Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor the characters in it.
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Lavender coughed, blood trickling down her jaw. She opened her eyes an immediately regretted, her senses getting overloaded with the smell of the blood, the feel of the cold stone beneath her, and the unmistakable sight of chaos all around her. Her hair was matted with blood and her left side torn up by Fenrir Greyback. She glanced down at her stomach, not daring to move- she was already in enough pain as it was and she hadn't moved. She felt herself start to wretch before she passed out- the last thing she saw being the silouhette of a figure standing over her, a sword in hand.
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Lavender groaned and opened her eyes- blinking at the light that shown down on her, such a contrast from the welcome darkness that she had awoken from. She looked around, careful not to move to much at once and risk hurting herself more. After taking in her surroundings, Lavender realized she was in the Hogwarts infirmary- surrounded by quite a few of other beds and bandanged patients. The sight of some them wanted to make her pass out. She didn't understand how all of this could happen. Just the other day she had been in Divination class- studying for their O.W.L. exams, and now... She leaned her head back against the pillow again and willed herself to sleep before the sick feeling in her stomach grew.
She slept for days on end- only waking when necessary. It was to much for her to take in- the deaths, the memories, all of it. And when she did wake, she heard hushed conversations overhead.
"Her conditions stabalized, she'll make it." She heard one of the nurses tell her father who had come to visit her, much to her relief as she lay on the bed- faking sleep.
"Her face, her chest... Will it scar?" Lavender couldn't help but laugh silently to herself at her fathers vainess- that had always been him. He didn't care about who you were inside- as long as you had a pretty face. And he had passed that on to her at a young age- something she wasn't proud of.
She wasn't informed of any visits from father after that.
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Lavender groaned and awoke once more, this time to see a worried face next to her. She was curious to see who it was- but her brain wasn't processing who she was seeing. Neville Longbottom? What was he doing here? She had never really spoken to him, so why did he look so worried for her now...?
It was a look that didn't suit him, she mused to herself before he spoke.
"Lavender? Can you hear me?" Lavender nodded at him, regretting it as a headache come on. "I-I just wanted you to know that I-"
"Why?" Lavender managed to get out, interupting him. "Why... Did you come to visit?" Her voice sounded odd to her ears, something she hadn't heard in awhile. A look of hurt flashed across Nevilles face, but that didn't slow him down in the least.
"I thought... I thought I'd let you know how everyones doing." He answered quickly, not waiting for a reply. "Harry killed Voldermort, it was bloody brilliant really. And you should've seen 'ermione and Ron! Blimey, 'ermione even saved your life." He trailed off, lost in thought as he relived the memories.
Lavender flinched at the mention of that, remembering how it felt to be litterally eaten alive. Neville noticed her reaction and quickly moved on, skipping over the deaths of their fellow classmates and friends- he didn't think she could handle it.
"I even took out a horocrux!" He laughed, smiling down at her- in a poor attempt to cheer her up apparently. Lavender managed a weak smile before closing her eyes. Neville was still Neville and didn't take the hint that she wanted to be left alone and kept rambling on about what had happened after she had passed out and what she was currently missing- which was apparently not much. She eventually fell asleep, his voice lulling her to sleep.
Taking a break in his story, he looked down at Lavender- his face softening as he noticed her even breathing. He was glad that she wasn't in pain when she slept, but he wished she would rejoin the world so that they could actually talk. He leaned down and softly touched his lips to hers, gently brushing stray hair out of her eyes. He leaned back in his seat, holding her hand in his and falling asleep- only leaving when the nurses told him that visiting hours were over and he could come back tomorrow. He did.
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She awoke more consistently after that visit, something had clicked inside of her- and she didn't want to miss out on life by lying in a hospital bed. Neville would visit her often, telling her about what was going on during her absence- leaving out the part of the funerals. He liked to tell her about plants, occasionally reading to her from a huge book on that subject. After about a month, she was able to be checked out. She greatfully changed out of the hospital gown into her clothes, enjoying the feeling of being able to get up and go wherever she wanted. To be able to stretch and walk around with no pain- what a feeling!
She was yawning when she passed by a mirror in the Gryffindor common room. She stopped abruptly as her eyes were drawn to the scarring on the left side of her face. Her hand went to her face as she traced it, the raw scars leading below her low neckline reaching down to her stomach. It disgusted her- this imperfection that marred her. Lavender was amazed she hadn't noticed the horrible scars until now. She looked awful- and she couldn't stand it. Wondering what her father would think, she ran to her room and quickly changed into a turtleneck sweater and thin scarf, despite it being July. She couldn't stand to look at herself, and if she couldn't- then who would?
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Lavender blinked against the sun as she stepped outside for the first time in what seemed like ages to her. She didn't move for a minute, taking in the destruction that was being rebuilt by loyal and hardworking students. Parvati waved frantically waving at her and smiling while Luna stood next to her stared off into space before waving half-heartedly at Lavender. Lavender waved back at the two as they got back to moving stones using the spell Wingardium Leviosa.
Neville was helping rebuild Hogwarts castle during the summer along with quite a few other Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and the occasional Slytherin- and was one of the first to see Lavender besides the two other girls- the other students to focused on their task to notice her- after she was released from the infirmary.
"Blimey Lavender, that's a lot of layers." He commented as she walked over to where he was.
"Yeah, I suppose so." Lavender replied, her voice slightly muffled beneath the scarf.
"Aren't you... Y'know, hot in that getup?" Neville asked frowning, slightly worried as he took a break to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Lavender quickly shook her head no, unable to take her eyes off of him.
