Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Written for Hogwarts Assignment 8 - Performing Arts, Task 3; Genre - Hurt/Comfort
Word Count - 1721
Beta'd by
It's Just A Headache (Until It's Not)
There was a loud crash as Seamus opened the door and he rolled his eyes to himself. Far too often he came home to such noises. Usually he didn't mind, but he had a headache and honestly, the last thing he needed was to clean up whatever mess was undoubtedly being made in his living room.
He stripped off his Healer robe and hung it up on its usual peg, kicking his shoes onto the stand while he was at it. He'd love to do nothing more than snuggle under a blanket for the rest of the evening, but he knew that George had his heart set on Hermione's party.
The chaos that came with George was worth the sacrifice of peace of course, but sometimes Seamus just wanted to curl up on the sofa and not move.
"Hey babe," he called, padding down the hallway of the warm flat. He stopped in the doorway, eyebrows raised.
George smiled sheepishly from where he was hanging upside down above the sofa. "Let's face it, this isn't the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Seamus sighed. "Sadly, you're not wrong. Are you supposed to be upside down or would you like some help getting down?"
What was his life that questions like that one are normal?
"Ahh, help would be nice?"
Seamus snorted but pulled out his wand, carefully turning George the right way around and lowering him gentle to sit on the sofa. He collapsed down beside him, tucking his head against George's neck.
"I've had a really long day, give me a hug."
George chuckled but wrapped his arms around Seamus dutifully, pressing an affectionate kiss to his temple.
"Tonight will help you feel better," he murmured. "Hermione's bonfire party sounds like it's going to be great; and I even convinced her to use my fireworks instead of Muggle ones."
"It's rainy," Seamus complained, snuggling closer. "And I have an enormous headache."
George's arms tightened, and Seamus could hear the worry in his voice when he said, "You've been having a lot of headaches lately, babe. Have you spoken to one of your colleagues about it?"
"I'm fine," Seamus grumbled.
"Uh huh. Humour me and have someone take a look at you during your next shift please."
Seamus closed his eyes for a moment, before he nodded against George's neck. "Kay. If it'll make you feel better, I'll get checked out."
"That's all I ask of you. How about a bath before we go out? I'll see if I can't massage this headache of yours away?"
"You're the best."
Even knowing he had to get back up, Seamus took a moment to just enjoy the hug with George, to just… revel in the safety of warm arms and soft kisses.
…
George's giddiness at Hermione's bonfire was infectious. Seamus watched his boyfriend bounding around the large field, and he couldn't help but laugh. He'd already bashed into a few people in his excitement, though they'd all laughed it off.
His headache was still present though, and he kept to the outer edges of the field. He didn't think he would be able to handle the loudness of their friends.
"Having fun?"
Seamus turned to see Dean grinning at him, and he nodded, stuffing his cold hands into his pockets. "Sure, what's not to like?"
Dean looked warm, all wrapped up in a long jacket and a honey coloured scarf and gloves. Seamus couldn't help but be jealous. He hadn't had the energy to search for his own.
"You look tired, mate."
Seamus shrugged. "It happens. Long shifts."
Dean nodded, looking thoughtful. "You and George should take a vacation, just the two of you."
Seamus smiled. Vacation sounded perfect, if he was honest with himself. A week or two of relaxing by a pool with his handsome redhead there to rub sunscreen into his skin would be heaven.
He was about to say as much when a wave of dizziness had him stumbling, caught by his best friend.
"Shay? Shay, are you okay?"
Seamus gripped Dean's forearm tightly until the dizzy spell passed. "I'm good. Just went a little dizzy is all."
"Uh huh. Are you still getting headaches?"
At the sheepish look on Seamus' face, Dean rolled his eyes. "Why are Healers always the worst at taking care of their own health?"
"Shay! Firework time!" George shouted, coming towards them. "Come on, babe, I put a couple of special ones in just for you."
Seamus let George tug him along, Dean following behind them at a more sedate pace. The grass was crunchy underfoot, and it seemed oddly loud to Seamus' ears. He allowed George to pull him closer to the crowd, and the first bang sounded, followed by a sparkle of colour in the navy sky.
That was quickly followed by even louder booming sounds. Each one felt like a hammer to Seamus' skull and he couldn't stop the wincing.
A second, stronger wave of dizziness overtook him, and he gripped the closest thing to him, which happened to be George's arm, drawing George's attention.
"Seamus? Shay? Shay?"
Seamus wanted to answer him, to tell him that he was fine, but he couldn't. He could hear the panic in George's voice, but his vision was starting to go black at the edges, and his brain felt fuzzy.
"He's just had a dizzy spell a few minutes ago," he heard Dean say. Seamus wanted to tell him off for being a tattle tale, but he couldn't do that either, because he was falling, his legs taking an inappropriate break from their job of holding him up.
The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was George's face, his panicked eyes begging Seamus to be okay.
