Her last name isn't midnight by co-incidence...

[Professor Cho Midnight]

<sub>Cho climbed the stairs to the towers, she sighed... Insomnia.
'Inhereditery my butt...' She thought, insomnia was something her whole family had suffered for generations, however they'd always been creative, which she was greatful for increasingly each day. She perched on the window sill and took out of her bag her sketch book. She flicked through many drawings and paintings until she found a clear page. Tonight she wanted to paint, the moon was full and beautiful. The moon had always been there in her sleepless nights, like a childs comfort blanket; she'd always had the moon. She started dotting bits of pencil around, making the basic outlines of the sky and moon then the trees and ground below. Cho fished out some of her blues and began painting. This was one of her favourite things to do when she was a student at Hogwarts, when she didn't get caught by the prefects!

A small hum escaped her lips, but she soon began quietly singing one of her favourite songs. She thought it so beautiful and thoughtful someone would have wrote it for someone they loved. She sighed, Cho wished someone would have done something like that for her.
"Hey there delilah what's it like in New York City? I'm a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty, yes you do...Times Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true..."</sub>

[Michael Galati]

Michael Galati walked up the stairs of one of the towers to moon gaze. This tower was the best place in the entire school to see the moon. He walked into the drafty room at the top of the towere and saw Professor Cho Midnight painting there. Although he hadn't ever spoken to Prof. Midnight, he had seen her around the castle.

"Er, I don't mean to be a bother in your work, but would you mind if I joined you? I was a little bored in the Hospital Wing and thought I might come up here to look at the moon..."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho turned her head towards the stairs and blushed heavily, she hoped he hadn't heard her sing, she sang like an angel but she'd never let anyone hear her.
"Oh, gosh sorry of course you can!" The DADA Professor fumbled her paints back into her bag and took up as little place on the window sill as possible, she still had her blue paint and brush in her hand, she gazed over at Michael with a smile before returning to the moon.}

[Michael Galati]

Michael walked up to the window and stared out at the moon.

Oh, It's getting to be the full moon. I have to remember to brew my potion...I hate that I can't just look at the moon without having to worry about it's state...

Michael looked from the moon hanging in the sky to it's painted counterpart. "That's quite good you know... I never had much of a knack for painting... It always ended up looking like a child had just thrown paint onto the canvas."

Oi, IDIOT! It's sort of rude to look at someones work without their permission first. A worried look crossed Michael's face.

"I hope you don't mind that I looked at your work... That was a bit rude of me..."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho smiled, her eyes only moving from her painting to refer to the sky and moon. "No worries, kind of rude of me to be so ingrossed in my hobbies." She tucked away the hair in her way and turned slightly to talk to Michael. "You can take a seat if you'd like." She hadn't met many people here yet, not many adults anyway, she saw coming back a fresh start, hopefully there wouldn't be any old hags that had taught her, a few had taken a dislike to her...}

[Michael Galati]

Michael took the advice and sat down next to her. He looked back out at the moon. "It's really quite beautiful isn't it. I didn't used to think so. It used to make me sick to even look at it. I'm glad that has passed." He looked over at the Professor, "Do you know Hanschen? He's the Potions Master..."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

<sub>Cho leant back slightly and took out some white pant, she put it straight onto her finger and began painting the moon, it was the best way to do it... With your fingers.

"It's really quite beautiful isn't it. I didn't used to think so. It used to make me sick to even look at it. I'm glad that has passed."

"Make you sick?" She asked, "The moons been my best companion since I was a child." 'You sound like a dork Cho' She reminded herself. "A-As dumb as that might seem." Her fingers carried on smudging and the white around until she thought it looked exactly like it did in the sky above her. When Michael asked her about Hanschen she looked at him slightly. "I've heard of him, not met him yet..." She paused as she took some of the blue that was still wet and created the 'dark side of the moon'. "I've not met a lot of people." That would have something to do that she'd only been here about a week, it still felt like home, like she'd been on holiday for a while and come back to the place she loved.</sub>

[Michael Galati]

"Yes sick.. but I'd rather not tgo into too much detail about that... The reason I ask about Hanschen is that he and I went to school together and he was the one that made me able to look at the moon. I love him so much..."

Too much information? I didn't mean to blurt out that I love Hanschen... We're not exactly public about that...Well, not to most people

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{'Love? Gee that's a bit strong...' Then again, perhaps they were together, she had nothing against that. Infact she found it cute. When she was a student she always had sneaking suspicions of teachers dating; it would never be confirmed but it was something to discuss over lunch... Apart from the mountains of homework or detentions. Cho stopped painting and brushed her hair away with her 'un-painty' hand, she turned to him. She was quite bright and it had sort of clicked that Michael may have been a werewolf or something, but she was only putting two and two together.
"Forgive me for forgetting, but you're the nurse aren't you? I'm a little forgetful..." 'Little? You'd forget your head if it weren't screwed to your head lovey...'}

[Michael Galati]

"I am indeed," Michael replied, "Why do you ask?"

