October 28 - October 31

Seamus shuffled up the stairs one by one exhausted. From a long day of classes and vigorous spell practise with Harry then two long hours of detention with McGonagall that included casting more spells. He was physically and magically tired. He just wanted to crawl into bed, it didn't matter if it was his or Harry's, and cuddle up with Harry and sleep for a long time. A cuddle and some sleep sounded like the best thing ever to him. He gave the password to the Fat Lady before entering the common room and stumbled a little over the carpet. He was probably more tired than he thought he was.

"Seamus!" Hermione called and he looked up from his downward gaze. He had been making sure he was walking without tripping. His feet were feeling more clumsy than they usually were. "Have you noticed anything weird with Harry?"

"Weird?" Seamus asked trying to think of anything unusual about Harry recently. The only thing different was how hard Harry had pushed him this afternoon during their usual practise time.

"He's been a little depressed lately." Hermione continued and Seamus frowned. Now that he thought about it Harry did get very quiet a few times and seemed to stare off into ether more often. "Halloween is coming up."

"Halloween?" Seamus asked not quite following what she was saying. What would Halloween have to do with anything?

"Yea his parents died on Halloween." Hermione stated and Seamus was shocked. Why hadn't that occurred to him earlier? He must have still looked confused because Hermione continued. "He gets a little depressed and withdrawn this time of year especially on the day. It's really sad and he just mopes around and gets snappy. I was wondering if you could help cheer him up?"

"Ok." Seamus stated and Hermione beamed at him. She frowned a little since he still looked confused and now that she looked closer even a little green. Suddenly Dean was right beside him.

"Seamus? Are you alright?" The dark skinned teen asked putting a careful arm around his shoulder. He had seen Seamus looking uncharacteristically slow and tired from where he had been sitting with Ginny and had come to check on him. Seamus turned his head to him.

"Dean?" Seamus asked with a deeper frown. "I'm really tired. Where did you come from?"

"Across the room. Need any help?" Dean asked worriedly. "Do you need to see Madam Pompfrey?"

"No. I need to sleep. I'm really tired." Seamus stated and began shuffling towards the stairs to the boy's dormitory.

"Is he alright?" Hermione asked looking carefully at the boy. She was worried about him now that she was paying closer attention to him.

"He's tired." Dean answered simply but she could see he was worried as well.

"He doesn't just look tired." Hermione stated taking note of the slightly more pronounced green look Seamus was sporting.

"He does look a little green." Dean commented getting them on the stairs.

"What should we do with him?" Hermione asked as she followed them up.

"He can hear you and he is tired and getting irritated and just wants his bed." Seamus grumbled pushing himself up the stairs with Dean's help. He wasn't sure he could make it on his own. He was unbelievably tired.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital wing?" Hermione asked and Seamus groaned. "It could be something serious."

"It's just a bit of magical exhaustion. I just need to sleep it off." Seamus told them blithely with a flippant wave of his hand. Hermione gaped at his back.

"Magical exhaustion? Nothing serious? Are you crazy?" Hermione asked her voice rising in shock. Magical exhaustion was a serious matter for wizards that could lead to some very serious long term problems or even loss of magic.

"It's not serious right now but it will be serious if you have to take me to see Madam Pomfrey because I would have really exhausted myself when I could just sleep here." Seamus argued and was thankful that Dean was still helping him to their room. Hermione was silent as she followed them with her mouth hanging open in shock. Seamus could hear her muttering about stubborn boys by the time they got to the door to their room. "Where's Harry?"

"He came up here about an hour ago." Hermione told them as Dean pushed the door open. Seamus stumbled through the door again and Dean had to help right him.

"Are you sure-" Dean began but was cut off.

"I'm sure." Seamus said and began moving them towards Harry's warded bed.

