Heads I Like Him, Tails I Love Him

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast along with their three dorm mates; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Harry, Ron and Neville were all snickering and shaking their heads. Dean was grinning at his sheepish Irish friend who looked as close to being embarrassed as they had ever seen him.

"The thing that annoys me the most," Ron was saying to Seamus conversationally, "is that I know who was making you moan and sigh in your sleep. Of course it helped that you yelled out his name from time to time." He grimaced distastefully. "I can't say I like your taste in love interests. A Slytherin, after all, Finnigan!"

Neville grinned at him. "You know Seamus, if you plan to keep meeting up with Blaise in your dreams, you might want to consider nightly silencing spells around your bed. You're still sharing your quarters with other guys who'd prefer not to hear you reliving the details of your lusty love life." He chortled, unsuccessfully trying to duck away from his Irish friend's lunge. They wrestled noisily for a bit, ignoring the stares of passing students.

Though he was a little pink around the cheeks from both the embarrassment and the exertion, Seamus couldn't help but smirk. It had been a really gooooood dream. He could clearly remember all the lovely, sensual details - skillful nimble fingers, sinewy smooth skin, strong agile limbs, passionate and smoldering kisses and most importantly, a pair of fiery golden eyes.

Seamus had spent a good part of yesterday trying to decide if he and his Slytherin boyfriend, Blaise Zabini, were close enough to be considered Valentine sweethearts. After much discussion with Dean, a great deal of pre-slumber mulling about, and his all-too-real dream, there was no more room for debate. The intensity of his nocturnal fantasy rendezvous helped him come to a decision about his dilemma. He was going to treat his prickly boyfriend to a Valentine's Day he hoped neither would forget anytime soon.

"Slytherin snogging!" Ron sighed hugely, pulling a comically sad face. "It's becoming a bloody plague around here, I tell you." He spun out of the way as Harry swung at him. "Tetchy, tetchy, Potter," he said snickering. "How do you know I was talking about you and Malfoy?"

Harry's Housemates were still trying to adjust to the fact that their famous resident hero was dating the Prince of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy. The two former enemies had been forced to spend some time together during the summer and had formed an uneasy friendship that had quickly blossomed into passion. After getting past the initial anger and shock, his friends took great pains to poke fun at Harry and his blond boyfriend as often as possible. Although Seamus had a brief crush on the Boy-Who-Lived, he had readily accepted Harry's hand in friendship again. Fortunately, the Irish Gryffindor had become distracted with his new boyfriend shortly after that.

"I hope you and Hermione have children who end up in Slytherin, you prat," Harry told his best friend. "The dungeons could use a bit more color from all that red hair YOUR pups would have." He smirked in satisfaction as Ron turned a respectable shade of crimson.

"Never going to happen, Harry" Ron growled.

"Which do you mean, Ron?" Harry inquired mildly. "The idea of you having pups or of them being in Slytherin?"

Ron grabbed his best friend and wrapped a long arm around his neck in a mock chokehold. "You cocky midget," he snarled, mussing Harry's messy hair further with his free hand. "You're sounding way too much like Malfoy these days and I DON'T LIKE IT! Oomph!" Ron doubled over as Harry elbowed him in the stomach and twisted free.

Dean chuckled. "Better not leave any marks on him, Ron. You know how Malfoy gets about his personal Potter property." He danced out of the way as Harry threatened to stomp on his foot. "I'm not saying anything that isn't true, my friend," he said grinning at his fuming dorm mate. "Malfoy went pretty mental after that bludger hit you in last week's Quidditch match."

"Yeah," Seamus snickered. "Blaise said it was all Snape could do to hold Malfoy back. He was trying to hex the Ravenclaw Beater."

"At least we won that day," Ron added proudly. The redhead was Keeper for the Gryffindor House Quidditch team. He was also the Co-captain with Harry.

"Only Harry could catch the snitch on a downward spin," Neville said, still laughing. "It was quite impressive, especially since you did it after you fell off your Firebolt.

"Can we stop talking about that bloody match?" Harry groaned testily. "I don't remember much from that last part, but I do remember it hurt."

"Well, I'm sure Malfoy made it all better for you later, potty wotty," Ron cooed. "Once he bailed you out of the hospital wing, of course."

"You did come back rather late that night, Harry," Seamus added, grinning. "I thought I saw a few marks on you that couldn't have come from the accident." He chuckled at the green-eyed Gryffindor's stony red face.

