Disclaimer: I do not own HP or anything to do with HP! It's all J.K. Rowling! I am not profiting from this in anyway. The only character I own (in a way haha) is Rajai.

Author's Notes: Hey! How is everyone doing? First, I would like to say how sorry I am for not updating in so long! It's just that I got really busy, and I couldn't get myself to write, but now I feel inspired again to write. I have already written the next chapter to this, and am starting to write the other one after. Second, I would like to thank ALL of you who reviewed thus far! I really appreciated your kinds words and your thoughts in general, I really hope you all are doing well, and will give me a chance by continuing to read as I post. Thank you! Third, this chapter is not beta-read, so I might upload it later when my wonderful beta gets a chance to beta it! Take care! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Love,

Sanjana

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Chapter 3

It was a week after the Feast when Parvati and Lavendar sat at the Great Hall for breakfast. They were at the end of the table because they had woken up later than everyone else.

"Blah, Wednesday mornings." Lavendar mumbled beside Parvati.

Parvati gave her best friend a small grin and said, "Well, maybe you shouldn't have been sneaking out with Seamus last night."

Lavendar giggled at the comment, more awake after hearing her boyfriend's name. "That was worth it." She then winked at Parvati.

"Look at Seamus! You two look like two peas in a pod with those sleepy-eyed expressions!" Lavendar joined Parvati and looked down the table at Seamus and Dean who sat there silently eating. Seamus hardly touched his food and he looked ready to drop his head into his bowl of porridge.

Lavendar "pssted" loudly at him. Seamus, who had begun to yawn, jolted at the sound. He looked at her and a huge smile crossed his face, when he saw her looking back at him.

"You two are pathetic!" Parvati teased as she rolled her eyes. Deep down Parvati always wanted to have a relationship like Lavendar and Seamus, in a way she did envy her friends, and at times felt lonely.

Parvati had never been in love before. No bloke ever really wanted to have a serious relationship with her. She knew she wasn't horrid-looking, but she didn't get why she didn't have a boyfriend yet.

Well, now I have one - a fiancé - even before I have a boyfriend, she thought. Now, I miss out on having a high school-love.

Parvati was lost in thought until the sounds of the owls filled the room. She looked up as they entered through the windows and landed at their respectful tables. She looked for her owl, Gangia. Soon her owl had landed gracefully in front of the empty space in front of her, since Parvati and Lavendar hadn't started eating yet.

Parvati saw two seperate scrolls of parchment and was confused. She expected one parchment from her parents, but this other one?

"Oh, you got two parchments!" Lavendar noticed.

"Yeah, I don't get it." Parvati said, looking at the second parchment with uncertainty. She looked across at her sister, Padma, who was petting her owl, Shiva. Padma, as if knowing Parvati was watching her, looked in her direction. She mouthed, "What's wrong?"

Parvati motioned her to come over. Padma got up and walked towards the Gryffindor table.

Parvati, in the meantime, reached for the familiar looking parchment that she knew was from her parents, and opened it. She quickly read the letter which said:

"Hello Behti (daughter),

How are you doing? We both miss you. How are your classes going so far? I have some wonderful news for you! Rajai has written to you! We hope that it has reached you also.

Do read and write back to him. Your father and I have met him already. He is a very handsome and decent young man. You will like him a lot. He has even given you his picture. Tell me what you think of him as soon as you read his mail. Lots of love, Mama and Papa."

Parvati had finished reading, when her twin reached her side. Parvati's heart started to race.

"What's wrong, Sis?" Padma asked, looking a little worried.

"Yeah, Parv, you look like you just saw death!" Lavendar exclaimed softly, on her other side.

Parvati wordlessly handed the letter to Padma, who read it quickly.

"What's going on?" Lavendar asked.

"Oh wow! Parv! Open the other parchment!" Padma exclaimed, as she handed the parchment to Lavendar, who sat there looking confused.

Lavendar took the parchment and read it, her eyes getting wide. "Wicked! Open it! Don't just sit there like a statue!"

Parvati's hand's trembled slightly as she reached for the foreign parchment, in which her soon-to-be-husband had written to her. She slowly unfolded it and saw that there indeed was a picture of him, and there was about two feet of writing for her to read.

--

Dean was lost in thought as he lay on his bed after classes were over. Although he was a bit sleepy during breakfast that day, he had still noticed Parvati reaching late for breakfast. He also noticed that there was something going on that didn't make him feel too good. Ever since the owls had come in, he'd seen a change in Parvati and Lavendar's moods. Also, the fact that Padma was giving Parvati shocked looks made it more obvious.

He wanted to know what it was. He hoped that everything was all right with Parvati. He didn't even get a chance to talk to her today. He tried to make it a habit for him to catch her at a good time each day and have a small chat with her, even if it was just 'hello, how are you?'