"Maybe you should-" Hermione began but was ignored when Seamus pulled at the curtains. They opened to reveal Harry lying on his back reading. He turned annoyed eyes to them but before he could rail into them for invading his privacy Seamus had dropped into the bed on him and curled up. He was literally curled up on top of him and fast asleep. He looked up at Hermione and Dean quizzically. Hermione looked surprised while Dean looked worried and maybe a little disturbed. Harry pushed at his mate and realised he was dead to the world and complete dead weight. He poked at him again, cautiously.

"Seamus?" He called shaking him. Worry was beginning to seep from his Neko half.

"He has magical exhaustion, he's not waking up for now." Dean stated folding his arms as he stared closely at his friend. "Just let him sleep."

"He probably used too much magic today." Hermione added helpfully. Harry looked between the two of them then back at Seamus. The worry he was feel was beginning to ebb but would not leave him completely. He managed to roll Seamus off of him and got up.

"Could you help me get his shoes off?" he asked and Hermione and Dean each took a foot. Harry got to work removing his robe and the heavier more restricting parts of his uniform. Hermione looked away when he got to pulling off Seamus' pants and rearranging him on the bed in a more comfortable position. He pulled the curtains closed when they were done and carried Seamus' clothes over to his bed.

"Will he be ok if he just sleeps?" Harry asked to be sure. He laid the clothes down on Seamus's trunk.

"He should be." Dean stated watching Harry. He could see the worry that was bothering harry and Dean was happy to see that Harry really did care about Seamus. He didn't deny that Harry cared but it was nice to see proof.

"He might need a lot of food when he wakes up. I read that Nekos eat a lot usually and after the level of exhaustion he would need much more food." Hermione told them glad to be helping. She had a worried frown though. "He shouldn't have gotten this tired though. Nekos have a larger magic reserve and are more powerful, normal school shouldn't have put so much stress on him even if his detention included using a lot of magic."

"I may have pushed him a little hard with practise this afternoon." Harry said sheepishly. Dean glared at him instantly. "I might have been a little paranoid. Wanted him to know more and cast better. There was a little wandless magic too."

"Must have been a lot of wandless Harry." Hermione said sternly. Wandless magic was exhaustive for normal wizards but given what she read about Nekos it would have still taken a lot more for Seamus to be this exhausted.

"And wordless." Harry added and Dean glared harder. Wordless magic would be hard but if it was combined with wandless magic that was even more draining.

"Must have been feeling really paranoid." Dean commented and Hermione slapped his arm.

"Can you blame him? He's been through a lot. I would be surprised if he ended up like Moody." She exclaimed.

"The fake?" Dean asked not convinced.

"The real one must have been the same or people would have realised it was a fake earlier." Hermione reasoned. Dean shrugged. Harry sighed and pulled out his wand. He put up privacy wards around Seamus' bed and walked back to his.

"You guys can go back down. I'll look after him." he told them and opened the curtains to crawl back into his bed.

"You're sharing the bed?" Hermione asked shocked. Harry nodded.

"Yes. Have been for the past two weeks." Harry answered drawing the curtains closed. He put up the wards instantly. That didn't stop him from hearing Hermione's shocked 'WHAAATT?!'

Harry rolled Seamus until there was space for him to lie down beside him in the bed before lying down as well. Harry watched as even in this exhausted state Seamus sniffed out his scent and latched onto it to snuggle into Harry's side. Harry wrapped his arms around him welcoming him closer.

After through the night, Harry woke to find Seamus wrapped around him. Seamus' arms were around him, one leg was thrown over him and his face was buried in Harry's neck. Harry smiled before attempting to untangle himself. No such luck.

"Seamus." Harry called lightly shaking the boy. "Seamus!"

"Mmmm." Seamus muttered snuggling closer. Harry shook him again. Realising there was no waking Seamus right now he called for Fobs instead. There was a muffled pop from outside the curtains before Fobs poked his head in.

"Good morning sir. How may I help you?" the house elf asked calmly.

"Good morning Fobs. Please make us breakfast." Harry stated and Fobs' eyes lit up. He smiled brightly and excitedly left the room with another near silent pop. Several minutes later Fobs returned with a large tray filled with breakfast for two. The tray was placed in a corner of the bed that was far away from them.

