Seamus Finnigan: part two

There was so much to think about. They bought me clothes from Hogsmeade and then left for real. When I left, I headed to drop off Theo's clothes before lunch. When I got to the common room, Theadore was surrounded by other boys as well as some girls. The girls whispered as they saw me. I walked up to Theo. "Sorry if they're a little stretched out. My mother bought me some clothes in Hogsmeade, so I should be good until they can find my clothes."

"Why are you saying sorry? You should just keep them."

"No, I can't." I tried pushing his clothes at him. Everyone was listening so quietly. "Please take them back."

He grabbed the sweat pants and threw them in the fire. "No." I was scared and kind of sad. My eyes filled with tears. I walked slowly to my room. I was so embarrassed, crying in front of them. I heard footsteps as I opened my dorm door. I slammed the door shut. I heard a knock. I curled up on the bed, crying into my arms.

"Hey, I'm coming in." It was a deep but very feminine voice. I'm guessing Milicent

I looked up. "I just want to be by myself."

"I understand. Just thought you might want your things back!" She had my trunk and lugged it behind her. "It was Daphne Greengrass?"

"Why?" I sighed heavily, very frustrated. I didn't ask for this.

"Because Theo likes you." I didn't know what to say. "And he claimed you."

"Thank you." She nodded and left. I talked to Millicent sometimes in that first week. Other than that, I avoided everybody.

On the last day before the official week started, I went to the library. I hid in a corner and cried into a book. I felt so lonely. "Are you okay?" I looked up, it was Seamus Finnigan.

We sat and talked for hours. Joked about our families. He gave me the low down on people in my house. "Theodore Nott, I don't know much about. I think his mom died in the first war." I dug my nails into my hand for perking up at the sound of his name. "Would you look at that? It's time for lunch?"

"Should we walk together?" I smiled. He stood up, and we started walking. As we left the library and went into the hall, just ahead of us were Theo and his friends. As we were about to pass them, I prepared myself to walk past them. But Theo and his friends formed a wall. "Finnigan, you don't mind if I talk to Ruby, do you?"

"Yes, I do mind, Nott. By the way, she is Shelby to you!" I held onto Seamus's arm.

"Just let us through," I said softly.

Theo's face got red, and his eyes went dark. "You know he's got a girlfriend," he said through gritted teeth.

"And we are long-time family friends. What is your point, Nott?" I got in his face. I glared at him as I let go of Seamus's arm. I could smell that Theo had just finished smoking a cigarette. "Your uncle killed my brother. And you're so desperate for a girlfriend that you have to stalk a girl you barely know." I stood more in his face. It was unemotional and unresponsive, as usual. Theo pulled me away from everybody and back into the library. He pulled me into the dark alcove where I had just been crying.

He pushed me up against a bookcase. "Why are his decisions my fault?" He held my chin so I couldn't look away. "Why can't I have the opportunity to prove that I'm different?"

"Because it doesn't matter if you're different." I put a hand softly on one of his. I tried to plead with my eyes. "We will make ourselves bargaining chips that our families will use. Theo, it could cost us our lives if we let them use us." He turned away from me, letting go of my chin.

"Please, I promise, I'm…" was he crying? He sniffled. "I just want."

"But you've got to understand my position." I interrupted him. "You come out of 'nowhere' to assist me. You are adamant about sticking to your 'claim'. It looks like your uncle told you to seduce me or trap me. I am not saying that's what the truth is, but that's what it looks like."

He turned. "I don't care what your aunt thinks. What do you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"What you just said is what your aunt told me. How do you feel?"

I blushed or was nervous, I'm not sure. "I don't know you."
"Stop saying that!" He hit a book off a table.

"My favorite color is green." I flinched. "What's yours?"

"Brown," he huffed.

"Now we know each other." I smiled weakly. I am risking a lot for a boy I've only known for a week, who seems to let his anger get the best of him. But I've never had a boy like me. Look at me, ridiculous all that you want. He's like the David Statue, and I'm like Edvard Munch's Scream painting. "You just have to be more gentle with me. I'm sensitive." I laughed as he smirked. His expressions were subtle. As he walked up closer to me, I straightened my shirt, looking down. He caressed my arm, so softly that if I hadn't seen his hand reach mine, I wouldn't have known he touched me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me close, kissing my forehead. When we walked out of the library, only two of his friends were there. Seamus was also gone. They wolf-whistled at us. I was so embarrassed I hid my face in the side of Theo's chest, clutching onto his shirt. "Where'd Seamus go?" Theo asked."

"We don't know, but he looked angry."

"At me?" I whispered."

"Whose you?" one of the boys joked as we started walking.

Theo elbowed him. "This is Ruby Shelby. Ruby, this is Mattheo and Lorenzo."

"We're like you." The one called Lorenzo said.

"Yes, I remember you two, from the boats."

"Yes, did you ever figure out who stole your clothes?" Lorenzo continued.

"Yes, it was Daphne Greengrass."

"Daphne?" Theo asked?

"Yes," I said.

Theo traded looks with his friends and then looked down at me and smiled a small, sweet, joyful smile. I wrapped my arm around his waist.

Everything would be okay even if it wasn't. I chose denial and delusion. I went from a grub worm to a caterpillar.