CONTEST WINNER THIS CHAPTER: EL-EL-EL recommended the song, "(You Want To) Make A Memory" by Bon Jovi for Seamus & Lavender this go around. It perfectly reflects Seamus' thoughts here. So, this chapter is dedicated to El-El-El - congratulations! Lyrics for that song appear at the bottom of this chapter. Hope you'll find this song somehow and give it a listen.

Revision 1.0 - 2014 - beta'd by Unseenlibrarian (THANK YOU!)

Revision 2.0 - 10 October, 2018

PLEASE REVIEW!

CHAPTER FOUR (#5): Seamus & Lavender

Seamus allowed Lavender to take the lead and guide him over to the couch in their private room once the door had been shut behind him. For once, she sat next to him without being coerced by the game's requirements, and he thought that to be a solid step forward. Her palm against his was a wee bit damp from nerves, however.

"Are ya sure ya wanna continue with the game, angel?" he asked, trying to give her one more chance to opt-out. "This'll be the last time I'll ask ya."

According to an old Irish proverb, a three-time refusal really, truly meant that you were sincere, rather than simply being polite. It's why he tended to ask the truly important questions, like this one, in triplicate.

His partner stared at her card for a moment in silence, re-reading it.

For a long minute, Seamus held his breath, afraid she'd simply decide to call the whole thing off, wish him a good road and walk out of his life. To his great relief, though, she mustered her courage in the Gryffindor way, handing him her card without a word.

DEED: You get to ask your partner any five questions you want about them and they must answer wholly and truthfully.

Feck!

This whole shite had the potential to go downhill fast if she asked him something really uncomfortable. He had two really, big secrets aside from his True Wizarding Name, and he wasn't sure how she'd handle hearing either of them.

Hell, either of them would probably scare her off.

Trying to keep his face as neutral as possible so he didn't give away his concerns, Seamus simply nodded his acceptance of the card's requirements, and offered his card for her to read.

DEED: Your partner must dance with you however you want.

A very feminine blush filled Lavender's cheeks.

"We can do yers first, if ya want," he offered, leaving himself wide open for what he knew would be the flaying of his life. He was sure she was going to use her questions to probe his feelings and memories, and to discover the secrets that he wasn't sure she'd be prepared to handle. "I don't mind being honest wit' ya, Lavender. I only hope ya can be accepting of me, tho'...both the good and ugly alike."

He cupped her chin and tilted it so she would have to meet his gaze.

"I've been no angel in me short life, as ya know, but remember that all the mess made me who I am today, ya? And, I'd like ta think I'm not a bad bloke."

His partner assessed him in silence, measuring his sincerity. Knowing that this was a make-it-or-break-it moment, Seamus dropped his defences and spoke from the heart.

"I want ya, Lavender, so even if ya ask me somethin' that stings or hurts deep, I'll always tell ya true, card game or no. No lies a'tween us. Not from me. Can ya handle that?"

His witch considered his offer, and then nodded, letting out a deep breath. "Merlin knows, I haven't exactly been an angel either, Sea. There might be things you learn about me during this game that will change your opinion of me, too. But…I'll try not to be a hypocrite and judge. I'll try."

He nodded in accord, releasing her chin and sat back into the sofa.

"Then, ask away, angel. Ask me as many questions as ya have need. Just save me a handful o' minutes at the end for our dance, yeah?"

Adjusting her position on the couch so she took the corner and could stare at him without having to be uncomfortable, she crossed her ankles and rested them on top of his thighs. Her right hand smoothed across the satin of her dress, as she considered her first question.

Seamus mentally girded himself for absolutely anything to pop out of her mouth.

"Okay, first question: how did you really feel about me back then?" she asked, hitting hard right out of the gate.

There was no question about which time period she was speaking.

"I fancied ya a hell o' a lot," Seamus admitted. "I meant what I said a'fore: I wanted ya fer me girl, serious-like, doncha know?" He gave her a shy smile, letting one hand smooth over her ankle in a tentative caress at the same moment. "Ya were me first true love, sweet angel."

Lavender blinked at him in astonishment, her face turning a darker shade of red.

"Steam's comin' outta yer ears, me witch," he teased, chuckling and continuing to stroke the hollow area right below her ankle bone, a place he knew was an erotic spot for most women. "Have I said somethin' ya didn't wanna know?"

His ex cleared her throat, trying to compose her features by looking down at her hand resting on her thigh. "The night we had sex-"

"Made love," he interrupted.

She glanced up at him, clearly confused. "You didn't really love me then. It was infatuation, and it was over too quick to be called love-making."

