Eros & Psyche Chapter 5C: Seamus & Lavender, a harry potter fanfic

CONTEST WINNER THIS CHAPTER: User emerald and onyx recommended the song, "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood for Lavender & Seamus this go around, and I thought it a perfect complement to Lavender's thoughts here. So, this chapter is dedicated to emerald and onyx - congratulations! Lyrics for that song appear at the bottom of this chapter. Hope you'll find this song somehow and give it a listen.

Chapter 1.0 - 2015 - Beta'd by the fabulous Unseenlibrarian. THANK YOU!

Revision 2.0 - 21 April, 2018

CHAPTER FIVE (#3): Seamus & Lavender

Are we really going to try this again?

As Lavender and her partner entered the room they'd taken for themselves, the magical fire in the hearth was still lit, snapping and crackling in the quiet, providing the only sound in the room as the door closed behind Lavender. She leaned against the cool wood, getting goosebumps from the temperature difference on the bare skin of her shoulders and arms, carefully watching her partner.

Seamus turned at her obvious reluctance to follow him further into the familiar space, the green of his spring-coloured eyes assessing her mood and body language.

What if it doesn't work out this time, either? Can't he see how that thought scares me?

Even though they'd come to an agreement, and she'd willed her course in staying in the game, accepting the idea of giving her ex-lover a second chance, her automatic defences were difficult to let down. It was hard to retrain them to think of Seamus as trustworthy, especially since she'd spent the better part of the last two years convincing her heart and mind otherwise.

Maybe this idea scares him, too.

She'd promised to try. That meant lowering her guard and giving this an honest chance.

Sighing in resignation, she presented her card to her sexy, entirely-too-tempting Irishman, per last round's agreement. It sucked that she'd have to give this action up, as she really wanted to spank that sexy arse of his, but at least losing this chance had been worth it, as that kiss they'd shared had inflamed her senses and made her realize just how sexually and emotionally attracted to this wizard she really was. That lip-lock had, in fact, been the final, deciding factor in continuing the game, although she was quite sure that her partner had no idea as to its importance in that decision.

Seamus' glance flickered to the card in her hand, then back to her face, and finally shook his head. "Deal or no, I'll not be takin' yer card. Ya wanted ta be in charge." He gave her a shy smile and held out his own to her instead. "I said I'd be what ya need, angel, and I meant it. Take mine, yeah? Then ya can have both actions ta do as ya will."

Their cards held out to each other, they stared across the few feet between them, each caught in the other's considering gaze.

Finally, she dropped her eyes to his card, and read it upside down:

DEED: Your partner has to wank you off with their hand.

Oh, yum!

Actually, that did sound like an act she'd want to own, but given the nature of her own card, and what she was about to do to him, perhaps this time it would be best to leave him the opportunity to find some pleasure.

"I'd rather you keep it," she said. "You're not going to enjoy my card."

She read it aloud to him:

DEED: Tie up your partner and use a flogger on them.

Seamus' eyes widened, and he seemed genuinely astonished for all of two seconds before he began chuckling and a wicked gleam entered his eye. "Well, I canna say I've ever had that sort o' thing done ta me a'fore. It should be interestin', though, dontcha think?"

That floored her. "You really don't mind being tied up against your will?"

"Won't be against me will, though, will it? I'm agreeing to try it wit' ya."

You've changed. Two years ago, your hands shook while you undressed me... Now he was discussing her flogging his arse with a big, fat grin on his face.

Funny how two years could make that much of a difference.

For both of them, it seemed.

Her partner was in her personal space in the blink of an eye, crowding her against the door, his arms caging her in on either side. He pressed his forehead to hers. His green gaze burned with sexual intent. "And it'll be ya who'll be doin' all 'o that ta me." He gripped one of her hands and brought it to the bulge in his trousers that was, even then, growing harder by the second. "And if ya take me card, too, there'll be strokin' ta look forward to."

Lavender's heart leapt into her throat, threatening to choke her with its explosive pace.

"I want ya ta know the feel o' me, sweet angel. I want ya ta torture me with those sinful fingers o' yers," he purred in mounting excitement, his nose running along the soft skin of her cheek, his mouth buzzing her lips. "Do anythin' ya want ta me, Lavender. Make me yers, love."

Godric Almighty, Seamus Evander Finnigan was pure lust on tap, wasn't he? Between her thighs, the crotch of her knickers was already decidedly damp, and he hadn't even really touched her yet!

"You'd better kiss me right now, or else," she warned in a trembling voice, shaking all over with need.

Not requiring to be told twice, her man swiftly sealed their lips together with an eager hunger. Her head was spinning from his taste, and the feel of his pelvis pressing into hers; the wall secured her in position from the backside so there was absolutely no chance to avoid their bodies melding together. Not that she'd want to escape this, hell, no! His kiss was a candy burst of sweet on her tongue, a bottle rocket explosion in her belly, a Jelly-Leg Jinx for her knees.

I still want you so much. How could I still feel like this after all these years?

Her hands eagerly grasped his shoulders, her nails digging in as he lifted her under the bum, shoving her dress up and pinning her even more firmly to the wall. Lavender held on tight to him as the muscles under her fingers bulged and went rock hard when he gripped her hips and settled her right over his covered cock.

"Oh, gods," she moaned as he rubbed that iron-hard erection against her, simulating sex. "Sea!"

That familiar feeling was back, the one that started in the back of her brain and travelled down her spine, electrifying every nerve along the way, finding and settling heat into her very womb. A part of her that had remained dormant since the aftermath of their one night together came alive again, roaring its way to the surface, tearing away all rationality and common sense, and opening her up to the thrill of decadent, hedonistic danger. Straining against her partner, rubbing herself provocatively over his hard length with wanton need, Lavender's body burned and begged for release. Seamus could fuck her right then and there, against the wall, as fast and hard as he wanted, and she knew that she'd let him, so desperate was she for him to fill all of the empty spaces in her heart and body.

