WARNINGS: If you are a Malfoy/ Harry only shipper, be warned I describe (not in much detail at all) an encounter of a sexual nature between Nott and Malfoy! SO avoid it if you need, it doesnt happen until the endish of the chapter.
Second warning: SEXUALITY happens. It's not super graphic, but curious teenagers! Avoid the end if thats not for you
A second note: You will recognize where Snape harasses Harry because it is taken directly from GoF and IS NOT MINE. I just loved the scene and wanted to use it, although in the GoF timeline is comes earlier, so I changed it a tad!
"Settle down, just because we are nearing the end of the year does not mean my expectations have changed, Longbottom," Snape said, his eyes landing on Neville with displeasure.
Neville had just ran through the door precisely one minute after the bell had rang, a sure fire way to garner Snape's retribution.
"I'm sorry, sir I got stuck in the trick stair, you haven't given today's directions already have you?" Neville squeaked, breathlessly.
"Of course not, Neville, Professor Snape needs at least the first ten minutes to make himself feel himself superior before he can teach anything," Penny said loudly, so it reached Neville across the room.
There was a collective gasp as both Gryffindor and Slytherin faces snapped in Snape's direction in anticipation of his response. His dark eyes narrowed on Penny who reclined lazily in her chair, giving herself a long stretch before bothering to meet his gaze.
Peculiarly, Penny's words were met with silence as Snape opted to instead, walk past her and make his way to Neville's table. She knew he believed making Neville pay for Penny's rudeness would be the more effective option. Snape's lack of acknowledgement of Penny's snark sent a ripple of murmuring through the class. But he gave no sign he noticed nor cared.
He stepped up to Neville's table, his pale thin hands grasping the edge as he looked down his hooked nose on the terrified boy. The sight irritated Penny who knew how fragile Neville's self confidence was. There was no doubt Snape intended to stomp out what little he'd cultivated.
"Do you own a watch, Mr. Longbottom?" said Snape.
"Y-yes, sir." Neville stammered, glancing down at the watch on his left wrist.
"And can you read that watch?"
Neville nodded, his eyes darting around the classroom as though begging someone to rescue him.
"Then, tell me what it says," Snape said, his voice in that quiet-danger-zone.
"Sir?" said Neville, his face going, if possible, even redder.
"Read the watch, you oaf" Snape sneered.
"But sir, I don't understand," Neville finally mustered.
"You don't understand how to read a clock?"
The Slytherins snickered loudly, including Malfoy, whom Penny kicked in the shin.
"N-no I know how to do that. It's just-"
"Do you now? Because you still have yet to do so," drawled Snape.
His brows furrowed, Neville looked down fearfully at his watch. Committing herself to her course of action, Penny got out of her chair and made her way across the room, every pair of eyes except Snape's following her. She stepped into Snape's bubble, feeling him stiffening satisfyingly. Then she reached for Neville's wrist, which he allowed her to take, and looked down at his watch. It looked old, like it was handed down. There were many chips in the glass, probably due to Neville's clumsiness, she'd need to remember to tell him she could teach him to fix that.
"Would you look at that, it says it's time to stop harassing students and to do what you're paid for," Penny said, almost lazily.
A tense stillness fell across the room, it was so thick Penny felt she could cut it with a knife. However, it did not deter her, nor Snape.
"Tired of Diggory already, Ms. Potter? I didn't realize you were desperate enough to find Longbottom appealing, but I suppose you have never been very discerning." Snape finally said.
"I wouldn't expect you to recognize a great catch with that nose of yours obscuring most of your view. But if you weren't blessed with such an unfortunate honker you'd see that Neville is funny, charming and thoughtful," Penny said, not bothering to look at Snape but turning instead to smile at Neville, who smiled weakly back at her. "Now, you've denied us 15 minutes of learning, so what do you say you get back to the task at hand," Penny continued.
