Chapter 20: France
Sirius stopped by the next day to see Khyana with Kelria, but they weren't allowed to see her.
"She is awake, but we haven't figured out what's wrong with her at the moment," the healer at the door said. "Does she always ask this many questions?"
Kelria laughed. "Yes, she does. She drove our teachers crazy at Auror School with all her questions."
The healer nodded. "She's worn out three of our healers so far. She's working on a fourth."
Sirius laughed. "And that's why we can't see her? Because she's wearing out your healers?"
The healer shook her head. "No. we haven't figured out what's wrong with her yet. They're not used to being asked the questions; they usually ask them."
Kelria smiled. "Well, Na asks a lot of questions."
The healer nodded. "We'll contact you when she can have visitors."
Kelria nodded and steered Sirius out of the hospital.
"Come on, Sirius, let's go see the Potters."
"Don't wanna."
"No choice. Let's go."
Kelria was not looking forward to going back to work without Khyana. The healers had figured out what was wrong with her: her Mora Menda was being very aggressive, and was trying to kill her. It happened because she tried to do too many complex spells as an auror.
She and Sirius had been allowed in three days after Christmas to see her, and she had still looked like death warmed over…but barely warmed over.
"Merlin and Salazar, Kelria, you don't need to look so depressed," Khyana had laughed. "I'm not going to die."
Kelria couldn't lose the frown however, and even the ever jovial Sirius was having trouble being upbeat in light of her situation. Kelria had given the two a moment alone together before she and Sirius left the hospital, and Sirius had looked very grim, but wouldn't say what they'd talked about.
When Kelria reached the office the day before New Year's Eve, there was a huge pile of paperwork waiting for her.
The day passed slowly, and Kelria left early to go visit Khyana.
When she reached the hospital, however, she found, to her surprise, Khyana's room empty, the bed made neatly. She stopped a healer in the hallway and asked about Khyana.
"Miss Malfoy has been released," the healer replied. "She is healthy again, and has been given a new potion to take to control her Mora Menda."
Kelria gave an exasperated sigh, turned on the spot and apparated to Khyana's house, not bothering to apparate blocks away.
"Sara!"
"Do not call me that, Kelria," Khyana said, absolutely furious as she stepped out of the living room. "My name is Khyana. Sara's dead."
Kelria's heart sank as she remembered that Sara and Khyana had grown up together, been best friends forever…and it had been Khyana's brother who had killed Sara. And the anniversary of Sara's death was the night Khyana had passed out.
"What's that?" Kelria asked, pointing to a large teddy bear on Khyana's couch.
"A teddy bear?" Khyana replied.
"Where'd you get it?"
"Sirius got it for me."
"Why?"
"Because I asked him to! Why are you asking so many questions?"
"You just don't seem like the teddy bear type to me, is all."
Khyana shrugged. "I never had one growing up, so I wanted one when I was in the hospital. Sirius got it for me."
"That was sweet of him."
"I know."
Khyana had been out of the hospital for about a week when Sirius showed up at her door with a large bouquet of flowers.
"Good evening, beautiful. How are you feeling?"
Khyana smiled. "I'm alright, how are you?"
"I'm good. You up for dinner?"
Khyana accepted the flowers. "Sure. Just give me a sec."
"Sure," Sirius agreed. "I'll put those flowers in some water for you."
"Alright."
Khyana raced upstairs and changed her clothes, using her wand to put her hair in an intricate updo.
When she returned to the main floor five minutes later, Sirius was waiting near the door.
"Wow," he said.
Khyana hit him lightly. "Don't make me blush, Sirius."
"Do I know this dress from somewhere?"
Khyana nodded. "It's the dress I wore at the Christmas party at the Thompsons' the day Sara died."
Sirius nodded. "I remember that."
"I think everyone remembers that."
"Probably," Sirius acceded.
"So, where are we going for dinner?"
Sirius shrugged. "I thought we'd go to the North Inn."
"Okay."
After dinner, Sirius took her for a walk down by the Thames River.
"Wow, Sirius, this is romantic," she said teasingly. "All that pollution in the river…gorgeous!"
Sirius rolled his eyes and laughed. "Yes, well, we don't have a beach in London, so it was the best I could do."
"You know what I feel like tonight?"
"What?"
"Paris."
"You want to go to Paris?"
"Yeah."
Sirius looked doubtful. "Don't you have to have papers and stuff for that?"
Khyana gaped. "What's this? Sirius Black doesn't want to take a risk?!"
Sirius shrugged. "I just don't want to pay a fine. And I don't think you're strong enough yet."
"You're a chicken, Sirius."
"Shut up, let's go. But we're doing a side-along apparition, I don't want you to collapse on me again."
Khyana sighted, and the two spun on the spot and disapparated together.
When they reappeared in Paris, France, the view was breathtaking.
"This is beautiful," Khyana breathed, and Sirius nodded his agreement.
They walked for a while near the Eiffel Tower, and finally ended up right beneath it, Khyana straining her neck to try to see to the top.
"Wow, this thing is MASSIVE!" she exclaimed, and Sirius nodded, looking distracted.
"Hey, Yana, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Sirius," she replied, still looking up the center of the tower.
"How long have we been dating now?"
Khyana looked at him, puzzled, and shrugged. "I don't know…we started dating in seventh year, at my birthday party, right?"
"Well, not technically…" Sirius replied, his grin mischievous.
Khyana rolled her eyes. "Okay, so what, like the day after my birthday party?"
"Sure."
"So I had just turned seventeen…and now I'm 21…so I'll go with four years."
"Alright. So we've been dating for four years. I'm tired of dating."
Khyana's head turned round so quickly Sirius heard her neck snap. "What?"
He realised he must have given her the wrong impression, and quickly explained.
"I'm not breaking up with you! I was wondering…um…Khyana?"
"What?"
Suddenly Sirius was down on one knee, a large diamond ring in his hand.
"Will you marry me?"
Khyana laughed. "Of course I will, Sirius!"
"Really?"
Khyana laughed harder. "Did you expect me to say no?"
"No, no, of course not…only…wow."
It started to snow lightly, but neither of them noticed as they walked through the streets hand in hand, Khyana's ring glittering under the street lamps.
Finally Khyana could barely keep her eyes open, and they apparated back to her house, where they reluctantly parted, with promises to call each other the next day, and they agreed not to tell anyone else yet.
"We'll tell them eventually," Sirius murmured against Khyana's hair as he held her, "But for now it'll just be our little secret."
A/N: AWE! Sirius and Yana are engaged (finally!)! I know it sounds a lot like Remus' proposal to Kel, but I actuallly wrote this one first, then decided that Sirius would be the last person to propose, because of his commitment issues...and then I just wasn't creative enough to come up with something new for Kel and Remus (Sorry, Kel!) Anyway, there you go. I think I'm skipping a couple more months after this, and then things with the case will really pick up...