**the portion of the tale of the three brothers IS NOT MINE it comes straight from JKR and the books!
Happy new week ya'll! Mine starts with a public holiday! Wahoo! Feels good not to have classes! I just want to warn everyone, I am in the last few weeks of my semester, so I have all my exams and final assignments so I may not update for a couple weeks. I will do my best, but it all depends on how well I stay on top of things. This extra big Snape scene is my apology for that, hopefully it keeps you happy while we wait to move the story forward!
Have a safe and healthy week!
By some miracle, Penny remained under the radar of Professor Umbridge, who seemed to be ignoring Penny for some reason. It made her wonder if something had transpired while she'd been away, but she could not complain, though she felt the beady eyes watching her whenever she was in class, and Umbridge often made a point of calling on Penny to answer questions, yet she did not approach Penny outside of classes.
The only person harassing Penny outside of classes was Angelina Johnson, who spent all of her waking hours making arguments for why Penny needed to join the Gryffindor quidditch team now that Harry, Fred and George had lifetime bans. More out of loyalty to her twin than any conviction not to play, Penny repeatedly refused. Harry tried, half heartedly, to convince her to join but Penny knew he was happy she refused, even though he tried to hide it from her. Penny knew how miserable Harry was without quidditch, and she could not watch him enduring that while being a part of the team. So, in solidarity with her twin she resisted the demands, and Ginny joined the team instead.
"Thank god it's just you and not your girlfriend too," George said when Penny entered the room of requirement and found them hard at work.
"That's a bit rude, she is your sister," Penny pointed out.
"Precisely why we can't stand another moment of your snogging."
"You two really need to find somewhere else for that," Fred interjected, looking up from what he was doing.
"What's that?" Penny said, reaching for the orange and purple sweet Fred was admiring.
"A Nosebleed Nougat," he grinned.
"Another Skiving Snackbox?" said Penny with half a grin and a shake of her head.
"Finally perfected it, you can have it for free—if you swear to stop kissing Ginny when we're around," said George.
With a roll of the eyes, she pocketed the sweet before plopping into a chair. The day had been long, classes, just as everyone had warned Penny, were absurdly demanding this year. She'd managed to write three essays, but still had not made it through her pile of homework due by Friday and she wondered where she would find the time. She was already going to sleep later than usual, perhaps she would ask for Hermione's help on the essay for Umbridge, Penny really had no talent or interest in Defense Against the Dark Arts, though her bland, by the book essays had earned her O's in all her work. Umbridge would be the type of professor to like uncreative and uncritical pieces of work.
"Speaking of siblings and their annoying dating choices," Fred said, shooting a look at George. "I think we need to reconsider the proposal about Cho Chang."
"What are you not telling me?" Penny said, her eyes narrowing on the twins who looked to be shifting uneasily.
" We have only ever looked out for our third," George said, feigning indignation.
"Your accusations wound us," Fred said, leaning back in his chair and teetering back and forth, "It's your brother whom you should be accusing!"
"Harry? What does this have to do with Harry?" Penny said, flabbergasted.
"She hasn't heard," "She really hasn't heard," they said consecutively.
"Heard what. . ." Penny said, not liking where this conversation was going.
"He's 15, you can't blame him," Fred reasoned, as though it might lessen the blow that was coming.
"An older woman, who can resist!" added George.
"You are not suggesting Harry and Cho. . ." said Penny, springing to her feet.
"That's precisely what we are suggesting," said Fred, getting to his feet as well and making his way toward her to rest a consoling hand on her shoulder.
"I would know!" Penny said, pulling away from him and feeling irrationally annoyed.
"About that, mate, pretty sure he's keeping it from you," said George, seating himself on the edge of the desk. "Breaking the twin code, but we all get one transgression."
"Harry doesn't keep anything from me! And he knows what she did—"
"Love makes us do stupid things," George said with a shrug.
"He isn't in love with her!" Penny said loudly, as though it would make it more true.
"Alright, lust makes you do even more stupider things than love. Take you and Theodore Nott for example," Fred countered.
"When did this become about me," Penny gaped, rounding on Fred.
"We love you like a sister, Penny," George said, stepping up and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Speak for yourself!" said Fred.
