Chapter 3 is here! I know it's been a while since I updated this fic, but it has not been forgotten and a recent comment motivated me to update I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 3

Harry was unsurprised when the next morning he found himself being approached by Theodore Nott before he could even make it into the great hall for breakfast.

Harry looked up at the tall Slytherin, face already starting to heat as he knew what was coming.

"Harry" Theo said in greeting.

"Theo" Harry returned just as formally.

"I got your letter."

Harry nodded resignedly. "I thought as much." Before Harry could keel over from embarrassment and tell him to forget about it, Theo continued.

"I'm sorry but I am definitely straight."

Straight to the point, Harry liked that. Theo was definitely of the strong and silent type and on the rare occasion that you did get him talking he was always worth listening to. Harry had been completely enamored with Theo after they had been paired together a few times in potions in their fifth year. The calm collected way he faced everything in life had made Harry reevaluate himself and led to some much-needed personal growth. He had never gotten the guts to ask Theo out, it seems like that had probably been a good thing.

"That's completely fine" Harry hurried to reassure. Theo looked relieved, like he had actually been worried about hurting Harry's feelings. "I actually wrote that letter a while ago, I'm not sure who sent it out. I never intended to."

Theo frowned. "I'm sorry that someone invaded your privacy like that, especially with something so personal."

Harry's heart skipped a beat as he tried not to swoon. No, bad Harry, Theo is straight.

He ran his hand through his hair roughly. "It hasn't been easy" Harry agreed, thinking of his evening and morning spent avoiding Seamus. He then thought of his conversation with Blaise the day before, now seemed as good a time as any to start the ruse.

"Its especially awkward as I'm actually already dating someone."

Theo looked surprised at that.

"It's new, we haven't really started telling people about it yet" Harry continued, hoping that Theo couldn't hear the tremor in his voice. He was always such a terrible liar.

"Who are you dating?" Theo asked, his Slytherin curiosity peaked.

Harry hesitated for a moment, once he said this there was no going back.

"It's actually Blaise."

Theo's eyes popped open in surprise his eyebrows rising so high that they disappeared into his fringe.

"You and Blaise?" Theo croaked.

Harry just nodded, feeling like less information was best at this point.

Theo's expression changed to one of concern. "Oh, Harry, be careful. Blaise only recently broke up with Pansy and I know from sharing a dorm with him that he didn't take it well."

Harry's chest warmed and he reached forward to pat Theo's shoulder.

"Thanks, Theo, but I'll be OK." He wasn't going to get hurt, seeing as how they weren't actually dating.

Theo opened his mouth to say more but stopped when a heavy arm was slung around his shoulder.

"Theo" Blaise said in greeting, causing the other Slytherin to shrug his shoulders and dislodge his friend's arm.

"Blaise" Theo countered, eyeing his friend sceptically. "Harry was just telling me about your new… relationship."

Blaise smiled softly at Harry, moving forward to bring the smaller teen into his arms and press a light kiss to his temple. Harry definitely did not shiver.

Rule one had been no kisses on the lips. He had never been kissed before and did not want his first kiss to be because of a fake relationship.

"It is new" Blaise conceded "but its special."

Theo stared seriously between the pair before sighing deeply, "I hope you know what you're doing" he said, before turning and entering the hall.

"That could've gone better" Harry muttered softly from his place in Blaise's arms.

"It went very well" Blaise countered glancing around at all the students watching them as they entered the great hall. "It will be all over school that we're dating by the end of the day."

Harry swallowed thickly at that.

"I'll see you at lunch, baby" Blaise said louder as he pressed a kiss to Harry's cheek, before shooting him a wink and entering the hall. Leaving Harry standing flushed, surrounded by the gossipy whispers of the other students.

He sighed wearily, before entering the hall and going to find a spot at the Gryffindor table. Unfortunately, sitting with his friends meant sitting with Seamus. As Harry sat down, he glanced over to find Seamus staring right at him. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he started to dish up some food, ignoring the way Seamus's eyes were boring holes into him. Thankfully no one else had seemed to pick up on the tension between the pair.

"Got your homework?" Hermione asked from her place beside him.

"Yeah, finished that potions essay last night. I actually think I did not too bad on it."

Hermione gave him a happy look, while Neville moaned miserably, "we had an essay due today?"

Harry managed a smile as his friends launched into an explanation and Neville pulled a piece of parchment from his bag and began furiously scribbling something down. In terms of Snape, anything was better than nothing.

As they left the hall for potions, Neville's newly finished essay clutched tightly in his fist, Seamus tried to walk beside Harry.

Harry immediately sped up to walk with Ron, engaging the red head in a conversation about whether they should order a bunch of prank foods from Fred and George. He glanced behind him to find Seamus still watching him as he walked beside Dean. Thankfully Dean hadn't seemed to notice Seamus' staring. His chest tightened at the thought of what would happen if Dean found out.

As they entered potions, this year with the Ravenclaws, Harry was immediately waylaid by Michael Corner. He groaned at his own stupidity at having forgotten that they shared this class. He had been so caught up with avoiding Seamus on the walk down that he hadn't given much else a thought. Thankfully this was a little different, as Michael was already aware that Harry had had a crush on him. Harry had actually asked the other out in third year but had been turned down as Michael already had a boyfriend at the time. Thankfully they'd managed to form quite a good friendship from it all.

