4 YEARS LATER

When you were dating someone, it was an inevitability that you got to know your boyfriend's friends and that you spent time with them. But the problem was when your boyfriend was much more social than you were and his friends met up very often, and those friends wanted you to come along. Although I felt bad for thinking in such a way, I continued to come up with excuses to have to evade these sorts of days.

It wasn't as if I didn't like his friends, because I did and I got along with them as if they were my own friends, but sometimes Gryffindors were just too much. They were overly enthusiastic about everything, especially if there was some sort of risk to whatever they were doing. Just last month Seamus had arranged to go bungee jumping with his friends and I had drawn the line at that. There was no way in hell that I was going to risk my life by throwing myself off of a cliff. Gryffindors were foolhardy and reckless but I was not.

I'd had a reason for avoiding bungee jumping but how could I avoid something as innocuous as Dean's birthday party. Not only was he Seamus's very best friend, but he had also at some point become my friend. It was just a birthday party and as I was getting dressed, that was what I was saying to convince myself. Finally, once I had finished getting ready and headed out into my living room where Seamus was waiting, I decided to just get this over with.

Seamus, hearing the sound of my footsteps against the floorboards, looked up from where he was sitting on the sofa. He straightened up, eyes looking over me and when they came to a still on my face, he couldn't help but chuckle. Rising to his feet, he recognised my answering scowl and was quick to justify.

"You should see the look on your face," he said coming towards me and taking my hand. "You look like you're being walked to your death, not to a birthday party."

"I'm not ready to be dealing with a bunch of drunk Gryffindors," I confessed, shaking my head a little despairingly. When Seamus chuckled again in response, I reached out with a sigh to swat at his chest. "Let's just go already."

"Dean is going to be so touched when he hears how much you're looking forward to seeing him again."

I didn't even bother to give him a sarcastic remark a response. Instead, I rolled my eyes and let him apparate us out of my flat and into Dean's which, as we soon found out, was full of people. Everyone was already mingling, the majority with a drink in their hands and I swore that some of them were already drunk – or well on their way to being drunk. It was loud and brash and what I had expected right from the moment Seamus had brought it up.

As we found ourselves making our way through the crowd, Seamus squeezed my hand as if to reassure me that he was still there. We emerged on the other side, heading off in search of the birthday boy who we found emptying a bottle of fire whiskey in one go. I scowled sympathetically as if I could feel the burn of it in my own throat.

"Seamus!" Dean called out loudly, saying his best friend and instantly heading towards him as he swayed a little on his feet. I always found it funny that Dean who was so much bigger than my boyfriend had an alcohol tolerance that was so low when compared to Seamus's.

Dropping my hand, Seamus crossed the remaining space between them and embrace Dean who clapped him on the back until he spied me. His eyes settled onto me as I stood awkwardly behind Seamus and he straightened up instantly, grinning wide and pointing at me with a goofy smile. He was already tipsy.

"Bell!" he chimed loudly as he released Seamus and headed towards me. Coming to my side, he threw an arm easily around my shoulder and escorted me out of the room, leaving Seamus far behind. "I'm surprised you came along. It's been a month since I last saw you."

"I was busy."

He peered down at me, rolling his eyes. "Liar."

"Alright, it was a lie," I admitted, knowing he likely wouldn't remember it in the morning.

As we continued to walk through the apartment, Dean would occasionally wave at the people who came up to him but wouldn't remove his arm from around my shoulder. I personally believed that he was using me to remain standing upright.

When we came to a stop so he could get another drink, he turned towards me, suddenly serious, "You'll be surprised how much heartache you caused Seamus. We were all so certain that you would never date him because you're out of his league."

"Aren't you supposed to be on his side since you're his friend?"

"Just because I'm his friend, it doesn't mean that I don't know the truth," he admitted only to get distracted when he spied Harry. And then suddenly he was releasing me and throwing himself at the saviour of the wizarding world. Potter struggled a little at the sudden assault before adjusting to holding Dean.

I shook my head with an affectionate smile and turned away in search of Seamus who I found a few steps behind me. He had, no doubt, been following us to make sure that I didn't collapse under Dean's weight. When I tried to give him a smile, he pouted immaturely.

"Did you happen to forget that you had a date?" he frowned, coming up to stand by my side and wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Seamus," I said mock seriously with a smile. Turning into him, I reached up to pinch both of his cheeks, "Jealousy really does not suit you."