Silence
They were probably the most unlikely pair.
A Slytherin and a Ravenclaw working together, who knew? Not even the likes of Dumbledore would have seen that happening, not in a million years, and he had liked to boast about unity and what-not.
She chose to come down here and look after the children with him and the scattered, scared others, instead of fighting along with the rest. She's always been cautious, Pav used to tease her and call her the "Cautionary Cat." Now though, she is seriously regreting leaving the castle, and her sister behind. She should be there, fighting for her life alongside everyone else.
Not here, with him.
Padma gnaws down on her lower lip as she paces up and down the floor, tugging at her hair. Her heart thumps loudly as she hears the series of crashes outside on the grounds. She glares at the boy sitting down on the cold floorboards, trying to keep a scared first-year entertained by making finger puppets. She would have laughed at the attempt if the situation surrounding them wasn't so seriously.
"Is this right, are we even making them feel safe and secure?" she ponders as he makes a tiger with his fingers which causes a series of giggles from the children in front of them. "We're supposed to be looking after them, I mean."
"I don't know," he says, humming softly underneath his breath. "I was hoping you knew."
She scoffs. "Why, because I'm a woman, so therefore I have to have more experience with children you mean? God, you Slytherins are all the same, honestly!"
He stands up from the ground, wiping dirt from his pants. "Actually, I was going to say because you seemed to have more idea of what to do, you should take over." He smiles softly at her.
She groans, stomping her foot. Shaking her head she makes it to the doorway before a cool hand clasps around her upper arm, and he drags her over the corner, ignoring her loud screams. Glaring up at him, she crosses her arms and sighs
"Hush, don't want to scare the children," he says mockingly, shaking his finger at her.
"Oh god, seriously shut the hell up! I should be out there, fighting, but no I have to be stuck in here with you, and them." She waves her hand over the crowded room, shaking her head. "Honestly, let me go, I want to fight!"
"McGongall's orders. She wants you to stay here."
She chuckles. "Like you've ever listened to a word that she has ever said! Seriously, if you don't let me go right this instant, I will do something that will end your family line for ever, Nott." She grits the last word out like it is nothing, but he doesn't care. He hasn't cared about much these days.
"No loss," he says. "Not like my family's important anyway."
"Well mine is!" she screams loudly, huffing. "And right now, they could be dying. My sister is out there, my freaking sister! She is one half of me, and I can't bear the thought of her dying out there all alone, wondering where I could possibly be! I can't bear it!"
"I seriously don't care."
"She's my sister, for Merlin's sake! I love her, an action that might be somewhat of fairytales to you, but reality to me. Let me go!"
He bends down so their eyes meet, brown meeting blue. "I can't do that Padma," he grits out, ignoring the way her hand clamps around his arm and her long fingernails dig into his skin, and the pain it brings. He hisses softly. "I've been ordered to protect you, and the children, and I just can't let you go. I promised."
Then she kicks him in the groin, an action that makes him double up in pain and makes him release her from his tight grasp on her shoulder. "Promises from you, Theodore Nott, are worth nothing," she spits out, shaking her head so her hair fans out.
She pauses at the doorway of the pub, glancing back at the children who are now being entertained by a stray Slytherin he doesn't care to bother to remember his name. Her dark eyes flicker over to him, doubled up in pain and red-faced. She looks as if she is starting to say something, but then shakes her head, disappearing from view.
Her boots crush down the brown-stained snow, and she hurries to the castle, head high and wand in hand. He faintly hears the sound of her movements, then nothing.
Silence.
I don't know what this was for, but I just found it. So enjoy.