Fandom: Harry Potter

Series: Song Out of Tune

Title: End of the Innocence - Part 2

Author: Morte206

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Girl!Blaise/Padma Patil

Disclaimers: Shockingly enough my initials firmly remain CMF not JKR so guess what that means; if you recognize the name form the book they are not mine. If you don't they are. The idea behind this original work of fiction is mine though.

Archive: Okay to the Realm, Girls Dormitory and any list archive I may post this to. All of my delusional flights of fancy can be found at the Realm: http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/morte206.htm & http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm

Author Notes: Thanks, my first child and possibly a kidney should she ever need one, to my amazing beta Blyss, without whom this entire series would be much less.

Enjoy

Breakfast at the Zabini's summer house, just outside Milan, was a casual affair served buffet style so that those who wanted to sleep late could do so. Normally, Pericles Zabini was not one of them but he and Blaise had been called out in the middle of the night to do a removal and so he'd slept in. Blaise, he knew, was already at the funeral home and would be there for some time working in the prep room. He sat down to eat and read the business section of the paper looking up only when he heard someone behind him.

"Good morning Padma." She was dressed in a pair of muggle jeans and a white turtleneck shirt which, given the heat, he just assumed hid a telltale mark of some sort. "I trust you had a good night's sleep."

"Good morning, sir. I slept rather fitfully actually. I never really sleep well in unfamiliar surroundings." The truth was that she had slept well enough until Blaise had had to leave but she was embarrassed to say as much to her lover's father. "Would you care for some more tea?" she asked as she set her own breakfast plate on the table.

"Yes, please with just a bit of honey." He held his cup out to her. "I'm surprised Blaise hasn't made a coffee convert of you yet," he said teasingly.

"Not for lack of trying." Padma handed Mr. Zabini his tea, then poured herself a glass of orange juice, before sitting down. "Dreadful stuff; too bitter no matter how much milk and sugar one uses."

"Quite right, knew there was a reason I liked you," he took a sip of his tea, "Perfect", he said, a contented smile on his face. "I hope you've been enjoying your stay. We've certainly enjoyed having you all here."

When Blaise had first asked to have her girlfriend's family join them on holiday they'd been a bit reluctant; adopting a wait and see attitude , the girls were young it was possible they would not last through the enforced 'near separation' of the summer, and it was early yet in the holiday. But when she'd asked to have her grandmother's journals bound so that she might give them to Padma they had been forced to recognize the seriousness of the situation, the depth of Blaise's feelings, the reality that time and distance had not changed them in the least. After some discussion it was decided to extend an invitation to the entire Patil clan so that the two families might get to know one another better and Pericles and Graciella could observe their future in-laws under controlled circumstances.

"You leave tomorrow, right?"

"Yes sir. My aunt Anita has been taking care of the pub but my parents really aren't comfortable leaving her on her own for much more than a week. Dad's a workaholic you know how that goes," she shrugged and began to eat.

"Yes I do. I fear Blaise may suffer from the same sort of compunction, a trait I assure you she did not get from my side of the family. Anyways, my dear, I'm glad I've got you here alone. I've been meaning to talk to you."

Padma swallowed her toast with a sense of dread. "Okay."

"Blaise sent you her great-grandmother's journals earlier this summer did she not?" Padma nodded. He continued, "I've actually never read them." Padma, having resumed eating and not wanting to talk with her mouth full, cocked an eyebrow, silently asking why. "I can't, they're spelled so that only Blaise, the family's True Necromancer, may read them." He paused to let his words sink in and took another sip of his tea. "The Necromancer, in turn, triggers a second spell... " Padma interrupted him.

"The one that released the book to me," Mr. Zabini nodded. "Yes, Blaise explained it to me."

They sat quietly for several minutes the occasional clink of fork on plate the only noise in the room.

"Mr. Zabini... "

"Peri"

"Mr. Zabini," Padma shifted in her seat, her body language betraying her nervousness as her voice did not. "I love Blaise. I want to be with her."

"Child... " he began.

"But I am not so foolish as to believe that it would be without consequence."

"Padma... Padma... Padma!"

