Epilogue
Penelope Harper Russo walked into the 'big house' as she had called it on the day she had moved into Neville's family home the same day she turned 13 years old, a worn leather backpack slung over one shoulder and her rolled up canvases in their protective sleeve in her other hand, along with her camera bag. Wearing a ripped pair of shorts and a worn tee shirt with her favorite leather twined necklace bouncing against her chest between her braids, she caught sight of the ornamental brooch that hung from the string. A jeweled Peony in a range of pinks and purples that her mother had given her the day she turned 17. Usually she wore it at the neck of her cloak, but during the warmer months she had taken the habit of wearing it around her neck.
She just loved it so much, in a way she had never loved an object before. Her 17th birthday had been stormy, her favorite kind of weather, and her mother had sat her down and given her a velvety box with the brooch inside. Her favorite color was a constantly changing thing.
She'd see a plant or a flower in a vivid shade and suddenly that was her new favorite color. The next day she'd see another and fall in love all over again. But the moment she'd open that velvet box and seen the purple gemstones, something had changed. And while she still had moments where a sunset orange or a emerald green would catch her heart, eventually she'd lean back towards purple.
Now the brooch clinked gently against the Peace sign pendant Fiona had given her and the silver banded ring with a lone milky white moonstone Cory had given to her the first time he told her he loved her.
She didn't particularly want to see Corwin "Stupid-Head' Cooper ever again - but for some reason she couldn't bare to part with the ring no matter how many times she tried to throw it in the trash. It was the kind of moonstone that shimmered every color when it caught a certain light, and as she'd become a photographer major, she'd become very good and finding the right light.
The foyer was empty of any furniture except for a very worn shoe rack that held 4 rows of a variety of shoes, glittering princess shoes in every color, worn sneakers, striped and polka dotted rain boots. The curtains on the window were old and familiar and blew gently in the early summer breeze coming through the opened windows. She could tell it might storm later. Her heart kicked - it smelled like home.
Kicking off her own muddy boots, and mentally preparing for her mom to scold her for her newest celtic tattoo the boots had been hiding, she dropped her pack and walked through the hallway that led into the big, open living area that led into an even bigger kitchen.
The large floor to ceiling fireplace was empty and quiet. Those rooms and the small sitting room on the other side made up the first floor, and as she listened she could only hear the muted silence of an empty house. The second and third floors had bedrooms, and the top floor was an open studio. The roof was flat, with an elaborate garden area that her step dad kept in excellent shape, and a sitting area where her mother could most likely be found if the light was good.
A day like today, with a warm summer breeze blowing and the blue sky stretching in every direction, dotted with the grey clouds she loved so much, it was a good bet Penny would find her mother there. She took the steps to the third floor, dropping her canvases and the expensive camera onto her bed, which had been made with fresh sheets in the last day or so. A vase full of yellow roses sat on her drawing desk and it made her heart soar, knowing she was home after a long semester at school. Her step-dad had a habit of showering her, her mother, and her 3 - now 4 - little sisters with flowers at any occasion, or even just because he felt like it. Though she wasn't his daughter by blood, he'd always saved those particular flowers just for her.
She didn't take the moment to indulge, even knowing the scent of the sunshine yellow roses was her favorite. Instead she grabbed her camera and took the stairs up to the next floor, and slid into the smaller stairway that led to the roof. She unlatched the large wooden door with quick fingers and emerged into the sun. Tall walls of greenery lined the walkway that led from the door, herbs and flowers in full bloom, fragrant and lively in a way that spoke of home to her. She could hear her mother's soft laughter, she smiled, and decided to be bad before she revealed herself.
She peeked through the falling, green leaves of a plant and caught sight of her mother, cradling her newest sister in her arms as she sat on the weather-proof loveseat that was her favorite. Neville sat next to them, his arm around Rose, his other hand on Josie. It was the exact moment she had been hoping to witness, and as quietly as she could she withdrew her camera from it's protective black bag and set in the lens, focusing it through the small gap she had created in the plants. She snapped several photos, happy the light was cooperating, and then tried to find a different angle, barely keeping in a sigh when her baby sister lifted two little fists into the air. As she clicked away, Neville leaned in and kissed her mama proving that even after being married for nearly 10 years and having 4 kids together the passion was still alive and well.
"Penelope. Harper. Russo."
"Oops." she laughed loud enough for them to hear.
"You think I can't hear that camera snapping from behind there?" her mother called to her, looking up and directly at Penny.
