Merry Christmas

Usual Dean was satisfied with his drawings. Whatever he draw, either Hagrid's hut in the early morning mist in front of the forbidden forest or one of his classmates trying to cast a spell right in class, they were great like all his friends assured him. But when it came down drawing the person he had known for 5 years and the person he had a crush on since their third year at Hogwarts, his drawing skills were never good enough. Whenever he tried to draw the cute Irish boy who he shared a dorm with he never was capable of capturing his breath taking smile or the bold sparkle in his blue eyes.

With every new sketch he grew more and more frustrated. Dean needed this picture like normal people needed air. Because for Seamus, Dean was only his best mate. Nothing more. The only way for Dean to have Seamus the way he wanted to was in the form of a drawing because Seamus was straight. Dean was sure of it….ok maybe not 100 %.

Dean was sitting on his bed in the 5th year's dormitory with his tongue between his teeth. It was Christmas time in Hogwarts. The fires were crackling in the common rooms and the stockings of the remaining students hung by the chimney of each house.

In the Gryffindor common room were only 5 socks hanging. Three of them belonged to two first years and one to a seventh year. The other two belonged to Dean and Seamus.

Seamus hadn't told Dean why he was staying in Hogwarts this year, not that Dean cared much why honestly. It was nice…ok more than nice to be alone with Seamus in the dorm room. Dean was finally able to watch Seamus sleep in the middle of the night without to worry that Harry or one of the other two would wake up and find him watching. It wasn't that he feared that they would start to hate him. No, it was the mere thought that they would encourage him to confess his crush to Seamus. He already, sort of, tried it and it went totally wrong.

It had happened during the Quidditch World Cup one year ago. In the rush of panic caused by the death eaters, Dean and Seamus had fled together but soon had lost each other in the crowd. As soon as he had noticed that Seamus had been missing, Dean had turned around and had run back. He had pushed people aside who had been trying to pull him back again. Crying 'Seamus' as he had run, he hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings. So as soon as he had jumped over a smoldering tent, he had clashed into a pair of death eaters, bringing them to the ground with him. Before the masked men had even perceived what had happened Dean had been on his feet again sprinting away. 'Seamus? Where are you?' he had shouted over and over again till a hand had gripped him by his arm and had dragged him behind a still standing tent. He had wanted to push the person away but suddenly he had felt a body pressing against him. 'Seamus?' he had asked softly. The boy who had been pressed to Dean had let out a small whimper and had clasped Dean for dear life. 'Hey it's ok Shay. I'm here' Dean had said and had put his arms around the smaller boy. He had tried to ignore his quicker heartbeat and the so called butterflies in his stomach.

Stupid puberty.

'I thought I lost ye. Ye were suddenly gone and I...' Seamus had mumbled into Dean's shoulder with a quiet voice. 'Hey look at me' Dean had said and had pushed Seamus gently from him but only so far that he had been able to see his eyes. 'I'm here, see? As soon as I figured out you were gone I came back. I wouldn't leave you, you git.' Seamus had smiled at him and had leant a bit closer. 'I know' he had simply said to Dean who finally realized that Seamus was so much closer than it was good for his heart. 'Shay….I….' 'What?' Seamus had asked softly. 'I think I….I…' Dean hadn't had any idea where he had taken the courage from because he had felt like his whole body had been made out of jelly. He had swallowed loudly. 'Seamus I think…I lo…' but he had never got to finish his confession because Seamus' eyes, previously curious, had turned into pure fear. 'Shay? Shay! What's wrong?' had Dean asked full of panic and concern. But Seamus hadn't said a word. He had only shaken his head and had pointed at something behind them. When Dean had turned around he had expected a bunch of death eaters with their wands raised and a curse on their lips. What he hadn't expected was a giant green skull with his mouth open and out of it had been creeping a giant snake. Dean had never seen anything like this. He hadn't had any idea what this sign meant but it hadn't seemed to be something good.

Just when he had wanted to ask Seamus what this meant and why it scared him that much, Seamus' mother had apperated in front of them and without and explanation they had disapparated back to the Finnigan home.

After the Finnigans had explained what the dark mark was, he and Seamus had gone to bed. 'Dean?' Seamus had asked. 'Yeah?' 'What did ye want to tell me?' Dean had sighed heavily and had closed his eyes. 'Nothing. Nothing important.'

Dean sighed frustrated and threw his sketchpad on his bed. This time it was his hair. The soft sandy hair. As cliché as it sounded for Dean Seamus was simply perfect. No picture could keep up with it.

Sighing again he put his head in his hands. Why in the name of the sweet wizard lord had to be in love with this best mate.

