Title: Concerning the Attention Span of Seamus

Summary: Professor Trelawney is in charge of Valentine's Day this year. What happens when she bewitches roses to lead you to your soul mate? (Slash)

Genre(s): Fluff, Slash, Romance

Books Referenced: Prisoner of Azkaban

Warning(s): Contains slash.

Disclaimer: Not mine. *points to JKR* Hers.

A/N: Many more thanks to all who've reviewed...whee, 46 reviews in what? Four days? ^___^; People like me! They really, really do!!

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Harry watched the exchange without saying a word, then sped up to catch up with Ron and Hermione, who were now quite some distance away.

"Potter!" called Draco, running to catch up with him. "I didn't mean to upset Weasley. Honestly, I didn't. I just figured...well...I'm not exactly their favourite person in the world." Harry shot Draco a look. "Really! I mean it! I'm sorry, okay?" It was the first time Harry had ever heard Draco apologise for anything. "I'm sorry," Draco repeated, catching Harry's hands in his own.

Harry heaved a huge sigh and looked away. "I think I'd better go find Ron," he said, neither accepting or rejecting the blond boy's apology.

"I'll help you," Draco said.

Harry turned back to Draco with a smile. "That's very sweet of you," he said, "and I'd take you up on your offer, except I don't think Ron really wants to see you right now." Draco nodded.

"Tell him what I said, though, will you? About being sorry?" he asked.

"Of course," Harry responded, turning to leave.

"Oh...and if I want to talk later, my owl, Audax, knows where to find you, okay Harry?" asked Draco. Harry was surprised at the sudden use of his name, but nodded. With a crooked smile at Draco, he turned and walked toward the village.

Draco watched him with a half smile on his face before turning and walking his own way. He wasn't the only one watching the raven-haired boy walk away, however. With a swish of his cloak, a scowling Professor Snape spun around and vanished down an alley.



***



That night, dinner was quite a different affair than usual. The House tables had been abandoned in lieu of smaller tables that seated four apiece, though as Professor Dumbledore put it, "those who do not wish to be seated with their Valentine, for one reason or another..." (at this, Harry could've sworn the twinkling eyes rested on him) "...are certainly not required to."

Since Harry did not think it would go down well with the school (and most particularly, Ron), he figured he should perhaps not sit with Draco. Fortunately, Draco seemed to have to same opinion, and sat with a few fellow Slytherins. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Seamus shared a table.

"Say, Harry, who'd your rose take you to? Certainly not either of them," Seamus said, nodding in the direction of Ron and Hermione, who had shoved their chairs very close together and were sharing a plate.

"Erm...nobody," Harry said, hoping that he didn't look like he was lying. Unfortunately, Seamus was much too keen for that and snorted.

"You're a bloody liar. I know it took you to someone," he said, tossing a pea at Harry. "Who?" Harry shook his head. "Come on, then! I won't tell anyone!"

"No," Harry replied stubbornly. "If you absolutely must know, I'll tell you later. Okay?" This seemed to satisfy Seamus.

"Okay, then. What about that Quidditch match Britain played last week? Superb, eh? That Reverse Pass that Bromley made was..." Harry tuned Seamus' rambling out as his eyes wandered over to a particular Slytherin-heavy table. After a while, he became aware of someone poking him painfully in the arm. "...Harry? Hello? You in there?"

Harry blinked. "I'm here," he said, shaking his head. "Sorry, I got distracted. I'll...I'll see you in the Common Room, okay? I've got some stuff I have to do." He stood up and headed out of the Great Hall.

Harry arrived at the Gryffindor Common room not much later. He collapsed on a squashy armchair and sighed. It was times like this that he wished he had a journal and knew how to write in things like that, though somehow he felt he wouldn't have been able to describe the awkward, uncertain feeling that was gripping his heart. Concern, worry, apprehension, all these things were running through Harry so fast he couldn't hardly grasp the idea of them. He sighed again and shifted his position so that he was nearly upside down.

A face appeared over his feet. "I'd hardly think that's how you're supposed to sit in those chairs," said Ron stiffly. "Mind telling me what you were doing this afternoon?" Harry flipped back over again and looked up at Ron.

"I was doing a lot of things this afternoon," he replied neutrally.

"Yeah, I'll bet," Ron sneered, turning to go up to the dorm. Harry sighed for a third time, got up, and went up the stairs, too.

"Ron, what is the deal with you today?" Harry asked, moving in front of Ron so that he couldn't get into the dorm. "You're acting like a baby whose favourite blanket is in the wash or something!"

"No, Harry, what's the deal with you?" the red-haired boy shot back. "Last time I checked, you're not supposed to walk around town with your enemy as though you're best mates!" Harry moved out of the way of the door and went back down the stairs.

"He says he's sorry, by the way," Harry called as he exited Gryffindor Tower, leaving Ron staring after him.

Harry wandered the halls for a long while, going nowhere in particular. He stared at the floor as he walked, not knowing what to do. "It's not a huge deal, it's not like anyone was doing anything to him!"

"Who was doing what to who?" asked a voice suddenly. Harry looked up to see Hermione, on her way back to the Tower after dinner.

"Well...nobody," he said, shrugging. "Just stewing." Hermione grabbed his arm and guided him into an empty classroom nearby.

"I want you to know, Harry, that you can talk to me if you ever need to, okay?" she asked, looking at him very seriously. Harry nodded and fiddled with his robe. A few minutes passed.

"Why's Ron so mad at me? I didn't do anything to him," Harry said, finally. Hermione sighed and looked toward the door.

"I really don't know, Harry. He could be jealous, or he could just hate Malfoy a lot more than you know. He told me his view on what happened today, and I think perhaps he didn't want to believe that you might want to be with someone like Malfoy," Hermione said. "I'm willing to give him a chance, as I know that people can change. And who knows? Maybe you'll be a good influence on him." She stood up and ruffled Harry's hair, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving Harry deep in thought.



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TBC