CONTEST WINNER THIS CHAPTER: My husband (yes, he does read my fics and yes, it does make me blush terribly to know that!) recommended the song, "Be There" by U2 for Seamus & Lavender this go around, and I thought it a perfect complement to Theo's thoughts here. So, this chapter is dedicated to my hubby man - congratulations! Lyrics for that song appear at the bottom of this chapter. Hope you'll find this song somehow and give it a listen.
Remember, I'll accept song suggestions for each couple, as well as digitally manipulated images of live people and your original hand-drawn or digitally drawn fanart for this story up until the end of this fic is published. SEND ME YOUR LISTS OR ARTWORK to: rzzmg at yahoo dot com.
Please review!
CHAPTER TWO (#6): SEAMUS & LAVENDER
Seamus allowed his partner to pick out the room she wanted from those remaining. They got to a door just before Harry and Tracey, and Ron and Pansy, and so weren't the last ones in, even though Lavender was clearly dragging her feet. The room's décor, however, left much to be desired, as it was too bloody white, so with a thought, he changed it to something they might both be more comfortable with: the Gryffindor common room.
His ex-girlfriend looked about, shocked as the room changed every aspect of itself to suit his wishes. "That is one thing about the Room of Requirement I will never get used to," she admitted, shaking her head.
"Ye've been here a'fore then?" Seamus asked, taking off his jacket and jumper, tossing them both over the familiar russet-red couch, and then lounging back into the corner of the sofa. The magically-lit hearth directly across from him gave off no heat; it was merely ambiance for the room, as the lighting had dropped to the common room's usual somewhat dim levels.
Lavender took the cozy chair directly next to the sofa, facing him. "Once," she admitted. "On a date."
"Wit' one o' me mates?" he asked, smiling, working on fighting his Irish lilt, trying to sound more British. It had been his goal for the past year to 'clean up' his accent, so that people could better understand him. His brogue was always thickest right after returning to school from a holiday break or when he was a tad nervous – like now.
Lavender looked at him askance and cleared her throat. "Aren't we on a time limit to perform these things?" she asked, holding up her card. "Not that I'm particularly rushing to do them, but…"
Seamus' good humor deflated. "I thought ta make this easier for ya, angel. Ta get used ta me," he explained. "My card, ya see… it's a wee bit… frisky."
His partner's lids flared wide and she paled. "How frisky?"
He read the card aloud to her:
DEED: Your partner has to kiss your neck, ears, face and lips as you instruct them.
When he glanced back over at his witch, she was frowning. In fact, she looked almost a tad rebellious, as if she were contemplating forfeiting. Truthfully, he'd been looking forward to this reward, as it seemed a nice place for them to start over, but as he watched her hands clench in her lap and her gaze fall to the floor in consternation, he knew she honestly didn't want to be there with him or touching him like that again. The idea was sobering.
"Do ya want ta talk some more?" he asked, wanting to make this easier on her. "I don't mind easin' inta this with some conversation."
It took her another minute of contemplation before she hesitantly shook her head. "No, that wouldn't help."
With a sigh, she stood, dropped her card on the chair she vacated, and crossed to him. "Um, how do you want to do this? Maybe you should stand up and-"
Seamus decided that it was time to throw her off; she was thinking too much about this and getting herself worked-up. Leaning forward, he grabbed both her hands and yanked, cutting off her thought and dropping her directly into his lap. She stumbled into position over him, her knees falling exactly where he'd hoped: to either side of his legs.
"This is where ya'll want ta be," he teased, smiling.
Shocked, Lavender just sat there, her face inches from his, eyes wide and mouth parted in surprise. Anger, however, quickly replaced her momentary astonishment. She sat back on his thighs and scowled, and he knew from the way her hands shot to her waist – a stance his Mam had perfected when squaring off with him - that a scolding was coming. He thought it the cutest expression he'd ever seen on her.
