The Secret Dancer
Every day for five years, Seamus Finnegan had loved Hermione Granger. It started in first year, when they were sorted. He'd watched her go up to a waiting McGonagall. She'd closed her eyes calmly. She'd mouthed the words of her favorite song, although Seamus didn't realized that that was what she was doing.
Then in second year, she'd been attacked by that bloody basilisk. He'd visited her in the hospital wing. He'd stayed for an hour before class. Just before he exited, he left a drawing of her he'd done on the table. "You're cute, you know. For a bookworm," he'd said. "Maybe I should come here more often."
In third year, Sirius Black got into the castle, everyone had been on edge, including Seamus. Everyone was asking themselves the same question: How did he get in? It was madness. No one was safe. No one was secure. Almost everyone, even the Slytherins, had had nightmares. Madame Pomfrey had been busy giving them all Dream Potions.
And then last year, as he'd seen her at the Yule Ball, he'd finally understood that his crush was real-time love. He was in love with her. After the ball Seamus saw her sitting on the stairs. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked. "Nothing... Ron was just being an asshole as usual," she sniffed. "Hey," he murmured. He stuck out his tongue and made a funny face, and Hermione burst out laughing. "Jesus. You're crazy, you know that?" He placed his arm around her. "You know, I never meant to say yes to Krum," she said suddenly. "Oh?" Seamus asked, raising an eyebrow. "I only went with him because...well, I didn't have the balls to ask you," she said.
And now as the fifth years studied for OWLs, they were trapped inside for the most part. But Seamus decided to take a study break. He went out to the lake and began to read Dracula. But as he did, it started to pour. It was as if someone had overturned a bucket of water in the sky. As he turned to go, he saw that Hermione was outside as well. She had closed her eyes, and was looking at the sky, her palms spread out and facing the sky. She didn't seem to mind the fact that she was soaked through to the bone. She started to dance. She spun faster and faster and couldn't seem to stop. He called out to her. "Hermione! Are you mad? You'll get sick!" She jumped.
"You scared the shit out of me!" she said, coming to him. "You're shivering. Come on, let's get you inside," said Seamus, ignoring her. He ushered her inside, and wrapped a spare cloak of his around her. "So where'd you learn to dance?" he asked. "Books, mostly," she replied. He snorted. "I should have known." She laughed. "It's a form of classical Indian dance, called bharatnatyam. I learned how when my parents took me to India as kid." "You're very good," he said. "Do you remember last year, what I said at the ball about wanting to ask you?" she asked him. He nodded. "I was trying to find a way to tell you that Ifancied you. So much for being in the house of the brave," she said.
"Mione.." Seamus said. "I'm trying to tell you that I've loved you since we were in first year, Seamus. It was always you I loved. It wasn't Ron or Krum or even Harry. At one time I thought it was but I was wrong," she said. "Seamus, say something, anything!" she begged. "Fine. Kiss me," he said. "You're serious?" she asked in incredulity. "Aye, I am!" said Seamus. "Now kiss me!" And she did. Oh, yes, she did. She loved him, after all.