"Master Harry, the others would like to see Master Harry's Neko mate." Fobs stated politely even as he examined Seamus with his own eyes. It was important to have a good mate for his master after all.

"Oh alright as long as they can be quiet." Harry stated shifting slightly so that Seamus was more visible. Three more soft pops saw Letty, Pots and Cappy peering in with curious eyes. Cappy smiled brightly.

"Will he be coming home for Christmas?" Cappy asked and Harry froze.

"Um. We haven't discussed Christmas yet." Harry answered and all sets of eyes were on him.

"You picked him, you give him a home." Fobs stated with certainty.

"Do I have to do that now? Can't I do that when we're out of school and he's old enough to leave his parent's house?" Harry asked carefully. Thoughts about giving Seamus hadn't even occurred to him yet. This was something he thought they could figure out when they had graduated or were at least 7th years.

"Children mus' stay at parents 'til big nuff to go." Letty agreed patting Harry on his leg. Harry smiled at her.

"He must visit though." Fobs said sternly. Harry nodded, he'd see what we could do. He would like Seamus to visit as well.

"I'll ask him." Harry told them and sent them away. They left quickly and Harry relaxed again. Inviting Seamus home for Christmas would have to wait. October wasn't even over yet.

Harry spent another hour and a half thinking before Seamus so much as shifted. When he finally did it was with a groan that he came back to the land of the awake. He blinked blearily up at Harry.

"Hey. How'd I get in here?" he asked groggily.

"You don't remember?" Harry asked amused. Seamus shook his head. "You don't remember how you just passed out on me and knocked all the air out of me? I thought I was going to die!"

"Sorry about that." Seamus said pushing himself up and to hover over Harry. He shifted up so that he could kiss Harry good morning. "I'll make it up to you later."

"That's fine with me but don't move around too much there's breakfast down there somewhere." Harry cautioned him.

"I know you're tasty Harry but I can't eat you for breakfast. Unless..." Seamus said putting on a thoughtful look as he trailed off.

"That is not what I meant!" Harry exclaimed. His face coloured rapidly. Why was it Seamus was able to find so many innuendos is the things he said.

"I know, love. I just love teasing you." Seamus said kissing him again. He smiled at Harry's slightly dazed look when he leaned away and sat up. Harry looked up at him from his placed still lying down as Seamus straddled him. "You said something about breakfast? I'm starving! I could it a cow! Or two! With a side of milk."

"Milk?" Harry asked teasingly. His hands came up to rest on Seamus' hips. "Is my kitten coming out to play? Kitty milk or cows milk? I'll cater to my little kitten's milky needs."

"Shut up." Seamus grumbled getting off him and turning to the tray near the end of the bed. Harry chuckled but sat up to watch him. "They put milk on the tray! Did you tell them to put milk?"

"No. I guess they just know that you're a kitten and decided to provide it for you." Harry said smiling at him. Seamus glared at him.

"That's not even funny and stop calling me a kitten." the sandy haired boy told him before he began assessing what he should start eating first. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"It's really for you. You drained yourself a lot yesterday. I can live until actual breakfast without." Harry said slipping up behind Seamus and wrapped his arms around him. Seamus' arms were still free so he continued to eat after giving Harry's arm an acknowledging rub. Harry leaned into him resting his chin on his shoulder and sniffing softly at the patch of skin behind Seamus' ears. The younger boy paused his eating briefly but continued without saying anything. "I'm sorry about pushing you so hard yesterday. I wasn't being considerate and I know I was harsh with you as well."

"It's ok. I know you only did it because you were worried. Besides you would make a very hot dictator. I could be your not so competent secretary who you have to show how to really do things." Seamus said causing Harry to blush. He just knew that whole dictator secretary thing was not in any way as innocent as it sounded. Seamus shifted so that he could see Harry's face and smiled "Or an unruly student. You don't want to know half of the things plaguing my mind all through detention last night."

