***

Layla walked up the dungeons and toward the entrance hall, in her long pink dress and a cloak that she wore over it. The entrance hall was empty of people and its door was closed, though the winter air had crept inside like a thief, making the air around her rather cold.

    Layla wished she had her watch with her so she could check the time, but all was forgotten when she heard footsteps approaching her, growing louder with each step.

     Layla looked up, her heart fluttering when she saw Marlene walking down the stairs and into the entrance hall. She was wearing a red top with Bell-Bottom pants, and her straight blonde hair fell down to her back casually, though she was wearing a golden headband.

     "Hey." Marlene smiled at her nervously. "Sorry, am I late? I was trying to find something to wear but I literary had nothing! I'm not exactly the dress kind of girl, so I tried to dig out something else. I feel like I look ridiculous in this, though. Is the headband too much? I feel like it's too much. My roommate, Jenna, lent it to me. She's really into Muggle fashion trends. It looks good on her, so I thought it might look good on me too. But turns out it doesn't, and now I'm just —"

     "Merlin's beard! Relax!" Layla laughed, cutting her rapid talking off. She then gave her a smile. "Trust me. You look amazing."

     Marlene's cheeks turned pink as she tried to return the smile. "Thanks. But I don't think anyone will think I'll look amazing as long as I'm standing next to you, though. I mean — look at you! Yowza!"

     Layla couldn't help but to laugh again. "Thank you, Marlene."

     They stood before one another as silence took over, their eyes locked together, two smiley faces brightened by the warm torch lights on the walls.

     "So," Layla cleared her throat after a moment longer, "shall we go?"

     "Oh, hell yeah! I'm freaking starving!" Marlene clapped her hands together. Although her smile dropped worriedly for a second. "There is food at the party, though, right?"

     Layla giggled. "Yes, there is."

     Marlene let out a sigh in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Otherwise what was even the point of going?"

***

After Diana had given the potion bottle to Layla and left her alone in the dorm to get ready, she walked out of the Slytherin common room so she could talk to Remus, who was supposed to be waiting for her outside.

    When Diana entered the dungeons, however, her heart sank in her chest when she saw that Remus was nowhere to be seen. Horrifying thoughts made their way through her head. Had Avery and Mulciber seen him here? Did they hurt him under Evan Rosier's orders for still being with Diana?

     But that couldn't be it. Evan had given Diana until Christmas to break up with Remus. She still had a day left.

     "Diana?"

     She jumped at the mention of her name. Once she turned around, Diana placed a hand over her fast-beating heart, sighing in relief when she saw that it was Remus, walking toward her from the next corridor.

     "You idiot! You scared me to death!" Diana snapped at him, but Remus only gave her a goofy smile.

     "I don't know. You look pretty alive to me."

     She gave him a look.

     "Right. Sorry. Not the time for jokes." He cleared his throat.

     "So..." she started, almost fidgeting. "What did you want to talk about?"

     She hated this. She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to end what they had.

     "Should we go outside? We'll have more privacy there." Remus suggested, and so she nodded, following him out of the dungeons.

     That night the weather was colder than it had been all year long, and Diana regretted not bringing her coat. The two of them walked through the Hogwarts grounds and toward the Black Lake, the darkness wrapped around them like a cloak.

     Almost unconsciously, Remus threw a glance at the sky above them, looking at the moon, as if he were watching out for an enemy. It wasn't full. He had two weeks.

     When he looked sideways at Diana, he saw that she was a shivering mess, hugging herself with her arms and rubbing them with her hands in a hopeless attempt to keep them warm.

     "Oh — I'm so sorry — you're freezing —" Remus began to apologize in a panic, feeling guilty that only now he had realized that she had no coat with her. "Let's get back inside —"

     "It's fine, Remus. Honestly. We've already come a long way."

     "Well, here," he said, briskly taking off his baggy jacket and handing it to her.

     "No, I can't. What about you, then?" Diana tried to refuse it, but Remus wasn't having it.

     "I'll be fine. I'm wearing two sweaters on top of each other. I couldn't get cold even if I wanted to."

     Diana felt herself smiling despite her state of mind and her worries. Remus held up the jacket for her, helping her to put it on.

     She immediately felt warmer, mostly because it smelled like him; of old books and chocolates. Of everything that reminded her of him.

     "Thanks," she whispered, standing in front of him.

      He smiled, but it was short-lasting. It was time to say what they had come here to say, and they both knew there was no point waiting any longer. It had to be said.

     "We're leaving for Christmas break tomorrow," he said, his breath evaporating into mist in the frosty air as he spoke.

     "I know," she mumbled, throwing her glance away from him. She couldn't get herself to look at his face. It would've made it much harder.

     "And your arrangement with Rosier..." Remus whispered, he too avoiding her eyes. "Is it still on?"

     "It is."

     "So... does that mean...?"

     He couldn't finish the sentence, as though the words were stuck in his throat like stones which he could neither spit out nor swallow.

     "Does that mean this is goodbye?" Remus finally said, gulping hard, his eyes never wavering away from her.

     Diana looked up at him with fearful eyes. "I don't know."

     "Then what are we supposed to do, Diana?" Remus huffed out in frustration, covering his face in his hands for a moment before dropping them again. "Your wedding is only a few months away."

    "Don't! Just... don't." Diana turned away from him, pacing around. Her face was freezing. Her throat was burning. "I don't want this to happen. I don't want us to end."

     "And do you think I do?"

     Diana looked back at him from over her shoulder. "What other choice do we have?"

     Remus suddenly rushed toward her, grabbing her waist and forcing her to turn around and face him. He held her close to him, clutching onto her for dear life.

     "We do have a choice," he said fiercely, brown eyes burning down on hers. "We can keep going. It doesn't have to end."

     Diana shook her head, trying to step away from him. But his grip was too tight. "Remus, we can't! Don't you remember what I told you about Rosier? He expects us to break up before I go home for Christmas. He threatened your life! He's a Death Eater!"

     "He wouldn't do anything if he doesn't know anything."

     Diana held his gaze. "What?"

    "He doesn't have to know about us. We can stay together. In secret. No one has to know."

     "Remus —"

     "It makes perfect sense!" he retorted before she could get the chance to speak. "We won't be around each other in public. We won't even look at each other. But I know enough secret passageways and classrooms where we could meet. We can make this work. I promise."

     Diana sighed. The idea was tempting, but she had to think ahead. "What about after graduation, then? Let's say we stay together in secret these last few months. But then what? What would happen to us when I get married?"

     "Let's — let's not think about that just now, okay? Let's just — live in the moment. Let's live it one day at a time. Because I can't think of anything else." Remus shook his head slowly, his eyes locked with hers. "Diana, I..."

     He closed his eyes, as though reconsidering his choice of words. He then sighed, moving forward until his forehead was leaning against hers.

     "I don't want to lose you," he said as he held her close to him, his voice barely audible.

     Diana reached out her hand, placing her freezing cold fingers against his cheek, making him look back at her once again.

     "I don't want to lose you either," she whispered, going on her tiptoes to kiss him.

But the moment their lips connected, Diana gasped as a sharp pain went through her shoulder, forcing her to step away from him in shock.

It felt like a warning. A warning that told them this was wrong.

"Are you okay?" Remus frowned, looking concerned.

"Yeah," she muttered, closing the space between them and embracing him in a hug. He wrapped her arms around her, bringing her even closer to him. "Everything's fine..."