Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 1104

Warning: Character in a coma.


Resolve Waning (Hope Alive)


Seamus had duelled before, but it had always been in controlled settings, in class, or when Harry was teaching the DA. Nothing could have prepared him for this.

The Death Eater was fast and vicious, and it was all Seamus could do to avoid the torrent of spells and curses pushing towards him.

He managed the occasional offensive spell, but for the most part, he was struggling to stay alive long enough to get the upper hand.

"Stupefy," he shouted, following up with Bombarda, and Diffindo, but even the spells that hit the target didn't seem to be doing enough damage to matter.

Footsteps behind him distracted him for a second; long enough for him to miss the spell cast towards him, before he was roughly pushed to the side, his name shouted by a familiar voice that he'd only heard for the first time in a year an hour ago.

He watched from where he was pressed against the wall as Dean was hit by the spell intended for Seamus, as his face crumpled in pain and he hit the floor with a thud that seemed deafening to Seamus' ears.

"Dean, no!"

"Looks… homey in here," Ron said, as he dropped a basket of fruit on a table and passed Seamus a few magazines. "Harry said he's sorry he couldn't make it this week, he's on assignment in France."

Seamus nodded. "He seems to be enjoying work, doesn't he?"

Ron snorted. "Harry was practically made for the HIT Squad. Rather him than me, to be honest. I'm glad I decided to go and work with George instead, some of Harry's injuries have been vicious."

"I'm surprised they're taking him on overseas missions already, he hasn't been with them long."

"Ah, Man-Who-Won," Ron replied, shrugging. "You know how people are with Harry. He tried to argue against it, but the boss demanded he go."

Seamus shook his head. He felt for Harry; even though he was trying to make his own way in the Ministry, the favouritism was still very clear to see. He knew that it annoyed his friend.

Ron glanced at the hospital bed. "Any changes?"

"They registered some more brain movement the other day," Seamus said, a small smile on his face. "Hopefully that means that he's getting ready to wake up."

"You really think… I mean, it's been a year?"

"He'll wake up," Seamus said, so completely firm that even Ron couldn't help but believe him.

"You know, he wouldn't want you to spend all of your life sitting by his bedside."

Seamus glanced at the new nurse over the magazine he was reading.

"Telepathic, are you?"

She frowned at him. "Really, Mr Finnegan—"

"Do you know him?"

She shook her head.

"Then you have no idea what he would or wouldn't want. Besides, it's my choice to sit here with him. If he wakes up, I don't want him to be alone."

Tears slid down Seamus' face. He held Dean's hand in his own, squeezing as though that simple thing would make him wake up.

"You've gotta wake up, Dean," he whispered. "It's the anniversary of the battle tomorrow. It's been a whole year. We had so many plans for after Hogwarts and they're all waiting for us. You've just got to wake up."

For a moment, Seamus could have sworn that Dean was squeezing his hand back, but he knew in his heart that it was just wishful thinking.

"We were meant to be, Dean. That's why you survived that year on the run, you were always meant to come back to me. You can't die from protecting me, Dean. You're not allowed."

The quiet of the hospital room held, only the sounds of Seamus' hitching breath filling the air.

Seamus had never hated silence more.

"It's already been relegated to the history books," Hermione was saying, shaking her head. "It's almost like it didn't only happen fourteen months ago."

Seamus swallowed hard. "They're really just… putting it in a book? That's how they've decided to honour the people that died?"

She nodded, and he could see that she was as mad as he felt. Seamus was sure a lot of other people who'd been there at the castle were just as disgusted.

"My boss told me 'don't make a big deal out of nothing', but this seems like something worth fighting for, right? The people that died, the people that fought for our freedom… they deserve more than a book, don't they?"

Seamus nodded, once more reminded that his classmates, his peers, were moving on with their lives. "Yeah… yeah they do. I'll sign anything you want me to, Hermione."

"It's been fifteen months, Mr Finnegan. We believe it may be time to let Mr Thomas go."

Seamus shook his head. "It's not. He'll wake up." He hated that his voice trembled, no longer certain of his words. "You can't just… give up on him."

"Even if he does wake up, fifteen months is a long time—"

"I'll help him. Whatever he needs, I'll help him," Seamus said. "He'll be fine, one day. I'm not going to let you just… let him die."

The Healer sighed but eventually, she nodded. "Very well. I suppose that a few more months is worth the hope that he'll come around."

Seamus settled back into the chair, relieved beyond words. He'd known something like this was coming, he'd seen the way the healers had looked at him with more pity than usual lately.

Even if he had to take Dean home and pay for home care, he'd do it one way or another. He wasn't just going to let Dean die.

Seamus watched through the hospital window as fireworks went off in the distance. It had been nineteen months since he'd last seen Dean smile, and slowly, his resolve that he'd wake up was waning.

He didn't want to admit that Dean was gone, but as the New Year was welcomed in, he found himself wondering if he wasn't making Dean suffer more by forcing the Healers to keep him alive, suspended the way he was.

He heard a noise, but didn't turn around, thinking it was the Healers behind coming in to check on Dean. Another noise, and then another, like sheets shifting.

It was only when Seamus realised he hadn't heard footsteps did he turn around to see what was going on.

He was greeted with the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

Dean's brown eyes, confused but alert, and looking right at him.

"Dean? Oh my god, you're awake!"


Written For:

Character Appreciation: 12. DeanSeamus

Amber's Anime Adventure: 17. Protecting someone

Snail Mail: 6. Hospital

Raven's Roost: 15. (plot point) making a sacrifice to save someone

Limited Edition: Romeo and Juliet: a duel

Valentines Or Palentines: Day 6: SeamusDean

NeonFae's Nibbles: Lamingtons: History (1) / "Don't make a big deal out of nothing." (2) / SeamusDean (3)

365: 266. Anniversary

Musical Yearly: 63. Bex's Pick: Just A Step From Heaven: This love was meant to be

Character Collection: 327. Dean Thomas

Insane House: 466. DeanSeamus