The murmuring of the shocked students in the room now sounded like a swarm of annoying buzzing flies, all zooming in and out trying to get a better view of Snape, but zooming away too quickly to be sure, afraid his fly swatter would suddenly make an appearance and they would be on the receiving end of his anger.
Pretending not to notice her peers, Penny turned away from the table.
"I didn't say you could return to your seat," Snape said, his voice a deadly calm.
Penny finally turned to look at him, his face giving no hint of anger except for the tenseness of his jaw. His eyes searched her face, dark and calculating.
"And I didn't ask for permission."
"Do you desire detention for the rest of the year?"
"I don't know, do you desire spending detentions with me for the rest of the year?" Penny smirked.
The two remained in their standoff like two animals trying to decide whether to charge each other or not, each calculating their odds of coming out the victor. Finally, Snape turned away from her with a swish of his cloak and returned to the front of the classroom. With a lazy flick of his wand the day's instructions appeared before them and Snape took a seat at his desk to busy himself with the pile of papers that sat there.
"You shouldn't have done that!" Neville whispered.
"Don't worry about it, Neville," Penny whispered back.
She returned to her seat, an odd sort of pleasure expanding in her chest. The anger she felt at Snape's unjustified, cruel way of ending her friendship found a much needed release in forcing him to struggle with his vindictive need to be superior and punish students, and his attempt to put distance between them.
"Are you possessed?" Draco hissed, glancing nervously at Penny as she began unpacking her supplies for the day.
"No. I'm bored of power trips," Penny replied, not bothering to keep her voice down.
"Is there something you'd like to share with the class, Ms. Potter?" Snape said, looking up from his paper.
"Yeah, I'm curious why you write like an old lady. No one uses cursive anymore, and your lazy strokes make it impossible to tell if that's an 'n' or an 's', you might consider printing next time," Penny hummed, squinting at the board before her.
"Are you trying to be funny, Ms. Potter?"
"Oh, no professor, that's called an observation. Being funny is something completely different," Penny corrected him, her brows furrowed in concern. "If I were being funny I might say something like, 'You look nice today, professor!'" Penny said. "It's funny, you see, because it's a lie, you actually look like an over-sized bat," she finished matter-of-factly.
By this point, several Gryffindors behind Penny were laughing so hard they were crying while the Slytherins glanced at each other in confusion. They had never seen anyone go unpunished by their head of house for such wanton disrespect.
Snape rose from his seat and took several very slow steps in her direction, causing everyone, including Draco to return their attention to their cauldrons and pretend they saw nothing for fear they would get hit by the shrapnel of Snape's inevitable explosion.
Penny did likewise and began chopping ingredients humming merrily as his towering shadow fell over her.
"What do you think this vindictiveness will accomplish?" he said, quietly.
"I don't know where you get vindictiveness, it sounds more like you don't like the truth, probably because you've spent so much energy distracting yourself from it," Penny said, her tone dripping with insinuation as she stirred her potion five times counterclockwise.
"Ah, how adorable, a juvenile attempt at rebellion, it reeks of desperation" Snape said, a grin twisting across his thin lips.
"Let me guess, It's your attention I'm desperate for. I'm sorry to tell you it's likely your greasy hair you smell, try a shower and get back to me," Penny sighed, craning her neck around Snape's form to see what the next line of instructions said.
"You are about as witty as your father," he sneered.
"I'll take that as a compliment, from what I've heard my father was quite intelligent, charming and handsome, my mother stood no chance against such a combo."
The 'James vein' in his temple throbbed, becoming visible all the way into Snape's neck. His eyes snapped to what she knew must be Harry's form. For a moment, he watched Harry in seething anger, but then his lips curled and his eyes became bright with maliciousness.
"Perhaps a new approach is warranted. Suffering has proven ineffective against your masochistic tendencies. But you are averse to voyeurism," he said, softly, his thin fingers tapping her table forebodingly.
Penny looked up from her cauldron into the terrifying face. Cruelty shadowed the lines, making him look paler than usual. He held her gaze a moment to make certain she was paying attention, and then he made his way to the back of the room where Harry sat.
