Title: Boycotting the Yule Ball
Author: Hazelmist
Ship Padma Patil/Ron Weasley
Summary: PPRW AU Yule Ball scene revamped.Padma's crush has been stolen by her now EX best friend. Angry and upset, she ditches her mysterious date that her sister set her up with but fate brings Ron and Padma together anyway as they decide to boycott the ball.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: Yet another one shot I found. I think the idea of the challenge was to rewrite a scene of the Yule Ball, who knows how I came up with this pairing but I enjoyed giving Padma a personality.
I can't believe it.
He didn't ask me.
I dropped hints. I flirted with him, paying him exaggerated compliments to his inflated ego. I did his three foot Potions essay, staying up through the night just so that he got the perfect grade. I wore makeup, my hair down and my skirt short and still he didn't ask. Parvati and Lavender told me to let him know that I was interested. I practically threw myself at his feet but apparently his skull is a couple of feet thicker than I expected, because he didn't ask me to the Ball.
He asked Lisa instead.
He asked my BEST FRIEND. (My ex-best friend as of twenty two days ago.)
I turned down three guys just so that I could remain free for when he asked me. It was never a question of if. Once I put my mind toward something, I always follow through. But this time, it didn't work out quite the way I had hoped.
Because now I'm sulking on Parvati's bed in the Gryffindor dormitory, plotting to kill Lisa Turpin, my ex-best friend, who happens to be going with my date. Well, he should have been mine. He would have been if that conniving, evil, backstabber hadn't –
"Padma, are you planning on attending the Ball in a towel?" Lavender Brown giggles, as she helps my sister braid her hair.
"Why not?" I snap.
"Padma you can't be serious!" Lavender Brown's jaw drops, her face aghast. She's probably thinking of all the fashion rules that I would be breaking. Oh imagine the horror!
"She's not," My sister glares at me in the mirror. She's not facing me and her face is identical to mine, but her expression is still frightening. Luckily I'm not one easily intimidated.
"What if I am serious?" I inquire, challenging her.
"Well, then, I guess you're going to give Lisa Turpin exactly what she wants..." Parvati sighs.
There is no way in hell that my ex-best friend is getting anything. The towel comes off in a flash and I practically rip the dress off the hanger.
He's going to regret he didn't ask me.
I'm going to make sure that Lisa regrets it too.
Exactly sixteen minutes later I'm waiting downstairs, looking drop-dead gorgeous. I don't even know who my date is. Lavender's already gone off with some Gryffindor, I think it was that Finnegan kid, the one that lit his hair on fire again yesterday. He's attractive though. He's funny too. I hope my date's funny. I need a good opportunity to laugh really loudly and make HIM think that I'm having an amazing time. I want him to be a stud too, just so that I can rub it in Lisa's face. That'll show her not to steal the man that your best friend has staked out.
Parvati hooked me up with someone. She's going with Harry Potter, the person she'd planned on going with from the beginning. I didn't see Lavender making any moves on him. That's because she's a true friend, unlike some people who are disloyal and dishonest, Lavender remained supportive throughout and even helped Parvati get Harry.
"Harry!"
Parvati calls Harry Potter over. He's looking good in his green robes, it really brings out his eyes, but as usual he's completely oblivious. He's a centimeter or two shorter than Parvati, not that it's noticeable, but it bothers me. I could never go with anyone shorter than me.
"Alright we'll meet you two inside." Parvati beams at me as she grabs Harry's arm and drags him off to the Great Hall.
"Wait!" What about my date? But Parvati is already gone. That's just typical of her. Oh well, not like I really needed a date. Abandoned at the entrance I slip inside and quickly blend in with the crowd. I find one of the tables in the shadows and sit down unnoticed next to a snogging couple.
"I don't even want to be here," I mumble, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Join the club," A voice grumbles besides me.
I turn around and then look up. Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend, must've sat down next to me when I was busy sulking.
"Then let's just boycott the whole thing!" I suggest, suddenly feeling rebellious.
"That's a bloody brilliant idea!" Ron exclaims excitedly. He gets up from the table and leaves.
"Hey!" I stand up and follow him, not wishing to be left alone with the couple who are now attempting to eat each other's faces. "Where are you going?" I ask, racing to catch up with him as he reaches the door.
"I don't know," Ron shrugs as we step outside. "I'm not staying here, that's for sure. I hate dancing and it's going to be so boring."
"Surely," I agree with a nod of my head, though truth be told, only a few short weeks ago I was looking forward to the damn ball. Not anymore though.
We walk together through the hedges. They've done some redecorating to show off for the other schools. There's fairies buzzing all over the place. And there's so many flowers, I almost get a headache as all the scents reach me at once. Oh and they've put in some more fountains and Christmas decorations. How nice. Or it would have been nice perhaps if my friend hadn't stabbed me in the back and he had asked me, but he didn't and so now I'm here without my date, boycotting the stupid Ball.
