A/N: This was originally for the HPFC fic exchange and published anonymously on the account for that, but we're now allowed to publish them on our own accounts so here it is! Written for stellar nebula.
Seamus rushes into the Hospital Wing, looking uncharacteristically panicked. He looks wildly around, but doesn't lay eyes on Lavender.
"Where is she? Where's Lavender?" he demands to poor Madam Pomfrey, who is rushed off her feet as it is with all the casualties. She points over to the bed furthest from the door, and Seamus starts to rush towards it, but Madam Pomfrey catches his sleeve to stop him and he turns back around.
"She's very weak," Madam Pomfrey tells him in a hushed voice, but Lavender can hear every word. "Stable, for now, but be gentle with her. I really don't know what else I can do for her if she deteriorates. And don't run in the Hospital Wing," she adds in her usual reproachful tone.
Seamus nods, showing he's understood, and walks more calmly across to his girlfriend, although she can still see the pain in his eyes.
"Hey," he says softly as he reaches Lavender. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I thought you had too," she whispers, her voice shaking slightly as a tear slowly makes its way down her cheek, leaving a glittery track behind it. "But...I'm here."
"Glad to hear it," Seamus tells her, cracking a smile for the first time, and he takes her scarred face in his hands and kisses her tenderly. There was a brief silence. "Does it...does it hurt?" Seamus asks, gesturing towards her wounds. There are slashes all over her face and if not for the hair, she might have been unrecognisable.
"Sometimes a bit, when I speak," she replies, wincing slightly as she changes position. "But the pain relief potion works well."
"Good," Seamus says, but his face hardens and Lavender can tell that he's angry, angry with the people that did this to her. There's no point now; they've won, and they probably won't be hearing from those people again any time soon. Lavender isn't angry. She doesn't know how she feels.
She tries to distract him. "Let's not think about it, yeah? Let's think of some happy memories," she suggests.
Seamus's expression doesn't change. He's always been stubborn, and very difficult to change in his tracks. "Happy? Like what?" he asks warily.
Lavender casts around in her mind. "I don't know... remember our first kiss?"
It's hot in the hall and they were all sweaty from dancing, so they've come outside to get some air. They can see the fairy lights glittering through the Great Hall windows and they can still hear, though faintly, the music from inside. The rose bushes are covered by a layer of frost and it's picture perfect - Lavender can almost see it appearing on the front of a Christmas card.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lavender comments, with a star-struck expression.
"Mm," says Seamus thoughtfully. "I have to admit, I thought it was a stupid idea when they told us we were having a ball. But it's been quite a good night."
"Yeah."
They stand next to each other awkwardly, because they both know that this is the moment when they're supposed to kiss, but they're both inexperienced and they don't quite know how they're meant to go about it. Finally, Lavender makes a move, and then their lips are attached, and it makes her feel warm inside - it's clumsy but pleasant.
They break apart and remain silent for a while. Then Lavender speaks. "It's been absolutely perfect. Like a fairytale."
A ghost of a smile appears on Seamus's face. "I miss those times sometimes. Everything was so simple." He sighs. "Why did we break up, anyway?"
"I don't know. You were probably too busy being a fourteen-year-old boy and blowing things up all the time," Lavender suggests weakly.
"Probably," Seamus admits. "Sorry."
"It's okay. We've got each other now," Lavender says, reaching out her hand to take Seamus's, but she doesn't miss his flinch when he sees that half of the skin has been scraped off it. She sighs. "Seamus... these scars, they aren't going to go away, you know."
"I'm sorry," he says guiltily, "I -"
"No, listen to me," she says insistently. "If you can't deal with seeing them every day..." She takes a deep breath to try and stop the tears from returning.
Seamus puts a hand gently on her arm. "I'm sorry, it's just... they remind me of what's happened. I can't get used to what they did to you. It's not because I'm repulsed by you - nothing like that. It's because I love you. And you're beautiful."
Lavender smiles despite herself. Maybe there is hope for the future after all. It's that that makes her cling on.
A/N: Writing this made me fall in love with the Seamus/Lavender pairing, so I hope you enjoyed it!
Disclaimer: I'm not JKR, unfortunately ;)