Forever – 6/50 Pairing Diversity Boot Camp Challenge.

Also written for week one of the 52 Weeks of Writing 2013 Competition with the prompts: New Year, Drunk, Happiness, Party, Fire, Wand, Textbook, Elation, Geek, and "Did you hear about that party?"

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Padma Patil was normally the sensible one of the Patil twins.

That was why Parvati could not decide whether to feel completely elated or horrified that, at that very moment, she was hauling a completely drunk Padma from the New Year's party that had been going on.

"Parvaa…t-ti?" Padma croaked, but the few people that could be found in the corridor they were hobbling through were staring and she didn't answer.

"You are the most moronic, irresponsible, miserable, idiotic excuse for a Ravenclaw I've ever seen," Parvati muttered as she maneuvered them around the school, heading toward the Gryffindor common rooms. How dare her sister make such a big scene and stop her from enjoying the party until the New Year? "Annoying, brainless, crazy, dim-witted—"

The Fat Lady stared at Parvati as the insults rolled off her tongue. "What are you looking at? Let me in! Resolution!" She, not for the first time, wanted to roll her eyes at the stupid password, but did not in fear that the portrait would not let them pass.

Thankfully, the Fat Lady just gave her a stern glare and then swung open to grant the two of them entrance. Parvati, panting at that point and frustrated beyond belief at the way her nice evening had turned out, threw her sister down on the sofa in front of the fire.

"What happened?" Parvati knelt in front of Padma, forcing their eyes to meet. Parvati glared as she spoke and her sharp tone, the fire, and the long walk seemed to add together to make Padma sober up a little.

"G-G-Goyle," Padma muttered. Then, after a few moments, said, "Did you hear about that party?"

"Which party?"

Padma gave her a look and said, like it was common knowledge, "The party in the Great Hall was for the tittl-little kids, but the Slytherins decided to hold another one downstairs, in a clash-classroom that they decorated. They had alcohol, Parvati…"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes. I gathered. And I was there. Remember, I found you nearly incoherent and unconscious on the floor? Would you care to tell me a little about that before I tell Father?"

Padma's eyes widened. "You wouldn't, Pavr-Parvati, would you? Oh, please don't!"

"Then spill."

"I was at the party, and everyone was drinking," she spoke quickly, like the faster she told the story, the more assurance she got that Parvati would not tell anyone what had happened. "And then someone offered me a drink, told me that a Ravn-Ravenclaw like me should try to loosen up every now and then."

Parvati's raised eyebrow prompted Padma to continue.

"And as I drank, everything seemed so… loud. So… bright and colourful and it was amazing! Then a guy came up to me, grabbed me, and took me to dance. There was music on, you know, and it was dark. And then someone I know came up to me and told me it was Goyle who was dancing with me, and I hadn't even seen his face so I didn't know. I nearly threw up, and then drank a bit more so I was okay. But… then someone grabbed my arm and pulled me here!"

"That was me, in case you've forgotten," Parvati said impatiently. "So… that's it? You decided to get hammered because Goyle grabbed you?"

Padma's eyes narrowed. "You… don't dunder-udner-understand. I felt him."

Parvati's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. "You—what?"

"He rubbed up against me when we were dancing, and…" She made a gagging noise that did not sound promising to Parvati in the least. "I… he… we… I… ugh, I liked it for a bit… ugh."

She leaned over the edge of the sofa, eyes closed, and made another retching noise. Then, right over Parvati's nice, new, robes, she vomited. Parvati, counting to ten in her head and trying not to scream in disgust, let her poor sister heave everything up. She held her twin's hair back, looking up and trying not to feel the disgusting warmth… then it was over and Padma was crying.

"What's wrong?" Parvati asked, discretely slipping her wand from her sleeve and using it to clean up the mess on her lap.

"I feel like a pile of—ugh, I'm going to…" her eyes fluttered shut. "I am never getting drunk again."

"Never?" Parvati asked, trying to hide her small smile of amusement.

"Oh—ugh—no. Never again."

Parvati decided the Goyle jokes would best be left for the next day, and let Padma fall into the darkness of sleep. Parvati turned her sister on her side, just in case her stomach protested once more, and brought over some blankets to cover her body. Then, just to be safe, she cast some air freshening charms and let herself feel the happiness that was threatening to spill over within her. Her textbook-loving, geek of a twin had done something wrong! It was hilarious—it was the funniest thing that had ever happened in the history of… ever!

Happy New Year, Padma, she thought, pushing down a laugh.

But then she looked down and remembered what was staining her robes and making them feel so soggy.

A shower was definitely in order.

And then sleep. One could not get through such an eventful evening without feeling drained. Yes. Sleep sounded great. And then the New Year.