With One Breath

My Little Flower Princess

Before she came to Hogwarts, Parvati shared a bright, sunny bedroom with her twin Padma. Even though they were now big girls, old enough to attend the exclusive Miss Bridgerton’s Academy for Wee Witches every afternoon, they often sneaked into each other’s beds at night to gossip about the other girls at school. Padma, shy and bookish, had been looking forward to lessons but not to playing with other children; Parvati had always been playmate enough. For her part, Parvati thought the new friends were the best part of school, but the lessons were difficult. Each night they would whisper encouragement and reinforcement to each other until well past bedtime, and fall asleep with their arms and legs entwined.

Then one early fall evening, as they were eating dinner, Padma said, “Vati, I don’t think we should sleep in each other’s beds anymore. We’re too old for such childishness.”

Parvati could only stare. She swallowed her mouthful of dal. “Who did you tell, Padi?”

“Pansy Parkinson said it was a funny thing for sisters to do. Even twins.”

“Pansy Parkinson is a—”

“Vati! She is a talented witch from a good family. We should follow her example.”

“She’s just jealous because she hasn’t got a sister!”

Padi didn’t reply, but instead took a bite of chicken and chewed it deliberately. Padi always did things just so, and it never did Vati any good to rush her, so she channeled her impatience into making her rice into the shape of a snake.

“I know you don’t like Pansy,” Padi said at last. “But we’re ten now and that’s too old. We won’t be able to share a bed at Hogwarts, so we should get used to it now.”

Vati stared at her plate. She would just have to accept it, and anyway, Padi was right about Hogwarts. They probably wouldn’t even be in the same house, unless they both were sorted into Slytherin. She sighed, determined to make the best of it.

This did not, however, keep her from pushing Pansy into the mud the next day when the teachers weren’t looking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.
“Did you see his face, the great lump?”
The other Slytherins joined in.
“Shut up, Malfoy,” snapped Parvati Patil.
“Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?” said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. “Never thought you’d like fat little crybabies, Parvati.”
—Philosopher’s Stone, p.110

After dinner, Granger, who thus far had not made a very favorable impression on Vati, said, “Thank you for sticking up for Neville, in front of that Malfoy.”

Lavender added, “I think that was very brave of you to say something in front of all those people.”

“Draco Malfoy is just a bully, and the less people pay him any mind the better off we will be. But Pansy Parkinson is a horrible girl. She lies about everyone and is jealous and mean. She isn’t happy unless someone else is unhappy. It’s disgusting.” Vati looked up and realized she must have been speaking quite passionately, as her roommates were both staring at her, Granger in confused surprise, Lavender in open admiration.

“Well,” Granger said awkwardly, “thank you for that information. She certainly doesn’t seem very pleasant.” And with that, she grabbed her things and departed, most likely for the library.

Vati sighed. She couldn’t understand why Granger was making things so hard on herself. She hoped that Padi was having better success making friends in Ravenclaw.

“I’m going to study in the common room tonight,” Lavender said. “Would you like to share a table with me?”

Vati was surprised. Lavender, Muggle-born and overwhelmed by Hogwarts in general, had been wary of the common room, preferring to study in their bedroom, and Parvati had been keeping her company. Truth be told, Vati was a bit lonely and afraid herself. It had been easy to be brave in grammar school when she had to protect Padi. Now with only herself to worry about, it was more difficult. But Lavender, while not really very much like Padi at all, needed a bit of bolstering, herself.

“Yes, thank you.” Vati replied. “Let me get my things.”

The two girls found a tiny table in the corner that had two chairs at it and claimed it as their own. Some years on, they still shared that same small table. Though they said later that they kept it for its vantage point—from their table they could see into nearly every nook and cranny of the common room, which was a must for keeping up with gossip—secretly, Vati liked it because it forced them to sit together so closely. It was like sharing a bed with Padi.

Only, not like it at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And still, Harry hadn’t asked Cho to the ball . . .
He found it hard to concentrate on Snape’s Antidote test, and consequently forgot to add the key ingredient—a bezoar—meaning that he received bottom marks. He didn’t care though; he was too busy screwing up his courage for what he was about to do. When the bell rang, he grabbed his bag, and hurried to the dungeon door.
—Goblet of Fire, p.345

As Parvati and Lavender walked out of the Potions exam—well, they walked, but Harry nearly knocked Parvati over as he ran out of the room—Seamus took Lavender aside, a serious expression on his face. Parvati and Dean walked back up to Gryffindor Tower in silence. They were often thrown together, but she suddenly realized that they had never really had an independent conversation, and she felt a bit awkward. As they reached the staircases to the dorms, Dean looked as though he was about to say something, so she waited. But nothing came, only a smile, so Parvati went up the girls staircase.

Waiting for Lavender, she sat in her room, looking at her Divination charts, which were unclear. She had found that this happened whenever there were decisions yet to be made, when things could go in two different directions, though they often cleared up soon enough, if left to their own devices. She had long since given up trying to do any of Harry’s charts, though lately, her own had been nearly as opaque as his. She made a mental note to talk to Trelawney about it at the first opportunity. As she set them aside she looked up to see Lavender practically bouncing into the room.

“He asked me! He asked me!” She twirled around, her long yellow hair flying out around her head, then flopped onto her bed, breathless with excitement. “I am going to the Yule Ball with Seamus Finnigan!”

Parvati smiled widely. “I’m so happy for you! I told you he would!” She joined Lavender on her bed.

Lavender lay on her back, a dreamy smile on her face. “He’s so caring, Parvati! So gentle and funny and passionate and oh, every good thing.”

“He certainly isn’t afraid of a crying girl,” Parvati added.

Lavender rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her hand. “No, he isn’t! He does have all those sisters; perhaps that’s why. Oh, and his hair! And his clothes! He always looks so perfectly turned out, like he cares about his looks, so much more than other boys!”

“He does seem the very thing,” Parvati agreed.

“Our children will be blonde, and they’ll know about the wizarding world and the Muggle world, and if we have daughters they will go to Miss Bridgerton’s, and we will live in a big house on a hill and everyone will admire us.” She smiled, then suddenly stopped smiling and sat up. “Oh, Parvati, I’m sorry! I just went on about myself!”

“No, no! You had good news.”

“Did anyone . . . “

Parvati shook her head.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Parvati. I’m very sure someone will, someone wonderful, when you least expect it.”

“Well, it isn’t as though I have my heart set on anyone anyway.”

“What about Dean? You like him, and he’s taller than you are, as well.”

“Well, if he wants to ask me, he should do it himself. I won’t have you or Seamus asking for him.” She crossed her arms, scowling slightly.

Lavender nodded. “I don’t blame you. If he wants you he should be willing to do a little bit of work.” She swung her legs over the side of her bed. “Well, perhaps we should make you more visible. You’ll never be asked if you are hiding up here! I say we go down to the dinner and see who is there.”

Parvati smiled at this. “You know, you’re right. Let’s go. I have a feeling that something will happen, actually.” She stood, and Lavender did as well.

“Your feelings always turn into something,” Lavender said as they walked out the door. “Mine never do.”

“They will!” Parvati insisted. “You just have to be open. I imagine that the feeling you have for Seamus will turn into something.”

Lavender smiled. “Oh, I do hope so!”

Later that evening, after dinner, after being asked to the ball by Harry Potter, Parvati returned to her room and was surprised to see that her chart hadn’t cleared up at all.