Fic: We Will Run, (Lavender/Parvati, R)
Jul. 26th, 2012 11:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
saintgilbertTitle: We Will Run
Prompt: “Seeking solace from the horror of war, they run away together.”
Pairing(s): Lavender/Parvati
Word Count: 4882 words.
Rating: R
Warning(s): Jumping timelines, slightly dystopian post-war Ministry antics, course language, implied shoplifting.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: AU in a minor way from half-way through 7th year onwards. All characters engaged in sexual activity are 18. Thanks so much to Rike and Kiss for helping get this fic going and holding both my hands! Thanks Crups for the super short-notice beta, and to the mods for their continued patience! All remaining mistakes are my own. The title (which I have changed) is from Santigold’s ‘Disparate Youth’. Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
hprarefest 2012.
Summary: It’s a fine line between your life falling apart and just beginning.
It was raining when Lavender got home. There was a collection of perfect droplets sitting on each window, each one distorting the view into the house. Still, Parvati’s head was visible through the living room window, her dark hair slung lazily into a ponytail at the top of her head, slender neck shyly exposed underneath the stray hairs that had escaped the rest. Lavender smiled and walked the short distance from the gate to the door, hoping to surprise her, perhaps with the leftover cake from her lunch, or a kiss to her cheek. She grinned slyly as she thought, perhaps with the new underwear she’d bought in London, all lace and shiny panels stitched together, clinging tightly to her frame all the way to her waist.
She opened the door quietly, running a hand through her hair to chase away the wetness and stepped inside and into the lounge room. Putting her bags down by the door, she leaned against the frame, waiting for Parvati to turn around.
After a few moments, boredom always a fast guest, she crossed the length of the room and sat down heavily on the coffee table in front of her lover.
Parvati's eyes lifted slowly from her book, a smile playing at her lips as she glanced at the brightly coloured bags strewn across the floor.
"Good trip?" she asked, folding the corner of the page and putting it carefully down next to her.
"Naturally," Lavender replied, leaning in for a kiss. Their lips brushed together briefly before Lavender continued, “What are you reading?”
“It's that book on tea leaves you picked up for me last week. It's not bad.” Parvati picked the book up again and returned to her page. Lavender carefully extended a pale hand and pushed the book back down towards Parvati's lap.
“Don't you want to see what I got today?” she asked, a wicked smile on her lips.
“Something for me?” Parvati was smirking now.
“In a way, yes. Give me five minutes.” Lavender said, placing her hands on either side of the couch and planted a firm kiss on Parvati's mouth. She was off in a second, bag in hand, disappearing into the bedroom.
As much as Parvati wanted to finish the chapter she was on, she found herself once again placing the book down instead and watching the doorway intently. Lavender, for all she thought she was being mysterious with her surprise, was really quite predictable. Parvati didn't mind.
When Lavender padded her way back into the lounge room, she had discarded the majority of her clothes, leaving on only a blue silky bra and the new knickers, cut high across her buttocks and tightly hanging off her waist, her small belly button poking out over the shiny material.
Parvati gulped. Although she wasn't surprised, per se, Lavender had outdone herself.
“So, what do you think? Should I take them back?” Lavender asked, spinning on the spot with her muscled arms held above her head, her long hair still slightly damp from the rain trailing below the clasp of the bra.
“Come here.”
Lavender giggled and climbed over the coffee table once again, her leg hairs standing on end, rounded knees pink from the hard surface and the warmth of the fire roaring in the corner.
Parvati reached out to trail a hand down her side, the shiny material of the underwear smooth beneath her fingers.
“Are we going to have to beg Daddy for more money for food now?” she asked, half-joking.
“No. I got a- uh... discount,” Lavender replied, a blush rising on her cheeks.
Parvati leaned back into the couch, lips pinched. “We shouldn't do that anymore, Lav. Someday you might get caught and we'll be noticed.”
“Well, not today. Besides, you seemed to like them a minute ago.” Lavender moved forward again, so her elbows were resting on the couch. She placed a small kiss on Parvati's leg, the jeans she was wearing rough and unfamiliar on her lips.
Parvati sighed, resigned, her hand idly moving to stroke the material on Lavender's backside. “I do.”
“Good.” Lavender reached an arm up to cradle Parvati's neck, giving her a cheeky look before leaning forward to kiss her again, more deeply this time. “Let's go to bed,” she whispered into her mouth, tugging lightly on her hand.
***
“Be quiet!” Parvati hissed. “Someone's going to catch us!”
Lavender turned around and grinned, quieting her steps on the stairs up to Trelawny's tower. Her hair swung behind her with each step, the shadows cast by the lantern in her hand odd. To Parvati it looked like a lion's tail, swinging proudly behind her. Realising she was staring right at the silhouette of Lavender’s bottom, she quickly turned her gaze to the stairs at her feet.
“Why didn't you just bring back your own crystal ball from home anyway?” she asked, trying to keep up with Lavender.
“You know how Professor- I mean, Headmaster Snape feels about divination. He'd probably have it confiscated. Or melt it down and use it in some stupid potion.” Lavender's voice was soft, but the bitterness underlying her words was almost palpable.
“Right. Well, can we take one back to Gryffindor this time? It's too cold to keep doing this every other night!”
“What, you mean sneaking around under the Carrows' noses doesn't give you a bit of a thrill?” Lavender paused on the step, one eyebrow raised.
“More like a bit of a chill! Would you hurry up please?” Parvati huffed. “And stop talking!”
“I wasn't even talking! You started telling me to be quiet and now you're complaining!”
Parvati gave her back a quick shove and they both tumbled the rest of the way into the classroom. Although it was dark, and there was no incense burning, it still held the mystical air it did during classes. Trelawny was nowhere in sight, much to Parvati's relief.
“Quick, you go get one, I'll wait here and make sure nobody's coming!” She said this with another quick push to Lavender's arm.
Lavender nodded and waded her way through the mounds of plump cushions on the floor to the cabinet on the far side of the room, her fluffy red slippers right at home amongst the furnishings.
A few minutes later, crystal ball wrapped securely in the end of Lavender's dressing gown, they made their way back to bed, taking care around the corners as they always did.
