A whole week had passed since I had returned to school and slowly but surely the news that Albus Potter and Claire Bouvier broke up spread around the school. As I walked though the drafty halls whispered conversations of their break up could be heard. The fall of the Hogwarts golden couple was a hot topic and to make things more interesting no one knew quite why they had called it quits. Theories ranged from the possible (they wanted to break it off before going their separate ways at the end of the school year) to the down right insane (Claire was pregnant and Al wanted nothing to do with the baby). To my surprise, I never heard a theory that had anything to do with me. I was sure that Claire would have run a smear campaign against me as soon as we came back to school. I expected to be followed though the halls with people cursing me that I ruined their relationship and conversations to fall silent around me. Even Claire's friends left me alone. And that's saying something considering before Al and Claire were dating they bewitched a girl who flirted with him one time in class let alone had him try and kiss another girl while he was dating Claire. This whole situation went against everything I knew about Claire. And I was super interested to find out why this was. But I couldn't play detective into the reason why I wasn't being tormented by the Hogwarts student body. I had more important things to do.

Like focus on the mountains of homework I had been given from all my classes since coming back. And the fact that our N.E.W.T examinations were drawing closer. Which was something that my professors seemed to love to remind us of on a daily basis. For some, like Rose, it inspired them, pushed them to do harder, to start studying, and nag those around them to do the same. For most of us it inspired panic, an urge to push everything off until we were absolutely sure we were perusing what we wanted and in my case pure fear that my childhood was coming to an end and in a few short months I would be out on my own looking for a job in my desired that would support myself. That is of course if I passed my N.E.W.T.S. Which is why I was holed up in the library on a Friday night. Morgan (who was overjoyed by the fact that Al and Claire broke up) had tried to convince me to come to a welcome back party. Feeling from the professors and Rose, who made me a study schedule, I chose to be a good studious girl and follow Roses schedule. So here I was alone, on a Friday night, studying while all of my friends were out having a good time. At least if I followed Roses schedule I should be prepared for the tests. And I wouldn't have to stress. Today was transfiguration day. And it sucked. Big time. Despite the fact that Al was now my partner transfiguration was still a struggle for me. Before break he had been tutoring me once a week, but since we had returned we both knew those sessions were done with. At least for now.

When I walked into class on Monday Al was sitting at our shared table with his head down and remained that way though the entire class. No good morning, no notes passed back and forth, just tension. I thought he might have been asleep, because if he had a night similar to the one I had he didn't sleep a wink I turned back to my work and knew I needed to buckle down. I took notes and did my best to ignore him sitting beside me. But it was hard. I became distracted by him without him evening doing anything. I found myself watching him, noticing things about him. I was right, he hadn't been sleeping their were dark bags under his eyes. He hadn't been shaving either. His cheeks and chin were shadowed with rough dark stubble. It seemed that he was taking this breakup harder then I thought. It really did seem that Al was asleep if his soft breathing was any indicator, but as soon as Professor Hoffman told us the class was over Al bolted out of his seat like a shot and made a break for the door before I could even put my quill away. Every transfiguration class was like that for the remainder of the week. We had not said a word to one another since we ran into one another outside of the room of requirement.

"Ahem"

The voice startled me out of my thoughts and I looked up to see who was speaking to me. Damn, Madam Prince.

"The library has closed. Please gather your belongings and return to your dormitory. The library will reopen tomorrow at 11 o'clock in the morning. You have 5 minutes to gather your belongings, return anything you have removed to their proper place, and leave the library or you will begin to lose house points. Have a good night." And with that she turned and walked away. Madam Prince was not known for waiting around. She didn't even wait for me to say anything. And I knew she was serious about the house points. Rose once ignored her and stayed for another hour. When she left she checked the hour glasses an noticed that for every extra minute she was in the library two points were deducted.