"I'm fine, really. You shouldn't worry." He sighed but didn't argue with her- knowing it was pointless, as he got back to work and Lavender walked to a shadowed area of the castles ground.
Lavender sat on the ground and watched him work. It was incrediable that he was able to give so much for nothing. She envied that about Neville. Even though he messed up once in awhile, he was still able to push on and get things done without complaining. It was amazing.
She retired early that night to the Gryffindor common room after she began to overheat. She skipped dinner, instead heading straight to the Gryffindor girls dorm room- where some of the female students were staying that summer to help. For awhile she cried into her pillow or looked up at the sky- watching the clouds lazily float by. As soon as she heard the other girls approaching, Lavender dove under her covers- pulling them up high above her head as the other girls walked in- suddenly feeling much more self-conscious of their opinons.
"How're you feeling?" She asked as Lavender poked her head out from underneath the covers.
"I'm doing well. Can I talk to you tomorrow? I'm tired." Lavender lied so that Parvati would leave her alone. Parvati smiled at her and went to her bed, falling asleep quickly as the other girls talked to eachother quietly.
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When she was sure they were all asleep she slipped down to the common room- this time without her scarf and sweater, a plain tank-top taking their place. She didn't notice Neville in the corner reading a herbology book until she sprawled out on the couch, laying on her stomach as she faced the fire. She took the time to really study the room- a place where she had spent the majority of her free time but hadn't really taken the time to really look at it. The tapestries had been hung on the walls for years- but not a corner was frayed. The stones were getting nicked over time, and the chess set in the corner always ended up missing a piece at the end of each school year. It felt warm, like home.
"Can I sit here?" Neville asked as he walked over, the book under his arm and that crooked smile still on his face. Lavender just about jumped out of her skin when he asked her but curled up into a sitting position so that he could sit next to her. She kept her legs against her chest as he sat down next to her.
Neville opened his book and began reading about some plant or another. Lavender found herself leaning towards him, reading over his shoulder. She had never cared for herbology, but this time she could make an exception. Neville glanced over at her and pointed at a picture of a cactus.
"See this?" He asked her, recieveing a nod in reply. "It's used to cure hiccups. Useful, eh?" He smiled at her and she nodded again.
"And that one?" She asked, reaching across and pointing at the picture on the opposite page.
"Oh, that's alihotsy. Don't eat it, or you'll become hysterical." He warned, closing the book and setting it on his lap- turning to talk to her, but Lavender flipped it open again, pointing. She was worried he was going to talk about her scars or something that she didn't want to face yet.
"That's devils snare, right?" Lavender asked, trying to impress him with her knowledge of what she had learned when he had visited her- and to stop him from talking.
"No, that's flitterbloom. Completely harmless." Neville chuckled, closing the book, turning to face her once again.
Lavender turned back to the fire, sighing as she mused over things that flew through her head. For instance, why was she blushing when he accidentally brushed his hand against hers? It didn't make sense to her.
"Lavender, I..." Neville trailed off and frowned.
"Neville, frowning doesn't suit you." Lavender commented suddenly when he didn't continue what he was saying, surprising both of them.
"I-I'm sorry." He stammered apologizing for what, he didn't know. He blushed softly as Lavender leaned in close to him before abruptly pulling away.
"I should be apologizing, Neville. I'm sure you didn't want to see that." Lavender sighed and turned away after wiping some dirt off of his face.
Neville placed his hand on her shoulder. "See what Lavender?" He asked, worried about the way she had been acting since she had gotten out of the infirmary. It wasn't her usual bubbly self that he was accustomed to, and it bothered him.
"M-my scars. They're ugly." She replied bluntly as Neville turned her around so that she would face him as he spoke.
"They are not ugly, Lavender. They're a testament to what you did to help Hogwarts." He told her sternly- seeing as he hadn't even noticed them until she pointed them out. Even then, they didn't bother him as he held her gaze.
Leaning forward, he closed the gap between their lips- much to Lavenders surprise. She was not only surprised by the sudden action, but the feeling it warranted. She suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy inside as she threw her arms around his neck- enjoying herself.
Neville himself was just as shocked as she was, but he wasn't regretting the action and instead found himself smiling into the kiss.
"Brilliant." Lavender sighed as they pulled away from eachother, smiling softly at Neville.
"Bloody Brilliant." He agreed, as Lavender gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she stood up.
"See you tomorrow." She promised him as she left to go back to bed, the warm feeling still inside both of them. Neville just nodded, speechless as he shook his head and opened the herbology book for the last time that night.
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Neville woke up the next morning rather early, smoothing down his hair- although it wouldn't cooperate, and generally trying to look nice for Lavender. He even stood in front of the mirror, practicing some lines.
"Hey Lav, want to get a butterbeer with me? ...No, to casual." He sighed and shook his head.
"Hey Lavender, care to stop by the Three Broomsticks with me later?" He rolled his eyes and stuffed his hands in his pocket- deciding to just go with the flow.
When he went down for breakfast, he noticed she wasn't there. He wasn't worried and passed it off as her having a late night and continued on. However, by noon, he had asked every single person on campus if they had seen Lavender. Each answer was the same- no.
Concerned, he went up to her dorm, not caring if it was the girls dorm or not. He knocked once, then twice. After recieving no response, he walked in only to find the room empy- each bed made immaculately.
Lavender Rose Brown had left.
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A/N: I love this ship as much as I love Luna x Neville. Which is a lot.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Leave me feedback by reviewing!
~AnimeViolinist~