Back from the dead! I've had an incredibly stressful end of the year with finishing up my degree and then issues with my degree and so on and so forth, additionally Christmas and New Year and meeting parents and quarantines and then shifting my entire life across the country, I've had a lot on my plate. However, I want to let everyone know I have not abandoned this story and I'm going to pump out a couple of chapters tonight and post them all very rapidly so that you can catch up! There's still quite a lot I want in this story and a few more twists and turns before we get to the end, so I'm truly grateful for those of you who have hung out and followed and will see this posted. Your support means the world!
As always, your reviews have kept a smile on my face and I truly can't express how much I love you all! This is a bit of a different chapter, but we'll be back with our favourite OTP next time ~on with the show!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything besides Domenico. Everything else is JKR's property.
Chapter Thirteen: Lavender
Lavender Brown would describe herself as beautiful, loyal, brave, and possessive of what was hers. It had taken her so many years to finally be able to get her Ron back, and now that he was hers once again, she would never give him up. It wasn't particularly her choice to give him up that first time back in their sixth year, but it was obvious to her that his proximity to Hermione Granger was going to be an issue for her, practically Stockholm Syndrome. Then she thought that Hermione would be out of the picture in their seventh year, as only pureblood and half-blood students were able to return to Hogwarts, but she hadn't counted on him running away with Harry bloody Potter. Then, of all the people in the world to save her during the final battle, who would it be but Saint Granger. Lavender was grateful, sure, but look at her now, a sliver of her former beauty, chasing after a man who would probably think her repulsive. But there she was again, that Hermione, praised among everyone in the Wizarding World, on the arm of her destined life partner. She had lost a lot in her life, besides her looks, she lost Parvati as her best friend, the girl touting that she'd become obsessed with Ron and that she needed to value herself first. What did Parvati know though? Professor Trelawney said that she'd never meet anyone to make her truly happy. Perhaps Hermione saving her had been a blessing in disguise; she'd use this to her advantage and get close to the girl, then when their relationship started failing, she'd swoop in and claim what was rightfully hers.
Lavender had been following Hermione and Ron's relationship ever since the Battle of Hogwarts, becoming fast friends with the bushy-haired girl by just a few simple thank yous and apologies. She almost wanted to gag when she thanked the girl and contemplated washing her mouth out with soap when she got home after her apology. Lavender's acting had become much more believable, especially when all she got was pity from those around her. All she had to do was bare her scar and the eyes of her companions would flicker to it, looking back up at her with sorrow. Lavender didn't really care what anyone thought about her anymore, she just wanted Ron to look at her with the love in his eyes that he had back in their sixth year. Besides, a well-placed scarf or incredibly strong glamour made her look almost as good as before. She kept a single mirror in her home, hanging on the inside of her wardrobe, where she only looked to glamour her scars, feeling repulsed by herself and wishing that she hadn't survived. All of that changed when she finally found the chink in Princess Granger's armour – the one that would lead Ron to fall right back into her arms, where he belonged.
What Ron had asked the Prophet to write about happenstance wasn't exactly true, see. Lavender had spent many nights in the park across from Ron's house, hoping to catch him alone. On the night that he and Hermione had their argument, she followed his brooding form to a local pub and allowed him to drink a few firewhiskies. Once she approached him, he explained everything that happened between himself and Hermione, thinking that she and Lavender were close friends.
"Honestly Ron, I've been looking out for you this whole time. I wanted to come to you sooner, but I think Hermione's cheating on you." Lavender said as she signalled the bartender for another drink, taking it from him and subtly adding her own concoction of a mild sedative into the mix before handing it to Ron.
Ron shook his head, "Hermione wouldn't do that to me. I know I accused her of it, but I do trust her."
"You wouldn't have accused her if there wasn't a small suspicion in your mind that she was. Besides, she all but admitted it when we last went out – talking about this guy she liked, buying clothes to impress him, even some sexy lingerie." Lavender goaded, knowing that the 'guy' she mentioned was actually Ron, but allowing him to believe it was another man.
"No way." Ron muttered in disbelief, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? You claim you're looking out for me."
"I didn't want to ruin a relationship that was obviously such a good thing." Lavender stressed, placing her hand on Ron's forearm as he practically sculled his drink.
"It's been pretty lacking for a while, to be honest." Ron stated, looking bitterly at the bottom of his empty glass as he thought about Hermione's affair.