"You should talk, pixie wixie," Harry retorted. "You're ALWAYS coming back to the dorm late with funny marks on you."

"Yeah, well, at least I ALWAYS come back to the dorm," the Irish boy pointed out. "SOME prat who shall remain nameless forgets that his bed is in Gryffindor Tower and not in the Slytherin Dungeons. Ow!" He rubbed his head where Harry had smacked it. "Getting violent in your old age, aren't you, Potter?"

"Now, now, Finnigan," Dean chided. "We wouldn't see much of you either if Zabini had his own private quarters." Seamus shrugged and sniggered, but didn't deny it.

The boys continued bickering and roughing each other up, chuckling and snorting all the way. It was a very rowdy and rumpled group heading towards their table in the Great Hall. The sixth year girls watched their rather noisy approach with a mixture of amusement, annoyance, and resignation.

"They're doing it again," Lavender Brown mournfully told her best friend, Parvati Patil.

"Doing what?" Parvati inquired, visibly holding back giggles.

"Acting like the idiots we know them to be," her blond friend replied, giggling madly.

"Hey!" all five boys exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh my," Hermione Granger murmured. "They're all sharing their single brain cell again today." The other girls burst out laughing, nodding in agreement. The boys glared at the bushy-haired prefect who just smiled at them smugly.

Ron's fifth year Gryffindor sister, Ginny Weasley, snickered from her seat next to Hermione. "Careful there, Mione," she cautioned. "You're dating part of that brain cell. The part that manages the mouth." She squawked as her brother smacked the back of her head before taking the other seat next to his girlfriend.

"You boys look like you've just rolled out of bed," Lavender commented as everyone settled down around them. "Hasn't anyone ever shown you what miracles a comb can do for your hair?"

"Har de har har," Ron replied. "I'll have you know that we were rudely awakened this morning." He smirked at Seamus. "While some of us tried to have a good night's sleep, some of us went out and had a good time without leaving the bed. Gave the rest of us a good show." Seamus threw a butter roll at him. The redhead handily caught the roll and bit into it, still grinning at his Irish friend. Dean, Neville, and Harry snickered.

Frowning at Seamus for throwing the roll, Hermione shook her head and muttered something about boys, food and juvenile behavior before turning her attention back to her potions text.

Lavender and Parvati both giggled. "Sounds fascinating, Seamus. Care to share?"

"No," the sandy-haired boy said loftily. "I don't care to share, thank you very much."

"Does it have to do with a certain sexy Slytherin who a certain Irish Gryffindor is dating?" Ginny inquired shrewdly.

"Sexy?" Ron snorted. "Oh puh-leese, Ginny!" He made gagging noises.

"What?" his sister retorted. "There are some very cute sexy Slytherins in my year. In fact," she added wickedly, "I think I'll find me one of my very own." Ginny sniggered as her brother choked and spit out his pumpkin juice. Lavender and Parvati shrieked with laughter at Ron's livid expression. "I'm sure Draco would be happy to introduce me to some very juicy prospects," she continued smugly, smiling at Harry who was sitting across from her.

Harry grinned, shaking his head. "Leave me out of that one, Ginny," he murmured. "Your brother is bothered enough by me as it is."

"Don't even joke about something like that, Gin," Ron growled, wiping his robe and pushing aside his juice-covered plate. "I have enough nightmares with two dorm-mates dating prats from that House. I'll maim every last one of those snakes before I let my sister near one."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Like I can't take care of myself," she said, helping herself to another piece of toast. "And how do you know I'm joking anyway?" she huffed. Ron stared at her balefully, trying to decide if she was serious or not.

Seamus chuckled at the antics of his friends and Housemates. Scooping eggs and sausage onto his plate, he let his eyes wander over to the Slytherin table. As usual, the object of his affections was seated next to his best friend, Millicent Bulstrode. Blaise was nibbling some toast and sipping coffee, laughing at something the burly girl was saying to him. Glancing at the other occupants of the Slytherin table, the Irish Gryffindor sighed to himself. Once he stopped thinking of them as evil, he did have to admit that there were quite a few attractive Slytherins. He personally thought his dark-haired, golden-eyed boyfriend was the prettiest of the whole lot. Deciding that he was acting very much like a lovesick sod right now, Seamus turned his attention back to his bickering and giggling friends.

