I am SO VERY EXTREMELY sorry for not updating this story in a while. I had writer's block and I could not decide what I wanted to happen next!
"Seamus? SEAMUS!" Hermione cried.
McGonagall shook him, "Mr. Finnigan! Are you alright? Mr. Finnigan!" She managed to get him off the floor and laid him on the Hufflepuff table. Soon enough, every person seemed to be calling his name, whirling into a cacophony of voices. Seamus's head was spinning; any little sound gave him a debilitating headache. He slowly opened his eyes; the Great Hall was now dead silent. Seamus attempted to stand on his feet but staggered and fell back onto the table. There was the sound of doors clanging against the wall and in rushed Madam Pomfrey.
"Where is the boy?"
"Right here, Poppy." McGonagall pointed in Seamus's direction.
"I think he passed out from a wee bit of shock."
Pomfrey dashed past McGonagall.
"Alright, let's fix you up."
"N-No! I don't think it's necessary, I'm fine." Seamus had acquired an irrational fear of medical caretakers ever since a nurse had tortured him when he refused to let her draw his blood.
"Oh don't be ridiculous!" Madam Pomfrey scolded him.
"Please remove your shirt and robes. I'll need to check your heartbeat and blood pressure."
Seamus laughed, "My what?" The prefects quietly ushered the rest of the students from the Great Hall.
"Your shirt Mr. Finnigan, quickly!" Seamus unbuttoned his cloak and pulled off his grey sweater, revealing his gorgeously muscular abdomen. He blushed when he noticed Hermione discreetly staring at his naked torso. Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall noticed this as well,
"Ms. Granger! I suggest you leave Seamus alone for now; you may talk to him later."
"Oh, right. I'll be going now." She was blushing furiously.
Seamus protested, "No! She can stay."
"Velly well." McGonagall said in her usual whimsical tone of voice and marched out of the hall. Madam Pomfrey began to check Seamus's body temperature with an unusual device that looked like a clear plastic stick with a cord attaching it to a small box.
"Nurse Pomfrey, why are you using a muggle apparatus?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I think it's called a sermometer or something." The nurse replied.
Hermione glanced back down at Seamus's six-pack and raised her eyebrows.
"I know it's a THERmometer. But why?"
"Some new Ministry law requires magical nurses to receive muggle training in medicine." She yelped. "Merlin! Your temperature is 98 degrees!"
Hermione was startled,
"98 degrees? That's not possible; it's almost the boiling point!"
Seamus smirked, "You see Madam Pomfrey, Hermione thinks that I am smoking hot."
Madam Pomfrey chuckled, "Oh! It's in Fahrenheit right now. Tricky muggle machinery." After she listened to his heart and examined his blood pressure, Pomfrey made a clucking noise and told Seamus he was free to leave. However, Seamus wasn't quite finished with teasing Hermione. As he put his sweater and robes back on Seamus inquired,
"Enjoy the view?"
"View? What view?"
Seamus grinned, "You were completely and totally checking me out."
Hermione stuck her nose in the air, "I've no clue what you're talking about."
"Just admit it, you enjoyed seeing me shirtless!"
"Okay, I admit it. You have a…nice figure."
"Really? That's it?"
"FINE! YOU ARE SEXIER THAN A HIPPOGRIFF!" Seamus pretended to stumble over his feet and landed on his knees. Hermione quickly rushed to his side,
"Merlin's beard Seamus! You need to be more careful."
Clutching her delicate hands, Seamus raised them to his lips, and planted a kiss on both of them.
The brunette giggled, "Shay, what are you doing?"
"Hermione Jean Granger, will you please go to the Graduation Ball with me?" He paused, "As my date?"
Hermione pecked him on the cheek; "I would love to go to ball with you!" She paused and whispered in his ear, "Does this mean that we're-you know, going steady?" Seamus nodded vigorously and she beamed with pure delight. Suddenly, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows and jutted her lips in a way that looked like she was pouting.
"What's the matter, love?" Seamus asked.
The Gryffindor princess replied, "Oh, it's just that the ball is two days away and since I wasn't planning on going, I haven't bought a dress yet."
Seamus scoffed, "That's not a problem at all, I'll just take you dress shopping at Hogsmeade tomorrow."
Hermione's face lit up with joy,
"Really? I've never been shopping with my boyfriend before, not that I've had that many. Draco would have never-" Hermione chose not to finish her sentence; Seamus gave her a puzzling look, "Draco would have never what?"
She laughed nervously, "Nevermind! I've forgotten what I was going to say."
"If you say so." Seamus cleared his throat, "Where should I meet you in Hogsmeade tomorrow?"
"How about one o'clock at Madame Puddifoot's?" Hermione replied.
Seamus winced; he hated that place, the overabundance of pink was absolutely repulsive.
"Madame Puddifoot's you say? Er-okay, I'll see you there, then."
"I'm just joking, Seamus! Only dimwitted dimbos actually go there. As for us, we'll be going to Westfield Mall." Hermione declared proudly.
Seamus breathed a sigh of relief; at least they weren't going to Madame Puddifoot's. "Sounds great. Er-Hermione?"
"Yes, love?" she replied.
Seamus hesitated, "Since we've got tomorrow all planned out, I was thinking maybe we could do something special today."
"Oh? What did you have in mind?" Hermione tilted her head suggestively.
Seamus whispered his answer in her ear; Hermione smiled mischievously. As Seamus led Hermione up the moving staircase to the currently vacant Gryffindor tower, Draco sat on the top floor observing the two lovebirds. A heart-wrenching pain seared through him as he realized he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. There was so much he needed to tell her, the Irish pyromaniac obviously made her happy and he was glad Hermione had finally found a way to cope with her pain. Draco spoke in a soft undertone; "I'll be waiting for you angel, but not forever." He whispered to himself as a tear slid down his cheek, "Not forever."
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