Why are you the only one who can affect me like this?

Was he magically enticing her somehow or was this something genuine and raw that existed only between the two of them?

Ultimately, it was her wizard who considerately reined them in. Pulling his mouth from hers, he laid his slightly damp brow at her throat, breathing heavily against her too-sensitive skin. "Gotta stop, love, or else I'll be havin' ya like this, and I don't think ya'd want that." Gently, he lowered her to the floor and moved his pelvis away from hers. He lifted his head and gave her an impish smile. "'Sides, yer supposed ta be in charge, yeah? I jumped the line and took command. Sorry about that. Yer just too bloody sexy to keep me hands off!"

Body protesting, her wet pussy begging for him not to be so bloody considerate, she whimpered and pulled him back towards her.

"Lavender, angel, slow," he coaxed her, resisting her attempts to drag him back into the fire with her. "You wanted slow, yeah?"

His words penetrated the fog of lust.

Oh, Merlin, I was panting for it!

"Slow. Right. Absolutely. Slow and steady is best." She took several deep breaths, and let them out with slow deliberation. Clearly, chemistry wasn't their problem, never had been. "Oh, hell, I can't lie: I did want you shagging me senseless right then. I still do."

Seamus groaned and shuddered. "Ya have such power o'er me, me lady. If ya say th' word, I'll do whatever ya will, but...I'm tryin' ta respect ya wishes from earlier. I want ta earn back yer trust, not just the right ta love yer body."

The sentiment hit her right in the heart.

He was trying, wasn't he?

And he was right, too. Sabotaging his efforts by jumping right back into bed with him would convolute things. If it was going to be real between her and Sea this time, her heart and body had to be earned by him, not freely given as it had been before, when they'd been younger. Giving herself away so cheaply the first time had ended in disaster, and if there was one thing Lavender had learned over the last two years, it was that any man who wished access to her body or emotions should have to treat her with respect. She would not be used for someone else's convenience ever again.

Having decided that and feeling much more in control, she righted her dress and stepped around Seamus to give them both some much-needed distance. A short time-out to calm down seemed appropriate right then. "You're right, we shouldn't rush into things this time around. The game might force it, but we don't have to help it out and hurry things along, do we?" Stooping, she picked up both of their cards from the floor, where they'd been tossed aside earlier upon their fervent embrace, and felt a revived determination to get back to the purpose of the night's entertainment. "Speaking of which, we should start in on these now, so we don't run out of time and end up out."

She re-read the cards.

Bondage, flogging, and a hand job.

Bloody hooks and crooks! All the air left her lungs at the thought of doing each of these things to Sea in a few minutes. Her face went red hot and her body flushed with a renewed sexual hunger that had her suddenly tensing and feeling as sensitive an electrified current riding a live wire, like in one of those Muggle light bulbs she'd learned about in Professor Burbage's class.

"Do ye not want ta touch me so, love?" her sexy, tempting partner asked as he came up behind her to whisper in her ear his naughty enticements. "Do ya not want ta own me in such a way?"

Swallowing, she nodded. "I want. A little too much, I fear."

Gently, he kissed he throat, at the point where her pulse was currently rabbitting out of control. Tingly electric shocks raced around the spot making her shiver. "Take me where ya will, Lavender. Move me as ya see fit. I'll follow yer lead, sweet angel."

Merlin, give her a minute to get her heart back under control! The thing felt like it might pulse right through her chest right then.

Get your wand in a grip, girl! You are not some little, shy virgin!

It was true, she knew what to do and how to use her body in an effective manner with a man. Having seen to her own pleasure countless times, she'd also enjoyed Ron between her thighs for the better part of this whole school year. In between their casual interludes, she'd "gotten her freak on" with a certain wicked Slytherin in a series of secretive serial one-offs that were both fun and quite educational. With such a résumé of experience, she could most certainly handle Seamus, too.

Taking in the whole of the room, Lavender realized things were going to have to change for what she intended; this just would not do.

The couch was gone with a mere thought, and in its place appeared two sturdy columns connected with an overhanging arch, all made of slab stone. Hanging from the arch were two lengths of strong, black velvet rope. Next to the set-up was a small table with a small bottle of lubricant and two floggers, the first made of thick, spongy buffalo hide straps, the second made of thin bull hide strings with metal balls tied at the ends.

Behind her, Seamus chuckled. "Done this a'fore, have ye?"

Once, but she wasn't sure telling her partner the truth would be wise, as Blaise Zabini was a tough act for most men to follow and she didn't want to dent Sea's ego. The fact that the enigmatic Slytherin had taught her how to use a flogger properly and that she'd frequently practiced with it on him, bringing him to climax after climax with it, might be one of those secrets best taken to the grave. It had been an interesting experience, empowering, and she'd taken a lot away from it, specifically sexual power dynamics. The most important part, Zabini had said, had been keeping in mind that using a flogger on a partner wasn't necessarily about the person inflicting that small sting of pain on the other; it was about giving the sub pleasure. He'd made it clear to her that a good Dominant understood that their primary job was to gratify their sub, and through that concentrated diligence, which included an exceptional control of themselves and of the sexual scene they created together, the Dom found their own enjoyment.

Could she do that with Seamus, though?

Can you accept submitting to me, if I wanted?

Can I accept submitting to you, if you asked?