He took the pot shot to his ego and sighed, shaking his head. "It was as close as I could'a come then ta such a feeling, given me age and lack of experience. Ya were never a one-off fer me, though. It wasn't just sex ta me either. I felt a strong connection to ya, even then. Had done since the moment we met on the train that first time comin' ta school. Th' years only made those feelings deeper. So, ya can understand when I say I'd wanted our first time ta be good tha' I really mean it. Bloody hell, I'd been stalkin' ya since after the Yule Ball the year a'fore, thinkin' o' ways to get ya attention so ya'd want ta be mine back!"

His partner's mouth gaped open. "You were?"

He huffed in exasperation. "Are ya that daft, woman? Why'd ya think I'd asked ya ta be me study partner after the Christmas break, and ta go ta Hogsmeade wit' me? And why'd ya think I sent ya chocolates on Valentine's?"

Her expression shifted again, molding into lines of anger. "Because you'd made a bet with Dean that you'd get in my knickers before the school year ended!"

Seamus cut short the automatic counter he had ready and instead grinned, knowing he'd been found out. "Well, ya, I'll cop ta havin' made that bet, but that's not really why I asked ya. I was hopin' ta win ya by then, ya see, and I'd planned ta use the money ta buy ya somethin' nice or ta take ya ta Madam Puddifoot's. It was jus' a bit o' locker room braggin' ta cover up me long-term plans fer ya. Besides, I rather liked th' idea o' Dean payin' fer a nice date fer us. Question is, lass, how did ya know about it?"

Lavender rolled her eyes. "Did you forget that my best friend is the Queen of Gossip around this place? Thanks to Parvati, I knew that same afternoon."

He laughed. "Ya intentionally shot me down then, just so I'd lose?"

His partner tweaked one golden eyebrow and smirked at him. "It was fun seeing what hoops you'd jump through. You'd gotten increasingly desperate and more creative there near the end of second term, as the school year was coming to a close, I noticed."

"As I recall, ya were hangin' wit' tha' ponce from Durmstrang more often by then, ya?"

His partner's lips were stretched wide, and a knowing, mischievous glimmer appeared in her eye. "You mean Tolga, Krum's best friend?" She faux breathed a sigh of longing and batted her eyelashes. "Ah, yes, he was quite the gentleman: strong, handsome, and respectful. His kisses tasted like fine-"

Seamus' humor melted away in an instant and he couldn't help the jealous growl that rumbled through his chest and escaped through his tightly closed lips. Krum's mate had been his nemesis that year, appearing at their side during the Yule Ball to cut-in for a dance, and then honing in on Lavender while Seamus had stepped away for a few minutes to hit the loo. After that, for the rest of the year, the guy would randomly stop at Gryffindor's table in the Great Hall to speak with Brown, playfully flirting with her.

Being reminded of how his witch had fawned all over the other man made things in Seamus' guts tighten.

In a move he knew would surprise her, he pounced, knocking Lavender's legs to the side and receiving unfettered access to her belly. Relentlessly, he moved in for the kill…

His partner was helpless under the assault of his tickling fingers, laughing uncontrollably as he showed her no mercy. "Tell me my kisses are better, or I'll tickle ya 'til ya pee," he playfully threatened, tucking away his dark possessiveness so as not to frighten her off.

"You…wouldn't…dare!" his partner challenged him, gasping for breath and giggling uproariously while squirming like mad under him.

He leered at her. "I'd been willin' ta bet on gettin' into ya knickers, and ya still doubt there are levels I wouldn't stoop ta get what I want?"

"All right, I give!" she surrendered, putting her hands on his chest to push him off. "I'll tell you."

His fingers paused, and he waited, a part of him mistrustful of her easy capitulation.

Looking up at him, Lavender's lips twitched with mischief. "I'll tell you…that…he snogged me under the-"

Her comment was cut off by his renewed assault on her ribs until tears streamed from her eyes and she was begging. Seamus finally stopped when she wailed that she was sorry. "How sorry are ya, angel?" he asked, bracing his hands behind her on the arm of the couch, capturing her between them. He leaned his face down, stopping inches from her lips, feeling a strong compulsion to make her melt under his mouth's attentions and forget the fact that other men even existed. "Sorry enough ta let me try ta out-kiss yer Bulgarian boy-toy?"

She looked skeptical of his claim.

"I doubt you could."

"Oh?" He angled his mouth closer to hers. "Wanna bet on it?"

Tilting her head, she considered the proposition.

"Alright, what's the bet?"

Seamus' heart took off like a rabbit. He was going to get a chance to kiss her this round after all! "If yer hands touch me during the kissin', I get yer card next round, in addition to me own."

"And if I win, I want yours," she came back at him.

