~Author's Note~
I wrote this on a whim last night...thinking about "what-ifs" and about how Penelope always gets treated like bitch-queen of the universe. Which is sensible, after all, since her existence as Percy's girlfriend is something we'd all like to forget. But I've always identified with poor Penny (blame it on the similarities in hair), so in order to even things out a little, I've written this. It's about the end of Percy and Penelope's so-called "romance".

Disclaimer the first: contains mild slashy (or pre-slashy) themes...Percy/Oliver...but what did you expect?

Disclaimer the second: The characters are not mine, obviously - I've just borrowed them for a bit. Penelope's hair is mine...well, mine is just like it. ^_~ The situation is one that is, I think, universal and cannot belong to anyone. Enjoy!

She sighed, pacing around the room, looking up at the clock. A few more moments to wait, and then he would arrive. On time, of course, he always was exactly on time. Soon, he would arrive, and then she would do what she had to do. Another minute, half a minute, fifteen seconds, and...

The door opened. "Penny?" He said as he stepped through it, smiling. "Hello, Penelope. I hope I'm not late."

Her heart skipped a beat, as always, when she saw him. He was wonderful. Although most of the girls weren't sighing after him as he passed in the hallways, Penelope thought he was perfect...tall, red- haired, lovely eyes behind his glasses, a wonderful smile. He was kind, sensitive, intelligent, wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. But there was always a small voice in the back of Penelope's head that insisted that he was too good to be true. And now it was time, she reflected, to start listening to it.

"No, Percy." She said softly. "You're right...right on time."

"Good." Percy smiled at her. "I'd hate to keep you waiting. Oh!" He crossed the room to her, looking at her appraisingly. "You're wet. Did you get caught in the rain?"

"Hmm?" Penelope looked up at him, her mind wandering to anticipating what she had brought him here to do. "Oh, no. I've just bathed, that's all." She replied, her hands straying up to touch her hair. "It takes forever to dry completely."

"Yes, of course."

Penelope smiled a small wistful smile. He was still fussing over her, like always. He was so good at fussing over her, and she enjoyed it. It would be, perhaps, the last time; Penelope knew he wasn't going to like what she had to say.

The tall young man moved closer to Penelope, reaching over absently to toy with a strand of her long, dark curly hair. "You've such lovely hair, even if it does take forever to dry completely." He commented idly.

She smiled again, sadly. Her hair...he loved her hair. Everyone did, it was the first thing they always commented on. It was how they described her - 'The Ravenclaw girl with the long curly hair'. Well, it was the nicest part of her appearance to comment on. When they were younger, Percy used to always manage to sit behind her in classes. And he was always playing with her hair when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

A memory, a lovely memory. And soon, all they'd have left would be memories. She'd better do it, and soon, before she lost her nerve.

Penelope cleared her throat loudly. "Percy? Percy, love, I didn't ask you here to talk about my hair."

He laughed at that, lightly, delicately. "Of course, of course. But...why did you ask me here? Is something...is something going on?" His face changed abruptly, all the merriment of a moment ago gone, replaced with concern.

She clasped her hands together, tightly together, feeling her stomach turn to ice. How could she? But she had to. Slowly, she unclasped her hands, let them fall to her sides. "Percy...Percy, I think...I think we should..."

"Yes?" He reached for one of her hands.

"I...I don't think we should be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore."

"What?" Percy gasped, dropping her hand as if it were on fire.

"Yes. I...I'm breaking up with you, Percy." She smiled at him sadly. "I don't want to. But I have to."

"Why?" He looked up at her, meeting her eyes, confused. "Penny..."

"I love you, Percy. You know that." Penelope smiled beautifully, love and acceptance shining through in her eyes.

"Then why...?"

She turned away, unable to look at him, knowing she'd never be able to tell him with him looking at her like that, trusting, loving. "I love you, Percy. But I know you better. I know you could never love me, even though you are trying so hard to make things different."

Percy froze. "What did you say?" He asked in soft, barely-audible tones.

"No matter how much you try and change things, Percy, you could never love me." Penelope repeated, turning back to look at him.

"I didn't think you knew." Percy continued, whisper-soft. "I didn't think anyone knew."

Penelope smiled sadly. "I didn't know for long...or maybe I've always known, I'm not quite sure." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, her courage. "Yesterday, at the Quiddich match, I...I finally figured it out."

"Really?"

"I...yes. It was Oliver. It was the look on your face when you saw him falling. You were pale as death, you were on your feet in an instant, gripping the railing and staring down at the field." She smiled slowly. "And the way you looked at him as they carried him away. The way you tried to pretend you weren't doing it. I know that look, I recognized it instantly. It's the way my brother looks at Edgar."

"Your brother?" Percy gasped, looking up at Penelope, wide- eyed. "Your brother is...?"

Penelope nodded gravely. "He is. Indeed. My brother, both of my uncles..." She shrugged.

"Wow." He whispered, trying to comprehend what had just happened. What his girlfriend had just told him...and how she wasn't furious, furious like Percy imagined everyone would be once they found out about him. The two stood there, in silence, for a long moment. Then finally, Percy spoke. "So...what in the world do I do now?"

She smiled at him, mischievously. "If I were you, I'd go down to Madame Pomfrey's...and check up on Oliver."

"Oh!" Percy smiled shyly. "I really don't think he'd like that much."

Penelope laughed. "Trust me, I think he just might. I'm normally a much better judge of that than I was with you. I'm really quite good at telling that about people."

Percy stared at her for another long moment, and then burst out laughing himself. He reached out to her, pulling her into his arms, giving a quite enthusiastic hug. He held her for a long time, and then reluctantly let her go. "Penny...thanks." He said finally.

"You're welcome." She smiled sadly, wistfully, as she watched him leave, walking out of the door...out of the door, but hopefully not out of her life.