Lucky Charms

Ralph. Puke. Spew. Hurl. Blow chunks.

All of these words mean the same thing to me: my least favorite activity.

As I dry heave to the porcelain god in the 1^st floor boys' loo, my life flashes before my eyes.

How embarrassing.

I remember the way I felt so safe resting my head on my mother's bosom, my earliest memory.

I still wince at the way my father looked at me that first time I performed accidental magic, a hurt mixture of fear and jealousy.

I try to grasp onto some other pivotal memory, but nothing comes to mind.

I'd like to think that I'm too busy holding on for dear life, but I know the truth.

I can't remember anything because I haven't done anything.

I've never saved anyone or gotten the top mark in class. I've never even been in a real brawl and I'm bloody Irish!

I'm just unremarkably average.

I hate that word.

Average intelligence. Average looks. Average courage.

"Never be the best or the worst at anything, Seamus, because the people who are, will always be targets."

Thanks for that, mam.

In fact, as I slip on the tile and fall back on my bum, I realize that the only impressive thing I've ever done is tell Blaise how I feel.

I stop heaving and start shaking.

Zabini.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

All of a sudden, my head starts pounding and my mouth feels like sand paper.

Water. I need water.

Seamus slowly dragged himself off the floor and out of the stall. Then he began to shuffle his feet towards the nearest sink. As he was washing his face, he suddenly felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end.

Water still dripping off his chin, Seamus turned his head and looked around the room.

"Hello?" Seamus asked hesitantly, but no one answered him.

Shrugging it off as nothing and laughing at his own weakness, Seamus turned back towards the sink and looked at himself in the mirror.

Fortunately, it wasn't the talking kind. Who knows what it would say if it could talk?

Seamus snorted and said mockingly, "I have a pretty good idea. 'Your haircut is too short. It makes you look like a peach. If your eyes were any farther apart, you'd be cross eyed. And is that an arse crack in your chin? If it is, get rid of it! It's turning me on! Heh heh!'"

(But what was really funny was the way Seamus never saw his own allure. He had no idea how brilliant his blue eyes shined when he laughed or how the appeal of his own rugged masculinity made people look twice across a crowded room.)

Seamus didn't think that he looked good because no one had ever told him he was handsome. Except for his mam, and of course, she didn't count.

"Think you're funny, Finnigan?" A voice cut through Seamus' laughter like a sharp dagger.

Seamus whirled around and stared at the owner of the voice with surprised horror. She was a six foot tall Slytherin with broad shoulders and angry eyes. She had a way about her that made her look manlier than Seamus.

"Bulstrode! Get out of here! This is the Boys' loo!" Seamus shouted angrily. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with another Slytherin today. He had already filled his yearly quota.

But Bulstrode made no move to leave. Instead, she cracked her knuckles rather menacingly and scowled at him. For some reason, it was a lot scarier when she did it. Hell, Crabbe and Goyle probably learned the move from her.

"Fine. I'll leave," Seamus stated huffily and began to move towards Bulstrode and the exit.

But before he could get there, another smaller Slytherin stepped out from behind Bulstrode and aimed his wand at Seamus' chest.

Seamus had a second to see that it was Theodore Nott and to think, "Not again!" before Nott made his move.

"Expelliarmus," Nott spat out through clenched teeth. He didn't need to shout to obtain the desired outcome.

The blast of light hit Seamus in the chest and propelled him backwards onto the floor. Seamus tried to make a go for his wand, but Nott summoned it away from him.

Seamus swore. He couldn't believe the same shit was happening to him twice in one day!

Seamus groaned and tried to prop himself up on his elbow when he felt a second curse hit him in the back. Suddenly, both his arms were twisting around behind his back of their own accord and locking together. There was nothing he could do to resist it.

With nothing to keep him upright, Seamus fell forward and landed flat on his face. It hurt, but it was just a quick jab of pain compared to the throbbing ache that was his ribs.

"Ow," Seamus mumbled to the floor. Gross. Loo floor. Ewww.

He tried to pick himself up off the floor with just his legs, but he couldn't do it. Instead, he ended up looking like a fish flopping around on dry land.

When he heard Bulstrode and Nott laughing at him, he stopped moving and swore. He could feel the blush surge over his face and was actually glad that he was facing the floor.

"Why so quiet, Finnigan? I thought you loved hearing the sound of your own voice," Nott said snidely.

Seamus could hear the underlying threat behind Nott's casual words, so he kept silent. Unfortunately, his silence only seemed to antagonize them further.

With a sudden lurch, Seamus was yanked up by his bound wrists quite painfully and forced to face two very angry Slytherins.

"What do you want?" Seamus asked warily as he glanced back and forth between Nott and Bulstrode.

He couldn't figure out which one intimidated him more: Bulstrode with her impressive physical presence or Nott with his ever watchful gaze and steady hand.

Bulstrode reached forward and grasped his collar, choking him with it. Then she slammed his back against the wall and lifted him, so that his tiptoes were barely touching the floor.

Yup. That settled it. Bulstrode was definitely scarier than Nott.

"I should have done this the moment you opened up your stupid mouth!" Bulstrode shouted harshly and tightened her grip around Seamus' throat. She was so mad that her nostrils were flaring and her hand was shaking.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Bulstrode asked him thickly, but Seamus couldn't respond because he was finding it too difficult to breathe. Seamus looked to Nott for help, but he just stared at him with his beady dispassionate eyes.

