"No," he said quickly. "No, no, you didn't do anything." Dropping his head into his hands, he felt a rush of anxiety and bitter disappointment. The moment was broken, and he had no choice but to tell her now. He knew this whole thing had been too nice to last, but it didn't make it any easier to face the end of it. He couldn't look at her.
"I don't want you to think the presents were an effort to try and make up for what I'm about to tell you, okay? I don't want you to think that because I really wanted you to have them, and I really like you, and I'm sorry for what I'm about to say and for not being honest with you all along. But I have to tell you the truth because I feel like such a rotten berk and you deserve better than that, you really do." Letting out a heavy sigh, he chanced a glance up and saw Padma watching him with rapt attention, her eyes worried and her lips still moist and swollen from their kisses. "I don't want you to be upset, or angry," he went on, turning on the couch to face her, pulling one leg up onto the cushion. "But I expect you will be, and I deserve it. I should have told you all of this earlier, but I never expected that this...that you...would actually truly like me and want me as part of your life, but it seems like you do, and I think I want that too. But now I've gone and messed it all up, so I won't blame you at all if you kick me out and never want to speak to me again."