The Beauty
I hate to see her like this. She hasn't smiled, genuinely smiled in such a long time. I wish we could go back to those nights where the two of us would giggle and gossip and talk about boys in our year. She once said to me, "Parvati, I trust you more than anyone else. Since things have been getting more complicated, I want us to promise to stay completely open and honest with each other. If I'm about to walk into the hall with some huge green crouton in between my two front teeth, I want you to stop me, and tell me to fix it. If I look ugly in my robes, I want you to help me find more flattering ones. If I fall in love with a guy who isn't worth my time, I want you to stop me. Unless of course, it's Draco Malfoy. Why is he so damn shaggable?"
We were only fourteen at the time. The most tragic thing that had happened to us was Hermione's refusal to let us give her a make over. The most vibrant, bubbly young girl in my memories is a stranger compared to the lost, gaunt face that is Lavender Brown these days. I accepted Harry's invitation to the Yule Ball. We were going as friends, of course, and he asked me to get a date for Ron. Well, my lovely little Padma was dateless as well, for some crazy reason, so I accepted for her.
As Harry, Ron, Padma and I walked into the ball; Lavender rushed over to me and told me she needed to talk to me in private. For one horrifying moment I thought I had a big green crouton in between my two front teeth. But what she told me was far worse.
"Pavvvvvvy! What are you thinking? You knew I wanted to go with Ron!"
"But, you had a date. And since when did you want to with Ron?"
"Since forever Parvati. Honestly, where have you been? Anyway, I could have canceled with Seamus if I would've thought he would be open."
"Well don't worry, Padma doesn't fancy him so how does this sound. I'll get her to use her feminine genius to somehow get him, to ask you to dance"
She smiled brightly and squealed, hugging me. It was the most excited I had ever seen her. I remember when the champions were presented, how everyone was in wonder of Krum's arm candy. Of course, I knew it was Hermione at once, but I let the less perceptive pick that up on their own. Never, had I disliked the girl that much. This was not how it was supposed to be. Hermione was supposed to be the genius, and Lavender, the Beauty. What gave her the right to be charming, and witty, and intelligent, and beautiful. There were witches who were blundering idiots with no looks at all, and this girl is given everything?
Of course, being the bloody prat he is, he had to sit there, gawping at Hermione the whole night. He wouldn't even dance with Padma, much less Lavender. He saw only her. Maybe if I was a big friend of fan of Hermione, I would've thought it adorable and romantic. But as I saw my best friend resting her head on Seamus' shoulder, silent tears gracefully spilling down her cheeks as she watched him continue to stare at her, all I felt was distain towards the girl.
Another thing that made me angry. She ruins my best friend's ball and I can't even bring myself to hate her. She's just, perfect. I can dislike her, but she's so kind, so good that you can't justify hating her.
After the ball Lavender found me and I pulled her into a hug.
When we pulled apart, she nodded meekly towards the golden trio.
"How can anyone compete with that?" she stuttered out, before breaking down into tears on my shoulder. If only I would've stopped her then, like I promised I would. I am angry at myself looking back on things, because maybe if I would've, her downfall would not have come.
Through fifth year, she kept a cool exterior. But by the end of the year, everybody knew, however that Ron Weasley was in love with Hermione Granger. I watched them all. I watched Ron watching Hermione. I saw Lavender watching Ron. I saw Hermione steal glances at Ron when he wasn't looking, but Lavender was. I may have even seen Draco Malfoy staring at her a few times, or maybe that part was my imagination. She had people on both sides in love with her. Her flawlessness was surreal.
At the beginning of sixth year, however, Ron and Hermione got in a series of spats that led to their friendship weakening. Lavender was happy for the first time since the Yule Ball because it was finally her chance to step in. He, being jealous, and angry, asked her out just to spite Hermione. But Lavender didn't see that, or at least she convinced herself otherwise, because to face that the boy she had loved for years loved someone else would crush her.
The months they spent in their relationship were brilliant for Lavender. She smiled brighter, stood taller, and was radiating happiness wherever she went. You know what they say, nothing shines brighter than a girl in love. She was beautiful. But Ron didn't see that, because the only girl who shone for him was Hermione. We all saw them dancing around each other for the entire year, Ron and her. But Lavender had convinced herself it was all in her imagination. She was just over protective of her boyfriend, that was all.
He broke her heart. He broke up with her and began to chase after Hermione openly. Sometimes I think it's more than just her heart he broke, I feel as if with their relationship, a part of Lavender died as well. She never was the same, again. She truly loved him, I believe. With such dark things to come, she knew they both needed each other to stay strong, to help Harry stay strong, and it was the hardest thing she had ever done, letting go of him. Even though she was broken, she was strong. Lavender was so strong. I admire her for that.
She tried to say that the reason she was crying was because of Dumbledore, but I knew better. She was crying because she had come to terms with the fact that Ron had never loved her. He had used her. And somehow, he's still a hero. He still gets his girl. And she was still in love with him. The happiest months of her life had simply been a fling to him, for he had been waiting for Hermione to notice him the whole time. For the heroine of the story. He didn't even look at her at the funeral, not once. No one did. She heard everyone talking. They said things like "finally!" and "they're so in love!" when Ron and Hermione weren't around. It positively tore her to shreds that no one was thinking "I wonder how Lavender feels?" But she was placed as the Beauty, and nothing more. No one special. No one deep.
She hasn't smiled since the end of their relationship, you know. Sure she'll bear her teeth and let out a chuckle, but it never reaches her eyes. She's faking it. I wish I knew how to make her happy again. I wish I would've kept our promise. I wish I would've slapped her the moment she started fancying that damned Ron Weasley. Maybe things wouldn't have gone so far.