Fic: Directions
Title: Directions
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Padma Patil, Theodore Nott
Word Count: 726
Summary: It's seventh year, Ancient Runes class. Theodore and Padma get paired up together. Slice of life from the Alternative Universe that Whit and I had been working on. Predominantly set around the end of Mask of the Red Death.
Rating: PG

Ancient Runes was her second favourite class. The level of difficulty increased practically from moment to moment, but she found that she loved the challenge. Professor Bifrost's animated lessons encouraged her.

By the end of seventh year, they'd managed to become experts it seemed. And to test them, they were paired with a new partner, one they'd never been matched with during lessons before.

Padma's stomach twisted and turned; she'd been coupled with Theodore Nott.

Theodore had always been a bit of a puzzle, an enigma. The last year had found him turning to the side of Light, evening supplying Harry Potter with information on the remaining Red Death members' plotting. In her heart, Padma hoped against hope that it wasn't a farce, that Theodore's general goodness had overtaken him. Little by little, she watched how he smiled more, how he no longer flinched quite as often when she touched him.

They sat on opposite sides of the double desk, close enough to know the other was there, even smell the other's scent, but not close enough to look conspicuous.

Or so they thought.

In her nervousness not to appear too excited, her quill suddenly snapped, ink spilling onto her fingers. Her hand dipped beneath the table, toward her robe pocket, to retrieve her wand to clean up after herself.

Her fingers brushed other fingers, fingers that weren't her own.

Her hand froze beneath the desk, afraid that she might be imagining it. But the pads of Theodore's fingers were tracing her knuckles, her nails, the veins on the back of her hand. She cast a sideways glance at him, but he was staring ahead at Professor Bifrost, seemingly attentive, that his hand was not under the table sending shivers up her spine. There was, however, a mischievous glint to his eyes.

Padma sucked in a sharp breath, eyebrows raised, a curiously shocked look on her face. She held her breath then, turning her hand over so that his fingers traced the lines on her palm.

Evidently, this was the wrong thing to do, for Padma's hand began to tremble, her fingers curling slightly with his gentle touch. He threaded his fingers through hers, and it seemed so familiar and so new. Overcome with his tenderness, her eyes closed and she began to imagine.

They were alone by Rhonda the Riotous. She was waiting for him in the space between Rhonda's shield and her sturdy, stone body. He didn't hesitate in the least, stepping up in front of her. His body caged her between him and the statue. He leaned over her. She could smell the intoxicating scent of their combined affection. His hands were soft at her waist, then her hips… moving upward slowly. She tilted her lips up toward his. They were hovering so close to hers, and she ached to feel them pressed against hers. He leaned down once more-

"And that's all there is to Thor's hidden alphabet! It will be on your N.E.W.T.s!" Professor Bifrost clasped his hands in front of his face with a loud clap, startling Theodore and ruining the moment.

The moment his hand left hers, she felt cold and an odd sense of foreboding. She suddenly felt as though this was the last real moment she'd have with Theodore, the last chance she would ever have. Classes would be over in a week, exams finished within two. She might never see him again, and there was an unsettling feeling crawling all over her. Theodore stood then, casting a shy glance at her.

Draco Malfoy walked by, slapping him on the back with a toothy, predatory grin. Then he dragged his gaze down to Padma curiously. Both of Draco's eyebrows waggled upwards twice before he smirked to Theodore again.

It wasn't until that moment that Padma knew exactly what a dangerous game they were playing. She gave a sharp look at Theodore, noticing exactly how pale he'd become at the exchange. She'd have to walk away from this, and she wasn't sure she could be that strong, that brave. That was Parvati's duty.

But after they all left Hogwarts two weeks later, Voldemort paid Theodore Nott a very well known visit. Padma no longer had to worry about her own strength; Theodore was stronger than she could ever hope to be. He never looked in her direction again.