Hmm, she uses her hands when she paints. Interesting... I've never seen anyone do that, well not since I was a child...But, that somehow quite beautiful that she does...

"Do you need something from the stores or something?"

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho giggled a little and got out greens for the scenery below the sky. "No no, I was just wandering, you never know when you might need a nurse." She would need one more than most, she was so clumsy. She picked up her paintbrush again and began painting the trees. "I think this is the quickest I've ever painted..."
'Probably to do with the amount of times I've painted this scene, should really paint something else... Perhaps in day time too. I haven't painted a person in ages, maybe Michael wouldn't mind one time?'}

[Michael Galati]

"No, one doesn't do they... Hanschen's a bit clumbsy so I'm always doctoring him up... Probably the only stable thing in my life is Hanschen. You can always predict what he's going to do." Michael looked over at her painting to see how it was progressing. "You are quite good with landscapes...The moon is exquisite and those trees are wonderful. Do you do portraits as well?"

[Professor Cho Midnight]

<sub>Cho listened intently to him speak, 'Aww-ing' inside, from her point of view, it seemed that they were quite the lovebirds...

You are quite good with landscapes...The moon is exquisite and those trees are wonderful."

She blushed a little. "Gee thanks!" hardly anyone saw her art work and to have it complimented was a treat.

"Do you do portraits as well?"

Cho's eyes lit up slightly as she thought, 'Great mind think alike ay?' She smudged a dark green into the trees to give it a little texture. "I-I do actually... I havn't done one in a while though, I was hoping I would get the chance too soon."</sub>

[Michael Galati]

"Well, I'm actually planning a surprise for Hanschen... Er, I want us to get married, and I want a portrait of Wendla Thropp and I to give him as a wedding gift. We were the closest of friends, Wendla, Hanschen, and I back in our school days. Not that things have changed too much...It'd mean a lot to him, and me too if you could spare the time to do it..."

Please let her say yes. I would love for this to work.

"I'll pay you of course for your time and for any paint and canvas you use..."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho mentally squee-ed, Eee, that's the cutest! She stopped painting for a moment. "Of course I will!" She smiled at him, "and don't worry about it, I'd feel bad if you paid me. Besides, it was another opportunity for Cho to paint, and that was priceless to her. She really was a simple girl.}

[Michael Galati]

"Awesome!," Michael said, smiling back at her, "But, can we keep this quiet. I don't want word to get around to him..." Michael squealed a bit inside...YES! He's going to be so excited... With all the drama around this place lately, a wedding might be just what the doctor ordered...Er, what the nurse ordered maybe...

[Professor Cho Midnight]

<sub>"Of course, of course." She agreed, "Eee, i love secrets." Cho was good at keeping them too, she wouldn't tell a soul.

[sorry it's reallyyy shortt D:]</sub>

[Michael Galati]

Michael looked back out into the sky and the moon and saw something he wasn't expecting, an owl. It was headed straight for them. In a too close for comfort save, Michael snatched the owl out of the air a mere second before it would have crashed into the professor's masterpiece.

"That was a close one..."

Recognizing the owl as his own, Gertrude, he took the note off of it's leg and read it.

Dear Mr. Galati,
It is our pleasure to confirm your reservation at our resteraunt on the 14th of this month at 9 pm. We would also like to confirm that the special arrangements asked for will be provided. We feel that it is a great honor to have you wish to do your proposal here that we would like to give you the arrangements free of charge.

Thank you and Good Luck,
Georg Thripp

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho flinched as she saw something diving straight for her. 'Geeez! That was close.' She saw the note attatched but didn't dare try read it over Michael's shoulder. That'd be really really rude. "That some bird you've got there!" She giggled a bit. Cho had almost finished her picture. 'It's perfect.' She thought, it was almost finished apart from the stars, she got out the white and gently dabbed a few dots across the sky with the end of her paintbrush lightly.}

[Michael Galati]

"She's so stupid, he almost knocked your beautiful painting over..," Michael said looking at the bird angrily. Michael looked the note over again and nearly screamed with happiness... "Here," he said shoving it into her non-paint covered hand, "Good news about my proposal plans..." Michael couldn't stop himself, he let out a giddy giggle...

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho smiled, a proper smile before glancing at the note. He seems so happy, he must really be in love. Things like this made her want to jump up and down and celebrate. She began to read the note and handed it back to Michael when she had finished; she was still smiling. "That's really great! You must really love him, huh?" She'd always wanted a love like that, a love where the other would go completely out of their way just to do something special. One where they couldn't go a conversation without slipping their lovers name out. It all seemed perfect.}

[Michael Galati]

"I love him so much," Michael said, "It hurts... There was a long time where we weren't together... From our last year of school until just recently..."

