After Fred had dropped her off, Lavender considered running into town for some fresh air. She took a longer shower than normal, letting the hot water soothe her stick aching muscles. A simple spell dried and styled her long blonde hair and she put on a fresh pair jeans with a maroon sweater. Then Lavender grabbed her bag, trying to decide which cafe she'd grab a quiet early dinner. And then, just before she locked up, Lavender had a staring match with the front door.
She dropped down on the sofa and watched the door for a good long while. Something inside her held her back from an afternoon to herself in the fresh air....alone. Very alone in a big city where nobody knew she was would know how to reach or find her. The idea of it made her dizzy. It made her antsy enough to pace the flat, going back and forth from the living room to kitchen to work off the energy. But it wasn't working and she just couldn't bring herself to step outside the flat and into the street.
Then, just when she was ready to rip her hair out, there was a knock at the door. Lavender walked over cautiously, as if The Burning Man would be so polite as to announce his presence, and put her eye to the peep hole. Relief washed over her as she pulled the door open.
"Hello, stranger," she greeted him, a cool grin on her face. Though, Lavender was just about ready to tackle Harry to the ground she was so glad for the company. And then she noticed the flowers....and then the bottle of whiskey. "What's all this? If you think you can work that Potter charm....well, it didn't work four years ago at that party and it won't work now."
Maybe it had worked, but that was besides the point.
The memory of that interaction brought a childish grin to Harry's already boyish face. It was dark and intoxicated with a mess of limbs and clothes and it had certainly been one of the more memorable make-out sessions he'd had. A slight flush crept into the tips of his ears as he shrugged his shoulders, the petals of the roses grazing his skin slightly.
"What a brilliant trip down memory lane," Harry commented, chuckling softly. "No-no- as much as I wouldn't mind reliving that moment- I'm here to offer apologies for missing you while you were in St. Mungo's-"
His grin turned into a more self-aware, hapless smile- something apologetic than anything.
"I really wanted to be there, you know, see how you were doing-"
That childish grin was exactly how they ended up tangled up in each other years before. Seeing him smile that way brought a flood of memories dating back more than fourteen years at this point. Back to a time before the war, before all the death, when they were just kids trying to figure themselves out. Though, Harry had never really 'just a kid'. Still, to Lavender, he was just another boy, a good friend of her's, that happened to save the world.
Somebody had to knock him off his high horse once in a while. It might as well be Lavender Brown.
"You were off protecting my honor and all that good stuff," she told him, a big smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her survival had taken everyone by shock and she knew that the Aurors had to jump on the trail before it went cold. That meant Harry probably had an even worse week than she did.
"Come on in so I can hug you properly." Lavender stepped a side, nodding him towards the open living room.
He had always had an affection for Lavender- for all of the Gryffindors in his year. They had gone through a tremendous amount of bullshit together and they'd all come through it clean. No- not all of them. His memory flitted to Parvati briefly, realizing they were down one. But he didn't want to dwell on the bad, so he tucked it away in the back of his brain and stepped inside the flat.
"Someone has to be the knight in shining armor," Harry said, back to usual charming self. "I mean, you know, it's kind of my thing."
He then held his arms out for a bear hug and wrapped them around Lavender, squeezing her tightly.
"I mean, you've sort of had a little bit of practice," she agreed as she buried her face in his chest. Lavender breathed in his warmth, the familiar scent, and felt much safer than she had before.
Harry had always had that affect on her - and not because of his legacy. Gryffindors were a tough lot. They were willing to rush into battle at a moment's notice and they were ready to do it, most importantly, together. It didn't take very long for housemates to turn to family and family didn't abandon each other.
"Fred brought me back earlier today but it's been just fine," Lavender told him, not yet ready to move away from his arms. "It's certainly better than having my overbearing mother crying in the next room at home or....well, finding my own place alone."
"Just a bit, here and there," he said good-naturedly, his voice muffled by her hair as he squeezed her tightly.
He held her against him, not wanting to give her too hard a hug but also not quite ready to let her go. He inhaled her scent, the fresh, clean smell of her hair, his eyes blinking shut. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he had lost her, too. It was a really lucky fucking stoke that she survived.
Finally, he let her go, suddenly realizing he had the flowers and bottle in his hands.
"Erm, well, perhaps this will help?" he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Firewhiskey always helps."
When Lavender pulled back she had a less than innocent grin on her lips, eyeing the firewhiskey. Alcohol (from a closed and safe container) always helped.
"You know me so well, Mr. Potter," Lavender told him but reached for the flowers rather than the bottle. It wasn't every day she received a bouquet the size of her head. And they were beautiful. "Two of my very favorite things."
Her want was sticking out of her boot and Lavender pulled it out. With a flick of her wrist the bouquet met an oversized beer mug from the kitchen (it was no surprise that George was fresh out of vases). The mug landed safely on the counter, finding a warm, sunny spot.
