Let's take this day. And yes, I did take a Literature and Cultural Studies course, as well as Creative Writing and Academic Writing (which was mandatory for an English degree). This semester, I have Psychology, Creative Communications, and Social Work and Helping Skills. I'm also taking one Summer School course: Writing for Children. Anyway, on with the chapter!

Thanks for reviewing, Andrea.

It was my last week of the semester. Most of my courses required an assessment written over several days, but I had one exam for my Literature Studies course. It was on Wednesday, so for the next two days, I was just going to study study study.

Not the easiest thing to do when there's a bunch of boys demanding your attention.

Well, it was Monday. But to be fair, they were at work for a few hours. I swear, James and Sirius were like Siamese mind-twins, out at the same time, back at the same time, even though they worked different jobs (except some of their work days were different). But having them out of the house for five hours got me a sizeable amount of study done – basically two whole practice exams. That meant a close reading of a poem, a paragraph on three short-answer questions, and an essay, either on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, or Disgrace by J.M Coetzee. Or Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale, but I loathed the play, much as I'd loved Romeo and Juliet and especially Othello. So it wasn't too bad. Even Draco left me alone, and his evening job got him out of the house once the others had arrived back. Monday was a day that Peter and Remus didn't have to go in at all (they all worked only four days a week), but Remus knew just to let me get on with studying, and Peter, although he occasionally wanted to ask me something, left me alone for the most part. So Monday was quite peaceful, and the night passed the same way it had the day before.

Tuesday was harder. James did have work, but Sirius didn't. In fact, all the other Marauders had work, which left me with a moody Draco and a bored Sirius. Not the best combination to have around when I was trying to study. Thankfully, Peter's shift at his workplace ended earlier than everyone else's, so he got back earlier and...well, he might not have been a true Marauder in so many ways, but two out of four is better than the more talented and reckless of the aforementioned two on their own.

But before that, I had to try and study while the two of them hung around shooting death glares at each other and being bored.

Finally, an hour before anyone else got back, I sighed "Could you two stop glaring at each other and find something to do? You can go somewhere without the car – just Apparate or something." I hadn't learned how to Apparate myself, but the others could, though for some reason they preferred to drive everywhere. Probably because it could draw unwanted attention to them.

Sirius gave me one of his heart-melting smirks. "I thought you wanted me to stay in close proximity. You know, cause you can't trust him," he gestured in Draco's direction.

I shushed him. "Don't let him know that! But if he leaves, than it's no problem, right? And if I can handle him one night a month, I can handle him a couple times. It's not like I don't have a wand." I smiled. "I can tell you're bored. Go do something. "

There was a moment until Sirius' grey eyes lit up and he said "Okay...but only if you're coming with me."

"I said, I'm studying!" I protested.

"You're always studying! You can take a couple hours away from those books."

"Not this close to the exam."

"Oh, come on, you're starting to sound like Moony before end-of-year exams."

I grinned at that. "I count that as a good thing. Studying paid off in his case, didn't it?"

Sirius gave a sigh. "Maybe. But he didn't study 24-7."

"Oh, and I do?"

"Absolutely."

"You do realize I was asleep last night, not studying?"

"Maybe so, but Prongs told me you were talking about a poem in your sleep. Judging by what you're studying, I'd say that still counts."

Draco spoke up. "I can tell you what she was actually talking about." he said coldly.

I smiled sweetly. "What was I talking about, Draco?"

"I'll tell you if you stop having one of those hanging around you at all times." He meant one of the Marauders. That was weak barter, especially as it suggested he was just saying that to get me on my own. I really wanted to know what I'd said, but I didn't think he really knew.

I looked over at Sirius to get his take. He smirked and leant against the wall. "Like it or not, I'm not going anywhere."

Draco narrowed his eyes and I saw his hand reaching for his wand.
"Honestly, Draco!" I said, making both boys look at me. "One little comment sets you off? You did not need to start getting your wand out for that!"

Draco glared at me, blue fire in his eyes. "Sure, take the opposing side! It's always all about the amazing Marauders, isn't it!" he said furiously, sarcastically. "I don't know if you noticed, but it's them who ruined everything! You might have forgotten, but you're supposed to be my girlfriend!"

"I can't trust you around me any more!" I shrieked, studying forgotten. "Every day, you've been getting super-possessive, and then you tried to use the Imperius Curse on me the night of the full moon! Don't deny it, I know that was the spell you were planning to cast! A week before that, I kept telling you to stop, but you wouldn't listen! I don't know why I didn't fight you before that one night."

"If you feel that way, than maybe you should have broken up with me before that!"

"Well, maybe I am breaking it off now!"

"Fine! We're through!"

"Now get out of my house!"

Draco froze after I yelled that. "I can't go." he whispered. "I have nowhere to go."

I instantly weakened, the anger leaving me. I had meant it when I decided on the break-up, but did I really mean I wanted Draco to leave? I looked around, and noticed Sirius had disappeared. I appreciated that he was leaving just Draco and I to talk it out. Maybe I had asked the boys not to let me out of their sight, but this case was an exception.

I didn't really want him to stay, but I couldn't kick him out on the streets. I sighed. "I'm sorry, Draco. Telling you to leave was uncalled for. I'll set up another mattress in the living room."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked. His grey eyes were dark, but not cold. I couldn't tell what he was thinking – whether he was broken, or planning something. "I always sleep in your room."

"Not now." I said. "I still can't trust you."

"I don't want to break up with you." Draco pleaded. "Please don't do this."

I had to stick by it. "I can't trust you." I repeated. "We can't be together. It's not working, and you know that. It's never going to work if you cling onto it."

Draco seemed to admit defeat, but he looked up. "Can we at least be friends for now?" he said. "I don't want to lose you. Maybe we could work up back to the stage."

I paused. I didn't really want Draco to be with me any more. It wouldn't work. I wasn't in love with him any more. But friends?

I smiled and held out my hand. "OK. Friends?"

Draco took it. "Friends."

From then on, things only seemed to get better. I did a few more hours of study (Sirius seemed to have taken my advice and gone somewhere on his own), and when the Marauders came back from work, I managed to beg magical Defense help off them, just in case (after all, what if my imagination brought Dark witches and wizards in?). We no longer had to have someone sharing my bedroom, though.

I would still be a little awkward around Draco for a while, and he was staying out of my way as much as possible, but I was sure that things could only get better.

So, I've finally broken up with Draco, but does he really mean this? Please review!