A/N: Sorry it's been a while. This is the first part of sixth year, and there will probably be around three to five more. Oh, and if you haven't, you're very welcome to check out my other story that complements this one, Falling In Love, Falling Apart that focuses on Ginny and Michael's relationship. Now, onto the story!

Sixth year. Part I.

The five of them were sitting in front of the common room fire. Cho was placed on Michael's lap, leaning her head against his shoulder. Her eyes weren't puffy or red. They hadn't been, much, since they returned after the summer holidays. But Padma wouldn't exactly call her cheery, either. She mostly just clung to Michael, like now, and rarely spoke up when his friends were around. Padma had made the effort to try and get to know the girl better a couple of times, with only partial success in a few smiles and a bit of small talk and nothing more.

Right now, Terry and Anthony were exchanging glances that were supposed to be discreet, but weren't. Just a few hours ago, they'd all had it very clearly confirmed that the rumours about Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas were a lot more than just gossip (Padma had of course known this for a while through Parvati's bitter complaints about it, but she had refrained from mentioning it, not sure how it would be taken by Ginny's ex-boyfriend).

"You know, guys, it's fine," Michael spoke up finally, with a small smirk on his lips.

Terry almost jumped out of his chair, and Anthony immediately began to stutter that he didn't know what he was talking about.

But Michael only shook his head, still grinning (but Padma noticed with concern that there was something off about it). "It's fine. I really don't give a rat's arse about whatever Thomas and Weasley are doing. I've got Cho now," he finished, putting his hand over her cheek. (But Padma knew she was not the only one who noted the sudden use of both Ginny and Dean's last names.)

Terry and Anthony both nodded slowly, but there was a question in their eyes that Padma suspected meant this conversation would continue later, out of earshot of Michael's current girlfriend. For the moment though, they dropped it.

The conversation ended up addressing much more trivial matters. Padma didn't pay much attention, her thoughts on more important matters than the first Quidditch match of the season, or even homework. The issues of the world were bigger than that. You-Know-Who was back, and now everyone knew it. Even if she had believed it last year, it was worse like this; having it confirmed by the authorities. It made it far more real.

Of course she had been scared last year, too. Ever since Cedric's death, she had been worried. But now – it was worse than ever. Her parents pleading her and Parvati not to return to Hogwarts, warning them about how dangerous it'd be, telling them that they should be together, as a family, for what little time they might have left. Those words had caught hold of her, even if she had, at home, not given in to them. Because her friends were at Hogwarts (Terry was here). And, plus, she knew that Parvati would never cave. Parvati was brave, and a Gryffindor. So Parvati was the one who had yelled at their parents, demanding that they let them go back, telling them it wasn't a negotiation. Padma just had to nod.

Had Parvati not been there, though, she suspected she would not have been strong enough to be here right now, defying her mother's tears and her father's heartbroken eyes. Those images and their words had haunted Padma ever since her return to the school. Every morning at breakfast, she held her breath, waiting for the post to arrive. Every night, she slept more and more uneasily. This particular day, she had only gotten a few hours of sleep, but spent a lot of time tossing and turning. And now, watching her friends, it did warm her heart that they were still here, still able to discuss Quidditch as if nothing was wrong. But she couldn't bring herself to actually listen.

After half an hour, though, Cho went to bed, and the three boys' attentions were suddenly all directed at her (so fast that she suspected they had been regarding her for a while, and had simply waited to confront her until they could have some privacy).

Anthony was the first to speak. "Where's your head at, Pad?"

She simply shrugged, but caved under the concerned eyes of Terry. "Nothing, really. Just everything. The – war, and all that. It's just – bad, now. And I can't stop worrying, you know." She gave a half-hearted smile that none of them bought.

After a beat, Michael spoke up. "I think you need a hug," he stated plainly, and before she knew it, his arms were lifting her up into the air for a few seconds, then placing her back into her chair. "Better?" he asked, grinning. Her smile was still not enough for him, so he went on. "No? Okay, then. Next!"

A glance was exchanged, and then Anthony's arms were placed clumsily around her, patting her back briefly, then letting go.

"Well, that was lame," Michael concluded. "Next!"

Padma's heart was suddenly beating way too hard against her ribs, and her throat was closing up and her mouth was dry as paper… And then she could feel Terry's muscular arms along her sides, his soft hands stroking her back and his chest pressed against her chest, because suddenly she was pulled to her feet and then her face wasn't in his shoulder that smelled of cologne and Terry anymore. His face was close to hers and his eyes were glittering behind the glasses and then those glasses were pressed up against her nose, and – his lips were catching hers, swiftly, softly, briefly. And she couldn't breathe.

And then his eyes weren't grinning anymore, they were small and worried and frightened and they waited for her to react, but she was not breathing and not thinking and dreaming (she must be, mustn't she?), but then his eyes darkened another shade in fear and she let out a breath and something clicked. And she closed the gap between their lips, pressing against them only for a second before they broke apart and both started laughing – he, relieved, chuckling, while she merely gave a nervous half-giggle.

