Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any corresponding characters. That credit goes to Ms. Jo Rowling.

Padma was careful as she walked to the Ravenclaw common room. She had stayed in the library too late. Now it was midnight and she was doing her best not to be seen by either Filch or Mrs. Norris.

It was so dark in the castle at night that she had no choice but to use her wand light. As she turned down the next dark corridor, she felt her breath hitch in her throat when she heard movement up ahead of her. The movement was out of range of the illuminated path her wand provided.

She quickly muttered, "Nox."

She backed up against the wall of the corridor and breathed in shallow, almost gasping bursts.

All movement ceased. Moments ticked by, and just as she was beginning to think she might have imagined the sounds, she heard a familiar voice, almost right next to her, say "Lumos."

George Weasley stood not five feet in front of her, glaring and nearly blinding her with wand light.

Padma squinted her eyes against the light, but otherwise felt relief flood through her.

"Could you please point your wand in another direction?"

He lowered it a bit. "That depends. What are you doing out of bed this late Padma? Are you being a naughty girl, perhaps?"

Padma rolled her eyes. "I was looking up some information in the library for a report, if you must know George. I lost track of time but I had to get it done. It's due first thing tomorrow."

George smirked. "I didn't know you were so studious Padma. Are you sure that's what you were doing and you weren't up to any illicit activities? Like a tryst with a fellow Ravenclaw?"

"Oh please. If that's what I was doing why would we have gone so far away from Ravenclaw tower? It wouldn't make that much sense, would it? Besides, I don't have trysts."

George smiled in obvious amusement. "True enough. Well, since you appear to be innocent after all, you may go."

Padma felt a little anger stir at his words. "True enough? What is that supposed to mean?"

George laughed. "No offense intended, but it's obvious you're as innocent as a baby."

Padma felt indignation shimmer. "I could go on plenty of dates if I had a mind to."

Suddenly George lowered his wand to his side and walked until they were so close their lips were almost touching.

"I didn't think we were talking about dates, love."

Padma couldn't think of a reply, as his closeness to her had sent her brain fizzling.

No I suppose we weren't talking about dates, were we George?

She stood there and waited for him to say something else, but he didn't seem inclined to, and so she just found herself staring into his brown eyes the best she could in the dim light.

"So what do you think of the DA so far?"

Padma jumped slightly at his voice. She had been so immersed in his eyes that she hadn't seen his mouth move.

"Well, we've only had one meeting, but I think it'll go fine. Harry's great, and anyone with a brain can see that all is not well like the Ministry keeps trying to force us to believe."

George thought about her answer for just a second. "So you don't think it's going to be a waste of your time?"

Padma shook her head. "Of course not. Why would I?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I hear some of the kids have been saying stuff like that already."

"Well they're stupid then. Anyway, I really do need to get back to my common room."

"Just a minute."

Padma was quite sure she stopped breathing for a few moments. The look on George's face was a very male one, full of self-assurance and cockiness.

She knew what he was going to do a split second before he did it, and she did not try to pull away.

He lowered his face to hers, and covered her lips with his. His lips were soft and warm, and seemed electrified somehow.

She gasped when the tip of his tongue touched her bottom lip, but still didn't protest. It was wonderful and exciting and like nothing she had ever felt before.

Just then, through the haze of emotion she was feeling, she heard wheezing down a ways to her left. George backed off a little, but stayed very close to her. They both looked down the hallway, and to her despair, there was Filch, holding his lantern aloft and grinning as he always did when he caught children up to no good.