Chasing Time (Seamus Finnigan)

twenty-three

Dora's POV

Seamus and I were in Zonko's joke shop, our favorite shop in Hogsmeade, as Seamus wanted to look around for a bit, whilst Harry and Hermione were in Honeydukes, getting some Christmas presents, and Ron and Dean had left Zonko's a few minutes ago to go to the Post Office, because Dean wanted to send a letter to his parents. Harry had offered he could lend Hedwig, but Dean had rejected.

We walked along the aisles whilst Seamus inspected the products.

'What was that thing you were going to tell me?' I asked at once.

Seamus looked at me with a sigh. 'Oh. That. It's just... It doesn't matter.'

'Yes it does,' I brought up.

He seemed to hesitate. 'It's just that you are... so smart and beautiful and... kind and... I am just a normal, plain guy and you know... To be honest Dora, we both know you... you could never like me,' he stuttered.

Wow. I honestly never knew he thought about me that way.

'You're wrong. Because I do,' I replied simply. He looked into my eyes.

'What? The first part or the last part?' he said, frowning.

I didn't reply to that question but leaned in and kissed him. He kissed me back and wrapped his arms around my waist as he pulled me even closer towards him and suddenly I believed dreams did come true.
And the best part: we didn't even care we were in a joke shop, in front of dozens of Hogwarts students.

After what had felt to be several sunny days, we broke apart. 'Clear?' I asked.
Seamus grinned. 'Yea.'

-

He had paid and we had left the shop.

'Where do you want to go next?' he asked. 'Any shopping to do?'

I shook my head. 'Let's visit the Shrieking Shack. It's nice in the snow,' I said as I took his hand and we set off.

'Calli!' I heard a familiar voice behind me and quickly I let go of Seamus' hand as I turned around. 'What, Draco?' I said with a sigh.

Draco didn't notice. 'Can I borrow her for a moment, Finnigan?' Seamus rolled his eyes but nodded.

Draco smirked as he turned around and began to walk. 'See you in the Three Broomsticks,' I told Seamus, as we would meet all together in that pub after we had done our shopping.

I catched up on Draco quickly.

'What do you want to talk to me about?' I asked.

'Um... How do I put it? My mother asked if you wanted to stay at our place during the Christmas holidays.'

I hadn't expected that.

'Why?' I asked immediately. Draco ran a hand through his almost white hair.

'I don't know either. She said it was important, and that she wanted to talk to you about something,' Draco explained vaguely.

'Right. And I have to stay there all break?'

'Yes. That was clear.' Why did it sound so forced?

'Okay, so that was it?' I said with a smile. Draco stopped and turned towards me.

'You need to listen carefully now, okay?'
I nodded, not understanding anything of this.
'So, there's always a reason why my parents invite people because, and this you should know, they almost never do. So I bet there's a rather important reason they do now. I can't tell you as I don't know either, but... just... you know, pay attention. Whilst you're there. Be careful,' Draco said. I frowned but nodded.

'Wait a second. This doesn't have anything to do with my father, does it?'

Draco shook his head. 'No.'
'Don't you have to go back to your loverboy, now?' he said with a scoff.

'No, he's fine. And he's not my boyfriend so shut it,' I replied. 'Isn't that what you want him to be?'

'Maybe.'

'You said so yourself.' I just sighed. I didn't want to talk about this now.

'See you in a week then,' I said as I hugged him. After all he was still my cousin.

'Yea. One week 'till Christmas break,' he muttered.

I let go of him and smiled. 'Bye Draco.'
'See you Calli,' he replied with a sigh.

Draco's POV

So her and Finnigan didn't have something. Crabbe had told me once people were talking about it, but I thought it was just a gossip. Why was she holding his hand then? I thought she was lying. But why would she lie to me after she had confessed her feelings for him to me?

I mentally slapped myself for being such an emotional soul.

I couldn't screw it up. Or the whole plan would be screwed up and that was way worse.

I was thinking about her for the rest of the journey back to the school grounds. I had done what I had to do: she was coming with me during break. I only wished they wouldn't have planned what they had planned for her.

She seemed so happy right now. Pity I needed to be the one to end that.