***
The rain was still beating down when Lavender woke up, her hair tangled in Parvati's, and her hands wrapped around her waist. The new underwear lay forgotten on the floor. Lavender smiled and disentangled herself, picking up a pair of jeans and a raggedy old jumper off the floor. Parvati slept on, undisturbed. Lavender pressed a small kiss to the dark skin of her shoulder before wandering out to the kitchen to make breakfast.
The garden was undeniably green this time of year. Parvati hated the rain, but Lavender liked the cover it provided. It was slightly easier to be a face in the crowd when it poured like this, the steady fall of raindrops obscuring the most distinctive features. She took care never to wear anything that would stand out too much, opting for greys and blues when she rode the bus to work. Occasionally she would cast a glamour over her face, but working in the Muggle world meant that was mostly unnecessary. Nobody would recognise her, no matter how much Parvati insisted she be more careful.
The kettle began to hiss loudly as she stared into the street. Turning it off, she pulled two cups down from the shelf, a spoon of honey in each and one black teabag to go.
“Love,” she called out, slowly carrying the steaming mugs to the bedroom. “Tea!”
Parvati muttered something incoherent before rolling over and kicking the blankets aside and swiping her hands through the air. She was cute in the mornings, but Lavender thought she probably wouldn’t appreciate her saying so. Once she woke up she fast became more thoughtful and delicate with her body movements.
“Are you going to work today?” Parvati asked, her voice thick with sleep.
“Where else would I be going?” Lavender replied, smiling.
“Okay, no need to get clever on me all of a sudden.”
Lavender swatted at Parvati's arm. “Here. Drink your tea before it goes cold. I'm going to get dressed.”
“Why don't you come back to bed for a bit?” Parvati pleaded, patting the space beside her.
“You may have found yourself a job that never requires you to leave the house, but I have to go soon, tempting as the offer is.”
Lavender discarded the clothes she'd thrown on and searched for something more professional. Parvati watched her, slowly sipping at her tea as she pulled on a pair of dark tights and a blue shirt.
“I'll see you later then?”
“At six, as always.”
“Just, be careful.”
Lavender kneeled on the bed and wiped the hair off Parvati's face. “I'm always careful. It'll be fine.” She leaned in and kissed Parvati, her hands tracing lines along her neck. Parvati moaned and tried to pull her closer, but she giggled and moved away. “See you tonight.”
***
“It's obviously a rabbit, you ditz!” Lavender said, rolling her eyes.
“You're the ditz! It's a wolf!” Parvati replied, pointing to the ears, much too sharp and short to be a rabbit's.
They were crouched on Parvati's bed, heads bowed over the stolen crystal ball, trying to interpret an image with only one lamp burning slowly on the dresser.
The Carrows had been especially harsh on the Gryffindors, pulling them out of class to ask where Harry Potter was. Nobody knew, which while true, only served to make the Carrows punishments more cruel. Neville Longbottom had entered the common room yesterday covered in tiny cuts, having spent the afternoon clearing the broken glass out of one of the greenhouses with bare hands and no magic. Nobody had seen Ginny Weasley for two days.
Lavender knew she should be scared, but tonight it was just her and her best friend, arguing over Divination, as they had done for three years, sitting on the very same bed. Even Hermione's absence was easy to ignore when it was just the two of them, like this. Of course, her and Hermione had never been famous for getting along well, so Lavender had taken her unexplained leave from Hogwarts in stride.
Parvati drew her attention back to the crystal ball with a gasp, pointing at the new colours that swirled in the centre. Her eyes were wide.
Lavender.
***
Lavender returned to the smell of something delicious cooking on the stove. Hanging her coat and scarf on the rack, she walked into the kitchen to find Parvati sweating over several pots and flicking through a recipe book.
“That smells good,” she said, moving forward to rest her chin on Parvati's shoulder.
Parvati shrugged her off and turned the heat up on one of the burners. “Did you see the Prophet today?” she asked, not turning around.
“The Prophet?” Lavender asked, miffed that Parvati was in a mood and she didn't know what she could possibly have done to make her upset, given she'd arrived home less than five minutes ago.
“Well, they found Umbridge. Front page. It's in the lounge.” Parvati's voice was strained.
“Shit. What happened?” Unease settled in her gut.
“What do you think?” Finally, she turned around to face Lavender, her eyes piercing and worried. “She was executed.”
Lavender put her hands back on Parvati's shoulders. “Parvati, that's not going to happen to us.”
Parvati quickly pushed her hands away again, throwing the recipe book down to the bench. “I know we won’t be executed, but if anyone finds us we could land ourselves in Azkaban,” she snapped, the old argument familiar in her mouth, “We ran away, Lavender! There's no moral justification for what we did, just fear. Two scared little girls, running away from a big scary monster.”
“We had to!”
“We could have stayed. We could have fought. Maybe if we'd stayed and died, some of the others might have lived.”
“Stop it! There's no point even thinking about what would have happened. We can't change that.” Lavender said, her voice growing louder with each word.
“I just wish you'd be more bloody careful!” There was an edge of fear to her voice. “You could always work from home, you know.”
“And I tell you every single day, I am careful, alright? I haven't seen a single person from school in years, and as far as the Ministry is concerned, we're still missing, presumed dead,” Lavender reasoned. She reached forward to clutch Parvati's hands once more, resting their foreheads together. “It's okay. And I can't work from home, we need the money and my job won't allow it.”
“You could get another job,” Parvati protested, but her heart wasn't in it.
“The pasta’s getting overcooked,” Lavender pointed out.
“Shit.” Parvati dropped her hands and turned around to fix the mess made over the course of their well-treaded argument.
***
Parvati sat on the worn couch, glum and worried. Her lip was raw from constant biting. Lavender had been in the Hospital Wing for three days now, and students were no longer allowed to visit their peers.
The other students had been cautious around her, not meeting her eyes at meals and avoiding mentioning Lavender's name in her presence. It was almost a relief when Ginny Weasley approached her the evening of the third day, sitting opposite her in a worn armchair in the Common Room.
“She'll be okay, you know,” Ginny said, matter-of-factly.
“You don't look okay,” Parvati replied. She didn't. A purple bruise blossomed over her left cheek and her hands trembled ever so slightly, even when she sat perfectly still.
“But I'm surviving. Lavender will too.” Parvati felt her heart clench at the mention of Lavender's name. She hadn't heard it in days, aside from the worried monologue in her head. “What did she do?”
