I would just like to say thank you for everyone who's reviewed. I'm glad people are liking this story :D Please keep those reviews coming in they help me write the chapters faster! :D. Thank you -Lena Knight
Christmas Day dawned cold with flurries of snow, Ashlynn awoke and snuggled closer to Sirius chest and murmured. "It's so chilly." Her eyes were still closed and but she could tell he was awake.
Sirius chuckled a bit, leaned down, and kissed her. "It is chilly; want me to start a fire?" He asked as he leaned over to grab his wand. Ashlynn nodded as Sirius' flicked his wand and a warm blazing fire spread in the fireplace in the living room. "Happy Christmas love."
Ashlynn smiled and opened her eyes for a moment. "Merry Christmas." She smiled as she looked up at the bedroom. It had not taken her long to make the grey bedroom a rich amber color with matching bedspread. She closed her eyes again and listened to Sirius' heartbeat for a while.
After a few moments, Sirius kissed her once more and then got out of bed. He made his way into the kitchen as Ashlynn got out of bed. She shivered in the chilly air and threw on the blue velvet robe Sirius had given to her last night, with matching slippers. "This is probably the best gift I've ever received." She cried happily as followed Sirius into the kitchen.
Sirius stood there with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of crumpets. Sirius had quickly figured out that this was Ashlynn's favorite breakfast. She grinned and reached out to take the mug of hot chocolate when Sirius stopped her with a deep kiss. "Sorry I had to love." He said softly.
Ashlynn laughed and shook her head. "It's okay." Sirius handed her the mug of hot chocolate and then held out the plate of crumpets. She quickly grabbed one and then made her way to the couch.
Soon both were sitting on the couch munching on their crumpets and sipping on their hot chocolate when suddenly Ashlynn cried. "Oh!" As she picked up her wand and flicked it, making the lights on the Christmas tree come on. "Better." She said in a childlike way, which made Sirius grin.
Sirius smiled as he looked at the new couch Ashlynn had chosen to match the deep blue of the room. They cuddled on the couch for a few watching the bright lights on the Christmas tree and enjoying their breakfast. After few moments, Sirius lifted his wand and began. "Accio…"
Ashlynn grabbed his hand and shook her head. "That's not any fun! We have to sit in front of the tree and exchanged gifts." She said as she took his wand out of his hand and flung it to the couch next to hers. Sirius chuckled as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the floor.
"I'll go first." He said and handed her a gift that was so nicely wrapped that Ashlynn had almost not wanted to open it. "Go on." He urged her with a smile.
A half hour later Ashlynn and Sirius had finished opening their gifts they sat there in a pile of wrappings and gifts all around them. Sirius leaned over and kissed her deeply. "I'm so in love with you." He mumbled against her lips.
Ashlynn smiled wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. "And I you Sirius Black." After a moment, she pulled away and smiled. "Well we better get all this cleaned up our guests will be arriving soon."
Sirius smiled and then jumped up and ran to the room as Ashlynn walked over to the couch to retrieve her wand. Sirius smiled as he came back in the room. "I have one last gift for you." He whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Sirius Black!" She cried unhappily. "You've already gotten me enough."
Sirius chuckled and then held out a small box. "Hush love and just take it." Ashlynn took the box in her hands and began to unwrap it, as Sirius moved from behind her and onto his knee just as she popped open the box. There laid the most beautiful ring Ashlynn had ever seen. It was sliver lined with emeralds and rubies all around it. "Ashlynn Malfoy will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" He asked hopefully.
Ashlynn gazed at it for a few moments and then nodded slowly. "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" She cried as she dropped the box and kissed Sirius deeply.
Ashlynn came out of the bathroom her long blonde hair was pinned back with a new clip that Sirius had bought for her along with the new outfit. On her left ring finger glistened her new engagement ring. It was more beautiful then any other ring she had ever seen and it meant more to her then Rabastan's had because she knew that Sirius had given it to her because he actually wanted to marry her not because it is what their families had wanted.
Sirius sat in his armchair as Ashlynn made her way towards him. He had not planned to ask her to marry him so soon but the time had felt right. The ring had been the one thing he had nicked from his parents house before he had runaway. The color scheme had always been beautiful to him and he thought it had fit him the green for his Slytherin blood, and red for his Gryffindor loyalties. Now it seemed to make even more sense as Ashlynn was a Slytherin and he had been in Gryffindor.
