I flop onto my bed, not bothering to pull the curtains shut. I don't care. I don't care anymore. He can see me this way. I don't care.

It's not even five minutes when I hear the dorm room door open. I'm trying to choose whether to feign sleep or flat-out ignore him. Before I can make any sort of decision, though, I hear him stop at the foot of my bed.

'Dean?' I freeze. 'I'm sorry.'

My eyes screw shut of their own accord and I curse myself for reacting.

'I tried. I tried to tell them. I promise.' After a minute of strained silence, he sighs and sits on the edge of the bed.

'Promising won't stop them taking you away from me.' I sound angry, though I'm not exactly sure if I feel that way.

'I know. I know, Dean. I just—they're my parents and I have to go with them.'

I can't take it anymore. I sit up, facing him in one swift motion. 'But they don't care. About me. About us. To them, we're friends and that's it. Because they don't like us and who we really are.'

He looks at me, tears beginning to form in those deep brown eyes. 'Don't. Don't make this harder for us than it has to be.'

'Fuck, Seamus, I'll miss you.'

I throw my arms around his neck. It seems that I don't care hasn't worked as well as I'd hoped.

'God, I'll miss you too. I'll miss you so much, love, and I don't know what to do.'

Then we're both crying and it seems our last moments together will be spent in tears.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I run my hand through his hair. 'Promise me,' I mutter. 'Promise me you'll write me from Castelobruxo. If you promise that, it'll be okay.'

'Of course. Of course I will. No one can stop me. Not even my parents.'

I look at him, smiling slightly despite the wrenching of my heart. 'I love you, Seamus,' I murmur.

He touches his hand to my cheek. 'I love you too. More than you could ever know. I'll try and come and see you in the summer.'

'How are you going to get from Brazil to Scotland?' I ask him incredulously.

'I'll find a way,' he says, determined. 'I'll find a way back to you. I'll come back to you.'

I touch my lips to his for not even two seconds and I find my heart protesting when I pull away.

'Seamus… don't leave me.' I plead with him once again.

'Dean… you know I have no choice.'

I sigh deeply. 'I know. I'm sorry. I love you.'

'I love you too.' He gets up off the bed. 'I'm going to go before my dad comes to look for me.'

'... Okay.'

I look away as he walks to the door and only meet his eyes when his lips echo my name. 'Yes?'

'I'll never stop loving you.'

I manage a small smile. 'I don't expect you to,' I tell him, the smirk in my voice audible.

All he does is wink at me with a monotonous, 'Goodbye, Dean,' before he leaves me in the room alone.

I sit there on my bed, motionless, unblinking, unthinking. I had thought that this would have impacted me more and now that it hasn't, I don't know what to think.

I was sure I'd have a breakdown. I was sure that I wouldn't be able to stop screaming and shouting. But it hasn't happened that way.

I look up and see Harry sitting on his bed, facing me. He grimaces; a silent sign saying I'm here for you. I nod at him, not quite managing a smile.

With Harry here, I feel powerful. I fought alongside Harry all the way to seventh year and in eighth year, he'll fight alongside me.

Together, we'll be strong.

With Harry, my best friend, I'll be strong in the absence of my Seamus Finnigan.