Padma ran down the steps of the grand staircase, firing a spell back at the cloaked death eater who had attempted to take her down with an Avada Kedavra.
"Move, Ernie!" Padma screamed as she saw her friend attempt to carry the injured Zacharias Smith back to safety. The two boys were going to end up dead at this rate.
Suddenly, a voice screamed Wingadrum Leviosa and Zach was floating. Ernie looked down at his wandless hands and up at Zach again, his face torn beteween shock and relief.
When Zach was safe, Padma felt the air she had been holding in her lungs empty, causing her to pant, clutching at her stomach.
She knew that voice. Blaise Zabini was the only person who could sound the careless and unconcerned in the middle of a warzone. It wasn't like him to fight, to want to get his hands dirty.
But if she was right, if he really was here:
That meant he was back for her.
(And she couldn't love anymore then she could now for this, for fighting for her.)