Potions, task 2: Write about a canon pairing
Auction: prefects bathroom
Character Appreciation: trio era
Crafty Corner, Needles: Write a het pairing
Amber's Attic, traditional: Write a fic set on/in the water
Count Your Buttons: freckles
Tearoom: scarlet
Word Count: 757
She loves the solitude that comes with the prefects' bathroom. Though there are periods during the day when it's crowded and busy, Penelope is clever. She has learned the best times to come here.
She alone, with only the stained glass mermaid portrait for company. Smiling to herself, Penelope wades through the enormous tub, relishing the way the warm water splashes against her skin with each step. Her long, dark curls touch the water, fanning out as she comes to a stop in front of the taps.
This is another reason she enjoys the peace and quiet of these moments. If others were around, they would try to take control of the little extras. But now Penelope doesn't have to ask permission before turning the knob and spilling lavender oil into the water. A second knob fills the tub with vanilla-scented bubbles that perfume the air.
She rests against the side of the tub, anchoring her in place as she happily kicks her legs out.
"Sorry! Didn't realize anyone was here!"
The sudden interruption startles her. Without even thinking, Penelope releases the side and slips underneath the bubbly water. She emerges, sputtering and wiping her face, trying to keep soap out of her eyes.
"Are you okay?" The voice is closer now.
Penelope carefully opens her eyes, still wary of the bubbles dripping down her face. Her vision is blurry at first, but she would recognize that red hair anywhere. Out of everyone else who could show up, of course it would be Percy Weasley. She doesn't know which is stronger: her embarrassment at being startled by him and nearly drowning, or the excitement of being alone with the boy she's fancied since second year.
"I'm fine," she murmurs, blinking rapidly until her vision clears. She offers him a shy smile. "Sorry for worrying you."
Percy's cheeks darken to a scarlet so deep it seems to swallow his freckles. "I, um… I'll leave you alone," he murmurs, gesturing in her general direction while pointedly shifting his gaze to the ceiling.
It takes Penelope a moment to understand his awkwardness. She is naked, though, given the thick foam of the sweetly scented bubbles, the most scandalous things he can see are her bare shoulders and collarbones. "You don't have to," she says before she can stop herself.
It's a ridiculous offer. Judging by the way her face burns, she imagines her cheeks have reddened to a shade that can rival Percy's blush.
Penelope isn't the type of girl who just invites boys to join her for a bath. Still, she reasons that it's innocent. It isn't as though she's just trying to see him naked; he had been about to get a bath anyway.
Percy's blush deepens. He awkwardly adjusts his glasses. "I… I really… You know, it's fine. I need to work on Professor Lockhart's—"
"I want you to join me."
For a moment, he's speechless. Penelope stares at him, wondering if she's made him uncomfortable. Finally, after a long stretch of silence, he takes his glasses off before pulling off his shirt. A smile plays at Penelope's lips as she admires the view. He is scrawny, but she doesn't mind; his beautiful mind is much more appealing.
He strips down, though she notices he keeps his underwear on. Good. She might actually lose her nerve if he gets completely naked.
"I really like vanilla," he says, stepping into the tub. "It makes me think of you."
"Me?" This surprises her. Vanilla is her favorite scent, but for it to remind him of her is baffling. Does that mean he thinks about her?
"You always smell like vanilla," he explains, reaching out and plucking his glasses from the floor and returning them to rest upon his nose. "I like it."
He has noticed her. Penelope's smile stretches into a satisfied grin. "Is it just the scent you like?" she asks, moving closer. When there's no answer, she adds, "Or do you maybe like me?"
"Both," Percy admits, his voice barely above a whisper.
Penelope rests a hand on his arm and presses a chaste kiss to his lips. "Good," she says. "I like you too."
She doesn't know what will come from these confessions, but it doesn't matter. As she and Percy relax in the water, chatting away and enjoying each other's company late into the night, she falls a little bit more. Judging by the way his eyes brighten a little more as the evening wears on, she's more than a little certain he's falling too.
