The Downfall

Her shoes slapped against the tiles, her hair flying behind her as she ran. Echoes of her cries died out slowly as she passed; leaving a ghost of her pain in every corridor she travelled through. Angry tears fell down her face as Lavender ran down an empty hallway, praying to find somewhere private to let her feelings go. She didn't want to feel weak, she didn't want to look vulnerable, but her fight with Parvati had spiralled out of control and she could no longer hold it all back.

She brushed her hands angrily across her eyes, letting out a soft cry. Rebound? Ron had broken her heart, but she was over him. Lavender thought, trying to calm herself, but nothing was helping. She rounded a corner, coming to a stop in a small staircase, hidden beside a large cabinet. Lavender tried to let out a deep breath, only making things worse when it caught in her throat. She slid down the wall, choking back a sob. How could Parvati not have seen? How could she be so ignorant!?

The sound that left Lavenders mouth was something she had never heard before, but her mind was too focused on the image of them together; Parvati and Seamus – a couple.

Lavender let everything out, all her anger, her hurt; everything seeped out as she cried. She didn't care if anyone found her, she didn't care that she was missing classes. Lavender had nothing on her mind except her pain and anger. Why does this hurt so much? Her thoughts screamed out, screwing up her face as a fresh wave of tears started to flow. What makes her better than me? She placed her hand over her heart as she looked ahead, her eyes unfocused as she thought.

"Why does everyone get chosen over me? Am I really that terrible?!" her voice was hoarse as she said the last line out loud, the words echoing up the stairwell. Suddenly, she wasn't just talking about Parvati anymore. She let out a sigh and thought back to the devastating moment as she stood beside Ron's bed, his eyes fluttering as he dreamed. She had been trying to comfort him when Hermione's name slipped from his lips. There was no denying it then; despite everything he had tried to say up to that point. He didn't really want her.

Lavender looked up to the roof as she felt a drop of water land on her head. She let out a scream as she ran from the stairwell, only just escaping the downpour. Her hair stuck to her forehead as she watched the water fall from the roof, standing in an adjacent corridor to keep relatively dry.

Lavender was breathing heavily as she used her drenched sleeve to wipe her face, knowing her makeup would be running. She heard footsteps in the corridor and her heart stopped, if it was a teacher who knows what kind of trouble she could be in. Quickly, she spun on the spot, ducking into the nearby cabinet to hide, the object inside poking her back uncomfortably.

She watched as a Slytherin boy in the year above her turned the corner, his eyes widening at the sight. There was a pool of water slowly pooling around the base of the cabinet in which Lavender was hidden. The boy took a couple steps forward, now in view of the staircase. He watched as the water spread from the steps, licking at the tips of his shoes. Lavender's gaze followed his, watching the river of water now running deeper down the hall in both directions. With all her might she desperately tried to stop the flow.

The Slytherin suddenly turned on the spot, shaking his head, and walked back the way he came – keeping his eyes on the expanding pool over his shoulder. Once he had left, Lavender jumped out of the cabinet, rubbing her back to ease the pain. She stared at the waterfall, her eyes filling with tears as she let herself fall into a state of panic.

She couldn't breathe as she watched the water, praying to every God she could think of to stop it from coming. She wasn't sure what she had done, but knew this was her fault. Lavender slowly stepped back, shaking her head as she ran through every counter curse she knew – coming up blank.

"Damnit!" she cursed, as she almost growled angrily at her mess and took off, leaving it for someone in a less emotional state to deal with.

Without thinking, Lavender found her way to the Quidditch field; her feet carrying her while her mind raced through everything that had happened. It was cold out, so cold that Lavender could barely feel her nose. But the freezing wind and the flecks of snow were helping her keep a clear mind, and steady heartbeat. She knew she had no right to be mad at Parvati. Yes, she hadn't told her that she like Seamus, and therefore had no claim to him, but Lavender felt that her best friend should have been able to tell – to see.

Lavender let out a sigh and found a seat on one of the stands, feeling the cold instantly as she sat down, but not really caring. She thought back to the moment she had found them, Parvati was beaming, and Seamus was so happy. She wished she could have given him a chance to choose her – had she the power to go back in time, she would have told him everything. Just so he'd know. But she already knew who he would choose, of course he would choose Parvati. He already had, she thought, and she knew that – at least for now – she and Seamus had to keep a distance. She had to sacrifice her relationship with him to preserve her's with Parvati. Despite all this, despite what they had both said, they were still friends.

She was so focused on her thoughts that she did not notice someone approach her from behind. She screeched in fear as a hand came to rest on her shoulder, turning away from her attacker, moments from tumbling down the bleachers. She realised just too late that she wasn't being attacked, and as she started to fall, she felt warm arms wrap around her.

