Friendship, Loyalty, And Love

Friendship, Loyalty, and Love

Epilogue

"So," Seamus said. "Is every week going to be like this, do you think?"

It was two days after the boys and returned from Malfoy Manor with Hermione, and Seamus was lying on one of the couches in the Common Room with his head in Dean's lap as Dean idly ran his hand through Seamus' hair while he studied.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, looking up from the textbook propped against the arm of the couch.

"Well, it's not even been two weeks since you and I got together, which also happened to be the night Justin was attacked. In that time a good half dozen of our friends were attacked, one was kidnapped, we rushed off to her rescue and managed not to get ourselves killed in the process, made it back mostly intact, and have gone back to classes. Honestly, how does Harry manage? It's not even Christmas yet."

"Ah, well, Harry's mad, remember. We figured that one out days ago."

"Oh, right. So how's that apply to the rest of our year? What'll it be like, now we've started down the road of adventure?"

"Are we mad?"

"Er... maybe? I don't know? What is the right answer to that one?"

Dean chuckled. "You may be mad, Seam, but I'm not."

Seamus snorted. "Who's the nutter who's going out with me?"

"Point. Well, how about this, we're not mad enough to go gallivanting around after Harry every time the world needs saving?"

"Just every second time? Cause that'd still probably kill us."

"I was thinking more along the lines of one in twelve."

"Hmm... We could probably manage that, yeah."

"Good." Dean's attention was refocused on his textbook, and Seamus was left to entertain himself.

"Does not following him on his adventures include not following him when he goes wandering after Draco?" Seamus asked.

Dean blinked and looked up. "Has he been?"

"Well, no, not as such, but I can't imagine it's going to be very long until he does. They've been making eyes at each other."

"Be serious, Seamus, they have not."

"Well, not making eyes maybe, but certainly watching each other rather closely, and you know that letter Harry got yesterday at lunch?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"I think it was from him."

Dean stared, then shook his head, turning back to his book. "Doubt it," he said. "One, sending notes wouldn't really be Draco's style - far more likely to talk to him in person, I'd expect - and two, Harry ended up talking in 'heroic whispers' with Ron, which he most definitely would not do if it were from Draco."

"Well, maybe not, but really, I do think there's something..." Seamus trailed off, aware he'd lost Dean's attention again. "Well, if they go vanishing off into dark corners alone together, I'll let you know. What do you reckon's going on with Ginny, Colin and Nev then?" he tried, and Dean sighed.

"No idea. Every time I try to get a straight answer out of Colin he tells me to ask Ginny, and Gin keeps accusing me of being a spy for Ron."

"Clearly Nev's the one to talk to then. Weak link, you might say."

"You might, but not somewhere where he could hear you."

Seamus grinned. "Well, no, not where he could hear me."

"Feel free to go ask him. I'm going to finish my homework."

"Why is your transfiguration so much more engrossing than I am?" Seamus pouted faintly.

"It's quieter and better behaved than you are," Dean said with a snort.

"What're you doing for Christmas?" Seamus' sudden change of topic got Dean to look up.

"Er, hadn't thought about it. Why?"

"No reason," Seamus said, and fell silent.

"Seamus..."

"Yes?"

"Over many years I have learned never to trust you when you say things for 'no reason'. What's up?"

"Well... would you like to come to Ireland for Christmas break?"

"Would I..." Dean trailed off.

"Totally understand if you don't want to, and I wouldn't blame you for wanting to, you know, go home and see your parents and stuff, but if you wanted to come then we could, you know, have a nice, quiet time, maybe take advantage of not having any room mates, or maybe not, you know, if you didn't want to, but I was just thinking it might be an interesting idea, but like I said, I totally don't expect you to..."

Dean stemmed the flow of words by the simple expedient of leaning down and kissing him. "I'd love to," he said quietly. "I probably can't get away from my parents all break, but I could come for a while. I think it would be nice."

Seamus grinned up at him. "Yeah... me too." Then he hooked an arm around Dean's neck, dragging him down for another kiss, having succeeded at last in distracting Dean from his work.