"Dean, what's up, mate?" Seamus asked, breaking Dean's train of thought. Seamus and Dean were the only ones in their dorm room, and were just relaxing on the bed, exhausted from the day's work.

"Huh?" Dean asked as he sat up and leaned against his bedpost, not knowing what his friend had said.

"That's it, you have to tell me what's on your mind…or…should I say who?" Seamus asked, with a grin on his face, as he too sat up on his bed so that he could look at his friend.

Dean gulped nervously, wondering how it was that his friend could have noticed…was he that obvious?

"I knew it! I knew it!" Seamus exclaimed, as he stood on his bed.

"Knew what?" Dean asked, trying to act indifferent. He didn't want Seamus to laugh at him for still being in love with Parvati.

"Thomas, don't try to deny it! I knew it!" Seamus was now pointing a finger at Dean and then 'tsked' at him. "I'm your best friend, mate, I can't believe you wouldn't tell me!" Seamus continued.

Dean rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. He couldn't believe his friend was acting this way.

"Who is she? Is she a Slyth? Is that why you didn't tell me?" Seamus asked teasingly.

"Yes." Dean answered seriously. Seamus's face grew serious and he sat down on his bed. "Seamus, relax, she's not a Slytherin." Dean didn't know why he wasn't being straightforward with his friend. I mean this was Seamus, his best friend, his brother, his schoolmate of six years going on seven, why was he holding back?

Because I don't want him to tell Lavendar, who would then tell Parvati, Dean thought. He knew that Seamus told Lavendar everything, well, almost everything. He wanted to be the one who told Parvati that he fancied her, not let Lavendar do the work for him.

"Well?" Seamus asked impatiently.

"Well?" Dean mimicked his friend. He would tell him, he would just have to make sure to tell Seamus not to tell Lavendar. He could trust him.

"Dean, stop joking, tell me who it is!" Seamus exclaimed, becoming a little irritated.

Dean smiled at his friend's reaction. Sometimes he could be a big baby and whine until his throat got dry. Seamus stared at him, hoping to intimidate his friend into talking.

Dean decided to get serious, and took a deep breath. "Now, don't laugh," he started, "but I still fancy…Parvati…"

Seamus's jaw dropped.

Well, at least he didn't laugh, Dean thought.

Seamus closed his mouth and then said, "Oh sorry, I was just a little…surprised. Parvati? How long have you been fancying her?"

"Four years…" Dean mumbled, looking down embarrassed.

"Wha'd you say?" Seamus asked, leaning a bit forward.

"Four years," Dean said louder.

"What are you waiting for, mate?" Seamus exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air, "For her to fall in love with someone else?"

"Of course not," Dean answered calmly. "I was just waiting for the right time."

"Right time?" Seamus asked skeptically, raising his eye brow. "Well, there's no right time like the present. Lavendar and I could have hooked you two up! I can tell her right now if-"

"No!" Dean exclaimed, interrupting Seamus, his calm exterior fading. "Don't tell Lavendar, you have to promise you won't tell anyone. I don't want Lavendar to tell Parvati, them being best friends and all…you know? I just want to tell her myself. I'm going to do it this year, I just don't know when and…how…" he finished meekly.

"Ahh, I understand, I was like that with Lavendar in the beginning, before I knew that she had liked me back…hey! Why don't I just ask Lavendar if Parvati likes anyone?" Seamus asked, trying to be helpful.

"I don't think I would be able to handle her answer. I just need to start talking to her more, and get closer to her as a friend first." Dean said, leaning a bit forward, interested in the advice his friend had to give to him.

"Hmm, well, why don't you do that then? Go find her and talk to her." Seamus suggested again. "Be yourself, I'm sure she'll fancy your artistic charm." He said and then winked at his friend.

Dean chuckled, "Artistic charm?"

"Go for it, mate!" Seamus encouraged. "If I hadn't made the first step, then me and Lavendar just might not have gotten together." He added.

Dean thought his words over. He was right. It was Seamus who had gone to Lavendar and exposed what he felt to her. Luckily enough, Lavendar was attracted to him, and they slowly got closer and closer. That was at the beginning of the sixth year, although both Seamus and Lavendar had been good friends before, it just blossomed into love.

This is my year; didn't I tell my father that? Didn't I tell myself that? And didn't I just tell Seamus that I would do it this year? What if she found someone else, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing that if I would have acted sooner things could have been different…-

"Dean!" Seamus interrupted again. "Stop thinking over it and just do it!"

Dean sighed in defeat; he didn't know what to say to her if he saw her. He felt nervous and his heart was starting to beat faster as he thought of seeing her.

He got up and looked at himself in the mirror.

