Everybody is Someone Else's Secret (Seamus Finnigan)HOLD

Chapter 11

"Woah, easy there." Seamus says, blushing a little. "I don't want you to fall." He looked into my eyes, sensing my uneasiness. Anyone could have seen it. I guess that I was just that easy to read. Closing my eyes a moment, I sigh. The Gryffindor Common Room was full of students. Seamus smiled reassuringly, taking me to a calmer area of the room where other people wouldn't be able to listen in on our conversation.

"What's wrong, Emma?" He asks me, eyes full of concern. I know I should tell him but I was also scared too. What would Draco do the next time he saw me alone? What would he tell people? Did I even want to know? Anyway I had Seamus. Seamus Finnigan. The boy I always had a crush on. Not Draco Malfoy. Just calm down. Tell him what happened.

"I-er-well." I stammered. Not sure where to begin. It was Seamus's turn to sigh. Why do I always seem to clam up? Especially if Draco's involved? Seamus opened his mouth to speak.

"What happened? Is Draco bugging you?" Bingo. Seamus always seemed to know what was going on. One of the reasons I fell in love...I felt better having him around me. In fact I felt a little better now. Although I was still a little shaky.

Nodding, I look once again at Seamus. "Yeah..." I bit my lip, my eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Is it really that obvious?"

Seamus grinned, "Yes. No. Maybe...so!" It wasn't the answer I was expecting but it surely made me laugh. Seamus wrapped his arms around me. "Don't let Draco get to you, leave the snake to your brother and I." He whispered, kissing her lips softly. The other people in the common room looked at us as we embraced. Of course I started to blush.

Fred wolf whistled while George sang, "Emma and Seamus...sitting in a tree."

"Get a room." A third year teased. Seamus was blushing a bit, too.

"Oh, come on, it's like you've never seen a couple before." Hermione interjected, blushing a bit herself. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading off to bed. It's getting quite late. A lot of you should be doing the same." Hermione announced, yawning a little while she glanced at the clock. Some of the younger students agreed with her, and went off to bed, but some of the older students stayed. The Gryffindor Common Room was emptying of students. Seamus and I were one of the few that stayed.

"Want to wait until everyone's left to chat?" Seamus asked me.

"Yeah. That sounds good to me. More...private." I replied, giggling a little. Seamus nodded, smiling a little but his face was mostly still serene. I already knew that he wanted me to tell him what had happened with Draco.

We waited. Soon there was only us in the room. The time was nearing eleven thirty. The fire cackled slowly, the fire slowly dying away into the night. We sat on the couch, Seamus holding me in his arms as I stared dreamily into the fire.

"Emma," He started. "I guess you already know what I'm going to ask..." Seamus continued on.

"About what happened with Draco? It-it's nothing." I didn't want Seamus to worry about me. Didn't want him to bear the burden.

"No. It's not...What happened?" Seamus questioned.

Biting my lip, I decide to tell him, "Okay. He cornered me on my way back from visiting Cedric. And..."

"And?" Seamus prompted, kissing my forehead, "What happened next, Emmy?" I smiled at my old nickname, choosing my next words carefully. It was hard to explain yet also easy. It was like everything had happened so fast and I was unable to stop it. Still so powerless. But I feel happy whenever Seamus is with me-Like right now for example.

"Draco cornered me-forcing me to be his girlfriend. Then..." My face flushed at the thought, "He kissed me. He broke apart and. And he was making rude comments about you and Cedric. I-I pulled out my wand right at the time that Professor Snape arrived. So it's like Draco planned the whole thing so that I would get into trouble..." I explained in a rush, sighing.

Seamus listened carefully to my every word. It was like nothing around him was important but me. I was the only thing right now that he cared about. Me and my happiness. It reminded me of how important I was. I wasn't powerless. Not with Seamus. He made me feel important. Whole again.

"This doesn't surprise me coming from Draco. He knows you're mine. Not his. He's just jealous. You're really pretty." Seamus says. "The next time I see Draco...He'd-"

"It's not worth getting in trouble, Seamus." I interjected. "I love you, but I don't want you to get in trouble because of me. It's nothing..."

"It's not nothing, Emmy. It's not. You're not nothing. You're everything. I won't hurt Draco but if he threatens you again, I will." Seamus replied, turning me around so that I could face him.

He kissed me on the lips. I forgot Draco. I forgot everything else but Seamus. I got lost in the moment. I was right. Seamus was nothing like Draco and he was mine.