"So, that seems to have done the trick," Michael grinned from behind them, rolling his eyes. "And about time, too!"

xxx

It had been a week, and the worried knot in Padma's stomach had only been growing, at about the same rate as Terry's smiles and winks and supposedly innocent touches had been growing more and more irresistible. But every time she had attempted to speak to her sister, something had gotten in the way. Usually, the presence of Lavender, who she did not want around to influence her sister's reaction to this.

Now, however, she had finally plucked up the courage to ask Parvati to meet her in the grounds, alone.

Her eyes mildly concerned, Parvati arrived, asking her what was wrong. Padma, panicking, went into a stutter about how nothing was wrong, per say, she hoped, but that she needed to tell her sister something – well, ask her something, really…

"Well, ask me then," Parvati told her bluntly, obviously not getting calmed by her sister's ramblings.

Padma took a deep breath. "I – I need to know how you feel about Terry." She could see her sister stiffening, and that this was not what she had expected. "Because – I like him. And I know that you did, too, a bit, before, but he – I really don't want you to feel – but I really do like him, and he wants to – he kissed me, and I just need to know – "

Parvati was silent for a little too long. Padma knew that she saw hesitation in her eyes, and swallowed hard. Maybe she shouldn't have asked, maybe she should never have put her sister in this situation, because what if it damaged their relationship, what if Parvati would go on to hate her, like she detested Ginny Weasley?

"I guess – I don't mind," Parvati spoke slowly, finally, with just a slight tad of defeat in her voice. "Really, I know that you like him more than I do, and if he likes you, I – I want you to be happy, obviously," she finished with a small smile.

Padma's eyes searched hers, holding her breath. "Are – are you sure?"

Parvati took her hand, smiling more sincerely. "'Course I'm sure. I just – I mean, with Dean being such a git, I just – well, never mind that. Now I want to know how that kiss was!"

xxx

He was sitting with Michael and Anthony, laughing. He looked up when she entered the common room, though. There must have been something written on her face, because he stopped laughing, and then so did the others.

And then he was there, taking her hand as though that was the most natural thing in the world, and he was leading her back out into the corridor. And he was stopping, but he wasn't letting go of her hand, and his eyes were piercing into hers, asking for permission.

"I – I'm ready now," she hurried to stutter, breathlessly. "I mean – if you still – "

He cut her off by placing a finger on her lips. "You're sure?" His voice was deep, his eyes smiling, and yet searching her, because they both knew that her answer was more than if she was sure it was okay for him to kiss him right now. It was a lot more than that.

Breath hitching in her throat, she nodded.

xxx

"You know, you could just do something about it," Michael pointed out, rolling his eyes at Anthony.

"Yeah," Terry added wisely, nodding smugly to Padma who was sitting on his lap, her arms curled around his neck. "These girls can be quite nice to have around. Sometimes," he added, causing Padma to playfully smack his chest.

But Anthony shook his head. "She's been fancying Macmillan forever."

"Oh, come off it!" Michael exclaimed. "They broke it off last year. She did. That's the most pathetic excuse I've heard since – well, since Terry was waiting over a bloody year to do something about this little lady," he said, waving his hand in Padma's general direction.

She cocked her eyebrows at her boyfriend, whose cheeks were reddening slightly. "Over a year, huh?"

"See?" Anthony glared at Terry. "It's not that simple. And when it was you, we gave you some space about it and didn't push you into something you weren't ready to – "

"Oh, really?" Terry asked, sceptically. "The only reason you two weren't constantly pestering me about it was that a certain person was around us most of the time, and it wasn't as though you were really all that discreet in front of her either, thank you very much!"

"Well – maybe I just don't wanna make a fool out of myself, asking out someone who for all I know barely knows my name! It was different for you. Padma was obvious about fancying you for at least six months before you did something about it."

"Hey!" exclaimed Padma. Terry raised his eyebrows at her. She recoiled, playfully pouting at him. "I'm not saying it isn't true, just that he wasn't supposed to have noticed." Terry chuckled, leaning in for a quick peck on the lips. The other two boys pointedly looked away, but Padma had stopped feeling uncomfortable with these more public displays of affection. Actually, it was kind of nice. To know that she had someone. That she had him. That wasn't something to be ashamed of.

"You know, if you want, I could try and talk to Hannah for you," she offered, knowing Anthony would never take her up on it (which was lucky, because she was definitely not the kind of person to walk up to people she barely knew and start discussing their personal lives). "You know, woman to woman."

"You'll – you'll do no such – don't you dare!" Anthony spluttered, his eyes widening.

"Fine, fine," she chortled. "Just let me know if you change your mind."

"Yeah, 'cause you would've just loved it if Mike or me had asked you out for little Terr here. Really romantic shit, right?" Anthony said darkly.

"Depends. Would you have been reciting the romantic poems he writes me daily," ("Hey, those were supposed to be private!" Terry exclaimed, gaping in mock-disbelief), "or would you just have been grunting out something like 'Er… you should like go out with my friend'?"

Anthony merely growled something about how it was different with Hannah, who they barely knew, and that it wasn't bloody fair to make comparisons.

A/N: Let me know what you think, okay? (Oh, and the next chapter won't be quite this cheerful…)