I quickly began gathering my things and putting my papers and quills into my bag before I made my way out of the library. As soon as I left I heard the old wood doors creek shut and lock behind me. With a sigh of tiredness I slowly made my way though the dimly lit halls. All I could think about was my soft warm bed that awaited me in the dorm and knowing that I could sleep in tomorrow was also a very welcome thought. Maybe I would take a bath before bed. At the very least a shower. To me nothing was better then a hot shower or bath at the end of a long day. I did have a bubble bath soap that I had yet to use that Ryan had given me for my birthday last year. Hmmm the more I thought about it a bath sounded better and better.

As I made my way aloud a corner on the fifth floor all thoughts of the bath I was on my way to take were driven out of my head. I had heard a sound. It sounded like… crying. It was very muffled and far away. Who would be out of bed just a few minutes before curfew crying? As I came to a dead end I knew that if I went left a hot bath awaited me, but if I went right I could discover the sound of the whimpers I was hearing. I turned right. Damn you curiosity. I knew if I saw someone who I didn't like or didn't know I could turn around, head back to the common room and pretend the whole thing never happened. I also knew if I did know them I could figure out what was wrong and get them to bed, and I couldn't shake the fact that the person could be hurt. Nothing was worse then being hurt and alone. As I walked down the hall the crying was defiantly getting louder, so I knew I was on the right track. And then I saw her. Slumped against the wall, sitting on the cold stone floor her head was resting on her knees. Her blond hair was messy, falling out of the up due it had not doubt carefully been styled only hours earlier. The sparkly dress she was wearing seemed very out of place for the hallway. No doubt she had come from the party I had turned down.

"Claire, are you alright?" I asked.

Instantly she picked up her head. She must not have heard me come up.

"What?" She asked her voice breaking. Her makeup was running and smudged. Streaks of black ran down her cheeks. Seeing her like this threw me off. Claire was always so put together. So perfect. If something was out of place on her it was on purpose.

"Oh it's you." She said finally realizing who had found her. " Have you come to gloat? Rub it in my face that Al and I broke up? Or have you come to pity me?"

"Come again?" I asked. Why would I ever pity her? And I would never gloat that her and Al broke up. Break ups hurt and I didn't wish that upon anyone. Even someone like Claire.

" You heard me the first time. If you have something to say, say it now." Claire said. I could hear traces of bitterness in her voice. I didn't have anything to say to her. At least nothing I felt like she would want to hear. So I went with what I would have asked anyone I found crying in the dark.

"Are you ok?"

Claire started to laugh. Deep belly laughs that caused a new wave of tears to flow down her face. Her laughter rang out in the quiet empty hallway echoing off the stone walls.

"Jesus, no wonder he fancies you. You're perfect. You would be the first person to actually ask that question. Do I look ok? My boyfriend just broke up with me, all of my friends are to busy mourning the loss of the golden couple, and everyone else seems to think they know everything and want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it. I should have known this was coming the second I saw the two of you in the library."

She was standing now. Her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Al and I are friends."

"And I'm the queen of England. Don't bull shit me Riley. I see the way he looks at you. Everyone thinks you're some sweet innocent girl, but I just don't trust you. It wasn't until you came into the picture that Al started having doubts about us."

This is what I had been waiting for since we had come back to school. I knew Claire was going to call me out, I was just glad she was doing it in an empty hallway in the middle of the night, instead of the middle of the day during passing time in front of the eyes of our fellow students. And as I saw her standing there in front of me with her messed up hair and makeup, her heals kicked to the side, and her arms crossed defiantly over her chest I felt myself getting mad. Who was she to say that I stole Al away from her? All I did was offer him my friendship. I had stopped him from kissing me and had avoided him since. To me that doesn't sound like someone whose actively perusing a relationship with someone.

" I promise you Claire, I didn't do anything to try and steal Al away from you."

She snorted at this.

" Al and I are just friends. I never perused anything more then friendship with him. Maybe you should stop blaming me and start looking at yourself and how you were in the relationship these past view months."

And with that I turned and walked away. I didn't need a response from her. I just needed my bubble bath. I earned it.

Hello Readers! Thanks so much for reading! I know this chapter is short, but I felt like it didn't need anymore after their conversation. As always thank you so much for your reviews!