Title: Catch a falling star (1/2)
Author: Altricial
E-mail: annabel@london.com
Category: Diabetic Fluff.
Rating: PG
Couple: Lavender Brown/Neville Longbottom
Feedback: *nods*
Warning: HET. HET. HET. I apologise.
Disclaimer: I own everything. Please sue. I'm bored.

Author's note
Another fic that wasn't supposed to happen I had writer's block so I typed randomly and this disgusting het fluff resulted. Then I realized I don't have any non-slash mailing list to post this to. Therefore I decided to subject my fellow Veelas to some het torture. Once again, I apologise. Especially to Krissy, for making Neville so darn adorable, and the rest at #malfoymanor.


Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
Save it for a rainy day
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket
And never let it fade away.

Lavender Brown frowned at the spread of tarot cards in front of her. Something is amiss. And she hasn't the slightest idea what it is. Biting her lips tentatively, she glanced up towards the front of the dimly lit, sandalwood-scented room and raised her hand. "Professor Trelawney?"

The frail enigmatic Divination teacher looked up from where she was sitting and smiled fondly at her favourite student. Potentially good Seers are so hard to come by these days and this Lavender girl appeared to have what it takes to uncover the mysteries in the signs of Nature. "Yes, Miss Brown?" Trelawney asked kindly.

"Professor, I- uh, I need some help with this tarot interpretation. Would you take a look at it for me, please?" Lavender rubbed her temples lightly, still frowning at the baffling spread of card.

"Certainly, my dear." The sagely-looking witch stood up from her desk and ambled towards Lavender, her long fairy-motif skirt swaying rhythmatically with her emaciated hips, coming to a halt at the perplexed student's table. "What seems to be puzzling you here, dear?"

"Well, Professor Trelawney, I'm trying my hand at the Faery Oracle and I've got them in the Celtic cross formation," Lavender gestured towards the six cards, arranged in a T-shape, in front of her and continued, "so now I have The Friends card as my first which indicates that the situation at hand revolves around someone I know, but since it is facing away from me, I'm guessing he or she isn't that close a friend of mine, is that right, Professor?"

"Yes, indeed." Trelawney moved nearer to take a closer look and nodded her head slowly, "Do go on, Miss Brown."

Lavender paused for a while then pointed to the second card in the spread, "The Lady of the Harvest. She represents completion, grief and loss. Something or someone was taken away from my friend." She traced a finger across the third card and sighed, "The Faery Who Was Kissed By The Pixies card indicates love given and love received. I'm guessing the loss was of a person who meant a lot to him or her. Am I reading it right so far, Professor?"

Trelawney beamed down at her star pupil and rested an assuring hand on her shoulder. "Yes, yes, you've learnt the subtle art of oracle reading well, Miss Brown. I'm duly impressed. Now, the fourth card is the Gloominous Doom, how might you interpret that, my dear child?"

Lavender fixed her eyes on back at her cards with renewed confidence and stated, "Self-defeat, self-pity, self-destruction, abandonment and loneliness. That is the direct reflection of the current situation. Oh dear, Professor, I'm really worried now! Who is this friend they are referring to?" She looked up at her Divination teacher helplessly.

Trelawney smiled elusively and sat down on an empty chair next to Lavender. "There, there, don't you get yourself all worked up for nothing, dear. Read the rest of the cards, things may not be as bad as our human brains want us to believe them to be." She patted Lavender comfortingly on her hand and continued, "But the cards, they know and they tell. They tell us what happened and what to do. Have faith in them and they will show you the ways."

"Yes, Professor, I understand and I'm ready for the cards to impart me with their teachings." Lavender focused her concentration back on the oracle spread with a face of resolve and said, "The fifth card is The Singer of Connection, which reflects the forces taking shape now." She stopped, pondering for a moment over her Divination notes, then said, "Oh right, that means there is a spiritual connection being formed right this instant. Karma, balance and empathy...but a connection between who and who? Am I still on the right track, Professor?" She glanced at her teacher who has been silently watching with an appreciative smile.

"Yes, dear, yes you are. Carry on with the last card, you are doing perfectly, Lavender." Trelawney noticed the doubt colouring the face of the blossoming teenage girl and added, "It will all come to light, believe me. I see all and know all. The last card holds your answer. Go on, my child."

Seeming somewhat convinced, Lavender stared back at her cards again. She picked up the final card from the spread, scrutinised it hesitantly for a moment and stated matter-of-factly, "I know what card it is and what it means. It is the future card. Ilbe the Retriever, the office of unclaimed property, hopes and wishes." She placed the card back on the table, with more force than necessary, and turned slowly to face her teacher, "What I don't understand is; why does the card tilt in such a peculiar way no matter how I try to place it? Does it mean something?"