Penny's heart sank as Snape's icy voice rang through the room, "Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger, I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."
His eyes lingered gloatingly on Penny before he looked down again.
"Ah . . . reading magazines under the table as well?" Snape added, snatching up what looked to be a copy of Witch Weekly. "A further ten points from Gryffindor. . .oh but of course. . ." Snape's black eyes glittered as they fell on something written on the cover. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings. . . ."
The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter, while Penny groaned internally. She had not bargained for this and regretted her decisions. Snape was more committed than she'd anticipated.
"'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache. . .' dear, dear. Potter, what's ailing you now? 'A boy like no other, perhaps. . .Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.' How very touching," sneered Snape, rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins.
Satisfied his message reached Penny loud and clear, Snape left a red-with-anger Harry and a red-with-embarrassment Hermione to their work. Penny avoided his gaze and kept her mind fixed on the potion before her, her irritation being much worse than it had been when she'd arrived to class. Unfortunately, it meant that she'd been careless with her potion. Because she'd missed a step she now had to try to work out how to salvage it.
"I'm meeting Nott tonight," Draco said, having reached the last stage of his potion which required that he need only set a timer to let it simmer before removing it from the heat and then bottling it.
"What?" Penny said, only half listening being distracted by her mess of a potion.
" Nott , it's all going according to plan," Draco repeated, scrutinizing Penny.
"Oh, he actually agreed? He doesn't feel bad?"
"Feel bad about what?" Draco snorted.
"Seeing both of you," Penny replied, her brow arched.
"Dear, sweet innocent Penny, one day you will learn the true nature of the opposite sex," he said, pity in his voice.
"By the sounds of it, I hope not," Penny said, as she vigorously chopped toad liver into tiny chunks in an attempt to un-do her mistake.
"I've never seen you looking like such a. . .hot mess in potions before. What happened between you and-" he said, jerking his head towards Professor Snape so as not to get his attention by saying his name.
"Nothing. Nothing happened, he is my annoying professor just as he always has been," Penny replied through gritted teeth.
"And I'm in love with your brother," Draco said, dryly.
"I'm glad you've finally admitted to yourself what everyone else already knows," said Penny, starting her timer. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Are you sure you want to do this, I suggested it as more of a joke," Penny added, feeling concerned for her Slytherin friend.
"Oh Penny, you're actually worried about me? It's almost so cute I could pinch your cheeks. But I am a Malfoy, and nothing is more important than ensuring others respect it. Blaise wanted to be a lying sl-" he said, stopping abruptly when he noticed Snape get up to make his last rounds of the classroom. "A lying cheat," he went on quietly, adjusting course in case Snape overheard them, "and I will make him regret it."
"If you're certain. . ." Penny said with a shake of her head.
Because of her mistake, Penny's timer still read five minutes when her peers were filling out.
"Please stay, don't leave me alone with him," Penny begged under her breath.
"I am not getting in between whatever lovers quarrel you two have going on. You knew what you were getting into when you decided to be a smartass earlier," Draco said before taking his leave as well.
Penny stared at the timer willing it to move faster, before Snape noticed her. But too late, the man loomed over her.
"Why is your potion blue instead of green?" his icy voice asked.
"It'll be green in 4 minutes and 20 seconds," Penny replied.
"That was not in the instructions."
"I made the executive choice to deviate from the instructions."
"Ms. Potter, to receive points for the day you were tasked with brewing a Wiggenweld potion."
"Exactly, nowhere in that task did you give any requirements for the means by which one reaches that end," Penny said, looking down at her potion, fearful that in the next minute it would not turn the correct shade of green.
"You are mistaken, you are required to do said task by the end of the class period, which ended five minutes ago, meaning this surmounts to a zero." Snape said, cooly.
Before Penny could make her argument Snape raised his wand, "Evanesco" and the contents in Penny's cauldron disappeared.