Lavender silently ordered him another and slipped more sedative in while Ron was busy moping, "It sounds like your end has been coming for a while. You should really break up with her. She doesn't deserve such a loyal, faithful man when she's out whoring herself off to whatever guy wants that and not even having the decency to break up with you first."
Ron's head lulled as he looked over to Lavender, trying to protest to her calling Hermione a whore, but also agreeing with her words. He did deserve better than that.
"Won-Won, are you okay?" Lavender's sickly-sweet voice pierced through the fuzziness.
"Mmph." Ron managed, before his head hit the bar in front of him with a soft thud.
Lavender grinned to herself, but feigned concern as she looked up at the barkeep, "I'll apparate him home from here, if you don't mind?"
The barkeep grunted and held his hand out for payment, as Lavender stuck her hand into Ron's pocket and pulled out some coins, paying for his many drinks. Once the bill was satisfied, she held his body around the waist and apparated him straight onto her bed. The pair flopped down from the force of his dead weight and Lavender struggled for a moment to get out from under his body. Once she had finally freed herself, she set to work vanishing all of his clothes, her mouth watering as her eyes roamed over his muscular back and perfect butt. After ogling him for longer than necessary, Lavender spritzed some of her perfume on his body and tucked him into bed, climbing in and wrapping his arm around her waist, waiting in anticipation for the morning.
"Lavender?" A croaky voice appeared from her right.
"Morning sweet-cheeks. How'd you sleep?" Lavender replied, rolling over and pulling a hand up to stroke the hair out of Ron's eyes.
Ron immediately stiffened and pulled back from her, "What am I doing here? Where are my clothes? Please tell me we didn't… I didn't…"
Lavender pouted and looked hurt, "You regret it? You told me that you were over Hermione, that you wanted someone who could truly take care of you." She dramatically turned around, placing her hands over her face, "To think I slept with you because I thought we'd actually be together. I'm no better than a common prostitute."
Ron immediately felt guilty, placing his hand on her shoulder, "No, that's not what I meant, I just… last night is really foggy to me. It's not like me at all to have cheated on Hermione. I should've ended things with her first."
"How do you think she's going to react now that you've slept with me though, I don't want my friendship with Hermione ruined because of this." Lavender sighed.
"I'll get this all sorted out." Ron said, summoning a clean pair of clothes for himself as he turned his naked body from Lavender's view, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Perhaps you should wait a bit. You said yourself that you two had a fight and you both needed to cool down. Stay with me until it's better. I'll look after you." Lavender said, crawling over to him, her hands rubbing down his shoulders and her bare breasts pressing firmly into his back as she dipped her head to place a kiss on the nape of his neck.
Ron felt guilty, knowing that he'd already cheated on Hermione with Lavender, who was right, he wasn't quite ready to face her, especially knowing that he'd just done the thing that he'd accused her of. Additionally, he and Hermione hadn't been intimate in quite a long time and there was a beautiful girl who he'd already slept with, pressing her massive tits into his back and causing his cock to twitch. Lavender knew she was close to persuading him, rocking her body into him more and kissing him, allowing her hands to roam down from his shoulders, snaking around his abs and travelling further south.
"I suppose if you're offering for me to stay here, that's kind of you, Lav." Ron mumbled before taking her back to bed.
In all the time that Ron spent with her, he felt guilty, it ate him up inside that he had cheated on Hermione and he wanted to come clean with her, but every time he thought he would, an image of their friendship falling apart would tear through his mind and he cowered away from her again. Finally, once it was all over, he could openly be with Lavender once more, but he wasn't sure it was truly what he wanted. He was more than happy with their physical intimacy, as he always had been, but there was something deranged in her actions and speech that made him on edge around her. Lavender had sunk her claws into him once more and he wasn't sure how to get out of it this time.
Lavender, for her part, was incredibly pleased with herself. She almost gloated at Parvati as she passed her in Diagon Alley one day with Ron on her arm, but thought she'd be the better person. Besides, she would see it all on the cover of the Daily Prophet – how Hermione had slighted Ron and how Lavender had been there to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. Yes, her plan was finally complete. She wouldn't have to pretend around Hermione anymore, and she'd gotten exactly what she wanted from the start. Her destined lover. Ronald Weasley.
Until next time my loves xx