This last was accompanied by a rather savage pinch which finally caught Padma's attention, snapping her out of her ruminations on her last conversation with Mr. Zabini and into the present, breakfast in the Great Hall.

"Ow!"

"Earth to Padma, earth to Padma, come in Padma."

"Funny Mandy really funny," Padma groused as she rubbed her thigh where Mandy Brocklehurst had just pinched her. "That's going to leave a bruise."

"Oh like you've never had one of those before," Mandy shot back, ducking when Padma threw a wadded up napkin at her.

"Careful there Mandy," Lisa Turpin drawled. "Don't let Blaise hear you say that, Merlin knows what you might end up looking like." Lisa winked at Padma who sat across from her. "Seriously though, Padma, you've been out of sorts ever since we've been back" (they'd been back at Hogwarts less than a week) "what's going on? Are you okay?"

~~~~~~

The knock on Padma's door was so soft that it took her a moment to decide she had actually heard it. She put her book down, stood and opened the door to find a scared fourth year almost ready to bolt.

"Yes."

"Uhm... nothing. Sorry I shouldn't have knocked. It's late I know. I'm sorry," the girl stammered out.

"It's okay, come inside," Padma stepped aside to let the younger Ravenclaw pass into her room. "That's what I'm here for."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What's the matter love?" Blaise whispered to Padma who was sitting across from her. They were in Blaise's practice room studying only Blaise had noticed that Padma had stopped turning the pages of her book some ten minutes or more. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing" Padma nervously chewed on her lower lip.

"'Nothing'" Blaise's eyebrows almost met her hairline, "then why have you been reading the same passage for the last ten minutes?"

Padma sighed but remained quiet.

"Have I done something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

Padma smiled reassuringly at Blaise. "No not at all. Unless of course there's something you're not telling me. You know; things you only tell your other girlfriend," she said with a cheeky wink.

"Ah yes, the mysterious 'other' girlfriend. How many times do I have to tell you not to make fun of Holly?" Polyurethane Holly the Blowup Dolly had been a gag gift from Hermione the previous year before Blaise and Padma had begun dating.

"I can't believe you kept her."

"What, why not... she's still in the box."

"And 'ready to satisfy your every whim'," Padma said wryly. "I do believe that's what it says on her box."

"See now I thought her box was covered in realistic hair."

"You are so gross sometimes."

"And yet you still love me."

"Yes I do."

Blaise gathered their books into a neat pile then rose to come around the table and sit next to Padma. "So what's bothering you?" she asked gently.

"I..." she hesitated, asking Blaise for help meant breaking her housemate's confidentiality but she didn't really know who else to ask. Blaise, she knew, would give her the money and the means to get the girl to muggle London. She had researched clinics. Using a map of the muggle tube system, left over from a summer shopping trip, she'd mapped out how to get to the clinic. But Fox's stepfather... something needed to be done, he needed to be punished. And though it pained her to admit it, she was fairly certain that Blaise would know how to arrange for a punishment more brutal than any the muggle legal system would, or even could, mete out. She had been thinking about the matter for the better part of two weeks, time was of the essence.

"One of the fourth years came to me the other day. She's pregnant."

"And...."

"She needs help."

"Abortion is illegal. The Ministry...."

So many had perished in the first war it was considered the duty and obligation of all witches and wizards to procreate. To this end the Ministry actively encouraged early marriage, large families (though not as large as the Weasley's) and made abortion illegal; a crime on par with murder and punishable by life imprisonment in Azkaban.

"It's her stepfather's."

Blaise blanched, her hand clenching into a fist which Padma covered with her own.

"You're the only person I know, the only one I trust enough, to help me help her."

"There are exceptions for rape and..."

"I know. I looked them up but still you need parental consent and I somehow doubt she'll get it."

"Surely her mother would."

"Her mother practically gave her to him. Please Blaise, in the Muggle world parental consent won't be so much an issue, but I need your help to get her there."

Blaise sighed and ran her free hand through her hair, "The next Hogsmeade weekend is in two weeks. She hasn't any money I take it?" Padma shook her head no. "See if you can't get her parent's address. I'll make the necessary arrangements."

Padma began to ask what that entailed but, much to Blaise's relief, Hermione's sudden appearance precluded further conversation.

