Summary: Seamus was always there, whether Bridey liked it or not. Their mothers were best friends from their Hogwarts days and ended up living next door to each other. So, subsequently, they grew up together. They are very close together, and Bridey is infatuated with him. As they grow older, Bridey has mixed feelings for him. She's irritated that he's changed, but also finds herself inexplicably drawn to him and his Irish eyes. This is the story of their relationship in all of its stages--the ups, the downs, and everything in between.
It was one of those rare days in Ireland—the kind of day where no rain fell and the clouds parted from the sky. Sunlight filled the clear air and glinted off of golden fields of wheat. Wind gently brushed the green grass. It was a beautiful day—a perfect day in Ballinafad, a small village in the county Sligo. Just outside of the village, in vast fields of green, stood two young children—a boy and a girl standing hand in hand— each a half a mile from their home.
The girl glanced nervously back at her cottage. She could feel panic crawling up her spine and she froze. Her mother would be so worried when she noticed…
"Don't you trust me?"
The girl quickly turned back towards her companion. There was a frown tugging at his lips and his eyebrows were drawn tightly together; the girl could see a sadness in his eyes. She hated to see him looking sad.
"Of course," she whispered, nodding her head meekly.
"Good." He gave her hand a squeeze and flashed her his famous grin; it was a mischievous smile that lit up his whole face. His light blue eyes shone with the light. Whenever the girl saw that smile, she couldn't help but to smile herself, despite the voice of warning that shouted out in the back of her mind.
"Where are we going anyway?" She glanced back over her shoulder at her house. It looked so small—so distant. She couldn't help but worry how her mom would react. Her mind started to race; her heart was pounding. For a seven-year-old, she thought an awful lot and worried even more. She tightened her grip on her companion's hand.
"I just want to show you something."
"Well where is it?" the girl demanded.
"Bridey, you worry too much." He flashed her another grin and a wink. Despite herself, the girl—Bridey was her name—felt her cheeks burn red. Tripping on her own feet, she stumbled forward, nearly wrenching her hand from his.
"Are you okay?" he asked. He knit his eyebrows together in concern as he stabilized his friend.
"I'm fine," she murmured, her cheeks growing hotter.
"Don't worry, we're almost there."
The pair walked on for a few minutes. Bridey could see a shape starting to take form on the horizon. As they got closer, she realized it was a big pile of stones. Curious, she started to walk faster. Soon, her hand slipped out of that of her companion and she was running ahead, her slight little legs carrying her swiftly across the flat landscape.
"Hey! Bridey, that's not fair!"
But she was already there, standing beside the pile of stone with a look of wonder on her young face. The stones stood higher than she had expected, and they weren't exactly in a pile. She wandered around it curiously, racking her brain to think of what it was. Her mother had shown her pictures before of things similar, and she had seen many old castles, but this one seemed different. It was smaller and even more mystical.
"Seamus, what is it?" She looked up at the older boy, expecting him to know, just as he always did.
"I dunno. It's great though, innit it?" He grinned broadly at her, his eyes glimmering. "We could play adventurer here! We could fly out and—" He stopped himself and looked over at Bridey. Once again, her face had taken on a nervous expression.
"I don't care for flying."
"You could ride with me! C'mon Bridey, it would be fun!"
Bridey frowned in thought and lowered herself to the ground. Adventure and flying was all fine and dandy in writing, but the real thing always worried her. Seamus was constantly dragging her off with him on these little quests, and as fun as they were, they scared her. She was only seven, and he was nine. Two years didn't seem like much of a difference, but there was a great distinction between the two ages.
"Please?"
"Oh, alright."
She was too willing to do what he wanted. All it took was one pleading look or a grin and her little heart melted.
"I promise I'll always take care of you."
"You better," Bridey warned. "Your mum'll kill you if anything happens to me."
Seamus laughed airily. Everything about him was so carefree; Bridey envied him. She had never been like that. Her mother called her her "little Grandma." Bridey was constantly fretting over small matters and she used caution where most others her age acted impulsively. She thought too much and acted too little. Even at her young age, she had come to the conclusion that their differences were what drew her to Seamus.
"So whadda ya think this was?" He stretched himself across the grass, propping himself up on his elbow.
"Oh, it could have been anything," Bridey replied thoughtfully. "A part of a castle, maybe, or a house? Or maybe a shed to someone's farm. I bet that, whatever it was, there was magic here."
"Why do you suppose that?"
"Well, why else wouldn't we have seen it before? It could have been hidden by a charm, but it wore off. What do you think?"
"I think," Seamus began, crawling to his feet, "that you are much too smart to only be seven. Are you sure that is all you are?"
Bridey blushed and ducked her head. "Yes. My birthday was just a few weeks ago."
Seamus grinned again, shaking his head. "I know it was. I was only joking."
"Oh." She felt her blush deepen once again.
"But, speaking of your birthday…I have something for you."
The girl's eyes widened in surprise; she felt her heart skip a beat. "You-you do?"
"O'course! I couldn't ferget my little Bride's birthday, now could I?"
Bridey had to hide her face completely, hoping he didn't notice how bright she became at the use of his nickname for her.
"Well? Don't yeh want to know what it is?"
"Of course I do!"
"I really think you'll like it."
"Now you're getting me all curious!"
"Good!" he exclaimed, his impish grin spreading across his face again. He wordlessly started to head back towards the houses. Bridey gasped and jumped over the rocks, nearly tripping as she tried to catch up with him.
"You were just going to leave me?"
"Of course not!"
"It looked like you were."
"I could never leave you." He paused and looked at her curiously. He smiled, but it wasn't the same as usual. "Like you said, me mum would kill me." He took a long look up at the clear blue sky before saying, "Do you want your present now? I have it with me?"
"You do?!" Bridey exclaimed. A grin broke out across her face; she couldn't imagine what he would have gotten her.
"Yes I do. I've been saving up for it a long time, you know," he said, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a green box. "So I really hope you like it." He hesitated for a moment, frowning slightly at the box in his hand. It wasn't wrapped, and the edges were a little worn down from previous uses. But the contents, he knew, were better than the box suggested. "Here."
Bridey carefully took the box in her hands. Seamus watched her face, and was pleased to see that she was not put off by its presentation. She carefully removed the Spellotape from the edges and lifted the lid. A smile lit up her round face.
"Thank you," she squeaked.
"You're welcome," Seamus bashfully answered, digging his foot into the ground. "My mom said you'd like it, and I thought it was pretty enough."
"It is. Thank you, Seamus."
"Do you want me to put it on for you?"
"Oh, yes please." She lifted the gift from out of the box. It was a necklace,
silver and delicate. There was one single charm on it—a claddagh with a small green jewel on the heart.
Seamus gently took the necklace from her and clipped it around her neck. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before leaning in and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. Then, without a second thought, he sprinted off. Bridey gasped, her face coloring again as she sprinted after him.
As usual, he had caught her off guard.
"Seamus! Wait up!"
"Never! You'll have to catch me!"
She picked up her pace, running harder and harder, but he always seemed just out of reach. She was growing breathless and weary. She couldn't keep this up forever. Eventually, she'd have to give up the chase and just move along.