Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fourth Year // Chapter 14

"SEAMUS MICHAEL FINNIGAN!" I shouted as I entered the Common Room. Seamus, who was sitting on the floor with Dean and Ron playing cards yelped and jumped up onto the chair behind Ron.

"Oi! Don't put me in the line of fire!" Ron squealed as he crawled out of the way and got to the opposite corner. Dean gulped and got up onto the sofa, and quickly started to read a book.

"H-hey Weaslette ... What's up?" Seamus said timidly. I grabbed ahold of his shoulder and pulled him off the chair. 

"You told Dumbledore, I could SING?!"

"Yeah ...?"

"WHY?"

"For you! You both have such beautiful voices, it would be a shame not to show them off!" He responded. 

"Seamus! I swear on the grave of Godric Gryffindor if I didn't have good self-control... YOU! WOULD! BE! DEAD RIGHT NOW!" I shouted.

"Why though? Don't you love to sing?"

"Yes!"

"So I just helped you do something you like!"

"But I have to sing with Neville!"

"So? What's the problem with that?"

"I DON'T WANT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM MORE!" 

The entire room was dead silent. I glanced around and saw that both Dean and Ron were just staring right at me, with their mouths wide open. While Seamus was trying to hide a huge smile. I took a few steps back before rushing over towards the door. Sadly, Ron was quicker and cut me off.

"Not so fast!" 

"Ronald! Let. Me. Out!" I said trying to scare him. 

"Sorry, sis. That's not happening today," he said escorting me to sit down on the sofa. "Now, exactly what did you mean by that?"

"Look! It meant, NOTHING guys! I'm just irritated, okay?" I said trying to get up, but now Dean stopped me. 

"Yeah, we don't buy it."

"What do you want me to say? That I've liked him since our first year? That - that if I wasn't dating Cedric, I'd be wishing for Neville to ask me out?"

"YES!" All three of them said at the same time.

"Fine! Okay? I like Neville! But there is no way he would EVER like me back after all the bullshit I've put him through ... non stop talking about Cedric, ditching you guys to be with Cedric, sometimes plain ignoring him because of Cedric!" I got up and started to leave the room.

"Lori, wait!" Ron said. I just turned and gave him the finger. 

"I need to be alone. Also if ANY of you tell Neville ANY PART of this conversation tonight ... you won't live to see our fifth year!" With that, I flicked my hair and stormed out of the room. I ran and ran, not even knowing where I was going until I found myself down by the Black Lake. I brushed off a rock and sat down looking out onto the frozen lake.

"Isn't it a bit cold to be outside, Lori?" I turned to see, Cedric walking over bundled up in a coat and scarf. 

"Maybe," I then felt a shiver go through my body and realized all I had on was my uniform. No coat. 

"Here, before you catch a cold," Cedric said as he started to take off his coat. After he wrapped it around my shoulders he sat down beside me hugging me. "There, that should keep you warm."

"Only because, you shiver when it get below twenty degrees," I muttered.

"Ouchie, what's with that sass?"