It's Kind of Strange Like That

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Chapter Two

Intervention

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Ron wondered idly if this feeling was what had everyone acting like idiots. That tingly feeling you got all over your body and the way you felt lightheaded and the feeling of heat from another person and lips against your own…was that what made everyone so annoying.

If so he didn't get it.

He wasn't saying it was bad kissing Seamus, it was without a doubt the most intense feeling in the world, but he didn't feel like acting as sickening as all of his friends and family tended to be.

Seamus' hand threaded through his hair and the blond smiled against his lips before pulling back. "That was fun."

Ron nodded his agreement. "Yes." He looked up at the sky, a little surprised to see that the sun was almost totally gone and the sky was a dark blue/black color. "We should get inside." Seamus nuzzled his neck then kissed it lightly, sending chills through Ron. "Mmm…no seriously."

Seamus chuckled and nodded. "Yes, lets go back in and face the rest of the world. I haven't had enough of being depressed and lonely today." His fingers trailed up and down Ron's arm lazily. He wasn't making a move to leave, but it could have been because Ron was in his lap at the moment, making it rather hard to move. He and Ron were about the same size, though he was still a bit shorter, as he had grown over the past year and Ron…well hadn't.

"Nothing wrong with being depressed." Ron countered. "And you don't have to be lonely. Or…you know…you've got me."

"Yea?" Seamus tilted his head off to the side. "So your what, my boyfriend now?" Ron blushed up to the tips of his ears and he looked down.

"I guess…yeah. If you want."

Seamus was quiet for a minute. "I've never actually had a boyfriend…or girlfriend for that matter, before. But…" He smiled and his cheeks turned a pale shade of pink. It seemed a little odd to be…he didn't know, making Ron his boyfriend or…whatever. It wasn't a really bad kind of odd, just…odd. Odd in a good way he supposed.

Ron returned the smile, a little less embarrassed about it since Seamus didn't look to sure of himself either. It helped that he wasn't the only confused and blushing one present. Seamus touched his face again then leaned in for another kiss, which Ron returned happily. He could get used to this.

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They didn't touch as they walked the halls of the school, but Ron was all too aware of the fact Seamus was watching him very closely. It made him…not uncomfortable exactly, more self-conscious really…

He found himself blushing at the attention. Weird, he was so used to being in the limelight, with Harry at the forefront mind you, that he didn't blush or get nervous when people paid him attention. He usually ate it up, but…Seamus was…it was different.

It was like…he wasn't looking at Ron because he'd done something wrong or had helped Harry save the day again, he was looking at him because he liked him. Or liked the way he looked or something along those lines, Seamus was looking…and he kind of liked it.

This must have been why he never dated. He got too…weird, giddy almost. He was almost acting like Ginny had when she and Neville had gotten together. It was almost sickening. He was going to lose his depressing outlook if he kept this up.

'Pull it together Ron. You've kissed, not proclaimed undying love, this could over and forgotten in another month, and, if not, what if he breaks your heart or you screw up, this could end up being a total heartache and giant mistake. Don't get sucked in by that happy flowers and rainbow bull.' A voice whispered in the back of his mind. He liked to think of it as the 'logical' part of himself.

'…Right. This could be nothing. We shouldn't get our hopes up.' He agreed.

If you don't expect anything then you can never be disappointed. Only pleasantly surprised.

A hand touched the small of his back and he jumped then turned to meet sea colored eyes. He blinked once, and then raised an eyebrow in question. Seamus shrugged and leaned forward some to whisper in his ear.

"You kinda zoned out for a minute."

"Oh. Did you say something?"

"It's fine." Seamus shrugged it off, moving a little closer to him. Ron looked at him, blue eyes widening a little bit. Seamus wasn't going to…he was. Seamus' lips touched his own and Ron could feel the warmth from his…his boyfriend? The twins would love to hear this. And with his luck someone would see them and his entire family would know by the end of the week.

He shoved Seamus away, more roughly then he had intended, but basically got his general point across. Seamus looked a little hurt but stood silently while Ron looked around, searching the empty halls for any sign of movement, be it human, ghost, or cat. Finding none he looked at Seamus, apology written all over his face.