George rolled his eyes at Fred and continued anyway. "Alright, I love you like a sister, he's just in love with you, but the details are unnecessary. Our intentions remain the same, and it's to advise you in this extremely delicate situation. This little fling will be fleeting, but Harry will always be your twin, it's important to consider how you respond—"
"But how can you be sure," Penny said, her fierce green eyes boring into George's.
"Seen them, haven't we, Fred?"
"Aye!"
"Where?"
"In the DA meetings. Has her claws deep, that one, expect she will be making her move soon," George said, knowingly.
"But Harry doesn't—"
"I assure you he does , but if you don't believe us, see for yourself tonight at the DA meeting," corrected Fred.
Tossing her head back, Penny groaned. This was not how she wanted this situation to go. "Fine, I will. But I need some time to process this," Penny said, ducking out of George's grasp, snatching her bag and making for the door.
"Where are you going? You can't go now!" the twins demanded.
"I can't concentrate after this, I'll see you two later," she waved, not bothering to look back at them.
Penny did not know what to think, Fred and George had never lied to her before, and judging by the look on their faces, they seemed genuinely concerned for her. But Harry and Cho? Penny knew he'd defended her, but that was just Harry's nature, or was it? Penny did not like Cho Chang much, mostly because Cho had given her many reasons to dislike her, but if Harry indeed liked her, would Penny ruin his happiness with her own grudge? Even though Cho would not know who printed the article, Harry would, and Harry would not soon forgive her for such cruelty.
Feeling too annoyed to head back to the common room, Penny made for the library, seeing as both Harry and Ron had an aversion to the place so she surely would not run unto them. The thought of Ron reminded Penny she had been meaning to get out the Tales of Beedle the Bard, which she located with ease.
The book was quite new and pristine, the pages crisp when Penny found a table hidden in the corner and flipped through them, skimming stories until she landed on one called The Tale of The Three Brothers. Seeing the common depiction of death holding his scythe, Penny stopped and read:
There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too deep to swim across. However, these brothers were learnt in the magical arts, so they simply waved their wand and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river.
But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers
upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the eldest brother.
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further and asked for the power to recall others from death. So Death picked up the stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother travelled for a week or more, and reached a distant village, he sought out a fellow with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he
boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible. That very night, another wizard crept upon the eldest brother. The thief took the wand and used it to kill the first brother. And so Death took the first brother for his own.
Meanwhile, the second brother travelled to his own home, where he lived alone. Here, he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death, appeared before him once more. Yet she was silent and cold, separated from him as though by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother's body gave up on him and he truly joined his love. And so Death took the second brother for his own.
But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had obtained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.
And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility, Penny read again and again, a creeping sensation crawling over her extremities. A million thoughts were zooming through her brain, but she did not have the time to mull over each in turn because she was already late for her meeting with Snape. Since she'd returned to Hogwarts, they had silently agreed to meet in the empty first floor classroom because Penny still refused to enter his office and Snape did not seem willing to argue about it further.
Not bothering to apologize for her lateness, Penny found Snape seated behind the desk, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Is there a reason you are 20 minutes late, Ms. Potter?"
"Yeah, I was reading," Penny said, hopping onto the table before him and beginning to yank her uniform sweater over her head.
"And what was the name of this book you were enthralled enough with to completely disregard that I might have other things I'd like to do with my time?"
"The tale of the three brothers," replied Penny, laying down and turning to observe the irritated man beside her. His arms and legs crossed, reclining in his chair, he looked down on her with that unimpressed eyebrow of his.
"Am I to understand that you have wasted my time for a children's story." It was not a question, Snape's voice moving toward the danger zone.
"I suppose your mum must have read it to you when you were a child," Penny mused out loud, realizing Snape might prove himself to be useful.
He scowled at this, but did not respond, prompting Penny to sorely want to roll her eyes, but she resisted. "So should I take that to mean you don't know the story then?"
"Of course I do, everyone—"
"Everyone except the muggleborn. You forget I did not know magic existed until I got my Hogwarts' letter," Penny said, somewhat snappishly. She did not like reminders about how her aunt and uncle prolonged her misery by keeping the truth from her and Harry. "But I shant begrudge you for so callously forgetting my mum is dead if you tell me what you think of the story," said Penny, sitting up and tossing her legs over the top of the table to face him.
