Author: Lyta Padfoot
Category: General, Angst
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. Characters and situations are used without permission, no infringement is intended.
Summary: Penelope Clearwater goes to the lake to think.
Penelope Clearwater ran. She ran until every breath made her chest ache and her legs, unused to more than walking, burned. Tears smeared her glasses and obscured the world around her, but Penelope barely noticed. She did not see the trees swaying to the breeze nor the post-sunset sky where violet and deep blue were slowly giving way to the inky black of night.
All Penelope could see was the face of Percy Weasley in the entrance hall. She did not have to close her eyes to recollect his fiery hair or the way he shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he often did when he was nervous. Her ears still rang with his ill chosen words.
Penelope shed her billowing black robes, blue and bronze striped tie, and shoes that could only be described as practical. With a disregard that would have shocked those who thought they knew her well, she dumped them in a pile on the grass and waded into the lake. Even in late June the water was cold, but not unpleasantly so. Her toes tingled as she dug them into the sandy lake bottom.
She did not care that her shiny silver prefect badge now lay pressed against the ground or that bits of leaves were now stuck to her robes. She did not care that her jeans were soaked to her knees and would stick to her legs when she at last walked back to the castle.
Percy had been the one she confided in, the one she discussed her fears with when the Monster of Slytherin prowled the school corridors. As a prefect she had to be strong, so that others might lean on her, but it had been difficult then. Percy understood this, he in turn confided his own miseries to her: how his family thought him a selfish git, how he was laughed at behind his back, and how he aspired to join the Ministry. He had reiterated this wish to her only an hour before and Penelope's eyes slid down from his face to the Head Boy badge pinned to his robes. For the first time it became real to her that while she would return to Hogwarts next year, he would not.
They would become like a thousand other couples. They would promise to write and remain true to each other and for a time keep to their words. Then something would come along and cause things to change, like a pebble disturbing the still surface of a pond. Letters would become fewer, meetings not as frequent, thoughts would begin to drift elsewhere. Soon they would become a couple in name only.
"Penelope?"
Percy abandoned his own robes and shoes, shucking his red and gold tie on the grass next to hers and wadding into the water.
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?"
Penelope started to reply but the words stuck to her tongue. She shook her head and stared down at her feet. In the waning light she could barely see them.
"I was just thinking about next year." Penelope whispered. She felt Percy slide his arms around her waist and rest his chin on her shoulder.
"We won't fall apart like other couples, Penny." Percy promised, guessing at her thoughts.
"How can you be sure?"
Percy shrugged and she felt rather than saw as he tried to give her the cocky grin his younger brothers frequently wore. The expression was not a familiar one to him and he did not quite manage to pull it off, but Penelope found his smile endearing. "We made it through last year, didn't we?"
There was a load of emotion is his voice. Percy seldom spoke of or referred to the weeks she had lain petrified. His eyes took on a haunted look and she could see the memory of his fear for her.
Somehow it reassured her. Maybe she was allowing her imagination too much leeway, or the stress of exams was effecting her mind.
"You're right, I'm being silly."
"You're never silly. Besides, if you hadn't come out her we would never have seen how pretty the stars were above the lake."
They kissed and stood, gaping at the wonder of the heavens, a magic greater than anything wizards were capable of.