"Hayleigh! Come on! The dance is starting!" Oliver called from the common room. Hayleigh dropped her straight hair onto her neck and ran down the steps.

"I'm coming, Wood! Calm down!" she exclaimed. He smiled at her. Hayleigh giggled: she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Oliver in a suit.

"What?" he asked.

"It just doesn't look the same as you in those robes," she said. She wore a long black dress, with a matching shawl about her shoulders. Oliver took her by the arm, and walked down the steps with her.

They stood on the floor, dancing to a slow song, and she had her forehead against his shoulder.

"Hayleigh?" he asked.

"Yea?" she said, looking up.

"I am so glad this year is almost over. Have you made a decision, yet, on what you're planning on doing when we graduate?" She smiled.

"Uh, yea. I was thinking about.well, I've talked to Mr. Weasley, and he said that he can get me in.but.Muggle studies."

"Muggle studies?"

"Yes."

"I thought you wanted to play Quidditch," he said, confused.

"Oh, no, no. You wanted me to play Quidditch. I tried to explain it to you, too.but, no, you just didn't wanna listen." Oliver laughed.

"Muggle studies, eh? Hm.could prove interesting."

"I thought so," she said, pressing her lips against his as the song ended.

"I love you, Hayl." They walked off the floor, and sat down by Harry, and Ginny, Ron's little sister.

"I love you too, Oliver." They watched Ron dancing with Hermoine, laughing, at something she'd said. "Are you still going to play Quidditch after graduation?" she asked suddenly, looking up at him.

"I'd like to. If I can, I will.Is that alright with you?" he asked, looking into her eyes. They were darkened by the dim lighting, and he couldn't tell if she was looking at him or not.

"I want you to be happy," she said quietly, and looked around, seeing Ron and Hermoine dancing across the room. He stood her up, and walked towards the wall, where he put his arms around her waist, and pulled her close. Her arms were draped over his shoulders, but she moved about very loosely. He lifted her chin, to try and see her face, but it was dark, and he couldn't tell what she was looking at.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She shrugged, and stepped closer. He felt her breath against his neck, and glanced down at her. "Hayleigh?"

"Yea?" she whispered.

"Are you sure your alright?" She didn't answer him-she wasn't even listening. Her hands slid down his back, and she placed her head against his shoulder. "Doll?" he asked, looking down at her.

"I want you to be happy," she repeated. He smiled.

"I know you do, Hayl. I want you to be happy too." He took her hand, and pushed her away, spinning her around. She giggled, and looked up at him, in such a way that the light hit her eyes in a bunch of tiny dots.

"I am happy. You make me happy," she said, smiling.

The dance was over, and everyone was up in their rooms. Graduation was in one week, and Hayleigh felt the flutter of excitement in her stomach as she thought about it. Unable to sleep, she stood up, and headed to the common room, where she found Hermoine, also awake, reading a book from the library.

"Couldn't sleep either, eh?" she asked. Hermoine looked up.

"No. The dance kept me awake." Hayleigh smiled. "What about you?"

"Graduation is in a week. Of course I couldn't sleep."

"Are you excited?" Hermoine asked.

"Very. I have a nervous flutter in my stomach."

"Why should you be nervous? It's graduation. No more school, no more getting up early, no more homework, no more teachers."

"That's exactly what I'm nervous about. I mean, sure, during the summer, I'll have you, and the Weasley's, and Harry, and Oliver.but when school starts? It's going to be me, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Oliver, Percy, Charlie, and Bill. Charlie, Bill, Percy, and Mr. Weasley will all be working, so I probably will only see Mr. Weasley out of the four of them. Mrs. Weasley doesn't bother me. I love her, she's family. And Oliver.I love him, too.but I don't know how often we're going to see each other, if he gets work playing Quidditch professionally." Hermoine nodded, closing her book, and setting it on the coffee table.

"But you'll be working in Muggle Studies, Hayl. You'll be keeping yourself busy, too." She sighed.

"I don't know anymore."

"About what?"