"Yes, it does, dear. Yes, it does." Trelawney smiled a little smile and scratched a long, glossy, purple fingernail along the side of the sixth card. It glowed slightly, bathing the table surface with an eerie, yet calming, florescent blue light. Trelawney gave the card a hard spin, using her longest nail on her last finger to flick it across the desk, and she explained, "Ilbe the Retriever is by far the most magical card from the Faery Oracle. It may be the office of unclaimed dreams but it promises a chance of a dream come true by assigning keys to different hearts. By spinning the card, it will give us a hint by pointing in the direction of the soul who holds the key."

The illuminating rotating card came to an abrupt rest as its faint glow died out, pointing straight at Lavender Brown.

"Me?" Lavender gasped and stared wildly at her Professor in half delight and shock.

"It appears so, Miss Brown." Trelawney smile deepened, a hint of pride dancing in her magnified clear emerald eyes behind the glittery glasses that were considerably huge for her skeletal facial structures. "It should not come as a surprise to you, my dear, as it does not to me. You have the most magnificent magenta aura I've witnessed in years. A clear sign of a nurturing heart with an immense capacity for love and hope."

A faint blush coloured her creamy, pale cheeks as Lavender took a moment to consider the implications of the words. After a moment's pause, she asked, "But Professor, I still don't know who this person is.I mean, if I hold his or her key to the hidden hope, how can I help if I don't know who it belongs to? Is there a way I can find out? Through a scrying mirror perhaps?"

"Close, but not quite," Trelawney nodded. "This is not my usual practice but I believe I can make an exception for my top pupil, can't I?" She gave Lavender an uncharacteristic wink and stood up carefully from her seat. "Follow me, dear." And she led the way towards the back of the classroom as curious eyes from the rest of the students followed them in interest, looking away (or falling back to sleep amidst their pillow of oracle cards) again briefly.

Lavender peered across her teacher's shoulder as Trelawney reached into a coffin-size wooden crate decorated with a vast variety of runic scriptures and embedded gems and crystals of all shapes and sizes. Trelawney's thin, wrinkly hand tapped the inside of the crate with a fancy-looking violet wand three times and out floated a shimmering orb perched securely on a miniature fire-breathing sapphire dragon.

Lavender clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp of astonishment before exclaiming, "A scrying ball! But Professor Trelawney, we haven't learnt how to use one yet!"

"There, there, hush now, Lavender. We don't want the rest of the class clamouring me for such special treats now, do we? It is to my knowledge that you are quite ready for this higher level of Divination, however I cannot say the same for the rest of your classmates." Trelawney smiled fondly, and held the lustrous crystal ball in her palms, lightly stroking the bravura dragon, blissfully oblivious to the snorts coming from a certain red-haired freckled boy and his messy, raven-haired counterpart.

Lavender shot a look of annoyance at her sniggering classmates and promptly returned her full attention back on the crystal orb and the tiny dragon that was now purring contentedly against Trelawney's coaxing fingers. She bit her lips hesitantly and asked quietly, "What do I have to do, Professor Trelawney?"

"Focus your thoughts with the question in mind. Will yourself to concentrate on what you are trying to reveal and expel all other irrelevant details from your head." Trelawney waited for Lavender to prepare herself and once the girl's eyes were tightly shut and furrowed in meditation, she continued; "Now keep your eyes closed, reach out and hold on firmly to the crystal ball."

The temperamental dragon gave a huff of indignance as the orb was lifted off its back and into the hands of a very nervous Lavender Brown. Trelawney patted the tiny beast on its scaly tummy soothingly and resumed giving instructions, "Alright there, Miss Brown? Good. Now I want you to repeat after me without losing track of your true intent. 'Three by three, in perfect love and perfect trust, let me see, let me see, let me see. This is my will, so mote it be.'"

"Three by three, in perfect love and perfect trust. Let me see, let me see, let me see. This is my will, so mote it be." Lavender repeated, keeping her eyes firmly locked against all unworldly distractions. The crystal ball felt cold against her fingertips, and yet strangely warm nestled against her palms, radiating a bizarre tingle throughout her body, all her nerve-endings prickling against the stillness of the musky air.

Trelawney gently took hold of Lavender's shoulder and led the both of them towards a ratty old couch in an undisturbed corner of the classroom. Sitting the tensed girl slowly down on the sofa, she settled next to her and said, "Open your eyes, my dear, and look straight into the crystal. Look with your heart, listen with your soul and all will be revealed in due time."

