A/N: Yet another fic for Livejournal's sortinghatdrabs comm. x.x Another painful loss for me, bringing me up to SEVEN losses. If my writing wasn't actually getting better from all this, I would quit out of disgust. But I do like the different pairings and challenges the comm offers, so I'm going to stick it out. x.x;; Maybe one day I'll place in second or third place...?

Prompt: Hair

Pairing: Lavender/Padma

Warnings: Femslash, mild sexual tension

Word count: 350

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Braided Hair and Exotic Eyes

Her fingers slid through silky long hair, tugging and smoothing it down as she pulled it into place. Lavender's fingers danced as she weaved the hair into a neat braided pilate. She quietly admired the smooth brown skin that revealed itself as she moved the hair away from Padma's neck. It made her stomach flutter to see it and Lavender blushed, knowing she shouldn't be feeling like this.

This was only a simple favor for her best friend's sister. Nothing more, nothing less. So why couldn't Lavender quite get herself to stop staring hungrily at the delicate nape of exposed skin?

Her task finished, Lavender's fingers grazed the exposed neck, a small shiver going through both of them.

"Sorry..." The Gryffindor mumbled, as Padma stood and examined herself in the mirror.

"It's perfect." Padma smiled at her reflection, her exotic eyes finding Lavender's in the mirror. "You are truly gifted with hair."

"Mum's a hairdresser. It's only genetics." Lavender said, shrugging the compliment off, but something deeper was being expressed through the Ravenclaw's gaze. The words were only for common courtesy, they belied the test Padma was giving her. Surely that's what the clever girl was doing, right?

Lavender hoped so as she moved closer to Padma, placing her hand cautiously on the small of the Ravenclaw's back. Padma's face was the perfect mask as her expression didn't change, only her eyes moved to meet Lavender's, face to face. Lips, pouty and pink, bated the Gryffindor into taking the next step. Claiming the silently offered lips, Lavender found them somehow intoxicatingly spicy and exotic. Like kissing a thousand seasonings that had been mixed into one.

Padma turned her body to fit against Lavender's, her hand catching the neck of the other girl. Lavender was more then eager to mimic the action with her free hand, her fingers hungrily touching at the bare skin, tantalized.

For a small breath, the pair pulled away, only moving their necks as far as the other's hand allowed.

"Is that a part of your genetics too?" Padma teased.

"No. That was all me." Lavender smirked.

-End-