All Answered: Romance Asks
@thereluctantherosrose @cynicaljapanophile @weasleywood (you may be interested in this) ^_^
For the couple:
1. What drew your character to their LI and vice versa?
All began with Penny’s interest in adventures(like in the game), but what really started the relationship was Penny noticing that even if David acted like he didn’t care about anyone, he still does nice things for people, even he gets mad, tries to only to point out the facts about the problems people is bringing to him. He may be cynical, blunt, straightforward with his criticism but still tries to be nice, and aside from his seniors, the younger students are quite fond of him(but still slightly intimidated because his scarred face but they admire him) mostly because he explains things straight to the point, not like he read the notions in a book i mean and simply repeat them like a parrot. By David side i can say that David began to notice her more when he learned about Scarlet, which may sound weird and creepy, but David was dealing with nightmares and with “I’m the most depressed person in the whole universe” kind of mentality, so knowing about Scarlett, and how Penny was shocked about her, put David in a new mentality, less self-centered, and with time they both noticed nice/lovely things that both do during the lessons or clubs and the love just sparked and those little cute moments bringed to the point of asking to each other to be their date to the Celestial Ball and the date to Madam Puddifoot.
2. What was the first moment that they knew they were in love with their LI?
David was kinda crushing Penny around forth year, there are a few moment during the year where he thinks things like “Penny is nice, i enjoy her presence” but around the end of the year(around the Celestial Ball SQ that for me and various other reasons happens around the end of the year) when he slowly loses his coolness around her(the classic ”My love interest is soo close to me” panic), he was sure, she got him.
Penny felt the first bit of love/crush for David probably sooner than David(in general David had soo much to deal in Hogwarts that i’m surprised myself that he was able to have a relationship), It’s stated that she was interested in David/MC because she finds parties and that kind of social activities quite boring, that she is searching for something exciting like getting the Runner’s High
(that awesome feeling that you get while you’re doing your favorite extreme-sport)
, probably in my ship that moment happens around her depression with Scarlett and the werewolves side-quest
(to me both of them happen in almost the same period of the third year).
I mean if someone would basically leap on the scary thing that i fear most, with a knife in one hand and a magic wand in the other, basically facing death for me i would be singing songs in their name or at least showing some interest in the person who saved me.
3. When they are having a fight, what is it about and how do they deal with it?
During school the main reason for each of them to fight is basically a strong interest in each other’s health(physical and mental).
Here an example:
Penny: David! Did you even sleep?
David: I have to do [insert an important activity here, like saving hogwarts or helping someone in danger or dealing with a super urgent issue]
Penny: Well, by your tired face,i dare to say that you’re too tired for it! You’re walking like a zombie! For the next 8 hours, the only activities we’re going to do is eating, having a shower and then sleeping, LET THE PEOPLE HANDLE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS! ARE WE CLEAR?!
David: *silently nods*
Change the names but that’s the most common argument they have, out of love and interest in each other’s health(like i said) they both just quite obsessive over helping people and they both usually have a tight schedule, to the point to forget to fully rest. Basically they need each other to take care of each other, otherwise they kinda forget about their own healthiness.
4. Their favorite physical feature on each other?
David’s favorite feature: The fact that Penny isn’t Merula! AHAHAH just joking, (okay but seriously) he loves her all(every part of her makes her beautiful and sexy in David’s opinion), but if he is forced to choose he would say her abdomen, he just find it perfect, there is not real reason like a cute birthmark or how toned she is..he would watch her abdomen and just be in awe for hours.
Penny’s favorite feature: When your boyfriend/husband looks like Geralt of Rivia(but with red hair) since then end of year five(of Hogwarts of course), it’s hard to find a single favorite feature, Penny really likes his scars, or his trained body but her favorite feature is David’s right arm(remember the left one is an automail because i’m a lazy ass who makes a wizards who loves knives and close-combatting magical creatures who also is like inspired by Edward Elric XD) because she loooooves being hugged by that arm(and from its owner XD) while she is slepping after a tiring day of school/work.
Just as a reference: Geralt and his scars(that in my mind David has almost the same number of scars and a few more burn-marks)
5. How do they comfort each other when they are sad?
Like their favorite date activity. they let the other one to stay alone for some hours so they can be sad but also letting their mind processing everything is making them sad, then after those hours they try to talk a little, usually with no friends around so they can both vent how much they want, drinking something warm and very sweet and after the sadness fade away they can work together to find something funny to do.
