A/N: My original chapter 2 was about 14 pages handwritten… so I've split it up into smaller blocks cuz I really want to post. This chapter has more stuff, and there's lots of people. Walking around. Doing…stuff. Yeah.
Hey, give me break, I'm really tired.
Thanks again to Meg Albatou for the use of her computer.
(Nymphean: Em, can I use your computer?
Meg Albatou *Still half asleep*: No, I hate you.
Nymphean: Okay! *Type type type*)
Also, thank you to Stranger (The best thing you've read all day?! THANK you! *adds Stranger to 'people of the year' list…* There's more coming… hold up!)
Enjoy! Luv, -Nymphean
Chapter 2: Several More Revelations of a Rather Odd Sort…
Seamus Finnigan lurked sulkily in one corner of his four-poster bed. The curtains were drawn around him so that no light could get it, but Seamus could tell it was a sunny day from the way Dean was whistling.
In the small bathroom, Dean Thomas rinsed the last of the shaving cream from his face and toweled off his newly-smooth skin, grinning at his reflection. "Seamus, get out of bed! You're missing the best part of the day!"
"What, the part where I kill you?"
Dean chuckled merrily. "Come on, stupid! You've already missed breakfast!"
"Too early!" yelled Seamus, covering himself with the blankets. Dean rolled his eyes.
"You asked for it," he muttered under his breath, going back into the bathroom and returning with a bucket of ice cold water.
Neville Longbottom, who had just entered the dorm room, took one look at Dean and his ammunition and squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his temples. "Not again, Dean!"
Dean nodded solemnly, then threw back the hangings around Seamus' bed and pitched the water at him.
There was a yell and a crash and a very amused chuckle, and then a very wet and very irritated Seamus was on his feet and glaring at Dean.
"Oh, you think that's FUNNY, do you?" He demanded, placing his hands on his hips. Dean tried his very hardest to keep a straight face.
"No, Mr. Finnigan, Sir!" Seamus shook his head, his very wet sandy brown hair spraying the entire room with tiny droplets of water.
"I'll get you, Thomas," Seamus growled blackly. "You'd better sleep with one eye open!" Dean could see Seamus' mouth turn up at the corners before he turned away, heading towards the bathroom to get showered and dressed.
Fifteen minutes later, A cleaner, drier, more awake Seamus emerged from the bathroom, looking much more energetic than before. He threw a damp towel at Dean, hitting him in the face.
"Gotcha!"
"Yes, you certainly did," Dean's voice was dripping with sarcasm as he threw the towel on the floor. "I'm SO impressed."
"As you should be. Hey look, it snowed!" Seamus pointed excitedly out the window.
"Yes," Dean replied. "Those of us who were awake at a decent hour know that already."
Seamus stuck his tongue out at Dean and turned back to the window. "Harry and Ron downstairs already?"
Dean shrugged, but Neville, who had actually been at breakfast, nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. I
think they had a fight or something!"
"Lover's quarrel," said Dean casually. Neville shook his head.
"Oh please! Grow up, will you Dean?"
Seamus laughed quietly. "What, jealous Neville?"
Neville turned white. "No," he said quietly, avoiding Seamus' glance. Dean made eye contact with Seamus and shot him a confused look. Seamus shrugged and continued to get ready for Potions class, which was the Gryffindor seventh year's first period.
"Come on, Neville. You'd have to be blind not to notice the sexual tension between those two." Dean was pulling his robe over his jeans and t-shirt. "And it's been going on for years. The only one's who DON'T get it and Harry and Ron. And maybe Hermione."
"I don't know, Dean…" Neville fumbled around in a pile of books and parchment.
"Oh come ON, Neville! Don't be stupid, you know it's true." Neville bit his lip as Dean continued. "Besides, it's too funny to ignore. I mean, think about it: HARRY and RON!"
"Stop it, Dean." Seamus said lightly.
"What? I'm just stating the fa-"
"It's NONE of our business, Dean!" Neville was still pale. "Just shut up about it, okay?" Dean and Seamus both looked at their usually placid friend in surprise. His brow was creased in a frown, and his lower lip quivered with anger. "You have no right to talk about them like that behind their backs. No Right!"