Is there a reason you're telling someone you just met this? Oh well, she nice anyway and she really does seem to care.

"I ran away before I completed school. Things had gotten a bit complicated in my life and I was afaid it would be too much pain for him, so I left. In the end, it turned out that losing me was too much for him and Wendla, our other friend... She's the Divination teacher here. She commited suicide and Hanschen saw her do it." "

So, essentially," Michael said all the happiness he felt just moments ago leaving him quickly, "I am responisble for one of my best friend's death..." Michael smiled a bit regaining some of his bliss. "She has since forgiven me... It feels so weird to say that..."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho listened intently, she had even stopped putting away paints... She remembered that, she was in her 5th year, so Michael must have only have been two years older than her. It felt so awkward, she didn't know what to say. Gosh.. That must have been hell for him...For all three of them. Once he'd stopped speaking she quickly chucked her paints back into her bag and layed the painting on the floor, she scooted across the window sill a little and wrapped her arms around him. "I was still at Hogwarts when that happened...I'm so sorry..." She said sincerely.}

[Michael Galati]

Michael was being hugged by someone he didn't really know that well, but it was nice. His sadness faded away to happiness again.

"It's alright. I don't do sadness too well. I try to keep my head up about this. It's not as if there is a way to fix it. And, the way things have turned out, I can't imagine doing it. Wendla says that she enjoys being a ghost... Something about being able to scare the first years... She always had a wicked sense of humor about things... Hanschen is finally at peace with the fact that I left. Well, I suppose I don't really know that, but I hope that he is." A thought crossed Michael's mind and a wide grin found it's way over his face.

"Are you up for a little bit of 'truth altering'? Or, does that go to boldly against your morals?"

[Professor Cho Midnight]

<sub>Cho giggled a little at the joke about scaring first years, she remembered when she was a first year...She always got lost, not to mention frightened; the castle looked like something out of a vampire film at night. She saw his smile and wandered why he was, so enthusiastically.

"Are you up for a little bit of 'truth altering'? Or, does that go to boldly against your morals?"</sub>[/i]

Cho looked a little puzzled, sure she had morals but she'd let her hair down considerably since her studying days. She was hoping for a little more excitement in her life. "What do you mean, 'truth altering'?" She asked.[/sub]

[gah short =( ]

[Michael Galati]

"Boldfaced lying," Michael said with a smile, "It just sounds better saying it the other way... This coming Sunday, I'm heading off school grounds to London, to prepare a bit of a joke on Hanschen, but if you'd talk to Hanschen and tell him that your mum is ill and you'd like some company when you go visit or something...It'll get me off the radar. If you'll do it, I'll take you out to a nice lunch and maybe we can take in a Matinee of Avenue Qat the Noël Coward Theatre before we head home."

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{"Boldfaced lying. It just sounds better saying it the other way..."[}[/i]

Cho giggled, it certainly sounded better the other way. "Sorry I'm a bit slow." She smiled back at him.

"This coming Sunday, I'm heading off school grounds to London, to prepare a bit of a joke on Hanschen, but if you'd talk to Haschen and tell him that your mum is ill and you'd like some company when you go visit or something...It'll get me off the radar. If you'll do it I'll take you out to a nice lunch and maybe we can take in a Matinee of Avenue Q at the Noël Coward Theatre before we head home."[/i]

'Wow' Was all Cho could think, that sounded amazing, even if she did have to lie. But the lie would be worth it, and it was for a friend. "Of course I will!" She finally stopped hugging him. "That sounds really great Michael."[/sub]

[Michael Galati]

Michael yawns. "Good, I'm going to head to bed I think... If you'll meet me at the Hogsmead train station at 7 Sunday morning, I'll fill you in on the details and we can head out..."

Michael smiled weakly, finally feeling the exhaustion he was overdue for.

[Professor Cho Midnight]

_{Cho nodded at his directions, reciting them in her brain a couple of times to help herself remember them. She had the mind of a sieve to be honest.
"I think I'll stay here a little longer..." She said simply, looking out to the moon. "But I'm happy to sit here by myself, I have my paintings, you should retire to bed." She wasn't at all tired. She'd be up for hours yet, heck she'd probably even sleep up here, the breeze felt so nice against her skin and if she were to race down all those stairs to her quarters she'd soon be awake again...}

[Michael Galati]

"I really must be going. Hanschen has probably sent out a search party because I'm not in bed with him..." Michael smiled and gave her a big hug. "Thanks again for agreeing to come with me on Sunday. I'm glad to have the company..." Michael walked down the stairs and down to the dungeons where Hanschen was up pacing, waiting for him.