PS: I’m talking about something very sad, not just a random bad mood because they got a bad grade in a test, something like a meltdown because stress or shit happening.
6. Who is the big spoon?
David but only because he is bigger but they favorite sleeping position is “The Nuzzle”(and their similar variations), with an special about being the smaller spoon if you’re really tired(so yeah sometimes David is the smaller spoon but usually he is the big one)
The Nuzzle
7. Favorite date activity?
With all they’re going through(During HPHM), they both need to chill, so their favorite date activity is anything that sounds lazy, from lazily studying together, to just having a meal in Jacob’s room away from anyone but each other, or going to Madam Puddifoot for drinking something sweet(tea or chamomile)(and this time without Tonks and Charlie around), basically for Penny and David, anything unrelated to school and done together counts as a date.
8. What are their most prominent memories of each other?
David’s: When she entered in the main hall during the celestial ball, she was so beautiful, cute and breathtaking, the first of many times where David really wanted to waltz with her.
Penny’s: See him fight and struggle and after that still being able to have social interactions, and acing his OWLs and NEWTs. Fighting selflessly against the most dangerous creatures of the wizarding-world, risking to die in so many occasions for a selfless purpose. There are a lot of prominent memories of David being great but Penny’s favorite kind of memories about David is when he is showing emotions(either happiness or sadness or anger) not because she loves seeing him suffer, but because David did/does a lot of things labelled as impossible and yet he is a human like everyone else.
9. How open are they with their feelings?
Quite open, they know that communication is important, time to time they need some time alone, but that aside they’re quite communicative even though David is not comfortable to talk at all, but Penny takes what she can(because David sometimes has a weird way to explain things...so he rather not talking)
If you mean without talking...David is the perfect hugging machine, he is quite happy to show his love for her...shyly(because he is more scared about what’s appropriate and what is not...but still)
10. Do they have pet names for each other?
Penny likes to call him “Boy”(like “Good Boy”) when she wants to joke about David’s animagus form(a german shepherd) but she prefers calling him “Love” or “Darling”, David just call her “honey” or “angel”, when he is in a “Penny is hugging me while she is pushing her face against my chest” mood he calls her “Kitty”.
11. Do they have any inside jokes?
Well David refuses to define himself as a human(after a huge tantrum against Dumbledore at the end of year four after the acromantula), mostly because he feels more like a beast, is not arrogance more like “why i feel so aggressive, i don’t feel like i’m human, what’s happening to me? I can barely remember what my personality was before being obsessed with saving Jacob, not even knowing what happened to him and how i will react to his presence..” After a while of consideration even with Dumbledore saying to him that he is the most human because he cares so much to feel destroyed by the idea of friends and classmates in danger, David will keep saying that he is a Class-5(XXXXX) beast(like Chimaeras and Dragons and Werewolves). After he breaks the curse of the Portrait Vault, between people who call him hero, there is also people who listened him defining himself as a beast and they choose to call him GBoH(Guardian Beast of Hogwarts)
So the inside joke is that when Penny just be herself in presence of a David in a bad mood(because shits happens often at hogwarts) she likes to joke about how “She is the only known witch to tame a Class 5 David”
On Penny-side: every-time(David is in a mood of making jokes) Penny mentions the Kew Gardens David usually comments with “I know, it’s not like Kew Garden, but at least here you’re encouraged to interact with plants”
I add that there are many inside jokes about David and dogs(David’s animagus form is a german shepherd), like being called Good Boy or throwing him things so he can catch them with the mouth.
12. Do they have similar goals? If they clash, how do they deal?
Well in Auror!AU, David(and Jacob) are working hard to be aurors, while Penny wants to be a substitute for Snape(so like when he is ill or not in the “mood” for teaching, she will teach Potions in his place). So in this case their similar goal is spending more time together and they work hard to achieve it.
In Cursebreakers!AU(but an edited version but the concept was born from @Lycopenedishere fanfic) They both work hard for being cursebreakers(with or without Rakepick) but mostly David already used(to cursebreaking), focus on learning new languages(magical and common) and spells while Penny focus on learn new potions’ recipes and more important(inspired by David) learning how big is the world(magic and not-magic)(it’s like “i want to travel a little, be independent, and learn more”).