He felt quite assured of the outcome and wasn't daunted at all by her air of supreme confidence in the face of his challenge. "Sure thing, angel."

Lavender put her hands under her bottom in a cheat meant to assure her victory. "Then I give permission for you to snog away, Finnigan. Do your worst."

"Intend to," he whispered as he bent to take that which she offered.

Slow and sure, he captured her soft, pink lips...and was lost for her once more. Na síogaí, he loved the taste of this witch! She was as sweet as golden honey and he was drawn by his favourite addicting flavour to kiss deeper, harder.

Lightly gripping the nape of her neck, Seamus tilted his lover's face back to gain a more advantageous position, opening her up. His fingers sifted through the silky, glinting strands of her hair, securing her, assuring she couldn't turn away from the all-consuming burn he intended on working over her.

Ravenous for her return kiss, he gave her all of the fire within his heart, rasping velvety licks over her silken lips, thrusting into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth to a rhythm that mimicked the unconscious swaying of his hips as he knelt over her quivering form. He lapped and coaxed, teasing her one moment, only to sweep in with fierce, resolute possession the next.

As he melded them together, enticing her with grasping, greedy pulls of lips, he touched her face, softly caressed her cheeks and followed the grooves of her throat with his fingertips and knuckles. He stroked the top of her bosom, traced the shell of her ear, and sensuously flicked the lobe with his thumb, brushing it with a barely-there touch.

Lavender's body began to unravel beneath him. She shivered, moaned in his arms, and he could smell her growing arousal through the layers of her clothes. It made things inside him tighten up, made his cock leap into life. Heart pounding under his ribs, he prayed she wouldn't resist much longer, for it was becoming harder for him to do so...

Gods alive, how could he have denied himself this pleasure for two whole years? How had he stayed away from her? She'd been his for such a short go, and he'd ruined it by being an impatient fool. But something inside him had known all along that she was meant to be his forever...and yet he'd denied it, pushed down the hurt of her rejection and buried himself in others to forget. It hadn't worked; he'd never forgotten, never really let go.

I need ya, me love. I see it now so clear-like. Yer meant ta be mine.

The kiss did as intended: it finally melted Lavender's resolve.

With a low, husky moan, her hands flew into his hair and grabbed hold.

Something inside him sparked to life at her capitulation. It electrified his whole body, sent a jolt down his spine and into his groin. He groaned and nearly spilled his seed right there in his pants... She moaned in response, as if she'd felt his body's reaction, and with a yank, he was falling into her arms. Their bodies met, rubbed and strained against each other as their mouths mated.

Fuck, but he wanted to rip her clothes from her and plunge into her welcome, warm sex...

It was Lavender who finally broke the kiss.

Pulling her mouth from his and turning her cheek into his, she held him, trembling in his embrace and panting for breath. "I lose," she capitulated with a sigh.

Seamus drew back. "Is it such a bad thing, wantin' me?"

With a fingertip, she traced his lips, letting her lovely indigo eyes follow the movement of her nail sliding across his mouth. "It's so hard to forget, Sea. I was hurt so deeply by you. I'd fancied myself in love with you since the Yule Ball, but then I heard about that stupid bet, and I was sure you were just playing me so you could brag on winning. The next year, I took a chance on trusting you anyway." She let all her breath out and closed her eyes. "When you left right after we had sex...made love...whatever you want to call it, I felt so used. I thought you'd only slept with me to prove that you could, especially after not winning the bet the year before."

Seamus opened his mouth to defend himself, but her lids fluttered open and she pressed her fingertips with some small pressure to prevent him from speaking just yet.

"Even though I understand now why you left me there alone afterwards, and that you didn't mean to hurt me, it's still hard to forget. You broke my heart," she admitted. With more bravery than he'd given her credit for, she stared him in the eye once more. "I'm scared to trust you again. It's been two years, but…I've heard the rumours. I know you've been around, and how you make women feel. Every girl I know whom you've ever slept with still pines for another chance with you. I hear them talk in the loo or in the dorms or in the corners of the courtyards." She seemed genuinely distressed again. "I can't be like that again, Sea. I cried for weeks and weeks, and every time I saw you with a girl for the next eight months, I felt such hatred for you…and for myself, for being so jealous."