"I assume you didn't mean to send this to me?" Michael asked with a grin and a wave of his own letter.

Harry just laughed as he pulled Michael out of the way of the door, "nope."

"Would you like it back?"

Harry thought about it for a moment. "Would that be, OK? I know it's stupid, but the letters are like a piece of my history."

"I remember. You only write them when you have a serious crush, right?" Michael said as he handed back the letter. "So how many went out?"

"Five" Harry said with a grimace and Michael seemed to share his sentiment.

"Any idea who sent them?"

"Well, it has to be a Gryffindor as they were tucked securely into my school trunk. But other then that, I'm not really sure."

Michael nodded seriously, "I will let you know if I hear anything around the castle."

"Thank you" Harry said gratefully.

"Want to partner up today? Slughorn said something about a 'fun' potion during our last lesson."

"Sure, that'd be great" Harry said brightly, thankful that at least this letter hadn't led to a horribly embarrassing incident. They walked over to an empty table and pulled out their things, just as Slughorn entered and began the lesson.

As Harry walked into the great hall for dinner that evening, he felt a larger than usual number of eyes following him, while hissed whispers broke out on all sides. He hoped that everyone was talking about the fact that he was now dating Blaise, not about his love letters in general. He shuddered to think what would happen if Rita Skeeter got her hands on one.

"Oh Harry, congratulations!" Ginny said as he sat down in his usual spot. "I heard today that you're dating Blaise Zabini. You sure kept that hush hush." She gave him a mischievous smirk which Harry chose to ignore.

"What!?" Ron squawked, turning to stare at Harry. "Harry's not dating Blaise, are you Harry?"

"Actually, Ron" Harry began slowly. "I am."

Everyone in the vicinity was either watching them or listening in on their conversation.

"Its only new, that's why I haven't really told anyone yet. But I'm pretty excited about it." Harry purposefully kept his explanation vague. Their agreement was only new, and he was pretty excited about not humiliating himself in front of Seamus. He felt sick about lying to his friends though. He may have to tell Ron and Hermione the truth, if only to have someone to talk to about everything that had been going on.

Ron just gawked at him.

"Well, that's great news" Dean said, a little further down the table. "I'm happy for you Harry."

"Thanks, Dean" Harry said softly.

"There were girls talking about it when I went to the bathroom today" Hermione said slowly, "I just assumed it was the usual gossip."

They all jumped as Seamus slammed his cutlery down on the table. "Could I please talk to you, Harry?"

Harry knew he was being a coward as he shook his head. "Just eating at the moment" he said lamely, as he took a bite of a sandwich. "Later" he tacked on as he saw the dark look on Seamus' face.

Later came much sooner then he would've liked as he found Seamus waiting for him in their dorm later that night. Harry looked around wildly, hoping one of the other boys were there, but alas they were all alone. Seamus cast a locking charm on the door as he stood and slowly made his way towards Harry.

"Ah, I'm just here to put my books away" Harry said as he moved away from Seamus and sat his bag down. "Ron and Hermione are waiting for me downstairs" he continued to babble.

"Harry" Seamus said quietly. Harry didn't turn around, pretending to rummage through his bag until a firm hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him.

"That letter you sent me was one of the most beautiful things I've ever read" Seamus said quietly. "Why didn't you ever tell me you felt that way about me?"

Harry flushed crimson at the mention of his letter, his eyes darting away.

"I- I- well, you're with Dean and I would never want to do anything that could come between you two or that would damage our friendship" Harry stuttered out. "B-besides" Harry continued, finally raising his eyes to look at Seamus, "I never intended to send that letter out. It was just a way for me to process my emotions, someone went into my trunk and sent it."

"You didn't mean to send it to me?" Seamus asked in confusion.

"No!" Harry yelped.

"But you wrote the letter?" Seamus asked, obviously struggling to understand. "Everything you wrote is how you actually feel?"

Harry nodded helplessly.

"Does the sound of my voice send shivers down your spine?" Seamus asked softly, watching Harry's face intently. "Are my jokes one of the few things that can make you smile when you're feeling down?" The Irishman breathed as he took a step closer. "Do you love the enthusiasm and energy that I live every day with and wish that enthusiasm and energy was aimed at you? Do you dream of what it would feel like to be held in my arms, pinned beneath my body, to feel me move inside of you?" Seamus finished the last part in a whisper, eyes roaming over Harry's flushed face, taking in the dilated eyes and laboured breathing.

Harry shook his head to clear his lust addled thoughts. Seamus had read the letter so much that he already knew it off by heart?

"You are with Dean" Harry said hoarsely.

"I'm not."

"You have been, and you will be again. You. Love. Him." Harry said slowly, enunciating each word as he took a step back. "And he loves you. I would never do that to him. Hurt a friend in that way, I just couldn't" Harry shook his head again as the very thought sickened him.

Seamus frowned at Harry.

"I'm with Blaise now."

"But-" Seamus tried to interrupt but Harry kept talking.

"Forget about the letter and everything it said, I never meant for you to find out." Harry finished and with a wave of his wand he unlocked the door and strode out. Ignoring the way his heart ached and his stomach twisted as he ran down the stairs and practically fled out the portrait, ignoring the calls of his name as he went.