In general they have similar goals but their goals aren’t exclusive and most of the times they can achieve them together and in the unusual situation where they may clash for them…they usually are in good terms like “May be the best one win and good luck honey”
13. How do they react at being away from each other?
Are talking about away in a “they’re at work or on a trip for a few days”? or away in a “they’re dead” way?Don't care! i choose the first option(not in a mood for angst and sadness XD)
David just tries to keep himself busy(with cooking or cleaning or anything else) until Penny comes back, trying to not thinking about it, until at some point you can hear him singing love songs in a sad voice until Penny comes back. (Tonks jokes that he has this reaction because his animagus form is a dog and he is quite affectionate…she is right)
Penny pretty much the same but the difference is in what they do, and Penny could choose to spend some time with Tonks and Chiara, or if they’re both busy, visiting her family.14. Is there anything they associate with each other?
14. Is there anything they associate with each other?
Well David associates Penny with the ocean, mostly because her blue eyes but also he quite reminds him how really deep is Penny’s personality(because before the Scarlet mini-saga, David was sure that Penny was only like a clichè of a cheerleader with a thing for dangerous things)
Penny associates David with the sky, huge, and watching it, brings hope, in a different way deep and majestic like ocean, but if you watch decently you can see where is the storm but at the same time the sky embrace earth and oceans(= things that David loves or cares about). (i’m very bad in explaining this kind of things in english, please forgive me)
15. Does their view of themselves differ from their partner’s view?
Quite complicated question, but keep in mind that i’m writing about them during HPHM(not after or before):
David’s view of himself: Someone unable to achieve everything he wants, like really saving his brother, or taking care of his friends and everyone he loves by keeping them away from dangers(R. Vaults, Etc…), Someone who saw his own family falling into pieces and being unable to save them all. A disgusting being who refuses his own humanity because the people who hates and was most disappointed define themselves as humans. Someone unable to truly be honest to the people around him because is too scared of their reaction to his most deeper thoughts. Someone who has friends willing to help him not because it’s the right thing to do but because he already helped them with something meaningless like a prank or going to places(unrelated to his main purpose of saving Hogwarts) and still not being brave enough to quit on them because he doesn’t have anyone else..even while he knows that this kind of relationship is destroying every joy and desire of hanging out with them...
Penny’s view of David: Someone you can truly count on, trustworthy, honest, someone who saved her from dangers including herself(in form of depression and stress) multiple times, someone who is always ready to share a laugh with people, kinda a braggart just for making people laugh even with his scary and scarred face. Someone who is adored by people like the big brother of every student in Hogwarts because even while he faces hell almost by himself with minimum help from people who define themselves as a friends, he still finds time to be a decent prefect who teaches to the younger generations funny but useful spells(like aquamenti). Someone who doesn’t like talking about his feelings because after what he experienced, she understands that words are now overrated and chooses to show his love through actions. That someone she would miss most if he would disappear: That unique funny and caring guy those big but gentle hands that he uses to protects everyone even those people who are mean to him for no real and logical reasons.
Penny’s view of herself: Someone unable to really cope with her own mental health in a healthy way, someone popular only because the beauty standards and her naturally selfless personality. Someone who watched her best friend dying in front of her and was unable to save her and trying to forget her with potions. Someone good only with potions and not much else. Someone so bored by parties to be in need to have some rush of adrenaline and joined a guy in his quest to save his brother just for the fun of dealing with dangerous things and getting that rush of adrenaline but pretty much quit after a few real “live or die” situations. Good only with gathering intel for the sake of helping the Hero of Hogwarts.
David’s view on Penny: The person he would miss most(Don’t tell Rowan he would put up a scene because he is jealous), the nicest girl in his group of friends, the most comprehensive, the one who even when she listen some weird and dark confession from David, she still accept him for what he is. The real Potion teacher(he learned more from Penny than Snape himself). The first person who actually showed interest not in David as that infamous guy named David, but the guy under that thick film of rumors. The beautiful hands that indirectly saved him multiple times by brewing useful potions. The only person who is able to truly understand his dark humor(Bill Burr kind of humor, harmless but darkish). The only girl he wanted to date. The only girl and woman he loves. The mother of their kids. The (real) Best Witch(or MVP) of Hogwarts.