~~~~~

Blaise handled everything, effectively shutting Padma out of the process entirely, so that weeks passed before Padma found out what Blaise meant, exactly, by 'arrangements'. The knock on her door was louder, more self assured, this time the girl did not try to slink away before Padma could answer.

"Fox"

"Padma"

"Do come in," Padma stepped aside to let the younger girl pass. "Have a seat." Padma closed the door and, intending to take a seat as well, straight into Fox's embrace.

"Thank you," the younger girl said in a fervent whisper as she wrapped her arms around Padma in a bear hug.

Reflexively Padma hugged her in return. Fox began to cry then, so Padma gently led her to a chair and knelt down beside her.

"Hey now, happy tears or sad tears?"

Fox sniffled loudly. "A little of both; mostly happy," she said with a small shrug and a wan smile.

"Regrets," Padma asked sitting back on her heels, her hand still on the seated girl's knee.

"No, at least not yet," Fox sighed, "I'm sure I'll have some later."

"You've cut your hair."

Fox nodded then ran her hand through her hair. "It seemed like the thing to do; new beginnings and all. Besides it reminded me...." Fox drifted off but Padma's questioning look spurred her on. "Tony...he use to like...he liked me to be on my hands and knees. He would wrap his hand in my braid and pull my head back so he could see my face, you know, as I cried." Fox shook her head clear of the memory while Padma struggled to keep the urge to vomit under control. "The counselor... we talked about it... I'm glad I did it."

"And how's that working out for you?" Padma had gone to Professor Flitwick and together they'd arranged for Fox to see a therapist in Hogsmeade weekly.

"It's hard... hard but worth it."

"I would imagine," Padma playfully flicked at Fox's bangs. "So you're doing okay, physically?"

"Physically," Fox gave a small bitter snort, "'physically' I feel great, way better than Tony at any rate. Mum sent me this," she reached into her pocket and withdrew a folded piece of photocopied newsprint. "Of course she blames 'my kind' but then ... ." She passed Padma the piece of paper and shrugged.

Padma glanced at the article; asking if she could keep it when her eye caught the words 'castrated' and 'self' in the same sentence.

"Fox..."

"I just," Fox cut in, "I wanted to thank you. I wanted to thank you both. I am in your debt."

Their gazes locked.

"I trust you'll repay the favor in kind should the need ever arise."

Fox nodded once in understanding.

Later, after Fox had left, Padma read the article in its entirety. Two days prior a man had been left, deposited seemingly out of the blue, on the walkway just outside of the emergency rooms of Staffordshire General Hospital. He'd been savagely beaten, all of his teeth knocked out. His testicles had been crushed, the word 'PEDOPHILE' cleanly incised on his forehead. His driver's license identified him as Anthony Mansfield and he could not identify his attackers. Instead, when questioned by the police, he'd admitted to molesting half a dozen young girls, his two stepdaughters amongst them.

~~~~~~

I'm not as naove as people seem to think I am nor as much as Blaise seems to need me to be. I am not blind. I am not deaf. I've heard the whispers. Fox's stepfather, I don't know how she did it, but I know she arranged it. Last year Draco and Pony Boy. Now Hannah Abbott tells me that Ernie had 'help' bringing his party favors onto school grounds. I think I always knew it, deep in my bones, I knew she had something to do with the whole debacle. And Parvati ended up in the hospital because of it. If I ask her would she deny it? I think she would. Not that I'm going to ask.

What does it say about me that I don't really want to know the truth because then I would have to choose, wouldn't I, and I don't want to have to make a choice.

I love her. Doesn't love mean accepting the person's faults too? Is it really a 'fault' to seize opportunity where it presents itself? And her family, her family is not her fault.

~~~~~~

"Do I look alright?"

"Relax Padma, you look fantastic. What are you stressing out for?" Parvati, standing behind her sister, who was seated, caught Padma's eye in the mirror, "They love you. You're like the golden child in their eyes, the perfect future daughter-in-law."

