"Oh for the love of Merlin, why won't you believe me?" Neville threw his hands into the air above his head in frustration. "You never believe me! No matter how many times I tell you, you never believe me!" Lavender stared at him in shock. This wasn't the first time she had told him that he was lying and it probably wouldn't be the last, but he had never reacted like this before. "I tell you, time and time again that I love you but you always say the same thing."
"But you can't love me..."
"Exactly! That's what you say every time! Why is it that I can't love you Lav? Why?" He watched her weighing her reaction as she fumbled for the right words.
"I... I... You just can't! No one really loves me when they say they do! Take Ron for example... I'm not smart like Hermione... I'm not beautiful... I'm just... annoying." She looked at the floor of Neville's flat; she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.
"What are you talking about? You may have had bad relationships in the past but what we have is real! I love you for real! We were still in school when you dated Ron and we've all matured since then Lav! You are smart; you don't need to be a genius! And you're gorgeous! I won't lie though; you are irritating when you push me away. That's the thing about you! You push me away Lav! You're afraid to let anyone get close enough to know you! But I know you! I know that your favourite spell is lumos because you're afraid of the dark!" Neville saw little droplets of water hitting the beige carpet of his living room and I could feel himself welling up from the frustration of not being able to make her understand. "I know that you love to sit on peoples laps when you hug them because it makes you feel safe! I know... That you love the rain because you love how it feels on your skin, and I know... That you hate pumpkin juice and you only drink it for looks. I know... That I love you Lav... More than anything... I just wish you'd understand... And let me in!" Neville was struggling to find words as he reached the end of his speech as the tears streaming steadily down his face unnerved him. She was doing this to him and she didn't even know. "I love you Lavender..." Just then, Lavender looked up from the floor and watched Neville. Her lower lip quivered and he stretched out his arms to her after he wiped his eyes whispering "I love you..." She fell into his arms sobbing noisily and grabbing at his shirt. He smiled slightly, closing his eyes and encircling her in his arms as he breathed in her scent. Lavender, he thought, a perfect fit. He perched himself on his sofa and pulled the still weeping Lavender onto his lap, rocking her gently back and forth, the way she liked it. He let her cry herself out until she had stopped crying and developed hiccups. When this occurred she looked up into his eyes, wiping her own, and hiccupped. This made Neville laugh a little and Lavender smiled.
"You're right. I know you love me. You've always loved me. And you do know me. The real me. I've wasted all of this time worrying when I should have trusted you from the beginning. It's time you heard what I truly feel. I love you too Neville. I love you too..."
Lavender settled more comfortably into Neville's' lap and smiled. "Marry me Lav." He said to her.
"I will Nev, I will." It was like this that they fell asleep, with smiles on their faces, as the emotional exhaustion set in.