The slightly harsh sound of him clearing his throat was enough to make Penny realise she’d been staring, looking at him and feeling the ache in the pit of her stomach that longed to just be able to scoot over and tilt her head into the spot between his shoulder and neck. Stupid stupid ideas that she had no business having. They were friends. Friends. A oft-repeated mantra but here in the pub with the atmosphere damp and heavy from the weather outside it was becoming harder to remember. Still, Penny understood the rules. Just as she knew that unlike with her other friends she was more cautious in touching him. There would be no snowball fights or piggy back rides for them, no demands for cuddles or joshing over choosing which wireless station to listen to.
“I think its a pretty good thing to know. I mean, what if you like someone and they’re dating your best friend.” Giving an easy shrug, Penny focused on her meal. Easier to chow down, easier to fake being relaxed despite her hyper awareness of his proximity. It would pass. It always did. “Maybe its just that everyone in my house was a terrible gossip. We had to know everything. Bad habit. Damned good entertainment since we were all boring anyway.”
They’d been nothing like the Slytherins and Penelope’s dullness had continued throughout her life; a few pieces here and there in the muggle press relating to her family and father and sisters murder but in the wizarding world she was spotless aside from that unfortunate basilisk incident…
Finishing up her meal, tea set aside as she leaned back in her chair and offered him a goofy smile, Penny found contentment. “Might be a good idea. I’ll send the most hideous plant I can find and you can try kill it. It’s tradition.”