"That's just it. Sometimes I feel a little, I don't know, 'pressured'. It's subtle but it's still there, like Mr. Zabini always comparing Blaise and me to him and Mrs. Zabini. You know how she was in Slytherin and he was in Ravenclaw and all that."

"So what do you think will happen tonight?"

Only two months previously, on Valentine's Day, for their first anniversary, Blaise had given Padma a promise ring and Parvati delighted in subtly teasing her twin about it.

"Nothing I'm sure, an excellent dinner, lovely conversation, you can always count on that much with the Zabinis."

"You sound bitter."

Padma sighed, "It's... whenever they visit... it stresses Blaise out which in turn stresses me. And her mother, her mother stresses me out. I feel scrutinized, like every single thing I say and do is being analyzed and filed away for future reference."

"I wouldn't worry I'm sure you'll be judged worthy."

"Maybe that's what I'm afraid of."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I'm well aware that the further I get in the harder it will be to get out."

"Don't be so dramatic Padma, surely you don't think Blaise would turn into a complete wanker if you were to break things off with her?"

The knock on the door precluded further conversation. Parvati opened the door and eyed Blaise, holding a solitary white orchid in one hand and her jacket in the other, approvingly.

"A pity you two can't have children they'd be stunning," she said stepping aside to allow Blaise entrance. "Well I'll leave you two alone. Don't you dare ruin her hair and makeup before your mother sees her." With that Parvati left and Blaise closed the door.

"She's right you know: we would have stunning children; beauty and brains galore."

"Right and now back to reality. I got permission from Flitwick for you to spend the night," Padma stepped closer to Blaise, threaded her arms around the taller girl's neck and drew her down for a kiss. "It will be nice to wake up next to you."

"Oh love it would but I can't, I have to work tonight. I found out not ten minutes ago."

"Come after," Padma turned so that Blaise could help her into her robes, "I'll wait up for you in the common room."

"Padi... "

"Please... I need... I need you. Need to connect with you."

Blaise bent her head down to Padma's neck, kissing her just below the ear, before husking out, "I need that too." Her voice sent shivers down Padma's spine and her lips caressed Padma's nape in a teasing kiss that made the Ravenclaw's blood boil. "I don't know when I'll get back."

"I don't care."

~~~~~

After dinner Blaise's parents walked the girls back to school. However contrary to Padma's predication it was Mrs. Zabini who engaged her in conversation while her husband and Blaise walked a little ahead. Occasionally the wind carried a Greek word or phrase back to them and Padma wondered what her lover and her father were speaking about.

"How is school? Your studies are going well? Blaise tells us you'll be sitting for ten, or is it eleven, NEWTs?"

"Eleven, ma'am, if I decide to sit for Herbology."

"My, you are an ambitious one. I sat for eight. Peri sat for nine I believe. Well, I've no doubt you'll do splendidly. Your parents must be quite proud."

"Yes ma'am, I suppose so ma'am, they're anxious for me to go to university."

"And are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Looking forward to university?"

"I'll be the first in my family to go."

"But do you want to go?"

"It's expected of me."

"That's not what I asked. I asked if 'you wanted' to go."

Padma said nothing for several minutes as she contemplated her answer. She'd been thinking about the issue a lot. She thought she might like to travel a bit, just spend time with Blaise, before starting at uni. Perhaps she would work for a time. When they'd spoken last summer Mr. Zabini had offered her a position. Her' parents wanted her to study to be a barrister or maybe take an accounting/business degree so that she could help her father with his business. Neither option sparked an interest. The only thing she knew with any certainty was, whatever her decision, her choice, her future would include Blaise.

"Perhaps you've given some thought to our proposal?"

"I have."

They walked a few more paces in silence before Padma spoke again.

"Does Blaise know?"

"No, we thought it best to wait on your answer."

"For one year?"

"I wish it could be longer. If Peri had his way she would never... . When Pericles and I married he.... I know that for many years he resented my family. Resented being a Zabini, the obligations and the secrecy," she stopped walking and grasped Padma by the elbow. "Blaise knows nothing else. And he... we want her to know. We want her to have that experience. Even if just for a little while, we want her to know what it's like to have a regular life."

"And after, what then?" she asked plaintively.

"The year is for you too, Padma. So you might have more time to think as well. Don't get me wrong, my husband loves me. He loves our daughter. I've no reason to believe otherwise and he claims to be content enough with his work. But I also know that this is not the life he once envisioned for himself, his family. The truth: I suspect that if he knew then, what he knows now, even just a fraction of it, he would have chosen differently, very differently, and you and I would not be having this conversation."

"My family, I... it's... I'm in, no matter what, aren't I?"

"Yes, I'm sorry but yes." Mrs. Zabini reached out to brush the hair from Padma's eyes and caught her gaze, "To some extent, yes, whatever your decision."

