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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 582


Wait For You Forever


"Hey, Seamus," Ginny greeted, smiling at him. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and then stepped back to Harry's side.

He greeted her back and then shared a man-hug with Harry. It had been a while since he'd seen them; since he'd seen any of his friends, honestly.

"We didn't know you were coming," Ginny said, glancing around the party. "Dean said he didn't think you were."

"Honestly, I'm just here for the food," Seamus replied with a grin. "But no, I wasn't sure if we were going to be here. It all depended on Lavender."

He glanced across the room to where his girlfriend stood with Parvati and Padma. She looked stunning in her scarlet dress—in the latest style, even hiding away she'd clearly kept up with the fashion—the red complimenting her pale skin.

"She looks amazing," Ginny replied, with a soft smile. "I'm glad she's starting to get out again. We were all worried about her."

Seamus nodded. He'd been worried too. He was beginning to think that she'd never bring herself to leave the house again; hell, people had been saying as much for months.

She'd proved them all wrong though.

She turned to smile at him, and he grinned back, unable to stop himself even if he'd wanted to. She was radiant with happiness, and it was so good to see it, after the last year. There had been so many times that he'd wondered if he'd ever see that smile again.

"So, how's it been going?" Harry asked, and Seamus allowed his attention to be drawn to his friends, falling into easy conversation. He was always aware of her though, in his peripheral vision.

It was like he couldn't help himself.

Vanilla assaulted his nostrils and he smiled as he pulled her into his lap without even stopping his conversation. He knew it was her; that perfume would forever be etched in his mind as his favourite scent.

She fell into his lap, ever graceful even as he manhandled her. "Having fun, baby?" he asked, pressing his lips to her temple.

She nodded. "People are dancing though."

"Okay?" he asked, trying to figure out if that meant she wanted to or not. "I mean, if you don't want to, then you can sit here or we can—"

She cut him off with a kiss. "Shut up and dance with me, Shay."

He laughed, but allowed her up, following her to the dancefloor. He pulled her close, and they danced together for one, two, five songs, or it could have been fifteen, or even thirty.

He wasn't counting, and nothing in the world could have torn his attention away from the woman in his arms. Despite her year of isolation, hiding away from people who'd see her scars and judge, it amazed him that she could be this free.

She was certainly one of a kind, and he'd forever be grateful that she was his.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing the words into the bare skin of her shoulder.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I love you too. Thank you for bearing with me for so long."

He smiled. "Baby, I'd wait for you forever if it meant you'd smile at me like you are tonight."

He spun her out and back into his arms, and her surprised giggle gave him such warmth that he felt in danger of overheating.

A year or ten, it would have been worth it for this moment.


Written For:

Character Appreciation: 16. (dialogue) "Honestly, I'm just here for the food."

Showtime: 4. "Shut up and dance with me."

Trope of the Month: 19. Radiant

Angel's Archive: 13. Lavender Brown

Ari's AU Armoury: 22. Scarlet

Raven's Roost: 8. Write about someone proving something.

Limited Edition: Gone With The Wind: Dancing

Valentines or Palentines: Day 2: Valentines: SeamusLavender

NeonFae's Nibbles: Biscoff Cookies: Fashion (1) / Lavender Brown (3)

365: 213. Graceful

Musical Yearly: 30. 80's: You shook me all night long: She's one of a kind, she's just mine, all mine

Character Collection: 37. Lavender Brown

Insane House: 665. Vanilla scent