As he watched her expressions change, Seamus made a conscious decision that he never wanted to see her frown again, and that he would do whatever was necessary to prevent it. That included telling her whatever truths she needed to know...starting now. "Lavender, I know I don't deserve another go wit' ya, but I been watchin' ya on and off ever since ya stopped talkin' ta me two years ago, wonderin' if I'd ever get a chance ta make things up ta ya." He smoothed the hair back from her forehead. "We were friends a'fore that night, and I fancied ya me first love, but then I bungled it all up...and ya tore yerself away from me and I never got o'er tha' loss. There's been a hole in me chest ever since, and nothing I do fills it. Only bein' wit' ya tonight seems ta be mendin' me heart." He dropped his forehead to hers and met her eye. "From th' moment we met, I knew ya were different...special. I knew when ya took me hand that day on the train that ya were meant ta be mine. I made a lot o' mistakes, I know, but I'm askin' ya ta please give me a chance ta make it up ta ya."

Lavender was biting her bottom lip so hard it was reddened and she looked both afraid and hopeful. Perhaps he'd finally done something right!

Either way, he'd made his case and it was time to pull back, to give her some breathing space so she could consider his proposal. Letting her go, he slowly lifted his body off hers and scooted back to resume the seat he'd vacated earlier. Lifting her legs with care, he placed them right back across his lap exactly as they had been earlier in the round.

"I'll make ya another wager, angel," he offered, wanting to ease her fears. "Startin' next round, ya can put ta me any one question ya'd like answered during the game, at any time, and I have ta answer it truthfully, no evadin'. After I've given up the answer, tho', I want a kiss from ya in reward fer puttin' me through the ringer. In exchange, ya'll do the same fer me. This way, we get ta know each other without pretense." He held up a finger to cut off her obvious protest. "I promise here and now not ta ask ya yer True Witch's Name. If ya want ta tell me it fer free, then I'm all ears, but I won't force that from ya ever. But anything else goes. What say ya?"

Clearly ill-at-ease with the vulnerability of her position, she quickly sat up and wiggled backward until she was leaning against the sofa's arm.

"Okay," she conceded, "but I get to ask the first question next time."

Seamus readily agreed, even knowing that it meant she could find out his darkest secrets. He'd take the chance for another shot with her. "Fine by me." He gave her what he hoped was a warm, encouraging smile. "So, ye've still got four more questions this round ta ask. Fire away, love."

Lavender's gaze strayed to the magically lit hearth nearby as she puzzled out her next query, and he watched as she internally struggled with what she wanted to know versus her fear of that knowledge. Her expressions probably weren't quite so obvious to others, except those with a keen eye, but they were to him, as he'd been watching her for seven years and knew her as only a man obsessed could. The tiny strain around her eyes, the barely-there wrinkle that broke up the perfection of her brow, the way her lips flattened just a touch... She was going to be masterful in her chosen career, he knew, able to hide her real feelings behind a mask, but he certainly didn't want a reporter's mask standing between them.

Hopefully, tonight, he'd get her to drop that caution and be herself around him again.

"My second question...I'm not sure I should ask it, but here goes anyway," she finally decided, looking at him from her peripheral vision. "How many women have you had sex with?"

Seamus took a deep breath and glanced down at the perfection of her feet, tracing the pearl buttons on her anklet's strap. This one was going to be hard, because he knew how she'd react with anger once he actually confirmed for her that he had been something of a man-slag since their break-up. It wouldn't reflect well upon him, that was for sure. But he had promised her honesty, so... "Off the top o' me head, I don't know," he replied. "In th' high teens, at least. Most o' them have been here at school, but some ha' been during th' summer and winter hols, back in Ireland." He glanced up at her through his sooty lashes and felt the sweat prickle his forehead. "Do ya need names?"

Lavender's hand stroked back and forth over the fabric of her dress in a nervous gesture. "No. I'm assuming they were all after me, though?"

His attention fixated on her ankles again. "Yeah, as a'fore ya, I'd only been with Parkinson."

"Third question: have you shagged any of my friends?"

Shite.

"Yeah."

"Who? Consider this part of the third question still."

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. "Ginny and...the twins."

She'd gone silent, and Seamus knew he was in for an arse-whipping then.

"You know, Ron, I understand," she hesitantly told him. "He's fit and easy going. Ginny is Amazon gorgeous. No question there about doing her. But I've got to be honest, Sea: I can't even contemplate having sex with Fred or George Weasley, much less together at the same time."

Seamus nearly came off the sofa in surprise that her mind would automatically go there.

"Wha-? No, I was talkin' about the Patil twins!"

Lavender was silent again. He dared a glance to find out why.

She had her hands fisted at her sides and her face was a shade of puce he was sure he'd never seen before in his life. "I knew you'd been with Parvati, but you're saying you fucked my best friend and her sister? Doesn't count as a new question, by the way, because I said so...and I'm a second away from scratching your eyes out, Finnigan, so don't push me on that!"

For that exact reason, he tried to step softly around the explanation.

"Er, technically, it was a group thang, an' it was done under th' influence o' drugs, so..."