"Other women may fall for that, Finnigan, but I won't let you push me around," she declared, glaring at him. "That means no pawing me. The card doesn't say you get to touch this time. I could call what you just did a foul."
His jaw dropped. She wouldn't! Not over something that insignificant. "Was only a wee bit o' teasing, love. I meant no harm." He put his hands up between them in innocent protest. "Ya have me promise not ta touch ya again during yer turn, all right?" He promptly shoved both hands down the sides of the couch cushions and trapped them there, trying to look thoroughly chastised and apologetic.
Lavender gave him a wary, measured stare, and nodded, accepting his contrite admission of wrongdoing. Her gaze then wandered, rather unconsciously he thought, to his lips. "So, um… I have to kiss you."
He gave her a wicked smile. "As I want ya ta," he reminded her. "It's me reward, after all." He licked his lips, thinking of a good starting point, watching his partner's cheeks redden with heat and her eyes glaze with passion. Oh, yeah, she was already feeling it, wasn't she? The effect of his blood's magic was quick to pull at his female partners, he knew. "I'd like ya ta start at me neck," he tilted his head to the right. "Kiss all up and down now, leavin' no bit untouched."
Lavender looked positively distraught, but with a sigh, bent her lips to his throat and pressed down. Her kisses were fast and chaste as she rushed to finish. He wouldn't be having any of that!
"Slower. Take yer time," he coaxed into her ear, which was right next to his lips. "Relax. Enjoy me. I canna touch ya, remember?"
He felt her throat convulse around a nervous swallow against him as she did as he bade, letting her mouth slow in its contact, let it linger a bit over each spot it touched.
"That's it, love. Take control o' me, ya?" he encouraged, already aroused by her scent and just the idea of her touching him again in any capacity. He'd waited two years to get back here with this witch, and hadn't realized until just then how much he'd missed her in this way. Somehow, Lavender had a hold on him that no other witch had been able to match. He wondered if it didn't have something to do with his mother's heritage... "Use yer tongue and give me wet kisses. Ahhh, yes! Like that, sweet angel." He shivered when her kisses melded into soft, moist things that lathered across his throat, right over his quickly beating pulse. "Leave me a love bite, will ya? Right there."
Lavender did as he wanted, suckling hard on a particular spot that shot fire straight down through his spine and into his trousers. "Yes, leave yer mark on me," he begged, loving the idea.
After long seconds of concentrated sucking on the one spot, she lifted her mouth away and sat back, turning his head a bit to examine her work.
"Did ya like doing that ta me, angel?" he asked, watching her from the corner of his vision as her fingertips traced around the spot she'd just bruised. "Tell me the truth. Did ya?"
Reluctantly, she nodded.
"Then kiss me some more, love. Use yer teeth this time, if ya will. Not sharp. Nice and light."
Bending back into the crook of his neck, his partner complied, and the scrape of those even, white teeth against the hot skin of his neck made Seamus groan and all of the blood in his body gather between his legs. He coaxed Lavender on by continuing to direct her ministrations on his throat, requiring her to give equal attention to his other side, where she sucked and left another love bite.
Her hands, by this time, were gripping his shoulders, and the crescents of her nails were digging in as she got into the dominant position she'd taken over him. She wiggled on his lap, and he knew she must be feeling his so-obvious erection. "I like this, Lavender," he whispered, nuzzling the shell of her ear with his nose. "I like this a lot, sweet lass. Yer mouth was made fer kissin', I've always thought."
"Just kissing?" she paused, her breath a hot pant against his throat.
He shook his head. "Kissin' and lovin' and laughin'. Everything about ya, angel, was made fer happiness. It pulls me ta ya, dontcha know?" He ran his lips ever-so-light down her throat, not quite violating the rules. "But I want more right now. Will ya kiss me jaw and chin next? Soft kisses, slow. Let me feel that sweet mouth o' yers all o'er me."
