If I Only Had a Nickel
By: Katie Melchior
Author's Note: Thanks to ZhErOt, for pestering me to make a Seamus and Lavender Fiction!
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling's beautiful books.
"Erm…hi Lavender. You er…you look nice tonight…" Seamus Finnigan stuttered as he looked at Lavender Brown, his date for the Yule Ball. She was wearing lavender and silver dress robes, and her hair was in what looked like a braided bun, of course Seamus wouldn't know, the least he had seen was his mum's hair the exact same way when she was at her wedding (he'd seen her wedding picture in his parent's room).
"Is that the best you can say? Well, I suppose it'll have to do," Lavender sighed.
"But I really meant it!" protested Seamus.
Lavender only giggled. She said something under her breath that sounded very much like, 'boys'.
"Shall we head down there, then?" asked Seamus, holding his arm out to Lavender, who nodded, and gracefully took his arm.
"Seamus?" asked Lavender as they entered the Great Hall.
"Wha…I mean…yes, Lavender?" asked Seamus as he became aware of his surroundings once again.
"You aren't even listening, are you?" Lavender's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, Lavender, I'm listening…no…please don't start crying…"
He started comforting Lavender, who now was being watched as tears spilled down her face. She ran out of the entrance hall.
Now, everyone was staring at Seamus, who just shrugged his shoulders and said, "She just had a bad salad," and ran out after her.
The following months were not easy ones for Seamus or for Lavender. After her abrupt leave at the Yule Ball, Seamus had tried desperately to talk to her and send her owls, but of course, she knew who it was from, and ripped up the letters right in front of him. The heart ripping went on and on, until Lavender received a school barn owl carrying a howler…and although she was reluctant to open it, it had a deep, but sweet male voice that erupted hearts when it came upon a word with the letter 's' in it. As startled as Lavender was, she understood the words all the same:
If I only had nickel
For every time you cried
I suppose I would be rich
Although sleep deprived
Lavender my sweet,
Please take these words to heart
For if you don't I'll be dead meat
Because you not a girl from the super-mart
No, you're not from a grocery store,
But you are worth much more
So I would be honored if you said yes,
Will you be my Valentine?
Love from,
Your Secret Admirer
Lavender knew at once who it was from. She got up from the table, and walked over to the other side of it. "Seamus!" she whispered as she grabbed his hand, yanked him up, and led him out of the great hall. "Thanks," said Lavender, and she kissed his cheek.
Seamus grew red with embarrassment. There was silence for a while as they looked at each other, as though surrounded by a large, pink love bubble…at least Lavender felt that way. She was totally ignored by all the other students, as was Seamus, and that was just fine with her. After all the students had filed out of the Great Hall, Seamus stood there and grinned as Lavender giggled. He leaned toward her, and suddenly, he felt the soft touch of her lips.
After a while of kissing each other, Seamus muttered through Lavender's mouth, "If I only had a nickel…"
"For every time I cried…"
"I suppose I would be rich…"
"Although sleep deprived…" the couple pulled away giggling. Seamus cleared his throat.
"As we were…"
Again, a long while passed as they stood there kissing. They heard a soft voice come up behind them. It was calm, and soothing, but sounded almost elderly.
"I assume this is why the Gryffindors have been worried sick about two of their favorite friends," Seamus stopped kissing Lavender, and turned around to find Albus Dumbledore standing there in robes of deep violet. "I am sure you will agree, that since it is past midnight, you shall return to your dormitories," Seamus blushed a furious shade of deep red, and Lavender giggled. Dumbledore only smiled. "Yes, Mr. Finnigan, I remember having a romance myself…it is a precious gift…love…don't you agree?"
"Y-yes s-sir."
"And, Ms. Brown…" he said, turning to Lavender, "what a lucky young woman you are, to be dating such a responsible, intelligent young man," Dumbledore nodded, turned his back on them, and walked away. "Oh, yes, and I almost forgot…" he added and winked at them, "there is a nice broom cupboard on the third floor, right by a mirror…just in case you wish to engage each other in romance again…but don't get too sneaky…" he winked at Seamus, who was purple, he was blushing so furiously.
After Dumbledore was gone, Lavender giggled and said, "Seamus? I think we should go back up to our dormitories now…"
"Yeah, I think so, too." As they walked up the stairs to Gryffindor tower, Seamus couldn't help but stare at Lavender.
