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

Chapter 23

It was not until I was sure everyone had gone from the Gryffindor Common Room that I opened the letter. My heart pounded. It seemed like years since I had talked to him. What with everything that had been going on lately. I was still uncertain of my feelings for him. It was a long, bumpy and unknown road with Draco and with Seamus I felt safe and loved. Time was running out. That was one thing Draco and I both probably knew. We had to be careful otherwise people would discover our little secret and then it won't be so secret anymore.

'Emma,

Meet me tonight after the dance if you can. I can't keep it a secret any longer. Burn this letter after reading, that way no one can find it. Bet you'll look lovely tonight. I will be with Pansy..See you there.

Draco'

Reading through the letter a couple times, my heart sank. Meeting him later might be a problem. Although I can see why he wanted to. With the dance tonight everyone would be in pairs and it would be less suspicious.

When I heard voices and footsteps coming closer and closer, I gave a little squeak before tossing the letter into the violent flames of the fire. It cackled and hissed for a moment and before I knew it, the common room was getting filled up more and more with people done with dinner. Soon they would be getting ready for the dance later on.

Something that I should have been doing myself. Hermione, Nicole and I were all going to get ready together. Nicole headed toward me, beaming as she held out her make-up bag, Hermione was not far behind her.

"Ready?" She asks. I nodded, getting up from where I was sitting and we headed to our dorm to get ready. Tonight was going to be positively magical. Perhaps not as magical as the Yule Ball but magical all the same.

"Emma," Hermione ginned, turning me around so I could look in a mirror, "you look absolutely gorgeous. Seamus is lucky you are his date to the dance." Nicole nodded, motioning for me to twirl around. Happily, I obliged. We were gathered around the only mirror in our room.

"We all look gorgeous. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they see us." I say, beaming at my reflection.

"Speaking of our dates, we should try and find them before the rest of the masses. The dance is going to start pretty soon." Hermione adds, cleaning up the make-up that was tossed about the room.

"Yeah. True." Nicole put in, helping Hermione. I started shelving away my own things. Once we were done we headed out and into the Gryffindor Common Room.

Seamus, Harry and Ron were waiting for us. Neville and Ginny were also there waiting. Everyone looked really pretty.

"Hey," Seamus says, gently grabbing my hand in his. "You look great." He looked really handsome himself in his suite.

Blushing I stammered out a thanks. Harry and Nicole were happy and holding hands as well. Ron did a double take when he saw Hermione. It was hilarious. They didn't hold hands but they still were close.

"Shall we head out?" Neville asks. We all nodded.

"Might as well." Hermione put in, turning a bit red. It was clear to everyone but Ron that she liked him. Ron liked her, too. Who knows what would happen with the two of them.

A popular wizarding band, I couldn't place the name, was playing on the stage. A few people were dancing already. Seamus and I locked arms. Elizabeth was nearby, glaring at me. I paid little attention to her, no matter what she couldn't pull Seamus and I apart.

"Care to dance?" He asks me, I nodded. So far so good. We started to dance to a slower song. At first, I stumbled a bit, although Seamus caught me. It got easier dancing again as the song went along. We were not the best dancers but we still didn't suck horribly.

It wasn't until halfway through another song that something happened. Of course, of all people, Pansy Parkinson had to ruin the moment. She was wearing a light green dress and Draco was right with her. Ugh.

"Just ignore her, Emma." Seamus said when I started staring. He must have thought I was staring because she was looking straight at me, without stopping. Well, glaring was more like it. Draco distracted her once more by dancing then it was Draco who was staring at me.

I felt like I was being put under a constant microscope. Seamus, I could tell, was getting quite jealous. He kept looking over at Pansy and Draco. Pansy was loving the attention and seemed to think she was the reason why. I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Seamus," I whispered in his ear, he looked at me and smiled. Before he could say anything, I kissed him softly. This seemed to distract him from Draco. It felt good until he pulled away. I was too caught up in the moment to even know what to say.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Cedric standing there, Luna by him. I had forgotten that they had came together. They were a cute couple.

"Can I have a dance with my little sister?" Cedric asks Seamus grinning ear to ear. Seamus nodded.

"Sure." He says, and let Cedric take my hands as he led me in a dance. Out of a corner of my eye I saw Hermione and Ron snuggling together. I smirked, I knew it was bound to happen and Harry and Nicole still looked happy. They were dancing together nearby. How would they feel if they knew I was planning on meeting Draco afterwards? Sighing, I looked up at my older brother.

"How is your night?" We asked each other in unison. Cedric laughed and motioned for me to go first.

"I am having a great time although Draco and Pansy seem to be staring at us every five seconds." I admitted.

"Let them stare and be jealous. They only wish they were as happy as you two are together. Anyway Luna and I are having a great time. We are becoming great friends. Cho glances at me every so often though." Cedric sighed and I knew he still missed her but he also clearly liked Luna.

We chatted a bit more before the song ended. Once it ended, Seamus and I took a break to find everyone else in our group. Cedric and Luna went back to dancing but Hermione, Ron, Nicole, Seamus, Harry and I met up. Nicole saw Hermione and Ron glancing at each other and blushing. She smirked.

"Knew it." She sing songed and we all laughed. Hermione blushed herself and Ron muttered a "Shut it."

"Real mature, Ron." Harry teased and lightly kissed Nicole. They were all having as much fun as I was which was good. I didn't want the dance to end but it would soon. We decided to dance together as a group a few times before getting back into our couples again.

We sang along with the chorus of a famous song, " Can you dance the hipogriff?

Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma

Flyin' off from a cliff!"

Once the song ended Seamus and I slow danced again.

"So what was your deal with Draco earlier?" I asked him, trying to look nonchalant although it really was kind of bugging me. Did he suspect something? Or was it just my guilt?

"Well, you know how he was to you earlier this year. Just tell me if he bugs you again, okay, Emma?" I nodded, relaxing a bit. For the next few songs we didn't talk much, we enjoyed each other's company. I felt safe in his arms.

Before I left to talk to Draco, Seamus kissed me for the last time that night. His arms went around me and I swooned a bit. I had to break it off a little early due to the guilt. I will have to tell him sometime, I decided. Tell him that Draco isn't as bad as he seems. Seamus and I smiled at each other once more before I headed off. Finding Draco was my first priority.