~~~~~

One year. We will have one year together, just us. No family. No work. No school. No obligations to anyone but ourselves.

That's probably the last time I will ever be able to say that.

~~~~~

"Have you told Mum and Dad yet? I mean they don't expect me to go to uni, but you, they've been counting on you going to uni."

"You think I don't know that Vati."

"Well then... "

"Blaise's father is visiting with Daddy tonight."

"Oh." Parvati reached over taking hold of the hand on which Padma wore Blaise's promise ring. She played with the white gold and platinum band, spinning it once or twice before running her thumb over it. If Mr. Zabini was going to see their father tonight it could only mean that Blaise intended to ask for Padma's hand formally. "Do you think you'll say yes then?"

"I don't know Vati. I just don't know."

"What's to know? You love her, right. You want to be with her." Padma nodded. "So then what more is there to know?"

"It's not so simple. I wish it was."

"It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. It's up to you."

"Is it really", Padma said despairingly, "Vati it hasn't been up to me, not really, since the summer. Since I read that book," Padma murmured in reference to Blaise's great-grandmother's journals.

"It is simple, Padma. You love her. You want to live with her, make a life with her, right?" Parvati reiterated her earlier questions.

Padma smiled, a soft rose blush made its way up her neck and face and disappeared into her hairline, "More than anything."

"Then what are you worried about, Mum and Dad want you to be happy, that's all they really care about and Blaise she makes you happy. The rest... "

"That's not... "

"The rest of it, Padi... the... " Parvati dropped Padma's hand with a snort, "You know it's ironic, Gryffindor is supposed to be the home of the brave, the protectors and saviors of the wizarding world and yet; I'll tell you what I've really learned here in Gryffindor: Sometimes ignorance isn't so much bliss as it is the better part of valor."

"You've lost me."

"I'm sorry did I say 'valor' I meant wisdom."

"Ooookaaaay," Padma annunciated slowly.

"Look what I'm trying to say is: You don't need to know all the details and you're strong enough to roll with the punches."

"I think I know what you're getting at."

"No, I'm not sure you do. Look, Padma, I never really thought I'd see the day you cut loose and did something rash and impulsive, like kissing a tall Slytherin girl in the Great Hall one Sunday morning. But you did it; you threw methodical caution to the wind, followed your heart and took what you wanted. I was so proud of you that day." Leaning over the Gryffindor kissed her twin's forehead then pulled back to lock eyes with her. "The only person you need answer to is yourself. The only voice you need heed is this one," she placed her palm over Padma's heart. "You're too smart to make the altogether stupid mistake of not listening to your heart."

~~~~~

The idea came to her in a flash while she was brushing her hair and ruminating on Parvati's little lecture the previous week. Things seemed to be in limbo. Mr. Zabini had spoken with her father but that was all either of them knew. Rising from her bed she stood in front of her dresser mirror, fingered the deep blue satin band, with its solitary diamond, around her neck, and smiled.

There was a knock on the door followed by Lisa and Mandy's voices urging her to breakfast. She unhooked the band, tucked it into her pocket and shrugged into her school robes, "I'm coming don't rush me."

"It's amazing you ever get to class on time Padma."

"I like my bed what can I say."

"God knows I'd like mine better if I had a six foot brunette in it too."

