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Tuesday Afternoon: Padma

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I sat at my desk, tapping my quill against a stack of parchment. Alicia had just been here and she swore up and down that Percy was in love with me, which gave me cause to think 'What if he is?' What if he truly did love me? How would we be able to pursue a relationship? I was his assistant after all. Would I have to resign? Merlin knows I didn't want to do that. But still.

"Knut for your thoughts," Percy said, coming and sitting himself on the edge of my desk. You'd have to give me a lot more than that, I thought.

"It's nothing. How'd the meeting go?"

"Oh it went fine. I think Mikhail is finally coming around."

"That's great."

"I was thinking." Percy began hesitantly but he was cut off when I heard someone scream,

"You'll never get it back! It's going in the paper!" A young, blond girl came running past giggling happily. Much to my amazement, Colin was closely following her and was yelling,

"Carla! I swear I'm going to kill you, you twit!"

"Everyone will see it!"

"Give it back!"

"Never! It's my revenge! My great revenge!"

"CARLA!" The yells slowly faded as they ran down the hall to other parts of the Ministry. It seemed very silent for a minute before Percy turned to me and said,

"I'm not sure I really want to know what it is she has."

"Me neither. What were you saying earlier?"

"Oh, what?" His ears went slightly red as he stammered, "Well.it's nothing really. Nothing important."

"Iggy. Tell me."

"Fine. Um, for the dinner. Do you think we should use red napkins or blue?"

"Does it matter?"

"No. I guess not." We sat there in silence for awhile. When had things become so awkward between us?

"I was talking to Alicia earlier," I said in a desperate attempt at conversation even though it was well known Alicia and I talked all the time.

"Oh, really?" He said politely. "Anything new with her?"

"She and Oliver are moving in together."

"That's great! Oliver deserves her. He's spent too long moping over Kitty or whatever her name was."

"Katie."

"Yes. Her. Did she say anything else?" Only that you're madly in love with me, I thought.

"No. Not really."

"Padma.you know as Deputy Chief of Staff, I have to make an appearance to the dinner next Tuesday."

"I know."

"I need a date." My heart rose expectantly. "I was hoping you'd set me up with a friend again." And my heart crashed right back down again.

"Last time was such a disaster," I pointed out, trying to weasel out of it.

"Well, there's this one woman I have in mind." I felt as though my world were falling apart. He found somebody else.

"Really? Who?" I asked, trying to keep my voice devoid of emotion.

"Uh, well you, um, know her," he began.

"Obviously, if she's my friend," I cut in, trying in vain to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"And.and.she's quite pretty." I wanted nothing more than to take a leaf out of the blond girl's book and run screaming through the hall. "And, I've known her for quite some time. I really do like her. She's very smart, and.pretty. . ."

"Percy, who is she already?" I demanded, getting impatient. He cleared his throat awkwardly, his ears going as red as his bright hair.

"Uh, well, she's. . . uh, you." I froze. Like he always did when he managed to become extremely nervous, Percy began talking really fast. "I just thought I'd ask you because you know, I've really been looking for an excuse to ask you out but I never did because you were my assistant and I thought you'd say no but I just decided that-"

"Percy, shut up," I said more calmly than I felt as I stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You'll go with me?" He asked shyly. I smiled and kissed him. Who could resist when he asked it like that?

"Yes, Percy," I said softly, pulling away slightly. "I'll go with you to the dinner and wherever else you may choose." He grinned and pulled me closer. I had never felt so happy. This was exactly where I belonged.

~ The End ~