“She talked back at the Carrow bitch. She's an idiot,” Parvati answered, fondness behind the harsh words. “What happened to you?” She didn't pretend not to stare at the marks on Ginny's face.
“What, you mean recently?” Ginny flashed her a wry grin. “Neville and I decided to teach Goyle a lesson. Unfortunately when he decided to teach one in return, the Professors turned a blind eye.”
“This is bollocks.”
Ginny nodded. “Look, I know we don't know each other that well, but, if you want to talk. I know what she's going through, and none of these idiots are going to get up and do anything about it, they're too scared.” She waved an arm dismissively at the few people sitting in the Common Room, not bothering to lower her voice. Parvati would have thought it gauche, but since Ginny was the only person in the room with evidence of the horrible situation on her face, she let it slide. “Some Gryffindors,” she finished darkly.
Neville clambered in through the portrait hole shortly after that and Ginny stood up to greet him, the shakiness obvious in her legs now. “Think about it,” she said..
Parvati couldn't help wonder: were people like Ginny, Neville and Lavender brave or stupid?
***
Lavender moaned as Parvati kissed her deeply, her hands roving leisurely across her thighs. Parvati’s hands wandered to the waist of her tight skirt, the fiddling with the button at the waist a question in itself, “Is this okay?”
“Do it,” Lavender breathed, her arms thrown back lazily across the pillows, heat piled in her stomach.
“You are an idiot, you know,” Parvati said as she unzipped her skirt. “A lovable idiot though.”
“Oh shut up,” Lavender said, grinning and swatting playfully at Parvati’s shoulder, before reaching for her neck and pulling her in for a kiss. With her spare hand, she loosened the buttons on her shirt and pulled it off herself, gasping her delight as Parvati lowered her head and ran her teeth over her nipples through the thin material of her bra.
“It is going to be fine, you know,” she said, breath hitched as Parvati ran her fingers underneath the elastic of her knickers, teasing at the soft hair there.
“I know,” Parvati answered, before trailing her hand over the more sensitive skin.
Lavender’s hands clenched around the sheets. “Good,” she whispered, before giving herself over to the tide of sensations.
***
In the dream she was standing in a wide field of blissful lavender, the purple plant growing in perfect rows as far as the eye could see.
The smell was overpowering, wafting up in bursts with each step she took. And yet, there was something wrong, some indefinable presence that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.
A certain chill in the air, perhaps, or the sense she was being watched by something malevolent. It was cold, and looking down, she realised she was wearing only the flimsiest of clothes, her shirt in tatters and swaying in the breeze.
A bright smattering of something dark red covered her clothes, although she couldn't bring herself to name what it was.
She began to run. Something was wrong; running seemed appropriate, even though the exact nature of the wrongness slipped through her fingers when she tried to examine it..
The lavender cut at her ankles and left trails of the sweet scent along her legs as she pushed herself onwards.
She woke slowly to the sound of a row in the next room. In her annoyance, the dream slowly slid from her mind as she got up and banged on the wall with a frustrated, “Shut up in there! Some of us are trying to sleep!”
A glance at Lavender's empty bed made her stomach drop, and for a brief moment she remembered standing in a field of overgrown purple plants, but it was soon replaced by the anxiety she'd been carrying around for the last five days.
Looking away, she forced herself into some semblance of calm and drifted back to sleep. Hope and worry were odd bedfellows.
***
Lavender idly stroked Parvati’s arm, watching the hairs stand on end as she brushed past them. Naked, they lay on the bed, the covers strewn around them so perfectly a mess it was almost posed.
“Did I tell you I ran into Ron Weasley today?” Lavender asked, voice soft. Parvati was half asleep, but her eyes widened at this.
“What? Did he recognize you? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” She asked the questions in rapid succession, pulling away so she was facing Lavender. The sudden coldness along her left side was uncomfortable, but Lavender didn’t try to move back.
“Not at first. He walked past me and I thought he hadn’t, but he called out a second later. And, I forgot; we were talking about Umbridge, and then we were eating dinner - it was delicious by the way - and then we were...” she paused, a lazy smile crossing her face, “busy.”
“Did you talk to him?” Parvati asked, her voice growing more insistent.
Lavender, still in the clutches of that particular brand of post-orgasm sleepiness, didn’t answer Parvati’s tone with a change in hers, and replied nonchalantly, “Yeah.”
“Why, Lavender?” Parvati sat up and reached across the bed for a t-shirt, disappointment etched on her face.
“Because it was 10 years ago, Parvati! Besides, he's hardly going to turn us in.” Lavender pulled at the covers, burrowing into the blankets.
“You don't know that, he’s an Auror now, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he’s my ex-boyfriend, too. Come on, I mean it’s Ron, for goodness sake,” Lavender huffed.
“Right, because he had really warm feelings towards you by the end of that relationship,” Parvati added darkly.
“Oh, very good. Look, it’s fine. Will you get back under the covers? It’s cold.” Lavender patted the empty space on the pillows.
“No, I’m going to go read in the lounge.”
“Oh, that’s just great,” Lavender answered, rolling over and staring at the wall, her anger catching up with her.
***
Ginny had become a comforting presence. It had been a week and a half, and Lavender was still in the Hospital Wing. Ginny was asleep in Hermione's bed, since the other girl had run off to goodness knows where. Ginny had assured Parvati that Hermione wouldn’t mind. She had wisely held back a sharp comment about not caring much what Hermione thought; given how Hermione had been towards Lavender last year.
It was the dead of night when Parvati woke with a start, dragging Ginny from her slumber with the noise.
“Parvati?” Ginny asked, after a moment where only Parvati’s heavy breathing filled the room, voice concerned and husky.
Parvati swallowed, trying to chase away the image burned behind her eyes from the dream.
Lavender, her body strewn in a field of her namesake, her face covered in blood and arms covered in gashes. In the distance, a wolf grinned wickedly, a lock of her hair clutched in its jaws.
“It's-” Parvati gulped. The same dream had been plaguing her for days now, but she had never managed to hold it in her mind past waking up. “Lavender. She's in trouble.”
