Infatuation

Anticipation

There was something in the air; some storm that was getting ready to break; something in the atmosphere was waiting for release. And somehow, everyone knew about it but him.

He heard the whispers as he wandered through the corridors, the giggles as he sat in class, but whenever he asked what everyone was on about a chorus of 'nothing' would sing out. He'd feel people watching him when he walked into a classroom but looking around he'd only see heads bent over work or leaning together chatting and apparently ignoring him. Entering the Common Room was the worst. More often than not conversations all around would just stop whenever he came in. It was driving Justin absolutely nuts.

***

"What the hell is going on?"

"Hmm?" Ernie looked up from his Transfiguration text at his rather angry looking dorm mate.

"I said, 'what the hell is going on?'" Justin was standing above Ernie, scowling and being generally upset.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what has gotten into everybody? I'd swear they've been watching me, but I never catch them at it. It's driving me out of my mind." He dropped carelessly onto the couch next to the other boy, accidentally knocking a Potions text to the floor.

Ernie ignored the fallen book, glancing around the room at the various study groups and solitary readers. He paused to consider the girls in the far corner, apparently giggling over some magazine. Turning back to Justin he shrugged. "You're paranoid, mate," he said calmly. "Nobody's watching you."

Justin scowled again as Ernie went back to the book in his lap, and then picked up the Potions text off the ground. He flipped it open to the page their next assignment was on and tried to read it, to at least look calm and relaxed, but soon he started hearing little whispers again. They slipped into his consciousness, pulling him away from the words on the page and utterly ruining his concentration. Growling to himself, he slammed the book closed, causing Ernie to jump. "I can't take it," Justin said, dropping the book again and standing up. "I'm going to the library."

Ernie blinked at him, clearly still convinced Justin was raving, but he simply shrugged and said, "Ok. Good luck."

***

Things were marginally better in the library. For one thing, it was hard to seriously believe everyone there was talking about him when half of them wouldn't have been able to say with any certainty what his name was.

Of course, there were exceptions to the rule.

"Finch-Fletchley mate, over here. We were just talking about you!"

There were two very odd things about being hailed like this. The first was that Seamus Finnigan had called him 'mate'. At best he and Finnigan were acquaintances, largely only ever interacting in Herbology. The second odd thing was that the boy Finnigan was sitting with, Dean Thomas, immediately leaned over and smacked his fellow Gryffindor upside the head, muttering something that rather sounded like "No beer mop!"

Now Justin had proof that the world was insane.

"Finnigan, Thomas, hello. How are you?" he asked as he made his way to their table and slid into a spare chair.

"I am grand. Truly great. Things have rarely been as good as they are for me today."

"Seamus!"

"Oh really?" Something odd was clearly going on.

"Yep. Yeppity yep yep." Finnigan was grinning at him, and leaned forward rather conspiratorially. "You see, I have recently received some news that I found simply fascinating."

"Well, good for you." Raving. The boy was clearly raving. What the bloody hell was he hinting at?

"And you know, I rather think you'd be interested..."

"Well then just tell..."

"Seamus," Thomas rather rudely cut in over Justin. "I'm going for a walk."

"Have fun then." Given that Justin had thought Thomas and Finnigan were rather good friends the looks they were throwing at each other were bloody poisonous.

"Come with me, Seamus."

"I would prefer not to."

"Too damned bad." Thomas pulled the other boy out of his chair by his collar.

"I won't go Dean. I'm going to talk to Justin here."

"You are not. If you do..." Thomas leaned over to whisper something into Finnigan's ear, and whatever he'd said must have worked, because the other boy promptly stopped fighting, although he glared up at his taller friend.

"Fine. I'll see you later Finch-Fletchley."

"Er, look, could you just..." But the two boys were already gone. Glaring around the library Justin slammed his palm onto the table, muttering, "What the hell is going on?"

***

Confused and frustrated, Justin soon made his way back to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Slipping in quietly, hoping to make it to his room unnoticed, Justin was distracted by the sound of raised voices.

"Damn it, Hannah!"

That sounded like Ernie. Turning, Justin moved quickly towards the sound, soon spotting Ernie glaring at Susan and Hannah.

"You had no right!"

"I didn't say anything to hi..." Hannah began, but Susan interrupted her.

"Hi Justin!" She had obviously seen him coming their way, and as soon as she spoke up Hannah fell silent.

Ernie shot one last glare at the dark haired girl before turning towards his dorm mate. "Hey," he managed, a little shakily.

Justin's eyes narrowed as he glanced between the three of them, then, without a word, he turned and stormed off towards the dorms. As he rounded the corner he heard Ernie mutter something and the sound of footsteps hurrying after him.

He slammed the door open when he got to their room, then turned to glare at Ernie.

"Well?" Justin asked.

"Well what?"

Justin was so tired of people messing him about. "Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about!" he shouted, striding forward and grabbing Ernie by the collar, pulling him close. His eyes flashing with anger, Justin snarled, "Why is everyone staring at me all the bloody time!"

Ernie's cheeks began to flush lightly, and he looked like he was fighting with himself over something. Justin's eyes narrowed, but as he opened his mouth to say something Ernie cut him off. "Because of me," he said simply, then leaned into Justin and kissed him.

Involuntarily Justin's hands relaxed, and before he could even begin to think about what was going on Ernie had pulled out of his grasp and rushed out of their room, leaving Justin staring after him.