It was a strange thing, looking down on Snape, seeing as he was the one typically towering over her. Judging by his twitching eye he seemed to develop, he did not like the reversal of roles.
"And for what reason would you be asking me such a question," he said in a deliberately slow voice.
Tossing her head back, Penny sighed in exasperation, "You're really going to make this difficult aren't you? Nothing can ever just be straightforward with you. For the record, I was asking for your opinion not a vow of allegiance," Penny said, darkly, turning back to see Snape's right arm grasp his left subconsciously.
"You seem to be forgetting the last time I answered a question in good faith you used the information to try and kill yourself, so you'll forgive me for remaining unmoved by your impatience."
"Here's good faith for you, I'll start. This death guy, he lost his invisibility cloak and I imagine that makes doing his job a lot harder, wouldn't it?"
"You are speaking as though death were alive ."
"He is, in the story. And that pesky third brother tricked him for his cloak, a prized possession, wouldn't you be annoyed?"
"I do not need an invisibility cloak to remain unseen if I so choose," Snape replied, sardonically.
"Can you just try answering the question, this is an analysis of the tale of the three brothers, not a dick measuring contest."
"You forget yourself—"
"Sorry, not a dick measuring contest, sir . Now can you try staying on task? If death lost his cloak to this brother and the brother came back without it, death would still be looking for it, and worse still, he might demand payment for all the lives he was denied because the third brother had his cloak."
"Are we writing the sequel? Because I fail to see the point of this mundane exercise," Snape said, coldly.
"The point? Understanding death is the point!" Penny said, incredulously. "And I took you for a clever man."
"And I took you for being capable of understanding basic concepts. Death is not a person, Ms. Potter, so why would it need understanding."
"But how do you know that?"
"I grow tired of this, you have wasted enough of my time, now lay down so we can get on with it and then we can both—"
"I don't want to lay down, I'm busy thinking, touch my thigh if you want to hurry this up, it's not doing anything."
"I will not be touching your thigh!" Snape said in a strangled voice that perplexed Penny. She looked down and found him beet red, staring furiously up at her as though she had horribly insulted him.
"Don't be so dramatic, it's a leg not a breast," Penny said, reaching toward him to grab his hand, but he leaned away from her, causing her to fall into his lap very ungracefully.
"You imbecile," he grunted, when her elbow collided with his nose and the pair of them tumbled backward over his chair
Penny sat up, rubbing her neck and then looked down at Snape beneath her, feeling confused by the man. He was massaging the back of his head, looking very annoyed and flustered by her being on top of him. It was evident he wanted to push her off of him, but he seemed to be agonizing over how best to do that. His choices were the legs straddling him, or her waist, and all of these options appeared to pose a moral conundrum.
Penny couldn't help but laugh at his helpless frustration. "This is your fault for acting like I asked you to do something obscene, you prude."
"Get up, now , Potter," Snape hissed.
"Not until you tell me your thoughts about death," Penny said, her mouth twisting into a smug grin.
"I won't ask you again!"
"And neither will I," Penny replied, crossing her arms defiantly.
"Do you even have a modicum of decency!"
"No, and neither do you, we are a perfect pair," Penny said, dryly.
"I have never thrown myself—would never—" Snape spluttered.
"How did this go from just trying to get your thoughts about a children's story to your messed up relationship with your own sexuality. I'd figured it'd been a while, have you even ever been with a woman?"
"Who I have been with is none of your concern!" he spat. "If you do not get off me, I will jinx you!"
"Just answer the question!" Penny bellowed in frustration.
Shaking in rage, Snape closed his eyes, keeping them closed for a long moment before answering in a low, unsteady voice. "The third brother stole from death and he seemed to understand the cost of that, which is why he passed the cloak on, so death could not collect from him . I imagine the family line continued to hand it down because you'd have to be a moron not to realize death does not forget his debts."
"Like a family heirloom, passed onto the children," Penny said, quietly, not realizing she was speaking out loud.
"Son," Snape corrected through gritted teeth.
"What did you say?" said Penny.
"He passed it onto his son, a cloak can only cover one, the story makes no mention of multiple children."
