Infatuation

Aggravation

"Damn it, damn it, fuck, damn it, fuck, fuck, damn it..."

The sound of something thudding against the wall floated down the hall in time with the quiet cursing. Dean looked at Seamus and arched an eyebrow.

"What the hell's that?" he asked.

"No idea," Seamus replied. "Let's go and check it out."

Dean sighed as Seamus tugged on his arm, pulling him down the corridor. Seamus did love sticking his nose into everybody's business.

They quickly reached the room that the noise was coming from, the door hanging half-open. Dean blinked. Now that they were closer Dean could make out whose voice that was. "Seamus..." he started, but it was too late. The blonde boy had already pushed it open and stuck his head through.

"Hey," he started. "Are you o... oh, Macmillan." Seamus' spine went a little bit rigid as he recognized the boy in the room.

"Finnigan." The voice coming out of the room was cold, and before anything else could be said Dean stepped through into the room.

"Hullo, Ernie," he said, his voice perfectly composed.

"Dean." The Hufflepuff smiled at Dean, and the black boy felt Seamus become even more tense next to him.

"We heard you cursing and wanted to make sure everything was ok," Dean said. "What's up?"

Ernie sighed and moved away from the wall he'd apparently been kicking. "Not much," he said. "Just frustrated."

"Oh?" Seamus' tone could almost be taken for caring and friendly, if you didn't know him well. Of course, both of the other boys did know him and knew exactly why he didn't like Ernie and so weren't fooled for a second.

"Quiet Seamus," Dean said, shooting his boyfriend a look.

Seamus scowled, and turned away, dropping into one of the desks near by, settling down to listen to Dean have a heart to heart with his ex.

"What's up?" Dean asked, perching on the desk next to Seamus' and looking concernedly at Ernie.

"Justin." The one word answer explained a lot to Dean, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Seamus perk up.

"What's he doing now?"

"He's a wanker."

Not a useful answer, Ernie... Dean thought to himself, but kept his aggravation with the other boy to himself. "Yes, but what's he done?" he asked, trying to get a solid explanation.

"That's what he's done. All the time. He's driving me nuts!" Ernie dropped into a seat and thumped his head against the desk in front of him. "You know I told you about Hannah and Susan, right?"

Dean heard Seamus take in a sudden breath and winced to himself. He really wished Seamus weren't so possessive, even if it was kind of cute to watch him throw little tiffs over stupid things. Still, Ernie was a sore point in Seamus' world and Dean had "forgotten" to mention the conversation they'd had a few weeks ago about Ernie's pretty housemates.

"Yeah, I remember," he said, shooting a quelling look at Seamus.

"An exhibitionist and a tease is a dangerous combination at any time, and the two of them love tormenting Justin. They do it all the bloody time! And then I get to listen to him work out his bloody frustrations from two beds away. I swear, the next time he forgets a silencing spell I won't be held accountable for my actions."

A snicker came from Seamus' corner of the room and Ernie instantly went on the defensive.

"Shut it, Finnigan!" he snarled.

"Hey, all you have to do is what I did." Seamus was grinning faintly, but the look dropped off his face when Ernie countered.

"What, watch your best friend go out with another guy and mope for three months?"

"It was only two and a half!"

"Two months and 23 days." Now Ernie was smirking at the blonde.

"Look, you little..."

"Seamus, either be useful or be quiet," Dean cut in, tired of listening to the two of them bicker. "It's ancient history, so get over it."

Angry, but aware that Dean was right, Seamus stood up. "I'm going back to the Common Room" he told Dean. "Come and find me when you're done." He half nodded in something that might almost be Ernie's direction, then not-quite-stormed out of the room.

"Explain why you're with him again?" Ernie's question caused Dean to scowl.

"Don't you start," was his only response. "Do you want help with Justin or not?"

Ernie glanced down at the desk in front of him then looked up, biting his lip. "Yes. What should I do?"

Sighing, Dean mentally settled down for a long talk with Ernie, well aware that the longer he took the more Seamus was going to pout. Dean hated dealing with a cranky Seamus. Although the make-up sex was definitely worth it, getting him to calm down was always a trial.