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15 / Exam Week

Final exams were quickly rolling around the corner and everyone was cramming for time to juggle their mounds of homework, studying, social lives and enough sleep. The stress was pilling like books on a shelf as Willow sat in the library after school with her face in the page. Toby and the golden trio accompanied her, each of them silent as they were consumed by their inner thoughts and the spiraling words on the paper in front of them.

The air was dense with stress and tension, despite the comfortable silence; no one was comfortable with the weight of exams on their shoulders. Even Hermione began to doubt her capabilities as she held multiple books up in front of her with a simple spell, she jotted down notes with a scroll and quill, not looking up from her work for a moment.

Ron couldn't seem to pay much attention to his studies, he kept finding himself looking at Hermione, watching her as she memorized the words intently with the books spinning around her head.

Harry, being his usual self, studied as much as he could handle, but had to frequently take breaks to walk around. The stress of the Tournament piled on top of the stress of exams until he began to feel like a squashed bug beneath it all.

Willow on the other hand, couldn't help but feel irritated by Toby's invasive affection while she was trying to focus. With his hand practically forced into hers, she couldn't even keep her book open properly. She tried to pull away but Toby only squeezed her tighter, smiling back at her with pure bliss in his eyes. Willow grumbled under her breath as the boy leaned in and kissed her shoulder.

Not only was he invading her space and distracting her from her studies, but he was being completely inappropriate and making her feel uncomfortable as prying eyes around them watched the public display of affection.

Toby felt that he needed to study nothing more than what he already knew, so all that left him to do was watch Willow work and snuggle up against her. With the sudden force of his head rubbing up against her shoulder, Willow was nearly caused her to fall over onto a jar of ink. She'd had enough.

Willow abruptly jumped out of her chair to stand to her feet, as this gave her the advantage of height. With her hands in fists she fought to keep herself from raising her voice in the silence of the library, although she struggled to succeed as her voice broke and cracked.

"Toby, just because you aren't studying doesn't mean I'm not trying to! I'm already stressed enough as it is and you are not helping one bit. So can you please, go sit somewhere else for now?!" She snapped at him.

All Toby could manage was to stare back at her blankly in an eerie stillness.

"You know what?" Hermione whispered uncomfortably, "I should go get some extra notes from Professor Mcgonagall, wanna come, Ron?"

His ginger hair flew about as he nodded aggressively.

"I think I'll join you." Harry added, hurriedly gathering parchment and ink-dripping quills.

The three Gryffindor students up and left as fast as they could gather their stuff, scurrying away without looking back. They thought it'd be best to leave the two to discuss their problems with out their prying ears.

Once Willow and Toby were left alone, both frozen in their stances, Willow started up once again, "All I want is for you is to respect my space and read the signs. Can't you tell that I'm done with you invading my personal space?"

Where Toby had once looked lost and speechless, he now brought his features into a tense look that Willow didn't quite recognize. "How could you say that?" His voice laced with a delicate anger, "I didn't have to come here, but I came for you! Everything I do, I do it for you!"