He'd never seen anyone's jaw fall that far to the ground, either.

"Again, not a new question... You seriously had an orgy?"

Was it possible to sink into the earth and hide there for the next century?

"Um, yeah," he confessed. "Ta be fair, like I said, we were all pissed on this drink Tam...er, Tamisin Applebee smuggled inta her trunk ta school. It was an aphrodisiac tea made from Kava Kava. And Anthony Rickett had some Muggle Wingers we all tried, too. Th' combo made us all mad for a serious ride. We were all hard and sniping for hours, outta our feckin' minds! It was like…ya ever been totally uninhibited? No? Well, tha's what we were. Thank the Founders tha' Su...er, Sue Li cast the charm against pregnancy and disease on all o' us a'fore the party really started."

"And that's where you and Padma and...Parvati...all had sex."

"Ya."

"Did you have sex with Rickett, too? Still part of the third question, since I need clarification on your answer."

"No, I didn't bugger any bloke or let 'em bugger me. I swear it on me mam's good name! But...I did all the girls, and not gentle-like, ya know? Even took 'em with the other fellas at the same time. Ya know, two or three pene at once. After, I felt sick in me guts and never did anythin' like it again. But it's not somethin' ya can go back and change now it's over, can ya?" He leaned his head back against the sofa and stared up at the ceiling, feeling a dark, hollow pit open up in his belly. "I wish I could take it back, tho'. It scunders me now, tellin' it ta ya, knowin' you're sitting there thinkin' me some twisted breed o' skanger."

She was quiet again for a moment.

"Who else was there? Besides the people you've already named, who else?"

He gave her a regretful grimace. "Er...jus' one o'er bloke." His accent was really thick now, but try as he might, he was too nervous to control it.

"Who?" she persisted. "Consider this my fourth question."

Seamus flinched even as he said the name.

"Blaise Zabini."

Lavender was silent for several minutes, digesting what he'd said.

Hell, she was probably envisioning it, too.

Merlin, why had he been such a man-slag? Yeah, he knew his mam's blood was mostly responsible, as the nature of her family's magical lineage was one of flighty, fickle, sexual beings, but still, he knew he could have reined in his lusts. Unlike a Sex-Warlock, he wasn't compelled towards fucking everything that moved. He just...was a bit on the randy side. Sex wasn't necessary, but he sure craved it, like a really pure, sweet honey. It had gotten him into a bit of a fix as a result...

"I had sex with Ron the same day he'd broken up with Hermione."

Seamus sat upright in absolute astonishment at Lavender's unexpected confession.

And he thought he'd won the record for the school's fastest rebound!

"I'm pretty sure that's skirting the thin line of being complicit in his cheating," she continued rather matter-of-fact, yet in her eyes, there was shame. "Not to mention it's really bad form to get involved with a good friend's ex, especially when they were a serious couple and it's only been a few hours since they'd called it quits. Somethings you don't do. I did."

"Then why did ya?" he wondered.

She shrugged, but he could tell the nonchalant gesture was merely an attempt to hide a much deeper guilt. "It was a one-off, after seeing him at a Chudley Cannons' game last summer. He'd had tickets to take Hermione, but they'd broken up that afternoon. He took his older brother, Charlie, instead. I was there with my older brother, Thomas. We ran into each other and decided to hang for the whole game. After, we all went to a pub to celebrate the Cannons' win, but Charlie and Thomas went home after a few rounds. Ron and I stayed and got to talking. We spent hours chatting each other up and got on famously, it turned out."

She paused to pluck a piece of lint off the sofa, but Seamus could tell it was so she could gather her courage so she could continue.

"It was probably because we'd had one too many Butterbeers," she admitted, "but on a spur of the moment, we went back to the stadium to see if we could get an autograph from any of the players to commemorate the rare win. The place was cleared out, though. We stuck around, walking up and down the stands, and we talked for hours. I told him about what happened between you and me, and Ron confided that he and Hermione had ended their relationship a few hours before. They'd both been dancing around the subject for a few weeks, but he said he knew it wasn't working out because they fought all the time. He didn't feel that special bond with her anymore. He was really broken up about it, too, because she'd been his first lover."

She smiled somewhat sadly then. "I guess I felt a connection with him, with his suffering. I could relate to getting your heart broken, you know? The next thing I knew, we were kissing and it got out of hand. We ended up having sex in the bleachers." A small crease, the universal sign of regret, appeared in her forehead. "It was comfort sex, for both of us. It helped to reaffirm in our own minds that we were still worthy people, and that it was just the situations we'd been stuck in that were bad. I think hooking up like that was what helped us both to move on with our lives."

"Did you...start seeing him right away, then?"

