Breaking Protocol {Percy Weasley}

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gripping the edge of the canvas, Penny sighed as she took down the work of art she had been working on the summer before she left for Hogwarts. She examined it, her eyes trailing over the thick painting strokes before she set it down carefully on the pile of other paintings on her desk.

Penny didn't think it was her talent that made the painting look so beautiful. She had to admit it was her favourite one so far, even though the background hadn't been completed, but she didn't care about that. It was the smiling man in the painting that warmed her heart. It was the curly bright orange hair that was so easy to paint that brought a smile to her face.

It was the fact that it was a painting of the man she loved so much.

Percy Weasley.

Tearing her gaze away from Percy's portrait, Penny grabbed for her bundle of brushes and a fresh new canvas. It was Christmas day, and Penny was hidden away in her room with her paint brushes and her books like every year. Her parents didn't even know who she was anymore, nor did they really care all that much to find out. What they did know, however, was that their daughter loved to paint and could never get enough books.

It wasn't that the family of three didn't like each other, Penny loved her parents. But between Hogwarts, her mother gone to work in Diagon Alley, and her father so busy with Ministry work, there wasn't much time that they could spend together.

Penny didn't mind though. She much preferred to be alone, it was then she could get the most amount of work done. It wasn't that Penny was antisocial or anything, she did have many friends, but being at school was so much different than being at home. At school she was much more solemn, her focus mainly on school.

But when she became a Prefect last year and met Percy Weasley, everything went down hill from then.

Sighing, Penny turned away from the canvas, not really in the mood to paint anything happy or uplifting. She figured she had enough dark paintings, and didn't need to add to that pile anymore.

She examined the pile of books, fresh canvases, paint, and paint brushes her parents had gotten for her this year. She wanted to do something. Penny wanted to pick up a book, snuggle into her warm blankets, and read the whole thing. She wanted to pull out her new paints and brushes and create a master piece her mother could hang up in the house.

But all Penny could do was sit and boil in her great big stew of sadness. She couldn't help but wonder what Percy was doing right now. She couldn't help but wonder if he ever thought about her, even if it was just for a moment.

After what seemed like hours of Penny sitting alone on her bedroom floor, she finally got to her feet and grabbed her paints and brushes. Taking in a deep breath, she grabbed her unfinished painting off the desk and placed it back on the easel.

Clara had to admit, she was having the best Christmas ever with the Weasley family. Though Clara missed her parents, somewhere deep inside her she was glad they abandoned her because if they hadn't she would not have met the wonderful scarlet family.

Mrs. Weasley had knitted maroon jumpers for all her children. As for Clara and Michelle, Mrs. Weasley had taken it upon herself to knit the girls canary yellow and black jumpers, with a small badger knitted in the top right corner to honour their Hogwarts House. Amelia was given a silver and green jumper, the pattern of a serpent stitched into the top right corner as well.

It didn't take long for the Weasley family to busy themselves with more gifts. Clara had sat back on the loveseat wearing her new jumper, observing the Weasley children ripping open their gifts. It was quite the sight to see, Clara thought to herself. Christmas was never like this back in her house. It was always so organized and quiet. Here in the borrow, however, it was the complete opposite and Clara absolutely loved it.