"I can't believe he gave you real pearl earrings for your birthday!" Rose and Mat were sitting in the Ravenclaw common room, gawking over the earrings Jack had just given her.

"I know!" Mat replied. "My birthday was like a month ago! But he said he had to save up to buy them for me. I feel bad."

"They were a present," Rose pointed out. "You're not supposed to feel bad."

"I know, but I do."

"Did you show them to Olive?"

"Yeah. I think she's still in shock. Speaking of Olive, she and I were walking around on the QUidditch pitch, and all of a sudden James and Max turned up wanting to do some extra practise. We tried walking out discreetly, but Max came rushing over and asked to talk to Olive privately. So, I had no choice but to leave her with him!"

"Max and Olive?" Rose asked, her eyes widening."

"Yeah," Mat replied. "I wonder what he's saying to her."

"Olive, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong." Olive and Max were sitting in the Quidditch stands and talking. Max was looking directly at Olive, but she was determinedly looking at James who was flying in the air and practising with his father's Snitch.

"No," Max disagreed. "I did. I led you on. And I know that you think less of me now."

"I don't think of you," Olive lied, coldly. Luckily, being the beginning of March, the cold, icy wind was keeping her cheeks from going red. Max went a little pink though, but nevertheless tried to look unabashed.

"I know you're angry Olive-"

"I'm not angry!" she interrupted, angrily. "There's nothing to be angry about! It's a free country and you're free to do whatever you want. It's none of my business what goes on in your love life."

"Actually," Max said, cautiously. "It is your business, because you were the only thing going on in my love life for a long time." Olive felt a little leap in her stomach at these words. She wanted to say that she felt the same way, but she controlled herself.

"Were?" she said, instead.

"Well, yeah. I sort of didn't do anything about it because you're Poppy's little sister and Poppy is James' best friend and James is my best friend. So, I just didn't want anyone to get hurt. But, of course, I ended up hurting you. I didn't mean to lead you on, Olive."

When Olive didn't say anything in reply, Max went on.

"I know some people must have said a lot about me, Olive. But you have to believe, whatever they might've said, that that is the truth. Please believe me."

"I don't know if I can believe anything you say," Olive replied, after a pause.

"That's the truth, though."

"So, you're saying you didn't do anything about your feelings for me because you were scared of my sister?"

"No, I'm not scared of her. It's just that she said-"

"Max, I've lived with poppy all my life! Do you think I listen to anything she says?"

"But it's different! You're her sister!"

"OK, even if that is true, you didn't have to go after another girl as a reaction. But you did anyway!"

"I know! I'm sorry, Olive, but I was confused and I knew that Angelina liked me so I just sort of went for it. I didn't know what else to do! But, I broke up with her because I still had feelings for you."

There was another long pause.

"Even if all you're saying is true, you not going after me because you were scared of my older sister who is the same age as you isn't a good enough excuse for me. And if you really liked me, you wouldn't just give up like that and then go after another girl."

"Olive, you have to believe that there is nothing going on with me and Angelina anymore."

"I know. And there's nothing going on between you and I either." Max exhaled loudly.

"Olive I'm sorry," Max breathed into the cold air.

"I'm sorry too," she replied. "I'm sorry that my sister was right about you." She blinked away stinging tears threatening to come, got up and slowly started to walk away.

"Olive," Max said. She stopped momentarily.

"Please, won't you just give us a chance?" Olive turned around to face him again.

"I gave you a chance Max," she whispered softly into the wind.

"And you blew it." And with that, she turned around again, and walked away from Max and out of the Quidditch pitch as quickly as possible, so that he wouldn't see the tears falling down her face.

"Why did you bring me here, Scorpius?" Katie and Scorpius stood by the Lake, hands clasped. Scorpius didn't answer her question for a couple of minutes. Before he did so, he let go of Katie's hand abruptly and started skimming stones. He was going over and over in his head and wondering if it was the right thing to do. But then he thought of Rose. Her face, her laugh, her hair. He thought of the way he felt whenever he heard her voice, and decided it was the right thing to do. He dropped the remaining stones an turned to face Katie. She was running her long, black hair between her fingers. Scorpius took hold of both her hands graciously and looked at her.

She's so pretty, he thought to himself. But Rose seems so much prettier to me. He took a deep breath.

"Katie," he started. "This is not going to be easy, but I need to tell you something."

"What?" she asked, harshly.

"Well, I don't thnk it's working with you and me. I'm really sorry, but I think we should break up." Katie was silent for a few moments. Her already pale skin was becoming even paler, which Scorpius didn't even think was possible. Then suddenly, she dropped his hands abruptly.

"This is about Rose, isn't it?" she asked.

"No," he part-lied, somewhat irritated. "It's not about Rose. It's about me. And it's about you too. I just don't think it's going to work."

"Why not?"

"Because I just don't see you in that way. We're two completely different people. Also, I just don't like the way you treat people."

"Excuse me?"

"You just look down your nose at everyone as if you're better than them, you treat people like dirt and you don't seem to care about anyone but yourself." He winced. It was harsh, but it had to be said.

"I see the way you treat people," he went on. "Louis, Albus, Olive, Rose, Mat, Allison."

"Why do you care how I treat them?" Katie asked, as if they were vermin.

"Because their my friends. And you're not even acting like my friend, so I don't see how we can possibly be more than that."

"OK, Scorpius, if you promise to give us another chance, I promise I'll stop. I'll change."

"Katie, we both know that's not true. You're a not a nice person. I'm sorry, but I have to be honest with you. I don't even think you wanted me, you just didn't want Rose to have me."

"That's not true, Scorpius!"

"Isn't it? Well, the whole time you've been going out all you've done is talk about Rose behind her back. I'm sorry Katie, but it's over." Scorpius stared at her for a few moments, and then walked away from the Lake slowly.

It was very peculiar. Olive and Scopius were both in the exact same place: at Hogwarts. And at this exact moment, one heart was breaking apart, but the other felt like it was finally being put back together.