"You can't do that! That's my work! THERE WERE THIRTY SECONDS LEFT," Penny fumed, jamming her timer into his face.
Snape took the timer from her and cleared it, a horrible smirk on his lips.
"Just because you think you are special does not mean I will give you special treatment."
"That's a funny way of explaining why you have no common decency! Any good teacher would give their students the extra five minutes to receive their grade. It's not like I did nothing all class!"
"If this were an examination, Potter, you would fail. I do not believe coddling my students does anything to prepare them for reality. "
With another flick of his wand he cleared her station and sent her bag flying at her, which she barely caught before it smashed her in the nose.
"You may go."
"Reality? I hope you enjoy your reality being miserable and alone," Penny seethed, throwing her bag on shoulder and making for the exit.
Deciding she did not much fancy dinner, Penny made her way to the library, knowing Cedric was likely still there doing research for the third task. By some miracle she found him alone in a corner, probably because most of the castle was in the Great Hall eating their dinner.
Cedric looked up and smiled, but the smile quickly turned into a pout when she pulled out her own chair. He patted his lap with a wink. With a roll of her eyes, Penny sprawled herself across his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
His eyes were tired, little purple circles encasing them. He rubbed them and yawned, before gravitating naturally to her lips. He kissed her softly, his hand finding hers and interlacing his fingers with hers.
"You look flushed, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling away to give her nose a little kiss before observing her intently.
"I just came from Potions and Snape gave me a zero," Penny choked out, the horror of an actual failing grade constricting the functioning of her chest.
"Why would Snape give you a zero?" Cedric said in bewilderment.
"Because of his new vendetta against me," Penny grimaced as she thought about what her potions grade would become with two months left in the year.
"A vendetta? It seems like his attitude towards you has changed a lot since we started dating. Were you two-that is. . .have you ever. . ." Cedric said, awkwardly,
Penny gaped at Cedric, horrified.
"Have I what? " she pressed, her eyes narrowed.
"Don't look at me like that! You had to know it's gone around the school! And When Lupin showed up, everyone thought-well," he said, running his hand through his hair looking more and more uncomfortable as Penny's irritation radiated from her.
"You brought this topic up, so you might as well have the balls to just say it."
"Everyone thought something was going on with you and Snape, and it seemed confirmed when Lupin started teaching because it looked like," Cedric said, putting his hands up to stem the Penny tirade at the accusation, "that there was some feud going on between Lupin and Snape for you. I think the common consensus is you dumped Snape for Lupin," he finished.
"Dumped Snape for Lupin?" Penny half-laughed. "I swear people need hobbies."
She shook her head at the absurdity, but noted that Cedric was watching her, looking unconvinced.
"Don't tell me you believe those rumors?" Penny asked, incredulously.
"When I say it outloud, it sounds pretty silly, but I just wanted to hear you say it," he shrugged.
Penny took Cedric's face into both of her hands and stared intently at him.
"I have never dated Professor Snape, nor Professor Lupin, though I did have a giant crush on Lupin for a long time. But honestly, you're. . .my first boyfriend," Penny admitted with a sheepish smile.
"Penny Potter's first love, I like the prospect of going down as the one you'll never forget," he said, giving her a strategically placed kiss on her neck.
It sent a shiver up her spine, but she could not ignore the feeling of foreboding she felt at his words.
"Don't say that, Cedric," Penny said, her tone melancholic.
He pulled back, his pretty eyes wrinkled with worry.
"I don't want things to change, but they always do. So, can't we just not think about what the future holds," she went on, turning to him for the answers.
His hand reached up and caressed her cheek.
"I'd say yes, but there was something I did want to ask you and it has to do with the future."
The thud of a book sent Penny flying in Cedric's lap. They both turned around and realized it was just another student getting a book from a nearby shelf, but they both noticed Madam Pince making her rounds and getting closer to their table. So Penny lept off Cedric's lap, sat in the chair across from him and opened a book. They both pretended to be reading silently when she passed, though she gave them a suspicious double take, yet, there was nothing she could say to break them up, so she went on her way.