She snapped another picture, and breathed out a sigh of success. Her mother's head was tilted towards the light, her eyes full of happiness and staring into the camera. Neville, with his ankle resting on his knee, his arm around his wife that he was looking at with adoration, and the baby between, was set against the blue of the sky and the tips of the tall trees in the distance. It was a happy picture, and Penny was pleased the light hadn't messed it up.
Sometime after her first year at the art institute, she realized she had an affinity for photography and asked her parents for a camera. She enjoyed mixing her art with magic, and she loved taking stills as well as magical photos. Though she'd still rather paint landscapes than take a picture of them. No she wanted to photograph people, and paint landscapes.
"I'm not sneaky like you are." Penny called, grabbing her bag and taking the steps around the walls of plants. By the time she got to the open part of the roof, Josie was gurgling happily in her cradle, and Penny found herself in her mother's arms, Neville standing close.
Verbena and Lemongrass.
That's what her mother smelled like to Penny, for as long as she could remember. Ever since she was itty bitty and her mother could still hold her, those were the scents she associated with her.
"I'm so happy you're home!" her mama said to her, her thin but strong arms tightening around Penny's shoulders. "Are you hungry?"
"No, I ate earlier. And me too! I have so much to show you! Where are the girls?!" Penny couldn't help but gush. She never minded that she was so many years older than her siblings, it was only because of her schooling that she went long periods without seeing them. It just meant she got to spoil them senseless when she was home and not feel bad about it.
"Should be home in time for dinner, they are with Ginny and Harry today." Neville answered her as he scooped her up and gave her a hug that nearly broke her in half. "Welcome home Penny."
Penny laughed when her feet touched back down. "And what's this?" she asked, touching a finger to the thick streak of grey in his otherwise dark brown hair.
"Your sisters of course. Ruby spends all her time with Winnie and Artie, pranking everything that moves. Kylie has managed to set two different fires in the last week alone. And Dani has taken to jumping off high ledges ever since she figured out she will just bounce."
"And whose fault is that?" her mama laughed, bumping into Neville gently.
"I didn't drop her. She jumped!" Neville insisted, bumping back.
It was the kind of thing lovers did, Penny thought. And she had witnessed it from the get go from her parents. Neville would still scoop up her mother and twirl her around like they were love sick teenagers. It was the kind of thing she wanted to capture with her art - and it was the kind of thing her and Cory lacked.
Corwin had gone to school with her and Fiona, all of them in the same year and sorted into Gryffindor together. They had been the best of friends, until he asked out Penny in 5th year, broke her heart at Christmas. And then again right before NEWTS.
And the summer before her second year in art school… ugh. She had done her share of heartbreaking, she silently admitted to herself. Her and Cory were combustible. Nothing either of them did could stop the inevitable crash that always came when they decided to hook up. It would be all heat and passion until there was fighting and yelling.
She finally figured it out after that one rough year in school. Cory and her were too alike, too head strong and far too stubborn for it to ever work between them. He was just too young. She wanted what her parents had. What her mother had with her dad, and then later what she had with Neville - the good for the soul and good for the heart kind of love. The kind of passion that leaked into her artwork and the dedication that even when life got tough they still had each other.
Her mother dragged them over to sit down on the comfortable chairs and without any fanfare placed a happy, bubble spitting baby into Penny's arms. "Nice to meet you Josephina Alice. I'm your big sister, Penelope. But you can call me Penny."
Big bluish purple eyes looked up at her before she broke into a smile and waved her fists around some more. Her head was full of black hairs that straight up. A mirror image of her sisters.
Her parents fell into their usual position, Neville's arm around her mother's shoulder and their fingers threaded together. Happy. Content.
Penny was just so damn pleased to see her her mother doing okay, and, not for the first time, felt glad they had decided to move to Diagon Alley all those years ago. She hadn't realized it when she was 10, but her mama had been hurting when her daddy had died. It had taken Neville Longbottom to make Penny realize her mama had been split in two. One side warring with a past she felt like she couldn't escape and a mother desperate to give her child everything she deserved and more. It had added up to a lot of hurts Penny never saw as a child, a lot of hurts that Neville had somehow healed. She was thankful for that man.
"I used to call you my sunshine baby, because nothing ever made you sad." her mother was saying as she petted her cheek. "But my Jojo seems just as happy."
Penny cradled Josie even closer, the tiny baby giving a sleepy, toothless yawn before falling asleep. Then she settled into easy conversation with her parents, catching up on news of the family and the shops they ran. Everything from Quidditch scores, to this cousin and that, what her sisters were up to and the trouble they caused. She told them about her plans with Fiona that summer - the beach, followed by a trip to Paris for her birthday. She took the scolding from her mama about the celtic design on her ankle and laughed when Neville said it looked cool.
