Challenge Two.

House Character: Penelope Clearwater

House: Ravenclaw

notes: Uh. No warnings - Don't think so anyway xD. Thanks to Ariana Ethaitrius for being my beta for this story! You're absolutely amazing.

Empty Classrooms, Snogging, And Little Sisters

Penelope Clearwater/Percy Weasley || Romance/Family

Penelope grinned as Percy gave her a rather discreet nod during the Prefect meeting. She knew exactly what that meant. It was getting more difficult now to continue their relationship, and she was fighting as hard as she could to hold on. She'd never been in love before, but she almost felt whole with Percy, and if that was as good as it was going to get, she sure as hell wasn't going to let him casually waltz out of her life.

The twins, his annoying younger brothers, were getting more perceptive though. They had never been observant in the previous years she had known them, so she guessed it was something to do with age. Percy, for some reason, didn't want his brothers finding out. Penelope had asked him why once, but he had merely shrugged his shoulders in response, and then quickly changed the subject.

The Prefect meeting ended, and Penelope found herself exiting the room and walking briskly down the corridor, occasionally flicking her hair back and looking over her shoulder. Catching sight of the familiar redhead a few metres away from her, she grinned, speeding up.

Sidestepping into the empty Charms classroom, she let out a delighted squeal as she felt his hands around her waist. Batting them away, she turned to close the door before facing him.

"You're a fast walker," Percy gasped. Even after weeks of following her, weaving through the corridors, and hiding away in classrooms and broom closets, he still couldn't figure out how such a petite girl could move so quickly.

"You could have ran," Penelope teased.

He frowned at this – the thought of doing such a thing not appealing to him in the slightest. With an elaborate sigh, Penelope sat herself on Professor Flitwick's desk, her legs swinging like pendulums as she smiled at her boyfriend.

"I was joking, Perce."

"Oh," he muttered, looking rather put out and lowering his eyes.

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean it like that," Penelope murmured, reaching out her hand to tilt his face so that he met her gaze. In truth, his lack of humour did annoy her a little bit. It made it almost impossible to carry a conversation without offending him. He was sweet though, and she genuinely fancied him.

They hadn't really been friends before they started dating. In fact, she couldn't recall ever really talking to him. But somewhere between patrolling the halls, awkward glances, and almost kisses, Penelope had come to the conclusion that she fancied Percival Weasley. So with a few awkward attempts at flirting (awkward would definitely be the right word…), Percy finally got it.

"Sure," Penelope continued offhandedly. "You need to learn that I'm not always insulting you, and that I do like you, Percy. I like you an awful lot."

He was silent. The only sound filling the room was the clicking of the backs of her shoes hitting the wooden table every few seconds. Chewing on her bottom lip, Penelope wondered for a fleeting second if she had said the wrong thing. It didn't look like he had taken offense, but Percy never had been one to wear his heart on his sleeve.

"This is where you're meant to say, I like you too," she prompted, smiling weakly.

"I like you too," Percy replied, almost robotically. She sighed as he tugged a strand of her hair affectionately, marvelling at how the curl sprung neatly back into place, before turning to leave, telling her, "I've got Charms homework to do."

Penelope frowned, jumping off the desk and linking her hand with his. "We only got the assignment today."

"Yes, well, I ought to finish it."

"You've already started it?" she asked in disbelief. To think she was meant to be the work-obsessed Ravenclaw. "It's due in two weeks, Percy."

Percy flushed. "Yes, well…"

"Go! Go, go if you must," Penelope sung dramatically, her fluttering above her chest. With a twirl, she wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning as his hands automatically shifted to her waist.

Pressing her lips against his, she pressed her body against his. She was always the one to initiate things. Sometimes it was annoying… but mostly it was fun, and she couldn't help but giggle as he wrapped his arms around her. Putting her palms on his chest and breaking away from him, she winked.

"You've got Charms homework, don't you?"

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, Percy uttered, "Uh. Yes?"

"Well, go on," Penelope nodded in the direction of the slightly open door.

Wait. Open?

Letting a quiet gasp in astonishment, her eyes fell on young Ginny Weasley. Great, as if getting Percy alone wasn't hard enough as it was. Unless Percy could perhaps convince the younger girl not to spill the beans? Not that Penelope would have minded, but there was no way that Percy was going to actually want his brothers knowing what was going on between them.

And he would start grovelling in three… two… one…

Sweet Merlin, that boy is predictable, Penelope thought, chuckling to herself as her boyfriend fell on his hands and knees and begged.