"Still feeling ill?" Severus asked as Lorelei returned to the common room. He smirked slightly at her, "No need to answer, as I already know." He regaurded her carefully once more, as she stood looking at him slightly disgruntled at this point. "Going to the Yule ball with the half-breed?"

"Don't call him that Severus." Lorelei replied. "He's no more a half-breed that I am."

"Are you not?" he returned with a raised eyebrow. "But I suppose that's not the case of some, now is it?" Severus waited for her reply, but when there was none, he continued. "Time is becoming of the essence, you do realize this? It will not wait much longer...and if you do, well..." he left the last word hanging in the air between them.

"Severus." Lorelei began, "You're concern is touching, although I think it's more for yourself and others, than for me." A defeated air descended apon her. "I am fully aware of the reprocutions of my actions, or lack there of. I just need..." a sigh escaped her, "...more time." With that she headed back twords the dorms.

"Professor Slughorn is looking for you." Severus threw out to her.

Lorelei turned around, letting a groan escape. "What does that man want now?"

"The usual, Hogwarts brightest, gathered around him." A small sneer tugged at Severus's lips. "Anything to make himself look better."

"When?"

"A Yuletide get together, day after the ball." the boy replied.

"I guess there is no way to get out of it this time." she sighed, thinking that she would actually have to spend the evening trapped with the professor, and his chosen few.

"We are aloud to bring guests." Severus said, almost in answer to her thoughts.

"Thank you Severus." Lorelei let out another defeated sigh, and climbed the stairs to the dorms once more.

Gryffindor dorms

"Any luck mate?" James asked Remus.

The boy shook his head slightly. "Not yet Prongs. Most of the robes in here are a bit more than my share of the chocolate frog race earnings." He frowned looking over at the other boy. "What was I thinking asking her out? I'm not up to her standards."

"Moony, Moony, Moony." James reinterated. "Haven't you realized by now, none of that stuff matters. And she must think your up to them, if she said yes."

Remus let out a bit of a relived sigh. "You're right Prongs, thanks." A slight smirk played on his lips, "When did you get so profound and far thinking? Lily begining to rub off on you?" he asked with a laugh.

James smiled. "I think she might be." he sat up a dreamy look on his face. "Can I ask your opinion on something Moony?" Remus nodded. "Do you think we've got what it takes to last? I mean, forever?"

"You and Lily?" Remus pretended to mull it over. "What you got in mind mate? A happily ever after?"

"I think so." James returned, getting a serious look on his face. "I can see me being with her, getting married, having a family." A broad grin crossed his features, "A whole mess of children."

"Well then go for it mate." Remus couldn't help but smile, catching James's excitement. "Prongs, if she's the girl for you, then let her know." His own words made Remus think. 'I wonder if I've found the right one as well.' He had always worried about getting in any kind of relationship with anyone. Only his closest mates knew his secret, and although they were accepting...they still didn't know what it was really like. What he went through on a monthly basis. The fear he felt that he could hurt someone he loved, and if he dared to let someone that close. But here was Lorelei, she not only knew those fears, but understood them as well. 'Perhaps...I can finaly think about living an actual life.'

A quick movement by James caught the other boys attention. "That's it. I will do it." he exclaimed. "I'm going to ask Lily Evans to marry me."