Lavender stared at the door of the leaky cauldron as she pulled her scarf around her neck tighter to keep the cold out but to also hide the scares that covered her neck. It had been almost 2 years since the battle of Hogwarts a day which she would love to have forgotten but she knew she never would. Everyday was a reminder as she looked in the mirror and saw her face. The scar on the bottom of her right check trailing all the way down her neck. She could remember that day so clearly it had started like any ordinary day waking up in the room of requirement with the rest of the DA talking and mucking around hoping Harry would return and that day he did everything from that moment had turned into chaos a good chaos they would finally get to fight for there school. Half way into the battle that's when she relised thinks had started to turn grim she had watched students all around her fighting some falling injured before her eyes and some dying before her eyes images which she wished she had never seen. Then came Greyback coming towards her she throw spells at him but nothing was working she tried to run but he was too fast she lost her balance as he toppled onto her. She remembered falling and hitting the ground hard excruciating pain causing her body pain she had never felt before. She remembers hearing voices a "NOOO" coming from somewhere and "Lavender" but after that it all went muffled and she blacked out. She remembers waking up in saint margos seeing Pavriti next to the bed asleep but there was something or someone holding her hand she looked to her left to see Seamus asleep in the other chair grasping her hand. She wanted to say something to them but she was too tired and soon sleep became her again.
Week after she had finally come to understand her injuries while they managed to fix her broken bones they were not so lucky to fix her scars emotional and physical. Semaus, Pavariti and Dean had tried to come to visit her but she had told the doctors to not let them in she couldn't handle the pity looks, she just wanted to be left alone. Seamus however still came every day for a month hoping against hope she would let him in but she never did he even tried shouting at her through the door but she just told him to leave her alone. She couldn't bare him to see her like this all scared and damaged she wasn't the fun bubberly girl she once use to be she was broken the war had broken her like it had broken so many others before her she wasn't sure if she would ever feel happy or whole again and right at that moment she just couldn't deal with everyone being around her.
A month later she left saint margos and went to stay with her auntie in Wales to get away from everyone. Now 2 years later she was back she hadn't spoken or seen anyone since that dreadful day. She had had owls come and deliver her letters but she'd never returned them. Now she was standing at the Leaky Cauldron ready to face the future. She missed the girl she once use to be she new that girl wouldn't fully come back but she hoped that at least some of her would or possibly even a better one. She looked to her side to see a group of giggling girls walking through the snow gossiping about the currently celebrity on the front of Witch Weekly a pang in her chest made her relies just how much she missed Pavirti and the nights they use to stay up gossiping about all things Witch Weekly, make up and boys. A tear slowly rolled down her face as she recalled the memories. Quickly wiping the tear away she walked through the door into the Leaky Cauldron, it was still as she remembered it full and lively of witches and wizards having fun. She walked up to the bar and ordered a butterbeer. As she sat down she glanced around the pub hoping that no one noticed her but everyone was too distracted with there lives to noticed her sitting at the bar. She picked up the butterbeer the attendee had just handed her and took a sip of it, she put the mug back down on the table and turned to her right over in the corner was a familiar face one she knew all to well her heart began to pound it was Dean Thomas he was sitting with a pretty girl she didn't recognise and another man she did Neville Longbottom which could only mean one thing if they were both here so was…
"Lavender" a voice croaked in an accent she new oh so well behind her she gripped the end of the bar table as she held her eyes shut in fear she hadn't want to be noticed and the last person she wanted to be noticed by was the very person that was behind her the very person she had kept away from for the past 2 years the very person that had the will to make her or break her. She slowly turned around to see Seamus Finnigan standing behind her with a pint of beer in his hand he looked different to when she had last seen him he looked a lot older his sandy hair had grown out and he had stubble on his face, he was wearing a black long sleeved shirt that was only half tucked into his blue jeans. Their eyes met they looked different to how she remembered them they looked lost and tired. The realisation that she was actually standing in front of him suddenly dawned on his face as shock took over him and he dropped his pint of beer. The breaking of glass echoing all around them causing people to stop and stare. She knew Dean and Neville were both staring at them now she could see them in the corner of her eye both staring just like he was. She didn't want them looking at her but they continued to stare. Seamus looked at her like he had seen a ghost, in a way he had she wasn't the girl he once use to know. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again it seemed he was struggling with something to say he suddenly looked away she watched as he became occupied at his feet. Tears started to dwell in her eyes 'he thinks I'm horrible, ugly wish's he had never laid eyes on me' she thought she watched as he struggled to look at her she then turned her attention to Dean and Neville who seem to have both regain composure from the initial shock Neville smiled at her and Dean was now staring at Seamus the girl that she didn't know was looking at her puzzled. Her attention turned back to Seamus who still wouldn't look at her she couldn't take it anymore she couldn't take the thoughts swirling around her head the people staring or not staring in Seamus case she turned on her heel and walked out the door. The cold air hit her face making it sting as the tears she had been holding in began to fall quickly down her face. 'why did I come back for why did I put myself through this toucher for' she thought as she quickly walked down Diagon Alley wiping her tears away which was no use as more just continued to fall.
