You Fall Slowly [A Seamus Finnigan Love Story]

T h r e e

Dean looked like he was about to break the silence, but Lavender beat him to it.

"Hello, Seamus! Dean....Evette," She called, her voice bouncy until it reached my name, where she hesitated a bit.

The brunette set her plate on the table and slid into a seat beside Seamus, Pavarti settling in next to her, giving me a quick grin and a wave.

"Missed you, Lav. I couldn't find you on the train," Seamus said, pressing a kiss to her forehead, making Lavender grin.

I saw Dean rolling his eyes across the table. Raising an eyebrow at him, he motioned for me to come sit next to him.

Since we were quite near the end of the table, I slid my plate across next to Dean and walked around the end to his side.

As I sat down, Seamus looked up. His eyebrows furrowed briefly. "Why'd you move, Eve?"

I smiled. "Because Dean was all on his own on this side."

Dean chuckled. "Yeah. At least someone cares to engage me," he joked, ruffling my hair.

"Stop that!" I scolded, smacking his hand away as Seamus gave a deep chuckle and a shake of his head.

"Oh, did I tell you about what my mum got me..." Lavender's voice stole Seamus' attention back to her as she began an elaborate story.

Was it just me, or did her voice reach an even higher pitch?

Dean gently elbowed my side. "Seamus said he couldn't find her on the train. Truth be told, he didn't look."

I felt my eyebrows pull together as I glanced at the couple. Seamus had his arm draped over Lavender's shoulder and she looked quite content leaning into his side as she retold a story to him and Pavarti (I have no idea what it was about, but she squealed multiple times). Seamus looked perfectly content.

"How come?" I asked Dean, looking back at him as Lavender giggled with Pavarti.

He opened his mouth to reply, but Dumbledore stood and we all fell silent.

As Dumbledore began his speech, warning first years (and some older students) about the dark forest, introducing the new teachers (the pink toad was indeed the new DADA teacher, Professor Umbridge) ect, I paid attention, but let my eyes wander across the Great Hall.

However, a pause in Dumbledore's speech made me look up. He was looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. I wasn't sure why at first, before realizing that she had stood up, although it didn't make much difference.

With a small, "Hem, hem," she faced the Great Hall. I sat, astonished, as Dumbledore sat down and watched her and other teachers looked quite shocked- or disapproving in McGonagall's case.

I caught Seamus' eyes as he smirked. This lady obviously didn't know how things worked at Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome."

I immediately didn't like her. Her voice was even more high-pitched than Lavender's, girly and steaming with fake emotions that matched her over-stretched, fake smile.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say! And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!" Umbridge cooed with a voice that made it sound as though she was addressing five year olds.

I saw Harry glancing around and we exchanged a puzzled look.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

By now most students were giving each other looks. Pavarti whispered something to Lavender and they both broke into silent giggles. Fred and George looked my way and gave me a look like, This woman's mental.

And then the breathy tone disappeared from her voice and he began a very dull speech that I honestly couldn't be arsed to listen too (although it remained at the same high pitch).

I have no idea how long I was staring at the folds in my skirt or the red and gold stitching on my tie, but I was jolted from it as Dumbledore and very few others applauded Umbridge on her speech.

Seamus shook his head as if clearing it and glanced at me. "Did you catch any of that?" he asked with a breathy laugh.

"Nothing past 'we'll be such good friends!'" I mimicked, causing both boys to chuckle.

Lavender cleared her throat, drawing our attention. "We need to talk to Padma quickly. See you tomorrow Seamus."

She pressed a kiss against his lips and flounced off with Pavarti, both of them eyeing me before they left.

I furrowed my eyebrows briefly but let them smooth out as I was pitched over someone's shoulders. I yelped in surprise and felt Seamus' laugh shake the shoulders that were supporting me.

"Put me down, Seamus!" I yelped, glaring at Dean as he didn't help at all and simply laughed at me.

"You done spacing out on us, Wolfie?" he teased, letting me back on the ground.

I glared at him, punching his arm as soon as I was back on my feet.

"Ow!" he complained, lifting up to rub his arm. "My god, did you get even stronger?!"

I laughed as Dean cleared his throat behind us.

He came up on my other side, playfully glaring at us. "You know, I don't think I've ever third-wheeled so hard."

I shoved him to the side as we reached the Fat Lady.

"Good evening." I smiled up at her.

"Evening, Miss Coleson," she greeted with a smile. "Password

"Mimbulus mimbletonia," Seamus said, ruffling my hair as we entered the common room.

"Will you stop that?!" I yelled, hearing the Fat Lady chuckling behind us.

"I'll see you losers tomorrow morning. Goodnight," I said with a laugh as I hugged both boys and headed up the stairs to my dorm.

"Night, Evette," they called up together before disappearing up to the boys dormitories.

How was I supposed to know that was the last happy evening I was going to have with Seamus for a while?