He watched as the flowers went from his hand to hers to soaring through the air and into a very George Weasley type of beer mug. Oversized and perhaps a gallon deep. Seemed quite right given where he was. He chuckled, raking his hand through his hair before tucking the bottle under his arm.
"I do like to come bearing proper gifts," he said, nodding his head. "Otherwise, what is the point, really?"
He slipped a wink her way before clearing his throat.
"As good as I can be." Lavender's signature smile faltered for a moment. She was a girl that was used to grin and bearing it, choking own whatever fear she felt and marching on. Though, this was new territory for her. Fear and unease shook her right down to the core. The chill from the hospital hadn't melted yet.
"Nothing an old friend and a few shots can't cure."
He knew that look. The 'I don't know how else to answer this' kind of look. He'd held it himself, numerous times. There was only so much you could say following tragedy- good or bad- before it started to take over every waking moment of your life. He nodded his head, offering her a smile before moving to perch himself on the arm of George's sofa. He crossed his arms in front of her chest after placing the bottle on the coffee table.
"That's my girl," he said, grinning now. "There's nothing a bit of firewhiskey can't fix. At least that's been my mantra for almost a decade, now-"
"I've noticed, as did Witch Weekly numerous times," she teased, turning towards the kitchen. Lavender opened the cupboard and pulled out two double sized shot glasses. The afternoon was going to become much more interesting very quickly.
"But right now I am very thankful for your indiscretions because they are working in my favor." Sinking down into the spot next to him, Lavender placed the glasses on the coffee table. The last week had defied the usual laws of time, stretching out for weeks and months. Or, at least, that's how it felt for Lavender. It was exhausting going through tests and receiving bad news. Now there was a bottle of firewhiskey that was just begging to make her forget about it. "Do you think I could keep up with a pro? Shot for shot?"
Harry laughed heartily, letting his body roll from the arm of the sofa to the cushion beside Lavender. He spared her a narrowed look as he rested his elbows on his knees. Yes, he had also seen the various articles about him in Witch Weekly. He still blamed Rita Skeeter, even after all these years, for getting his name in the press and keeping it there.
"You should not be reading such trashy rags," he chided playfully, pushing at his glasses just slightly.
He watched as she set up the glasses before looking at her with a gleam of challenge behind his eyes.
"I seem to recall a night where you were actually keeping up rather well-"
"How else am I supposed to keep up with your fast-pace lime-light life?" she asked, leaning over to nudge him with her elbow. Though, Lavender wasn't one to talk about keeping up with old friends. It was a miracle they had been so forgiving the first time she returned to England, months gone by, finally ready to explain her disappearance.
Then a blush crept into her cheeks, remembering that very night Harry was referring. Nobody could ever call Lavender a light weight by any means. She started drinking at a young age, much thanks to Roger...as well as the twins. And when they weren't fighting for their lives, the Gryffindor common room was a regular party house.
"Then tonight shouldn't be a problem, either, yeah?"
He capped off the bottle, letting the aroma of the whiskey hit his nostrils before swirling it around. He took his time in pouring two very overwhelming double shots before setting the bottle down. He grabbed both shots, handing one to Lavender before holding it up in a toast.
"How about we cheers to-" he paused, his brow furrowing as he tried to think. "-oh wait- alright, to you- for being brilliantly brave and to giving me one hell of a memory of snogging in a closet-"
Lavender took the shot, careful not to spill since it was filled to the brim. Good. Exactly the way she liked it.
"It was just as good for me," she promised, winking. In truth, it had been particularly difficult to untangle herself from Harry that night as things grew more heated. It may have been the drinks or the fact that he was exceptionally talented with his hands.
Bringing the drink to her lips, Lavender tipped her head back and took it in one gulp. The warmth crawled down her throat and settled in the pit of her stomach.
Harry grinned in a rather stupid, baffling kind of way. It happened any time a particular sort of woman managed to compliment a particular sort of interaction. He might have become more skilled with women since his break from Ginny- but that certainly didn't mean he was always confident about them. That was a hard thing to break.
He took the shot down, tilting his head back and letting it smoothly sink down his throat.
"Ah, bloody hell," he sighed. "That's always so damn good-"
He grinned, setting the shot down and refilling it.
She dropped down on the sofa and watched the door for a good long while. Something inside her held her back from an afternoon to herself in the fresh air....alone. Very alone in a big city where nobody knew she was would know how to reach or find her. The idea of it made her dizzy. It made her antsy enough to pace the flat, going back and forth from the living room to kitchen to work off the energy. But it wasn't working and she just couldn't bring herself to step outside the flat and into the street.
Then, just when she was ready to rip her hair out, there was a knock at the door. Lavender walked over cautiously, as if The Burning Man would be so polite as to announce his presence, and put her eye to the peep hole. Relief washed over her as she pulled the door open.
