Everyone at Hogwarts that morning was more awake and moving faster than usual. This happened on Friday's though. It was lunch time and all of the seventh years didn't have any afternoon classes. All of them were discussing their plans for the rest of the day.
"I'm going to go hang out at the greenhouses with some Hufflepuffs." Neville told them, as he stood up.
"Again, Neville? If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trading houses on us!" Seamus said with a smirk. Everyone laughed and Neville told them goodbye. Ginny spoke next.
"Well, if anyone needs me I'll be down at the pitch practicing. Catch you later!" Ginny grabbed a chicken leg, popped it in her mouth, waved to them, and went on with her day.
Hermione, Seamus, and Dean all exchanged glances and laughed.
"I guess we're the three losers without any plans then." Seamus laughed.
"Eh, I'd say plans are overrated anyway." Dean suggested.
Hermione perked up. "Well actually…I need to get some studying done this afternoon." She stood up from the table and gathered her books. "But I'm sure you two can find something interesting to do." She smiled at them.
"Mhmm sure. Go ahead and study since you don't want to hang out with us." Dean teased.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, you guys. I'll see you later!"
When she was gone, the two boys exchanged amused glances. There was a slight awkwardness that they had never experienced before. Dean spoke up nervously.
"Hey, Shay…since neither of us has plans…uh, would you want to go with me to the owlery right quick? I'm expecting a package from home today."
"Um…sure, let's go." They got up and headed that way. The walk there was unusually quiet which was strange because Seamus usually talked a mile a minute. Right before Dean broke the silence, Seamus spoke up.
"Boy, it's getting right chilly isn't it? You can really tell its October." He rubbed his hand together for warmth.
"Do you want my jacket?" Dean asked. He immediately regretted it. Seamus turned to him looking surprised.
"What?"
"Oh…nothing." His face became very red. He tried to play it off with a joke. "It's probably way too big for you anyway."
Seamus kept his eyes on the ground. "Ha…ha. Yeah, you're right." Finally, they reached the owlery.
"So, Dean, where's this mysterious package of yours?"
Dean searched high and low but couldn't locate it anyway. It must have not arrived yet. "It should be right here but it isn't."
"Oh well…what was in it?"
Dean smiled. "Just some of my mum's homemade cherry flavored hard candy."
Seamus spun around, Dean still facing back to him. "Blimey! I love that stuff! I always used to eat some whenever she would send it to you." He smiled at the memory of it.
Dean laughed at his excitement, still searching the shelves. "Oh I know! I remember quite well. That's why…the box on the way…is all yours."
Seamus was caught off guard. "Say what?"
Dean turned around to finally face him. His demeanor had changed. He was very serious looking. "Yeah, I wanted you to have some of your own…since you love it so much." He started walking toward Seamus slowly, whose face was getting redder and warmer by the second. "Because people deserve to have what they love…" Dean was inches from his face now. "Don't they, Shay?" He spoke in a low whisper. Dean was switching glances between Seamus' eyes and his lips; looking at him so deeply. The room was heating up.
In somewhat of a daze, staring directly into Dean's eyes, his breathing rather quick, Seamus replied. "I don't know…just because you love something…doesn't mean it's good for you."
Dean lightly smiled and cupped his hand on the side of Seamus's cheek. "But why not…take….a chance." He tilted his head and moved in ever so slightly. Both boys could feel each other's breath on their skin. Their lips nearly touched when,
SCREEECH!
A pack of owls flew right into them, causing them to topple over onto the floor. Both of them found it quite humorous and laughed. But suddenly, something changed in Seamus. He stopped laughing, looked quite ill, and stood up quickly.
"Uh…I have to go. Now." He scrambled trying to get out the door way. Dean stood up.
"Go? What do you mean go? Seamus, hold on!" He grabbed his friends arm just in time. "Shay…are you crying?"
Seamus yanked his arm out of Deans grasp and turned looking straight at him. Tears were definitely noticeable. "Dean let go!" He backed off, arms up in the air. "I said I have to leave, okay?" Dean stepped closer to him.
"Come on Shay, don't do this."
"Back off I said! I don't need you crowding me twenty four-seven. Just stay away."
Dean looked genuinely hurt. "You…you don't mean that." Seamus couldn't say anything else. He ran out the door and back to the castle.
Dean's blood pressure began to rise. He felt tears welling up in his own eyes now. He grabbed his hair and breathed in and out deeply, but quickly. How could he have been so stupid!? There was no way Seamus would feel something for him. Now he had ruined everything. But he was sure the feelings had been mutual. The signs. Anger was mounting. He punched the wall and ran out.
He had to cool down for a while. Going back to the castle wasn't an option right now. He went for a walk and a little while into it he spotted Luna down by the black lake and approached her.
"Um…hi there, Luna. What are you up to?"
She turned to him and smiled. "Hello Dean. Nice to see you. I'm just enjoying this scenery. It's quite peaceful, you know?"
"Can I join you?"
"Of course, be my guest!" She patted the ground next to her and he sat.
"Luna…can I ask you something a bit personal?" He questioned, staring out on the horizon.
"Well, sure. What is it?"
"I know people used to make fun of you because they thought you were strange. How did you deal with it? Didn't it hurt?"
She laughed lightly. "Oh yes, at times it really did. But I got over it. No sense in letting something like that get to you."
"But how?"
"I realized two things that helped me a lot." Dean leaned in to listen. "One being that I liked myself and who I was, just the way I was. If no one else did, well it's okay. And the second thing was that I found a fantastic group of friends who accepted me and loved me no matter what I was like, or what other people thought of me."
Dean looked a little confused. "That's all it took?"
"Dean, you just have to worry about the people who matter in your life. They'll love you despite what others believe."
He smiled at her. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks so much Luna." He stood up and started to walk. "I really should be getting back to the castle now though. See you later!"
"How long have you loved him?"
Dean stopped in his tracks and turned back to Luna who hadn't moved. "…What?"
She turned to face him. "Seamus. How long have you loved him, Dean?"
His face was getting red again. "Luna…I don't love Seamus….we're friends…just friends!" Luna giggled.
"I've seen the way you look at him, the way you look at each other. You don't have to hide it. We won't treat you any differently you know that."
Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Um…I'm really sorry Luna. You're mistaken. I have to go."
And he took off, running toward the castle.