Ashlynn came in front of him and spun around. "How do I look?" She asked as she completed the spin.
Sirius smiled. "Perfect as always." He said and then went to pull her into a hug but a knock sounded on the door. With a sigh, he got up and a roll of his eyes, he walked to the door.
"Happy Christmas!" James screamed as Sirius opened the door.
"Do you have to be so loud Prongs?" Sirius asked as Lily pushed herself past the other two and wrapped Ashlynn in a hug.
"It's been too long! Why haven't you come and visited me?" Lily cried unhappily.
"Dumbledore's been keeping me pretty busy with stuff up at Hogwarts." Ashlynn said with a frown.
"Yeah she barely gets home before the sun comes up just to go back there the next morning." Sirius cried unhappily. "I'm surprised she has today off."
Ashlynn rolled her eyes and smiled. "He acts like I never have time away from the Order. Which is wrong because I'm here a lot when he's away playing with your husband?" She cried with a smile.
"Love, James and I don't play. We work serious missions." He said with a wink to James.
Ashlynn and Lily laughed as James set down the presents. The two girls moved into the kitchen as James and Sirius went and sat down on the couch. Sirius thought for a moment and then whispered to James. "Ashlynn and I are engaged."
James gasped and looked at him. "Are you insane? You've known her for two months!" He asked in a hurried whispered.
"Actually James I've known her for seven years. We were in the same year at Hogwarts." Sirius said with a wicked grin.
"You couldn't have picked her out of a crowd Sirius, unless Snape was with her that is." James said with a sigh.
Sirius glared at James for a moment. "Can't you just be happy for us?" He asked as squeal was heard from Lily who was hugging Ashlynn closely. "Your wife is happy for us!" Sirius said as Lily pulled Ashlynn in by her hand jumping up and down.
"Isn't it exciting James?" Lily squealed. "Sirius and Ashlynn are getting married!"
"Yay." James said forcing a smile and then hugged Ashlynn. "Congratulations."
"Thank you James." She said as Lily hugged Sirius and began talking about plans for the wedding.
Ashlynn sighed and then moved into the kitchen to start preparing dinner before Doreen and Charles arrived. Lily and Sirius were soon lost in conversation and James walked into the kitchen slowly. He leaned against the counter and looked at Ashlynn as casually as he could. "Yes James?" Ashlynn asked softly.
James waited a moment and then said. "Don't you think it's a little too soon to be engaged?"
Ashlynn spun around as she looked up at the taller man. "Why does it matter who quickly we became engaged? I love him James, and he loves me that's all that matters." She said softly.
James thought got a moment and shook his head. "It's not all that matters Ashlynn and you know it. You have not considered many things. Are you marrying him to get rid of the Malfoy name?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ashlynn scoffed at him and rolled her eyes. "Yes because the Black name is so honorable." She said and then looked at him. "James I'm not marrying Sirius to change my name, I'm marrying him because I love him. If you can't accept that then I'm sorry but it's not changing my mind."
James nodded slowly and then sighed. "I figured you'd say that Ashlynn. Just know if you use him I won't be so nice." Ashlynn nodded and then turned her attention back to the meal she was preparing.
Ashlynn stood that night on the balcony of Sirius' flat watching the snowfall around her and onto the London streets. She had enjoyed the relaxed setting of the Christmas dinner with the Potters but she had felt like an outcast.
Ashlynn shivered in the cold air and reached into her pocket. She pulled out the newspaper clipping about the upcoming wedding and sighed as she read. "A double wedding sure to impress all who are lucky enough to be invited. Lucius Malfoy, and Rodolphus Lestrange are much to be envied as the have won the hearts of the wealthy Black girls. One wonders why the double wedding is not a triple as young Ashlynn Malfoy is set to marry Rodolphus' brother Rabastan by the end of the year.