"Muggle studies."

"What do you mean? You love them. You can even probably teach Mr. Weasley a thing or two." She smiled.

"I know.but Oliver seemed so upset about it when I told him that's what I wanted to do."

"Hayl, you should do what you want to do. Not do something because it will please him." Hayleigh sighed, nodding.

"Your probably right. Alright, Hermoine. I'm going to try to get some sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she said, and Hayleigh headed up the steps to the dorm.

Morning came and went, and, though it was Sunday, Oliver found himself downstairs, and out on the grounds, with Harry and Ron, talking about Quidditch, and graduation. It wasn't until about two P.M. that he realized that Hayleigh hadn't come down yet. Confused, he turned to Harry.

"Was Hayleigh up when you came down?" he asked. Harry thought for a moment.

"If she was, she wasn't in the common room." He nodded, and glanced back at the doors, before continuing the conversation.

Three P.M. came around, and Hayleigh still wasn't downstairs. Slightly worried, Oliver excused himself from Harry and Ron, and headed up to the common room. Hermoine was sitting on the couch, checking her homework over for the next day.

"Hermoine? Has Hayleigh come down at all?" She looked up.

"No.I don't think so. I was just up there, and she was still asleep, with her curtains drawn." He sighed.

"Would you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Go back up and check on her, make sure she's alright?" Hermoine nodded, setting her homework down in her seat. She jogged up the steps, and Oliver leaned against the wall, waiting. Hermoine hadn't even been in the dorm for a minute when he heard her cry out. He jumped up, and stood on the landing.

"Hermoine? What is it?"

"Hayleigh's burning up!" she cried. "Go get Professor McGonagall.quick!" she cried, racing to Hayleigh's bedside. Her eyes were closed, and she was pale, but her breathing was shallow and her face felt very hot.

Professor McGonagall ran up the steps, into the girl's dorm, and found Hayleigh's curtains drawn, with her still laying, the blankets and sheets tangled about her legs. She leaned down, and felt her forehead for only a quick second. Turning around, she waved her wand, and called to Oliver to come get her. He ran up the steps, and carefully lifted Hayleigh from her bed, unable to look at her pale face. The color was quickly draining from her hands, and lips, and he couldn't watch as she got sicker and sicker in his arms as they rushed to the hospital wing.

"Madam Pomfrey!" McGonagall cried out. Madam Pomfrey came in, and saw the pallid girl being laid onto the bed. McGonagall turned to Oliver and Hermoine. "Go back outside. I will come find you when Hayleigh is better." Though they were hesitant, the two of them turned, and trudged outside, where Harry and Ron ran up to them.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, seeing Oliver's face.

"Hayleigh's sick."

"What's wrong with her?"

"We don't know. She was pale, and very, very hot. She's in the hospital wing, but we can't see her yet." Oliver sighed, and dropped onto a bench.

"I hope she's okay by graduation."

She blinked slowly, and looked up, seeing only a blurry picture about her.

"Hayl?" the voice asked softly. She closed her eyes, and opened them again, the image clearer. Ron was standing over her, smiling. Harry was sitting on her other side.

"Where.what.where am I?" she muttered.

"Your in the hospital wing. Hermoine found you this afternoon, and, apparently, you had a fever."

"Of.?"

"One hundred and eight." She coughed, and shivered.

"How'd that happen?"

"Madam Pomfrey says that you left your blankets off and your window open last night.and that you went outside, very late, when it was cold, right after bathing, without drying off.which isn't good." She thought hard for a moment, and shook her head.

"I don't.don't remember going out last night. Not after the dance."

"And the Fat Lady said that no one had come out of the portrait hole, either," Harry said. Hayleigh took a breath, and looked around.

"Where's.is it just the two of you?"

"Yea. Oliver is trying to get his mind off you, and play Quidditch with the team that decided to show, and Hermoine is doing her homework.or at least checking it." Hayleigh nodded.

"Oh."

"Alright, boys. It's dinner time, and Hayleigh needs her rest if she's going to be up and about in the morning."

