Harry noticed how close Sirius and Nikolett had become again. When they had pushed them together for the final time, they had really worked out their differences. He had never seen either of them smile like they did when they were together. It made his godfather seem, if possible, younger than he already looked. It made him feel happy that he had something to do with it.
They were in the kitchen making lunch while he sat in the living room with Ron and Hermione. None of them were talking, though. They were trying to overhear what was going on in the kitchen. "Sirius?" They heard Nikolett ask.
"Hm?" Was all Sirius asked.
"I'm sorry about hexing you again." She apologized once again. She had obviously felt really bad about, since she kept bringing it up. "I just felt as though you needed to focus more on Harry than me and I felt as though it was the right thing to do."
"It's okay. You were right. When I saw you again at Hogwarts, I didn't think I'd be able to let you go again… Of course, now that Harry is taken care of…" He trailed off suddenly. Harry could only assume Nikolett had given him that icy glare of hers.
"Sirius, I told you. There are complications. Too many to ignore."
"You don't have to go through with it. He can't make you."
"He can and will. My father is determined. He wants his grandchild to be more vampire than anything and I can't deny him that, though I wish I could." She said, summoning a knife to her outstretched hand.
"What is she talking about?" Ron whispered. Harry just shrugged his shoulders as he struggled to keep listening.
"She's getting married." Hermione whispered back which made Harry pull his attention away from the conversation in the kitchen.
"What? To who?"
"Some vampire her father thought would be suitable for her. This horrid beast of a man." Hermione shuttered slightly as she remembered how Nikolett had described him to her.
"How do you know all this?" Ron asked.
"Well, we had to talk about something on the carriage ride, didn't we? It took me a while to convince her to tell me too. I was about to give up when she gave in."
"So, what's this guy's name?" Ron asked.
"Ivan." Hermione said still trying to listen to the two in the kitchen. When she didn't hear them talking, she shushed Harry and Ron, who were ready to fire question after question at her. "I'll tell you everything later. Listen!" Harry and Ron went quiet as they too heard silence. Harry quickly got up from his seat and rushed over to the kitchen door, which he opened a crack to peer in. Ron and Hermione soon joined him to see Sirius and Nikolett about to kiss. The three urged their lips to join, but it was no use. When their lips were only millimeters apart, a bat came flying through the open window, which made Nikolett give a slight shriek.
"Damn bats." Harry heard her mutter as she looked at the bat who landed on the counter next to her. Sirius turned away to leave her be until he saw Harry's, Ron's, and Hermione's heads sticking in the door.
"All right, you three. Let's leave her alone." He said, trying to usher them out of the room. Harry saw Nikolett take something from the bat and it quickly flew away. Sirius tried to shove him out of the door, but he wouldn't move. His eyes were fixed on, what Harry saw to be, a letter. Sirius gave one last shove and he and Harry stumbled into the family room. "It's none of our business." He said, leading Harry to the couch.
They sat there in silence or only a moment until they heard something very large and glass break. Harry assumed it was the plate that carried their lunch. She came rushing out of the kitchen and ran to her bedroom. "I have to leave." She said, from the hallway.
"What? Why?" Sirius asked.
"My father is ill and I have to go to him." She said, lugging her bag which was stuffed to the zipper with items.
"Ill?" Hermione asked. "How-?" But, Ron stopped her from saying anything else, by covering her mouth with his hand.
"Don't ask. Whatever you do, don't ask." He told her.
"What do you mean he's ill?" Sirius asked.
"I mean he just became ill. He was fine the night before I left."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Yes. That's why I must go to him. He needs me." She said, stopping only inches from Sirius. "I'm sorry." She truly meant it. He could see it in her eyes.
"I know." He said, pushing a stray hair off of her face. "It's not your fault." She gave him a kind smile and readied herself to Apparate.
"Be careful." Hermione said, Ron's hand finally off of her mouth since she bit him. Nikolett smiled at Hermione.
"I will." She took a deep breath and with a loud crack! she was gone. There was another loud crack! and she reappeared. "I forgot something."
"What?" Sirius asked.
"This." She gave an evil smile and pulled Sirius roughly toward her. He gave her a surprised look as she gave him a passionate kiss. There was one last loud crack! and she was gone. Sirius wobbled slightly as he stared around in a haze. Harry saw his godfather had turned bright red as he looked around, his eyes focusing on the giggling youngsters. He turned even redder as he went into the kitchen to clean up the broken plate.
