Even if I smoke in the back room
Even if I go right to meet you
Even when I sleep all day
Even when I sleep all day
Even if I wasn't like I'm times two
Waiting for the day just to end so I see you
Even when I dream all day
Even when I dream all day

-Grouplove

May, despite the warm and sunny weather, brought a strange gloominess to the students at Hogwarts. Exams were right around the corner for the younger students, the fifth years were nervous about their O.W.L.s, and the seventh years had to worry about the upcoming N.E.W.T.s. However, even as most students were on edge, Skylar was quite the opposite.

"I'm a model," she would remind her friends with an eye roll. "As long as I can keep my stomach flat, I don't think anybody cares how I manage to do in Charms."

"Skylar, you're not even going to try?" Grace would demand, horrified.

Skylar would always shrug and say she'd study later, but she hardly ever did. Alexander, who agreed with Grace, spent most of his time forcing Skylar to open her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook.

"Alex," Skylar would often complain as they sat on opposite sides of his desk, "wouldn't you rather be doing something else?"

"No." He was always firm, sitting across from her with a stern look on his face. "Do your work first."

Skylar, however, was much more concerned with how Victoire was going to be celebrating her seventeenth birthday.

"You're going to be seventeen," Skylar would remind her, slamming her fist down on the table for emphasis, whenever Victoire mentioned she didn't want a big fuss over her birthday.

In the end, Skylar settled for no party and Victoire agreed to at least acknowledge her coming of age. So, Grace ordered a cake from Hogsmeade and Skylar invited a few girls in their year up to the Astronomy Tower to sing happy birthday to Victoire. The girls had some cake, drank some of the stolen champagne from the kitchens, and giggled about boys and the upcoming summer.

"You know," Mona Hill, who was on the Quidditch team with Victoire, said as she took a sip of her champagne, "Skylar, it's been a few months since you dated anybody."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Skylar has lost interest in Hogwarts boys."

Skylar shot her a look. "You guys will see. There are more blokes out there than the ones who sit next to us in Potions class."

"It's too bad you and Ethan didn't work out," Lisa Fisher, who was the Gryffindor quidditch captain, said dreamily. "He's gorgeous."

"Like I said, there's better out there," Skylar told her simply.

Victoire did her best to bite back a retort.

Grace suddenly gasped, looking at her watch. "It's almost midnight! Vic, your birthday's going to be over in less than twenty minutes."

Margaret Lawrence grinned. "Vic, you gotta open your presents!"

This was met with a burst of excited nods and yeahs. Victoire sighed and smiled as the girls pushed forward the pile of gifts for her to open.

The problem with turning seventeen, Victoire thought, was that it never quite lived up to the hype. Sure, all her friends wished her a happy birthday and celebrated with her and got her amazing gifts, but it wasn't quite as earth shattering as everybody made it out to be. Maybe if her parents were there to celebrate with her or if Teddy could've spent the day with her, her birthday would have been a little more exciting.

The truth of the matter was that Victoire was ready for the end of the school year. She couldn't wait until the end of May so that she could take her exams and finally go home. She missed her siblings, she missed her parents, and she missed Teddy. Long distance was starting to take a toll on her. She missed waking up beside him every morning and being able to kiss him every day and being able to talk to him whenever she wanted.

Also, Victoire was getting tired of school. She was sick of all the hours of homework she spent doing in the library, she was tired of being away from home, and she hated having to keep Skylar's secret. The sooner she got away from Hogwarts, the sooner she would no longer have to hide what she knew about Professor Alexander and Skylar.

Victoire's annoyance with their relationship was becoming evident and Alexander asked her to stay behind one afternoon. As the rest of the class left, Skylar glancing back curiously at them, Victoire strode toward Alexander's desk.

Alexander sighed and looked at her. "Ms. Weasley."

"It's Victoire," Victoire corrected shortly.

He gave her a wary look. "I know you're upset…by the situation…"

"You mean the one where you're sleeping with my best friend, therefore putting her entire educational career and future in jeopardy?"

"That'd be the one." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I know it's wrong."

"Then why don't you stop?"