Ginny's brow creased. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been having these dreams...” she paused, the right words hard to grasp so soon after waking up, even in her panicked state, “and Lavender is injured, and, well, Professor Trelawny always says I have a bit of the Seer in me, and something terrible is going to happen, I’m sure of it!” The words tumbled out in a rush.
Ginny was sitting on the edge of her bed seconds later, drawing soothing patterns on Parvati’s legs under the blankets. “Parvati, it’s just a dream, it’s going to be fine,” she whispered.
“No, it was prophetic, Ginny. I know you think it’s all bollocks and nonsense, but I know what I felt,” Parvati said, her eyes finding Ginny in the dim light streaming through the window. “I have to- we have to do something.”
Ginny sighed. “Just tell me how I can help.”
***
“Ron,” Ginny pleaded, grabbing her brother by the arm. “Leave it!”
Ron sighed, turning around. His red Auror robe swirled behind him. “Ginny, it’s my job. I’ve got to do this, now let me go.” He didn’t raise his voice, and Ginny suspected his heart wasn’t really in it.
“This is about that promotion, isn’t it? I’m telling you to let it be! You think you catch some minor offenders from ten years ago and Kingsley is going to be all praise? Lot’s of Muggleborns went into hiding during the war, you know.”
“Look Ginny, you know I don’t like it either, but they deserted. They’re not Muggleborns, so that clause doesn’t apply. It’s got to be done.”
Ginny chewed her lip. “When are you going?”
“First thing tomorrow,” Ron said, shooting her a suspicious look. “Don’t try and interfere, or you’ll be in trouble too, alright?”
Ginny huffed. “I don’t even know where they are, you know that. Besides, I know better than to get in the way of important Auror business.”
Ron scowled at her tone, but nodded. “Good. Now go home, okay? This isn’t your problem.”
Ginny let go of his arm and Apparated without another word. She’d found in recent years that simply giving Ron the silent treatment was much more effective than an well-aimed Bat-Bogey Hex.
Of course, when she arrived seconds later in the middle of the living room of Lavender and Parvati’s house, Parvati reading a book stark naked on the couch, she regretted her decision somewhat.
“Ginny? What the fuck?” Parvati yelped, trying to cover herself with her hands and the book. Ginny spun around, cheeks flaming.
“Sorry! Just- where’s Lavender? It’s important.”
“I’ll get her,” Parvati said, and Ginny heard her footsteps thud gently across the room.
The house was nice. Ginny had only been there a couple of times in the last few years - Lavender and Parvati kept to themselves - but it was just as homely as Ron and Hermione’s house. Certainly more built out of love than the apartment she kept, which underwent constant redecoration over the course of her and Harry’s on-again, off-again relationship.
“Ginny?” Lavender’s voice rang from behind her, dripping with concern.
“Are you two dressed?” Ginny asked, barely remembering not to turn around. She could almost hear the questioning look Lavender gave Parvati.
“We’re dressed. What’s wrong?”
Ginny turned around and took a deep breath. “You have to get out of here. Ron- come tomorrow morning, your house is going to be flooded with Aurors,” she said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. “I told Ron to let it be, but...”
“I bloody told you so.” Parvati wheeled on Lavender, an accusing finger pointed at her chest. “‘Oh no, it’ll be fine!’ you said, well look, it isn’t bloody fine, I mean for-”
“Stop!” Lavender yelled, cutting Parvati off. “Yes, you were right, and we can talk about this later, but right now, if Ginny’s right, we have to go!”
Parvati grunted and walked out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a couple of duffle bags. Handing one to Lavender, she began tossing things haphazardly into the bag before leaving the room again.
Lavender turned to Ginny, whispering, “Thank you.”
***
Parvati stood at the edge of the forest, Lavender slung heavily across her shoulder. She was half asleep, but her hands clutched gently at the edges of Parvati’s skirt.
“Remember, keep walking straight. If you get lost, use Point Me. Aberforth runs the Hog’s Head; he’ll help you for the night, but after that you’re on your own. Get into the Muggle world as soon as you can. Try not to use too much magic. You’re both of age, so you should be okay,” Ginny listed off the advice like a reel of Arithmancy problems, and Parvati was grateful for her composure.
“How do you know so much, anyway?” Parvati asked, trying to keep the mood light, despite the enormity of what she was about to do.
Ginny grinned, then answered, “Contingency plans.” She waved her wand over her head with muttered spell, and slowly disappeared under the cover of the Disillusionment Charm. “And Parvati?”
“Yeah?”
“Take care of her.”
Parvati nodded and swallowed, turning around and taking her first heavy steps into a new life.
***
The hotel room was warm, both in decor and temperature. The bed was enormous, and the crisp white bedding seemed endless.
Lavender and Parvati sat on the edge of the bed, the duffle bags at their feet the only evidence of the last ten years they’d spent with each other.
Silently, Parvati moved her hand across the bed to clutch at Lavender’s. Her hand, cold, tightened in answer.
“We’ll be okay,” it said.
***
“You’re awake,” Parvati said, matter-of-fact. She sat on the end of the single bed she’d shared with Lavender over the night, her legs crossed, a plate of toast on her lap.
Lavender stared at Parvati, eyes heavy with sleep, but containing a kind of brightness that warmed Parvati’s heart. “Where are we?” she asked, looking curiously around the dirty wooden room.
“The Hog’s Head.” Parvati didn’t go on to explain how they’d come here. Whether Lavender knew she’d been carried all the way from the Hospital Wing or not was unclear, but there would be time for that later.
The room was tiny and the walls scarred from goodness knows what. Padma would be horrified, but Parvati didn’t much care. The ache in her shoulder was secondary, too. She passed the plate of toast to Lavender slowly. “Eat.”
Lavender ate the toast, her eyes not leaving Parvati’s face once. “Did you miss me?” she asked after the last piece was gone from the plate.
Parvati breathed, “More than anything. If Ginny hadn’t...” she paused, then finished feebly, “I hope she got back to Gryffindor alright.”
“Ginny Weasley?” Lavender’s brow furrowed. “Should I be jealous?”
Parvati blushed and cast her eyes downwards. “No,” she said, then quietly, “she’s nice, but she’s not you.”
“Hey.” Suddenly Lavender’s face was a lot closer to her own, and the cuts and bruises on her face barely registered given the intense look in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Parvati meant to say, automatically, but was cut off by the soft but insistent press of lips against her own.
