penny was determined she would eventually solve him.