In truth, her sexy partner made her want to be both submissive and Dominant to him. He made her want to switch, to give up a little bit of her precious control to experience the pleasures he was promising to show her. Yet, at the same time, there was the nagging, admonitory voice in her head reminding her of the vow she'd once made in regards to returning to a position of emotional and physical vulnerability with any man, specifically that she would not allow it.

After the fiasco that had resulted from the loss of her virginity, Lavender had decided to be a take-charge girl, to own her pleasure and not to be ashamed of it. She'd determined she wouldn't be one of those girls who used sex as a weapon to climb ladders or to intentionally harm others, but she'd also made herself a promise that she would not allow sex to be used against her in such a way, either. Hence all the research she'd done on the subject since that cold, unforgettable night in the abandoned dormitory room, two years ago.

From all her reading on the subject of sex and in her personal experiences with it, generally speaking, she'd discovered that men were inherently selfish lovers, and a woman's pleasure wasn't foremost on their minds, or even something they were naturally compelled to give unless there was a better return for them on that investment. Sexual fulfillment was, therefore, something women had to find for themselves, either during the act by demanding attention to specific erogenous zones or outside it via masturbation.

That revelation had led her to one, clear conclusion: if she was to be forced to have to work harder to get a man to please her, she might as well truly embrace the role of the Dominant in the sex act itself. At least then she would be guaranteed as satisfying an orgasm as her partner.

...And now here she was, come full circle with the man who had been responsible for her sexual awakening two years prior, who had set her on this path of self-exploration and personal determination, and she was going to be given the opportunity to top him.

Ironic, huh?

Even more so, now that she was face-to-face with this demon that had haunted her for so long, she was unsure as to whether her prior commitment to herself could stand against her deeper feelings for the man, the ones that had pretty much defined her from the first moment they'd met.

The fact was, for reasons she'd never quite understood, Seamus threatened her ability to maintain the emotional wall she'd built up around herself for her own protection. He made her feel...soft, unassertive, ruled by her needs and desires. Worse, she found she wanted to be all those things while in his arms.

Would that be so very bad?

"Angel?"

Concentration snapped by the concern in his voice, Lavender realised she'd been standing there mute and inactive long enough to concern her partner.

"Sorry, lost in my head," she admitted, and then was all business. They were here to play the game, to see if it was even possible for them to have a second chance...and part of that was seeing if Seamus was telling the truth about his willingness to do whatever she needed to find sexual fulfillment with him at long last. Without turning, she commanded him, "Strip for me. I want you naked now."

Willing a stool into place before her, she hopped up into it, crossed her legs and waited for her partner to obey.

Coming around to face her, to give her a good show, Seamus did what she demanded without complaint or hesitation.

Slowly, he began unbuttoning his shirt, his eyes locked on hers. Lavender followed the path of his hands, feeling her heart skip with each button freed from its captive hole. Sliding the shirt from his shoulders, he willed a chair into existence to place his clothing upon. Leaning down, he removed his shoes and socks next, using the back of the chair for balance. He had nice feet, well-groomed, she noted before the action of his hands caught her attention once more. He was taking his tank off, and underneath… oh, gods. He'd filled into his adult body and was all hard-edged muscle from neck to hips. He had the build of a perfect Beater for Quidditch: broad, significant shoulders and biceps, pecs that were all power, washboard abs. Of all the men here tonight, he was the most potently built, despite being an inch or so shy of six feet.

Standing there before her, loosening his belt buckle without any sort of bashfulness, he seemed the most unassailable man she'd ever known.

It made her knees weak.

Good thing she was sitting down.

"Like what ya see, Lavender?" he purred in a low, smooth tone, rolling her name around his tongue with that lilting brogue that sent her toes curling and her body tightening with need.

Don't stop there, you tease.

"Yes, but I want more," she replied, her voice husky with desire. Their eyes met and the room sizzled as she leaned forward on the stool, keeping herself from launching across the distance only by digging her nails into the wood at her side. "Show me all of you, Sea. Show me that hard cock I've heard so much about. I want to finally see what was once inside me. I've waited long enough to know what you look like in the light."

There was a momentary pause, and his expression shifted, filling with a sexual hunger she'd only barely glimpsed in him before. This was a darker, more dominant side to his personality—the masculine predator that lurked behind his sweet words, teasing smiles, and easy-going jokes. He was finally letting down his full guard, showing her the other half of him.

The tension in the room shot up by degrees.

Gods, she wanted him! And it wasn't just the thought of her riding his cock that had her squeezing her thighs together. No, it was him leaning over her, gorgeous muscles flexing and straining as he pounded into her cunt with all the strength contained within him.

Show me, show me, show me!

He pulled his belt from its loops and tossed it away, popped the button on his pants and unzipped, and nudged his slacks so they glided down his legs. The green-striped short boxers were adorable, and she gave him an amused smile.

"Irish pride," she teased.

"Ta the end, me love."

His fingers slid over the huge bulge in his pants, and it was only then that she noted that he was clearly spilling over the rim. The package straining the front of the fabric was quite sizable and definitely wanted its freedom. Grabbing the edges of his pants, he dragged them down his body. His expansive flesh spilt out and Lavender's gaze zeroed in to get her first, good look at her lover's cock.

Parvati hadn't been exaggerating: he was fecking huge.

Feeling the shape of him under her hand last round hadn't given her a good enough idea of his size, obviously, because she was quite shocked by the actual sight of him. Gods, he was bigger than Zabini, who had been the largest lover she'd experienced. Even then, Blaise's prick had been quite a stretch to fit, honestly. As she considered Sea's pride now…

Had that really been inside her once? How had they even fit?

Jesus, no wonder it had hurt!

Having divested all of his clothing, he casually strolled towards her, his enormous shaft bobbing up and down with every step. He stopped just shy of her crossed legs and threw her a challenging look. "This what ya expected, angel?"