Lavender pried her eyes open little by little, her long lashes fluttering uncertainly, filtering the sudden infusion of glittery light seeping through her eyelids. Finally, her eyes opened fully, welcoming the sight that beheld her. She had in her hands a breath-taking orb of gleaming rainbow, sparks of electric shivers waltzed around the crystal ball, basking her hands in its vibrant grandeur.

The awe-struck girl blinked a few times in disbelief before recalling what she had to do. She had to find out whose key she had locking up dreams and hopes of a new beginning. Squinting her large brown eyes, she concentrated on the spirals of colours bouncing against the inner surface of the crystal globe, flicking enticingly in a meaningful tango of swirly auras. And then she saw it.

She saw him.

As the clouds of mystical hues parted faintly within the reflective curved barriers of the omniscient globe, Lavender narrowed her eyes to make out the identity of the vague, shadowy figure sitting solitarily next to a pretty little pond. The ballet of smoky colours hazed over the vision, much to Lavender's frustrations. She willed her mind to 'see' and the mist of scintillating shades dispersed gradually in compliance.

The mysterious figure came into view at an agonisingly dawdling pace. A glimpse of sandy brown hair neatly parted to the side. A flash of familiar podgy red cheeks tainted with sticky moisture. A twinkling of glossy dark brown eyes, like the murky waters from the pond nearby. A glint of a minute pebble-grey slab of rocky tower rested upon grassy pastures. A flicker of luminosity lingered upon the tiny stone structure where shaky minuscule carvings spelt out "Trevor Longbottom. A true friend sorely missed. Rest in peace."

Neville.

And then it was gone. A disheartening 'pop' and the images washed away in a frenzy of mist and frolicking colours of a rainbow. A final tremor of acid cobalt lightning crawled hurriedly across the circumference of the orb and Lavender Brown found herself staring back at her own bewildered expression reflected disquietingly on polished black marble. She blinked and gaped and stared at her teacher, befuddled beyond words.

"Professor!" She exclaimed breathlessly when she regained her power of speech, "Professor Trelawney, I saw! I saw-"

"Relax, my child." Trelawney laughed softly, silencing the agitated girl in mid-sentence. "I know what you've seen and therefore there is no need to inform me of the visions you were granted." She took the scrying ball from Lavender's quaking hands, placed it back onto the squirming baby dragon and returned them into the jewel-encased crate as the scaly minuscule beast gave a satisfied grunt and fell straight asleep.

"But. But Professor, why- Why me?" Her brow creased in confusion, twirling a finger around the ends of her auburn curls, deep in thought.

Trelawney graced a knowing smile and said, "Ah, Miss Brown, there are some things that are written in the stars. It is not up to us to question the hands of fate and the workings of destiny. You have been allowed a peep into an episode of the past, my child. Now it is up to you to create your own beautiful ending." She gestured towards the front of the classroom and they made their way back to Lavender's desk.

"But how? Professor, I don't know what to do! What can I do to help him?" Her face took on a pondering air as she slumped back into her chair. The sudden turn of events was making her head spin.

"That, I cannot tell you. Do what you feel is right as the best things in life cannot be seen or touched but only felt by the heart. I may be a little short-sighted but do not think that I haven't noticed the amorous glances you have been gracing one of your classmates, Lavender." Trelawney chuckled softly and lifted a finger to hush the bashful protests. "Just remember to invite your poor, old professor to your wedding, won't you?" She winked at her horrified student, green depths twinkling with mirth.

"Professor!" Lavender gasped in astonishment, a crimson flush spread up from under her collars, like spilt wine tainted on pale wan silk. But before she could make a feeble attempt at defending herself, Trelawney had already sauntered to the front of the room and with a clap of her hands, everyone looked up (or woke up) and class was dismissed.

"What was that about?" Her best friend, Parvati Patil, nudged her shoulders and gestured questioningly towards their Divination teacher.

"Huh? Oh, nothing really," Lavender shrugged as nonchalantly as she could while sneaking a peek at a certain chestnut-haired boy, who was dragging his feet out of the classroom with his head hung low. A sharp pang of empathy sounded within her. She looked back at Parvati and said, "Just some things I need to do."

A broken heart to mend. A lost soul to complete. And a heaven-sent hope to return, for a happy ever after.


For love may come and tap you on the shoulder
Some starless night
Just in case you feel you want to hold her
You'll have a pocketful of starlight