Dean was running; running faster than he had ever done before. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was hammering hard against his chest. There were limitless doubts flooding into his mind as he ran, but he knew what he had to do. He knew that he had to do this.
But what if he -
No. He had to do this. Reminding himself that this was a priority was the only thing that kept him running.
His foot slipped, and he stumbled back a few steps, rolling painfully down the marble. But he got back up. He had to. His sides ached in pain, and he could feel sweat sliding down his forehead. But he didn't care what he looked like; he didn't care that he had scars and scratches across his face from battle, or that his shabby clothes were blood-stained and ripped. He had to keep running. He had to.
"Dean!"
He knew that voice anywhere. That loud, Irish-accented voice that he had grown to..
"Dean!"
He whipped around, searching frantically for Seamus. He could hear footsteps all around him, and people in pajamas and robes were rushing passed him. But he had to find Seamus. He had to.
And then he saw him, Seamus; the boy with the scruffy, sandy-brown hair and those brown eyes that seemed to make Dean..
"Seamus!" he said, rushing down the steps to where his fellow Gryffindor stood, gazing up at him wide-eyed, blood trickling down his face.
"Dean, what yeh doing?" Seamus asked, "Why're yeh over here? You should be out at the Quidditch pitch, that's where everything's goin' do -"
"I had to tell you something," Dean said exasperatedly, "Something important."
"Well, what is it?" said Seamus; his eyes fixed on Dean, who could have sworn that he saw them widen almost excitedly.
"I -" Dean started. He had to do this. He had to.
"Well, come on. Out with it, will yeh?"
" - had to tell you that you have something on your nose."
Dean leaned forward and made to wipe Seamus's nose, pulling back his hand and then nodding. "There you go. All gone."
Seamus gave him a blank look. "That's... all you had to tell me?"
Dean's gaze lingered, and then he nodded disappointingly. "Yep, that's all."
"Right."
"Well, there is a war going on now, so.."
He turned and headed back up the stairs awkwardly, but he felt something sweaty grab hold of his wrist and he cracked his head around quickly. Seamus's grip around Dean's arm fell, and he felt his heart pound even harder when he felt the Gryffindor hold his hand; Dean gulped hard.
Seamus pulled Dean down the steps again, licking his dry lips. "Hey, Dean."
Dean nodded awkwardly; "Yeah, Shay?"
And Seamus pulled. Dean flushed red as he felt his lips press against his fellow Gryffindors, and he felt his heart swell when Seamus began to embrace him tightly, running his fingers through Dean's hair. These few seconds felt like hours, and when they pulled away Dean felt disappointed.
"You - uh - had something on your nose, too," Seamus said, his cheeks red and the tiniest of smiles curling on his lips.
"Yeah?"
"I - I think I got it."
