Draw Me? {Deamus} #Wattys2018

Chapter 22

Both of them stared at each other silently, eyes wide. Then Dean stumbled towards Seamus, and when he spoke his voice was weak and wavered severely.

"S-Seamus..." he swallowed, but felt the tears raise anyways. "Y-you're alive."

Seamus caught him, and Dean winced at the full body flinch as he leaned against countless bruises.

"I'm so sorry!" He choked, immediately taking more of his own weight. "Th-that looks so painful...oh Merlin, I shouldn't have-"

He was shut up by Seamus pulling him back up into a strong hug. His best friend whispered softly into his ear. "I thought you were dead."

Dean didn't have an answer, so he just leaned his head against Seamus', hearing his friend breathe, knowing he was alive.

"Everyone will be so pleased to see you." Seamus pulled away after a moment, to Dean's chagrin. "News got out from the order that Ted Tonks was dead. Tonks told me you were with him...and I thought...I"

"Stop." Suddenly Dean saw a flash of Ted's eyes, a silent message to stay strong. "I'm here now, we're together. Aberforth said we'd probably need to get this food to you as soon as possible?" He left the unspoken question of why hanging on his tongue.

"The Death Eaters run the school now. Those of us, Dumbledore's Army, or just frightened students, who oppose them were tortured." He glanced at his bruised and battered body quickly, and Dean again felt tears prick his eyes. Seamus had suffered so much more than he had. One torture session with Bellatrix had nothing on what he saw on Seamus. "We moved to the Room of Requirement; nobody can find us except those who need it, and not too many more do these days. Problem is, there's no way to get food to appear in there, but a tunnel opened to the Hog's Head and they've been supplying us ever since."

"Merlin." Dean whispered. "Y-you've suffered so much."

"Well it's over now, we're just stranded in the Room, but we can train. Speaking of, there are some hungry people out there who I'm sure would appreciate this food. Let's go."

They walked side by side, and Seamus told him about the Carrows, and Snape as Headmaster. McGonagall was still there, somehow, but she was greatly subdued by the threat of tortured students.

Dean told Seamus very little in return, only about the early days, and how he escaped Malfoy Manor. He still couldn't speak of Ted's death, and he really didn't want to discuss Bellatrix. When they got back, all eyes were suddenly turned on him, and they looked mightily hopeful. One of those pairs of eyes was Ginny, and he nodded to her, not caring if Seamus slightly tensed behind him. The times of petty relationships was over, now he had a completely different view on life.

"Welcome back, Dean." Ernie, a Hufflepuff, said to him, with a warm clap on his shoulder. He smiled thinly. The hall was large, and banners of the houses adorned the top, as well as many hammocks around the edges. The familiar walls of Hogwarts seemed foreign, as if his years here were experienced by a different person.

All the people of the DA, and the other students looked upon Dean as some sort of miracle, or savior. Dean was neither. He was broken, and all he wanted was the company of his friend.

How can I help others, when I feel like I've already lost myself?