slashluv18

Notice Me
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Seamus/Lavender
Summary: Seamus loves Lavender and a moment brings them closer.
Word Count: 721

Seamus's eyes were always glued to her whenever Lavender ate an apple. There was just something so erotic about it to him. It was a kink no one was aware he had.

He had been a little in love with Lavender since 4th year when he escorted her to the Yule Ball, but she didn't seem to think of him as anything more than a friend, something that caused pain in his heart.

When Lavender dated Ron, Seamus got too drunk to care. It was the first time he got truly smashed. He woke up wearing mismatched socks and not knowing where the socks even came from. He was sure they weren't his.

People thought Lavender was an air-head, a ditz, but Seamus knew it was an act to keep people at a distance, to protect herself.

One day he came upon her looking at an old photograph. There was sadness in her eyes and a bolt of pain went right through Seamus's heart.

"Stop staring at me," Lavender said flatly.

"Why?" Seamus asked. He always stared at her and she never seemed to mind before. In fact, she usually preened.

"You're really annoying when you do that."

Seamus brushed it off, knowing something was bothering her, and she was simply lashing out because he was the only one nearby. "Do you want to talk?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Explain it to me."

Lavender's eyes stayed glue to the photograph. "You never lost anyone to death. My grandmother always called me her little princess. She died when I was five, and I still can't help but think about her."

"Don't you dare say I never lost anyone. My uncle helped raise me. He was like a second father to me, at least until Death Eaters killed him last year. You might still think about your grandmother, but my pain is fresh."

Lavender had looked up during Seamus's impassioned speech. "I'm sorry."

Seamus sat down on the couch next to her. He looked around. No one was paying attention to the two of them. "I know it hurts, and I know one never forgets about the people they lost. I have it on good authority though that it gets easier. Does it?"

"Yes," Lavender said. A gentle smile graced her lips.

After that, they began to spend more time together. Lavender stopped shielding herself from him. Seamus was allowed to see the real Lavender behind the facade of the air-headed ditz. He saw her sweetness and her innate intelligence. She didn't love school, but she was smart and could have easily been Ravenclaw if she had more ambition when it came to academics.

Her beautiful smile always sent Seamus's heart racing. He loved listening to her laugh when she talked to Parvati. More than once, Lavender and Parvati looked at him while giggling.

When Seamus looked at them, Lavender would blush and hide her face in Parvati's shoulder. It gave Seamus hope.

When the two of them shared their first kiss, it was electrifying. No kiss he ever had was as good as the kiss he shared with Lavender. It was a gentle press of lips that made Seamus's legs shake. He wanted to get closer to her, but he made sure to keep his hands gentle.

That night, they cuddled on the couch in front of the fire. Although other students kept looking at them with wide eyes, and there were whispers about the new development, no one approached them with demands for an explanation.

"I never really thought about you as a potential boyfriend. You've only ever been 'just Seamus to me ."

Seamus tried not to let that hurt him. After all, he got the girl in the end, and he was going to do everything he could to hold onto her. "What made you change your mind?"

"When you talked to me that night about me grandmother and told me about your uncle. You were so sensitive. I never saw that side of you before, and I liked it."

"I'm glad you're giving me a chance. You won't regret it." He paused. He hesitated, but finally admitted, "I've liked you for so long."

Lavender absolutely beamed in response before pressing her lips against his in a kiss that was far from chaste. It was a really, really good kiss.