A slight pause, a small shudder, and then her lips were caressing across his face as he'd asked, working towards his lips. It felt like butterfly wings tickling his face – soft, teasing, elusive. His hands clenched into fists as she pressed a light touch against the corner of his mouth. So close, just a bit more…
Circling around to the other side, Lavender did as he wanted and no more. Seamus could feel the trembling in her body, and knew she was scared of what they were doing. He'd been watching her on and off for a very long time, waiting for another chance to come along, but he also recognized that she'd been purposefully avoiding him all that time – which meant she was still uncomfortable about what had happened between them two years ago in that empty dorm room. He intended on making up for that during this game, but in order to do that, he needed to get past her defensive walls. That meant pushing her a little further.
"Kiss me lips, sweet angel," he pleaded in a gentle whisper. "Let me taste ya again, proper."
His partner's breathing kicked up a notch, and her shaking increased.
"Lavender," he purred across her skin. "Let me make up for the past. I'll make it good for ya. Just kiss me and ye'll see."
Her chest hitched as she slid her cheek along his, until their noses touched and they stared into each other's eyes. "You hurt me, Sea," she told him in all earnestness. "I don't trust you."
There was pain in those lovely eyes of hers, and Seamus felt the heavy weight of guilt for having put it there. He didn't like hurting women; it always left him unsettled in his belly. Women were made for loving, in his opinion. "I wanted ta make it right, angel," he explained. "But ya wouldn't let me say sorry! I've been waitin' for another go, but ya never let me near."
"I don't want to kiss you," she told him, turning her head and closing her eyes. "I don't want to do any of this with you."
His pride took the blow hard, and he felt real anger simmer in his chest. "I'm sorry, a'right! I know I was rough when takin' yer cherry years ago, and I've regretted the hurt since. I've tried ta make it up ta ya, but you still won't let me! How many times does a fella have ta say 'I'm sorry'?"
Her gaze was dark and angry when it swung back his way. "Like that would make up for how used you made me feel! It was my first time, Sea, and you didn't even try to give me any pleasure! You just took what you wanted, and then you left me there, by myself in the dark, to clean up the mess."
He had to sit on his hands now, knowing that if he didn't he would reach out and violate his earlier promise and touch her without her permission. "I didn't know what ta do," he admitted, feeling his face flush with embarrassment at having to admit his prior lack of skill. "I'd only done it once meself before ya. It's not somethin' yer perfect at right o' way, ya know? And ya went all stiff on me when I tried ta hold ya after. I figured ya didn't want me touchin' ya anymore and needed privacy, so I left. Ya think that was a good feelin' for me?" He growled now, angry at the continued slights he'd endured for two years for one night that had gone mistakenly wrong. "I wanted ta try again. I wanted ya fer me girl, but ya rejected me o'er and o'er. There's only so much a man can take, ya know, before he gets the hint."
Lavender scowled. "Yeah, what was that, a week before you moved into Parvati's bed?"
Seamus grit his teeth. "Ya made it clear that ya hated me. I tried ta ferget ya fast after that, like takin' off a bandage. It hurts less if ya do it quick and get on."
His partner sniffed. "Yeah, well, you succeeded. You forgot me a lot after that – with just about any girl you could whore your way into bed with." She looked down at the collar of his shirt, her expression bitter. "Are we done yet with your card? I'd like to get off your lap now."
"No, I want me kiss," he growled. It would be a bad idea to take their first kiss in two years while angry, but he wasn't passing up this chance. Something in him wouldn't let him walk away without at least a taste... "I want ya ta snog me senseless, Lavender. I want yer tongue and lips o' mine, and I want it ta taste like ya really want me. And since this is me reward, yer gonna give it ta me. Now."
She looked ready to smack him and walk out, but then she narrowed her eyes and leaned in, hovering over his lips. "I could always forfeit the game," she warned him. "I could walk out right now and call it quits. Then you couldn't force me to do this."
