Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one
*

It was the best feeling that she had ever experienced in all the fourteen years of her life.

She didn’t know what to make of it sometimes. Each time he walked by, her stomach did a flip. Each time he spoke, he seemed smart and funny. Every time he called out her name, it sounded great. His eyes… were so deep and nice to look at. What wouldn’t she give to sit face-to-face with him and look at them all day?

When he was around, it was like the whole world around her lit up brilliantly. And when he wasn’t around… she kept looking for him everywhere. There was a strange emptiness around her that she hated at these times.

I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
You're so close but still a world away
What I'm dying to say, is that--

She couldn’t be in love, could she?

Well, maybe…

***

A beautiful, wonderful sensation of warmth passed through him every time he cast an eye on her. He couldn’t believe that he hadn’t ever noticed how beautiful she was. Her voice… it was so sweet, and she was such a nice person. All the other boys reckoned that the Patil twins were the prettiest, but he thought differently. It was her. There could be no one else.

I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new, you'll feel it in my kiss
I'm crazy for you, crazy for you

He had never known any feeling of this sort, or even the impatience he felt when he didn’t get to see her for long intervals at a time. Sometimes, she’d give him meaningful looks and he wondered if she was trying to say something. Why didn’t she just say it out loud, though? Why did she have to be mysterious?

The sky and the earth seemed to be merging into one…

Was he in love with her?

Well, maybe…

***

“Ooh, you’re lost again, Lavender!�

Lavender Brown broke out of her reverie and turned to Parvati Patil, who occupied the seat beside her in their Transfiguration class. “Stop dreaming before McGonagall catches you,� Parvati whispered again.

“Oh, Parvati… He’s so cute! What should I do…?�

“Well,� said Parvati, carefully making sure that Professor McGonagall couldn’t hear her. “I think he likes you too.�

“Somehow, only you seem to think so,� said Lavender, quickly starting to take notes as McGonagall headed their way.

Parvati was about to open her mouth to say something, when McGonagall spoke up. “That’s enough, Miss Patil and Miss Brown. If there’s any else that you need to talk about, you two can leave my class.�

“Sorry, Professor,� Parvati and Lavender said at the same time, before seriously starting to take down the notes. McGonagall dictated out the notes for the next fifteen minutes without pausing and when she did take a break in between for a gulp of water, Lavender quickly turned around to look at him.

He was looking back at her.

Merlin, she was in love!

***

“You’re mental, mate. She’s not half as hot as Parvati.�

Seamus Finnigan glared at Dean. “If you like Parvati, just ask her out.�

Just then Professor McGonagall told Parvati and Lavender off and Seamus decided to concentrate on his notes, lest he and Dean got told off too. When McGonagall paused, Seamus looked up again, right at Lavender. She had such lovely hair…

And then she turned around to look straight at him.

Oh, Merlin, she’s going to think I’m a creep.

***

‘The Yule Ball is approaching -- a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above – although you may invite a younger student if you wish--�

Lavender felt an involuntary giggle escape her at Professor McGonagall’s words. There was only one thought that entered her mind when she had heard of the Yule Ball: Seamus Finnigan. Would he ask her to the ball? Would he agree to be her dance partner?

Parvati nudged Lavender on the ribs as she tried to control her own giggles. Lavender wanted to turn around and catch a glimpse of Seamus again to find out what he might be thinking about, but Parvati turned around to Harry and Lavender decided to look in the same direction, so it wouldn’t look strange.

How she wished she could have looked at Seamus just once… she really wanted to know what he thought about the ball. And then Lavender decided on something. She had been struggling with her feelings for Seamus since quite some time. She didn’t want to do this anymore. If he didn’t ask her to the ball, she would ask him.

***

Seamus sat on his four-poster bed, wondering what to do. What would Lavender say if he asked her to the Yule Ball? She probably already thought he was a creep or something… would she agree to go with him?

He had had feelings for quite a while now… he didn’t know what to do with them, except confess them to her. But he wouldn’t tell her until they danced together in the ball-- if she did agree to come out with him, though.

He would tell her about his feelings. If he could have her, he’d definitely have her. He loved her, after all.

***

Lavender sat with Parvati in the Gryffindor Common Room, as both of them worked on their Divination homework together. Both of them concentrated hard, not wanting to make any mistakes in any of the predictions and lose Professor Trelawney’s favour. It was a rather complicated star chart and it was taking time just to determine the planet positions. They had worked for an hour straight, when Parvati suddenly gasped. “Ooh, Lavender!� she said, glancing at the former’s star chart. “According to the way your planets are lined, your deepest desire is going to come true soon!�

Lavender’s eyes widened as she bent over to see what Parvati was talking about. She saw it. “Ooh!� she said. “I do hope it’s soon enough, though! I don’t want to wait for too long.�

“So…� Parvati looked at her mischievously. “Shouldn’t I know what that ardent desire is for?�

“Do I need to say it out loud? You know about it very well…�

Parvati had opened her mouth to reply to her when, a familiar voice spoke up behind them. “Er… Lavender?�

Trying hard to control my heart
I walk over to where you are
Eye to eye we need no words at all

Lavender turned to see Seamus standing right behind her. “Oh, S-Seamus!� she fumbled to stand up and face him, while Parvati seemed to be on the verge of giggling again. “What happened?�

“Er…� he started to go red. “Um… I… will you- will you be my date to the Yule Ball?�

Lavender felt the blush creep up her cheeks as involuntary giggles racked her body. “Oh! Y-Yeah, sure!�

He nodded. “Great, then. See you around!� He walked away, still very red.

Lavender slumped down onto her armchair, still giggling and very happy, when something struck her, draining all the happiness away. She sighed. ‘See you around?’ Seamus Finnigan wasn’t interested in her at all. He needed a partner for the Ball-- nothing else. He didn’t have feelings for her. She was heartbroken.