"Because I love her," he admitted, turning a slight shade of pink. "I tried really hard not to, but you know how Skye is. She wouldn't let me give her up. I couldn't help but fall in love with her."

"You're her teacher!"

"But I knew her before I was her teacher…I knew her as the beautiful, crazy, fun model I met in Spain. I knew her as the girl who would come on adventures with me and make me laugh and—"

"Who was younger than you," Victoire interrupted viciously.

"Only by two years," Alexander corrected. "And I didn't even know that."

Victoire pursed her lips. "If you two get caught, you're both screwed."

"I know."

She glared at him. "You know, I hate what you two are doing. You were one of my favorite teachers."

"Really?"

"Before I found out you were in a relationship with my best friend," Victoire told him sharply. "And then I realized what a scumbag you are."

"Listen, Victoire, I know how much you care about Skylar. I know how much she means to you. I know you don't want to see her get hurt. All I can promise you is that I would never do anything to hurt Skylar. If our relationship is found out, then I will do everything in my power to protect her and I will take the blame. "

Victoire swallowed. "That's good to know." She bit her lip. "But what you're doing is still wrong and dangerous."

"What we're doing has nothing to do with you, though," Alexander pointed out. "I don't want you to lose interest in this class just because you're upset with me. I want you to become a curse breaker. But to do so, you must pass Defense. Even if you hate my guts, just promise me you won't let it affect your grade in this class. I think you would be an amazing curse breaker and I don't want you to give up on that dream just because of me."

Victoire gulped. "You think I can make it as a curse breaker?"

"You're a talented witch, Victoire. I think you could do great things." Alexander shook his head in self-disgust. "I would hate myself if my actions were what prevented you from becoming the success I know you could be."

"So, what did Professor Bennett want?" Grace asked, glancing up from her textbook.

Skylar's head shot up and she met Victoire's gaze.

"Not much," Victoire replied, perching beside Grace on the couch. "He just wanted to make sure I was still on track to become a cursebreaker."

Skylar looked visibly relieved. Grace smiled slightly. "See, that's what I love about Professor Bennett. He really does care, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he does," Skylar said with a small smile.

"He cares a bit too much if you ask me," Victoire muttered.

"So, what did he say?" Skylar asked quietly as Grace returned to her reading.

"Exactly the right thing," Victoire muttered begrudgingly.

Skylar grinned. "He's pretty great, isn't he?"

Victoire shrugged. "It'd be better if he was a student and not a teacher."

Skylar rolled her eyes. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Probably not."

Marcus stumbled into the Slytherin common room, looking around wildly. Mildred and Damien were sitting by the homework tables, chatting idly about school. Marcus sprinted toward them, an eager smile on his face.

"Damien, quick, where's your camera?" he asked breathlessly.

Damien raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"I've had the first years keeping an eye out for Skylar, letting me know whenever she's doing something suspicious."

Mildred narrowed her eyes at him. "Please tell me you're joking."

"They said she left her common room and is headed up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom."

"How is that suspicious?" Damien asked.

"They said she kept looking around, making sure nobody was following her. I mean, why would she be so worried about people following her? It's a little paranoid."

"I don't know," Mildred said dryly. "I mean, people actually are following her."

Marcus looked at Damien. "Camera."

"What do you need the camera for?"

"I need proof! If she's breaking the rules, I need to be able to prove it."

"How is she breaking the rules by going to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Maybe she has class. Maybe she needs to talk to Bennett about something. Marcus, you're being insane. There's nothing wrong with her going to class."

He glared at her. "There are no classes going on at this time! Besides, she's always there. Don't you think it's a little weird how often she goes to that classroom."

Damien snorted. "No. She's probably just lovesick over Bennett like every other girl in our year is." He grinned at Mildred. "Right, Millie? You'd know all about that."

Mildred blushed fiercely. "Shut up," she muttered, staring at the table. "Just because I said he was good looking…"

Marcus shook his head, irritated. "Mate, the bloody camera!"

Damien shrugged. "I think Trey borrowed it. Check in his stuff."

Marcus flashed him a grin. "Brilliant!"