The end of the school year was quickly approaching, there were only eight weeks left before they took their end-of-the-year exams. Jade thought they had a lot of work during Christmas break but it was nothing compared to Easter. The professors seemed to feel no remorse for assigning stacks of homework. Jade felt scatterbrained when she tried studying in the Common Room, it was crowded with other students trying to get their work done and students' voices overlapped each other when they studied together. Jade moved her study sessions to the library where it was busy but Madam Pince made sure it stayed quiet. Blaise and Pansy joined her when they figured out that working in the Common Room wasn't working for them either. Jade was grateful that the cold weather had passed, it was starting to warm up again and the promise of spring gave Jade a sense of accomplishment. She almost made it through her first year, despite being currently buried in work she'd kept up in all of her classes and continued to keep great marks. There was one class that she could use help in, Potions. She hadn't talked to Draco in two weeks outside of Potions class and she felt bad for arguing with him. Jade was studying in the library with Pansy and Blaise when she asked,

"Do you think I should apologize to Draco?" Pansy looked up from her textbook but Blaise continued on like he didn't hear her question.

"No." Pansy answered after a pause, "He got mad just because you made friends with someone outside of your house."

" You got mad at me for making friends outside of my house." Jade pointed out,

"No, I was jealous," Pansy explained with a smile and Jade gave her a loving smile back. "I think he was even more upset with the fact it was Potter and his friends. You know how much he dislikes them." Jade looked over a few tables down to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione studying.

"Yeah…" Jade closed her book and rose from her chair, "Do you know where he is?" She asked and before Pansy could answer Blaise spoke,

"Courtyard." Pansy looked at him and he finally looked away from his Astronomy homework, "What? She's gonna go talk to him anyway." Jade stared at him and he quickly glanced at her before returning to his work.

"I'll catch up with you guys later," Jade told them as she gathered her papers in her Potion textbook and made her way to the courtyard. She found Draco sitting on a bench with Crabbe and Goyle, they were talking about something and Draco looked annoyed. Jade walked up to them and they all looked at her, "Hello." She greeted them,

"What do you want, Maddex?" Crabbe asked and she glared at him,

"To speak with Draco. Is that fine with you?" She questioned and Draco looked up at her. Crabbe and Goyle looked at Draco and he nodded, sending them away. "Hi." She said, standing in front of him.

"Need something?" He asked, she expected him to be rude like he usually was when he was in a foul mood but he wasn't.

"I'm sorry." She meant to say more but the words wouldn't leave her mouth.

"Thanks." He looked away from her towards the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Jade sat down next to him, he'd forgiven her, more easily than she expected. She didn't want to push it by talking more about it so she changed the subject.

"Are you ready for the exams?"

"Of course." He replied simply and Jade smiled, "I'm not worried about it."

"I am." Jade laughed tightly and Draco looked at her sideways, "What?" She asked.

"You shouldn't be. You'll be fine." Jade absently picked at the spine of her textbook and Draco watched her, "I can help you study, if you want." He added and Jade glanced at him,

"You could join us in the library, if you want someone to study with." She told him and a smile formed on his face,

"Okay, Crabbe and Goyle aren't the best to study with." Jade broke out into a laugh and the tension between them melted away. She had seen Draco as this bully that she didn't want to upset and she had forgotten that Draco was her friend. "Morons." He muttered as he watched the other students in the courtyard. Harry and his friends crossed the courtyard and Jade watched Draco follow them with his eyes. "I'll see you later." He told her and walked the opposite way Harry was going. They noticed Draco as he passed them and then Ron's eyes found Jade and he waved at her. Jade waved back and then Harry saw her and waved before they continued on their way.

"Boo!" She heard someone shout from behind her and she jumped. Pansy laughed as she made her way around to stand in front of Jade.

"Where's Blaise?" Jade asked when her heart settled down. Pansy reached for Jade's arms and helped her up.

"Still studying. I got bored." She told her and Pansy locked arms with Jade as they made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. "Did you talk to Draco? How'd it go?"

"Surprisingly easy." Pansy gave her a confused look, "That's what I thought." They took their seat at the Slytherin table. Jade didn't see Blaise or Draco. Even at dinner, the girls went over things that they could need to know for their exams. They laughed at each other as they used their fingers as wands to practice movements for charms. "What's a squib?" Jade asked, she remembered Pansy had a problem remembering a few different things,

"A person born from a witch or wizard but can't perform magic themself." Pansy spoke proudly, "Name the ingredients for a Cure for Boils."

"Dried nettles, snake fangs, horned slugs, porcupine quills, Pungous onions, flobberworm mucus…" Jade paused, she knew she was missing something, Pansy nodded trying to encourage her, "Some root." She gave up.

"Ginger roots and shrake spines." Pansy finished for her.

" And shrake spines?" Jade asked and she groaned before shoving a forkful of rice in her mouth. "It's simple memorization," Jade mumbled,

"So what if you forget a few things? We have to remember everything we've learned for eight different classes."

"Flying we just have to show that we know how to fly on a broom, I'm not even thinking about that one." Blaise slumped down next to Jade and the girls exchanged a look, "Blaise." Jade greeted and Blaise grinned at her, "Are you done studying?" She asked as Blaise made himself a plate.

"For tonight." He looked around, "Where's Malfoy?" He asked and Jade shrugged,

"He went off after I talked to him in the courtyard."

"How'd that go?" Jade took a drink from her goblet,

"Good." Jade turned back to Pansy, "What are two things Bowtruckles like to eat?" She quizzed,

"Fairy eggs and woodlice," Pansy answered quickly at the surprise question.

"Who discovered the most uses for roses?" Blaise asked Pansy, joining their little game. Pansy looked at Jade who was watching her expectantly. "Pliny the elder," Blaise answered his own question after a few seconds,

"I knew that." Pansy said unconvincingly and they laughed at her, "I did!" She said louder and flicked a pea at them. Pansy was looking past them now and Jade followed her gaze to find her staring up at the Professors' table.

"What?" She asked,

"Professor Quirrel is odd. He's always mumbling to himself."

"His turban stinks. I could smell it the other day in class." Jade made a face, remembering the strong smell. She liked Defense Against the Dark Arts, she thought it was interesting and useful but Professor Quirrel was frustrating sometimes when he was teaching. His stutter caused the classes to move a little slow.

"Speaking of," Blaise said, gathering the girls' attention. "What's the definition of a curse?" He asked Pansy and she groaned as she rolled her eyes before ignoring him and spooning mashed potatoes into her mouth.