Dean looked at his feet. "Sorry Nev'. I didn't know you felt so strongly about it." Seamus, fo once, was silent.
"Go to class," Neville said sourly.
"What about you?"
"I'll be along in a minute. Go to class," He repeated. Dean shrugged, and he and Seamus left the Dorm. When they had walked a short way, Seamus stopped abruptly and turned to his friend. "Shite, I forgot my essay," He said shortly. "I'll be back- you go on ahead." He sprinted back up the stairs to the dorm room and bounded through the door. Neville got to his feet as Seamus entered the room.
"You forgot your essay." He was holding out the roll of parchment. Seamus grabbed it from him hastily. "I'm not going to ruin it, you know."
Seamus looked at Neville with curious concern. "I know…" he said slowly. "Hey Nev… what's up with you today?"
Neville shrugged. "What's up with me every day?" He fell back onto his bed. "It's always the same."
Seamus sat down on the edge of the mattress, full of his usual pent-up energy. "And that is?"
"You don't want to know."
"Oh, yes I do!"
Neville squeezed his eyes shut. "NO, you DON'T."
Seamus stopped bouncing on the edge of the bed and looked at Neville curiously. "You're really upset, aren't you?"
"I guess you could say that," said Neville, laughing sardonically. Seamus furrowed his brow.
"Well, if you want to talk about it…"
Neville shook his head. "No offense, Seamus, but you're the last person I want to talk with about this." Seamus looked slightly offended.
"I know I may not seem like the most trustworthy person, but I CAN keep a secret, you know. Dean tells me secrets all the time, and I've never once…"
"Oh no, it's not like that…" Neville sighed. "It's not like that at all."
"Did I do something? 'Cause you know, a lot of the time I do things or say things without thinking, and I never really know who I'm offending until they're coming after me with a projectile weapon…"
No no…" Neville held up his hand to stop Seamus and smiled sadly. "You didn't do anything, don't worry."
Seamus studied Neville's expression. "Hmm… pain, agony, sadness and depression. Someone's in love."
Neville sat bolt upright. "What?! I mean, no! I mean…"
Seamus patted Neville's shoulder. "It's okay. I know how it feels."
"Somehow I doubt that."
"Look Neville, I know how you're acting. I've seen it all before. But come on… it's not all that bad…"
Neville smiled sadly. "Oh, yes it is."
"NO, it's NOT!" Seamus sighed. "Neville, you're problem is you have no faith in yourself. Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet. Just go for it. Trust me, you'll be glad you did."
"You're really not making this easy for me, you know!"
Seamus shot him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
Instead of answering, Neville took a deep breath and pressed his lips to Seamus'. For a moment Seamus was too shocked to do or say anything, but then it registered in his mind what was happening, and he found himself slowly beginning to return the kiss. Their lips were locked for a short while until Neville pulled away and leapt up from the bed.
"I can't!" He whispered desperately. "I just… I can't!" And with that, he fled from the room, leaving behind his book, his essay, and a very confused Seamus Finnigan.
*****
"Your essays on mind-control potions are due today. I'm…" –a sneer- "…looking forward to reading them." Professor Snape walked around the room collecting rolls of parchment. "Ah, Mr. Finnigan!" He said as Seamus entered the room. "You're Late." Seamus grimaced and took his seat next to Dean.
"What happened to you?" Dean hissed. Seamus shook his head. Not now! He tapped Hermione on the head and held out a roll of parchment.
"Hand this to Neville, will you? He forgot it. Hermione nodded and passed the abandoned essay to a very forlorn-looking Neville, who smiled appreciatively at her before stealing a look at Seamus. Seamus waited until Neville's eyes had left him before examining the other boy. Neville had lost his baby fat and slimmed out a few years ago. He was taller now, too. Not nearly as tall as Ron, but definitely taller than Harry. Seamus ignored the funny feeling in his stomach as the image of the Boy-Who-Lived floated into his mind, pushing it aside and continuing to survey Neville. The boy's dark hair was shaggy, but not unruly or unkempt, and he really had quite a pleasant face, now that Seamus thought about it. He wondered why he'd never noticed it before…
"Seamus!" Dean hissed. "Heads up!" Professor Snape was headed towards them.