“Oh,” she said.
“Oh,” Lavender echoed, and kissed her again.
Prompt: “Seeking solace from the horror of war, they run away together.”
Pairing(s): Lavender/Parvati
Word Count: 4882 words.
Rating: R
Warning(s): Jumping timelines, slightly dystopian post-war Ministry antics, course language, implied shoplifting.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: AU in a minor way from half-way through 7th year onwards. All characters engaged in sexual activity are 18. Thanks so much to Rike and Kiss for helping get this fic going and holding both my hands! Thanks Crups for the super short-notice beta, and to the mods for their continued patience! All remaining mistakes are my own. The title (which I have changed) is from Santigold’s ‘Disparate Youth’. Written for
hprarefest 2012.Summary: It’s a fine line between your life falling apart and just beginning.
It was raining when Lavender got home. There was a collection of perfect droplets sitting on each window, each one distorting the view into the house. Still, Parvati’s head was visible through the living room window, her dark hair slung lazily into a ponytail at the top of her head, slender neck shyly exposed underneath the stray hairs that had escaped the rest. Lavender smiled and walked the short distance from the gate to the door, hoping to surprise her, perhaps with the leftover cake from her lunch, or a kiss to her cheek. She grinned slyly as she thought, perhaps with the new underwear she’d bought in London, all lace and shiny panels stitched together, clinging tightly to her frame all the way to her waist.
She opened the door quietly, running a hand through her hair to chase away the wetness and stepped inside and into the lounge room. Putting her bags down by the door, she leaned against the frame, waiting for Parvati to turn around.
After a few moments, boredom always a fast guest, she crossed the length of the room and sat down heavily on the coffee table in front of her lover.
Parvati's eyes lifted slowly from her book, a smile playing at her lips as she glanced at the brightly coloured bags strewn across the floor.
"Good trip?" she asked, folding the corner of the page and putting it carefully down next to her.
"Naturally," Lavender replied, leaning in for a kiss. Their lips brushed together briefly before Lavender continued, “What are you reading?”
“It's that book on tea leaves you picked up for me last week. It's not bad.” Parvati picked the book up again and returned to her page. Lavender carefully extended a pale hand and pushed the book back down towards Parvati's lap.
“Don't you want to see what I got today?” she asked, a wicked smile on her lips.
“Something for me?” Parvati was smirking now.
“In a way, yes. Give me five minutes.” Lavender said, placing her hands on either side of the couch and planted a firm kiss on Parvati's mouth. She was off in a second, bag in hand, disappearing into the bedroom.
As much as Parvati wanted to finish the chapter she was on, she found herself once again placing the book down instead and watching the doorway intently. Lavender, for all she thought she was being mysterious with her surprise, was really quite predictable. Parvati didn't mind.
When Lavender padded her way back into the lounge room, she had discarded the majority of her clothes, leaving on only a blue silky bra and the new knickers, cut high across her buttocks and tightly hanging off her waist, her small belly button poking out over the shiny material.
Parvati gulped. Although she wasn't surprised, per se, Lavender had outdone herself.
“So, what do you think? Should I take them back?” Lavender asked, spinning on the spot with her muscled arms held above her head, her long hair still slightly damp from the rain trailing below the clasp of the bra.
“Come here.”
Lavender giggled and climbed over the coffee table once again, her leg hairs standing on end, rounded knees pink from the hard surface and the warmth of the fire roaring in the corner.
Parvati reached out to trail a hand down her side, the shiny material of the underwear smooth beneath her fingers.
“Are we going to have to beg Daddy for more money for food now?” she asked, half-joking.
“No. I got a- uh... discount,” Lavender replied, a blush rising on her cheeks.
Parvati leaned back into the couch, lips pinched. “We shouldn't do that anymore, Lav. Someday you might get caught and we'll be noticed.”
“Well, not today. Besides, you seemed to like them a minute ago.” Lavender moved forward again, so her elbows were resting on the couch. She placed a small kiss on Parvati's leg, the jeans she was wearing rough and unfamiliar on her lips.
Parvati sighed, resigned, her hand idly moving to stroke the material on Lavender's backside. “I do.”
“Good.” Lavender reached an arm up to cradle Parvati's neck, giving her a cheeky look before leaning forward to kiss her again, more deeply this time. “Let's go to bed,” she whispered into her mouth, tugging lightly on her hand.
“Be quiet!” Parvati hissed. “Someone's going to catch us!”
Lavender turned around and grinned, quieting her steps on the stairs up to Trelawny's tower. Her hair swung behind her with each step, the shadows cast by the lantern in her hand odd. To Parvati it looked like a lion's tail, swinging proudly behind her. Realising she was staring right at the silhouette of Lavender’s bottom, she quickly turned her gaze to the stairs at her feet.
“Why didn't you just bring back your own crystal ball from home anyway?” she asked, trying to keep up with Lavender.
“You know how Professor- I mean, Headmaster Snape feels about divination. He'd probably have it confiscated. Or melt it down and use it in some stupid potion.” Lavender's voice was soft, but the bitterness underlying her words was almost palpable.
“Right. Well, can we take one back to Gryffindor this time? It's too cold to keep doing this every other night!”
“What, you mean sneaking around under the Carrows' noses doesn't give you a bit of a thrill?” Lavender paused on the step, one eyebrow raised.
“More like a bit of a chill! Would you hurry up please?” Parvati huffed. “And stop talking!”
“I wasn't even talking! You started telling me to be quiet and now you're complaining!”
Parvati gave her back a quick shove and they both tumbled the rest of the way into the classroom. Although it was dark, and there was no incense burning, it still held the mystical air it did during classes. Trelawny was nowhere in sight, much to Parvati's relief.
“Quick, you go get one, I'll wait here and make sure nobody's coming!” She said this with another quick push to Lavender's arm.
Lavender nodded and waded her way through the mounds of plump cushions on the floor to the cabinet on the far side of the room, her fluffy red slippers right at home amongst the furnishings.
A few minutes later, crystal ball wrapped securely in the end of Lavender's dressing gown, they made their way back to bed, taking care around the corners as they always did.
