Daphne anxiously paced the perimeter of the sky deck. He had promised he'd come if he could get away, that would have to be enough for her. A year ago, this would merely have been a school scandal; a letter from her parents and it would all be over. But everything was different now. Now, paying with her life for her crime didn't seem impossible. She heard quiet footsteps coming up the stairs of the astronomy tower. She drew her wand calmly, just a necessary precaution.
At the top of the stairs, a young man in torn clothes with a bruised face appeared, wand also drawn. Daphne gasped slightly at the wounded sight before her.
"What was the first thing you ever said to me?" He asked huskily in his thick Irish accent. Daphne smirked, adjusting the grip on her wand.
"Watch who you bump in to, Finnigan. Your response?" She returned, her eyebrows rose.
"Not very good manners for a pure breaded bitch." He said seriously. She lowered her wand, tears forming in her eyes as she ran to him. She all but leapt into his arms and clung to his greatly injured frame. The young and forbidden couple embraced wordlessly. The astronomy tower was their decided meeting place. Now that Seamus was in hiding within the school, it was much harder for the two to meet without getting caught.
When the two pulled apart, Daphne examined the boy in front of her. She gently ran her hand over an open wound stretching from his forehead down across his eyebrow on the left side of his face.
"That's new." She observed quietly. Seamus avoided her gaze; her soft grey eyes examined him sadly.
"Yeah, got it earlier today nicking food. One of the elves caught me and, well, you know they've all been ordered to inform the Carrows on the students. The man pulled a bloody knife on me. I just barely got away…" She stopped him with a passionate yet desperate kiss. When she pulled back, she raised her wand and pointed it at the gash.
"Vulnera Sanentur." She muttered. The wound closed together, leaving a pink scar. "Tergeo." She added and the dried blood that seemed to cover half of his face vanished. Seamus gingerly brushed his fingers over his now healed forehead before giving the brunette in front of him a slight grimace.
"Thanks." He said.
"No problem." Daphne shrugged putting her wand away. They stood there in a tense and paranoid silence. "How's the rebellion going?"
"S'alright. Michael got caught trying to free first years last night. Neville's decided it's best to keep our heads down and try not to do the right thing." There was and edge of bitterness to Seamus' tone. He ran his hand through his sandy brown hair and turned away from his companion.
"I'm glad." Said the young Slytherin after a few moments.
"You're what?" He asked in astonishment.
"I'm glad Longbottom is having you tone it all down a bit."
"How can you say that?" He asked, his Irish blood boiling.
"I'm glad because I can't keep dealing with the constant fear of having you being tortured or used as an example. I-I just can't." The girl had worked herself almost into hysterics. She brought her hands up to Seamus' face and looked deep into his eyes.
"Daphne, Daphne!" He said, getting her attention. "Everything is going to be okay." The words were only a half-truth that never became applicable to the situation.
"No, Seamus, it's not. What if you get caught? What then? Because I honestly don't think I'd be able to stand in front of a class and curse you. I can't do it." She was firm in her convictions as she surveyed his shabby appearance. She honestly could not remember the exact time that she had fallen in love with him. He wasn't a knight in shining armor, he was her friend and her lover which made what they shared love.
It was because she loved him that she was scared for him. She feared that he would continue to risk his life in a battle that didn't even matter because the war was won. It was only a matter of time before it was announced on the radio 'The Dark Lord has been declared our dark king.' Everyone knew it and only the fools believed that their cause was not truly lost.
"Daphne, look at me." He said fervently. She reluctantly met his tempestuous eyes. "If you are ever told to curse me, do it. You can't give it away, you have to be safe," he raise his voice to capture her attention, "and you have to not take unnecessary risks."
"What if I want to, Seamus? What if that is exactly what I need to be doing?" She countered turning away from him and walking over to the ledge and looking down. Seamus moved so that he was behind her. The Gryffindor traced patterns on her back as he watched the faint reflection of the moon in her dark hair.
"Please don't do that to me." His voice cracked as he for once became the beggar. "You know I can't take the idea of you being hurt." She turned so that their bodies were pressed against each other. She didn't let the intimacy of their position compromise her determination.
"Scares you a bit, doesn't it?" She whispered. There was no attitude or sass to her tone. It was only the raw emotion of a girl afraid of losing the only light she had in the new and mysterious dark world.
"More than you know." He replied. Both of them moved towards each other until their lips met with a desperate passion that could only be found in times of war.
"I know because this is what I deal with every night we're not together." She said before they embraced again. "Can I join the rebellion?" She asked lightly. Seamus drew back so he could drink in every detail of her face.
"No, you can't. Even if I'd let you…no one would trust you." He said seriously, shaking the idea from his mind.
"Because I'm a Slytherin?" She murmured, searching his eyes.
"Yeah, exactly. Its just common knowledge that the Carrows have been lettin' you lot off easy." He shrugged, bluntly trying to brush it off. Dahne sighed, not even attempting to deny the statement.
"All of them? All of them would hate me?" She asked, trying to find a loophole.
"Look, Neville, Ginny, and Luna are in charge. Luna is gone and Ginny is in hiding so it's only Neville now. Neville might let ya' in if you proved yourself worthy, Luna would probably become your best mate, and Ginny…she would take some convincin'." Said Seamus logically.
"So, because it's just Longbottom, I might have a shot?" She asked hopefully.
"But because Neville listens to me, I'd make sure you never got in. You don't need to risk your life for this, Daphne." He said, pulling her into a hug. "I love you too much." He added in a whisper.
"I love you, too" She whispered back, a slight smile gracing her lips.
"Promise me you'll stay safe?" He asked, looking down at her.
"You first." She challenged. He chuckled slightly in response, shaking his head. "Fine, I promise I'll stay safe."
"And I promise I won't be so rash." He responded.
Four Weeks Later
The entire school had congregated in the Great Hall. All were in shocked silence as the raspy voice finished its warning.
"But he's there! Potter's there! What are you waiting for? Someone grab him!" Pansy Parkinson's voice rang out in fear and excitement. In response, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws stood with many of their wands pointed at the girl. Daphne stood only a few inches away from her; she made brief eye contact with Seamus before looking towards Professor McGonagall.
"That will do Miss Parkinson. Now, you will be first to leave for the dungeons with Mr. Filch, if the rest of your house could follow." There was applause from the remaining three houses as the rest of Slytherin house left the Great Hall. Daphne was just about to exit when something stopped her. If she were in the dungeons, how would she know that Seamus is safe?
She turned walking back to her boyfriend and ignoring the calls from Tracey Davis, her best friend.
"Daphne? Daphne! What has gotten into you? Where are you going?" Tracey called, sounding scared and confused.
Daphne marched straight over to Seamus and kissed him quickly and desperately before turning to Profesor McGonagall to receive further instructions. Seamus was left in shock for a moment or two before he curled a comforting hand around his girlfriend's.
And as a reminder Seamus is number three. Two to go!
Me: So anything you don't love about it?
Seamus: Nah I'm good with most of it. I look like sort of a prat on the astronomy tower though.
Me: Well whatever I like it.
Seamus: Well I'm off, who do I send in next.
Me: Oh! Right! Send in Lee por favor
Seamus: I'm Irish not Spanish
Me: shhh I got an A in Spanish this semester.
Seamus: Oh, congrats, see ya then.
Me: Hi Lee!
Lee: Hello there
Me: You ready for this?
Lee: Sure, why not?
Me: Cause no one's gonna see this coming.
Lee: Ooooo exciting
Me: I know right