"Mr. Finnigan," the Potions Master said, a sneer on his face. "When someone asks you a question, what do you do?"
"Depends on the question, sir." Seamus had long since decided that he had a death wish when it came to professor Snape.
"When a TEACHER asks you a question, what do you do?"
"Well sir, in most cases, I would answer."
"ANSWER!" Cried professor Snape. "Exactly! So why then, Mr. Finnigan, did you not answer when I asked you a question? Too busy staring at Longbottom, perhaps?" There were chuckles from some of the Gryffindoirs and loud laughter from the Slytherins. Even Seamus, whose reputation wouldn't suffer too badly on account of this little remark, had to hold back a smile. Neville, however, turned bright red and sank down in his chair.
"Sorry professor… I must have drifted off with my eyes open." Profesor Snape regarded Seamus coldly.
"Oh, well that changes EVERYTHING. Ten points from Gryffindor, and I'll see you tonight in detention." The Slytherins cheered, and several Gryffindors turned around to glare at Seamus.
"Way to go, you stupid git!" Muttered Lavender Brown, who was in a particularly bad mood already.
"It's okay, whispered Harry, turning to face Seamus. "It happens to the best of us."
"Yeah, but nobody ever yells at you," Seamus muttered. Harry noted that, despite the detention, the deduction of points and the jeering taunts, Seamus was still smiling.
Good old optimistic Seamus.
"Longbottom! Detention!" Yelled Snape as Neville knocked over his and Hermione's cauldrons.
"And it begins…" Ron whispered to Harry, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Poor Neville!"
*****
"How are you doing, Harry?" Hermione's tone was low as she sat down beside him at the lunch table. Harry shrugged.
"Been better."
"Well, the good news is I have a hunch about you put that potion in your drink!" As she spoke, Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it towards a passing Draco Malfoy. "Subtotius Instabellus!" the bottom of the bag holding Draco's books fell apart, spilling his school supplies all over the floor.
"You'll pay for that, Granger!" Draco yelled, bending to collect his things, Hermione narrowed her eyes and spotted a small vial of yellowish liquid.
"Accio potion!" She yelled, and the vial shot into her hand. "Well well, Malfoy. Looks like you're in a spot of trouble!" she turned the vial over, showing Harry the label that clearly read 'Fundungitis Potion'. The vial was at least half empty.
"I'm going to kill you, Malfoy!" Harry leapt up from his seat and lunged at Draco. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.
"Calm down, Harry!"
"I'm gonna kill him!" Harry tore his arm out of Hermione's grasp. "He poisoned me!"
"Harry, just stop for a second. Don't be rash about this!"
"WHAT is the matter over here?!" The three students turned to see Professor McGonagall walking towards them.
"Nothing professor!" Hermione replied quickly, before Harry could tell her anything. McGonagall eyed her suspiciously.
"All right. Kepp it down then, this is a lunch table, not a playground!"
"Yes, professor!" Hermione grabbed Harry and pulled him away from the table. "Come on. Can we please just talk about this before you go berserk again?" Harry was shaking angrily.
"I don't want to talk, I want to kill Malfoy."
"Just WAIT a minute, will you?" Hermione pulled him around the corner and looked up and down the empty hall. "We can get him back LATER," SHE WHISPERED. "Just focus on the taks at hand right now, okay?"
Harry seemed to calm down a little. "Task at hand?" Hermione shot him a meaningful look. "Oh." Harry furrowed his brow. "What if I don't want to focus on that?"
"Harry, I know you're smarter than that. One doesn't become Head Boy by being an idiot."
"You should know," Harry said, gesturing to Hermione's Head Girl badge. He laughed quietly to himself.
"What? Did I say something funny?"
Harry shook his head. "No, no… I was just thinking that everything's so backwards. I mean, we're Head boy and girl. Aren't WE supposed to end up together?"
Now it was Hermione's turn to laugh. "I suppose we've just become living proof that life is not a fairy tale."
"Yeah. I mean, what kind of fairy tale hero falls in love with his best friend?"
Hermione stopped laughing. "You DO realize what you've just said," She whispered. Harry stopped short.
"I… I don't know…"
"It looks like you've figured it out, Harry."
Harry's green eyes stared into her brown ones for a moment before he nodded. "Yes. I think I have."