The rain was still beating down when Lavender woke up, her hair tangled in Parvati's, and her hands wrapped around her waist. The new underwear lay forgotten on the floor. Lavender smiled and disentangled herself, picking up a pair of jeans and a raggedy old jumper off the floor. Parvati slept on, undisturbed. Lavender pressed a small kiss to the dark skin of her shoulder before wandering out to the kitchen to make breakfast.
The garden was undeniably green this time of year. Parvati hated the rain, but Lavender liked the cover it provided. It was slightly easier to be a face in the crowd when it poured like this, the steady fall of raindrops obscuring the most distinctive features. She took care never to wear anything that would stand out too much, opting for greys and blues when she rode the bus to work. Occasionally she would cast a glamour over her face, but working in the Muggle world meant that was mostly unnecessary. Nobody would recognise her, no matter how much Parvati insisted she be more careful.
The kettle began to hiss loudly as she stared into the street. Turning it off, she pulled two cups down from the shelf, a spoon of honey in each and one black teabag to go.
“Love,” she called out, slowly carrying the steaming mugs to the bedroom. “Tea!”
Parvati muttered something incoherent before rolling over and kicking the blankets aside and swiping her hands through the air. She was cute in the mornings, but Lavender thought she probably wouldn’t appreciate her saying so. Once she woke up she fast became more thoughtful and delicate with her body movements.
“Are you going to work today?” Parvati asked, her voice thick with sleep.
“Where else would I be going?” Lavender replied, smiling.
“Okay, no need to get clever on me all of a sudden.”
Lavender swatted at Parvati's arm. “Here. Drink your tea before it goes cold. I'm going to get dressed.”
“Why don't you come back to bed for a bit?” Parvati pleaded, patting the space beside her.
“You may have found yourself a job that never requires you to leave the house, but I have to go soon, tempting as the offer is.”
Lavender discarded the clothes she'd thrown on and searched for something more professional. Parvati watched her, slowly sipping at her tea as she pulled on a pair of dark tights and a blue shirt.
“I'll see you later then?”
“At six, as always.”
“Just, be careful.”
Lavender kneeled on the bed and wiped the hair off Parvati's face. “I'm always careful. It'll be fine.” She leaned in and kissed Parvati, her hands tracing lines along her neck. Parvati moaned and tried to pull her closer, but she giggled and moved away. “See you tonight.”
“It's obviously a rabbit, you ditz!” Lavender said, rolling her eyes.
“You're the ditz! It's a wolf!” Parvati replied, pointing to the ears, much too sharp and short to be a rabbit's.
They were crouched on Parvati's bed, heads bowed over the stolen crystal ball, trying to interpret an image with only one lamp burning slowly on the dresser.
The Carrows had been especially harsh on the Gryffindors, pulling them out of class to ask where Harry Potter was. Nobody knew, which while true, only served to make the Carrows punishments more cruel. Neville Longbottom had entered the common room yesterday covered in tiny cuts, having spent the afternoon clearing the broken glass out of one of the greenhouses with bare hands and no magic. Nobody had seen Ginny Weasley for two days.
Lavender knew she should be scared, but tonight it was just her and her best friend, arguing over Divination, as they had done for three years, sitting on the very same bed. Even Hermione's absence was easy to ignore when it was just the two of them, like this. Of course, her and Hermione had never been famous for getting along well, so Lavender had taken her unexplained leave from Hogwarts in stride.
Parvati drew her attention back to the crystal ball with a gasp, pointing at the new colours that swirled in the centre. Her eyes were wide.
Lavender.
Lavender returned to the smell of something delicious cooking on the stove. Hanging her coat and scarf on the rack, she walked into the kitchen to find Parvati sweating over several pots and flicking through a recipe book.
“That smells good,” she said, moving forward to rest her chin on Parvati's shoulder.
Parvati shrugged her off and turned the heat up on one of the burners. “Did you see the Prophet today?” she asked, not turning around.
“The Prophet?” Lavender asked, miffed that Parvati was in a mood and she didn't know what she could possibly have done to make her upset, given she'd arrived home less than five minutes ago.
“Well, they found Umbridge. Front page. It's in the lounge.” Parvati's voice was strained.
“Shit. What happened?” Unease settled in her gut.
“What do you think?” Finally, she turned around to face Lavender, her eyes piercing and worried. “She was executed.”
Lavender put her hands back on Parvati's shoulders. “Parvati, that's not going to happen to us.”
Parvati quickly pushed her hands away again, throwing the recipe book down to the bench. “I know we won’t be executed, but if anyone finds us we could land ourselves in Azkaban,” she snapped, the old argument familiar in her mouth, “We ran away, Lavender! There's no moral justification for what we did, just fear. Two scared little girls, running away from a big scary monster.”
“We had to!”
“We could have stayed. We could have fought. Maybe if we'd stayed and died, some of the others might have lived.”
“Stop it! There's no point even thinking about what would have happened. We can't change that.” Lavender said, her voice growing louder with each word.
“I just wish you'd be more bloody careful!” There was an edge of fear to her voice. “You could always work from home, you know.”
“And I tell you every single day, I am careful, alright? I haven't seen a single person from school in years, and as far as the Ministry is concerned, we're still missing, presumed dead,” Lavender reasoned. She reached forward to clutch Parvati's hands once more, resting their foreheads together. “It's okay. And I can't work from home, we need the money and my job won't allow it.”
“You could get another job,” Parvati protested, but her heart wasn't in it.
“The pasta’s getting overcooked,” Lavender pointed out.
“Shit.” Parvati dropped her hands and turned around to fix the mess made over the course of their well-treaded argument.
Parvati sat on the worn couch, glum and worried. Her lip was raw from constant biting. Lavender had been in the Hospital Wing for three days now, and students were no longer allowed to visit their peers.
The other students had been cautious around her, not meeting her eyes at meals and avoiding mentioning Lavender's name in her presence. It was almost a relief when Ginny Weasley approached her the evening of the third day, sitting opposite her in a worn armchair in the Common Room.
“She'll be okay, you know,” Ginny said, matter-of-factly.
“You don't look okay,” Parvati replied. She didn't. A purple bruise blossomed over her left cheek and her hands trembled ever so slightly, even when she sat perfectly still.
“But I'm surviving. Lavender will too.” Parvati felt her heart clench at the mention of Lavender's name. She hadn't heard it in days, aside from the worried monologue in her head. “What did she do?”
