Chapter 14

Who else but Lavender Brown would take a giant leap of faith without even checking for a safety net? But now, she decided to trust her instincts. Yes, the same ones that had failed her numerous times before but she believed with all her heart that Graham was the sort of man he told her he wanted to be.

Despite his 'special talents' he didn't frighten her at all. If anything he made her feel secure for the first time in a very long time. He treated her with such kindness that she thought her heart would break. She had never felt so loved in all her life.

Word got out somehow of Graham's job at the Ministry and people became very afraid of him. Everyone seemed to avoid the pair when they walked out in public. It didn't seem to bother Graham, he told her he was used to it, but Lavender was appalled that people shunned him. Wizards avoided him on the streets, casting their eyes down, pulling their children and wives close to them.

"Those horrible people!" Lavender sobbed into Graham's chest when they returned from what was supposed to be a special night out on the town.

Lavender made reservations at her favorite restaurant to celebrate Graham's birthday. It was supposed to be a quiet, intimate affair, but as soon as the two walked in, the place got very quiet and all eyes were on them. There were hushed whispering and pointing fingers. Lavender was embarrassed and begged Graham to take her home, but told her he wanted to stay. She'd gone to so much trouble for him. The last straw was when four wizards came running out of the loo just as Graham walked inside. He acted like nothing had happened, but Lavender was mortified.

"I wish you had done something horrible to those people," she said.

"What would you have me do?" He asked quietly. His voice was extremely calm. "Maybe I should have made them believe they were burning in a fire or being eaten by wolves. Would that make you happy?"

"No! Of course not! I, I'm just upset at the way they treated you. It was so rude."

Graham smiled and kissed her forehead. "It doesn't bother me, Lavender. Honestly, but I can't tolerate someone hurting you. I can make them suffer for that."

"No! How could you suggest such a thing of course I don't want you to hurt anyone."

"One day people will accept me for who am I but I have to prove I'm not evil and my intentions are good. Wizards are very superstitious, aren't they? The wizards here still remember Voldemort and the death eaters, so they are afraid. I understand that."

"But you are good; I want everyone to know that. I want everyone to love you as I-" She put her head down.

"What?" he asked.

"I want everyone to understand that you're the most wonderfully kind man I've ever known." She blushed prettily.

"Yes, but what was the other part? You want everyone to love me as…?" he prompted gently.

He was teasing her now; he didn't think she was ready to say the words he was dying to hear: That she was in love with him. She wouldn't say it. Not yet, anyway, and so he let it go.

They spent all their spare time together. Ephraim was still a little edgy whenever Graham picked her up for lunch, but he never said a word. His face would get very flushed and he would immediately rise and go into the back room, ending any conversation he was engaged. Graham never spoke directly to him but waved at him from a distance.

Ron, on the other hand, constantly asked Graham how Lavender was doing. He always asked if she was all right. He was nervous about speaking to Lavender, but managed to run into her in the oddest places. She begged him to leave her alone, but he always acted innocent, claiming their meeting was merely coincidental.

Finally, he admitted that her was worried about her and was afraid that she had fallen into his spell. Whatever that meant.

One day he followed her to the Owlery. She was posting some letters for Ephraim when he came up behind her.

"Lavender," he said.

She jumped and dropped the handful of letters in her hand. "Ron!" she said, clutching her chest. "You scared the life out of me. What are you doing here?"

"I have to know you're all right," he said. "Bishop won't tell me anything and I'm worried sick."

"I'm fine," she said shortly. "We're fine. I wish you'd just go away."

"I can't, Lavender. I care about you."

"So you said. But if you truly cared about me, Ron, you'd leave me alone. I promise you if you don't, I'm going to tell Graham. He's very protective of me."

"Just tell me that you're happy and I'll walk away from you right now and I'll never bother you again."

"Read my lips, Ron: I. Am. Happy. In fact, I've never been better. Run along home to your wife and kids. I love him. Can't you understand that?"

Ron moved to put his hand on her arm and all of a sudden he wasn't in the Owlery anymore; he was in the Forbidden Forest covered in hundreds of spiders. He could feel them crawling on his skin. He fought frantically to get the spiders off him as he scrambled, finally tripping over an exposed tree root. He screamed hysterically as he desperately struggled to his feet.

From a distance, he heard a frantic voice. "Ron! What's the matter? Are you all right?" He shut his eyes tightly and when dared open them again, he was back in the Owlery with a group of confused people staring at him. At first Lavender didn't know what was happening, but as soon as she saw Graham standing in the street outside the building, she knew exactly what he had done.

Without a second glance at Ron, Lavender ran outside to Graham. She was crying and she was angrier than she'd ever been in her life.

"Why did you do that?" she yelled at him.

"He put his hands on you," he said plainly. "I couldn't let him do that."

"I could have handled it. He wasn't going to hurt me." She was shouting again. Graham looked hurt.

"I was only trying to help," he said quietly. "I'm sorry." He reached out for her, but she stepped away from him. She looked frightened.

"Get away from me!" she said.

Graham dropped his hand and clenched his fists at his sides. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm sorry. I won't ever bother you again." He started to walk away.

"Graham, I—" she said, but it was too late; he had already disapparated in front of her.