A/N:

Written for the Ravishing Romance Competition

& Story Beginnings Challenge

She held up the little book with trepidation as she saw her twin flip her long raven hair over her shoulder. She was dressed in one of her best party-dresses and had her hair curled in romantic curls. But, the thing that scared her was her posture.

Padma loved her sister but she can be over-bearing at times and the posture she was currently holding clearly said, "Let's go find you a boy."

Lavender and Parvati whenever the two got bored decided on match-making. Sometimes, it worked and most of the times it was complete bizarre. And a lot of times, the bizarre involved her. So, you may understand Padma's reluctance towards her sister.

"Come, party with us, Paddy!" Parvati said, or practically squealed, confirming Padma's fears.

"Don't call me Paddy, I always imagine, rice fields with that…" Padma muttered, "And I want to read… This book is really interesting…" she insisted.

"Well, that is your fault, isn't it? Being all knowing and all that stuff you Ravenclaws do… And keep that book down, you are coming with us."

Padma glared at her sister for the Ravenclaw comment.

This was the routine, Parvati would force her to party and she would go there and sit awkwardly in a corner as the 'animals were in heat'.

But she was tired today and really had no mood to put up a fight. So she just shrugged and nodded, keeping the book aside. She would definitely, accidentally forget something and shrink the book to carry it in her purse or clutch, whatever the two decide looks good on her tonight.

An hour, an hour of torture with a hair-brush and make-up kit, later Padma looked passable as per Parvati and Lavender, because she was not wearing enough make-up. Padma told them just to be grateful she was wearing the stupid eye-shadow and lipstick. This passable Padma sat in the corner of the room, with her face dug in a book. Lavender and Parvati were long gone flirting with guys.

"Wow, don't usually find a girl, reading in a party." Said a voice beside her, she felt the weight on the couch telling her someone just sat beside her.

"Well then girls are not usually forced to a party by their annoying twins." Padma muttered, as she shut her book to look up at the person who dared to disturb her.

Her breath caught in her throat, as she came face to face with Cedric Diggory.

He was her Department Head and might be the guy she had a teeny-weeny crush on…

So Padma thanked Lord Rama, Vishnu, Ganesha and everyone she could think of for the tanned Indian skin, which did not make the blush that apparent.

She did not miss the chance to mentally admire his angular face, perfectly sculpted, like those Greek Gods from Percy Jackson.

'Well done, Padma.' Said a mocking voice in her head, 'the best comparison you get is Percy Jackson…' well Percy Jackson is interesting and cool. Her being 20 doesn't change the fact.

Padma's thoughts about Percy Jackson vanished as Cedric smiled, "Well" he said, "weren't you doing that really important report, because of which you declined Ernie's offer for date?"

"Wow, I did not know it was your job to know about your colleague's Friday night dates…" Padma said, in an amused voice, whilst she was surprised that her voice came out as amused and not as a breathless whisper.

Cedric chuckled and said, "Well, I don't usually do keep a record of that…" he said carelessly, "but poor Ernie… he was trying really hard to…"

Padma nodded, a bit guilty, Ernie's attempts were not completely oblivious to her, but she did not want to anyone else while she had her mind on someone else, someone sitting right beside her.

"But, it would not have been right to him, if I dated him while liking some other guy." Padma said, looking at him closely.

She might have imagined the look that crossed his face, but it was there.

"Oh…" he said, softly,

"Yeah…" Padma replied, mimicking his soft tone.

"Who?" he asked seriously, boring her with his beautiful grey eyes.

Padma, would have said something else. Would have said, it was none of his business, and yada-yada.

But something in his silent request, made her say the truth…

"You." She replied. And before she could grasp what she said, her lips were covered by his and her brain decided thinking can be kept for some other time.