When Padma recalled the night of the Yule Ball, she cursed herself for being so foolish.
Ron Weasley? Had she really chosen a capricious boy who could not dance, to attend a fabulous dance? It was really only because of his status as Harry Potter's best friend. Parvarti had been so persuasive, but in the end, it was obvious who had the better catch.
"Don't you look... dashing," she had said when Ron appeared in that idiotic excuse for dress robes.
Then he topped it off by refusing to dance with her. When that Beauxbatons boy offered, Padma was game, but her gaze lingered on another man for hours to come.
He was gorgeous, a great dancer, and must have had girls staring at him all night. He was dark, mysterious, nothing like the radish-haired fool she had agreed to go with.
But although Padma practically swooned whenever he passed by, Blaise Zabini paid her no attention. He probably didn't even know she existed.
If only Padma had said no to Parvarti, and asked out the boy she loved. If only.