A/N: Well, this is for the Song Competition on HPFC. I went through a lot of ideas when I was trying to create this oneshot but I finally decided that I should use this, it seemed the most creative…I hope you guys enjoy it, it inspired by the song "Stand" by Lenny Kravitz. Disclaimer: I do not own the song Stand, I do not own Harry Potter; I'm just a fan.

It's Time

Lavender stood in front of the mirror – her blue eyes closed tight. The thoughts racing through her mind brought tears seeping through her tightened eyelids. You're not beautiful anymore. You are a monster. Never leave this house again. No one will look at you the same; they'll never want to be your friend. No one will ever love you…

The brunette turned away from the mirror – without opening her eyes – and fell face first onto her bed, sobbing. She was never leaving her room again. She couldn't stand the way her own family looked at her. Why would she think anyone else would feel differently?

"Lavender, your friends are here." She heard her father's voice as he knocked on the door. "Lav," he opened the door and she waved him away.

"Tell them to go home, I'm never coming out." The brunette sobbed into her pillow.

She had spent two weeks at St. Mungos after the battle, being treated for the injuries she had suffered at the hands of Fenrir Greyback. Then she had returned home, and spent another three months at home smearing medicine on her wounds and drinking vile tasting potions, hoping the wounds would heal and she could be normal again.

But she had to face the truth; it was never going to happen. She was no longer sweet, beautiful and charming, Lavender Brown, she was a disfigured monster.

"Lavender" she felt her father's hand on her back as he sat down beside her. "You can't stay locked up in your room forever. You have friends here who are waiting to see you. It's been months darling, it's time to move on."

"Why would anyone want to see me, I'm hideous!" she cried. "They want to see Lavender but Lavender is gone now!"

"No, Lavender, you are the same person. You are a hero. You are strong. You survived." A familiar voice said.

Lavender gasped. She would recognize that Irish accent anywhere. "Seamus, go please." She didn't want him to see her. Not Seamus, not the boy, well now he was a man, that she had once dated, that she was still completely in love with.

If he looked at her differently it would completely shatter her. She wouldn't recover from that. She couldn't see how she could. He was the one who had stood by her side during their seventh year. He was the one who found her after she had been attacked.

He was the one who had found her lying, hurt and half-dead, on the cold stone floor during the battle. He was the one, with the help of some of their fellow Gryffindors, who dragged her to safety. He was probably the reason she was alive.

Some part of her was grateful she hadn't died, she had a chance to live, but some part of her wished he had left her there to die….she never wanted to look, or to feel, like this.

"I'm not going anywhere Lav. I've missed you so much." She felt her father rise and she heard the sound of, what she believed to be, Seamus's shoes on her floor as he approached her. "Lavender, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"No, I do. You have no idea. No one should have to look at me." She felt hot tears stinging her eyes again as she pulled her shoulder away from his touch.

"Lavender, love, you saved hundreds of lives, you sacrificed so much to make sure that Voldermort was stopped. You are brave, you are strong, you are beautiful."

"Not anymore." She spat. She couldn't take this anymore. The brunette rose from her bed and approached her bedroom window. She looked out into her backyard, where she used to play, where she had first kissed Seamus on her seventeenth birthday, where she used to play with her cat Tristan before she was confined to her room.

Before she confined herself to her room, she shook her head, her light brown curls brushing against her cheeks as she hung her head.

"Lavender, you can't stay in here forever. That's not healthy. I know this is hard for you, and I will be here for you, always, but you need to come outside. You need to be reunited with all of your friends. You need to see that they don't care what you look like, what scars you have, they only care that you are there. They fought too, they have wounds, they have scars, and they are traumatized too. We can get through this together."

The brunette covered her face with her hands as the tears began to slide down her face. "No Seamus. I can't go out there. If they look at me like I'm…. like I'm some sort of freak, a sympathy case, it will kill me. I never want to see that look in their eyes; I never want to see them look at me like that." She inhaled deeply and wiped away the tears. "Now please leave."

"No." He was so stubborn. She used to love that about him; she loved how he would never give up. For once she wished he would call it a loss and leave. "I love you Lavender Brown, scars or no scars, and I know you know that. Nothing will change the way I think of you. I want no one but you." She heard him approach her and she felt his hand on her shoulder.

He spun her around and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I love you too Seamus…that's why I can't let you see me. I can't chance that you looking at me will change your mind."

"Didn't you hear me you silly girl, nothing will change mind." He smiled as she gently pushed her face up and his blue eyes looked at her, appreciatively. "You will always be beautiful Lavender, always." He smiled and kissed her.

The tears came, as if a damn burst. She flung her arms around his neck as she sobbed.

He held her for a moment before gently pushing her chin up and looking into her eyes. "Don't cry anymore Lav." He whispered as she wiped her tears away. "It's time. I know it's scary, I know it's hard, but it's time. I'll be right there by your side. I'll always be there for you, no matter what. It's time to be brave and face your demons lass. You and me, always." He laced his fingers through hers and smiled. "Let's go see our friends Lavender."

Lavender nodded. She walked with him, on shaky legs, into the living room. She had her eyes closed, she inhaled deeply as he heard the front door open and she felt him guide her outside.

"SURPRISE!" Lavender's eyes popped open as everyone yelled at her. She stared from person to person as they surrounded her, taking their turn hugging her. Neville, Hannah, Dean, Luna, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Pavarti and Padma all smiled at her. None of them looked at her with judging eyes, or with sympathy. No one mentioned her scars; they only talked about how proud they were of her. No one mentioned the attack, they only spoke of how they had conquered the darkest wizard of the age. They treated her like Lavender, and that made Lavender realize she had the best friends anyone could ask for.

A/N: So how did I do? Was it good, believable, enjoyable? I certainly hope so because I had SO much fun writing this. I love these two so much, hopefully that showed. I would certainly appreciate reviews… : )