"Something we should know Mandy?" Lisa elbowed her in the ribs jovially. "Are you contemplating abandoning the hallowed halls of heterosexuality thus leaving me the last of a dying breed in our house year, so to speak?"

"That'd be 'breeder' not 'breed' but no my eyes remain firmly set on the ruddy beasts."

"Still on about Justin are you?" Padma asked holding the door to the common room open for her friends as she did so. They joined the flow of students in the corridors heading towards the Great Hall and the morning meal.

"He is soooo gorgeous."

"We know," Lisa snapped out hoping to cut Mandy's daily 'Justin-Fitch-Fletchley-is-so-gorgeous-and-perfect-and-everything-I could-want-in-a-boy' monologue off at the pass. "Have you sent in your acceptance yet," she asked Padma in a not so subtle change of conversational direction.

"I've decided not to go."

"What!" Both Mandy and Lisa crowed in shock.

In a house known for its intellectuals and academics Padma stood out. It was inconceivable that she would forego university, a logical argument for the world being flat, not round, could be made more conceivable.

"You're causing a scene lower your voices."

"Are you out of your mind?" Lisa demanded loudly and then mindful of Padma's words she lowered her voice to hiss, "When did you decide this?"

Mandy chimed in with her own questions. "What are you going to do? What about your scholarship?"

"I've only just decided actually. But I've been thinking about it for awhile."

"Have you told your parents?"

"Never mind her parents what about Flitwick." Mandy waved to Justin at the Hufflepuff table. "He is so... " Lisa cut her off.

"Yes! He's cute alright. Now could you please pay attention, this is important, our best friend is about to make the biggest mistake of her life."

Lisa turned to face Padma again but by this time the other girl had made her way to the Slytherin table where her lover sat with her back to her.

Millicent Bulstrode looked up from her bowl of oatmeal and smiled. "You've company Blaise."

Millicent gave a small wave as Blaise twisted around in her seat to see who her housemate was referring to. Seeing that it was Padma she made to stand as she always did whenever her lover joined her at a table or entered a room where she was, but before she could do so Padma stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. She leaned down to kiss Blaise, a soft, lingering kiss filled with love and promise and then going down on one knee before the seated girl she withdrew the satin band from her pocket. Around them voices began to quiet, this open a public display between the two girls was rare and rarer still for being initiated by Padma who was particularly known for her reserved nature.

A table away Lavender nudged Parvati, "What's going on over there?"

"Don't know," Parvati made a shushing motion and leaned forward straining to hear what her twin was saying.

The words were low, pitched primarily for Blaise's ear, but of course in the curious manner of such things it was as if Silencio had been cast on everyone surrounding the couple while Sonorous was cast on them.

"Ego perceptum magica ars. Sua sponte porrigo meus." I hear your' magic. I freely offer mine.

The traditional proposal echoed throughout the hall as Padma transfigured the satin neck band with its solitary diamond into a silver bracelet which molded itself to Blaise's wrist so that the diamond came to rest over her pulse point.

"Per se ipso accipio magica ars." I accept your' magic of my own free will.

The diamond on Blaise's wrist flared as she gave the traditional acceptance. They were now the first officially engaged couple of their class and the Hall erupted in cheers.

"Why now?" Blaise asked above the chaos.

"Because I don't need anyone's permission or blessing and I am no one's property to be given away," she said obliquely referring to Mr. Zabini's visit with her father about their future.

Blaise smiled wryly, "No you're not," she gathered Padma in her arms and buried her face in her hair, "Not at all."

A few feet away Lisa Turpin shook her head ruefully. "Mandy?"

"Yes, Lisa?"

"Just now when I said Padma was making the biggest mistake of her life..."

"Yes."

"I was wrong. This is the biggest mistake of her life."

"Don't be melodramatic Lisa. She can still go to uni."

"Don't be dense," Lisa snapped.

"Don't be so controlling," Mandy shot back.

"She can't possibly have thought this through."

