AN: This chapter is a change in tone, it's not lighthearted like all the others. It's still friendship though! (I promise that the next chapter will be a return to the light-heartedness.)

'You love him! Pad, admit it, you love him!'

Padma sighed, rolling up her Transfiguration essay.

'No, I don't, Mike.'

Michael rolled his eyes.

'Maybe you don't know it yet, but you do! I mean, he came all the way up to the castle to ask you to Hogsmeade, and you said yes! Of course you love him!'

'Mike, for the last time, I don't.'

Michael spread his arms wide, exasperated.

'Then why in Merlin's name are you going to Hogsmeade with him?'

'Because he's kind and charming, and I might have a good time! Not to mention, since he came all the way up here, I'd feel bad if I didn't!'

'That's not true, and you know it! Look me in the eye, and tell me, in front of Terry and Tony, that you don't love that Beauxbatons boy.'

Padma straightened, eyes piercing Michael's.

'I don't love him. And I'm not falling for him either.'

She picked up her bookbag, heading for the girls' dorms.

Michael was left sitting there sulkily.

'...Okay, she doesn't love him. But how can she do that? She's just stringing him along! That's- that's just so heartless!'

Anthony pushed his reading glasses up nervously.

'Don't let her hear you say that, Mike. She'll be upset if she hears that.'

Michael shook his head.

'If she is, she won't show it much. You do know that quite a few of the other students say that about her; that she's heartless and cold and all, not a teenage girl in any way.'

Anthony glared at his friend.

'Mike, we know she's not heartless. Don't say that about her, she's our friend!'

'Hey, there's no need to get so aggravated over it, mate! I was just repeating what I've heard.'

'Looking at that boy, he's not expecting a soulmate or anything out of this relationship either!'

'But even so, have you ever wondered Padma never falls in love?'

'Mike, she's only fourteen. We're only fourteen. I mean, Terry's never either.'

'But she's a girl, they're supposed to-'

At that, Terry looked up from the piece of parchment he was scribbling on and mumbling at, doubtlessly modifying or inventing some spell.

'Mike, stop it. You are her friend. You know her. You know what they say about her isn't true, and you know that it really does hurt her, even if she doesn't show it. Padma's a private person. It's just her. Accept that.'

'But-'

'No more buts, Michael. Just stop it. If she ever hears about this, it will hurt her. And I know you don't want to do that.'

Anthony nodded in agreement.

'Padma's just who she is, and we're her friend. This ends here, Mike. You're a good friend, so be one.'

Michael threw the ball of parchment in his hands into the fire.

'Fine.'

Michael wasn't normally like this. Not at all. It just seemed that, lately, he'd been getting more and more belligerent, insensitive.

Apparently, it was something Muggles called hormones.

'But really, one last question: how can she live without love? How can she live without falling in love?'

Terry stood suddenly.

'I'm sure she manages. It's not your place to say these things, Mike. What Padma does with her life is none of our business. We're all autonomous.'

He went up the boys' staircase.

Anthony shook his head.

'Mike, just drop it. Please.'

Michael threw the front page of Terry's discarded Daily Prophet into the fire.

'...Ever wonder if she cares about us?'

'Mike! Don't say that! I'm sure Padma loves us, in some way. She's our friend.'

Michael kept staring into the fire.

Anthony sighed.

Considering the sheer pain love had constantly caused Michael since some time in Second Year or so, Anthony wondered whether Padma had the right idea with her supposed love-less life. Or Terry with his 'jealousy is futile' belief.

Growing up, hell, being human, was so difficult...