Hey everybody, another chapter. I've got a busy week so I thought I'd put this up now instead of keeping you all waiting until I remember to update. Thanks to everyone who's reading this/reviewed =]

I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 10

Thinks didn't get any better as the week progressed. There was only one difference, more homework. I'd seriously had enough. Wood had been shoved from my mind thanks to the ever increasing mountain of homework. I'm serious, this mountain could rival Everest. I wasn't the only one who was complaining bitterly. Almost every OWL and NEWT student had taken up a permanent refuge in the library. Our group of friends had been divided by the breakup between Wood and I. Lauren loyally remained by my side and the others flitted between the table e occupied and the one Wood had claimed.

Angrily I screwed up the notes I'd been making about Everlasting Elixirs, I hadn't given them a thought since sixth year. Not satisfied with scrunching up the tatty scrap of parchment I pulled out my wand and set the paper alight. It burnt with a satisfying intensity. Take that Snape! When I looked up from the smouldering embers my eyes caught Wood's. He looked away hastily. Annoyed at him I swept the ashes away and grabbed a clean sheet of parchment determined to ignore Wood.

It was a week before the exams and I was a mess but then again I wasn't alone. Most of the other seventh years were weighed down by a ton of books and sea of parchment. Amy's bag broke that moment and she angrily kicked it down the hall before storming off to pick it up. We were all at our wits end. I'd developed a routine. Once classes were over I would retreat outside to study with Lauren and Amy. At least that minimised the chance of running into Wood. Over dinner I would glare at him over the roast potatoes. Occasionally he would ask me something and I'd reply but it was killing me. I was capable of making conversation but he would look at me with those ridiculous chocolate brown eyes and I'd become a babbling mess trying to maintain my dignity. It was just easier to avoid him. After dinner we would all retreat to the library, Wood at one end of the table and I at the other.

I'd been doing a great job of carrying on as normal, of course the work was a distraction, but sometimes I'd find something belonging to Wood whether it was a copy of Quidditch weekly in my trunk or the Montrose Magpies programme from the game he took me to. It was at times like these I would find myself drowning in a river of tears until I could mentally drag myself into a happier frame of mind. A frame of mind that was completely and utterly Wood free. I was a single with a bright future ahead of me I didn't need Wood. This would last about a day at best before I found something else that would remind me of him.

The final week running up the exams was complete torture. I was in the library almost every waking minute. It was tempting to sleep in there. I tried once unintentionally. Having had only three hours sleep the night before and a day of double potions, double transfiguration and double ancient runes could you really blame me? I'd skipped dinner so that I could battle through some runes. By nine o'clock I was out for the count in the library. I'd only meant to rest my head for minute but instead fell asleep on my parchment with the ink still wet. Lauren had to nudge me awake; the state of me sent her into a fit of giggles which ended up with us being thrown out of the library. The still slightly wet ink had gone onto my cheek. I tried to wipe it off but it had already dried. Giving up I trudged back to the common room with Lauren. We could finish our revision in the dorm.

William cornered us as we emerged through to portrait whole apparently he was bored. I tried to tell him he also had exams to prepare for but instead he muttered something about Wizard's chess. He found the patch of ink on my cheek hilarious. I deducted three points for it, I wanted to take five but he did punch Wood. That'll teach him.

"Aaah! I can't do this!" I angrily launched my potions book across the room where it landed half open with several pages missing on the other side of the dorm. Snape was a complete git and as for potions well that could take a running jump from the astronomy tower. The exams were stressing me out, perhaps a little too much. I had a lot riding on the results. Perhaps it was a good thing that Wood and I weren't together anymore. It certainly allowed me to study guilt free.

My mum sent William and myself packages by owl post containing home comforts to help us study. She would make cakes or send packets of muggle biscuits. William tried to barter with me over breakfast one morning. In our packages were bananas and homemade white chocolate chip cookies. He wanted to trade his bananas for my cookies. I told him to sod off.

The weekend was just as stressful as the week. We tried to enjoy the sunshine but couldn't not when all had our heads buried in various textbooks. In the evenings we would spend hours transfiguring whatever was left in the common room into absolutely anything. It was our only source of entertaining revision. Wood left a copy of Quidditch Through The Ages that I was tempted to transfigure into a pair of pink fluffy slippers but decided that I didn't have a death wish.