Then laughed harder when her mama asked about Cory and Neville literally growled. "You're not still messing around with that boy are you?" The words 'that boy' said with absolute disdain.
"No - definitely not! He's a jerk!" she said. "If I ever see him again I'll stomp on his toes and throw a potted plant at his head."
"That's my girl." Neville said proudly, stealing Josie from her arms. "You hear that Jojo? That's how you deal with boys. No boys until you're at least 30."
"That number goes up every time you have a kid, Nev!" Penny laughed.
"Yeah well I know how boys act around pretty girls."
Her mother made a hmming sound. "You know Penny… I've thrown my fair share of potted plants at Neville's head - and I think he secretly likes it."
"I do not secretly like that. One day you'll knock my head off my shoulders and then what will you do?"
"Rejoice? Celebrate? Cheer!"
"Hey -"
"Stop using me to flirt with each other." Penny said, narrowing her eyes, but smiling.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." her mother said happily. "All I'm saying is you still wear that ring on your neck."
"It's a memento of my first love." Penny insisted, her hand grabbing the very object they spoke of. She pretended it wasn't something she often did, caressing the ring mindlessly when she was working or studying. "I don't love Cory anymore. The opposite actually. I hate him! He could go choke on a treacle tart for all I care."
"Ah baby girl… but the opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference."
"Please mama! I haven't even seen him since… since Christmas."
"And that's the last time you heard from him?" her mother asked knowingly. Ugh! Curse her.
Why did Mother's seem to know everything? Because she in fact, had a letter burning a hole in her pocket at that very second and a letter from Cory was dangerous. He always had a way with words. And he had always known exactly what to say to get Penny to melt, even if they hadn't technically been dating in two years now.
The letter in her pocket had made her blush in places she didn't know could blush. But she was about to turn 23, and she just couldn't do the on and off again thing with Cory anymore.
"Pretty much," she lied. "Why are we talking about him anyways? Want to see the canvasses I painted for the girls?"
She ran and grabbed them as her parents excitedly encouraged her, and gave the appropriate oohs and ahhs. Even Neville with his limited knowledge could appreciate the hard work she put into the paintings. That was the thing about her step dad, he never ever managed to make her feel like she wasn't one of his kids.
Yeah - she was damn happy he was her dad now.
"What is Fiona up to?"
She was about to launch into the success of her best friend and the achievement of her Master Charms certificate the witch had recently completed when she was interrupted by the sound of the floo going off, followed by a loud yelp and an even louder crash of noise. "The girls!"
She dashed down to the lower floors, stomping her way down the steps. She caught sight of the line of her little sisters being herded by her favorite aunt Daphne, and by Ginny and Harry. Ruby with her black hair cut short and her bright dress muddy and knees scraped, Kylie, with her reddish brown hair braided and her colorful outfit neat and spotless, and a just walking Danielle with her mismatched shoes and a big flower painted on her chubby cheek all barreled at her the moment they realized their big sister was home.
"Hey!" Penny laughed. "I've been waiting for hours!"
They crashed into her and took her down easily where she wrapped the three little girls in her arms and held on tight.
"You have a new tattoo!" - "I love your hair!" - "We played Quidditch all morning!" - "How long are you home for!" - "Do you wanna paint, big sissy?"
She blew a kiss to her Aunt Daph and nodded a hello to her pseudo aunt and uncle, Ginny and Harry, as Dani climbed onto her back. "Sissy!"
"My little monsters!"
Her mother came over and placed Josie into the fray, Penny making sure the baby's head was supported. Then she spotted her camera and laughed. "Mama! I'm the photographer, not the subject."
"This time you are. I don't have a picture of all my girls together!"
Laughing, Penny felt like sunshine, despite the letter burning a hole in her pocket. She was surrounded by her family.
She was home.
The End...?
Some funny facts about this fic:
- I almost named Phillip JACK instead. Rose and Jack. Good thing I didn't have them go on a boat.
- Penny's name was almost Julia. Then I decided to stick to a 'P' theme.
- There was originally a Ron/Daphne love pair, but I have a hard time simply writing fluffy smutty stuff, and I couldn't make myself do it for two different couples. Something is wrong with me. .
- Originally, this was going to be a darker fic as I tend to write darker things anyways. But life really sucks this year for me, and I needed to write something happy for myself. I hope it came out okay! :)
A big thanks to all who reviewed and favorited my fic. I'm working on another Pansy/Neville fic now, my favorite fictional couple ever! If you find any good Neville/Pansy fics, send them my way! I'm obsessed!