Surprisingly it feels good. Perhaps it's the fresh air, or the warming charms they've placed out here to regulate the usually frigid temperatures that we experience during this time of year. I find that the further I walk away, the further Lisa and the date that should have been mine are pushed to the back of my mind. Eventually though, we hit a brick wall, literally, or at least I did, Ron, though, was lucky. He was actually watching where he was going.
I swear loudly, clutching my forehead. Leave it to me to walk right smack into the only brick wall in the dumb place. It wasn't entirely my fault though. I was trying to get rid of a fairy that was trying to land on my nose.
"Are you alright?" Ron asks, though it sounds as if he's about to crack up laughing.
"What do you think?" I retort.
Ron breaks out laughing then and his laugh is so infectious that I can't help but join in. The two of us lean against the wall laughing hysterically at my act of clumsiness, thanks to a dumb fairy.
"That hurt," I giggle, as I touch my throbbing forehead.
"Maybe because you're bleeding," Ron sobers up quickly, as he removes my hand from my forehead, letting me see that my finger tips are now sticky and coated with blood.
"Merlin's Beard!" I whisper as my knees give way. My world starts spinning as I stare down at my bloody fingers.
"Padma? What's the matter? Padma!" Ron's voice is faint and far away as if I've suddenly been submerged underwater.
"I – I – don't like the ss-s-sight of -"
And then I pass out.
I wake up dripping wet and gasping for breath.
"What on earth!?" I sit up so fast that I nearly smack into Ron who was hovering over me.
"Thank Merlin, I thought I was going to have to carry you off to the Infirmary," he sighs in relief.
"Why am I all wet?" I ask slowly.
"Er – sorry about that – you kind of fainted, I think when you saw the blood? I was trying to wash it off. I didn't mean to get you all wet, sorry," he apologizes.
"That's alright," I blush, suddenly embarrassed. "I should've told you that I pass out when I see blood," I take out my wand and do a quick drying spell, but I'm still damp and the damage has already been done. So much for looking drop dead gorgeous, I'll be lucky if my hair even looks presentable and my dress is probably stained.
"At least the blood's gone," Ron says optimistically.
"Yea," I nod in agreement, mortified that he had to be there to witness my fainting spell.
He wouldn't have made such a bad date, I muse. He's funny. He's attractive, well at least I think so. I've always had a thing for red hair, you know, and Ron has the reddest hair in the school. And he's tall, very tall. He's at least a half a foot taller than me. No, it wouldn't have been so bad if Ron and I had gone together, I decide.
He turns and catches me staring openly at him. I blush again, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. Ron looks away too, the tips of his ears turning scarlet.
"Why don't you go inside and dance with someone?" Ron asks me trying to clear up the awkwardness of the situation.
"Are you trying to get rid of me Ron?" I ask, grinning.
"No," Ron blushes again. "I was just curious…"
"I don't want to go back inside, I'm perfectly happy out here," I smile because I realize that it's the truth. I am enjoying myself. I would've been miserable inside. Ron returns my smile and I feel my breath catch in my throat.
We talk for a bit and I find that I'm amazed at how much we have in common. Both of us love the Chudley Cannons, hate Divination and Potions with a passion and like to play Keeper when we play Quidditch.
"You know Padma, you're different from what I expected," he says suddenly out of the blue. It throws me off course.
"How so?" I ask with a hesitant smile.
"Well I never thought you'd like Quidditch for one," he chuckles.
"Why because I'm a girl?" I smirk as he hastens to defend himself.
"No, it's just that you're, well, you always seemed-"
"Like my sister Parvati?" I supply helpfully.
Ron nods slowly.
"But you're not like her, not at all," he says softly, looking at me intently.
A song comes on far away in the distance. Unconsciously I start humming the tune.
"Do you like this song?" Ron asks me.
"It's my favorite," I tell him.
"Mine too!" Ron exclaims and then suddenly he turns shy on me. "Do you want to – er – dance?" he asks gesturing to an invisible dance floor.
"Why I'd love too!" I laugh and take his hand.
Neither one of us know what to do. We're both horrible dancers. It's almost a relief when a slow song comes on because we can't mess that up. After some awkward pauses, we get into the rhythm of the song and I get my arms around his neck and his hands on my waist. We sway gently to the music as we turn slowly on the spot.
"Padma?"
"Hmmm?"
"You look nice," Ron blurts out.
"Thanks," I whisper, turning almost as red as Ron's hair. "So do you," I answer shyly. Ron grins goofily in response. I giggle softly and boldly rest my head on his shoulder.
The ball ends much too soon. Suddenly, the Professors are coming outside to clean up and kick the last straggling couples out of the hedges. Ron takes my hand and we dodge a few teachers, before sneaking back inside. We reach my common room and stop outside the entrance.
I turn to him and smile.
"I had a good time Ron."
"Me too."
"Goodnight." I lift my head and kiss him on the cheek.
I catch a last glimpse of Ron's flaming red face. He's holding a hand to his cheek and is grinning as if Christmas has come early. I feel the same grin steal across my face as I run upstairs to the dormitory.
He didn't ask me, but I don't care.
Lisa can marry him.
I've found someone better.