Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the ideas for this fic! All characters belong to the great J.K.Rowling! Bows down to her
Full Summary: Everyone's 18 and has graduated from Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione are going out and live together. Ron and Lavender have been seperated since the 2nd half of 7th year. Ron is dating Parvati. Ron calls Parvati 'Lavender' on accident and they break up. But then Parvati has her eye on Harry and there's a misunderstanding. Will Parvati's desperateness for men ruin H/Hr's relationship and ruin the chances for a new beginning for R/L?
---The Next Morning
"Lav? LAV!" Hermione said loudly, shaking Lavender, trying to wake her.
"Wha'sit about 'Mione?" Lavender asked groggily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Natasha's here with a letter for you." Hermione said gently, looking over to Lav's window sill, where a beautiful brown owl sat, drinking some water from a dish which Hermione had apparently just brought up. Lavender walked over to her owl, and took the letter, written on black parchment, off of Natasha's leg. Lavender, confused by the color of her letter, opened it cautiously. Hermione watched silently as Lavender read it.
Lav suddenly tensed up as she read on, finally freezing whenever she finished reading her letter. Hermione looked at Lav questionably.
"Lav? Are you alright?" Hermione asked. Lavender stared at Hermione, tears starting to pour out of her eyes. Lavender quickly got up, and ran into the bathroom, locking the door, the letter falling gracefully to the ground. Hermione had noticed the letter and picked it up off of the floor. She gasped as she read the letter. She hurriedly ran into the living room, where Harry and Ron were watching television.
" 'Mione? What's wrong love?" Harry asked, looking up at his girlfriend worriedly. She held the letter tightly in her hands as she walked forward toward the boys in shock. She handed the letter to Harry, whom read it aloud.
"Dear Miss Brown,
It makes me most depressed to be the barer of bad news, but I am afraid that I must inform you that your parents, Rose and Alexander Brown, have died in the muggle hospital in London. They both had suffered severe injuries after being the victims of a hit and run accident involving a drunk driver. The driver is in custody with the London muggle police as you are reading this. I bring you this news with my utmost sympathy. I hope that you and the rest of your family will be alright. I am very sorry about what happened to your parents. I hope you will feel better soon.
Sincerely,
Arthur Weasley
Minister of Magic
From Mrs. Weasley - Lavender dear, if you need anything at all, Mr. Weasley and I will be happy to help. Take care dear!"
Harry finished the letter almost in a whisper. He looked over at Hermione, who had tears in her eyes, and then over to Ron, who was in complete shock. They all sat down and for awhile, no one said a word. After about a few moments of silence, Ron was the first one who had managed to get his voice back.
"Where's Lavender?" he asked, his voice slightly quivering from the news.
"In the bathroom. I just can't believe that this had to happen to them. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were the nicest people. I spent a week at Lav's in the summer before 7th year, and they were so polite. They treated me just like family." Hermione said solemnly.
"I'm going to go and try to talk to her." Ron said, slowly getting up.
"Alright." Harry whispered, walking over to a now sobbing Hermione, pulling her into a hug.
---Upstairs, with Ron and Lav
Ron went into Lavender's room and walked silently over to the door that lead to her private bathroom. He knocked slowly.
"Lavender?" He said gently, hearing her light sobs. After about 5 minutes, he heard a click, which meant that she had unlocked the door. Ron slowly opened it and walked in. He looked into a small corner, where he saw Lavender crying, her hands wrapped around her knees.
Ron went over to her and pulled her up to a standing position. Lavender let out a sob and let herself fall into Ron's comforting arms. He rubbed her back gently.
"Shh," he coaxed, "It's going to be alright. Everything will be alright." He said in a whisper. They stood there, hugging, for what seemed like forever. She pulled away from his embrace and looked at him, nodding gently. She walked past him and into her guest room, sitting on her unmade bed. Ron sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. Lav magiked a tissue for herself and wiped her eyes. She looked up at Ron.
"Why," was the only word she had said. Ron just hugged her tighter. He didn't know the answer. He had met Mr. and Mrs. Brown only once, but whenever he had met them, they had been the most welcoming people he had ever met outside of his own family.