Her mouth was too dry to speak, her brain too numb to work her muscles into a nod. All she could do was stare…and want.

A sensual smirk curled her partner's lips. "Soon," he promised. "When we're ready ta cross tha' line again together."

His fingers moved slowly over his body in a seductive trail, enticing her to want to reach out and join them in their roaming. One hand smoothed over a firmly defined pectoral, while the other glided down his ridged abs, dipping into the thatch of thick, black, curly hair that cradled the object of her fascination. He gripped his cock in a tight hold, holding the length away from his body so she could have an unimpeded view. Merlin, it was beautiful! Smooth skin that was straight as an arrow and a large, pinkish head that was beaded with the evidence of his arousal. A tight, heavy sac hung beneath, filled with his seed; she was betting it was as soft as butter to the touch.

Every bit of her Irish was built for pleasure, she realized. He was so gorgeous it hurt to look at his perfection, in fact. She knew she had a very pretty body, but there was no denying that her lover was the epitome of lust. He was amazing to behold.

I want it again...ohmygod, but I want it!

Reaching out with a trembling hand, she touched the wet tip of him, feathering across his warm flesh and imagining what it would feel like to have him in her mouth, gliding across her tongue. How much of him could she take in one swallow? She pulled away, afraid of losing control and sinking before him to her knees to find out.

Seamus was having none of that, however. He reached for her wrist and tugged her hand back towards him. "Touch me, love," he bid in a soft, gentle voice, his hand guiding her to fully grip him. "The card allows it and I need yer touch right now."

The temptation proved too great, even for her earlier resolve...

His cock was heavy in her palm as Lavender wrapped her hand around him. Squeezing a bit, she was astonished to find that her fingertips didn't meet; his width was too great for her grip. Working together, they moved her hand up and down over every inch of the long shaft, and she eagerly discovered this part of him that had always remained a mystery to her, despite having once known it quite intimately.

Brushing the hair from her cheek with his free hand, Sea tucked wayward strands back behind an ear in a loving caress. "Tha's it, Lavender. Own me pleasure," he whispered as he let go of her hand, allowing her free roaming access. Cupping her face, he kissed her with a sweet pull of lips. "Have me, love."

As she stroked up his solid length with increasing pressure, he groaned into her open mouth, his hands fisting through her hair to pull her closer. Uncrossing her legs, she opened them wide and he boldly stepped into the gap. The satin of her dress slid away at the sides to give her knees freedom, as the cut allowed.

So close...

Only a few strips of cloth stood between her aching sex and his, and the temptation to remove those was so great, Lavender had to concentrate to keep her hand on task, rather than allow it to stray.

He was dripping wet all over her fingers as she swiped the head back and forth, and used the fluid to create a gliding friction, priming him for orgasm. Following the rhythm she set, his hips began surging upwards to meet her downward pumping force, forcing her to slide over the entire length of him from tip to base. He hardened to solid proportions as his thrusts sped up, his excitement mounting. His hands moved from touching her to gripping the stool's back, granting him a more solid hold. His lips never left hers, though. Moans and gasps were drawn from him around their kisses, and under her free hand, she could feel his heart pounding.

"I'm gonna come," he panted, his voice a mix of pain and pleasure. "Don't stop."

She felt all of those magnificent muscles under her fingers and against her body tighten up as he prepared to tumble over the edge. His grasp on the wooden stool creaked as the pressure of his hold increased.

"Fuck… Fuck! Ah, Lavender!"

He exploded, throwing his head back with a cry. Hot spurts of sticky, white semen burst across the front of her dress and flowed down their combined hands in a rush. As if his hips had a mind of their own, they savagely kept thrusting upwards, forcing his reddened cock between the tight clasp of her fingers, his body offering every last drop he had to give to her.

Merlin, he's so beautiful!

As his shudders finally began to subside, Lavender glanced down, watching a final, smaller burst of cum erupt from the darkened head to paint her fingers white. Seamus gasped as if in pain and dropped forward, sinking into the cradle of her shoulder with a heavy groan. Panting hot air against her throat, he managed to choke out, "I swear ta Heaven, woman, ye'll be the death o' me!"

When she reached down between his legs to cup his testicles, he jerked in her arms.

"I liked that," she admitted, carefully petting his sensitive sac. "You didn't hold anything back."

He chuckled against her ear. "Tol' ya I wouldn't."

Lavender's heart pounded at that.

He'd done as he'd promised and submitted to her, at least partially. There was still the other card to perform, however, and it was the harder task to endure... Would Seamus truly not resent her for controlling him in this way? Some fellas thought being under the thumb of a Dominant female in bed somehow unmanned them, that they lacked all masculine dignity for bending their backs to women.

Something told her Seamus, for all his pride, would not be like that, though. He seemed, now that she was really thinking about it, the type to do anything for love.

Will you someday hate me for putting you on your knees tonight?

"Seems ya always get me ta come so fast, me angel. I canna control me body and me head spins when we're like this." He nuzzled her throat with his nose, pressing soft kisses over her pulse. "It was th' same that night two years ago. I had no mind ta stop meself then, no will. Not enough experience, yeah, but also I think it's always gonna be this way wit' ya, love. Ya undo me as no other ever has."

Heart...melting...

He pressed a playful kiss to her cheek, then her lips, and suddenly the mood was lightened. "And I think I've made a mess o' yer pretty dress." He chuckled. "Sorry, but not too sorry, lass."

Lavender glanced down at her lovely dress, now wet with the evidence of his satisfaction. With an impish sort of curiosity, she swiped up one creamy finger of his essence and brought it to her mouth. "Mmm," she moaned as his flavour passed over her tongue and little sparks of electric energy shot through her once more. Eagerly, she licked away his seed. It wasn't bitter or bleachy in the least, as most men's cum tasted. It was sweet, almost like... "Honey."

