"Oh, a prefect?" she replied, and Percy saw her face properly for the first time. She was smirking, eyebrows raised as she patted her curly hair back into place. "What a coincidence."
She dusted herself off and walked away before Percy could respond. He shrugged and went to change into his robes, pinning his new badge on with pride.
After he'd bid farewell to his family, Percy made his way to the prefect carriages. With a smile he couldn't contain, he told the Head Boy, "Percy Weasley, prefect for Gryffindor."
"Of course," he replied. "We'll miss having Charlie. Off chasing dragons, is he?"
Percy stifled the twinge of irritation he got when people associated him first with his brothers; someday they'd acknowledge him on his own merits. "Yes, he went to the preserve in Romania. I'll let him know you asked after him."
"Great. Let me introduce you to the rest of the prefects." The Head Boy went around the compartment, stating the House and year of each person. Percy found himself staring at the curly-haired girl he'd knocked down earlier. "Penelope Clearwater, Ravenclaw, fifth year," he heard vaguely.
"Call me Penny," she said, grinning at Percy. "Fancy meeting you here."
"...and I really did find that final question quite difficult. I certainly wouldn't have gotten it if I hadn't stopped the whispering in the library so I could study properly." Percy adjusted his glasses, coming to the climax of the tale he was telling Penny. "And I aced the exam, of course."
"You didn't miss any on your Arithmancy exam?" Penny clarified. She looked sidelong at him, biting her lip. Percy just had time to realize what she was going to say before she quipped, "What a coincidence. I also got full marks. And that was without terrorizing other students."
"Well, the library is supposed to be quiet. It's one of the rules we as prefects are meant to enforce! And enforcing it really did help me, you know."
"I know," Penny replied, laughing at him. "I'm a prefect, too. That's why we're patrolling the corridors together."
"Oh, I wondered why we kept walking the same direction," Percy said.
"Think how much less you would struggle if you had a study partner," Penny mused.
"I didn't struggle!" Percy defended automatically, before her meaning got through to him. "Though of course you must be right. Studying in groups can, in the right numbers and with a certain amount of dedication, be quite efficacious to one's learning and retention of knowledge."
Penny rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we'd both benefit from studying together. You could've just said it that way instead of sounding like a Ministry report."
"I like to practice," Percy explained. "The more comfortable I am with the vernacular of technical writing, the better advantage I will have when I draft a resume for my preferred job."
"What, Minister for Magic?"
"Of course," Percy said loftily. "Which I can only attain to if I continue to do well in my Arithmancy classes."
Penny laughed, which was what Percy hoped would happen. What Percy was displeased to find was that their patrol had come to an end.
"I'll talk to you in class tomorrow," Penny said, "about when we can begin our efficacious and retentive group dedicated to the pursuit of arithmantical wisdom."
"Sounds like an admirable plan. Good night," Percy replied, then made his way to Gryffindor Tower, surprisingly cheerful.
The school year was drawing to an end. Percy was busier than he'd ever been in his life, studying for O.W.L.s and keeping up his prefect duties. He loved being so busy, knowing that he was fully capable of juggling all his different responsibilities. The brightest spot in his life was the time he was able to spend with Penny studying for Arithmancy, or at prefect meetings (which, in view of the impending exams, were held less often).
One evening as they sat studying number charts, Percy found he couldn't concentrate. For some reason it was far more fascinating to watch the way she absentmindedly pushed her curly hair out of her way, her brow furrowed in thought.
"Did you see this pattern of primes?" she asked, pointing to a section of the chart. Percy snapped his eyes back to his work. "It could signify a fluctuation in the variable," Penny continued.
"Oh, you're right. That makes a difference," Percy said, noting it in his workbook then looking up at Penny again. She caught his glance and they smiled at each other for a moment, then she turned her attention back to her notes.
Percy had gotten very little work done when curfew approached. As they gathered their books and left the study area, he told himself that if he wanted to be successful he had to learn to grasp opportunity when it came, so he cleared his throat.
"Thank you for studying with me," he began. "I always greatly enjoy the time we spend together."
"You're welcome. Thank you for studying with me! I think we'll end up doing okay on the O.W.L. if we can keep up a regular schedule for the next couple weeks."
"Indeed." Percy pursed his lips, looking for the right words. "It will be a great pity to no longer have these evenings, despite the studying. I'd greatly enjoy the opportunity to continue to associate with you outside the confines of studying and prefect duties." He held his breath, hoping for certain words....
She raised an eyebrow. "What a coincidence."
Percy sighed with relief, unable to keep from grinning at her. Penny grinned back happily, then leaned up to kiss his cheek.