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He didn't have to when Seamus' face became worried. "You know, if something is bothering you, I'm here for you. You can talk to me about it. I'll listen and I'll help even if helping is just being there to listen to you."

"Yea. I'm here for you too." Harry told him and snuggled into his back more closely. Seamus squeezed his hand and got back to his food. He would be there for Harry.

XXXXX

Harry didn't come to him about anything or what was bothering him the rest of the day or the next. However it was obvious that something was still bothering him. He seemed lost in thought sometimes and snippy at others and just seemed to want to hold Seamus and be held as much as possible. Not that Seamus was complaining about that last one but it wasn't good that Harry was this bothered and miserable. He was especially depressed today now that it was actually Halloween. It was Thursday so classes were still on but the Great Hall was already being dressed for the Halloween feast in the evening. His friends were worried. Hermione had even looked at Seamus for advice and all he could do was shrug. Harry hadn't talked to him for him to know how to deal with this.

So it came to past that Seamus was in the Great hall during the Halloween Feast when Harry must have finally had enough and left. He decided it was finally time they had a talk. He made an excuse about stomach ache and being tired and left the room after waving of Ron and Hermione. He hurried up to the common room but Harry must have ran up because he didn't meet him until he got up to their room

Harry was clearly upset. He was stalking the between the beds and looked on the verge on throwing something. He spun around fiercely when Seamus let the door click shut behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked surprised but still upset. His stance was rigid as if expecting a fight but his aggression wasn't directed at Seamus.

"Looking for my mate. He's been miserable all day and doesn't seem to want to talk to me. I really want to make sure he's ok. Have you seen him?" Seamus asked approaching Harry slowly as he spoke until he was just out of arms reach of Harry. Harry was stiff for a few second more before slumping, all the fight leaving him. There was no way he could be mad at Seamus when all the other had wanted was to make sure he was alright. Seamus held his arms wide for a hug and soon he had his arms full of Harry. "What's wrong?"

"It something stupid." Harry mumbled into his neck. He wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it with Seamus. It wasn't anything that he was confident in speaking about. Just being in Seamus arms had already calmed him down plenty. His arms were around Seamus waist while Seamus' arms were around his shoulders and a hand was gently rubbing his back. His face was buried in Seamus' neck as he inhaled the comforting scent of his mate.

"If it's about your parents it's not stupid." Seamus said having guessed what was bothering Harry. The brunet stiffened in his arms before leaning away to look at him.

"If you know it's about my parents why are you asking?"

"I know it's about your parents because I know they died on Halloween but I don't know which part of it affects you. Is it that you've never known them? Is it that you wish you had at least got to know them? or is it that for some reason you think it was your fault?" Seamus raising a hand to push Harry's hair back and cup his face. His thumb brushed softly against his nose and cheek in care. When Harry didn't answer he continued. "I know it's about your parents Harry but there are so many reasons why today could be bothering you so much and I wanted you to tell me about it on your own time. I had hoped you would have trusted me enough to have even mentioned how you felt about Halloween coming up. Now you've almost blown up and maybe talking about it might help at least a little."

"I-I think it's my fault. If I had just been born earlier or even later then-" Harry broke and the sudden rush of words was cut off by Seamus' thumb pressing his mouth shut.

"You could not control your birth. You were conceived at a specific time to be birthed on a specific day." Seamus assured him calmly. Harry looked at him wide eyes on not totally convinced. "Only bad things would have been the cause of you being born early and late birth is not good for the mother. It would weaken her and then she might not have been strong enough to give birth to you especially when you would by bigger than you would otherwise have been."

"You know a lot about pregnancy." Harry said to put the topic away from him.

"My mum's usual argument when I don't want to do anything in the house is that she spent more than nine months pregnant with me then had to birth my huge head so I should do everything she said I should do it without complaining." Seamus explained with an amused tilt to his lips. His mother had gone on rampages about that enough times she had the speech pretty much burned into his brain.

"You were late?" Harry asked surprised at this new titbit of information about his mate.

