A/N: Guess what guys, my name is really J.K. Rowling, and I spend my days writing FanFiction.

Just kidding. I own nothing.

Heart Surgery

The Room of Requirement was empty except for Padma. Everyone else in the D.A. had been at dinner, and then were going to graffiti the walls. Padma had stayed behind to keep the Room from closing up. She was arranging her black hair into a braid that went to the middle of her back when Terry and Hannah burst in, Terry leaning heavily on Hannah.

Padma took one look at Terry's leg and nearly retched. Not because it was twisted oddly and bloody and missing patches of skin, she was used to that. It was because it was Terry, and yet not—she'd never seen Terry make a face like that.

She forced the bile down into her throat and took a deep breath. "Lie down," she told him, gesturing towards what was widely known as the Operating Table: a large square mat where Padma, Hannah, and Susan took care of their patients. There was a sheet hanging from the ceiling to separate the alcove from the rest of the Room. Padma was the one who took care of the serious injuries. Susan could do the more minor wounds, and Hannah was good for a cup of hot chocolate and a hug to calm someone down.

Hannah quickly filled her in on the story. Terry had had his leg almost cut off when he shouted the news that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had escaped from Gringotts on the back of a dragon. Padma didn't know what to think of that story. On the one hand, if it helped the three of them, she was all for it…but was bank robbery really necessary? Padma was beginning to doubt that the three of them were really fighting, and not just running for it. Not that she'd say it out loud, of course. Nigel, a fourth-year Ravenclaw, had vaguely hinted at that one day last month, and Ginny had had to be pulled off him.

Later, she was very apologetic about his broken nose, but all the same…Padma hoped she was okay. She'd never returned after Easter, and she'd sent a message that she was okay, but Padma knew she was still stressed. She didn't want the redhead, whom she had only known as a passing acquaintance until the last year, to have a breakdown.

Terry lowered himself to the mat, grimacing. Padma took a rag from her bag of medical supplies and wet it. Tenderly, she wiped his face off. Next, she took another rag and poured firewhiskey on it before she put the rag into his mouth. They'd long since run out of painkillers. Biting the rag helped release some of the pain, and it was far easier to barter on cheapo firewhiskey from Abe than to get a hold of painkillers.

She took the iodine from her bag and shook the bottle. They were running low. Tonight, she'd send Justin to go steal another bottle from Madame Pomfrey, who pretended she never knew what had happened to them.

"This will hurt," she told him honestly. "Close your eyes." She poured the iodine that they had on Terry's leg and cringed at the pained face.

Hannah knelt beside her. "You want me to do it?" she asked. Mutely, Padma shook her head. Hannah was a fantastic friend, and invaluable at calming people down, but when it came to the nitty-gritty doctor stuff, Padma was better.

Hannah nodded. "Okay."

Padma flashed her a tight smile as she gently poured dittany onto his leg. Thankfully, he did not look pained at this. She pointed her wand at his leg and whispered, "Episkey." His leg snapped together with a crack and a sharp hiss from Terry. She took a fresh rag, gently the blood away, and arranged his torn skin to cover the gap in his leg. Padma bit her lip as she rubbed essence of murtlap onto his skin, but smiled as it gradually transformed his leg to look like healed, albeit scarred, skin.

She grabbed a small cup and poured Skele-Gro into it. Ever so carefully, she tilted it into his mouth. He swore.

"Yeah, I know it's bad. C'mon. You'll be okay." She and Hannah helped him up, then walked him along until they reached his designated hammock. He settled himself in, and Padma ran for some Sleeping Drought. She gave it to him, and he fell asleep almost immediately. She exhaled in relief when his pained grimace transformed into the peaceful expression of sleep.

Hannah checked her watch. "Padma, if he's okay, I'm going to go eat. I missed most of dinner."

"Okay," Padma said, not tearing her eyes from Terry. "I'll keep watch."

So Hannah left, and it was just Padma and Terry. The second that she became the only conscious person in the room, she allowed herself to cry. Terry. Terry.

* * * * *

"Pads, I know you like me. And I like you, too. A lot more than I probably should. But let's say we do get together, and I die. I don't want you to feel that pain. If you die, I don't want to feel that pain."

"Who says we're going to die?"

"We're in a war right now. Nothing is guaranteed."

Padma deflated. "Yeah, okay," she said, turning to go. "Never mind. I get it." You don't want me, she added silently. You don't love me.

His arm flew out and snatched her elbow. Turning her around, he kissed her hard on the mouth, one hand on her back and the other supporting her neck. Her fingers tangled in his thick, curly brown-blond hair.

They broke apart, gasping. Terry stared deep into her eyes and raised a forefinger, traced her cheekbone. "That's how much I love you, Padma. That's how much I want to be with you. But we can't, Padma, don't you see?"

Padma took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. All she really wanted to do was smash her lips back into his. But on the other hand, it made her heart hurt to image going on without him. If they even kissed again, she'd get even more attached.

"Yes," she finally said. "But…we can still be friends, right?"

His eyes not leaving hers, Terry had nodded. "Yes. Friends. And if we both live…"

"We can try…us," Padma finished.

* * * * *

Padma couldn't stand it anymore. Being very careful to avoid hitting his leg, she lay down next to him on the bed and closed her eyes. Feeling safe next to her best friend's sleeping body, she closed her eyes. A short nap, she said to herself. Twenty winks.

An hour and a half later, Terry came out of his hazy sleep to find Padma right beside him. He brushed his lips against her forehead, trying not to wake her. He hoped so badly that the war would be over soon.

If I calculated right, Harry, Ron, and Hermione should be arriving within a few hours to start the final battle, after which Terry and Padma can finally get together. I may or may not write a sequel to this about that moment…would anyone be interested in that if I did?

Please review!