Time Astral | Sirius Black

40||The Christmas

December 25th, 1996

On Christmas eve, Harry had already returned to the Burrow. 

Alasia and Sirius were still in their pyjamas, half dressed and glaring. 

"You cannot come, your fever is very high!"

"Harry is going to be there!" Sirius argued. 

"Harry will be there for quite some while!" Alasia retorted. "And if it makes it any better, I'll bring him here for a day or two."

"It's Christmas, I want to go meet him." He huffed, crossing his arms in front of him stubbornly. Though the swaying of his feet and the obvious unclarity of his vision juxtaposed his statement. 

She sighed, finally letting it go. "Only if you agree to stay close by at all times. And tell me when you feel bad, we will leave immediately."

"I promise." He immediately agreed. 

"Good." She sighed, though when she was about to leave to wear her heels, he grasped her arm. 

"Marry me."

"Sirius - "

"I want to marry you." He frowned sadly. 

"I want to marry you, too." she turned around, caressing his cheek. "But the time isn't right."

"The time is never going to be right," He shot back. "What if something happens to one of us in the war? What if...one of us doesn't come back home someday?"

Alasia froze.

She'd thought about it, of course. A lot of times. Had been thinking about it for a long while now. But he'd never said it to her this way, never on her face like this. Had always brought up only the optimistic side of the war. 

It seemed like he had more of an inner turmoil than he let on, and she felt horrible for not realising his fears until now. 

"I didn't fall in love with you, Alasia." Sirius smiled, kissing her forehead. "Falling is a tragic thing, I stepped into it. Knowing every flaw, knowing every risk, every danger. And now, when everything outside is in utter chaos, we still remain standing. We are still alive, and isn't it lovely? That we have each other? If we're going to die at the end of this war, Allie, I'd rather do it with you as my forever partner."

Alasia's eyes welled up and she kissed his nose, "What about the next weekend? Would you like to tie the knot with me on a cold, winter Saturday evening, Black?"

Sirius' smile grew so wide, and she found herself plummeting deep in desire to kiss it away, to save it. 

So she did.

She removed a wizard camera from where it was hanging on her dresser and took a shot of Sirius' happy face. 

He blinked in surprise but laughed when she showed him the moving picture of him grinning at her widely. He kissed her cheek and brought the camera's other side towards their faces, leaning down towards her and clicked. 

They were going to increase the worn pages in that scrapbook. And she knew if Sirius touched his Rhythm necklace right now, he'd find it beating at an unnatural pace. 

***

In the Burrow, Harry was already seated along everyone else in the living room, cosied by the fire.

When Alasia and Sirius entered, a bundle of gifts in their arms, Harry all but leapt up to hug them both. 

"Easy on him, kiddo." Alasia told her godson when Sirius swayed. "He's got a high fever, I told him to rest but you know his stubborn arse."