When Seamus wakes up the next morning, he feels different mixes of emotions. He feels sad, angry, and frustrated of Dean and Ginny back together; feels grateful and happy that Blaise and Draco were there to catch him when he fell; and excited that someone was had an actual interest in him, even if it was the charming womanizer McLaggen. He leaves the bed and gets dressed and leaves for the dining hall, walking through the halls with his head held high and feeling a random surge of confidence. When he enters the dining hall, his eyes move toward the Slytherin table and makes eye contact with Draco and Blaise, who give him small smiles when no one was looking. Seamus returns the smile and walks down to the Gryffindor table and brings a variety of food onto his plate. He eats in silence until a space to his left was taken, when he looks over, he is surprised to see Hermione sitting there.

If wasn't too surprising that she decided to sit next to him but he was shocked when he saw the dark rings in her eyes and the dim light in her brown eyes. When she lifts her eyes to meet his, she gives him a small smile. He returns is and tries to start a conversation with her. The conversation doesn't last long because minutes after they began to talk, Ron walks into the Dining Hall with Lavender hanging on tight on his arm. They both smile at each other and walk toward the Gryffindor table and sat a couple seats away from Hermione. Lavender lets out a loud giggle and when Seamus and Hermione turn their head to the sound and watches Lavender feed Ron strips of bacon, which he eats way too fast for a normal person. Hermione stands on her feet so fast the Seamus' head rattles slightly when he lifts his head to meet her eyes. He watches as she stacks food onto a plate and walked out of the Dining Hall as fast as her legs can take her.

Seamus eats his breakfast alone again before another person takes a seat at his left. This time when he looks up, he sees Cormac McLaggen sitting next to him with a hopeful smile plastered on his face.

"So," Cormac began, "have you made your decision yet?"

"I still need a bit more time. You just confessed yesterday, I'm gonna need more than a few hours. Give me until the end of the week for my answer."

The smile slips but still strong. McLaggen looks up at something behind Seamus and gives him another charming smile, "sure, take all the time you need."

Then he gets up and leaves.

Just as he leaves, Dean takes a seat on his right. Seamus gives him a smile, which secretly took more work than it should have. His brows furrow when he sees Dean looking somewhere behind him with a scowl on his face. When he turns to follow that gaze, it leads him to McLaggen.

Is Dean upset with McLaggen? Why?

"Why was McLaggen talking to you?"

"You wouldn't believe this but he asked me out last night at the party."

Dean's eyebrows raise nearly to his hairline, which normally would have made Seamus laugh if it weren't for the massive frown on Dean's face. Dean stays silent for a few short seconds before he opens his mouth again, "he asked you out?"

"Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you," Seamus answers with a light smile.

"Don't say yes."

Seamus frowns, "why?"

"He's not good for you."

A huff leaves Seamus' lip, "and who are you to tell me who I can or can't date?"

"He's dangerous!"

"And how do you know that? You don't hear me telling you that you shouldn't date Ginny!"

"That's different."

Seamus stands up and puts his hands on his hips, face scrunched in anger, "how the fuck is it different?!"

"He's a man-whore. He's known to sleep with a lot of people, I don't want you to be just a name on his list."

"That's rich seeing that you're dating Ginny."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

The Great Hall is silent with a few people muttering to each other while watching intensely.

"Well Ginny isn't the most innocent person here, isn't she? While she only dated Michael Corner, we all know that she has slept with more people than you can count with your fingers."

Dean grabs Seamus' collar and pulls him close to sneer in his face. "Take it back!"

"No," Seamus pushes Dean back, "why are you dating her? She could be using you for sex too. If you think I'm calling her a whore, then I guess you're not far off."

"Then what does it make you?"

Seamus pauses. Dean continues, "you're so desperate for someone to want you that you are willing to be with someone who just wants you for sex instead of looking for someone who loves you."

"It's too late," Seamus mutters so quietly that no one in the Great Hall can hear him.

"Speak up since you're so willing to speak badly about my girlfriend as loud as you can," growls Dean.

"IT'S TOO LATE!," Seamus screams, "the man I love was taken before I realized how much I loved him."

Dean's anger disappears in seconds as he looks down at Seamus, who looks back at him with with teary eyes that held so much adoration for him. Seamus watches many emotions flicker through Dean's face before the realization settles. His brown lips open slightly as he looks at Seamus with multiple emotions.

"Seamus," he whispers.

"I hope she makes you happy, that's all I want for you."

Dean just stares for half a minute before reaching for Seamus, who shakes his head before running as fast as he can out of the Great Hall, tears making his vision blurry. Dean's reaction is delayed before chasing after Seamus but he doesn't get far when he bumps into someone. When he looks down, he meets the hazel eyes of his girlfriend, who smiles at him. He excuses himself and attempts to chase Seamus again, but Ginny grabs into his arm and takes him back into the Great Hall, where every students eyes where on the pair.

"Why are people looking at us like that?" Ginny asks.

"I don't know," Dean mutters. He looks at the doors of the Great Hall sadly, before grabbing his girlfriend's hand and sitting where Seamus previously sat. While his girlfriend rambled about the party, all he could think about was Seamus. He fucked up. Badly.