Chapter Text
It was early one warm spring morning and the purple hue of dawn had just started to cover the clear sky, when Neville heard a faint knocking on his door "Hannah it's a bit early to be coming by don't ya think" Neville laughed glancing at his watch, it read 5:30, shaking his head and still wearing his Mandrake pajamas Neville opened the door to someone who was certainly not Hannah. "Seamus, what are you doing here?" Neville asked surprised by the sudden appearance of his former classmate.
"You said if I ever needed a place to stay, I could always crash at your flat" Seamus said plainly his dirty blonde hair looked freshly cut and his clothes looked laundered but Neville could tell the Irishman was still grieving by his glassy blue eyes and how he stood in the doorway a ghost of his former self.
"Of course, come in, does your Mum know you're here?" Neville asked as he brought Seamus into the small flat motioning him to sit at the rickety kitchen table that was almost covered in plants.
Seamus nodded sitting down "yeah she knows, forced me to clean up, before showin' up at your door said somethin' about hobos" Seamus muttered dreamily before resting his head on the table.
"Sea when was the last time you slept?" Neville inquired noticing for the first time not only the bags under the Irishman's eyes but also how Seamus's whole body seemed worn and seconds from a complete shutdown.
"Um… I'm not exactly sure" Seamus laughed half-heartedly his whole body ached and spots danced before his eyes as he glanced up at Neville.
"Dammit Seamus, we had a schedule… when was the last time do you think?" Neville asked trying to remain calm but as he stared at the thoroughly exhausted man he only became angrier at not only Seamus but at himself. Neville had always thought that by being the former leader of Dumbledore's Army that it was his unofficial duty to make sure not only Seamus but all of the DA was coping with the aftermath of the Second Wizard War. Neville knew it wasn't his job to make sure Luna was going to therapy and his weekly dinner with the Patil twins was not required of him but he still felt a sense of responsibility for his comrades who braved the Carrows and what followed.
"Well wait a minute, I think the last time I really slept was about three weeks ago... yeah three weeks exactly" Seamus sighed his memory of the last couple weeks was murky and he couldn't even remember where he had been before showing up at Neville's.
"Three weeks… why three... oh the anniversary of course" Neville trailed off as he remembered the first anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts had taken place three weeks prior.
Sighing Neville got to work on an early morning cuppa, putting on the kettle Neville could only watch as the slumped figure gently nudged a nearby flowerpot, "Sea you need to sleep, let me help, I've got some pretty good herbs and…" Neville started walking over to the blond man.
"I'm fine Nev, you don't need to fix me" Seamus growled flinching as the kettle whistled, his head felt fuzzy and the headache that had started as a slight pain had grown into a pulsing mass.
"Fine, then get the tea and I'll grab the cups" Neville challenged crossing his arms waiting for Seamus to make his move, figuring that either the stubborn Irishman would pass out on the way to grab the kettle to try to prove him wrong or admit defeat and allow Neville to help him to bed.
Seamus gritted his teeth and stood up but the sudden motion caught him off guard and he quickly sat back down the room spinning as he cursed.
"Come on you can stay in the guest room" Neville whispered as he put an arm around his exhausted chum, helping the poor man up the stairs wasn't a challenge "Sea you have been eating right?" Neville asked remembering the countless times before the war when Seamus would jump upon Neville and Dean usually crushing his intended target, now the thought of being crushed by the thin man was far from Neville's mind. The Irishman only shrugged in reply, biting his tongue Neville helped Seamus up the remaining stairs.
Finally reaching the guest room Neville placed Seamus on an old armchair as he moved plants off the many surfaces and pulled back the large quilt that adorned the small bed "Sorry about the mess I'm not used to company" Neville said turning around he sighed Seamus was already curled up in the faded red armchair his eyes closed but Neville knew he was pretending to be blissfully asleep, after nearly 7 years of living with a person it was easy to tell if they were faking or not. "Come on Seamus let's get you changed," Neville said as he disappeared to grab an old t-shirt that once bore the logo, of a Quidditch team, that had long since faded from the tan fabric.
When Neville came back Seamus had his back to the door and was already taking off his shirt, revealing large, ugly, old scars from that hellish seventh year. Neville flinched although he too had a few scars from that year they had already started to fade. "Here I think this should be big enough" Neville said as Seamus turned around, tossing Seamus the large tee Neville's heart dropped as he caught sight of the long ragged pink scar on Seamus's abdomen, it's my fault he has that one Neville thought bitterly, shuddering at the memory of that horrid night in the dungeon.
"Thanks Nev…. For everythin' " Seamus murmured tiredly as he put on the shirt which reached well past his knees.
Neville only nodded and left the weary man to finish undressing and get to bed, the image of the scar still seared into his brain.