When she was certain Madam Pince was out of earshot, Penny looked back up at Cedric.
"Ask away, but afterwards we make the pact," she said.
He nodded in agreement, his foot snaking its way across the table to rub the side of her leg mischievously.
"Stay focused," Penny scolded.
"It's impossible with that skirt you're in," said Cedric.
"I wear this skirt like everyday?"
"No you don't, it's decidedly shorter than all the others!" Cedric said, accusingly.
Penny couldn't help but laugh at this. "I mean, I guess it is the oldest of my skirts, but I never noticed that much difference between them," she shrugged.
"I can assure you, we have all noticed."
"We?" Penny said, her eyebrow arched.
"Everyone attracted to women in this castle," Cedric said with so much assurance it was almost comical.
"Right, if you say so," Penny said, thoroughly unconvinced. "Can you just tell me what you were going to ask me now? If you do, I promise to wear this skirt more often," she winked.
He agreed with a lopsided grin.
"I'm going on a family trip with my parents to Belgium and they said I could bring someone. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?" he asked, looking tentative.
"You want me to go with you?" Penny replied, stupidly.
"Uh, yeah? My parents would ensure you have your own room and all that, if your aunt and uncle were worried about us. . .you know, staying in the same room," he said, a blushing creeping tantalizingly into his cheeks.
"My aunt and uncle would never care," Penny said, with a cynical wave of her hand. "But you really want me to come? Like a real summer holiday?" she said, still unable to process what he'd asked her.
"Of course I do," Cedric said, looking confused.
"Do you promise Cedric, can we really go this summer?" Penny said, her eyes bright like a toddler who was looking at a toy they desired more than any other.
"So you want to come?"
"Nothing would make me happier!"
He gave her a very relieved smile and took her hand in his, giving it a very gentle kiss.
"It's a promise, Penny Potter, this summer I will kiss you in Belgium," he said, looking up at her through heavy lids. The look sent a flush to Penny's cheeks, suddenly the prospect of being with Cedric all summer seemed quite dangerous.
It was hard to concentrate on their task at hand after that, with Cedric's foot getting distracted by Penny's leg, but she managed to help him get through a few more books before they said their goodbyes to retire to their common rooms before they were given detention for being out after curfew.
Tomorrow was Saturday and Penny looked forward to spending the day with Cedric and was daydreaming about all the places they could find to be alone when soft voices caught her attention. Penny followed what seemed to be moaning, thinking someone must be injured somewhere up ahead. She stopped outside of a classroom and on her tiptoes peered through the slotted window in the door. Inside were two figures, barely visible through the light of one of their wands, which sat on the desk beside them.
Squinting, she realized one of the people was sitting on the desk, their head thrown backwards, the moaning obviously originating from him. Confused, Penny's eyes traveled downward where she finally noticed the other person, who was on their knees, their blond head facing away from Penny and into the crotch of the other.
With a flush, it dawned on Penny that before her was Malfoy and Nott caught in a very intimate act, one that the sight of awakened her own arousal. The way Malfoy moved, eliciting such pleasure from Nott intrigued Penny. Though she knew she should go, she wanted to see the act to its end.
"Ms. Potter, why are you not in your common room," interrupted her wickedness.
Her heart nearly bursting from her chest, Penny jumped away from the door, her face red with embarrassment and guilt.
Snape's eyes narrowed on her and then glanced to the door she'd just been looking through.
"What is going on here, hmm?" he said softly.
"N-nothing, sir!" Penny said too quickly. "I just left the library and was on my way back to my common room."
"And what was of so much interest in there that you stopped, I wonder," he said, taking a step toward the door.
Penny leapt in his way, unsure if she was more afraid of Malfoy being caught in such a compromised state, or if she did not want Snape to know she'd been enjoying the show.