"Yea. It was only a few days not even a week but she had begun to worry by then." Seamus stated with a small smile. "You don't wish you weren't born do you?"

"Once or twice but it's not really something I like to think about." Harry admitted softly not able to meet Seamus' eyes fully.

"Don't. You were born and there are people who are happy you are born." Seamus told him sternly as he turned Harry's head to look at him properly.

"Only because of Voldemort." Harry said dejectedly. Seamus didn't even twitch at the name since he was busy glaring at Harry for the rest of that sentence.

"Do you think I only like you because of him?" Seamus growled and Harry shook his head quickly. Seamus' eyes had taken on the feline qualities of his Neko form and his grip on Harry had tightened. "Do you think Ron and Hermione only like you because of him? Or Neville and Dean? Or Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys?"

"No." Harry answered weakly. This was the first time Seamus' had been angry with him since they had become mates.

"Those people that only like you because of him are like that because they don't know you. If they actually knew you, they'd love you but I don't want to share so they can go screw themselves." Seamus said vehemently pulling Harry even closer to him and Harry chuckled. He nuzzled into Seamus' neck and felt Seamus rest his head on his shoulders. He still smelt of warmth and hearth and Harry knew he hadn't been near the fire all evening. It had to be his natural scent.

"Now what else is bothering you?" Seamus asked navigating them towards his bed. Harry let him lead him and crawled in with him.

"I've never got to meet them but everyone that knew them says I'm so much like my father and how proud of me they'd be." Harry answered when he was lying on his back in the bed. Seamus was right beside him on his side with his head propped up to look down at him. "But I don't know these things because I never got to know them and I never will. Would they really be proud of my grades in school? That I get into some form of big trouble every year? What would they think about be being a Neko? What would they say about me dating you? Would they support me? Would they hate me? Would they—"

"They would love you because you are their child." Seamus cut him off in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But-" Harry began to protest but was cut off again.

"Anyone who goes through with a pregnancy in the middle of a war where people are aborting children like crazy, would love their child to pieces." Seamus told him seriously. His eyes did not waver from Harry's as he spoke. "They loved you from before you were born. They loved you for the short time they had with you and they still love you in the afterlife."

"Ok."

"It's true, believe it. Don't worry about what you think they would think about you. They would love you no matter what and they aren't here to tell you that but your current family will." Seamus said and Harry chuckled darkly at that. Seamus frowned at that response. "What?"

"Seamus, I can honestly say to you that my home life is really not good and telling me that my parents loved me is not even the least on their mind." Harry said equally as darkly.

There was silence as Seamus looked him in the eyes. Harry was serious and that made something twist in his stomach at what that could mean but Harry said nothing else. This wasn't the time to press Harry about it however.

"Obviously it's not something you want to talk about right now but remember that you can talk to me. I want to know everything about you but I want you to tell me about it yourself and I want you to tell me when you're comfortable and you trust me. I'll listen. Always." Seamus promised before leaning down and kissing him lovingly. "Feeling any better?"

"Yea." Harry murmured watching as a smile stretched across Seamus' lips. "I would feel even better if you got back to kissing me."

Seamus chuckled but obliged him with a slightly longer kiss. "I'll go ward your bed. You get us some food then we can kiss some more afterwards. I know you have house elves at your beck and call."

"Yes sir. I don't think I ate much." Harry commented rubbing his belly thoughtfully.

"I know you haven't eaten much." Seamus told him as he got out of bed. Harry followed him to the curtains and watched the view as he walked away before calling Letty. Dobby was more likely to have food on hand but he was probably still busy with the feast and Harry didn't want to bother him. After asking her to make dinner during which she had discreetly glanced at Seamus who had been busy warding the bed he sent her away with a pretty little rock he had picked up by the lake when he had been there earlier in the day. Her eyes had lit up like muggle headlights when she received it and she immediately set off to work.

"Hey." Seamus said climbing into bed with him again and getting comfortable. "Go on a date with me."