Summary of this OS: Padma thinks they'll be better on their own - Terry can only prove her wrong.

Rating of this OS: T

Warnings: Allusions to torture (and actual torture, I guess)

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, and everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. I don't make any money out of this story.

.:.

Written for:

[HSWW] April Auction - (dialogue) "Let me eat my cake and cry in peace, please."

Word count [without the A/N]: 1,490 words

Stronger Together: Padma Patil and Terry Boot

Padma stared at the wall in front of her. It was her birthday, and it was supposed to be a happy day. But now that the cake was cut and the candles were blown out, she realized just how dim her prospects actually were.

She had broken up with Terry the day before (it had been too much, and she couldn't deal with everything at once; not with Dumbledore's Army and everything they were going through). She knew she should have waited a little more to see if they couldn't figure this out (she loved him, oh how she loved him), but…

She remembered then.

"Padma Patil," the cold voice of Amycus Carrow called her, and she rose from her seat. She had to control the trembling of her legs, and focused on her steps not to fall over. She tried to only look at the pale face of the innocent first year in front of her. She knew very well that if she crossed the Death Eater's eyes, her strength would abandon her, and she would cower and actually do it, and she wouldn't be able to forgive herself then.

"Do you know what that first year did?" he asked her, his voice sweet (far too sweet, it was disgusting).

She simply shook her head in answer, not trusting her voice (she wasn't strong like a Gryffindor, and she was sure it would only tremble if she actually spoke up).

"She dared say that Muggles were clever – actually, more clever than us pure-blood wizards," Carrow explained. "Such words are intolerable here at Hogwarts! And people need an example of that. So, Padma Patil, you have been chosen to give it to her."

"Please…" the little girl whispered, looking up at her with bright blue eyes full of tears. "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it… Please!"

"Use the Cruciatus Curse on her," the professor ordered, and her head snapped towards him. "It will be a good training for you, and a good punishment for her."

"She told you she didn't mean it," she told him in an incredulous tone (did she really thought it would matter to a Death Eater like him? How stupid she actually was). "Didn't you hear her?"

His beady eyes turned towards her and she felt like she was studied by a snake.

"Doesn't matter that she didn't mean it," he snapped, and for one second, they could all see the darkness and the cruelty inside of him (not that they had never seen it before, but he had appeared calmer that day). "She said it, it's enough to require punishment."

"It's not," she opposed immediately. She didn't know where all that strength came from, or why she kept pushing him like this.

His beady eyes gauged her for one second, and she felt like she was actually shrinking under his intense gaze, and when a smile (a cold, cruel smile) tugged at his lips, she knew he wouldn't just let her go unharmed. Not after what she had just said.

"Fine. You clearly don't want her to be harmed, so I guess I'll just have to make another example. Out of you this time." And as he said this, he slashed his wand at her.

She gasped when she felt an awful pain invading her right cheek. When she lifted her hand and then brought it back in front of her eyes, she saw red. Blood, she thought distantly. She was bleeding. He had made her bleed.

Anger surged inside of her, and she seethed, "You're nothing but a monster," and she felt another wave of pain hit her like a wave. It was actually a lot more painful than what she had first experienced, and this time, she realized the pain was coming from her belly.

She heard someone cry out her name as she put her own arms around her belly.

"You –" she heard a voice, and she recognized it through the cloud of pain that had invaded her mind. Terry didn't finish his sentence and rather walked her out of the room, not caring about the fact that she first flinched away from him.

She put a smile on her tired face for the whole celebration (everyone was there in the Room of Requirement with her, thanks to Parvati, and the atmosphere was so light – the Room had even decorated itself with ribbons and balloons). She was only pretending to be fine though (Terry wasn't there; how could he not be there; they were still friends). Her belly still hurt and when Ginny accidentally nudged her ribs, she had to bite back a grimace.

"Are you alright?" her sister finally asked her when they had one moment together.

"Can you get the others out?" she whispered back, throwing quick glances at everyone.

"Why? I think you need –"

"You know what? Let me eat my cake and cry in peace, please!" she exclaimed, and everyone turned towards her at her shout. They all seemed apologetic, and she wanted to say she was sorry, but no words crossed her lips.

They all left, one by one (even Parvati; why had she snapped at her like that? She needed her sister right now). And when she was alone, she sat down against a column, wrapped her arms around her and finally allowed her tears to fall.

When she woke up, she found Terry sitting next to her bed in the Hospital Wing. A little smile crossed her lips. Had he been here all along when he should have been in class?

She realized then that the pain in her side and in her cheek had both subsided.

"Madam Pomfrey told me you'd have scars for a few days – a little of black magic and all – but that the pain should be gone by now," Terry explained, startling her a little.

"I hadn't realized you were awake," she sighed, and her mouth felt dry.

Her head swam a little and she lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, but he grabbed it before she could.

"She also told me you shouldn't touch the scars. It could reopen them, Paddie."

They both stayed silent, until she suddenly blurted out, "I want to break up with you." She wasn't aware the words had actually come out of her mouth until she saw his eyebrows rise.

"What? What do you mean, Paddie?"

"I want to break up with you," she repeated, a little louder. "I can't bear the thought of you watching me as I get tortured, and I don't want to watch you get hurt either. And I think it's best if we end things now."

"You can't be serious," he whispered, staring at her.

"I am."

"But – You are aware that me not being with you won't stop me from loving you?" he cried out, and her mouth fell agape when she heard the words.

Such a nice time to say them! she thought bitterly. She wasn't going back on her decision, that much she knew. She just looked at him, and he understood. He let go of her hand and stood up, running a hand through his hair (why did he have to do that? She loved it when he did).

"You're not changing your mind, are you?" he asked bitterly.

She shook her head, and he huffed.

"I'll still watch over you, Paddie. I promise. Goodbye," he finally whispered, and then he was out of the room (and she realized she hadn't said it back, even if she did love him too).

One hour had passed, and she had calmed down after a bit… just to start eating pieces of cake after pieces of cake.

When she heard the door open, she put down the piece of cake she had been eating alone, and said coldly, "I said, let me eat my cake and cry in peace, please! Is it too much to ask?"

"I know you asked to be alone, Pad," a familiar voice answered, and Terry sat down next to her. "I just thought about what you said, and I wanted to let you know that I don't agree with you."

"What –?" she started, but he cut her off.

"I know we're better when we're together. Stronger, faster. We are one, and we are invincible. So please, just please, give me a second chance. I'll protect you better, I'll –"

This time, it was she who cut him off, kissing him fiercely on the lips. She felt more than saw his eyes widen (she had closed her own), and then he responded to the kiss, and when they pulled apart, he smirked a little and asked, "I guess that's a yes?"

"You're an idiot," she retorted, but couldn't hide her smile.

He had come, and he hadn't let her wallow in her sorrow alone. And perhaps he was right. Perhaps they would be stronger together.

I hope you liked this! :)