He'd always assumed they'd gotten together after the start of first term this final year.

In truth, the thought of Lavender and Ron having a sexual relationship at all still bothered him, and Seamus was man enough to admit that fact. Still, at least she'd been dating his friend and not some Hufflepuff...or worse, a Slytherin.

"Not right away," she told him. "It wasn't until two weeks after school started. He approached me in the library to talk. It took another week before we went there again. It's been casual ever since, never anything serious. We just get along really well, and the sex is...was...a nice release. I didn't feel threatened by it, because Ron's very passive in bed." She glanced at the door to their suite, as if she could see through it and into her ex-lover's room. "At least, he'd always been until tonight. It's weird seeing him so dominant, especially with someone like Parkinson."

"Seems she brings out a different side ta him," he hesitated a guess. "Like ya do ta me."

She glanced back up at him, her expression resolved. "I don't think Hermione knows about last summer, and I have no plans to tell her. She wouldn't understand anyway. It wasn't intentional what happened between Ron and me. We didn't do it to hurt anyone, and we didn't expect for things to end up as they had. And even though the two of them were already finished by then, that doesn't change the fact that what he and I did...it feels wrong. To tell Hermione would only hurt her and possibly ruin her friendship with Ron, though, so I'll live with the guilt eating me up before I shatter her self-confidence like that."

"Ya carry the stress o' it around yer eyes," he noted. "It's there, if ya look close enough."

Lavender nodded. "I know it's not technically true, but I still feel as though I betrayed my friend. But like you said, a person can't take back their actions. You just learn to live with the sins and move on."

Seamus considered that.

Yeah, if anyone could understand the message here, it was him. Sometimes people made really big, stupid mistakes that later they repented, but it didn't undo the harm done. Merlin knew, he had done his share of things he later regretted...like Aengus. Not that he regretted the boy, but he did rue the day he'd decided to get involved with Maddy.

It wasn't that he was excusing or enabling Lavender's behaviour, but he'd done some pretty rotten things himself and so was in no position to be throwing stones. So maybe she was right and some skeletons were best left hanging in the closet and taken to the grave.

He stared at his ex-girlfriend and suddenly realized that she was a lot more mature than he'd previously thought. Some people, he knew from experience, had no compunction about taking what they wanted, no matter who it hurt, and they lacked the heart to feel any guilt about such a wrongdoing. His girl had a conscience, though, and that he could respect.

Lavender gave him a sad, apologetic smile. "See? Not so sweet or angelic after all."

Seamus trailed a hand up her leg, smoothing it back and forth to try to soothe her. "We both have pasts, love, but that doesn't change me opinion of ya. Ta me, I see a beautiful woman, inside and out, when I look at ye."

She looked unconvinced, and Seamus knew he wasn't going to persuade her otherwise, at least not right away. It was going to take time and effort on his part to get help her move past this. A solid distraction in the meantime would do, something to lighten the mood and help them both temporarily put these thoughts aside so they could end this round on a good note.

He still had his card to perform, too.

Maybe he could combine the goals this time...

He stood up...and was hit in the face with a wave of heat. Man, the room was sweltering! The nearby fire was in full-roar and unlike the real Gryffindor Common Room, the ceiling above them wasn't made of natural cooling stone and it lacked the vaulted height to allow the hot air to rise. Instead, this replica room had a plain white, insulating plaster ceiling that was only a few feet above their heads, and it seemed to trap the warmth closer to the ground. It was seriously uncomfortable.

"It's a little hot in here," he confessed while unbuttoning his stuffy dress shirt from neck to navel and pulling the tails out of his trousers, letting them hang open so he could breathe easier. The white, cotton tank underneath gave him some semblance of modesty, so he wasn't concerned that Lavender would freak out, thinking him stripping down. "Didja stoke th' fire when we came in?"

His partner looked over at the fireplace with a frown. "No. You're saying you didn't?"

"Did'na think o' it, no."

"Huh, that's odd. I thought these rooms were controlled by our thoughts alone."

He shrugged, not really too troubled by it now that he felt a bit less like a baked potato. With an easy thought, he brought the fire back down to a more reasonable temperature. "Easily fixed," he said and held his hand out for her to take. "Now, would ya care ta dance, me angel?"

Hesitantly, Lavender put her palm in his and he helped her to her feet. Then, he manoeuvered them into a slow dance position, one arm about her waist and pulling her in close, the other taking her hand in the traditional waltz coupling. As he stared down into her lovely, wide-eyed gaze, he had a flash of inspiration and knew just the song he wanted to hear.