"What makes you think it can only cover one?" demanded Penny.
"It is a cloak of invisibility not a tent," Snape sneered.
"So death couldn't find the one who had the cloak, but if there were siblings, do you think death—"
" Someone has to pay the toll," Snape snapped in exasperation.
Green eyes met black, Penny staring into the dark pools without really seeing them, her thoughts a thousand miles from where she was, lost in the horrible realization that Snape's words had brought her.
"I recently came into my family tree," Penny said, absentmindedly. She didn't know why she was telling him, all she knew was that she just needed to be free of the thoughts, for them to be made manifest so she could decide if they were ridiculous or not. "Did you know my father was an only child of an only child?"
"And why do I care," the cold voice responded.
Ignoring him, Penny continued, "It was strange, there were a lot of only children, but when there were siblings, all those who weren't the eldest seemed to have early deaths. And there aren't any twins, you see, twins come from my mother's side. Harry and I are the first Potter twins, but when Dumbledore returned our father's invisibility cloak he bequeathed it to—"
Penny did not get to finish her thought, Snape's cold hand snaking its way around her mouth, and clasping it tightly, his other gripping her waist painfully. "Shh!" he hissed, sitting up much too quickly for Penny to have registered what was happening before it happened. His face was turned toward the door, where echoes from the hall reached their ears, echoes of the high pitched, sickly sweet voice of Professor Umbridge.
Breath catching in her chest, Penny's green eyes widened in fear as Snape turned to look at her, his warm minty breath hitting her square in the face. The buzzing electricity that came with his nearness was calming her, but not enough to quell the terror in her heart. She did not want to find out what would happen if Umbridge found them or what Umbridge might do given the chance to be alone with Penny again. Snape's dark eyes scrutinized Penny as they listened, the voice getting nearer, so near they could make out the words.
"Make sure to check them all, Mr. Filch, and I'll check these."
Yanking Snape's hand from her mouth, "We need to get out of here, now!" she said in a harsh whisper, rolling off of him and into a crouch. But his hand caught her, stopping her before she made it out of his reach.
"We are not running from Dolores Umbridge," he said in a whispered sneer.
"Maybe you aren't but I sure as hell am. If you want to stay, be my guest, but after what she did—" Penny regretted the slip as soon as she made it. Snape's eyes narrowed suddenly, and she felt the familiar boring sensation in her head, the one that meant Snape was looking for the words she hadn't said, for what she was hiding.
"What did she do, Potter. Tell me, quickly. "
"It's of no concern to you, now let me go," Penny said, dismissively, trying to pry Snape's fingers from her wrist.
The sound of high-heeled footsteps one room over echoed through the wall, sending Penny's heart beating erratically, making her more desperate.
"Why would you be so uncharacteristically afraid of Dolores Umbridge, I wonder?" he said, delicately, yanking her closer toward him.
"I'm not afraid of her," Penny lied, avoiding his gaze.
"Don't lie to me, I can feel your hand trembling."
The tap tap tap of the heels entered the hall again.
" Please , let's go," Penny begged, looking toward the door, the handle rattling when Umbridge tried to turn it but found it locked. Snape gave her a last long piercing look and then he was on his feet, releasing her and following her to the window. Penny shoved it open and jumped, it wasn't far, and the snow softened her fall, but she stumbled, Snape following much more gracefully behind her.
Blinding light streamed from the window, illuminating them and all which surrounded them. The window being left open must have caught Umbridge's attention because her foot falls were headed in their direction, and to Penny's horror, she realized there was no way to escape unseen. Penny could run, top speed, but Umbridge would surely recognize her head of hair. But before she could make the decision, Snape's hand clasped itself around her mouth for the second time and he pulled her firmly into his chest, flattening them against the wall. His wand was out, and she could feel his hot breath tickling her ear as he began muttering incantations Penny was not familiar with. Her skin prickled unnaturally, but Penny did not resist it.
His arms held her much more forcefully than they needed, but Penny did not need telling to remain very still, holding her breath as she waited, praying to Merlin that Snape was as talented a wizard as everyone made him out to be. The clicking slowed and then came to a stop, the window creaking open, the long shadow of Dolores Umbridge falling over them. In the eerie stillness, Penny thought her heart would surely fall from her chest, they were standing right beneath her, pressed against the wall or not, she had to see them, and what would she say when she did? There would be no talking their way out of this one.
