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Lavender had always smelled of vanilla. Sweet, warm, a little dizzying, almost overpowering, like her personality and yet, something Ron couldn't quite get enough of.It clung to his sweaters, it lingered in the air in the spaces between his fingers when she held his hand, and it clung to him in the air as she leaned too close, and whispered secrets in his ear just because she could.Ron had never thought he was going to fall for her. Not really. Not like this.But Merlin, it had happened fast.One moment, she was giggling at something he said, and the next, she was kissing him, soft and eager, and Ron was gone—completely, utterly lost in her."Ronnie," Lavender hummed, stretched across his bed in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, her head on his chest. The sun was starting to set, casting soft shades of pink and gold outside the window, bathing her skin in a warm light. "I think you don't hate me as much as you used to."Ron huffed, his fingers tracing circles on her shoulder absentmindedly. "Did I ever hate you?"You acted like I was the most annoying person on the planet for years." She grinned, propping herself up on one elbow, her hair falling over her bare shoulder where she had tugged her sweater down. "You still roll your eyes at me at least five times a day."Ron rolled his eyes—just to prove her point—but his lips twitched into a smirk. "Yeah, well, you talk a lot.""You like it when I talk," Lavender teased, poking his side.Ron let out a half-hearted grunt, but he didn't deny it. Because she was right.He did like when she talked-liked the way her voice rose when she got excited about something, the way she said his name like it was the prettiest thing she'd ever heard.Lavender watched him for a moment, then sighed dramatically. "I bet you don't even love me."Ron's heart did something stupid in his chest.Lavender was always like this-playful, teasing, saying ridiculous things just to make him react. But this time, there was something different in the way she said it, something hesitant, something careful.His fingers stilled against her skin.She was still smiling, but it wasn't her usual easy, carefree grin.Ron swallowed.He wasn't good at this-the whole feelings thing. But he could feel hers, could hear them in the way her voice softened at night when she thought he was asleep, could see them in the way she looked at him like he was the only thing in the room that mattered.And he knew-he knew-that she needed to hear it.So he breathed, let himself be soft for her, let himself fall a little more."I do, you know."Lavender blinked, her lips parting slightly. "Do what?"Ron cleared his throat, refusing to look at her. "Love you."For a moment, she was silent.Then, she shone."Say it again," she breathed, tugging closer, the tip of her nose brushing his.Ron grunted, his arms tugged her in nonetheless. "You're such menace.""Say it again."He sighed, but there was a smile tugging at his lips now too. He cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek, and when he said it this time, it was quieter. Softer."I love you, Lav."She melted against him, pressing her forehead to his."Took you long enough," she murmured, kissing him once, twice, three times like she couldn't help herself.Ron laughed into her lips, his fingers tangling in her hair, and thought—if this was what it meant to love her, he never wanted to stop.Because loving Lavender Brown felt easy.Like summer. Like vanilla. Like something warm and dizzying and soft.And Ron was completely, utterly gone.