"Well, we still need to do it."

"We could make some stuff up, Trelawny won't notice.

"Well..." Dean hesitated.

"Come on. We'll just take a break, and then get back to work."

"Fine. Let's go outside. It's not that cold," Dean suggested.

Seamus looked around the packed common room. "I'll just go get my cloak."

xxx

"We can go sit by the lake," Seamus said.

"Good idea," Dean replied.

"So, anyway. I can't believe Snape still works here. He seems to get meaner every year. I mean, what he did to Neville today-"

"Do you fancy him?" Dean interjected.

"Who? Snape?" Seamus spluttered.

Dean rolled his eyes. "I meant Neville, you ponce. But perhaps you DO like Snape..."

Seamus pushed Dean, then sat down, leaning against the tree.

"Why would I like either of them?"

Dean shrugged as he sat down next to Seamus. "Well, you always talk about him. Neville, I mean."

"Well, he's a mate of mine. Why wouldn't I talk about him?"

"You talk about him more than you talk about Ron or Harry, though."

"Well, I talk about you quite a bit. Does that mean I fancy you?"

"I should hope not. I don't feel the same about you. Sorry, mate."

Seamus shook his head. "If talking about someone means I wanted to snog them..."

Dean rolled his eyes. "It's more of the way you talk about him."

"Oh? How do I talk about him, then?" Seamus countered.

"Like you CARE, or something..."

"Well, I care about lots of things," Seamus replied.

"You do not. You're heartless," Dean grinned.

"Watch it," Seamus threatened.

Dean laughed a bit and then said softly, "but you can tell me. Really."

"I would TELL you if there was anything to tell," Seamus sounded annoyed.

"You would not. You'd be afraid of getting teased or something. And besides, you're in denial."

"In denial. That's the biggest load of..."

"All right. Break over," Dean stood up, brushing grass off his robes. "Come on, we need to get back and do that essay before lights out."

They walked back to Gryffindor Tower talking about random nonsense, and arrived faster than the time it took them to leave, it seemed. They gave the Fat Lady the password and stepped back into the comforting warmth of the Common Room.

"You know, I think that essay can wait until tomorrow, don't you?" Dean said. "I'm rather tired."

"I don't know if we'll have enough time tomorrow. And anyway, don't go to bed. It's still early."

"Oh, I know. I just need an early night. You don't have to come along. There's plenty for you to do here," Dean grinned and raised his eyebrows, nodding at something behind Seamus's back.

Seamus spun around to see what Dean was looking at and found it was Neville, crouched over a piece of parchment near the fire. Seamus turned back around to give Dean an annoyed look, but found that he was already going up the stairs to the dorm.

What the heck, Seamus thought, and walked over and sat next to Neville. "What are you working on?" Seamus felt like kicking himself. What are you working on? What the...?

Neville didn't seem to notice Seamus's stupid tone. "Charms. I thought it was supposed to be 20 inches and it's really 40, and I don't know what else to add..."

"Oh, I've done it already. Want to copy?" Seamus stood up, ready to go get his essay.

"well..." Neville hesitated. Seamus suddenly realized that he'd never seen Neville copy someone else's work.

"You know what, Neville?" Seamus sat back down next to Neville, closer than he had before. "How about I help you with it, instead?"