Watching The Sunset

Hester stood beside Lavender next to the encompassing darkness of the Forbidden Forest. She gripped the other girl's hand tightly as they waited for the light to fade and the sun to set.

"I never asked," said Hester conversationally, "but why were you in the hospital wing?"

She hoped that Lavender wouldn't mind her asking. She really wanted to stay friends with this girl, although this didn't feel like it would stay like just friends; she'd never had a friend who held her hand before, or looked at her the same way Lavender did. Dear Wizard God, her head was messed up at the moment.

Lavender kept her eyes on the sunset as Hester spoke, even though she was dying to look at the girl again.

"I had a headache. I've been having a lot of them lately, so I've been in there alot. Hence how I knew where that serum was," She smiled a little, savoring the feel of their skin touching. "can I ask, why were you there? What panicked you?" Lavender wasn't sure she should have brought it up, but she wanted to know about this beautiful girl beside her. She wanted to know everything there was to know about Hester.

Hester could feel Lavender's shoulder against hers. She liked it there. The other girl's body was warm and soft. She wanted to have more contact, but she didn't want to ruin what they had, particularly since Lavender was younger than her.

"I had a panic attack. I've had them since I was a kid. Just really, really weird feelings, and my body starts trying to shut down," she said. It felt easy to tell things to Lavender. Things that she'd never told anyone before. "This one started at the lake. I'm- Well, lets just say I'm terrified of water. Anything bigger than a basinful and it freaks me out. I was looking at something and I ended up stood in the lake, just up to my ankles. But then I freaked out, I screamed and I had a panic attack."

She paused. She had said a lot. She never normally spoke that much.

"There were a couple of people there who helped me out, but I had to go to the hospital wing on my own," she finished.

"Well, I've never told anyone that much before..." she said, smiling at Lavender.

Lavender listened closely, she understood completely. When Hester said she'd never told anyone that she attempted to hide a proud grin.

"You haven't? Well then, I feel honoured," She nudged Hester playfully before continuing. "I used to be scared of water when I was younger. Me and my brother had gone swimming in the lake near my house, and I was stung by a jellyfish. I had an allergic reaction and refused to go in water ever again. I got over it though, maybe you will? I could help?" Lavender stopped herself there, unsure as to whether Hester would want to be talking about this. She slapped herself mentally before changing the subject. "Then why did you just tell me?" She scooted a little closer to the pretty red head, so their legs were touching side by side. It felt like they were meant to be, like magnets almost.

Lavender moved closer and Hester, without thinking (it was better to do these kinds of things without thinking) slipped her arm around her. It was getting cold, because the light was almost gone.

"Yeah, maybe you could help me," she said with a smile. "It's time I got over it. You'll have to put up with me freaking out though," she added. She hoped that Lavender would still want to try. That Terry girl had offered to teach her how to swim, but she hadn't known about Hester's phobia, just the fact that she couldn't.

Lavender almost jumped again as Hester put her arm round her, but she held it back and instead leant into the pretty girl. She couldn't quite believe her luck, cuddling with the prettiest girl she'd ever seen.

"I would love to help," Lavender smiled up at the red head, who's hair was mingling with her own now. The colours together looked amazing. "You can freak out as many times as you need. It won't put me off," It was beginning to get cold out now, so Lavender snaked her arm round Hester's waist too. They could keep warm easier this way.

"Thank you," said Hester, happily.

Hester smiled happily. Lavender had her arm around her now, and Hester felt really happy, and lucky. She wondered why she felt like this, but decided to leave that thought be for now.

She wondered what they should talk about. She decided to start off with the normal things people asked each other when they came to Hogwarts, although her and Lavender had covered some of those already.

"What subjects are you taking?" she asked. "A bit of a boring question, but I was wondering if you'd be in my class."

Lavender smiled too, keeping hold of Hester's waist gently.

"Subjects, right. The reason we're here," She sniggered quietly. "History of Magic, Potions, my two favorites. Care of Magical Creatures, Charms and Herbology. Possibly Runes. What about you?" Lavender lent slightly, to sniff Hester's hair, it was so close she couldn't stop herself. It smelt divine.

"All of them," said Hester. "Like a right Ravenclaw. 'Cept they take them because they like learning. Since I'm muggle born, I want to know everything I can. I don't wanna get left behind."

She hoped Lavender didn't think she was a swot, because she really wasn't. She found some of the lessons a right drag. But she wanted to be able to function as a proper witch, to be able to blend in so nobody could even tell what her bloodline was.

Lavender laughed lightly as Hester explained how she'd taken everything. For some reason, it didn't surprise or deter her.

"Everything?" Lavender raised an eyebrow. "I admire you for that," She paused. "I would never let you get left behind," Lavender could no longer help herself, she ran a hand through Hester's beautiful looking hair. It was so soft, Lavender began to question whether she was actually dreaming, and really only sleeping in the Hospital Wing still.

Hester smiled at Lavender's next words.

"Thank you," she said softly. Since the trauma at the lake, she had been feeling rather vulnerable, so the fact that Lavender was two years younger and yet the one who was looking after her didn't deter her. She was glad that someone was looking out for her, who liked her.

