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Written for Showtime, 2. Sisters and Button Bonanza, Red 14. Padma Patil
Word Count - 527
Irrevocably Broken
Never before had Padma wanted so badly to lay her eyes on her twin. She moved from corridor to corridor, checking room after room, only to not find who she was looking for.
Her gut twisted painfully, because she'd had a really bad feeling since about half way through the battle and she hadn't been able to find Parvati since.
The hospital wing was bustling with people, both those that were injured and those helping Madam Pomfrey. Not a single one of the beds gave Padma any hope that her sister were here and she pulled at her hair with frustration and fear.
"Padma?"
She blinked, looking up to see the blue eyes of Susan Bones staring at her with concern.
"I can't… I can't find Parvati anywhere."
Susan's already pale face paled further and she led Padma over to an empty chair in the corner. "Padma, Parvati… she didn't make it. But… sweetheart, you knew that. I saw you in the Great Hall with her… when they laid her with the others, you were holding her."
Padma shook her head violently. That wasn't right. It couldn't be right, she would've remembered that.
"Stay here and let Madam Pomfrey take a look at you, okay?" Susan murmured, running a gentle hand over Padma's matted hair. "You could have taken a hit to the head."
"No," Padma whispered. "No, nonononono."
"Padma -"
"NO!" Padma screamed, pushing Susan out of the way as she stood and ran out of the hospital wing. She was heading for the Great Hall.
Parvati looked like she was sleeping.
Padma sobbed against her twin's unmoving chest until she couldn't take the pain anymore. She couldn't cope with being here, with her dead sister. She left the hall, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
…
Susan frowned after Padma. When Madam Pomfrey had a spare minute, Susan approached her.
"I'm worried about Padma Patil," she murmured, quickly relaying the conversation to her "I think… I think I should go and find her. She didn't seem quite… right, and her pupils were blown pretty wide."
Madam Pomfrey sighed, rubbing a hand over tired eyes. "I can't imagine what she's going through, the poor dear. But yes, you go and see if you can convince her to come back here. I'll take a look at her and, if nothing else, give her a potion to help her sleep."
Susan nodded and set out on her way. She checked the hall first, an uneasy feeling creeping over her when she couldn't see Padma.
She found her ten minutes later, looking frantically into empty rooms. "Padma? What are you doing?"
"I can't find Parvati," Padma muttered. "I can't find her, I've looked everywhere. Have you seen her?"
Susan opened her mouth and then closed it again. "I… she might be in the Hospital Wing?" she offered, thinking fast. "Why don't you come there with me?"
Padma nodded. "Yeah, that's… yeah. Thanks, Susan."
Susan led the way, a comforting arm around Padma's shoulders. She really hoped that Madam Pomfrey could do something. She didn't know how many times Padma could find out that Parvati was gone before she broke irrevocably.