Aria Black and the Prisoner of Azkaban *Re-Write*

Metamorphagus BFF

I avoid Oliver and Tamsin for the next few weeks. I even avoid the twins and Lee. I know that's not what Tamsin wanted, but I feel completely awkward with them.

Angelina and Alicia have noticed my quiet attitude, but don't say anything about it. Ella tries to ask me where Oliver is and what's wrong, but Ange tells her off.

Towards the end of term, I approach Oliver in an empty corridor. "Are we holding tryouts for a new Chaser?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, which is weird because he never does that with Quidditch. "I figured we would talk about it sometime. Except, you don't really seem to want to talk to me. You haven't talked to me for a while. What'd I do?"

I sigh. "I don't want to talk to you, but we do need to talk."

Oliver huffs. He hits the wall and slides down it. "About what?" He asks, looking frustrated.

"I want to talk about breaking up."

He inhales sharply. "You want to talk about breaking up?"

I nod slowly. "Yeah. I want to break up, but I want it to be mutual. I want us to reach a decision together, but I want the decision to be us breaking up."

He raises an eyebrow. "I don't want to break up."

"Don't you think we both have other things going on, though?" I ask. "You have your Quidditch, I have....."

"You have Fred and George." He interjects. "Don't deny it, I can see."

I sigh. "And I have my friends." I tell him. "Angelina, Alicia, Ella, Lee, and yes, also Fred and George. I've been loyal to them since I was eleven. Except Ella, but you get the point. I am loyal to them, Oliver. I always have been. And I don't think I'll be like that with you for a long time. We don't have that type of history."

"We could." Oliver says softly.

I shake my head. "Not for years. I want to have history with you, I do. But that's something that has to happen. It can't be created out of thin air. And I can't date someone I don't feel such a loyalty to." I tell him. "And it's just.... I've got so much going on right now, and I don't think a boyfriend is going to help any of that, no matter who he is."

Oliver sighs. "Okay." He says emotionlessly. "Let's break up."

"Let's break up." I repeat softly.

We stand up. He looks at me. "Can I kiss you one last time?"

I look him in the eyes. Maybe I'm hurting him more now than I ever could further down the road. What could be the harm, right? I nod.

Oliver leans in, and his lips meet mine. He savors the taste of my lips, and I savor his. Then we break apart.

I go one way, he goes the other.

***

While my friends are at the Hogsmeade trip to buy all their Christmas gifts, I finish all my late homework. Then I find Remus.

"I love you Remus!" I say, running into his arms.

He smiles softly and pats my head. "I love you too, my Ariana."

"I was thinking." I say, pulling apart. "We should go on vacation over break. Think about it, it's the perfect time. If we go from the 30 of December to the beginning of January, we can completely skip your time of the month! It'll be great, we can go sightseeing and Muggle watching!"