16. Jealous at all?
Their jealousy is more about wanting to spend more time intimately together rather being actually jealous, i mean that they’re a little possessive to each other, but we shouldn’t blame them, David/MC has to deal with the Vaults, R, his brother, his needy friends, and school, while all he wants is quiet place where he can relax a little. Penny almost like David, has to deal with her tight schedule, and with David, she must find time for staying together…
By re-reading this, i feel like it shouldn’t count as an answer…but this is what they feel, they’re jealous of each other’s tight schedule that makes hard to stay together.
17. Their ways of expressing their love.
Physically, with David words are meaningless, he learned to trust actions and facts instead of words, nothing says i love you more than a quiet date, where David and Penny can say a silent “Fuck Y’all” by enjoying time together, some cuddle, some private nsfw moments(they’re sixteen and seventeen at this point, it’s fair and easy to imagine that, considering how emotionally passionate they both are.)
18. Is there any way they disappoint each other?
When they’re overprotective on each other, David hates the idea of Penny in danger, even thinking about it, fuels his obsession to become stronger and stronger, and during the beginning of their relationship Penny was disappointed because she thought that he doesn’t believe in her powers/talents but at the same time this behaviour is the same that Penny has during year fifth and sixth(in the game), overprotective and enough obsessive to being annoying(for the ones that she wants to protect), their solution is help each other in “controlling/limiting their own behaviour”
19. Describe how they communicate
They talk, plain and easy, but the main rule is honesty.
20. Did either person change at all, to be with their partner?
David has to work on his repressed emotions and working on being a little more self-centered(that’s how selfless he is, to the point that he has to begin to be more selfish) so he can take care of himself decently
Penny will work on using less potions for artificially fixing her emotions and talk more to David when she needs.
Together they have to work on saying “No” more often, but seriously they adult-relationship is quite healthy and quiet.
For the creator
21. Personally, do you think they are a good couple?
I could go over and over ranting and arguing about how from David’s point of view(straight male, with tons of repressed stress as hell during HPHM, with anger issues because of that said stress[important: he never punched or hitted Penny or his friends, just saying], with mood swings and stuff) anyone like Merula is the wrong choice for David, but at the same time both Penny and (more important) David needs time for really elaborate their personal emotional problems but even during their relationship during HPHM, yeah they’re a good couple, i like them, otherwise i wouldn’t ship my David “Jager” Denneth with Penny “Cinnamon Roll” Haywood.
But i want make the extra mile and explain why the other characters aren’t fitted for David:
Let’s remove all the boys(David is straight but in a “i simply don’t feel attracted to boys/men” way not because he is homophobic or something) where the best case scenario is a bromance full Jojo-style(Araki is a god in making the best bromances)
Merula: Miss 7%(of people who dated her, and yet there is a whole fandom who is dreaming of having a love life with her -.-), Why Merula Snyde is not good for David? Because with all she did to David and his friends, this girl has a room in Azkaban with her name on it! If i meet a creepy girl who tries to kill me i call the police! i don’t fall in love with her, i won’t save her from herself, is not my job! If Society agreed that women aren’t a tool for men to save themselves so can we please agree that men aren’t a tool/accessory for women? Why there is this disgusting double standard? Why a woman shouldn’t save me but i should(and must) save a woman? Seriously no one talks about men used by women! Back on topic, Merula is not stupid, she actually knows how she should treat people, the same way she wanted to be treated, she basically wants only to receive good things, merits and rewards without making the effort for them because those good things are meant to be hers just because she exist! I listened Merula apologists agreeing that Merula doesn’t have to be sorry or apologize for been forgiven! They used some infos about my past(that i shared with them) for exploiting the fact that bully victims are the real bullies if they don’t forgive! Dude! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! I HAVE SCARS IN MY MIND NAMED AFTER MY BULLIES! I would forgiven them if they were sorry, if they worked their asses off in being decent humans beings, but they didn’t and i can’t forget(i wish tho) because what they did to me was so horrible, so scarring that is part of me now. You don’t see me going around with a knife and cutting people, i’m still a decent human being...not functional but i think i’m a decent, civil person(with my flaws but humans aren’t perfect). So if the best case scenario David and Merula are together how their relationship would be? The classic trope of the hyper jealous girl who checks his boyfriend’s phone, takes every girl numbers, and call them to warn them to stay away from David. Canon Merula is clingy(for the wrong reason like stalking MC) and too much jealous, in a toxic way. David is patient and comprehensive but he has his limits, not mentioning that David is quite a braggart but for fun, when he tells his ridiculous(but funny) stories, he does it for the sake of sharing a laugh not because he is arrogant, and in reality he is someone who needs to chill, to enjoy peaceful moments, Merula as a girlfriend would be like pouring gasoline on a forest already on fire! FanonMerula maybe is a sweetheart but here we’re talking of Canon-Characters...and i have even ignored all the horrible things she did(one indirect attempted murder, one instigated murder, stealing potion from Penny, trying to get the merits, tons of racist speech and hate speech in general, disrespectful, she never really showed her friendly/warm side, so she isn’t a tsundere and even if she is a tsundere, she is the worst example of being a tsundere).