Seamus captured her gaze, desperate to hold onto her for even just a little while longer. "Then I won't command ya, but I'll ask it: will ya please kiss me? Kiss me fer all yer worth and make me pay for hurtin' ya back then. I'll take yer hatred so long as I get ta taste ya again, even if it's ta be the last time."
Her eyes widened as he spoke, and fear bloomed in the indigo depths.
Nudging his chin a bit, he aligned their mouths better, dropping his lids to half-mast to stare at her with lustful need. "Kiss me," he whispered the plea. "Give us a second chance, sweet lass. Let me do it right this time."
Lavender seemed frozen with indecision for at least a good minute, and then she stared him dead in the eye. "No second chances. It'll just be a kiss. It means nothing." With that, she dropped her mouth onto his.
It was a heart-stealing, soul-searing kiss, filled with anger and lust, and it burned Seamus to the core. He groaned under his partner's rough handling, loving her enthusiasm, especially when she bit his bottom lip in retribution, then softened a bit, as if feeling a tad guilty for causing hurt. It was telling, this first kiss: Lavender was furious with him, oh definitely, but she also clearly wanted him. Knowing that was enough for him to want to stay on, too, to try to make good on his wish to turn this chance – this possible last chance for them – into a good memory for them both.
The open mouthed, wet kiss grew in intensity when he slipped his tongue between her lips and stroked hers with velvety gentleness. They both moaned in response, and the sound made him shiver with anticipation. No matter her protests, Lavender was on-board for this.
Seamus poured every ounce of skill he had into that snog, twining his tongue about hers, lapping at her lightly, teasingly, and seductively. His partner's hands traveled up to cup his jaw, then smoothed through his hair, gripping on tight as the kiss deepened, as the anger ebbed away to become something more profoundly stirring, genuine, and greedy.
A second after she moaned with pleasure, Lavender was off of him, having jumped to her feet, wobbling unsteadily as she tried to regain her balance on heels after having moved so fast. Her eyes were wide, her face was flooded with heat, and her breathing was decidedly fast. "It was just a kiss, and no big deal," she spoke with conviction.
Seamus thoroughly assessed her in a sweeping glance as he removed his hands from between the sofa's gaps. "Who're ya tryin' ta convince, angel?" he replied without fear of reprisal, getting to his feet and looming over her. He stepped forward and she stepped back. They continued the dance until she fell back into the cozy chair she had previously occupied. Trapping her effectively by putting both hands on the arms and leaning over her, he pressed his advantage. He smiled in counter to her scowl, knowing well the signs of true arousal in a woman and recognizing them in her just then. "'No big deal' woulda made ya unaffected, and right now, I think yer verra affected. Just like me."
Turning her head again, she sniffed in mocking disdain. "It would have felt the same with anyone, so don't think you're special, Finnigan."
He crouched down at her knees, still careful not to touch her, conscientious of his earlier vow. "Ya don't snog Ron like that," he stated with arrogant self-assurance, having spoken with Weasley on occasion about his relationship with Lavender over the last few months. Living in the same dorm room with the guy had allowed Seamus the opportunity to keep up on the comings and goings of Miss Brown this past year. "Otherwise, it wouldna been casual a'tween ya two all these months. And that kiss, Lavender… there wasn't a thing casual about it, and ya know it, love."
Her back teeth were probably hurting her by now with all of the gritting and clenching under the skin of her jaw. "We're done with your card, right?"
Seamus could have pressed it; they hadn't spent the whole twenty-five minutes on his task. He decided, however, that all things would come to those with patience, and winning this battle of wills with Lavender – getting her to admit that she still felt something for him, as he now was willing to admit such reciprocal feelings – was going to take many more rounds, a lot more fighting, and some crafty ways of apologizing to her. He was looking forward to all of it, and had no intention of pushing if it meant antagonizing her right out of the game all together.