His roommate, Dean Thomas, was always on about his Muggle music. The bloke's collection of flat, silver discs that had a variety of songs imprinted on them was huge and every year, he always smuggled some in with his trunk and something called a 'Sony Walkman CD Player' to play them. This year Dean had been into American music, something called 'Country', and Seamus had listened to some of it. It hadn't been that bad, in his opinion, and he'd especially liked one song in particular.

Cuing that song up now with a thought, Seamus drew his witch into him so that their bodies were touching and his nose was buried in her fragrant, soft hair. He guided them in a gentle swaying, circular motion, letting the music's guitar work move him to the right tempo.

Come a little closer, baby.
I feel like layin' you down
on a bed of sweet surrender,
where we can work it all out.
There ain't nothing that love can't fix.
Girl, it's right here at our fingertips.
So, come a little closer, baby.
I feel like layin' you down.

That erotic tingling sensation he'd felt earlier returned. It was a slow descent down his spine, starting at the back of his head and traveling with electric fingers down each vertebrae. It made him shiver.

In his arms, Lavender shivered, too.

Come a little closer, baby.
I feel like lettin' go
of everything that stands between us,
and the love we used to know.
I wanna touch you like a cleansing rain.
Let it wash all the hurt away.
So, come a little closer, baby.
I feel like lettin' go.

His partner didn't speak yet, but seemed to hear the words of the song, as Seamus had intended, words he felt could have been stolen from his heart for this moment.

With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes and listened, too.

If there's still a chance,
then take my hand,
and we'll steal away
off into the night,
'till we make things right.
The sun's gonna rise on a better day.

Lavender's skin was so warm against his, and her light breath tickled his neck on each exhale, and it was hard not to want more, feeling her breasts pressing into his chest. Tilting his head, Seamus nuzzled her dainty ear and drew in the light floral scent of her perfume.

A mere infatuation, she'd called this.

She was wrong.

There was nothing minor or simple about their feelings for each other.

Come a little closer, baby.
I feel like strippin' it down
back to the basics of you and me,
and what makes the world go round.
Every inch of you against my skin.
I wanna be stronger than we've ever been.
So, come a little closer, baby.
I feel like strippin' it down.

The lyrics of this song were entirely too provocative.

Seamus fought off his cock's stiffening reaction to the idea of stripping her down and feeling every inch of her bare skin again, but that was a monumentally difficult task with her scent in his nose and her lithe body swaying in time with his.

This was bad; he was going tight and hard against her thigh. Surely, she could feel it!

Come a little closer, baby.
Just a little bit closer, baby.
Come a little closer, baby.
I feel like layin' you down.

Shite, lying down with her...and licking those pretty breasts as he pressed against her wet, aching core…

Fuck!

No, he growled at his dick.

This moment was about rebuilding trust, and for once in his feckin' life where a woman was concerned, he wasn't going to make this about sex! He angled his hips away, knowing Lavender would feel what he couldn't control, and ended the dance with a kiss to her cheek, trying to distract her from looking down.

"Thank ya fer the dance, sweet angel, and fer telling me yer secret. I promise not ta tell a soul."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you for listening, and for the promise, and for the dance."

He was about to reply with, "you're welcome," when she did something entirely unexpected: she reached out and cupped his obvious arousal.

Seamus jerked as her fingers wrapped around his bollocks and held him by the root. When she lightly fondled him, he groaned and closed his eyes against the pleasure.

"And for trying so hard not to scare me with this," she whispered as she went on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his. "Next round, I want a chance to pleasure you, though."

Her fingers upped the pressure just a bit, causing his cock to throb with need.

"Angel-" he growled in warning, reaching to grab her wrist to stop her. "I didna want this ta be about sex. I wanna earn yer trust back."

She kissed him again and Seamus was surprised by the whimper that escaped his throat.

"I want both," she said and lightly bit his bottom lip.

He began to pant.

His cock was so hard that the engorged head stood well above the waistband of his pants, naked to her eye should she choose to look. Instead, she boldly stared him down, daring him to stop her and making it clear at the same time that she would not let him dictate the direction of their new relationship.

Restraining her had only seemed to make Lavender more determined, he noticed. She'd been up-front in stating that she was a dominant in bed, and evidently, she needed to assert control in their new relationship to feel completely comfortable trusting him again. Since that was Seamus' ultimate goal, he decided he could let her have this much right now, if it would help his case. Releasing her wrist, he allowed Lavender free roaming privileges, trusting her not to mistreat the most sensitive area on his body.

Desire flared through his veins as she took his capitulation and ran with it.

