Written for Hogwarts Challenges & Assignments - Term 14, Assignment 11 - Health & Fitness, Task #5: write a fic set entirely outdoors.


Feeling Seen

"You know, Lav, when you said we'd be eating outside today, this isn't exactly what I had in mind," Pansy said, brushing imaginary crumbs off of her skirt.

She and Lavender were sitting on a plush green blanket in the park near their flat, enjoying the first warm, sunny day of spring. A picnic basket that had held a simple lunch of sandwiches and wine now weighed down one corner of the blanket.

Lavender smiled. "Let me guess, you thought we'd be eating at some fancy little outdoor cafe?"

Without waiting for Pansy's reply, she leaned back on her arms and turned her face towards the sun. Pansy thought that her peaceful expression and the sun's glow made her look angelic, and not for the first time, she felt incredibly lucky to call Lavender hers.

She shifted a little on the blanket, moving closer to her girlfriend of nearly two years. "I did, yeah."

Lavender's subsequent giggle made Pansy's heart stutter in her chest. "I knew it. You are so predictable."

"I know you did not just call me predictable again," Pansy huffed, even as she reached for the other woman's hand. Lavender immediately intertwined their fingers together before rolling onto her side and opening her eyes.

"But you are," she said simply. "And that's not a bad thing. I know you like to think that you're not predictable, Pansy, that you're complex and adventurous and maybe even a bit wild, but the truth is that you're a creature of habit. You crave routine and you like to keep things simple. You are many things, but unpredictable isn't one of them."

Pansy was floored by this appraisal. No one had ever bothered to look beyond her frosty facade the way that Lavender had. She felt her eyes begin to water, and she had to blink furiously several times to keep the tears at bay.

"Thanks, Lav," she choked out, giving her girlfriend's hand a tight squeeze. "I—you're completely right."

She looked down at the blanket as her eyes continued to water. Lavender must have interpreted this as a gesture of shame, for her hand lifted Pansy's chin a moment later.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said, her voice gentle and soothing. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

A single tear escaped and ran down Pansy's cheek. Lavender's acceptance and understanding meant more than she could ever express, but she was going to spend the rest of her life trying to communicate her gratitude anyway.

"Come on," she said, discreetly wiping her cheek before getting to her feet. "It's a beautiful day for a little walk."


WC: 438