“She talked back at the Carrow bitch. She's an idiot,” Parvati answered, fondness behind the harsh words. “What happened to you?” She didn't pretend not to stare at the marks on Ginny's face.
“What, you mean recently?” Ginny flashed her a wry grin. “Neville and I decided to teach Goyle a lesson. Unfortunately when he decided to teach one in return, the Professors turned a blind eye.”
“This is bollocks.”
Ginny nodded. “Look, I know we don't know each other that well, but, if you want to talk. I know what she's going through, and none of these idiots are going to get up and do anything about it, they're too scared.” She waved an arm dismissively at the few people sitting in the Common Room, not bothering to lower her voice. Parvati would have thought it gauche, but since Ginny was the only person in the room with evidence of the horrible situation on her face, she let it slide. “Some Gryffindors,” she finished darkly.
Neville clambered in through the portrait hole shortly after that and Ginny stood up to greet him, the shakiness obvious in her legs now. “Think about it,” she said..
Parvati couldn't help wonder: were people like Ginny, Neville and Lavender brave or stupid?
Lavender moaned as Parvati kissed her deeply, her hands roving leisurely across her thighs. Parvati’s hands wandered to the waist of her tight skirt, the fiddling with the button at the waist a question in itself, “Is this okay?”
“Do it,” Lavender breathed, her arms thrown back lazily across the pillows, heat piled in her stomach.
“You are an idiot, you know,” Parvati said as she unzipped her skirt. “A lovable idiot though.”
“Oh shut up,” Lavender said, grinning and swatting playfully at Parvati’s shoulder, before reaching for her neck and pulling her in for a kiss. With her spare hand, she loosened the buttons on her shirt and pulled it off herself, gasping her delight as Parvati lowered her head and ran her teeth over her nipples through the thin material of her bra.
“It is going to be fine, you know,” she said, breath hitched as Parvati ran her fingers underneath the elastic of her knickers, teasing at the soft hair there.
“I know,” Parvati answered, before trailing her hand over the more sensitive skin.
Lavender’s hands clenched around the sheets. “Good,” she whispered, before giving herself over to the tide of sensations.
In the dream she was standing in a wide field of blissful lavender, the purple plant growing in perfect rows as far as the eye could see.
The smell was overpowering, wafting up in bursts with each step she took. And yet, there was something wrong, some indefinable presence that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.
A certain chill in the air, perhaps, or the sense she was being watched by something malevolent. It was cold, and looking down, she realised she was wearing only the flimsiest of clothes, her shirt in tatters and swaying in the breeze.
A bright smattering of something dark red covered her clothes, although she couldn't bring herself to name what it was.
She began to run. Something was wrong; running seemed appropriate, even though the exact nature of the wrongness slipped through her fingers when she tried to examine it..
The lavender cut at her ankles and left trails of the sweet scent along her legs as she pushed herself onwards.
She woke slowly to the sound of a row in the next room. In her annoyance, the dream slowly slid from her mind as she got up and banged on the wall with a frustrated, “Shut up in there! Some of us are trying to sleep!”
A glance at Lavender's empty bed made her stomach drop, and for a brief moment she remembered standing in a field of overgrown purple plants, but it was soon replaced by the anxiety she'd been carrying around for the last five days.
Looking away, she forced herself into some semblance of calm and drifted back to sleep. Hope and worry were odd bedfellows.
Lavender idly stroked Parvati’s arm, watching the hairs stand on end as she brushed past them. Naked, they lay on the bed, the covers strewn around them so perfectly a mess it was almost posed.
“Did I tell you I ran into Ron Weasley today?” Lavender asked, voice soft. Parvati was half asleep, but her eyes widened at this.
“What? Did he recognize you? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” She asked the questions in rapid succession, pulling away so she was facing Lavender. The sudden coldness along her left side was uncomfortable, but Lavender didn’t try to move back.
“Not at first. He walked past me and I thought he hadn’t, but he called out a second later. And, I forgot; we were talking about Umbridge, and then we were eating dinner - it was delicious by the way - and then we were...” she paused, a lazy smile crossing her face, “busy.”
“Did you talk to him?” Parvati asked, her voice growing more insistent.
Lavender, still in the clutches of that particular brand of post-orgasm sleepiness, didn’t answer Parvati’s tone with a change in hers, and replied nonchalantly, “Yeah.”
“Why, Lavender?” Parvati sat up and reached across the bed for a t-shirt, disappointment etched on her face.
“Because it was 10 years ago, Parvati! Besides, he's hardly going to turn us in.” Lavender pulled at the covers, burrowing into the blankets.
“You don't know that, he’s an Auror now, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but he’s my ex-boyfriend, too. Come on, I mean it’s Ron, for goodness sake,” Lavender huffed.
“Right, because he had really warm feelings towards you by the end of that relationship,” Parvati added darkly.
“Oh, very good. Look, it’s fine. Will you get back under the covers? It’s cold.” Lavender patted the empty space on the pillows.
“No, I’m going to go read in the lounge.”
“Oh, that’s just great,” Lavender answered, rolling over and staring at the wall, her anger catching up with her.
Ginny had become a comforting presence. It had been a week and a half, and Lavender was still in the Hospital Wing. Ginny was asleep in Hermione's bed, since the other girl had run off to goodness knows where. Ginny had assured Parvati that Hermione wouldn’t mind. She had wisely held back a sharp comment about not caring much what Hermione thought; given how Hermione had been towards Lavender last year.
It was the dead of night when Parvati woke with a start, dragging Ginny from her slumber with the noise.
“Parvati?” Ginny asked, after a moment where only Parvati’s heavy breathing filled the room, voice concerned and husky.
Parvati swallowed, trying to chase away the image burned behind her eyes from the dream.
Lavender, her body strewn in a field of her namesake, her face covered in blood and arms covered in gashes. In the distance, a wolf grinned wickedly, a lock of her hair clutched in its jaws.
“It's-” Parvati gulped. The same dream had been plaguing her for days now, but she had never managed to hold it in her mind past waking up. “Lavender. She's in trouble.”
Ginny's brow creased. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been having these dreams...” she paused, the right words hard to grasp so soon after waking up, even in her panicked state, “and Lavender is injured, and, well, Professor Trelawny always says I have a bit of the Seer in me, and something terrible is going to happen, I’m sure of it!” The words tumbled out in a rush.