"I thought I heard Peeves in there, that's all," Penny lied.
It was a weak lie, ruined by a loud moan that drifted from the door. Penny could only close her eyes as Snape's brows furrowed. Why had Draco not at least performed a simple muffling charm?
Snape pushed Penny aside with a lazy hand as he peered through the window. Curiosity getting the best of her, Penny followed Snape and got back up on her tiptoes to peer.
Nott's body was stiffening, Malfoy's head bobbing more vigorously. Penny was impressed at his ability and wondered how his throat was not killing him by now. Then Malfoy pulled away abruptly, releasing Nott's. . .Penny's eyes bulged at the sight of it, but she became distracted by something shooting out the end of it and hitting Draco in the face and hair, Nott giving out a small cry of pleasure at the release.
"Did he just. . .all over his face?" Penny said, sounding appalled.
At this Snape's eyes darted down to Penny, seemingly just realizing she'd been watching with him.
"To your common room, Ms. Potter. Now !" Snape commanded.
"But it's Malfoy's turn!" Penny protested, fixated on the scene in the classroom.
Snape's hand covered her eyes and he yanked her backwards, pulling her away from the doorway and marching her toward what she assumed must be the Gryffindor common room.
"Get off me! If you hadn't noticed, I wasn't the one doing anything wrong!" Penny fumed.
"I underestimated you, Potter, perhaps you are a voyeur," he hissed, finally letting her go.
"Don't be such a prude. I will say, I never realized it went down quite like that," Penny muttered, finding herself suddenly deep in thought, wondering if Cedric would throw his head back in such a sexy manner if she were to try it on him. . . .
"You will do no such thing," Snape said, his voice shaking with the effort to remain calm.
"What?" Penny said, finally noticing she was being watched.
His eyes were fixed on her own and she realized he was intruding on her thoughts.
"Hey! Get out of my head!"
"Get those dirty thoughts of your head unless you want to be expelled!" he spat.
"No! I quite like them. If it's such a big deal, why don't you go break those two up, hmm? Perhaps I should alert Professor McGonagall since you seem to be incapable of performing your duties when it comes to your own house," Penny said, her voice laced with accusation.
"You will speak to no one of this, do you understand me?" Snape said, his voice suddenly threatening.
"Hang on, you didn't know did you? As his head of house I thought you would have suspected. I guess you are not very perceptive. Needless to say, Draco already knows his secret is safe with me, so you can calm down," Penny said, condescending, still irritated with the man about earlier.
"Fine! Get to bed before I decide to give you detention, tomorrow," Snape seethed.
"Gladly, I need tomorrow to try out what I just learned on Cedric, but before I go, does it always have to be so messy? I don't really understand why Draco would want to take a face full of-"
"GET TO BED POTTER!" Snape screamed, his fists clenched and body shaking.
Feeling this reaction was entirely unwarranted, Penny shrugged and did as her Professor bade. She needed to find someone to ask about this, perhaps Hermione would be a good person to approach. She was the most likely to have. . .accurate information. Then again, she could ask Cedric, but that seemed too humiliating. She wanted to at least know something before ever considering bringing the topic up.
Standing outside the portrait hole, the answer came to her. Had not Lupin just told her if she had questions of precisely this nature he would be willing to answer them? Yes, he was the obvious person to ask, she knew he would not make her feel silly for being curious.
AN: HEY FAM, we made it another week! YAY and wah, I don't want Voldemort to come back. Actually, I lie, I want Death Eater Snape to show up and to watch him struggle with Penny like thaaat! But the sad stuff, no thanks :(
I was too amused writing this chapter. Oh, Snape, you didn't sign up for dealing with teenage sexual discovery did you! HAHAHA. Just wait until Sirius finds ouut, Hopefully, Lupin keeps it between them!
I got my covid shot and life is look up! I hope you are all enjoying your weekend, sending all my love! (Midterms this week, I may not post next weekend, but we will see how my exams go!)