"I…sorry. I don't think…sorry?"

"I understand." And Seamus did understand. If you weren't' careful the entire school would know your business before you were even fully aware of it. And not everyone took too kindly to the kind of thing that was kind of going on between him and Ron.

Not even Harry and Dean were out in the open. In the Gryffindor Tower they touched and teased, but rarely kissed or held each other, and out of the Tower they barely spoke to each other. In their dorm room was a different matter all together. Seamus didn't think Dean had slept in his bed once since school had started this year.

He didn't think they were…doing anything but it wasn't like he was terribly informed of what was going on with his best friend anyway.

Ron's hand brushed his own and he was pulled from his thoughts. Ron was still looking apologetic and Seamus squeezed his hand lightly then fell a few steps behind Ron. Nothing really odd about this, no one would think anything of it. This was how things usually were between them anyway.

And the view wasn't half bad.

Yep, he was tapping into his inner pervert and he had to say it didn't bother him in the least. He smiled slightly then frowned, realizing what he was doing. And he'd been getting so used to being cold and distant. Damn.

Self-pity and anger were kind of hard to hold onto when all he really wanted to do was reach out and touch Ron again. It'd been awhile since he'd really been close to anyone, as most people didn't want to be around him lately, what with the being a prat and all.

Maybe this was a turning point for him. He could make new friends, snog Ron some more, be nicer to people, snog Ron… he was sensing a pattern here. A good pattern, but a pattern none the less.

Seamus' eye twitched. Really the only thing that had merit there was the part about Ron. Sure, he was feeling less likely to throw himself off of a building but he wasn't exactly feeling the happy fuzzies or anything like that.

He focused his attention back onto Ron and was surprised to see they were standing outside of that Fat Lady portrait. The Lady was painting her nails and had yet to notice either of them.

Ron shot him an amused look. "Is it just me or does she pay less and less attention to what's going on around her everyday?"

"It isn't just you." Seamus shook his head and leaned over Ron's shoulder. "Pinwheel."

The portrait slid back, startling the Fat Lady from her 'work'. The boys chuckled and climbed through the hole into their common room.

And the middle of what could have very well been an intervention.

Ginny, Neville, and Hermione were sitting on one of the couches, Dean and Harry were in a worn looking armchair, as close together as they could be without sitting on top of one another On the loveseat Lavender and Parvati were sitting and across from them Colin and Draco Malfoy were in two chairs. Malfoy had spent more and more hanging around and…well being a pest ever since it'd come out that he had defected to the side of light, which made him a good person all of a sudden.

This was something Ron had never really been able to get behind. He'd been nothing but a git for six years and just like that they were all supposed to open their arms and accept them like nothing had ever happened.

Whatever.

"Hum. I think you're in trouble." Seamus remarked, smiling wryly. "Have fun."

"You aren't really going to leave me alone with them? They might…try to make me happy or something. Then whom would you bitch with?" Ron whispered loudly then smirked. "So, how's everything?"

"Weasley, stop being an ass for once in your life." Malfoy drawled, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world. "I have homework I need to finish."

"I'm not asking you to be here." Ron replied. "In fact none of you have to be here. Go, do shit, I'm going to bed."

"What's wrong with you?" Dean glanced sideways at Seamus. "What's wrong with the both of you? You've never acted anything like this before."

Ron rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You've been ignoring us for months, why the sudden interest in what we're doing?" Harry looked startled and opened his mouth to speak, but Seamus cut him off.

"Seriously, when was the last time any of you had an actual conversation with us that didn't involve your boy or girlfriend? Or studies or Death Eaters or something along those lines. It's gets boring after a while. And we stopped listening so you stopped talking." He shrugged. "It happens."

"You're acting like this because you think we're ignoring you?" Hermione asked, frowning. "Why not just say something? You don't have to be so mean."

"I thought I was just being honest." Seamus muttered.

"I could see the conversation now. I know your deliriously happy and considering a large amount of people probably want all of us dead that's a great thing, but all of your happiness is making me depressed so…quit it." Ron quirked an eyebrow. "Riiight."