"Lavender wait please" came his voice. She could hear his footsteps making loud noises in the snow as he got closer she felt his hand on her shoulder as he spun her around. He looked startled again as he saw her face which again just cause her to cry even harder
"Why are you crying?" he asked her softly as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear
"Because you think I'm ugly hideous that's why you wouldn't look at me that's why you all stared at me as though I'm some monster" she replied he looked bewilded at her
"you think that what happened in there" pointing to the Leaky Cauldron "is because I think you are ugly due to the scars on you" he said looking exasperated "Lavender you walk in to the Leaky Cauldron after 2 years of me not seeing you. After I went to saint margos every day for a month to see if you were ok only to have you turn me away every time. I sent owl after owl to you for 2 years straight hoping against hope you would answer me. I went looking for you asked everyone I knew if they had any info what so ever about where you might be and you think I acted the way I did in there because I think your ugly. I was in shock there you are sitting at the bar drinking a butterbeer I thought I was dreaming these last 2 years have been hell for me. I didn't think you were ever going to come back" he said tears filling his eyes as he looked at her.
"I don't understand why you couldn't look at me though" she whispered
"I didn't no what to say I was so over come with emotion I was scared that if I kept looking at you it would make you uncomfortable" he watched as she looked down scared now to look at him scared as his words penetrated her mind his hand lifted her chin up to look at him but her eyes where now looking past him at Olivanders.
"Lavender look at me" he said it wasn't a request more of a plea her eyes returned to his he lifted his finger to wipe away the tears.
"Don't you get it Lavender I'm in love with you I have been since 4th year. I just never plucked up the courage to ask you out and then everything happened and you disappeared why do you think I searched for you" he didn't take his eyes of her as he said these words 'I love you' but how could he she looked like a monster.
"How can you love me when I look like this" she said as she pulled her scarf down to show him more of the scars she watched his face he didn't flinch he just looked at her and smiled he took his hand and covered it over hers and pulled the scarf up
"Lavender you're beautiful you always have been and those scars don't mean a think to me"
"But.."
"No but's those scars don't define you. Its you who defines what's on the inside that counts and before you interrupt me those scars make you look even more beautiful then before and I'm not just saying that. Because when I look at you now it reminds me of how brave you were that day and how hard you fought for us all"
"I'm sorry for putting you through so much hurt and pain these last few years I honestly thought no one would want me I was ashamd of myself and selfish because I was only thinking about myself" she said as the tears started to fall again
"don't be its over your back and that's all that matters to me I finally have you back" he stepped closer to her cupping his hand around her face and gently lend in and kissed her. His lips felt soft on hers as they slowly moved in sync it was a slow and passionate kiss not like the ruff ones she use to have with Ron this was different this was filled with love he was kissing her as if it would be there last kiss scared he lost her but that would never happen she would make sure of it. They broke apart they stared at each other and she noticed a spark had returned to his eyes he smiled at her.
"I really missed you" she said softly "I thought about you everyday"
"I really missed you too" he replied he took her hand in his
"lets go home" he said as she smiled "back were you belong" they both walked down Diagon Alley hand in hand she was finally home. For the first time in a long time she finally felt happy..