"Hello, stranger," she greeted him, a cool grin on her face. Though, Lavender was just about ready to tackle Harry to the ground she was so glad for the company. And then she noticed the flowers....and then the bottle of whiskey. "What's all this? If you think you can work that Potter charm....well, it didn't work four years ago at that party and it won't work now."
Maybe it had worked, but that was besides the point.
Reply
"What a brilliant trip down memory lane," Harry commented, chuckling softly. "No-no- as much as I wouldn't mind reliving that moment- I'm here to offer apologies for missing you while you were in St. Mungo's-"
His grin turned into a more self-aware, hapless smile- something apologetic than anything.
"I really wanted to be there, you know, see how you were doing-"
Reply
Somebody had to knock him off his high horse once in a while. It might as well be Lavender Brown.
"You were off protecting my honor and all that good stuff," she told him, a big smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her survival had taken everyone by shock and she knew that the Aurors had to jump on the trail before it went cold. That meant Harry probably had an even worse week than she did.
"Come on in so I can hug you properly." Lavender stepped a side, nodding him towards the open living room.
Reply
"Someone has to be the knight in shining armor," Harry said, back to usual charming self. "I mean, you know, it's kind of my thing."
He then held his arms out for a bear hug and wrapped them around Lavender, squeezing her tightly.
"Are how you? Alright? George's place ok?"
Reply
Harry had always had that affect on her - and not because of his legacy. Gryffindors were a tough lot. They were willing to rush into battle at a moment's notice and they were ready to do it, most importantly, together. It didn't take very long for housemates to turn to family and family didn't abandon each other.
"Fred brought me back earlier today but it's been just fine," Lavender told him, not yet ready to move away from his arms. "It's certainly better than having my overbearing mother crying in the next room at home or....well, finding my own place alone."
Reply
He held her against him, not wanting to give her too hard a hug but also not quite ready to let her go. He inhaled her scent, the fresh, clean smell of her hair, his eyes blinking shut. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he had lost her, too. It was a really lucky fucking stoke that she survived.
Finally, he let her go, suddenly realizing he had the flowers and bottle in his hands.
"Erm, well, perhaps this will help?" he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Firewhiskey always helps."
Reply
"You know me so well, Mr. Potter," Lavender told him but reached for the flowers rather than the bottle. It wasn't every day she received a bouquet the size of her head. And they were beautiful. "Two of my very favorite things."
Her want was sticking out of her boot and Lavender pulled it out. With a flick of her wrist the bouquet met an oversized beer mug from the kitchen (it was no surprise that George was fresh out of vases). The mug landed safely on the counter, finding a warm, sunny spot.
Reply
"I do like to come bearing proper gifts," he said, nodding his head. "Otherwise, what is the point, really?"
He slipped a wink her way before clearing his throat.
"You are alright, right? All fixed up?"
Reply
"Nothing an old friend and a few shots can't cure."
Reply
"That's my girl," he said, grinning now. "There's nothing a bit of firewhiskey can't fix. At least that's been my mantra for almost a decade, now-"
Reply
"But right now I am very thankful for your indiscretions because they are working in my favor." Sinking down into the spot next to him, Lavender placed the glasses on the coffee table. The last week had defied the usual laws of time, stretching out for weeks and months. Or, at least, that's how it felt for Lavender. It was exhausting going through tests and receiving bad news. Now there was a bottle of firewhiskey that was just begging to make her forget about it. "Do you think I could keep up with a pro? Shot for shot?"
Reply
"You should not be reading such trashy rags," he chided playfully, pushing at his glasses just slightly.
He watched as she set up the glasses before looking at her with a gleam of challenge behind his eyes.
"I seem to recall a night where you were actually keeping up rather well-"
Reply
Then a blush crept into her cheeks, remembering that very night Harry was referring. Nobody could ever call Lavender a light weight by any means. She started drinking at a young age, much thanks to Roger...as well as the twins. And when they weren't fighting for their lives, the Gryffindor common room was a regular party house.
"Then tonight shouldn't be a problem, either, yeah?"
Reply
He capped off the bottle, letting the aroma of the whiskey hit his nostrils before swirling it around. He took his time in pouring two very overwhelming double shots before setting the bottle down. He grabbed both shots, handing one to Lavender before holding it up in a toast.
"How about we cheers to-" he paused, his brow furrowing as he tried to think. "-oh wait- alright, to you- for being brilliantly brave and to giving me one hell of a memory of snogging in a closet-"
Reply
"It was just as good for me," she promised, winking. In truth, it had been particularly difficult to untangle herself from Harry that night as things grew more heated. It may have been the drinks or the fact that he was exceptionally talented with his hands.
Bringing the drink to her lips, Lavender tipped her head back and took it in one gulp. The warmth crawled down her throat and settled in the pit of her stomach.
Reply
He took the shot down, tilting his head back and letting it smoothly sink down his throat.
"Ah, bloody hell," he sighed. "That's always so damn good-"
He grinned, setting the shot down and refilling it.
"You ready for round two?"
Reply
Leave a comment