"Goodnight, Hayleigh," Ron said. Harry waved as they walked away, a smile on his face. She smiled back, her face still pale, her forehead still hot. Hayleigh dropped her head back onto the pillow, eyes closed.

Morning came, and went, and, when Hayleigh opened her eyes, she saw Madam Pomfrey standing over her, with Professor McGonagall, smiling.

"Good afternoon, Hayleigh."

"Afternoon?" she mumbled pushing herself up to a sitting position. McGonagall nodded.

"Yes. You slept through breakfast, and your morning classes. It is lunchtime, if you are feeling better. You may head down at any time." She nodded.

"Can I go now?' she asked.

"Of course." McGonagall helped her stand, and they left the wing, heading up to Gryffindor tower.

She dropped her robes over her head, picked up her bag, and headed down the steps, hurrying, to get to lunch. Opening the doors to the Great Hall, she stumbled, almost falling over, listening to the chattering of the students, who weren't paying attention to her as she made her way down the rows to an open seat between Hermoine and Harry.

"Your feeling better!" Hermoine exclaimed, dishing some food onto the plate in front of Hayleigh.

"Yea.gosh, if you hadn't found me upstairs, I'd probably be in, like, a coma or something right now." Hermoine smiled.

"Thank Oliver. He was the one who noticed that you were sleeping in quite late." She glanced down the table. He was pretty far from her, surrounded by Seamus, and Neville, and the Creevey brothers. Looking back down, she was only able to stomach a small bit of the food. The food disappeared, and the bell rang, and Hayleigh waited a moment before standing and heading out of the room. As she passed the doorway, Oliver grabbed her about the waist, and spun her around. Her bag hit the floor, and she cried out, smacking his hands. He set her down, and she dropped to her knees, her mouth opened, eyes closed, waiting for something to happen.

"Hayleigh?" he asked.

"Don't do that!" she cried out, clutching her bag and pulling herself up.

"Sorry." he said, stepping back. Shaking her head, she grabbed his shoulder to steady herself.

"No.I'm just.I'm feeling better, but I am still somewhat nauseous."

"Oh, alright," he said, and slid his arm around her waist. "Will you be okay for graduation?"

"Oh, yes. I'll be fine," she said, smiling. He leaned over, and kissed her cheek.

"Good. You know.you still look pale."

"Madam Pomfrey said I'd look this way for a few days." He nodded, and they headed up the steps, listening to the late bell ring.

Hayleigh was sitting in the common room, against the opposite wall from the fire. She still felt warm, and didn't want to overheat herself. Ginny Weasley walked down the steps from the Girl's Dorm, smiling. Hayleigh glanced up from the paper she had in her hands.

"What're you so happy about?"

"School's almost over," she giggled. Hayleigh smiled, too.

"I get out sooner, you know." Ginny gave her a look, and giggled again.

"I know. And I'm going to come see you graduate. Mom and Dad will be there, too. And Charlie, and Bill, and."

"And my parents," Hermoine added, coming down the steps. Hayleigh smiled.

"Oh, boy. This is going to be so much fun, having everyone there. Oh.gosh."

"What?" Hermoine asked.

"All the Weasley's in one room. Whoa." They started laughing, and Hayleigh shook her head, a smile on her face. "That's great, you guys. But, Hermoine.why are your parents coming?"

"They think you're a good role model for me." Hayleigh laughed.

"Me? A role model? Ha!" she exclaimed, still laughing. Oliver headed down to the common room, and looked at the girls.

"What's so funny?"

"You mean besides the fact that my whole family will be at graduation?" Ginny asked, a grin on her face. Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Oh boy." Hayleigh giggled again, and checked the clock.

"It's getting late, you guys. I'm going to head up to bed."

"Good night, Hayleigh," Ginny and Hermoine said. She kissed Oliver on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Oliver."

"Night, Hayl." She headed up the steps, and turned, going to the girls dorm. Her eyelids were drooping, and she was so very tired.