"Woah!" Came a very familiar voice, but Lavender couldn't bring herself to look up as she buried her face in his shirt.
"You scared me," her muffled voice came out, as traitorous tears sprang to her eyes.

"Sorry 'bout that, didn't mean ta frighten you." Seamus had a small smile on his face as he looked down at her. Once he knew she wouldn't fall again he let her go and she sank to the bench again, her face in her hands. They were quiet for some time, neither really knowing what to say. Seamus knew very little about why one of his closest friends was acting like this, but when Hermione approached him and told him she needed help he knew he had to do something, he wasn't about to abandon her.

"Lav," he said softly, looking to her, "are you okay?" She didn't reply, and Seamus was getting more and more uncomfortable as time went on. Slowly, as if thinking very deeply about it, she shook her head.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked softly. She shook her head again. Seamus shifted, trying to figure out what he was supposed to do if she didn't want to talk.

He wasn't really sure what to do with his hands, so instead of leaving them hanging awkwardly between his knees, he placed them beside him so they clutched at the seat below. Lavender looked at his hand, now dangerously close to hers, then up at Seamus' face. She bit her lip, wanting to tell him everything, to let him at least have a choice now – her or Parvati.

Lavender opened her mouth to speak; unsure whether she was about to tell him that she was fine, that she just needed some space, or that she loved him. Her tongue felt dry, and she suddenly she couldn't breathe as she looked at him. Without another moments' thought she lunged forward and pressed her lips to his, her hand moving the last inch to clutch his and her other coming to rest on his cheek.

He jerked back and Lavender felt the colour rise in her cheeks. She started shaking her head, unable to believe she just did that, that she just betrayed her best friend like that. What Parvati had done was nothing compared to this.

"I'm sorry!" she said, but Seamus was already on his feet, backing away from her. "Seamus, please let me –" He held his hand up, opening his mouth to speak, but just closing it again slowly. He turned from her, and started head down the bleachers not looking back. Lavender knew that Seamus would tell Parvati, it's just the kind of person he was. Lavender hung her head, her tears returning as she felt the shame rise in her chest. She knew this was something that Parvati would never forgive her for, and also something she would never forgive herself for.

Lavender stayed there until night fell. She stayed until her body was wracked with shivers. She felt empty inside, like nothing was worth it now she had become the person she hated.

There were footstep behind her but Lavender refused to turn around, knowing whoever it was, she didn't want to talk. Silently, a body came to sit beside her. Nobody spoke as they both watched the stars twinkle above them. Lavender finally looked to her companion, watching as Parvati fiddled with her tie as she thought. Lavender didn't know what to say as she looked at her best friend. The other woman was giving little indication what her feelings were, and Lavender desperately didn't want to make the wrong move.

She opened her mouth to speak, deciding to take a risk when Parvati spoke first.

"Seamus told me what happened," she said softly. Lavender looked to the ground her cheeks reddening.

"He did?"

"Yes." Parvati looked at Lavender, her face calm as she spoke. "He told me that you told him you liked him, and that he refused you." Lavender stared at her friend, her mind racing. Seamus didn't tell her about the kiss? Lavender knew this would be the only time to come clean, but didn't want to turn Seamus in for lying. She considered her options and knew if she wanted a chance to be Parvati's friend at all in the future she needed to be honest.

"That's not exactly what happened?" she said softly, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Parvati looked at her, nodding for her to go on. "I kissed him, and he pushed me away. I'm so so–" Parvati held her hand up.

"I know," she said, her eyes falling shut. "Thank you for telling me."

"What do you mean?"

"Seamus was so flustered, it can't have been just a declaration! I trust him, so I know it mustn't have be reciprocated or..." she let her speech trail out as she watched Lavender.

"Parvati, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me, I –" Lavender stopped talking when she realised that Parvati didn't look mad. The other girl finally let her face brake into a sad smile and wrapped her arms around Lavender.

"It's okay," she said, her face buried in the crook of the others' neck. "We both handled this poorly, and I know that you didn't mean anything you said, as I didn't mean what I said." Parvati was rambling, but Lavender knew what she meant.

"I'm sorry," the girls said together as they held each other. After a few more minutes they walked together back to the castle, Lavender sneezing as they went. The blonde Gryffindor was severely chastised by Madame Pomfrey for contracting a bad case of the flu, but apart from that everything looked like it might be getting back to normal.

A/N: Words - 2,017

Flying lessons - 3rd part in a series; Part one (Untold Stories Chp 6 by Red Roses100) and Part 2 (Over Reacting by ShmabbyTheStrange)

(EXTRA PROMPT Seamus)