Chiara: My second favorite girl, a ship with her would work smoothly, they both have empathy and they know how to really treat other people. Even with her condition of being a werewolf, David(and MC in general) already showed that he is able to deal with her condition, and because my David is basically a witcher(without mutations) in the HP-universe, it’s even easier for him to take care of her, to protect her from people too blind to see that she is a victim of the circumstances, she didn’t choose to be a werewolf, she got bitten and she doesn’t want to harm anyone.
Tonks: I stick with the canon, so Remadora(but i think she is bi but she just loves Remus and we’re okay with it), for David a relationship with Tonks would feel weird “It’s like the cool and funny sister of my dreams, but still my sister, no one wants that!”
Tulip: Not enough time on screen to have a full opinion on her, she is nice, but i would want to see her when is not busy with pranks and she is in a more serious situation before saying anything, sorry.
Liz/Lizard: I don’t want to say that she is AroAce, not because i have problems but mostly because we don’t see her on screen enough to feel like she is, i want to learn more about her before saying anything, for now David and Lizard are only a “we share an interest but we have some divergences “trope.
Badea: She is actually David’s step/foster-sister! They like to spend time together as siblings or childhood friends, like doing two different things but quietly near to each other, for a MaleMC i dare to say that she is like FemRowan but with different interests. Her parents took care of David like he is part of the family, they developed the automail that David has(combining magic knowledge with muggle technology, so it’s like having a sci-fi arm but in the 1980s) also the red coat that David usually wears is a gift from Badea’s mother.
22. From the outside looking in, what is their dynamic like?
A remixed version of the Beauty and the Beast trope:
David: Scary face(because the scars) and wild approach to his enemies(like fighting close-ranged, using his instincts to choose which attack he should use) but secretly a sweetheart, he isn’t stupid, but his emotions and instincts kick in before his rationality in a combat-situation to the point that he trained himself to prepare items, small weapons and potions while he is still “rational” to the point that we can say that he shaped his own “fighting pattern” with training and studies.
Penny: Already a sweetheart (but with a hint of slytherin traits), smart, cute, polite, more diplomatic, her approach to a duel is rational(after HPHM she will learn close combat fighting from David but without his instinctive flaws, so she would be more like a martial artist and more accurate), capable of obtaining any kind of information easily.
23. Did you tailor your OC for the other in the romance?
As matter of fact no...i made a character that would fit what i like...and i just noticed how he would be happy with Penny around.
24. Is their any moment that happens between them that you know happens and just makes you melt?
Mostly is a concept of moments they share:
They’re having a rough day, both of them, they’re about to punch someone in the face, that’s how stressed they are. Soon enough they meet after their different lessons, they see in each other eyes, (you can also say that they’re spent so much time together that they can feel it) they need a break, away from everyone, and if it’s a weekday there is Jacob’s room(also known as “David’s club room, where he can do whatever he wants”) and they’re mostly together maybe skipping a lesson or two, but their minds and souls needed that, it’s either a warm tea, or being on a sofa drowning in sheets and pillows and just snuggling and cuddling, or being passionate to each other.