Ashlynn sighed and looked back at Sirius she loved him dearly but sometimes she wondered if it would be easier to return to Malfoy Manor and just marry Rabastan. Her life would no longer be in danger every moment, and she would be just as spoiled as she once was. She could be as docile as Narcissa, and as loyal as Bellatrix Black. Her mother had made sure that her daughter would be better then the Black girls. The Black family had been the throne in the Malfoy's side for many generations and now it seemed that the Blacks and Malfoys would be one great pureblood family with not only the marriage of Lucius and Narcissa, but also Ashlynn and Sirius'. Ashlynn stuffed the newspaper clipping back into her pocket and turned to go back inside.
The whole of the Order of the Phoenix came together for the New Years celebrations on Dumbledore's orders. Ashlynn stuck to the back of the room, as she felt uncomfortable around most of the people there. When Alice Longbottom came in with her husband, she hugged Ashlynn closely. "How are you doing?" Alice asked.
Ashlynn smiled. "I'm just fine Alice, how are you?" She asked.
"Good, good." Alice answered as Lily came over grinning.
"Did you tell her?" Lily cried happily.
"Tell me what?" Alice asked looking at her good friend.
"I don't know if Sirius wants me to tell people." Ashlynn mumbled looking down at her feet.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course he wants you to tell people Ashlynn!" She said to the blonde witch and then smiled at Alice. "Sirius and Ashlynn are engaged!"
Alice shrieked and hugged Ashlynn as she yelled. "That's so great! I am so happy for you. Sirius! Get over now!" Soon the whole of the order was paying attention to the three girls in the corner. Ashlynn hid her face in Sirius' chest trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.
Sirius chuckled and then said in a loud voice. "To avoid a third encounter like this I'm just going to tell everyone know. Ladies please feel free to squeal, shriek, yelp, snicker, whatever you choose to do, and then attack Ashlynn with hugs and plans. Gentlemen please pay no mind to ever women losing their minds." With a pause and wicked grin, Sirius said. "Ashlynn and I are getting married."
Just like Lily and Alice all, the women made some sort of excited noise and did rush Ashlynn who was now much to her chagrin the center of the females' attention. Sirius then turned to see Peter and Remus looking at him confused. "Sirius don't you think it's a little soon?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sirius scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Not you guys too. James said the same thing, but I don't care she's the one for me!" Sirius cried unhappily.
"Is she really?" Remus asked looking at him. "How can you trust her you barely know her!"
"I can trust her because I know her more then you can ever! And don't act like you even know her a little bit Remus you haven't even tried to come over and get to know her." Sirius said with clenched teeth.
"There's no arguing with him Moony." James said as he came over and patted his best friends on the back. "We are just going to have to get over it and be happy Sirius found someone."
A couple of hours later Sirius and Ashlynn cuddled on one of the many couches talking to Fabian and Gideon Prewett about random subjects when Dumbledore stood up and silence the gathered crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen in a few moments it we will ring in the new year. Over the last year, we have made new friends, and lost some old ones. Some of our missions had succeeded, and others have failed, yet through it, all we have remained strong. We need to keep this spirit up through this upcoming year. I hope we can all see it through and meet here again at the end of this year with the hopes our final mission has succeeded. Have a safe and happy year my friends. Here's too 1979 being a better year then 1978!"
Soon the crowd was counting the time down. "….Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" The crowd screamed. Ashlynn and Sirius kissed deeply as did many of the other couples in the group.
Lucius gazed at his father, Rabastan, and Severus Snape they had been told to get Ashlynn back at any costs. Snape had been her closest friend in Hogwarts and outside of Hogwarts. "I thought that once she was forgiven she would come home." Lucius said.
Severus shook his head. "It doesn't make sense why she wouldn't." He paused and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "Did you actually see her kiss Black or was just Bellatrix?"
"I saw her kiss him!" Lucius cried. "Sirius Black is the reason she isn't coming home!"
Rabastan groaned. "She is mine Lucius! How could you allow her to just leave like that! You had her!" He cried.
Lucius pointed his wand at him. "I couldn't exactly kidnap her in the middle of damned Diagon Alley! Tell me what you would have done Rabastan!"
"Calm down!" Severus cried. "If we find Sirius Black, we find Ashlynn! We will take out one of the order and get her back. The Dark Lord will be doubly happy that we've not only got Ashlynn back but also killed a member of the Order."
"How do we go about finding Sirius Black?" Rabastan asked.
"I have my ways Rabastan, don't worry about it give me time." With that, Severus stood up and walked out of the room.