After breakfast, the halls filled quickly as all students moved towards their first class of the day. The sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins headed towards the dungeons for Double Potions. The Gryffindors, in particular, always approached the class apprehensively since the Potions Professor, Severus Snape, never forgave them for passing the O.W.L. for his class. He was especially waspish whenever he laid eyes on Harry and Neville.

While there were still occasional exchanges of challenges and taunts between the Gryffindors and Slytherins, it lacked the ominous threat of a daily war that was perpetually present before. It helped that Harry and Draco generally walked down to the potions lab together. Students from both Houses were so nonplussed at seeing the two striding closely side-by-side that they generally forgot to trade insults and blows with each other. It was a surreal sight even to their closest friends.

Draco, meanwhile, was commenting on the grooming habits of certain Gryffindors. "You know, Potter," he drawled as they made their way down the many flights of stairs, "I hadn't realized even your dorm mates were part of your fan club." He flicked a hand through Neville's hair. "They seem to be trying to copy your hairstyle." The round-faced Gryffindor winced and tried to smooth down his slightly tousled hair. Draco's two Slytherin behemoth friends, Crabbe and Goyle, snickered nastily from behind them. Even the Gryffindor girls giggled.

"Watch it, Malfoy," Harry replied darkly. "We could easily arrange for you to have the same hair."

"Not likely, Mon Cherie," the blond Slytherin replied breezily. "Malfoy hair is not reckless and unruly."

Harry snorted. "All those years of gel and helmet hair must have whipped those locks into flat submission." The Gryffindors around him smirked and snickered.

Draco glowered and sneered at his cheeky boyfriend, but managed to suppress the urge to strangle him. "Harry, you're starting to sound more and more like Weasley and I DON'T LIKE IT." He glared at Dean, Neville and Seamus who all started howling with laughter. The other Slytherins regarded the merry band of Gryffindors with annoyance and suspicion.

"Funny thing, Draco," Harry replied mildly. "Ron said the very same thing to me earlier, except he thinks I'm getting to be more like you." He watched in amusement as his blond boyfriend and his redheaded best friend scowled at each other. "So who's starting to sound like whom, I wonder," he mused out loud. He chuckled at the death glares he received from both boys and exchanged a knowing look with Hermione.

The group arrived at the entrance hall leading to the potions lab. As was their habit, the Slytherins lined up along one wall and the Gryffindors lined up along the opposite wall. The portentously impressive effect was somewhat dampened by Harry and Draco standing together between the groups. The two were talking softly and seemed to be ignoring everyone else around them, but their Housemates knew that at the first sign of trouble towards either one of them, the other was quick to hex the perpetrator back into line. Seamus personally felt the united front constantly demonstrated by the two former enemies was a bit overdone, but it seemed to be effective in discouraging hallway battles.

To better occupy his already restless mind while they waited for Professor Snape to open the lab, the Irish Gryffindor let his eyes wander until they once again settled on his dark-haired Slytherin. Blaise was chatting softly with Millicent, Pansy Parkinson and a few other girls. Seamus had learned over the past two months how loyal the Slytherin girls were to his boyfriend, especially Millicent. They had defended and protected him over the years against brutal and homophobic Housemates. By doling out lavish rewards and harsh retributions for favorable or abusive treatment of their friend, the Harem, as they called themselves, carved a safe niche for the rather pouncy boy in a House not known for its liberal attitudes and tolerance. Seamus himself had been on the receiving end of numerous veiled and not-so-veiled warnings from various members of the Harem when he and Blaise had started seeing each other.

Still lost in his dreamy stupor, the Irish Gryffindor began wishing they didn't have to wear the heavy black school robes they did. He realized he rather liked watching Blaise Zabini move with cat-like grace and that was hard to do when the cat's form was hidden from view. "A panther," he thought whimsically to himself. "That's what he is. A sleek golden-eyed black panther." He sighed softly and became immersed in hopeful fantasies for the upcoming weekend.

Seamus was rather rudely brought back to reality by the abrupt arrival of the Potions Master. Sneering at the Irish boy and his friends, he swept past them, magically unlocking the door with an impatient wave of his hand and yanking it open. "I sincerely hope," Snape drawled as he led them inside, "that the moronic expression I see on your faces is not a portent of how poorly you do in my class this morning." He spun around in a swirl of black robes and faced the room as his students quickly took to their seats. "Otherwise, you may find yourself wishing you never passed your potions O.W.L." The Professor glared heatedly at the messy-haired, green-eyed Gryffindor sitting in the front row with Draco. "Although I'm sure some of you wonder as I do just how it's possible to pass an O.W.L. in a subject you are so frightfully dismal at." Harry glared back but said nothing. Beside him, Draco stared at his favorite professor, one eyebrow cocked.