Lavender ran a hand through Hester's hair and Hester shivered involuntarily. Not from shock or fear or dislike, rather because she liked it a lot.

She huddled closer to Lavender. The sun had pretty much completely gone down now, and they would stood in near pitch darkness next to the forest.

Lavender giggled as Hester shivered, cuddling her closer. "You're welcome," She smiled. The sun was gone now, leaving them in almost pitch black, Lavender quite liked the dark. The castle looked beautiful too, the lights in the windows making it look a little like a Christmas tree. "Are you scared?" She glanced at Hester in the darkness, their faces closer than she thought. The forest was beside them, calling to Lavender almost, inviting her in.

"Nah," breathed Hester. She hadn't realised how close their faces were. "I'm a Gryffindor."

She pulled Lavender even closer. "Are you scared?" she asked. "Because if you're not, I know something we could do."

She glanced over at the forest. There was something beautiful about the hauntingly dark shadows within it.

Lavender laughed at the red heads comment about being a Gryffindor. She had a point.

"Course I'm not," She stuck her tongue out. "I'm a Slytherin," Lavender yanked Hester to her feet before pulling their bodies together and breathing in Hester's ear. "What did you have in mind?" A wild shiver went down Lavender's back, she was excited.

Hester motioned towards the forest.

"Wanna take a look?" she asked, her eyes flashing excitedly. "I don't know lumos yet, so it's gonna be dark..."

She gazed into Lavender's eyes, suddenly speechless.

"I-"

She couldn't get the words out, and those lips were so teasingly close. She shivered again.

"What do you say?" she asked. "You up for it?"

Lavender glanced over at the trees before returning her gaze to the red head in front of her. Their faces were close, and Lavender sniggered as Hester tried to muster coherent words.

"Yep. I'm up for anything," She licked her lips as she stared at the other girls perfect features in the dark. "Shall I lead the way?" Lavender took Hester's hands and dragged her along with a grin.

Lavender dragged Hester into the forest and the wrong feeling slipped away from her, leaving only the feeling of 'this is right'.

"Where are we going?" she whispered to Lavender. "Further in?" She wanted to get far enough in so that no one else would be able to find them. She hoped they'd be able to get back out, but what was the point in being reckless if you were worried about how it would end.

Hester watched the younger girl's hair stream out behind her as they ran;it was beautiful. So soft, so pretty.

Lavender grinned as the two of them went deeper into the woods. If she was honest, she didn't know where they were going, as long as she was with Hester she didn't really care. As Hester whispered Lavender shivered happily, letting a warm feeling rush over her.

"Yes, further. As long as I'm with you, I don't care," All light was gone now. Lavender looked up at the sky, it was barely visible through the trees but still made a beautiful sight. "Look," She pointed upwards with a hand still grasping Hester's.

"Wow," breathed Hester, gazing up at the now star speckled sky. "They're like tiny diamonds," she whispered. She turned to face the younger girl. They were so close and the moment felt so right. This whole night was wonderful.

No one would find them in the forbidden forest. Why would they even look? Hester doubted that anyone had even realised that they were missing.

Lavender grinned as she watched Hester look up at the sky. When the other girls gaze fell back on her Lavender had to stop herself from gasping, they were so close. Faces almost touching.

"Almost as beautiful as you," Lavender muttered with a grin before giggling. She searched around them for somewhere they could sit. There was a patch of grass a few feet away so Lavender skipped over and sat down, pulling Hester with her.

The trees rose up menacingly around them, but Hester wasn't scared. She was happy, sitting next to Lavender in the dark.

She was beginning to feel the cold so she pulled the girl closer to her, wrapping her arms around her. She knew that she was being rather daring, but she seemed to be on some sort of adrenalin rush. She knew that she would never have started this on any other day, so she had been glad that they had met the way they had.

She turned and glanced at Lavender's perfect lips. Then she turned away quickly. She had never felt like this before and it was confusing her.

Lavender moved closer to Hester as their arms wrapped round each other. The red head was so pretty, and the way she looked quickly away told Lavender she was shy too. Confused perhaps. Lavender had had these sorts of feelings for a while now, despite her age, so she was used to it.

"It's ok, you know," She put a hand to Hester's cheek. "Whatever you're feeling, it's natural. Just different," Lavender bent her head and kissed Hester's shoulder sweetly.

Hester blushed. She didn't know where the embarrassment had come from, after all this time spent with Lavender. Why now?

She felt awkward all of a sudden. And scared.

"Why?" she asked Lavender softly. "Why do I feel like this? I've never felt like this before. Not at all. Not around anyone. Not even really around a boy."

Lavender noted Hester's obvious new found embarrassment, she didn't want the girl to feel bed. Hester seemed to become awkward, as well as a little scared.

"I don't know. I asked myself the same thing when it first started for me. You'll get used to it," Lavender shrugged slightly. There wasn't much she could do, except make the girl feel comfortable. "It's okay. I'm here," She brought Hester closer and hugged her tightly.

Hester shrugged off her anxiety and hugged Lavender back. She didn't want this to stop, whether or not it was good or bad. She liked it, and she wanted the night to last forever. She didn't want the night to be spoilt by her acting up.

"Do you wanna go further in?" she asked Lavender daringly. "We might see something interesting."