Watching From The Sidelines

Watching from the sidelines.

Now, if you'd asked me when it all started, I would have told you it happened about a month after Harry broke up with Draco. Not that that was a surprise, mind you. I mean, they went together fine; it's just that Draco never changed, except to Harry. To all his friends he was the same obnoxious little gimp, and in the end, Harry had enough. So they parted ways, and something strange happened.

Draco started being nice. Well, not nice - no Slytherin could be nice; but he was civil at least. When Harry was around he refused to pick on any Gryffindor, and usually spent most of his time looking over in Harry's direction - and avoiding Harry's gaze whenever the Boy Who Lived irritably glanced across in his direction, tired of Malfoy playing the stalking ex.

It was if he was afraid of Harry since the break-up, or afraid of offending him any further than he had. So we shrugged and got on with it.

Around the same time Ron and Hermione started hanging with one another more than usual, ostensibly to help Ron with his flagging homework. But I could tell.

I'm very perceptive, me. Me and my brother, anyway. Keepers of the gossip, holders of the dirty little secrets of all four houses and half the staff. Not that we'd tell, but someone has to know. Just to make sure that no-one else tells.

And so Harry was left mostly alone, and to escape the gaze of Malfoy, amongst other things, he started studying with Seamus, up in the dorms. Most of the time they'd end up talking about Qudditch though - although once or twice they talked about guys, once Harry got over his initial embarrassment. But Seamus is a good conversationalist, and that accent is rich and intoxicating as Guinness. It just....wraps itself around you like a blanket. I don't know of anyone who wouldn't feel safe around Seamus.

Soon they began to sit next to each other in class - mainly because Ron and 'Mione would be too busy flirting and slipping dirty notes to each other - and I caught them glancing at each other at the Gryffindor table, once or twice.

Then there was that time when Harry jumped up from the table to rush to class, and accidentally dropped half his parchments on the floor. Seamus immediately helped him pick them up, and their fingers brushed in the process. Harry gave one of his trademark blushingly embarrassed grins, and Seamus just smiled, Harry's fingers lying on top of his own.

No-one else saw.

But I did.

So, really it wasn't a surprise when I caught them snogging in the corridor. Although caught implies that I went 'ah-HA!' and stopped them. Which I certainly didn't.

I merely took photos. And watched. And fantasised a bit; but really, who wouldn't?

Dennis was quite jealous I'd seem them snog. He was even more jealous of Seamus. Even suggested we use a polyjuice so that we could take turns kissing The Great One.

But I told him. I said, "Dennis my brother-" I said "Dennis" I said "Bro" I said "Dennis.... Harry's needs come before ours, and that as tempting as tasting those lips might be, it could disrupt the budding relationship. And we don't want that now do we?"

Dennis looked up at me blankly, and asked "Why?"

He's my brother, and I love him as a brother, but Merlin he's dense sometimes.

Seamus made Harry happy, and if Seamus made Harry happy, he was alright by me.

Besides, you should have seen Malfoy's face when he found out. Even Dennis appreciated the beauty in that. We got some snaps, too.

Classic.