Looking like he just bit into something extremely sour, Snape turned swiftly to the blackboard and began writing. "If I don't hear the sound of quills on parchment in the next second, I shall quiz you on today's lecture before I even deliver it." Students hastily pulled out books and parchment and began busily scratching notes.

Two hours later, Seamus and his friends wobbled out of the lab, shaking their heads, blinking and taking deep breaths. "I've used up my share of our single brain cell, Mione," the Irish boy groaned, rubbing his forehead. "I'm running on empty for the rest of the day."

The bushy-haired prefect rolled her eyes as they began the ascent up the stairs. "Oh, Seamus," she scolded. "That wasn't bad at all. I had wondered when Professor Snape was going to lecture on more complex poison antidotes. I'm really glad I read up on it the other day."

Lavender poked Ron in the back. When he turned to look at her, she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Ron, you're neglecting your duties as Hermione's boyfriend. She still has enough time to do some of that light reading she always talks about. Do something, will you?" Parvati giggled unrepentantly, ignoring the glare her brainy dorm mate shot at her.

"Oh, leave her be," Ron replied, grinning fondly at the sulking girl beside him. "Who am I to cut her off from her favorite recreational activity?"

"For shame, Weasley," a low voice purred from behind them. "YOU'RE supposed to be Granger's favorite recreational activity."

Ron glared at the dark-haired Slytherin smirking at him. "Mind your own business, Zabini," he growled, blushing at the innuendo. "I don't discuss personal matters with Slytherins!"

"Maybe you should," Blaise suggested. "Hermione might have a more exciting love life that way." Millicent and Pansy sniggered beside him.

"Ignore him," Hermione muttered, taking Ron's arm and attempting to pull him up the stairs.

"Oh right!" Ron snorted. "I heard all about YOUR love life, Zabini, and I don't want any part of it."

Seamus whirled around and stared at the redhead, torn between thrashing him and sinking into the floor himself. The golden cat eyes he loved cut briefly to him, but switched back to the tall redhead. "Have you now?" he sneered. "Indulging in gossip and fantasies shows progress on your part, Weasel. There's hope for you yet."

Before Ron could respond, Draco interrupted from further behind them. "Get a move on up there before I hex the lot of you," he snapped impatiently. "You're holding up the line for those of us who actually have important things to do." Harry was staring up worriedly at Ron.

"Yeah," Millicent growled. "Get going, Weasley!"

With a final glare at the Slytherins, Ron turned and stormed up the rest of the stairs with Hermione hurrying to keep up with him, ignoring the seething Irish boy standing at the top of the staircase.

Before Blaise could brush past him, Seamus grabbed hold of his arm, ignoring the curious glances and smirks of students from both Houses. "Talk to you a minute?" he asked the Slytherin. "Please?"

His golden-eyed boyfriend gazed at him for a moment, then turned and nodded to his friends, signaling that he would catch up with them later. He followed Seamus a short distance away down a corridor into an alcove behind a statue of Bertram the Bearded. Blaise leaned against a wall and looked questioningly at the Irish boy.

"Can you get away tonight?" Seamus asked.

"What did Weasley mean by that crack about my love life?" the Slytherin inquired coolly.

The other boy sighed. He knew Slytherins hated two things in particular: Gryffindors teasing Slytherins and Gryffindors with information Slytherins don't have. Combine both and it made for a pretty moody Slytherin itching to hit something - preferably a Gryffindor.

"I'll tell you tonight. Will you come?" Seamus smiled hopefully. "Please?" he said again.

After a moment, Blaise finally nodded. "9 o'clock, usual place," he said.

"Yeah. Great. Um...I'll see you then."

Without another word, Blaise left the alcove and headed towards his next class. Seamus watched him for a minute, and then ran to catch up with his classmates.

"Damn!" Seamus thought to himself. He hastened his pace. The Irish boy realized he also needed to talk to Harry. Well, he really needed to talk to Draco but he knew he'd need Harry's help both in arranging the meeting and then wading through the blond Slytherin's typically bratty and obnoxious behavior.

"Boy, I've got a busy night ahead of me!" he muttered. Seamus decided one of the things he needed to do was borrow some more brain cells from someone, probably Dean. He was going to need it after all.

TBC