When she glanced up at Sea, his eyes had gone dark again, his focus on her lips absolute.

"Do it again," he bade.

She did, lapping at her fingers, which had been coated in his release, enjoying his taste.

"Fuck," he hissed. "I'm hard again, jus' like dat."

She looked down at his monster-sized cock and felt her mouth water, fought the urge to get down there and suck him until his seed filled her mouth and flooded her throat.

"Keep lookin' at me like tha', lass, and we'll have ta forfeit th' game this round."

It would sooooo be worth it.

He gently slapped her knee. "Come, me wicked angel. Ye still have yer card ta do."

"Shit," she whispered. He was right. If she got his cock in her mouth now, it was over for them both, and she still had things she wanted, needed to know about him before things went that far.

With an easy mental thought, she conjured a small, damp towel and wiped her hands and the front of her outfit clean and then passed the cloth off to her randy partner. That done, she hopped off the stool and sauntered over to the table of fun goodies that she'd earlier conjured, holding her soggy dress up and away from her legs as wet satin felt weird against her skin.

Behind her, Seamus wolf-whistled as he cleaned his lower abs off with the towel. "Such pretty legs, darling. I aim ta lick them later, ya know."

She glanced over her shoulder at him and tossed him a playful wink. "Lick between them, you mean."

His green eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Yeah, tha' too."

Reaching for the bison leather flogger, she picked it up, turned, and swung it into her palm, cracking it against the open flesh. "You talk too much, Sea. More action, fewer words." With a chin nudge, she indicated the archway. "Hold tight to the velvet loops for me, lover."

Finnigan dropped the towel without further ado, made his way over to where she'd indicated and looked up at the dangling velvet ropes with the hoop ends. Putting a hand through each side, he stood with his back to her, winding the sturdy velvet up around his wrists so that he was holding on to it, as well as captured by it.

Hot damn, but his backside was as delicious as the rest of him, she thought. And in a few minutes, it would be charmingly blushing for her, too.

As she made her way to the front of him, she looked him over from head to toe. Even exhausted and beginning to relax again, his manhood was exquisite. As was the rest of him.

Gads, you're so fit and fly you make me feel fat and ugly.

"You said you've never been flogged?"

He shook his head.

She considered that, along with the rest of her plan. "Alright, then this is what we're going to do," she said, gently pressing the hard knob at the top of the flogger against one of his nipples and gently rubbing it to stimulate it. "You gave me one question to ask you every round and promised me the truth, yes?"

He nodded. "That I did."

"So, I'm going to ask you my question now, before we get down to the fun." She ghosted into his personal space and rubbed her fingers over his flagging cock with a very light scrape of nails, hoping to incite it. It jerked in response and began rising again, much to her delight. "Then I'm going to give you immense pleasure for telling me the truth. It won't seem like it at first, it'll feel like a punishment, but if you let yourself go for me again, you'll find what I'm going to do to you will be a rapture as you've never experienced before."

Sea's cheeks were dusky-hued and his eyes told her he was looking forward to such delicious wickedness at her hand.

Suddenly, she was looking forward to showing him her world, too, to sharing it with him. "What's the one thing in the world you want more than anything else?" she asked. "A successful career, a large family, a vault full of money‒"

"Yer forgiveness."

Lavender's breath caught in her throat. She stared into Seamus' face and all the blood drained from hers as saw he was one-hundred percent sincere.

He can't be serious?

"Tha's what I want. Jus' yer forgiveness."

It took her two false starts to finally ask, "Why?"

His smile was wistful when he replied, "'Cause I hurt ya with me thoughtless and stupid ways. I drove ya away from me, and me heart...it just canna live wit' tha' fact. It haunts me how I hurt ya."

Oh, Sea...

Her chest ached from such a beautiful apology, and the sense of relief that came over her as she finally, finally forgave him for breaking her heart, once upon a time, had tears prickling her eyes. Leaning forward, she kissed him, letting him know with as much tender feeling as she could that his prayer had been heard and answered.

"I'm here now," she whispered as she pulled away.

He jangled his hands in their restraints. "As am I, and ready ta serve yer pleasure."

She looked down at the flogger in her hand, suddenly awkward at the thought of actually using it on him. The whole mood had changed and now it felt too fragile and sweet for something so...naughty. "You don't have to do this, Sea. You don't have to prove anything more to me. I believe you."

"It's not jus' about that, angel. I...I wanna learn how ta please ya, ta be th' man ya need now."

Her head came up at that. "Because you think you weren't back then?"

As if he couldn't meet her gaze, his eyes dropped to the floor. "I wasn't, I know tha'. I buggered it all up."

"So take me out for ice cream when all of this is over," she said, a little exasperated. "You don't have to do this to make it up to me."

I don't want you to ever resent or hate me for this.

He was quiet for a bit.

"Sea, look-"

"So ya don't wanna teach me, then?" he asked, interrupting her from calling the round over right then and there.

At that, her breath caught and her mouth went dry. "Teach you?"

He glanced up.

The look he threw her smouldered with sexual intent. "I wanna know what it feels like, ta submit," he admitted, his eyes dropping to the flogger in her hand. "I ne'er done it before, and I want it ta be by yer hand."

Lavender bit her lip and clenched her thighs together. He'd never given himself over to a woman's charge before. He would be all hers...

Mine!

"Really?"

He seemed quite resolved. "Really."

"You sure you're not-"

"Lavender." He refused to back down in this, it seemed. "I want ta try it."

So do I.