Sunday night was awful. Every one of us was a bag of nerves. Dinner was very subdued and no one hung around afterwards we all went straight to the library for one last cramming session before grabbing an early night's sleep. I tossed and turned all but couldn't get to sleep. Annoyed with myself I grabbed a jumper from the pile of clothes on my battered trunk and went down to the common room. I sat by the embers of one of the dying fires. My mind mulled over the various spells needed for my charms exam in the morning. With my wand out I took to practising spells on the stack of books someone had carelessly left on the table. "Ellie?" I spun my head round as I head Wood's voice, "I had a feeling you'd still be up."

"Hmmm," I replied.

"Worried about charms?" he asked. I had decided that it was no use being uncivil to him, what use would it do? For one thing it was making things difficult for our friends.

"A little bit. I can remember the spells now whilst there's less pressure but tomorrow morning it could all flee from my mind," I confessed.

"Aye. You'll be fine," Wood sat down in one of the frayed arm chairs. We sat in silence both staring at the glowing embers. "You know I'm sorry," he broke the heavy silence.

"Hmmm me to," I didn't know what else to say. At least we were talking and I was no longer avoiding him like the plague.

"Friends?" he leaned forward holding his hand out.

I hesitated for a moment. How could I touch him when I still held feelings for him? All my avoiding would be for nothing. Aware that too much time had passed I leaned forward and shook his offered hand, "friends." My heart skipped a beat as I shook his hand. We'd broken up so why on earth did he still have this affect one me? Not able to handle being around him for much longer I wished him luck for the morning and headed back up to the dorm where I fell asleep with my thoughts on Oliver. He was now back to being Oliver not Wood. I'd never get over him at this rate.

Breakfast was horrible. I sat near Oliver as a way of patching up our group of friends. At least this kept me occupied. The plate of toast was doing a very poor job of it. Nervously we filled out of the Great Hall and lingered in the Entrance as we waited for the exam tables to be set up and our names called out. It was like waiting on death row. My heart was beating three times as fast, my palms were sweaty and my mind in a state of array. Charms, I had to think charms.

Luckily we had the afternoon free; at least they were breaking us in gently. It didn't give me any chance to relax though. The following day was transfiguration and ancient runes. I'd be a mess by the end of it.

The worst exam was potions. We had to brew a calming draught. Very tricky and very fitting. Not that it helped. Hopefully I passed. I may or may not have remembered to add the powdered lacewings. I couldn't worry about it now though. I still had the second part of my Herbology exam left to go.

Sirius Black returned on the Thursday of exam week. Rumours were running rife about it. The youngest Weasley brother was in the hospital wing and it turned out the Professor Lupin was a werewolf. None of us saw that coming. It certainly struck added nerves in us all. Black hadn't been apprehended and was still running free from Azkaban. We didn't have much time to dwell on it though because of exams.

"Freeeeeeeeee!" Lauren yelled with her arms stretched wide earning her laughs from us all. The Gryffindor seventh years were walking out into the ground on Friday afternoon with a few Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff's. We strolled down to the edge of the lake where the giant squid was making the most of the early June sun.

Oliver had dragged a Quaffle from the Quidditch store and was tossing it around with the boys, minus Percy. I found myself watching him and had to catch myself. Instead I faced the other direction and watched the squid lazily flick a tentacle in the shallow water. Even though my line of sight had been diverted I was still aware of Oliver's every move. It was ridiculous. We weren't together anymore so why should it matter that I knew had just made a dive for the red leather ball.

I laid back and lost myself in the bright blue sky. It was only just hitting me that we were now finished. No more school. Ever. Quite sad really. I sighed heavily. "Lauren, we've finished," I wasn't quite sure what to make of it myself.

"Yep, freeeeeeedom," at least she was happy with it. I struggled to find much to be excited about. Sure I was going on to be a healer but it meant moving back in with my parents. A trainee healer got paid very little and I had three years of training to complete. Home would be quiet without William. He'd be there for the summer but would then go back to Hogwarts for his fifth year. My family were muggles so it was a challenge I wasn't looking forward to.

"Yeah freedom," I wasn't so enthusiastic. For a start there'd be no Oliver.