"I.. I don't know Lav. I really don't know. I wish I did." He whispered softly to her. Lavender wiped her eyes with the tissue again. She gently shook his arm off of her shoulder, and turned her head to face him.
"Ron..." She said, trying desperately not to burst out in tears again. "Ron, I... Everything's just.. happening so fast... I owe you an explanation for a lot of things..." She said in between sobs. Ron looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "There... there was a r-r-reason that I... That things didn't.. didn't happen with you.. and.. and I..." She said slowly.
"It's alright, it doesn't matter-" But Lavender cut him off.
"It," She blew her nose, "It does matter, Ron. It's Dean. He would.. come over to my... my apart... apartment... drunk.. And he.. h-h-he... he would do things to me..." She said, starting to sob slightly again. Ron needn't have to hear anymore. He wanted to kill Dean for hurting Lavender. But he knew that now wasn't the time. He just pulled Lavender into his lap and hugged her gently, yet tightly, not ever wanting to let go. He rocked her slowly back and forth, and she eventually fell asleep on him. He lay her down in her bed and kissed her forehead. Now he sincerely knew that he was in love with this woman, and that no one should ever have to go through all that she had gone through. He shut her window and put down the blinds, then he walked out of her room, silently shutting the door.
He walked down into the living room, where he saw Harry and Hermione, cuddled on the couch, sleeping peacefully. In the sunlight, he could see the dry tears that were on Hermione's cheeks. Ron sighed sadly and went into his guestroom, where he sat on his bed and turned on his muggle radio that his father had gotten him as a graduation present before making Minister of Magic. He tuned the radio to 96.1, and as he began to drift off into sleep, he heard a soft tune playing. He listened carefully to the lyrics of the songs chorus as he began to cry silently.
Every step I take, every move I make;
Every single day, every time I pray
I'll be missing you.
Thinkin' of the day, when you went away;
What a life to take, what a bond to break,
I'll be missing you.
---About An Hour Later
Lavender was awoken by the sound of a bird crashing into her window. She walked over to the window and opened it, the gray barn owl abruptly flew into the room, dropping a letter onto her bed. She picked up the letter and decided to read it into the kitchen.
She walked into the living room, and smiled as she saw Harry and Hermione sleeping peacefully. 'I wish that I could find someone like that,' she thought. She walked into the kitchen and opened the letter. It was from Parvati.
'Dear Lavie,
Hey sweetie! Are you alright? I just heard about your parents. I am sooo sorry about them! I sent owls out to your friends to let them know about everything. I read in 'The Daily Prophet' that their funeral was going to be in that small village right outside of Hogsmeade tomorrow, so I let everyone know. I figured that you'd have too much stuff going on now, so I decided to help out! Well deary, I hope you feel better! I'll see you tomorrow!
Love ya hun,
Vati'
Lavender smiled, thankful for Parvati's help. Then, out of nowhere, Natasha came in from the open kitchen window, carrying another black letter. Lavender's lip trembled. She hesitantly opened it. She couldn't believe what she was reading. She dropped the letter and ran through the living room and into the hallway that led to Ron's guestroom and knocked hurriedly on the door. Ron opened it quickly and looked at a distressed Lavender sadly.
"It was Dean, Ron." She whispered.
"I know. You told me what he did to you-" But Lavender cut him off.
"No. Ron. Dean was the drunk driver." Lavender said, her voice breaking. A single tear trickled down her cheek. Ron took her hands and led her into his room. They sat down on his bed and she hugged him. She magiked a tissue and wiped her eyes. She looked up at him.
"Thank you, Ron. For everything." She said, a small smile visible on her features.
"Lav, you know that I'm always here for you. Nothing could ever change that." Ron said, sincerely.
"I know. Thank you." She said, and then she gently kissed his cheek. Her lips lingered on his shin slightly longer than they should have, but then she, reluctantly, pulled away. He gave her a reassuring smile and got up off of his bed. Lavender smiled at him, then she walked out of his room, and up to her own.
---"I'll Be Missing You" doesn't belong to me either, folks.
Lots of love,
Nico