Ginny was sitting on the edge of her bed seconds later, drawing soothing patterns on Parvati’s legs under the blankets. “Parvati, it’s just a dream, it’s going to be fine,” she whispered.
“No, it was prophetic, Ginny. I know you think it’s all bollocks and nonsense, but I know what I felt,” Parvati said, her eyes finding Ginny in the dim light streaming through the window. “I have to- we have to do something.”
Ginny sighed. “Just tell me how I can help.”
“Ron,” Ginny pleaded, grabbing her brother by the arm. “Leave it!”
Ron sighed, turning around. His red Auror robe swirled behind him. “Ginny, it’s my job. I’ve got to do this, now let me go.” He didn’t raise his voice, and Ginny suspected his heart wasn’t really in it.
“This is about that promotion, isn’t it? I’m telling you to let it be! You think you catch some minor offenders from ten years ago and Kingsley is going to be all praise? Lot’s of Muggleborns went into hiding during the war, you know.”
“Look Ginny, you know I don’t like it either, but they deserted. They’re not Muggleborns, so that clause doesn’t apply. It’s got to be done.”
Ginny chewed her lip. “When are you going?”
“First thing tomorrow,” Ron said, shooting her a suspicious look. “Don’t try and interfere, or you’ll be in trouble too, alright?”
Ginny huffed. “I don’t even know where they are, you know that. Besides, I know better than to get in the way of important Auror business.”
Ron scowled at her tone, but nodded. “Good. Now go home, okay? This isn’t your problem.”
Ginny let go of his arm and Apparated without another word. She’d found in recent years that simply giving Ron the silent treatment was much more effective than an well-aimed Bat-Bogey Hex.
Of course, when she arrived seconds later in the middle of the living room of Lavender and Parvati’s house, Parvati reading a book stark naked on the couch, she regretted her decision somewhat.
“Ginny? What the fuck?” Parvati yelped, trying to cover herself with her hands and the book. Ginny spun around, cheeks flaming.
“Sorry! Just- where’s Lavender? It’s important.”
“I’ll get her,” Parvati said, and Ginny heard her footsteps thud gently across the room.
The house was nice. Ginny had only been there a couple of times in the last few years - Lavender and Parvati kept to themselves - but it was just as homely as Ron and Hermione’s house. Certainly more built out of love than the apartment she kept, which underwent constant redecoration over the course of her and Harry’s on-again, off-again relationship.
“Ginny?” Lavender’s voice rang from behind her, dripping with concern.
“Are you two dressed?” Ginny asked, barely remembering not to turn around. She could almost hear the questioning look Lavender gave Parvati.
“We’re dressed. What’s wrong?”
Ginny turned around and took a deep breath. “You have to get out of here. Ron- come tomorrow morning, your house is going to be flooded with Aurors,” she said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. “I told Ron to let it be, but...”
“I bloody told you so.” Parvati wheeled on Lavender, an accusing finger pointed at her chest. “‘Oh no, it’ll be fine!’ you said, well look, it isn’t bloody fine, I mean for-”
“Stop!” Lavender yelled, cutting Parvati off. “Yes, you were right, and we can talk about this later, but right now, if Ginny’s right, we have to go!”
Parvati grunted and walked out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a couple of duffle bags. Handing one to Lavender, she began tossing things haphazardly into the bag before leaving the room again.
Lavender turned to Ginny, whispering, “Thank you.”
Parvati stood at the edge of the forest, Lavender slung heavily across her shoulder. She was half asleep, but her hands clutched gently at the edges of Parvati’s skirt.
“Remember, keep walking straight. If you get lost, use Point Me. Aberforth runs the Hog’s Head; he’ll help you for the night, but after that you’re on your own. Get into the Muggle world as soon as you can. Try not to use too much magic. You’re both of age, so you should be okay,” Ginny listed off the advice like a reel of Arithmancy problems, and Parvati was grateful for her composure.
“How do you know so much, anyway?” Parvati asked, trying to keep the mood light, despite the enormity of what she was about to do.
Ginny grinned, then answered, “Contingency plans.” She waved her wand over her head with muttered spell, and slowly disappeared under the cover of the Disillusionment Charm. “And Parvati?”
“Yeah?”
“Take care of her.”
Parvati nodded and swallowed, turning around and taking her first heavy steps into a new life.
The hotel room was warm, both in decor and temperature. The bed was enormous, and the crisp white bedding seemed endless.
Lavender and Parvati sat on the edge of the bed, the duffle bags at their feet the only evidence of the last ten years they’d spent with each other.
Silently, Parvati moved her hand across the bed to clutch at Lavender’s. Her hand, cold, tightened in answer.
“We’ll be okay,” it said.
“You’re awake,” Parvati said, matter-of-fact. She sat on the end of the single bed she’d shared with Lavender over the night, her legs crossed, a plate of toast on her lap.
Lavender stared at Parvati, eyes heavy with sleep, but containing a kind of brightness that warmed Parvati’s heart. “Where are we?” she asked, looking curiously around the dirty wooden room.
“The Hog’s Head.” Parvati didn’t go on to explain how they’d come here. Whether Lavender knew she’d been carried all the way from the Hospital Wing or not was unclear, but there would be time for that later.
The room was tiny and the walls scarred from goodness knows what. Padma would be horrified, but Parvati didn’t much care. The ache in her shoulder was secondary, too. She passed the plate of toast to Lavender slowly. “Eat.”
Lavender ate the toast, her eyes not leaving Parvati’s face once. “Did you miss me?” she asked after the last piece was gone from the plate.
Parvati breathed, “More than anything. If Ginny hadn’t...” she paused, then finished feebly, “I hope she got back to Gryffindor alright.”
“Ginny Weasley?” Lavender’s brow furrowed. “Should I be jealous?”
Parvati blushed and cast her eyes downwards. “No,” she said, then quietly, “she’s nice, but she’s not you.”
“Hey.” Suddenly Lavender’s face was a lot closer to her own, and the cuts and bruises on her face barely registered given the intense look in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Parvati meant to say, automatically, but was cut off by the soft but insistent press of lips against her own.
“Oh,” she said.
“Oh,” Lavender echoed, and kissed her again.