To celebrate the end of exams there was a great feast in the hall. I ate my weight in desserts, definitely an accomplishment. That night there was a party in the common room. The Weasley twins had outdone themselves with food they'd commandeered from the kitchens. The wireless was on and streamers had sprung from wands littering the floor and ceiling. On the walls were the Quidditch banners. Pictures were being taken left right and centre. It was a great night even if my thoughts were still dwelling on our winning Quidditch captain.

With exams over we had a week before the end of term feast and the final return trip on the Hogwarts express. We didn't have any classes so the days were our own. The fifth years were in a similar position all other years still had classes, making a head start on the following years work. I didn't envy them.

Thankfully the weather stayed glorious. The days were hot and the sky clear. We were allowed to spend a day in Hogsmeade to keep us occupied and there were friendly Quidditch games between teams of friends. Gryffindors would team up with Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's. Slytherin were the only house not to intermingle. We all got to play. I was on a team with Matt, Amy, Lauren and three of our Hufflepuff friends. The game against Oliver's team was the worse although there was something satisfying about launching a heavy ball at his face. Needless to say we lost but it was fun and it filled up an afternoon. I didn't have time to mourn the loss of seven years at Hogwarts.

The feast was amazing and continued on till late at night. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Even Snape seemed to have less of a scowl than he usually had. We continued to party in the common room later that night. It was a great atmosphere with exploding snap games; fanged frisbee's and a Quaffle that Oliver had stolen and was intent on taking home with him.

By morning the common room was spotless but was soon torn apart again by students looking for misplaced belongings. Our dorm was a mess as we all rushed to pack before heading down for the train at 11. Leaving Hogwarts was a teary affair mostly for the girls although I think Percy may have shed a tear.

The Hogwarts's Express was not a welcomed sight. None of us wanted to leave. The younger years were excited to go home and spend a summer away from studying. We didn't have the luxury of coming back. As the train pulled away we silently took in our last glimpse of Hogwarts.

Lauren had her head on my shoulder and I was resting mine on hers, "I'm going to miss it," she mumbled.

"I think we all will," I replied. To cheer us up we bought several boxes of Berty Bott's Every Flavour Beans and with blindfolds we devoured the lot. It bought some much needed to relief to the afternoon.

As the train pulled in we gathered all our belongings and disembarked. "Oliver!" I called. He turned around to look at me with his broom slung over his shoulder. We hadn't set much on the subdued journey home. At least there were no invading Dementors this time and I was released of prefect duties.

"Good luck at Puddlemere," I had to leave this on a good note if I was to move on from him. Although I had a feeling it would be a while before bloody Oliver Wood left my thoughts.

"Thanks and same to you with the healing. I know you'll be brilliant at it," Oliver flashed a smile which once again got to me. Errrgh, I shouldn't still be feeling like this. We had broken up. How frustrating.

"I guess I'll see you around," I said awkwardly. Did I give him a hug? After all we were really close or maybe a shake of the hand. That might be too formal.

"Take care Ellie," he walked off and waved. Well that answered that. Sod it, why did I give it so much thought when he clearly didn't care anymore. I blinked back a tear and turned on my heal to say goodbye to everybody else. From now on I would think less about Oliver and more about healing. Healing and maybe chocolate.

My parents waited for me to finish saying goodbye and in no time at all our luggage, owls included, had been crammed into their car and we were on our way back to the rolling Hampshire hills. I was silent for most of the journey as I finally let it hit me.

As we unloaded everything William managed to pull me from my funk by his particular annoying brand of humour. It certainly felt good to laugh. William made sure to be twice as bigger pain in the arse as usual. That was okay, I could deal with that because I was the only one who could use message which was why the dinner plates were now drying themselves whilst he had to wash them by hand. He muttered under his breath and shot me a dirty glare. I was sat at the kitchen table idly flicking through one of my mums magazines just to annoy him more. Putting my feet up on the table was very tempting but then I'd face my mother's wrath when she walked in. William thought it would be hilarious to throw a handful of soap suds at me. Luckily I put up a shield charm quick enough.

"Mum! Ellie is using magic to get out of the dishes," he yelled at the top of his lungs, the git.

Giving up I put my wand away and grabbed the tea towel. Grinning William decided to get his own back by painstakingly washing each plate with precision, taking his sweet time. He really was a complete git but I had to thank him, in my head that is, for getting my mind off Oliver and Hogwarts. I had the future to look forward to now.