With a deep breath, she agreed. "Okay, then we should-"

"First I want ya ta kiss me, though," he told her with a deceptively slumberous look and a dark, enticing whisper. His arms bunched as he tugged on the velvet straps round his wrist, and his upper body flexed, showing off all his incredible strength. "I'll need somethin' soft ta take th' sting from it."

This time he hadn't even touched her, but just like that, as he'd earlier commented, her body reacted to his. Lavender trembled from head to toe as golden electric sparkles of pleasure once again rode the sensitive nerves at her nape and down her spine, causing her nipples to harden. Between her thighs, she felt slick with heat once more.

Pressing close, she reached and took her lover's mouth in a deep, drugging kiss that left her reeling and him pressing his renewed erection against her hip. As she opened for him, he plunged his tongue deep into her mouth and the taste of warm honey and spice drew her in, made her reckless and hungry for more. Sliding her hand between their bodies, she raked her nails over his hard pectorals, teased a nipple, and sucked upon his bottom lip.

Let's just skip ahead! We can always come back to the flogging later, right?

God, the taste of him! He was wild, nature unleashed, an addicting nectar that had her mewling and feverish for more. Lost in a haze of lust, Lavender inched her dress up and slid his bare cock between the seam of her covered sex. The stroke of satin against her throbbing, tender clit had her gasping, grinding against him, burning up...

Seamus pulled his mouth from hers with reluctance. "Ah hell, yer card, me angel," he warned her, muscles straining against her palm. "We're running out o' time, and I really wanna know how it'll feel."

But...

Okay, I do too.

Shaking and panting, she hung on him, disappointed at the thought of letting go, even as the thought of flogging him excited her further. "Last out: you're sure you want to try it?"

He seemed equally as torn between desires. "Ya, it's a good idea...else I'll be shaggin' ya within a minute."

And that would be bad again, why?

No, she couldn't think like that. He'd specifically asked for her to introduce him to her world. So, it was time to stop before he changed his mind, and she changed hers, and...ohgodwouldthatbesoawful?

Yes, it would, actually because she'd never be able to truly gauge their sexual compatibility until they did this together. If Sea found her topping of him to be something he simply couldn't handle, then that would put them in different lifestyle scenes, and that was a place in which she knew compromise was practically impossible. Sexual fetishes, she'd found, were a lot like musical preferences—most people dabbled across a variety of ballads and beats throughout their lives, but they tended to settle upon one or two favourite styles that they played over and over again, and never got tired of listening to on the wireless. And if you absolutely detested a certain type of music, you'd pop your own eardrums before listening to it, if given the choice.

With a sigh of regret and a full pout, she dropped away and straightened her dress again. "Bollocks, I almost want to say to hell with the game," she grumbled. "But you're right, and I...I really want to share this with you."

"Right then, me mistress. How may I serve?"

Cripes, she'd be nothing more than a pile of goo at his feet if he kept it up.

Moving behind him, she bade him lean forward until he was bent at the waist, that gorgeous arse of his just waiting for her to own.

"I'll go easy on you to get you used to it."

"Whatever ya desire, me love."

That's twice now you've called me that...

Carefully weighing the flogger in her hand, she gave her wrist a few twirls to warm it up and to get a good feel for the instrument she held. Finding the proper place on the handle to grip was important, as the force and accuracy of her hits would be determined by her ability to correctly balance the equipment under her control.

When she felt she was acquainted with the flogger well-enough to start, she said, "We'll begin now."

Her first strike was to his right buttock, very gently done, so he could reconcile the sensation. She was careful to make sure the strips of leather did not wrap around his flesh, and that she kept the strike on the fleshy area, and away from his lower back and the hip joint. She followed it up with another strike, a teensy bit harder.

"Okay?" she asked.

"Okay," he reassured her.

"I'm going to incrementally increase the pressure now. Don't give your wrists any slack. You're at the perfect angle. Maintain it."

He did as she bade and held on as she gently worked him up until the right bum cheek was a lovely pink. Then, she did the same to the left side. He was gasping in delight by then. His muscles were straining, and he was hanging his head, breathing a little hard.

"This... I think I like it, sweet angel."

"Good. I'm intentionally keeping it light, so it doesn't sting."

She gave another flick of the flogger, and he growled with pleasure as it snapped against his hot flesh.

Between her trembling thighs, she creamed. Fuck, but she'd never been this turned on, not even when she'd done this with Zabini!

"I'm so hard right now," he admitted, voice husky with need. "I ne'er thought..."

Me, either.

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from making indecent sounds and snapped her wrist and let the flogger ride. The hit was a little harder than the last time.

"Oh, fuck," Seamus moaned, tossing his head back on his shoulders. "Again!"

Shocked and incredibly aroused at his enthusiasm, she accommodated him, nearly coming herself from listening to his reactions and watching his blushing arse tense and relax. A thin sheen of sweat coated his body now, releasing into the air the sexy scent of his musk.

Lavender's breath was heavy from exertion and arousal. She'd been so anxious about doing this right that she'd taxed her muscles to maintain rigid control of them. Now, her arm deliciously ached and the weight of the flogger became nearly too much to hold. Perhaps it was time to pack it in for the round.

Glancing at Seamus' reddened backside, she decided it was definitely time to stop. There was an art to balancing pleasure with pain, and if the scales tipped too far in one direction, the fun ended and disappointment set in. She wanted this to be a good experience for them both, especially for her partner, and so she needed to change things up now. Helping him into an upright position required moving slowly, as Sea was stiff and nettled. "Okay?" she asked again, wanting to assure her Irish's comfort levels.

"Ya," he sighed with a silly grin. He'd entered the logy stage that novices to this game tended to favour, it seemed. "Angel, that was incredible. Ya can do that ta me anytime."