Just when Seamus was about to really start panicking, Bulstrode eased up a bit on his neck and he could breathe again. She didn't let him go, but at least now he had both feet firmly on the ground.

Nott cleared his throat and succinctly said, "Tell me how you found out about Blaise and give me the names of every Gryffindor involved in your prank."

Seamus stared at Nott and Bulstrode in stunned amazement. He'd had no idea that they were attacking him over Zabini. He thought that this was just some random half blood bashing.

It's truly amazing how stupid one can become when he misses both breakfast and lunch.

Hold on! They think I did all that because I thought it would be funny? Are they insane? And what gives? Do they really think that I'm too stupid that I couldn't possibly have planned this on my own?

Bulstrode shook him roughly by the collar. Apparently, his addled ramblings were taking too long.

"Answer me, Finnigan," Nott ordered impatiently, as if he had the right to boss Seamus around.

Seamus' blood boiled at the idea that this sickly little Death Eater in training had the nerve to suggest that he was just a heartless bastard who would hurt someone for sport.

I'm not Malfoy!

"I'm not telling you shit, you Slytherin bastard!" Seamus shouted and kicked at Nott with his foot. He didn't hit him, but he did let out a satisfied laugh when Nott jumped backwards in surprise.

However, it wasn't really a laugh because Bulstrode's thick hand was squeezing his throat. It was more like a raspy cough. Still, it's the thought that counts.

Seamus kept snickering at Nott's red faced humiliation until he saw Bulstrode's giant fist barreling towards him. His eyes shot open only to shut rapidly closed as he turned his head to the right and braced for the impact.

"Stop!" A silky voice commanded loudly. Everyone froze instantly. Seamus opened his eyes and saw Bulstrode's fist, which was just inches from his face, uncurl and lower to her side rather quickly.

"Let go of him. Now," Zabini ordered. It was barely a whisper, but it seemed to resonate throughout the room. Seamus couldn't see him because Bulstrode was blocking his view. Move, you giant hairless wookie!

When Bulstrode let go of his collar, Seamus nearly collapsed onto his arse. He would have, if the wall behind him hadn't propped him up. Coughing heavily and yet still trying to do it an attractive way, Seamus looked towards Zabini in relief and flinched at the sight.

Blaise was staring at him so coldly, as if he was dissecting a dead carcass on a cold slab. His hair was slicked back in that way Seamus didn't like because it reminded him of Malfoy, but it did give him full view to those piercing black eyes. His face was tight and those once luscious lips were stretched so thin that they were almost non existent. Blaise was very, very angry.

"Get out," Zabini hissed out harshly and Seamus recoiled as if he was slapped. He thought that Zabini was talking to him.

"Blaise, we were just trying to help," Bulstrode said softly and then bit her lip, unsure of what else to say. Then she looked towards Nott for assistance.

Seamus looked at her curiously. She didn't look so tough now. Then he turned his head to glance at Nott. He was staring at his feet and fumbling nervously with the hem of his cloak like a boy brought before his Head of House for punishment.

"We thought we could find out who told him about...you and make them pay," Nott said softly and then looked away.

"I told you I could handle this myself. Now leave us," Blaise ordered once more, but this time his voice was gentler as well as adamant.

Nott frowned, but didn't protest further. A look passed between him and Bulstrode, and then they both turned their backs on Seamus. Still frowning hesitantly, they walked up to Blaise as close as possible without touching him. Seamus watched carefully as the Slytherins shared a private moment between the three of them.

"Whatever you decide, Blaise, you have our support," Bulstrode stated almost gently and Nott nodded.

The change in Blaise was hardly noticeable. Seamus would have missed it if he wasn't looking at Blaise so carefully. It was a subtle softening of the lips, a gentle exhalation of breath, and the way his eyes closed briefly in relief when he tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"I know," Blaise said softly and motioned them towards the door.

Nott signed resignedly and handed Seamus' wand over to Blaise. Then he followed Bulstrode out the door. Seamus felt a brief dose of short lived relief until he heard Zabini utter both locking spell on the door and a privacy spell on the loo.

Seamus was essentially trapped in the loo with a very attractive angry Slytherin. He had not yet figured out if this was a bad thing or not.

For some reason, Seamus couldn't meet Blaise's eyes. He looked at the ceiling, the floor, the walls, anything but directly at Zabini. He was too embarrassed. Seamus waited for the Slytherin to say something, anything, but the minutes just dragged by with neither of them speaking.

Finally, Seamus' Gryffindor patience and common sense ran out and he stared at Blaise directly. The Slytherin hadn't moved at all from his earlier position. He had been staring at Seamus the entire time and observing his every movement with narrowed eyes.

Seamus squirmed under his stare and licked his lips nervously. Zabini was looking at him as if he was cataloguing everything about him for future reference. Seamus had never felt so analyzed in all his life. It was unnerving, rude, and very, very sexy.

Blaise lowered his gaze to look at Seamus' mouth, memorizing the redness of his lips, and then he moved onto Seamus' neck, which was all red and blotchy. It looked like it was covered in hickeys.

Forcing himself to move on, Blaise's gaze roamed lower and took in Seamus' chest. Millicent had been a little rough with him. The top three buttons of his shirt had been pulled out, exposing a small triangle of bare skin. His flushed chest, which was jutting out since his arms were bound behind his back, looked very inviting.

Blaise sighed.

"Finished?" Seamus asked angrily and cut through Blaise's fantasy, bringing him back to reality.

Blaise's face hardened and said coldly, "I haven't even begun, Finnigan."

Seamus shuddered.