Remus did give Loralei something to think about, and it took three weeks until she felt the full brunt of what he meant.

Loralei did sleep with Fabian, and when she came home she didn't know what she should feel. Not that it wasn't good, as far as she knew it was, it felt good, but she felt empty. Fabian treated her like a princess, she should be happy, she should be calling him her prince charming. She never wanted a prince charming and she never wanted to be a princess.

The house became quiet, like she was always home alone when she wasn't. Lily was off in Ireland visiting her aunt and uncle who had no idea who she was, so she couldn't send letters. Loralei never felt so alone even though she was surrounded by people. That was the saddest thing.

One night Loralei was just sitting on the kitchen counter, drinking tea that had long ago been warm, but was now was cold against her lips. She didn't look bad, it wasn't possible for her. Her tangled hair was thrown all over one shoulder, her makeup was taken off long ago, and she was only wearing a black T-shirt that she had stolen from Fabian that went down to her mid thigh.

"What are you doing awake?" Sirius asked. This was the first time that they had spoken in weeks, since he walked in on her and Fabian with her brother and Remus.

"Oh, you know, insomnia." She muttered, running her thumb over the rim of her mug. "What about you?"

"The potions say they're supposed to make you sleep, and they lied." He said, sitting at the counter across from her.

"Yeah, that's why we have dreamless sleep." She told him. "Do you want some?"

"Why aren't you using it?"

"It doesn't work for me." She said simply, not giving any more explanation.

"I'm good, it's not like school starts until next month." He told her. "I'll be off the potions by then."

"You'll be off them in a few days, your bones are healed, and your concussion is gone, it's now just for soreness." She muttered.

"How do you know more than me?"

"I asked."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for a moment, Sirius building up his courage before asking. "Why didn't you tell your everyone why we really broke up?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Self preservation."

She chewed on her cheek. "I didn't want to ruin everyone's lives over this one thing. James and Remus still need their best friend."

"But are we ever going to be friends again?"

"I don't know," she told him honestly. "It's up to you."

"I want to be." He told her. "I miss hanging out with you."

She swallowed, nodding, not giving any more answer than that.

"So?" He asked, trying to coax an answer out of her.

"So, we'll see if you can be my friend." She replied. "And we'll see if I can be yours."

"How do we start it?"

"I don't know, what do we usually talk about?" She replied.

"About what's going on with us." He replied. "Our lives. Our day."

"You're not ready to hear about mine." She told him. "You tell me."

"There's not much to tell, I read."

The left corner of her mouth perked up. "What were you reading?"

"Sherlock Holmes." He told her. "You've them all."

"They're good." She told him. "Which one did you read?"

"The last one I read was the Adventure of the Speckled Band." He told her. "In the short stories."

"I know which one." She told him. "With the snake right?"

He nodded. "Yeah. So how's Lily doing? I heard that she got your brother to think she was going to kiss him."

She laughed quietly. "She's all right. She's with her aunt and uncle until school so I won't hear from her until then."

"So you spend every day with Fabian?"

"We don't have to talk about that." She told him. "I get it."

"No, it's okay." He said, just wanting to know. "Are you guys doing good?"

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to find a way around answering. "We're okay."

"What's going to happen when school starts again?" He asked.

She shrugged. "We haven't talked about that yet, I don't know though. I'm meeting his sister tomorrow, she has two boys and is about to have another baby."

"Great." He said.

"Yeah, and I love kids so..."

"Yeah." He nodded.

She jumped off the counter, and put her mug in the sink next to Sirius. "Nice talking to you, but I'm going to try to sleep now."

"Goodnight." He told her.

"Night." She nodded, before leaving.

That wasn't too bad for a first talk, was it? She thought as she quietly climbed the stairs.

"You and Fabian are pretty serious, aren't you?" Molly asked her, settling on the couch with one hand on her large round baby bump. She was beautiful, with long bright red hair that was tied in a tight bun on top of her head and hazel eyes, and was positively glowing.

Loralei nodded, as she stopped four year old Charlie from pulling on her hair as she played with him, keeping him busy with little wooden blocks on the floor. "Yeah, I think so."

"You're good with him." She told Loralei, motioning to her son. "He's a little wild child."

"He's sweet." She laughed. "Trust me, with a brother like mine no child is too hard for me to handle."

Molly laughed. "Tell me about it, I used to babysit Fabian and Gideon all the time, nightmares, both of them."

"I wouldn't expect anything different." Loralei replied goodheartedly. "Were you scared when you had Bill?" She asked, mentioning her older son who was with his father and Fabian in the kitchen of the Weasley's small home.

"Of course, I was twenty-two, but he was a good first child to have, a little angel." Molly smiled. "Bill's like my father, and Charlie's like his father, always messing about with things."

"What about Baby Weasley in there." Loralei pointed to her stomach.

Molly absentmindedly rubbed her stomach as she thought. "Too soon to tell."

Loralei laughed. "My mother always said that she knew James was trouble from the first month."

"What about you?" She asked.

"Adopted." Loralei told her. "Didn't Fab tell you?"

"He leaves things out." Molly replied, rolling her eyes. "Forgetful that one."

Loralei smiled as Charlie knocked down a tower of blocks.

"Oh, no you don't." Loralei laughed as she reached to tickle him. The ginger-haired toddler squealed and tried to push Loralei's tickling fingers off him.

"Stop!"

Loralei pulled him into her lap.

"I don't like you." Charlie frowned.

Loralei kissed the top of his head. "Sure you don't."

"Do you want kids?" Molly asked.

Loralei bit her lower lip, trying to figure out how to answer it. "Not anytime soon, and not if the war keeps going on."

She nodded, understanding. "You're too young anyway, sixteen right?"

Loralei nodded. "Yeah, I mean I love kids and all, but I want to fight for what's right."

"That's smart, I just couldn't resist." Molly smiled.

"I can't blame you, they're the cutest things I've ever seen!" Loralei said, hugging Charlie as he pouted. "Ginger kids are the cutest, I must say."

"Then it's a good thing you're with Fabian." Molly laughed.

Loralei smiled. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Charlie stood up. "Where's Bill?"

"In the kitchen." She told him, and Charlie went in search of his older brother.

"Do you ever think you'll have twins like your mother?"

"Oh Merlin, that would be scary, mostly if they were anything like Fabian and Gideon!" She laughed. "They would get into trouble all the time."

"That would be interesting." Loralei smiled. "You would have to invite me over if you ever do, I'll babysit anytime just to play with them, it's the only time I can play with wooden blocks without being looked at weird."

Molly laughed. "One of the great things about being a parent." She told her conspiratorially. "You can come watch them anytime if that's your fee."

"Sadly it is," Loralei nodded. "Seriously, owl me when you need a day away from your kids, I know it can be hard."

"I think I will." Molly nodded. "Does every day until the end of summer sound good?"

Loralei laughed. "You'll have to talk to your brother, I think he has plans with me whenever he's off work for the rest of summer."

"What happens after summer?" Molly asked.

"You're the second person to ask that, and I don't know yet, we need to talk about that." Loralei told her with a shrug. "I honestly don't even know yet, but I hope you'll still call me to babysit with whatever we choose."

"Oh I will, I think we could be good friends, Loralei Potter." Molly said.

"I agree, Molly Weasley." Loralei smiled.

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