But then, much to Penny's relief, the shadow disappeared, the window snapped shut and they were cast back into darkness. Snape did not release her, he was waiting, unconvinced she had truly given up. Penny listened to him listening, his breathing calm, his heart beating rhythmically unlike Penny's erratic one, and the hand against her mouth steady.
Lights in the next several classrooms, who's windows also resided along the wall they stood, flickered on brightly, Umbridge's ugly toad-like head poking out each window in turn while they remained, hidden somehow by whatever Snape had done. It wasn't until Penny began shaking from the cold did she realize why Umbridge was being so thorough, she had left her sweater inside the classroom.
Closing her eyes at her own stupidity, Penny wracked her brain trying to remember if there had been any identifying markers on the sweater. Normally, they were asked to put their initials on their clothing, but by some blessed miracle Penny had not done that yet, seeing as Mrs. Weasley had just purchased it for her. She would be down a sweater, but Umbridge would not know it belonged to her.
Penny's teeth began chattering annoyingly beneath Snape's hand, which he still had not moved. In an uncharacteristically thoughtful gesture, he wrapped his cloak around her with his free hand, blanketing her in the warmth. Penny's nerves easing greatly, probably due to the nearness to Snape and that stupid effect he had on her, she relaxed, resting her head against his firm chest as they waited in silence and stillness. There were at least 30 classrooms along this wall and Umbridge checked every single one, which took the better part of an hour.
When the rooms fell silent and dark, still they waited, the sound of soft snowfall the only thing to be heard. They tickled Penny's nose, falling like stars from the sky. They settled on the blanket of white before them, glittering softly from the light of the castle. She could feel the snow on her lashes, taste it on her lips. It was the taste of deception. The taste of serenity that could never be. The taste of warmth that would sap the life from her. The snow could not be trusted, just like the ease with which she relaxed into the man behind her could not be.
She knew he held onto her longer than he needed to because he did not want to return to their reality. His hands would feel like safety to Penny if not for the warning in her heart. It was true, they were bound by destiny, or perhaps just their natures, regardless, neither could undo what had already been done, and so Penny pulled free of his grasp and he did not stop her, though she could feel his reluctance.
"I'm sure she will be watching the Entrance Hall, but there is a secret passage—"
"Not until you tell me what she did to you, Potter." His voice was crisp, like the snow beneath her shoe.
"I already told you," she said, meeting his crispness with her own briskness.
"I cannot help you if I do not know—"
"I don't want your help!" Penny fumed, rounding on him. "Your help always comes at a price, and I've got nothing left to pay for it with."
"Don't pretend to be so victimized, you had no qualms benefiting from my help just a moment ago," he said, scathingly.
"I wouldn't have needed your help if you'd just let me leave when I wanted to!"
"If you want to play that petty game, then perhaps the blame is on yourself, for wasting both our time with your stupid—"
"Glad to finally hear you say talking to me is a stupid waste of your time," Penny said in a biting tone. "It makes not giving a shit what you want from me a whole lot easier." And in her rage, Penny turned and began stomping her way toward the secret passage, Snape's footsteps hot behind her.
"Why must you twist everything I say! You know that I meant—"
"No, I don't know because you never actually say what you mean! In fact, you purposely don't tell me what you are thinking, so if you are unhappy with the rewards of your effort try something else, even a toddler could figure that out."
"Stop walking away from me, Potter, I'm speaking to you!" said Snape, angrily, grabbing her by the shoulder and forcing her back around.
"Funny thing is, professor, that's all you ever do when I want to talk to you, so you'll understand why I see no reason to be compelled into a conversation I have zero interest in having," Penny said, yanking her shoulder free of his grasp.
"I want to know what she did, and you will tell me now, " he said through clenched teeth, choosing not to respond to any of the accusations she'd made.
"And I just wanted a conversation with you about a book, and you couldn't even do that," Penny said with a hard laugh. "So no, Professor, I won't tell you."
"Why—" he said, his voice getting low and waspish.