"That's not fair Ron." Ginny said, sitting up straight. "It's not like we aren't unhappy sometimes too. You don't see us sulking around trying to make everyone else miserable."

"You spend a few months alone and depressed watching all your friends pair off and be happy and tell me you don't feel like making everyone miserable." Seamus remarked dully. "Besides…it's fun."

"You two are idiots." Malfoy said. "So your best friends are dating and everyone but you has an actual life, that means you get to act like jackasses?"

"Yes." Ron deadpanned. "I never said it made sense. It just is."

"That doesn't make any sense Ron." Harry said, looking severely put out. Ron almost felt bad. Harry was just doing what he always did, saving the day and trying to patch things up. It was kind of sad though, Ron didn't want to be patched up or fixed or saved this time. He was perfectly happy being unhappy and bitchy.

The irony of it all. Imagine, Harry Potter, powerful wizard and all around great guy, the one thing he'll never be able to do is 'fix' his best friend and make things like they used to be. And all because his best friend didn't want Harry's help.

He would go down in history as the first person to tell Harry Potter to take his holier then thou life and hero-complex and shove it up his arse. Well, not in those words, he wasn't the type to haul off and start saying that kind of thing. But that's what he meant.

"I'm tired." Ron remarked, seemingly out of the blue. "And I'm going to bed. This is pointless, nothing will be achieved and then everyone will be upset. I don't want help from any of you. I am fine being not fine."

He stalked off, not bothering to even say goodnight to his sister. Seamus shrugged a little then followed the redhead, officially pushing the rest of his friends to the back of his mind. He walked over to his bed, suspecting that Ron wouldn't want to be in the bed next to Harry's at the moment. Ron was indeed sprawled out on his bed and staring at the ceiling, an amused look on his face.

"That was interesting. They picked a horrible time to be aware of us." Seamus nodded and crawled up beside him before pulling the curtains back. As an after thought he picked up his wand and said a spell to close the curtains around Ron's bed as well and placed a prying eyes charm. It would keep anyone, and by anyone he meant Harry, from looking in on Ron.

He placed the same spell on his own bed then pulled his head back through the thick curtains. Ron's eyes were closed, but his lips were set in that same smile, so Seamus sat next to him, back against he headboard. Ron was suddenly acutely aware of the other teen's breathing.

He wondered how other people handled things like this. Was there some instruction manual that they weren't aware of? How were you supposed to know what you and couldn't do? He sighed and moved a little closer to Seamus.

It was weird but good like this. He could understand why Dean and Harry liked to sleep together; there was a warm feeling, like nothing could touch you. He still wasn't sure about it though; it was completely new territory in a way.

He almost wished he'd paid more attention to Dean and Harry while he'd been sulking; it was almost like in class when they sprung a pop quiz on you after a lecture that you didn't pay any attention to.

"I wonder what possessed them to gang up on you like that."

Ron cracked open an eye and looked at the blond. "One too many threats to kill myself I'd wager. It's so like Harry to only hear what he wants to hear for a long time until whoever is speaking just gives up and moves on. He's so…he can't take people moving away from him."

And Ron got it, in a way. Harry had so few people, important people, left and he wanted to hold on to them but he couldn't expect to trade Ron in for Dean and then grab him back when it looked like someone else wanted to pay attention to him.

It was like a toy that a person didn't really want until someone else had it and Ron didn't much want to think of himself as one of Harry's 'toys'.

It was unsavory really.

"Huh."

"Mmhmm." Ron closed his eyes again, rolling onto his side and closer to Seamus, while still keeping some space between them. "He'll get over it."

"I s'pose." Seamus muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't say anything else, couldn't really think of anything to say after what Ron had said. He and Dean were friends, best friends, but he had this feeling it wasn't like Harry and Ron were friends.

Not even kind of the same.

He looked down, wondering what he could say, only to find that Ron seemed to have fallen asleep. He reached over, brushing a strand of red away from pale white and sighed.

He hoped Ron was right at least.

Fin