…
Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, making it hard to sit still outside of the hospital room.
When Seamus' had collapsed, George hadn't known what to do. He'd lifted his boyfriend in his arms, intending to apparate him to St Mungo's, but Hermione had yelled at him to put Seamus back down.
She'd called for the Healers and put Seamus into a 'recovery' position on the cold damp grass.
George remembered complaining to her that Seamus would get cold, and Seamus didn't like the cold, but he didn't remember much more than that.
The transport Healers had arrived and everything had been a blur as they took him away, telling George he could follow on using the usual visitors entrance. Charlie had come with him.
None of his family or friends were willing to leave him to deal with this alone. George supposed that was only a natural reaction.
After all, it was Seamus that had given George some semblance of life back after Fred. He was the first to make George smile, the first to engage him into a real conversation, the first to draw him out of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes for longer than half an hour.
If George lost Seamus…
But no. That wasn't going to happen. It wouldn't. George had to believe that because the alternative didn't bear thinking about.
"Here," Charlie murmured, and George looked up to see his older brother holding out a polystyrene cup. "Tea. You know mum says tea makes everything better."
George smiled weakly, taking the cup and wrapping his hands around it. The warmth emanating from it was comforting in an odd way, and the smell wafting up in the steam helped to settle his nerves.
"He's going to be okay, you know?" Charlie said after a minute. "Whatever it is that's wrong with him, he'll be okay. He's a stubborn Gryffindor, after all."
"I… what if he's not?" George asked, his voice little more than a whisper.
"He will be."
Charlie sounded so sure, that George thought maybe he had to believe him. He drank from the cup, the tea warming him from the inside. Leaning over, he let his head fall against Charlie's jumper covered shoulder. The burgundy wool itched his cheek, but he didn't move.
"Thanks… for being here."
"As if I'd be anywhere else."
"You could just say 'you're welcome', you know?"
"Fine. You're welcome. Better?"
"Much."
…
"They won't tell me anything," George said quietly. "Why won't they tell me anything?"
He was sitting beside Seamus' bed, holding his limp hand between both of his own. Hermione sat on the other side, her eyes on their joined hands.
"Patient confidentiality," she replied. "He has a right to privacy and since you're not married, they can't tell you anything without his permission."
"Hermione… something bad is happening. I can feel it. They're not telling me but I'm not stupid, he should have woken up by now. It's been eleven days."
"Just… try and stay optimistic. Talk to him, about anything, happy memories or… whatever you want. That's been proven to help coma patients, you know?"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
…
"I thought I'd never see your eyes again," George sobbed, leaning over Seamus. Seamus's arms wrapped around him, a comfort unlike any George had ever known before.
"Listen to me," Seamus whispered. George pulled back, frowning. Seamus' voice was stronger than he'd expected it to be, after so long in a coma. "You're going to be fine. I know you think… you have to keep going, okay? You have to keep working, and spending time with our friends, and you have to keep smiling. Promise me, George."
"I… What?"
"Promise me, you'll keep going and keep smiling."
"I promise," George said, unsure of what was going on. He didn't… he didn't understand, but Seamus's eyes were practically begging him and George had never been very good at saying no to him.
"I love you, okay? Never forget that, please. I love you, and I'll always love you."
"I… I love you too. Shay, what's going on?"
"I… I have to go… I love you… remember your promise, George. Please, just… be happy."
…
George woke to a monotone beep, confused and befuddled by the strange dream. He didn't notice the healers rushing into the room until he was being ushered out of it. He didn't understand what was going on.
Seamus was fine… if being a bit weird, but he was awake and fine and…
"I'm so sorry, Mr Weasley. We tried all we could but… time of death has been called."
Also Written for;
Character Appreciation - 23. Gryffindor
Disney - S3. "You're welcome."
Lizzy's loft - 10. Redhead
Book Club - Lisa - Healer / Privacy / Worried
Showtime - 11. Affectionate
Amber's Attic - 20. Something bad happening at a party.
Buttons - O5. Fireworks / W4. Adrenaline
Lyric Alley - 13. "That's all I ask of you."
Ami's Audio - 13. Hurt/Comfort / Sacrifice
Sophie's Shelf - BN2. Fireworks
Emy's Emporium - 3. Crunchy
Angel's Arcade - 4. Crunch Bandicoot - Burgundy / Lifting something / Charlie Weasley / "Give me a hug."
Lo's Lowdown - C8. Healer
Bex's Basement - 2. Iron Man - "Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Film Festival - 8. "I've had a really long day."
Days of the year - 5. Boom / bang / crash / bash
Autumn - Rainy
Colour - Honey
Dessert - Cake 1 - Enjoying something with a loved one
Princess Day - 6. Jasmine - Stubborn
Around the Board - 9. Someone seeking medical attention
Marauders Map - Seamus Finnigan / Headache
Zoo - Elephant Enclosure - GeorgeSeamus / Enormous / Giddiness