***

“I did it,� Seamus said, sitting down next to Dean.

“So, what did she say?� Dean asked him.

“She said yes,� replied Seamus. “But… the look on her face… I don’t think she’s interested in me at all.�

***

Midnight struck on the evening of the Yule Ball and Lavender was very sure that she didn’t want to leave the Great Hall, or any of those beautiful hours behind. Yet, she was walking back to the Common Room with Seamus by her side, both of them completely silent and dissolved in their own thoughts.

The evening had been wonderful. The dance, the music, the food… Seamus looked very handsome in his dress robes and Lavender knew that she had fallen for him even harder, if possible.

They took the marble staircase together and suddenly, Lavender felt his hand slip into hers. She looked at him to see him smiling at her tentatively. She smiled back at him and squeezed his hand reassuringly. They entered the Gryffindor Common Room together a few minutes later and walked together right to the staircase leading to the girls’ dormitories. Then they stopped at the foot of the staircase as Lavender turned to him. “Goodnight.�

“Goodnight.� And before she knew it, he had leaned in and pecked her on her lips. By the time he could pull apart though, she had cupped his face in her hands and locked her lips with his.

Slowly now we begin to move
Every breath I'm deeper into you
Soon we two are standing still in time
If you read my mind, you'll see

It was a clumsy and awkward kiss. Neither of them knew how to kiss properly, and their noses kept colliding in the most disturbing ways. Lavender had no clue of where to move her hands from his face and he seemed to have even lesser idea about where to keep his hands, as he had settled for keeping them behind his back. And his saliva… was there always saliva? Lavender wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be enjoying the feeling or getting slightly disgusted at having put her mouth in someone else’s saliva. It was an extremely unhygienic way to express love… yet she enjoyed each second of it, her mind rejoicing at the fact that she had been wrong about Seamus not liking her. Finally they pulled apart and hugged. Lavender smiled at him and rushed upstairs to her dormitories, her face turning the reddest of reds as she thought about the evening. Yes, she was sure now that she loved Seamus Finnigan. There were no two ways about it.

It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I'm crazy, crazy for you

***

About three and a half years later

“Seamus!�

Seamus turned around from chatting with Neville to see Dean standing behind him, pale and shocked. He sighed. This could mean only one thing. “Who?� Seamus asked him.

“It’s Lavender,� said Dean. “She… got attacked by Greyback… Madam Pomfrey has called us to the hospital wing. She can keep Lavender… awake for a while and we can say goodbye.�

Seamus felt the colour drain out of his face as he and Neville got up immediately from their seats and rushed to the Hospital Wing along with Dean.

***

Seamus, Neville and Dean entered the Hospital Wing to find Lavender’s parents and several other classmates of theirs waiting there in preparation to meet her one last time and bid her goodbye. Lavender wished to take a minute with each of her loved ones and talk to them individually. Then Madam Pomfrey would get Lavender off the support so she could pass on.

Seamus entered after a very tearful Parvati had exited the Hospital Wing and seated himself beside Lavender, being unable to speak for a few moments. He just sat there at Lavender’s bedside while reminiscing on those few days of courtship that the two of them had shared. It had been magical. They had really enjoyed themselves in that period. And then they had realised that they weren’t meant for each other-- that both of them had completely different thoughts on a lot of things that mattered.

The break-up had been prompt and quite tear-free. Seamus had sulked for a few days, while Lavender had cried a little occasionally, but then both of them had slowly recovered from the break-up. About two years after that, she was going out with Ron. Obviously, Seamus didn’t care about that… he had been over her long ago…

He looked at his ex-girlfriend’s face fondly. Greyback’s attacks at her from a few hours ago were still all over her, present as long gashes that hadn’t really stopped oozing blood. Even then, Lavender looked as beautiful as she always was. Hell, she was a beautiful person. People often didn’t like her because of all her giggling and gossiping habits, but Seamus knew that there was a lot more to her than that. Even though she had been incredibly cheesy in their relationship he knew better than to assume that she was stupid. A lot of people even judged her based on her relationship with Ron Weasley. Yes, she could be physical, jealous and clingy sometimes, but who was perfect? Lavender was a very good person. Seamus hated that she was in such pain.

Lavender noticed the expression on his face and smiled at him. “You only have a minute, you know. Apparently, I’m popular.�

He didn’t smile. “I’ll miss you.�

She nodded. “Me too. I’m going to be all alone.�

There was silence. Seamus didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to react to the situation. He sighed and bent forward, kissing her forehead. “I might be over you, but I do still love you,� he whispered. “I always have, always will.�

“I love you too,� Lavender whispered to him, tears starting to form in her eyes. “Those times that we spent were amongst the best in my life.�

“I was thinking of the same thing,� he said sadly.

She wiped away her tears. “Come here,� she said in a shaky voice.

He leaned forward and she cupped his face with her hands while pulling him towards herself and kissing him full on the lips. This time there was no trouble with the noses or the saliva. There was no need for the hands. It was just a moment-- a beautiful moment full of love, care and sadness.

They pulled apart in a few seconds and Seamus blinked rather rapidly before taking her hand and squeezing it. “I must go now… A lot of others want to meet you.�

She nodded. “Goodbye, Seamus.�

“Bye…�

He turned around and left the room promptly, grief filling every inch of him. He knew that in life, most relationships were defined-- they had a reason for existing, a reason for having being formed. But some relationships couldn’t be explained. Some kinds of love couldn’t be described. And that was what he and Lavender had had-- a transcendent, unspoken connection. Had it always been a crush misinterpreted for love?

Maybe. Or maybe not.

It's all brand new, I'm crazy for you
And you know it's true
I'm crazy, crazy for you