Chasing Time (Seamus Finnigan)

twenty-two

<< note: and apparently, I decided to call Angelina by her English name! ☺ >>

The next morning I was already awake at six o'clock. I guess some habits never change. My head didn't hurt anymore, and I hoped I could leave the infirmary today, as I didn't like the hospital wing. I stood up and changed my Quidditch robes I was still wearing for my Gryffindor ones.

'Oh dear, you're up early,' madam Pomfrey said as she saw me folding up my robes. 'Miss Yaxley, I really think you should lie down,' she continued.

'Oh, no, madam, I feel great,' I said with a smile.

'But it's only six o'clock,' she said surprised.

I shrugged, 'Yea, I'm often awake that early.'

'Oh well, but I have to check up on you before you leave the infirmary. How is your head feeling?'

'Fine. It doesn't hurt anymore,' I said as I sat down on the bed. She walked towards me and removed the bandage. 'It looks good. But take it easy, alright? No Quidditch practices for three weeks. I will inform miss Johnson about this.'

I wasn't very pleased with that; Alicia could every moment join the team again and then I couldn't play anymore.

'I can leave now?' I asked. She nodded and I stood up. 'But remember, take it easy. No running or flying or whatever,' she said with a tone of disapproval in her voice.

I smiled, 'Yes, thank you madam.'

-

As I entered the common room, I saw it was still empty, so I decided to catch up on homework and sat down at a table in the back to start at my Astronomy chart.

It was rather difficult, because I started it two weeks ago and I didn't know anymore what it was about. After I had read the passage in my book, I remembered it again. It wasn't that hard, actually. I just needed to indicate a few constellations with the help of my book.

I was just drawing one when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. 'What are you doing here?' I recognised Seamus' voice immediately and I turned around, smirking. Dean was with him.

'Isn't it a good thing I'm here?'

'Yeah, it sure is. I'm just worried about your health.'

'Well, as I'm totally fine, can we go and have breakfast? I'm starving,' I replied as I stood up. 'And what about your chart?' Seamus said as he took a look at it.

I grabbed the parchment and rolled it up. 'I'll finish it later. Let me put my stuff upstairs, I'll be down in a minute,' I said to the two of them as I grabbed my stuff and quickly ran up the stairs. I knew madam Pomfrey had said "no running", but I was too excited not to.

Dean

'I'll be down in a minute,' Dora said as she ran up the stairs with her books.

I glared at my friend. 'What are you smirking at?' I asked. Seamus looked at me. 'What?'

'And blushing. Mate, you never blush. What's wrong with you?' I continued.

The blush on Seamus' face had quickly disappeared. 'I've no idea what you're talking about.'

He had been my best friend for years, and I could definetely tell there was something different about him. I was just about to say something about it when Dora came down the stairs.

'Come on, let's go,' she said happily, as she skipped towards the portrait hole. I had never seen her so delighted.

I glared at Seamus one more time before we left the common room too.

'So how's everyone doing? And has there been a DA meeting?' Dora asked as we were walking to the Great Hall. 'Good, actually. And yes, but you didn't miss much. We practiced the Patronus charm again, and some hexes,' I replied.

'Nice. How's Angelina's leg?'

'She has crutches, but she's fine. She's a tough one, Angelina. Do you want to know something? I saw her snogging a Slytherin yesterday. Disgusting,' I said with a chuckle.

Dora laughed too and Seamus only smiled. That was his way to show he found something funny. It was silent for a moment as Dora slowed down so she was walking next to Seamus.

'You know, I can't wait for class to start,' Dora said happily after a few seconds. 'What?' Seamus said sarcastic. 'Yeah, really. I mean, I've missed quite a few lessons, right? I want to catch up.' Seamus shook his head and laughed.

'What? It's true,' Dora said, laughing too. Seamus rolled his eyes. 'Yea. Sure.' I saw him grab her hand.

There was no way Seamus could deny anymore that there was something going on between the two of them. And honestly, I felt happy for them, but I was a bit afraid of losing my two closest friends.

Seamus

I grabbed her hand, and as she didn't pull back, my fingers intertwined with hers. She gave me confident and comfort, as if she would never let go, but unfornutaly she did when we entered the Great Hall.

I only knew why when I saw Draco staring at her as we sat down.

'Why's he staring at you?' I indicated as Dora and Dean both started to shove some food on their plates.

'Who?' Dora said, not looking up from her growing pile of food. 'Malfoy.' I didn't like it, the way he looked at her. Disapproving. I did not know why he did so but it ennerved me when people were watching me or my friends.

'Oh. Don't mind him. He's just... thinking probably,' Dora replied vaguely. I shrugged and started to eat too.

'Um... Dora, we need to tell you something, actually,' Dean said at once. I looked at him, frowning, but I didn't get the chance to ask anything to him, as he started explaining first.

'About your broom,' he continued. Dora looked up to him, frowing. 'What's wrong with it? Is it still in the changing rooms? I thought Hermione would have taken it to our dorm.'

'Um, it's kind of, how do I say this? It's not a broom anymore, if you understand what I mean,' Dean tried to make it clear.

'You mean it's broken?' Dora asked.

'Yea. It's broken. Exactly,' Dean said, relieved she understood and he didn't had to invent another way to express what was going on.

'But someone can fix it, right? Just Reparo and it's done,' she said simply as she took a sip from her coffee. I still didn't understand how she could drink coffee, it was disgusting.

'Well,  no, it's not like that, actually. It got blown away. And the merpeople found it in the Lake. It can't be fixed.'

'In the Lake?' Dora said with a chuckle. 'Yes,' Dean said with a nod. Dora only laughed. 'That sounds hilarious! Can you imagine that?'

Dean nodded, not understanding why she thought that was so funny. 'So you are never seeing your broom again, let's make that clear,' I said.

She nodded, still laughing. 'I know, I know. I'm sorry, I just- That was funny,' she said with a red head from laughing. I liked it when she laughed.

'Okay,' Dean said as he rolled his eyes and went back to eating. 'Didn't expect you to take it this well.'

'A broomstick is just a possession. Like every possession. I can just buy myself a new one, right? I mean, there are much more things that are not replacable, like friendship, and... love,' she said. When she said the last word, I would bet her gaze passed mine quickly. So she did remember I kissed her. I thought she might had forgotten, as she was half asleep.

'Wow. How come you're so profound now?' Dean said with a chuckle. Dora grinned at him and raised her eyebrows playfully. 'Maybe I've always been.'