A Matter of Propriety

Four: So shaken as we are

He didn't know that he'd find her out there. She sat, completely erect, eyes closed, as if she were trying very hard to keep herself completely together. The park was filled with noise; the small children running to and fro with their friends, mothers chiding them for their behavior, the sounds of others walking and talking. Yet Padma seemed completely lost, closing herself off from the outside world in some attempt to stay calm. He could see her body, tensed upon the bench as anyone passed, though her eyes didn't dare open.

Somewhere inside his chest, he felt a strange pluck of pity for her.

Nowhere in his plans had he thought about going over there, yet that's exactly what happened. He approached the bench, watching her body tense before his voice broke into the din around them. "Is this spot taken?"

Her eyes opened then as she tilted her head upwards to gaze at him, a mixture of confusion and curiosity crossing her features as she responded, "Sure. I'm not the owner of it, so you're free to do what you like." Her voice had a strange note to it, hardened and prickly as she scooted over to make more room upon the bench that she had, indeed, been hoarding for most of the afternoon. Nott sat carefully, keeping space between them as she seemed to dictate with her body language. For the longest time they sat in companionable silence before he broke it.

"Are you all right?" There was genuine concern in his usual brusque and neutral tone as he chanced a sideways glance at the woman.

"I'm fine." She replied icily, arms wrapping around her torso, staring blankly towards the children at play.

"You're not," Nott ventured out, cutting her off a moment later when he realized he was about to get a fight for them. "You've been threatened by Rodolphus Lestrange in broad daylight, your brother-in-law is having your place checked for any dark magic and rewarding it as we speak, and everyone keeps asking you the same question so you've obviously become irritable about it and try to shrug it off but you're not fine." He paused before he added, "If you were fine, you'd probably be back at work or, if out here for the fun of it, watching the children and commenting to me, dryly, about how they should be raised to be less like hellions that they appear to be today."

Somewhere in the middle of his speech, he got a small smile that curved upon her lips. But it didn't last as she sighed, her front cracking slightly. She drooped a bit, much like a flower that wasn't given enough sunlight, eyes closed still as she tried to bring it all back up again. She didn't want to think about it, that was obvious, and Nott felt bad for bringing it up. But what could he do? There wasn't a lot he, as a wizard, could do, though he knew he could try to look into what might be done on the side of the law. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he nearly missed Padma's next words.

"When did you learn to know me so well?"

"I'm not entirely sure," He replied honestly.

"When're you going to start calling me by my first name?" Padma asked softly.

"Only when you start calling me by mine," He responded casually.

"All right then, Theodore-" But she was cut off by a hand raised in the air, a curious smile on his features as he stopped her.

"Theo, please."

"Theo it is," Padma offered a small, weary smile as she closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Padma," Theo replied in the same manner, waiting a moment before he lay a hand upon her arm. She stiffened for a moment, eyes opening again as a light frown creased her lips. But, slowly, she either came to ignore it or she simply didn't mind.

"It'll be better soon, won't it?" Padma asked after a few moments.

"One only has to hope so," Theo replied gravely. "One only has to hope…"