"Have you ever known Padma to do something impulsively, you know, without thinking about it for a week?" Mandy asked sardonically.

~~~~

If one more person asks me if the rumors of my deferment are true I'm going to scream.

Every day Flitwick lectures me for at least an hour. He's even gone so far as to contact his brother-in-law in the admissions office and gotten him to hold my spot. The other professors are not much better all having, with the exception of Sinistra, taken me aside at least once for a little chat.

This last week alone I've gotten more letters from Mum and Dad than I have my entire tenure here. They all say the same thing: Go to uni. Think of your future. Get a degree.

If Lisa clucks her tongue one more time it's likely she'll end up with a beak.

Mandy does nothing but ask 'Are you sure?' over and over and over again.

It's infuriating. No one believes that I will go to uni after the year is up.

Thank heavens for Hermione and Vati.

Vati is behind me one hundred percent as usual but Hermione her support is actually a bit of a surprise. Of course she says she'll miss me in classes and certainly she questions my sanity in proposing to Blaise but I think that has more to do with her general wariness of relationships than anything else. Things between she and Fleur are progressing nicely but occasionally the specter of Shelagh rears its ugly head and she takes a step backwards.

~~~~~

The door to the charms classroom opened just enough to allow the second year Hufflepuff girl to slip inside. She waited patiently at the back of the classroom for Professor Flitwick to acknowledge her, silently walking to the front of the class to hand him an envelope when he did. He opened the envelope, read the note inside, thanked the girl for delivering it and returned to his lecture.

"Please make sure to review Levitation and Momentum Charms for next time," Professor Flitwick squeaked over the cacophony of chairs scraping the floor as his students rose to leave. "Miss Patil, I have something for you."

"Yes sir." Padma asked Lisa to wait for her in the corridor and went to see her housemaster.

"The Headmaster would like to see you in his office after the noon meal." He passed Padma the envelope. "The password to his office is in there. Now run along and enjoy your lunch."

"Thank you sir," Padma nervously fingered the edge of the envelope. "May I ask sir, why does the Headmaster want to see me?"

"I should think it's about your recent announcement."

"Yes sir."

She left. Lisa was waiting for her in the corridor.

"What did he want?"

"I'm to go see Professor Dumbledore after lunch."

"About?"

"He didn't say."

They walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall in silence.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, you wanted to see me."

"Ah Miss Patil please do have a seat," he summoned a chair without looking up from the scroll on which he wrote.

"Thank you, sir." Padma sat in the proffered chair and, unsuccessfully, tried not to fidget.

Finally after several minutes he signed his name with a flourish then sealed the parchment closed with hot wax.

"There's no need to worry child." Padma let out a sigh of relief but promptly tensed up again as the headmaster continued. "Your parents wrote me."

"I know; they don't approve of my decision to postpone university."

"They are concerned that you've made this decision for the wrong reasons."

"For Blaise."

Dumbledore said nothing.

"Is it so horrible to want to travel, to want to spend time with Blaise just the two of us, before... ."

"No it isn't, not at all. But their concern is justifiable." He paused for a moment, stroking his beard absentmindedly, before continuing. "And while I've no doubt you will return to academic pursuits in due time; they are your parents and it's their job to worry. And their letters were getting them nowhere. I don't know if you are aware, but the Zabini's... "

Padma cut in. "I'm not unaware. And it's, in no small part, why I made this decision. Blaise's parents and I agree she should have a year where she is not... Perhaps you're not aware but traditionally, upon reaching majority, the True Necromancer in the Zabini family becomes the controlling stockholder in the company. She's apprenticed at their largest mortuary since third year so that she will be ready to begin working with her father, learning the inner workings of the business in its entirety, upon graduation. She will be certified as an embalmer and director by both wizard and muggle licensing agencies. Her path was laid out for her before she ever came to Hogwarts... " at Professor Dumbledore's raised hand her mouth snapped shut.

"It's her other obligations that you must really consider."

"No disrespect Headmaster but I do believe that of the two of us I am rather the more cognizant of those obligations. In fact I've spent a considerable amount of time thinking of little else. And again her parents and I are in accord, she deserves a year free of those obligations as well." She took a deep calming breath before continuing. "I dare say that I deserve a year before assuming them as well."