She kissed his lips quickly. "We're not quite done yet."

"No?"

Not even close, lover boy.

Her eyes were drawn to his red, swollen prick. He was lusciously wet from tip to base by a fount of weeping pre-cum. "You were a good boy, Mister Finnigan. You didn't complain or beg off, and so you deserve a reward now." She gripped that mouth-watering organ in her palm and began stroking it hard, with the goal to quickly give him relief. Her fingers glided over the slick length with just the right amount of friction to have him straining and gasping for release within moments.

"Can I...can I move, too, me lady?" he begged, gasping as she twisted her hand as it rhythmically moved up and down over his swollen, hot flesh.

His gaze was focused on her face, not her hand, as he waited for her permission.

You really meant it when you said you would change for me, didn't you?

The walls she'd put between her heart and this man finally crumbled away in totality, and the wound he'd left in her heart began to close at long last.

I forgive you.

On tiptoe, she stretched up and kissed him, maintaining a tight grip on him, halting all movement. His tongue thrust into her mouth on a whimper as she held them both on the precipice.

"Fuck my hand now," she commanded him when she pulled away.

With an indecent lick of his lips, he replied, "As you wish, me mistress."

Despite how sore his buttocks must have been, Sea leaned back, letting the weight of the wrist restraints hold him up, and began forcefully thrusting up into her closed fist, matching her strokes. With a purr of pleasure, Lavender watched his incredible body tighten and flex as he rolled his hips, simulating sex.

God, he was beautiful even in this!

She worked his shaft and his hips rocked into the movement, slicked by the free flow of pre-cum now. He put out so much! And the scent was heady, a combination of him and sweet honey, as if the constant devouring of his favourite candies had somehow seeped into his very pours and become a part of his natural biology. It enticed her to want to taste it...

"Do ya like me cock, Lavender?"

Like wasn't the word for it. "It's...perfect."

He hummed. "Finish me, love. Let me come fer ya again."

His heavy length pulsed against her fingers as she tightened her grip and sped up the rhythm. Seamus groaned in pleasure.

You're mine, Sea. Aren't you? All mine right now.

Slippery, wet flesh throbbed an instant before he was about to spill over. "Ifreann na Fola, I'm gonna come," he warned with a sharp gasp. His hips jerked and his cock kicked in her hand. Spurts of hot, white come released everywhere, covering her fingers and his lower belly.

When his lower body finally stilled, Lavender stepped forward and laid her cheek against his heaving chest. She kept her hold on his exhausted cock, though, playing with it until he grunted, letting her know he was too sensitive for her to continue.

"Ah, tha' was..." He sighed with happiness into her hair, quite pleased with what they'd done together. "I only wish I was inside ya ta finish." He sounded giddy, definitely a bit sex-groggy, she noted. "The thought o' me seed, wet and deep within ya, angel... Mmm."

The idea made her tingle, as licks of electrical heat shimmered up her spine in response.

She let him rest a bit, and then conjured another towel to hand to clean them both up. "You can let go now," she told him, and with a tired sigh, Seamus let his arms drop back to his sides. "We should probably get you dressed. I think the chimes should be going off-"

The chimes signaling the end of the round went off overhead.

"-anytime now," she finished with a silly grin.

Sea chuckled, pressed a kiss to her forehead, then headed for his clothes and threw them back on, leaving his shirt tails out and his jumper on the chair.

With a thought, the arch, the flogger, and the towels were gone back to the magical ether from whence they'd come. Lavender sighed in disappointment. She'd truly enjoyed the brief tip-toe into dominating Seamus tonight. Perhaps, if she was lucky, she'd get the chance to do it again. He'd certainly seemed to like giving up a little control to her, and she'd loved taking it from him only to trade it in for his pleasure.

As they made to leave the room, Sea stopped her at the door. "I know I bargained away me questions, but will ya answer me one anyway, lass?"

"Sure, yes."

Her partner suddenly seemed troubled by some thought or another, and it took him two tries to get out his question.

"Where'd ya learn how ta use a flogger?"

Oooh, boy. Here we go.

This was one of those no-win questions, like 'how does my bum look in this dress?' or 'who'd you lose your virginity to?' Maybe she could get away with a vague answer that would satisfy enough of his curiosity for him to let go of the details.

"From an ex-lover."

He was quiet for a bit, and she was starting to get the impression from the look on his face that it hadn't occurred to him that she'd been with anyone other than Ron and him, and he was definitely not going to let the matter lie.

"Who?"

There was a decidedly dark tone in his voice, and it made Lavender's earlier good mood dissolve into tiny, uneven fragments. "That's two questions," she pointed out. At his scowl, she reminded him, "Technically, I don't have to tell you. The cards don't require it and unless they do, I only share with you what I want to, Sea, and vice-versa. Its called respect."

He seemed to struggle with that answer, before finally swallowing his pride and realising that she was correct, that he didn't have rights to her and he couldn't force her. And that if he did, it would end things between them. "Will ya tell me anyway?" he asked.

"I will if you promise not to overreact and go all 'cave-man' on me."

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay."

She swallowed hard, her stomach tumbling end over end under her skin as she admitted, "Blaise Zabini."

The temperature in the room suddenly plummeted and Seamus started swearing under his breath.

Glancing up in shock at the pain she heard in his disappointed tone, Lavender took a step back. "Why should it matter? It was last November. Like you said, it was something fun to do, and it was nothing serious. You've certainly had your share of that kind of sex. Why shouldn't I?"

Seamus closed his eyes and leaned his head down. "You're right, I know. It's not me right ta…" He stopped, bit back what he was about to say. "It's just that the guy's good at beddin' either sex."