"I'll concede ta me card being finished, since ya asked it o' me," he agreed. "Which means it's yer turn ta command me, sweet angel. So, what demands do ya have?"
She reached under her bum for the card she'd tossed onto the cushion earlier, and then read it aloud to him:
DEED: Your partner must wash your feet and hands, and then suck your fingers and toes – all of them.
Seamus' eyebrows hit the roof… as did his smile. This sounded like fun!
Lavender, on the other hand, was glowering. "Why me?" she growled and threw the card down in disgust. She slumped deep into the chair's cushioned back, and crossed her arms in annoyance.
Seamus chuckled, and with a mere thought, summoned a small basin of warm water and a wash rag. "Shall ya remove yer shoes fer me, or shall I do it fer ya?" he asked, beaming in happiness.
A snarl broke his partner's throat, making him snicker, and he leaned back as Lavender removed her shoes, roughly unbuttoning the straps and kicking them away.
Dipping the soft wash rag into the basin of water, Seamus wrung it out then brought it to Lavender's right hand first, then her left, washing each finger, the pads of each hand and her wrists as well, giving them a small massage in the doing. He concentrated on every stroke, making sure to give her proper attention, hoping to make up for all of the mistreatment she felt she'd suffered under him prior. When he'd finished, he patted her hands dry with a conjured towel.
He turned to her feet next with the same care, even dipping her lovely, purple-painted toes in the basin now, letting the warm water lap over her skin as he rubbed her in light circles. He massaged as he went, doing to her what he thought he'd want done to him. He'd never actually given a foot massage before to any girl, so this was a first. From the relaxing of her muscles and the lack of a protest from her lips, however, he took that to mean he was doing an adequate job of it. He then patted her feet dry with the same gentleness he'd shown her hands.
Lifting her right foot first, placing it on his left shoulder, he bent his head and began kissing her ankles, moving in slow, wet, deliberate action towards her toes. He licked her arch in a slow rasp, which earned him a small cry of distress from his lady. Against his thumb, he could feel her pulse speed up in the artery that ran down into her foot. The lust was stirring in her veins, but like the stubborn witch she was, she adamantly was trying to deny it. The thought made him smile.
Circling up the pad of her big toe, he wrapped his lips around it and brought it into his moist mouth, playfully running his tongue over it. As he pulled back with suction, he looked up into Lavender's face, caught her eye, and didn't look away.
His partner looked like a pixie in mating heat – dilated pupils, rapid breathing, crimson cheeks, lips parted with growing hunger. He licked her second toe, never pulling his gaze from hers, rolling her flesh around with his tongue, and pretending for the moment that he was doing this between her legs, to her tiny, little bead instead. With each toe, he worked her over physically as well as psychologically, hoping to crack through that emotional fence she'd put up between them.
When he'd run the gamut of the foot, he returned to her ankle, placed a kiss upon the sensitive part right under the bone, and guided her leg back down.
The fun wasn't over yet, though. He repeated the process with her left foot, paying extra attention to suckling and licking over spots that made her body shiver or her muscles jolt. She shivered when he tickled between her toes with his tongue, and when he nibbled just above her ankle joint.
When he'd finished, he lowered her foot and sat up on his knees, reaching for her right hand.
"Did ya enjoy that, me love?" he asked, nuzzling her limp hand with his nose and cheek. "I know I did. Ya taste wonderful."
Lavender didn't reply. She swallowed and looked away again instead, clearly trying to control her reactions.
Seamus broke right through that tight discipline of hers, however, when he drew her index finger into his mouth and suckled it slow. Her eyelids fluttered shut, she began shaking from head to toe, and the pulse in her wrist flew out of control under his fingertips. He tongued the skin between her fingers with skill.
"Are ya imaginin' where else I could be tonguin' ya, sweet angel?"
He sucked in her middle finger next, releasing it with slow, purposeful reluctance.