"Smashing." The mirror replied.

Dean grinned into the mirror. He then faced Seamus and asked, "Do I look…good?"

"Smashing." Seamus replied with a wink, "If I wasn't with Lavendar, then I think I might be attracted to you."

Dean frowned, "So Lavendar is more attractive than me?"

"Of course!"

"Ok, forget that I asked that." Dean said, as he shook his head.

"Just do it, and be yourself, you know…a lot of girls do fancy you, but haven't told you anything." Seamus said, being serious.

"I wouldn't know, but I only have one girl in my mind."

"Just checking." Seamus responded and then gave his friend a thumbs up sign.

"Let me see if she's in the common room first!" Dean said, and then he walked to the door and opened it. He took another deep breath and walked towards the common room.

Maybe she's not there…what if she's with Lavendar? What if she is alone and I don't know what to say? Dean was worrying himself even before he reached the common room.

He looked around and was surprised to see that the common room was quite empty, except for a few first years and second years.

Then he saw her. She was sitting sideways, on one of the couches by the fireplace. She was alone, looking straight ahead. Her head was propped up on her knee, which was bent under her. She had her hair tied up in a pony, and was wearing a pair of comfortable slacks and her school shirt.

Dean hesitated for a moment before approaching her. He wasn't sure if he should invade her privacy, and at the same time he didn't want to look like he was stalking her. He made his way towards her slowly, gathering up his courage to say something more than 'hey, how are you?'

He stood at the side of the couch, and at first, she didn't notice him, but then she slowly looked up at him. She looked a mess. She looked like she was worried about something and again he was reminded of what he saw at breakfast.

"Hey…is that seat taken?" he asked, his voice soft and low. He was waiting for her to turn him away, tell him that she didn't want to talk right now.

Instead of talking, she patted the space next to her, and gave him a small smile.

Dean was surprised. His heart was still beating hard, but he tried to calm down. He slowly sat down on the space next to her, making sure he wasn't too close to her. He left some space between them, so that she wouldn't think that he was trying to make a move on her.

He turned to her and said, "Thanks…" She gave another small smile still looking ahead, and she kept her head resting on her knees, with her arms encircling them. "Is everything all right?" he asked, hoping to be of some help to her. He knew something was wrong this morning. He hoped she didn't think he was being too nosey.

She lifted her head up and turned to him, "Everything's…okay, thanks for asking," Dean didn't believe her, but didn't want to pry. "I just haven't been sleeping good lately," she added after a pause.

Dean remembered what she had told him the night of the Feast. "I wish there was something I could do to help you sleep better." Dean said truthfully, and was caught a bit off guard by his mere boldness of saying what was on his mind. He didn't know if he should have said that or not, but he waited for her reaction.

She looked at him and this time gave him a warmer smile. Dean felt ecstatic as he saw her smile at him. He had made her smile! He felt a bit better about his feelings, and thought that he would be able to tell her right now, if only she wasn't in such a troubled state.

"Thanks," she said softly to him. "I wish there were," she had mumbled, it seemed more to herself but Dean had heard what she said. Then she said to him, "I'm sorry, I'm not going to be good company right now…"

Dean wasn't sure if this was her way of telling him that she wanted to be alone. However, if she had invited him to sit next to her, it must have meant something. So in response he said, "That's quite all right…"

She smiled again, and went closer to him. She rested her head against his shoulder.

Dean couldn't believe his luck. He was glad that Seamus had encouraged him. Maybe she really did fancy him…

--

Parvati lay awake in her bed. She knew all the other girls were sleeping soundly. She couldn't keep her mind from racing with all her thoughts.

Today was a downhill roller coaster ride for her, ever since she got that letter from Rajai. It's not that she hated him or that she wanted to kill herself or run away. It was all just too overwhelming sometimes.

She didn't know whether she would ever get used to this feeling of being betrothed. She felt her stomach turn. She hardly ate much dinner. She knew she had to come to terms with eventually having to marry Rajai. Maybe she would sit down, write a letter to him, and then see what his response would be.

Then she'd have to write her mother back and tell her all the details. She could just imagine how happy her mother might have been when she met Rajai.

She turned over on her right side, and one arm hugged the pillow closer to her head. She tried to find a comfortable spot for her to sleep.

Then there was Dean. He'd changed so much over the summer. There was something different about him. Yet, he was the same person that she had known for almost six years.

His sincerity, his politeness. Today she had seen the effect that he had on her. She realized that he was a good friend, quiet yet strong. Even though she told him she wouldn't be good company, he remained next to her, just sitting with her. She had felt comfortable. She didn't know if he knew, but he had made her feel a lot better.

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Author's Note: Please let me know what you think of this chapter! It's review time! Yay!