As their lips and tongues met again, her naughty hand never stopped its exploration of him, stroking his cock through his trousers. Her soft moan of surprise as she realized his true size made him almost lose his resolve to let her take the lead; he moaned loud and lusty instead as she pressed her thigh between his and rubbed her pussy against his leg. The sound emboldened her further, and in a jiff she'd unbuckled his belt and lowered his zip. Liberating him from his pants, she ran smooth caresses over the wet, hot crown, slicking him up with the pre-cum he was putting out in streams now.

God, he'd never been so wet, even that one time he'd been off his mind on Rickett's wingers! Those weird electric tingles shot through his dick this time, causing tiny explosions of pre-ejaculate to weep from the tip.

Seamus groaned and thrust his hips in time to her pumping hand. He wasn't going to last much longer! Lavender's touch had unmade him faster than any other woman he'd been with before.

He wanted to finish in her hand right here and now...but the cards didn't allow that kind of move this round. In fact, none of this should have been legal, and he was surprised the game didn't count them both out for the foul. "Love, we should stop here, a'fore I lose me sanity," he gently murmured against her lips. "I wanna make love ta ya proper, like ya deserve, but we're not ready yet for tha' step." He gently moved her hand off his steel-hard, throbbing dick and brought it to his mouth for a small kiss. "We should slow down a bit. We've got time."

Lavender made an adorable whining-growling noise. "You're right. We're going too fast here."

She glanced down with longing, though.

Seamus quickly tucked his aching member back into his pants and re-zipped quickly, before she could tempt him further.

"Next round, I'm in control," she told him with a cute pout.

The chimes rang out right then.

Buckling his belt back into place, Seamus conceded with an easy nod. "Fine, lass, I'll be what ya need. Just…don't hurt me either, ya?"

"I'll try not to, Sea."

Knowing it was as good a promise as he could get from her, he agreed, and then took her hand as he walked her to the door and out into the main room once more.

As he took his customary seat next to her on the white sofa, Seamus let out a sigh of relief. He and Lavender had finally reach an accord. It was the breakthrough he been hoping and praying to get, a second chance to make things right.

Now, he just had to make sure he didn't screw it up again.

TO BE CONTINUED...

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

- Tolga is actually the name of the real life actor who played Viktor Krum's aide in the movie (since the character he portrayed was never actually named). I borrowed it for this fic.

- Kava Kava is obtained from the shrub Piper methysticum, which is native to the Polynesian Islands. It has been used by the Islanders as a religious and visionary herb and aphrodisiac for most of their history. Since none of the active ingredients of Kava Kava are water soluble, the natives would pre-chew the roots and then blend this saliva/root mixture with coconut milk. The resulting liquid was then fermented to produce a potent beverage that was used for important rituals. The effect of the drink is to relax spinal activity, producing an euphoric state of relaxation but without impairing mental activity. Some subjects also experience a tingling feeling in the genitalia, producing all the ingredients for an interesting sexual experience (it is known to direct increase sexual desire and prowess, even increasing the intensity of the sensations felt during orgasm).Over use of Kava Kava has been known to cause dangerous respiratory and skin problems. Source: www . altnature . com.

- Wingers = Ecstasy (the drug)

- I am aware that "Come A Little Closer" by Dierks Bentley didn't come out until 2005, and this fic takes place in 1998. However, according to my research on the song itself, it was written back in 1996 as one of Dierks' first attempts. I'm going with creative license and saying he put out some demo tracks of his song before it was "officially" released. Stretching it, I know, but…this is fanfic, right?

Na síogaí = (pronounced "na shee-ogue-ee") Means "Fairy folk" in Gaelic. Encompasses a large grouping of hominid beings with ties to nature and who feature an exceptional beauty.

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Musical Selection for this Chapter: "(You Want To) Make A Memory" by Bon Jovi. Lyrics are as follows…

Hello again, it's you and me.
Kind of always like it used to be.
Sipping wine, killing time,
Trying to solve life's mysteries.

How's your life? It's been a while.
God, it's good to see you smile.
See you reaching for the keys,
Looking for a reason not to leave.

If you don't know if you should stay,
If you don't say what's on your mind,
Baby, just breathe…
There's nowhere else tonight we should be.
You want to make a memory?

I dug up this old photograph,
Look at all that hair we had.
It's bittersweet to hear you laugh.
Your phone is ringing; I don't want to ask.

If you go now I'll understand.
If you stay, hey, I've got a plan.

You want to make a memory?
You want to steal a piece of time?
You could sing a melody to me.
And I could write a couple of lines.
You want to make a memory?

If you don't know if you should stay,
If you don't say what's on your mind,
Baby, just breathe…
There's nowhere else tonight we should be.
You want to make a memory?
You want to steal a piece of time?
You could sing a melody to me.
And I could write a couple of lines.
You want to make a memory?

You want to make a memory?
(please say 'yes')