"How about on the skin o' that golden neck o' yers? Right over yer pulse?"
He then bathed her ring finger in his saliva.
"Flickin' your lobe and nippin' it with me teeth…"
Lapping at her pinky, he drew the seduction out, bringing his body – and her hand – right near her face, continuing to enjoy her flavour as he tried to entice her further.
"Would ya like me tongue ta lap at those beautiful breasts o' yers?"
He tickled her inside wrist with his tongue, mimicking the motions he hoped to make around her areola at some point during the game.
"I'd love ta take me time lickin' yer nipples 'til they were achin' from the attention."
As he spoke, he reached for her left hand and brought it to his mouth, allowing the right to fall back onto the chair arm. He repeated his lips' trailing, dampening quest all over again.
"Shall I tell ye that I've dreamed of lickin' that little hole in yer belly…"
Suckle.
"Or inside yer thighs…"
Suckle.
"Or behind yer knees…"
Suckle.
"And especially between yer cunnie."
Nibble, lick, suckle.
"I've wanted ta taste yer honey, love. Ta lap between those long legs o' yers until ya were moanin' fer more. Ta suck yer clit until yer spine arched wit' the pleasure."
He leaned mere inches from her mouth, drawing her index finger back into his mouth, running his expert tongue over it.
"I've wanted ta enter ya again, Lavender, slowly and wit' thoughts ta only yer desire. I've wanted ta bring ya gently, ta hear ya cry out fer me finally, ta watch yer face as ya let go and gave yerself ta me."
A soft chiming alerted them that their time was up, but Seamus wasn't quite finished yet. There was one more thing to say…
He cupped her cheek and fanned his fingers out over the soft, glowing skin, locking his eyes onto hers. "I wanted ta make ye me girl once, sweet angel. I know now that I never stopped wantin' that all this time. I want ya ta think about that during this game, and at the end, I want ya ta give me yer answer. Will ya be mine, or no?"
She opened her mouth, but he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her.
"At the end. Not before. Give me time ta court ya right."
With that, Seamus stood and tugged on Lavender's hand to help her up. Quickly, she removed her fingers from his grasp, and moved past him to collect her shoes. Without a word, she left the room, holding her shoes in one hand, her back ramrod straight. She acted as if she were pulling up the remnants of her dignity and pride, and cloaking herself in them for protection - attempting to keep him out at the same time.
Seamus wasn't disheartened by her lack of a warm response to his proposal, for in her eyes he'd seen her desire, and it had mirrored his. It was a good start.
Whistling a small jig, he took up his jacket and jumper, shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and left the doppelganger Gryffindor common room in place, wanting it to remain for the next action round as well.
TO BE CONTINUED...
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
PLEASE REVIEW! What did you think of this chapter?
.
Musical Selection for this Chapter: "Be There" by U2. Lyrics are as follows…
You don't have to break your heart
In two my love.
You don't have to play a part.
It's you I love.
You don't have to hide from yourself.
You don't have to be someone else again.
You don't have to rescue me.
You don't have to watch me drown.
You don't have to give to me.
All I want is you.
Be there, my love.
Be there, tonight.
Be there, my love.
Be there, tonight.
You don't have to dress yourself up,
Or stay the same.
You don't have to smile,
If I say smile.
You don't have to be the best.
You don't have to give me rest.
All I want is all you have.
Nothing else.
Nothing.
Be there, my love.
Just be there, my love.
If you want the whole of me,
That's all you'll get.
I'll sing this song,
I'd give my health,
Give it all.
You don't have to...
Ah, she comes on by.
She says, I need you, my love.
Ah, she says, all I want is you.
You don't have to play your little game,
If I fall apart.
You don't have to work those strings,
Or do those things.
You don't play my part.
You don't have to hide from yourself.
You don't have to be someone else.
All I want is all you have.
All I want is you.
Be there, my love.
Be there, tonight.
Be there, my love.
Be there, tonight.