A curt nod, a stiff smile, or a sideways glance. That's all I get from Aaron Everard these days. It's hard to believe, to even imagine, that we had once been the best of friends. In third year, still care-free and innocent, we had been friends. Perhaps even a little more than friends, though neither of us would admit it. That is, until Jacob Davis became my partner for a Herbology project.

It was completely innocent, purely for the project that we had been spending hours together. Don't get me wrong, Jacob is a very nice boy, even now, three years later, but there was no other interest besides a good Herbology grade. At least, from my side there wasn't. I had tried to make Aaron understand that Jacob meant nothing to me. He wouldn't listen. It's trivial and stupid, now when I look back on it. It was just childish jealousy, but for some reason, we'd never been able to get past it. It only get's worse from there. He didn't talk to me for weeks, even after the Herbology had finished and I had lost all social contact with Jacob. Then, one day in mid-January, the last string was pulled and everything had come crashing down. I was still being given the silent treatment, and I had taken to hiding in empty classrooms to cry between classes. Because Aaron and I had been so close, I had foolishly not bothered to become close friends with anyone else, and when he started ignoring me, I had been left completely on my own. The particular classroom I had picked that day, however, was not empty. It was occupied, by - and some Ravenclaw fourth year. Lisa…Lizzy….Lily…something like that anyway. I stood there frozen, watching as his inexperienced lips kissed hers in a way that no thirteen-year olds should be doing. Then I let out a sob, turned and sprinted form the room. I heard her let out an annoyed huff as he shoved her away and ran after me, calling my name. But I was already long gone, a floor above, hiding behind a suit of armor, crying so hard it hurt. He was a pretty good looking guy, and it was not completely shocking that he had managed to nab a fourth-year. But still, I was young, and naïve, and I had this idea that for some reason he would choose me over prettier, older girls. In my romantic, over-dramatic, overly-hormonal thirteen year old head, he had crossed a line. He had pulled the last string, made it all fall apart, and there was no way it could ever be fixed again.

He tried for weeks after that to talk to me. He would run up to me in-between classes, grab my shoulder, and try to hold my attention long enough to apologize. With no luck of course, I wouldn't have it. Finally, during the third week of his attempts, I got fed-up, and as he once again tried to apologize in the Gryffindor common room, I spun around and yelled at him to bugger off. I told him that I never wanted to speak to him again. Then I walked away, stomped up the stairs to the girl's dormitory, and did not speak to him, or have him speak to me, for the rest of that year.

Now, three years later, I'm sitting on the Hogwarts express on my way back to the castle I consider my favored home after summer break. Jacob Davis comes into my compartment and pecks me on the cheek.

"How was your break, baby?"

I mentally wince at the word 'baby' but let it slide, as I often do with Jacob. I can't believe he still hasn't noticed that I hate it when he calls me that, after we'd been together since the middle of last year. Nevertheless, I lean my head against his shoulder and sigh.

"Pretty good. Yours?"

He shrugs, a bit pathetically I think. "Alright, a bit lonely. I missed you so much" he says lovingly as he gives me another peck on my cheek. At that moment, Aaron, with his ever-present best friends, Michael Neil and Adnin Patel walk by our compartment. He glances indifferently at Jacob and me, his flat blue eyes betraying nothing of what he's thinking. Just as Jacob's lips start to move down my neck, I remembered that I had to go to the Prefect's meeting. I felt guilty, but also the slightest bit relieved at having an excuse to get away from Jacob and his lips. The prefect's meeting was, of course, not optional, so I made my way to the designated compartment, leaving a complaining Jacob behind. Upon entering, I noticed Aaron sitting near the back. He said almost nothing the entire meeting. To my dismay, I was paired with him for patrols, three nights a week. He made no comment about this either, even though I'm sure he and the entire compartment heard me curse "under my breath".

As I left the Prefects' compartment after the meeting, I found Stacey Edwards, one of my best friends, heading back to our compartment from the washroom.

"Irene!" She squealed and hugged me. It's nice to finally be back among people who hug you because they want to, not because they feel obligated to.

We were halfway back to our compartment, where Jacob and Penelope Thomas (our other best friend) are waiting, however, when three Slytherins appeared out of a compartment to the right and blocked our path. My father is the Head of the Auror office and is the reason many of the Slytherins' Death Eater parents are locked up in Azkaban. Stacey's a muggle-born, making us both prime victims of the Slytherins' never ending harassment.

"Hello Mudblood, and Blood traitor," said Jonathon Bennet, an evil smirk gracing his otherwise handsome features.

"Where are you guys off to?" Phoebe Parkinson asked as she drew her wand and began to twirl it between her fingers, an evil gleam in her eye.

"Why don't you leave us alone, you Slytherin slime bags?" An annoyed Stacey snapped as she attempted to push past them.

All three Slytherins looked furious, and they were about to fire jinxes when there was a voice behind me.

"No fighting, move along, the Head Boy is coming," said a masculine voice that I knew all too well, despite having hardly heard it for the past three years. It was, of course, Aaron. And it was true; the Head Boy could be seen in the distance walking towards them. With scowls and some threatening looks, the Slytherins disappeared back into their compartment.

"Thanks" breathed Stacey, looking genuinely relieved. He nodded to her, although he was staring intently at me. I could feel myself blushing, so I gave him a quick nod, and almost ran back to my compartment. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should have been able to handle that situation. I'm a prefect too! Stacey caught up to me and broke my train of thought. "Do you think, this year, you two may become friends again?" She asked.

"Not a chance," I answered her, and at last entered our compartment.

AN:

I realize the first few chapters are slow and not very exciting, but bear with me, it does get much better!