25. Share any headcanons about their relationship.
David and Penny’s father are actually great friends...but David and Penny’s mother are like in a turf war because Penny’s mother knew David’s biological mother, she knows that she became a pureblood supremacist soon as she was pregnant with David, and she judges him as she judged his mother...David is just salty for being treated badly because some reputation that doesn’t involve him directly.
26. How important is the romance in your OC’s overall story?
David is basically on the verge of insanity everyday, everytime someone ask him to do something first for them(in exchange of their help for saving hogwarts) is a small step towards a mental breakdown. What prevent those meltdowns are quiet people(Rowan, Penny, Badea) people who likes to either doing something quietly or are good in listening him or knows him enough to help him to chill. Penny is meets all the three requirements. I dare to say that their relationship(either a friendly or romantic) is crucial for David. Without Penny(or if she dies) David will lose his self-control and just be like a Chimaera(just primal instincts and ultraviolence)
27. What makes you excited about their relationship?
The fact that for one time is the trope “opposites attract each other” can’t be used here, as a matter of fact, David and Penny are quite similar, they shared similar experiences but from slightly different points of view. I love the idea of being there for each other, knowing what each other needs because they know what they need, it may sounds boring or predictable, but i find it cute, they both need the same things for feeling good but they’re both so workaholics that they don’t think about their own health until the other one(because they’re both quite selfless and kind) takes them to rest. There is a lot that makes me excited about David and Penny being in love, like how during year 1 to 4 ressemble the slow burn of Romione, and from the end of year 4 to 6(maybe seven, we’ll see) ressemble Hinny, but their adult relationship could be quite Geralt and Yennefer from The Witcher but more affectionate(and less drama XD).
28. Is there any similarities to your OC and LI’s relationship to one you have had IRL?
I don’t have a relationship and never had one...never had an actual friend(or someone truly worthy of being called friend), so it’s more based on ideas and dreams.
29. What are your favorite moments that happen between them?
It’s more like based on my Cursebreaker!WhatIf, where David and Penny are travelling in the Sahara Desert, they’re just walking, they’re covered in clothes so you can’t really say who is who, but they’re walking close facing the burning climate, they’re not suffering for the water(aguamenti is the solution), just the air burning in their throats but they’re still close like they’re more in need of feel each other close than the actual need of some fresh air or a refreshing shower. You can say that is boring or meaningless but truth is that they love so much each other to rather melt for the burning hot weather rather than not being close or share some physical contact.
In the game my favorite moment is:
30. How does their love change as they get older?
By the time they’re older the love doesn’t change but their way to express it is more domestic, i don’t wanna involve AUs/What Ifs but in some aspects it can be similar to Izumi and Shigu(FMA), but still with a “young mentality” kinda like an eternal honeymoon, they’re both quite passionate so people insist that is just a phase, but even during their 90s they will be daring and affectionate(but i’ve headcanon that a spell for anti-aging purposes will be invented or re-discovered in some ruins, so wizards and witches will look like they’re back in their 30s or 40s).
31. Share anything you would like about the couple!
I’m not into the fankids but still in the Auror!AU:
David and Penny have a daughter named Scarlet “Dora” Haywood, she is a quiet girl but she has a thing for puns like her father and her godmother and not to mention that there is a rumor that Scarlet and Teddy are into each other. Mama and Papa are quite liberal and (secretly super happy to the idea of being in laws with the Tonks Family)
in the Cursebreakers!What Ifs their daughter is in fact adopted in Alexandria(Egypt) after a complicate situation(where they were sent in The Witcher 3 universe, and spent time with Geralt&Co.) they find this little girl, with no parents, no name, and a weak memory about her past so they choose to take care of her while they’re searching for her actual parents, but the time pass(the whole summer between Harry’s second year and the beginning of his third year) and nothing, after that, they need to go back to Great Britain for some jobs(that involves spending a year in Hogwarts and being Harry’s bodyguards while Jacob and other aurors are searching for Sirius Black) so they take with her while using contacts in Egypt to keep “alive” the researches of this girl’s parents, but meanwhile they gave her a name Alexandria(so she will grow up attached to her origins), Elen Riannon(a reference to complete name of Ciri) Haywood and let her stay with David’s foster parents so she can go to muggle schools and not risking her life in a dangerous place like Hogwarts(even though she will be there for Christmas so they can celebrate all together).