Lavender's jaw fell open. "You're jealous because of his status as a proficient switch-hitter? But you're not even into men!"

Her partner's rumbling growl of frustration stopped her from launching into laughter at the notion.

You're serious about this, aren't you?

With tightly pursed lips, he glanced up at her. "Listen, when it was just Ron, and I knew ya were toppin' him… He's me friend, so I knew ya were in good hands. I knew he wouldn't try ta hurt ya, and that he was basically harmless, especially since neither o' ya seemed serious. Don't like the thought o' ya together like that, but... Now, Zabini-" He swallowed, looking suddenly very vulnerable. "Dontcha see? He's a master at fucking. I've seen him at work, remember?" He looked away, blood flooding his cheeks.

Like a light switch turned on, Lavender suddenly understood. "You think he gave me what you couldn't."

Clenching his jaw, frowning, her wizard stared at the far wall. "I'm bettin' he made ya come hard enough ta float on air for days, yeah?" Now he looked at her, and he was clearly angry. "Pro'ly made ya scream with pleasure, I'm sure."

Lavender held her tongue. What could she say? It was true. Zabini had worked her over but good when they'd been together, and he'd been the one who'd taught her all about Doms and subs, and how to use various sex toys. He'd tied her up and blindfolded her, and did all sorts of naughty things to her that had been wonderful. But in the end, it had just been shagging for both of them. He hadn't wanted anything more serious with her, and she'd realized after a while that she hadn't cared for his leanings, which tended to put her more in the sub position in bed. They'd separated amicably.

"He knew how ta please ya right, and it just...it scunders me ta know ya had ta go ta someone else fer yer joy."

"Sea... Look, I can't change the past, and truthfully, I won't apologise for things that were done consensually and didn't hurt anyone else in the doing," she said as gently, but as firmly as she could. "All I can do is assure you this: I'm not with Zabini now and won't be again in the future. We experimented, we moved on, and I have no intention of going back there." She rubbed over her heart to soothe away the ache that had taken up residence there. "And I'm woman enough to admit I've been fiercely jealous of your conquests over the years, too. The thought of you touching another girl like how you've touched me, how you've let me touch you tonight... It riles me up and makes me feel ill at the same time. So, I guess what I'm saying is that I understand."

He tucked her hair behind her ear with a tender touch. "I'm sorry fer bein' a jealous fool. I...can't seem ta help meself where yer concerned, angel."

"Me, either," she admitted and reached up to kiss him again.

He moaned and pressed her against the doorjamb where he proceeded to ravish her mouth. "Lavender, me pretty," he whispered, pulling her in tight and holding her close while he took her lips and shared his need with her. "Ah, me love..."

Lavender clung to him and rode the wave of pleasurable electric sparks that shot through her as his tongue caressed hers again and again. Jesu and his followers, there would be no leaving Seamus this time, would there? It would not be as easy as walking out the door where this wizard was concerned, for now, she knew that he would follow her. He'd meant what he'd said to her earlier: he wanted her back in his life, and he would do whatever it took to assure that happened. This was no casual fling for Seamus.

It wasn't for her either, she was coming to realise.

I want you as I've always wanted you.

I don't think I can stop wanting you this time, my sexy, sweet Irish...

As she tasted his kiss and relaxed in his arms she knew unequivocally that where Seamus Finnigan was concerned, her feelings could never be casual. He'd been her first love, and it was exactly as he'd said: they'd never forgotten each other, despite the time and various lovers between them. She'd never been able to let go of him either.

Which meant she was rightly screwed because now there was only one course for her to take.

She cupped his cheeks and met his eye as she pulled her swollen lips from his. This was one thing her Gryffindor heart would not cower from any longer and she wanted him to know she meant what she next said. "Sea, listen to me: neither of us can undo the past, but we can try for a future. I'm willing to do that if you still want."

It took a second or two for her offer to sink in, but then Seamus' smile broke through the grey confusion of the moment, lighting up his face with happy surprise; he looked like he'd just found a leprechaun's pot of gold at the end of a double rainbow. "Ye'll be me girl, then?"

"Yes."

He smoothed strands of wayward hair off her cheek. "Finally!"

He kissed her again to seal their deal.

It was harder this time to pull away.

Eventually, it was Seamus who took her hand and lead them out of their room and back into the common area to begin the next question round. There they met up with Ron and his partner, Parkinson, who were running about the place like loons in love. Settling back into the couch in their assigned spots, Seamus slung an arm around her shoulder and Lavender leaned against him, content to let him take the reins for now.

Are we really going to try this again?

Yes, yes they were.

TO BE CONTINUED...

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Please review!

XOXO,

- RZZMG

Ifreann na Fola = Irish (Gaelic) for "bloody hell!"

Switch-hitter = slang for a bi-sexual.

Musical Selection for this Chapter: "Twisted" by Carrie Underwood. Lyrics are as follows…

Baby, you're a wreckin' ball
crashin' into me.
Nothin' I can do but fall.
Piece by piece,
you broke down every part of me
that ever thought I'd never need you, baby.

It's twisted,
messed up,
and the more I think about it…
It's crazy,
but so what?
I may never understand it.
I'm caught up and I'm hangin' on.
I'm gonna love you even if it's wrong.

Everybody's tellin' me
I'm over my head.
If they don't feel you lovin' me
they all say that I've gone crazy.
Maybe, but it's too late now to save me.
I'm too tangled.

Maybe it's not right,
but that's all right.
Yeah, it's all right… tonight.

It's twisted,
messed up,
and the more I think about it…
It's crazy,
but so what?
I may never understand it.

Even if it's just a little bit…
Just a little bit…
Just a little bit twisted.
Yeah, it's twisted.
Yeah.