"What?" she asked, as she suddenly noticed that Seamus was staring at her. "Do I have something on my face?"
"No…it's perfect…your fine…" After finishing this thought, Seamus accidentally ran into the portrait of the Fat Lady, who muttered, "How rude!" and asked for the password.
"Starlight," said Lavender, and the portrait opened. Seamus was yet again transfixed by Lavender, and ran into a window. "Oh! Seamus are you all right?" asked Lavender, who ran over to an unconscious Seamus. "Hmmm…I remember reading something about this in a muggle book…um…it's called um…um…it's C…P…A...no C…P…M…no…C…P…R! Yes, that's it…" she stopped muttering to herself and knew that she would have to give breaths of air to Seamus. She bent her lips down to his, and started to give him oxygen, when all of a sudden, Seamus woke up, and…thought that she was kissing him, so he sat up and began to kiss her back. "I thought I was going to go to sleep…" muttered Lavender.
"Oops…sort of lost it there…well…I guess I'll see you tomorrow Lavender…"
"Yeah…bye…"
"Hey Lavender?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry I embarrassed you."
"It's all right…"
"I um…I had fun tonight…"
"Yeah…I'm sorry I walked out on you during the Yule Ball…I just lost myself…you know, all of the other couples…our Charms exam…"
"It's alright…I understand…"
"Oh, thanks."
"Lavender! Lavender wake up!"
Lavender sat straight up to find Parvarti Patil shaking her. "What?" she asked quickly, pausing for a minute to wipe cold sweat off her forehead.
"You were muttering something in your sleep…it was…"
"What?"
"Erm…I think it's a poem…from your new boyfriend…"
"Well, read it off…" said Lavender, although realizing in an instant that this 'poem' was the one she got from Seamus at Valentine's Day.
"Ok…something like…" she cleared her throat, "If I only had a nickel…for erm…every time you cried…and then…erm…you pursed your lips as if kissing him…and well…then you kept reciting and reciting, but I can't remember it all.."
"Is that all you heard?" Lavender demanded, her face becoming stern.
"Erm…yes…I think so…"
Lavender burst out laughing.
"Phew!" exclaimed Parvarti, "I thought you would be mad at me…"
"Well…can you keep a secret if I can?"
"Of course I can! So…who's the guy?"
Lavender began to go into in-depth detail of last night's events. "So, that's what happened…"
"Oh Lavender, that's so romantic!" said Parvarti breathlessly.
"I know."
"Are you going to see him again?"
"I don't know, I mean…I want to…but it just has to be kept a secret, Parvarti…it just has to be. Promise me you'll keep it for me? Not even your sister can know…"
"I totally and fully promise!"
"Well, you didn't keep my last three secrets…"
"Those are different though…oh just wait until I tell…"
Lavender stared at her.
"Ok, I promise I won't…"
"I'll keep you on that."
"Well, let's get dressed and head down to breakfast," said Parvarti, now standing up and headed over to her trunk.
As the girls silently got dressed, Lavender quietly thought about the words that Parvarti had said, about seeing Seamus again. After a while, the girls headed for the Gryffindor Common Room, where they found a huge picture on the notice board. Lavender gasped as she realized it was her and Seamus. She looked across the room, and saw his eyes grow wide with terror, and he started to head back to his dormitory…
"Oy! Seamus!" yelled a voice from across the room, "Is that you, Seamus? Is that you with…with…Lavender?" It was Dean Thomas, and he was pointing at the picture of the now making out Seamus and Lavender.
"You leave him ALONE!" shouted Lavender, rounding on Dean.
"Oh look, Seamus…it's your girlfriend standing up for you! Do you like that Seamus?"
Lavender narrowed her eyes at Dean. "I thought you were supposed to be his best friend. Now, leave him ALONE! ALONE I SAY!" All the laughing Gryffindors shut up to stare at Lavender, as she got closer to Dean. "Impedimenta!" shouted Lavender, and Dean was blasted off his feet. "Anyone else want to have a go at me or Seamus?" asked Lavender, eyeing them with a murderous glint in her eyes, as Gryffindors pelted toward the portrait hole, until it was just Seamus and Lavender.
"Erm…thanks, Lavender…" started Seamus, but before he could say another word Lavender had thrown herself upon him. As Seamus felt her tears upon his face, he knew that this was a different way to be rich, Dumbledore was right.