Padma Patil
Padma had been accepted into the new mastery. She had read the letter just before she had to leave for the elder Longbottom's birthday party. The pay was terrible and the hours were unbearable but she knew she was close to finding a cure or at least dampen its effect.
Parvati had been distant ever since she realized Padma had lied about being in a relationship with an almost-married man. Getting drunk and spilling her secrets to her was the worst mistake she had made. The fact that their father had a revolving door of mistresses was an open secret in their family.
Padma was all alone at a large party. She wanted to talk to her friends but strength eluded her. She just wanted to hide from the world. Padma walked away from the hall to find a room where she could remain unnoticed.
Her father would be irritated at her failure to work the crowd but she had decided she was going to catch the next floo back to Germany. No reason to spend more time at the place where she had fucked her whole life up.
Padma spent half an hour in solitude. Exploring the display of the Longbottom portraits that Augusta Longbottom had arranged for her birthday. There wasn't as many people here, mostly older wizards and witches talking to the portraits.
She was about to return to the hall when she saw Astoria enter the room. Astoria talked to a few people in the hall. Astoria knew how to charm older people. She had all the graces required of a pureblood heiress. It was a skill that Padma never possessed, She couldn't help but admire her.
She walked towards her. Padma dug her thumb into her palm. This couldn't be anything good.
" Patil, Did you see the portrait of Longbottom's great uncle. He had a striking resemblance to your classmate." Astoria asked as she took her hand and guided her away from the people in the hall
"I don't care if you slept with Draco." Astoria whispered " I do care if you crow about sleeping with my fiance to the rest of the world."
"I did't…" Padma tried to respond.
"Listen to me…" Astoria cut her off " You sister humiliated me." snapped
"Of all the people, you told Prattling Parvati, Might as well have taken out the Prophet's front page."
Astoria turned her towards a portrait which did look like Neville. "Here he is! Reginald Longbottom."
"It is very pathetic that you still care about a summer fling. Padma, we are getting married. Leave us alone, find someone else. Does it not matter how many time we brush you off? Why do you want to crawl into our lives again?"
Astoria was pleading with her to leave and Padma felt embarrassed for herself. "I'm leaving for Germany." She answered feebly. She didn't want to cry infront of Astoria. She always viewed her with such contempt. She didn't want to be pitied by her.
"Astoria! I have been looking for you!" Some called from further away.
"Have a good life, Padma." She said caressing her hand for a second. They had still been holding hands while Astoria destroyed her.
"Coming Daph!" Astoria answered before walking away.
6 years later
Astoria Malfoy
Astoria Malofy usually slept in during sunday. Draco would spend the whole day with their son and she liked to take a day off and repucarate. Scorpicous tried to be gentle but he was still an energetic 4 year old and she often got hurt. She tried to pretend that her symptoms hadn't gotten worse after the preganacy but it had, The pain lasted longer and she could only do half as much when the pain came.
She was annoyed that her father wanted to vist her. He had floo in at 7. Her relationship with her father had been strained ever since Daphne moved out. The success of Daphne's investments and her sister's wealth had made her father into a very jealous and bitter man. He resented her success and it she was sometime the target of the resentment.
Her father was pacing the hall.
"Astoria! What took you so long?" He asked
"I was getting ready father, I don't make it a habit to get up this early in the morning."
He ignored her.
"I received a letter from Rochefor"
"Not this again!' she snapped! "I am not going to be a guinea pig to another mad healer!"
"Listen Child! Her son is doing much better and so is Meyer. Meyer has been on his death bed for years and I talked to him by floo last night. He sounds healthy! He has been working with a new healer and he told me that he was able to walk."
Astoria paused, Meyer's family had a very similar curse placed on his family. His family curse had been worse and very resistant to treatment. If it worked for him, maybe it could work for her too.
Astoria had to try, She knew her symptoms were advancing, She would survive a decade at best. She wanted to see her son grown into a man. She had to try even if all it would lead to was disappointment and heartbreak.
"Who is it?" she asked
"You may know her, She was in Hogwarts the same time as you were, Padma Patil."
"I know her." She practicsing all the occluemancy tricks her mother had taught her to not lose composure before her father.
"I'm going to write to her as soon as I can." he answered.
Her father put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed her.
" I have high hopes this time, I know it will be difficult but I know it will work this time." He said
"It will." She smiled
"Do you want to have breakfast with us?" she asked him.
He shook his head. " I have many important matters to attend to." he said " I will write to you after talking to Padma Patil. She will be expensive but I will pay for it myself. Talk to your husband about it." Her floo'd out soon after leaving her standing still, she hadn't moved an inch since she had found out who her new healer would be.
Astoria had tried to dismiss her feelings for Padma as just a fling. It had been easy when she had still been mad at her for trying to treat as a patient but as the year rolled on and she still missed Padma. She couldn't lie to herself, It had been so much more than just a mistake or fling or a lapse in judgement. She had loved Padma with all her heart.
God, she missed her. She missed her presence, Her smile, Her wit, The easy way she would wrap her arm around her wasit. Astoria was happy with Draco but Draco was Draco and Padma was Padma.
She didn't know how she would face her. It would be humiliating, She had so cruel and vindictive towards her. She had been a child hadn't understood how deeply they had loved her and she had fucked it all up.
Astoria absent minded walking had led her to the garden where she knew Draco and Scorpius were playing. Astoria sat down on the porch and waited for Draco to approach her.
"Good morning." he murmured as he leaned to down to kiss her. Draco sat down next to her.
"Padma found something that works." Astoria whispered faintly
"Are you sure?"
Fixed some issues which had been pointed out to me. Please read and review!
"It seems to be working with Meyer." She answered.
Draco sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"I don't know how I will face her. I was horrible to her and I said so many unkind things to her. She deserved none of that." She buried her face in her hands. This treatment was going to be worse than usual.
"You are going to apologize and it will be fine." Draco consoled her. She knew it was all lies, Things wouldn't be fine but they had no other options. It was so ironic that she was going to be treated by a woman she broke up with because she was treating her like a patient rather than a partne, It would be the most awkward patient- healer relationship. She didn't really look forward to it.