Penny stepped closer to him, invading his bubble, her nose high in the hair and fists shaking. "Because I don't trust you," she said with such vehemence, she could feel the waves of electricity coming from him recoil.
The anger in his features seemed to evaporate, to be replaced with something that felt like fear. He reached a shaking hand out, he grasped at her shirt, pulling her forward in a manner someone might adopt when threatening someone else, but in his eyes Penny found a desperate man clutching onto anything near enough to hang on to.
"Tell me what to do! I will do anything, " he barely managed to choke out, the plea plain as day in his tone. But it did not have the effect he hoped for, it only hardened her heart further.
"No you won't, that's a lie. What you mean to say is you will do anything but what I asked of you, there's a difference," she breathed, her green eyes boring into his black ones, looking for the faintest glimmer that he would relent—but he would not. The infuriating expression of helpness looked back at her, as though what he kept from her was beyond his control—the infuriating man still refused to accept any responsibility for the distance between them.
"Good night, Professor," she said, the harshness in her voice making her sound strange, like someone she did not know.
But she liked this stranger inside of her, she was immune to the pathetic tugging in her heart, the one trying to lure her back toward Snape, to force her into letting it all go and return to being the naive girl she had once been. But she would not, and so she let the stranger guide her, taking a step back and watching Snape's features contort in frustration and regret, looking like a man who wished for nothing more than to be anything other than what he was. But she would not relent, not let the pang in her heart send her back to him, and so she turned, her feet crunching against the snow, every step away from him making her a little more bold, a little more resolute, a little more sure—footed, and breaking her heart a little more, because he never called her back and never ran after her. Whatever anyone had to say about destiny, it was evident they knew nothing of real life.
Making her way back to the room of requirement, she found the DA meeting in full swing, everyone too busy stunning their partners or being stunned to notice her. Penny paused, her eyes falling naturally on her twin, who was standing beside Cho Chang, his cheeks somewhat flushed as he adjusted her wand and she turned to smile nervously at him. Turning away before Harry could spot her, knowing he would feel her presence sooner than later, she made her way toward Neville and Ginny who were practicing in the corner.
"You're late," Ginny said, giving Penny a kiss on her cheek.
Over Ginny's shoulder, Penny saw Neville blush furiously and look away from them.
"I ran into some technical difficulties," Penny said, avoiding Ginny's gaze.
"What'd you fight about?"
"What?"
"You and Snape, what'd you fight about this time?" Ginny said with an eye-roll.
"How'd you know—"
"Because I know you," she said, leaning in close, her lips just barely skimming Penny's.
"I wouldn't know where to begin, it's so complicated."
"Complicated?" Ginny said, cocking her head to the side. "You trusted him with your heart and he didn't handle it with care, what's complicated about that?"
"You don't understand, it hurts, and. . ."
"And you're an utter fool, Penny Potter. If you want it to stop hurting, give me your heart, I know what to do with it," Ginny said, her pretty brown eyes blazing with such intensity it made Penny's heart skip a beat.
With a small sigh and smile Penny leaned forward and kissed the soft lips, enjoying the jealous kiss she received in return. Unfortunately they were broken up too soon by the wolf-whistling of Lee Jordan and loud disapproving remarks of Fred and George, which prompted everyone else to look at them and begin giggling. With a shrug, Penny gave Ginny a last defiant kiss and turned back to Neville to try practicing some stunning spells, her heart lighter, but mind heavy with confusion and dread.
Penny had much to do and figure out, but right now she just wanted to be a 15-year old girl breaking school rules and kissing her girlfriend. Despite these wishes, Penny could not help but wonder if Snape was still there, surrounded by that lonely blanket of snow, waiting. The snow had not betrayed his steps, they had not trailed away from her like they normally did. Was she an idiot for wanting to believe there was the faintest of possibilities that he'd wished, like her, that she would just turn—relent? But it didn't matter, because it was too late to turn around now.
While I'm not following cannon with Ginny and Harry because it will be Harry/Draco I'm keeping Harry Cho. I think he needs some experiences, and it's a moment for Penny to work on her nature to hold grudges to try and understand things from Cho's perspective. It will be a hard process for the twins, but we all know how it goes for Harry, lol and it doesn't last long!
As for Penny and Snape, they're hopeless, what do you expect? ;)