'Ye know it's Christmas if I'm not mistaken' said a voice suddenly from somewhere behind Dean. Dean froze. He knew very well who the person standing behind him was. And indeed, standing by the door was none other than Seamus Finnigan with a mocking smile on his face. 'Normally people are all cheerful but ye look like ye just discovered the old git Umbridge in yer drawer.' Seamus walked to Dean who hurriedly hid his sketchpad under the blanket and sat down beside him. 'And since I'm sure the toad is spending her Christmas with the git Filch I don't think that's it. So why don't ye just tell yer best mate here, so we can sneak into the kitchen and help ourselves to a butterbeer or two. What ye say?' He grinned at Dean and Dean was bloody sure his heart had skipped a beat or maybe more. He quickly looked down when he caught himself starring at the Irishman's lips. 'I…no…I don't want…butterbeer but you go' he muttered. Dean finding his hands suddenly very interesting. He expected a teasing joke but Seamus only looked at him for a long time before he asked 'What's wrong?' Dean was a little taken back by the caring in Seamus' voice. Being very keen of avoiding an answer, Dean continued with his mumbling 'I…nothing…everything is brilliant.' 'Sorry mate' cut Seamus him off 'Ye've been acting strange for some time now. So either ye tell me what's going on or I'll spike yer drink with that truth potion Snape told us about.' Trying to beat down a snigger, Dean answered 'You shouldn't have told me that. Now I won't drink anything anymore when you're around.' Seamus glared at him but had also a smile on his lips. 'Hey. I'm trying to be serious here. Just tell me. I'm yer best mate after all aren't I?' Sighing in defeat Dean knew he had to tell Seamus something because he knew that the Irish Leprechaun well enough to know that he really would really try to break into Snape's office and that would not result in only one evening of scrubbing caldrons.

'Fine' he said without looking at Seamus. 'Have you ever liked someone you cannot have?' He figured it couldn't hurt if he at least told Seamus he had a crush on someone. He didn't have to tell him that he was a poof and especially not that he fancied him.

Seamus gave him a strange look before asking 'Like in like or like in LIKE?' 'Like like being in love with somebody but the person is simply off limits?' Seamus furrowed his brows before saying

'If ye're talking about Ginny I'm pretty sure Ron won't mind…'

'No. No it's not Ginny..it's someone else.'

Dean could have sworn he saw a flash of relief in Seamus' face.

'Oh ok. So do I know the person?'

'Maybe but…'

'Is this person a Gryffindor?'

'Shay this is ridiculous.' Dean didn't like the way the conversation was going but Seamus could be very persuasive if he wanted to. Not with his words but with his eyes.

'So?'

'Well yeah maybe…'

'Is the person in the same year as we?'

'Shay…please!'

'I'll take that as a yes.'

'Seamus!'

'Hermione?'

'Dear god no but..'

'Lavender?'

'No!'

'Parvati?'

'No. Please stop' begged Dean but Seamus didn't.

'There are the only girls in our year that means…' And suddenly Seamus who couldn't keep his mouth shut, went silent.

Dean could hear his heartbeat quicken. It almost felt like it wanted to jump out of his chest. By now Seamus must have figured that Dean liked boys. Nobody could be this dense. A few minutes must have passed before Dean felt one of Seamus hands on his cheek which tugged him gently to look at the boy beside him. When he finally met Seamus eyes, he was shocked to find Seamus way closer than before.

'Breath!' reminded him his brain because Dean seemed to have forgotten there was such a thing as air.

'Ye know Dean' Seamus started with a soft glow in his eyes. 'I have a crush on someone myself but as ye I can't tell him.'

Dean swallowed hard. 'Him?' 'Yeah..him.'

Ok Dean don't panic. The person you love and thought was gay only just confessed he's gay. No big deal. Just breathe.

'Why…Why can't you tell him?' Dean whispered.

'Because he's off limits and I'm not really great with my words as ye know but I would show him. I would show him how much I love him. Want to see?'

Dean, no longer trusting his voice simply nodded. A soft smile appeared on Seamus' lips while he leant closer to Dean, resting his forehead on Deans.

Dean was pretty sure he was seconds away from suffering a heart attack.

'See? Like this I would lean to him and look into his beautiful brown eyes.' Seamus leant a bit more to Dean. He now could feel Seamus breath on his lips. 'When I could feel his faster breath…' Here Seamus stopped for a second to slightly brush his lips against Deans. 'I would say to him "I think I'm in love with you...Dean Thomas".'

A huge smile, huger than he thought he was capable of appeared Dean's lips. He put his hands behind Seamus' neck. 'Then he would answer "I think I'm in love with you too…Seamus Finnigan".'

Seamus smiled at him and Dean couldn't hold himself back. He pushed Seamus on the bed and soon his lips found his.

For both of them it was their first kiss. It was a little awkward but to them it was perfect.

While they continued kissing a mistletoe appeared over their heads but they couldn't care less.

They finally had had the courage to tell each other how they felt and they were going to enjoy every minute of it.

On the next morning, Christmas morning, Dean woke up with a huge pile of presents at the end of his bed. Presents from his family and friends but they weren't important to him at the moment.

All what mattered was the present in from of a boy who loved him.

'Merry Christmas Shay' he whispered into Seamus' ear softly.

Seamus, cuddled into his side, kissed his neck gently.

'Merry Christmas Dean.'