IS THAT A YES?

"HARRY, please make sure Remus doesn't write us about bad behavior," Ivy pleaded, feeling a little too emotionally invested as Harry got ready to enter his fifth year at Hogwarts.

Harry was smiling sheepishly while holding Draco's hand, who was smirking. "Oh, I'll keep him out of trouble, V," he assured her.

Sirius rolled his eyes at the younger boy. "You're a Slytherin. I don't believe you for a second."

Remus came up behind him and sighed. "Pads, you can't say shit. You were a nightmare in school. And Merlin knows I'm going to have the worst-behaving students as karma for enabling you."

"That's nonsense, Rem," Ivy said, smiling. "You were one of the best professors we've ever had. They'll be ecstatic you're back."

"I wish more students were like you had been. You were always so well-behaved for me, Sweetheart," Remus said, smirking at her.

Ivy flushed, thinking of the night before when she and Sirius were telling Remus goodbye in their own way after hours of dueling practice up in the attic. Sirius' lips had been wrapped around his cock as Remus' finger dug into Ivy's thighs, tongue lapping between her drenched folds. Every time Remus would moan, she'd feel it reverberate against her core in the most euphoric way.

"Have a good year, Remmy," she murmured, pushing past her embarrassment.

"You too. And a happy birthday tomorrow," he said, kissing the side of her forehead.

"Oh, Dray and I hid our presents under your bed," Harry said brightly. "Don't open them until tomorrow."

"Promise," she smiled. "Now, get on the train and find the others before we have a repeat of your second year."

"I know I was meant to hate you at that point," Draco laughed, "but I thought you two were fucking legends for that."

"Draco, watch your language," Ivy chastised.

| | |

"Siri, we're not really meant to leave Grimmauld Place," Ivy said as they walked through the Black manor hand in hand.

"I know, but it's your birthday, love," he told her. "I figured you'd want to spend it at home. Besides, I do recall you having quite a good time last time we risked it."

She smiled and lightly shoved him, only for him to pull her closer. "Why'd you hide my birthday present here anyway?"

"So that you wouldn't find it early, obviously."

Sirius had woken Ivy with a shower of kisses and fresh blueberry muffins. They spent most of the morning wrapped up in each other, getting lost in their bodies, but when he mentioned a gift, Ivy's eyes lit up. She just didn't like that opening the gift required her to get dressed and leave the bed.

So, Ivy was of two minds. She wanted her present, but Sirius looked unbelievably good in a crisp white shirt with the buttons undone at the top, showing off his chest. She was just dying to take the shirt off and have a continuation of their morning.

But she kept her desires to herself as he led her by her fingertips through the manor and toward the study. However, when he reached the door, he covered her eyes, wanting it to be a surprise. Ivy walked slowly with him guiding her, the hand not over her eyes on her hip.

"Right here," he said quietly, his lips brushing her ear, making her shiver. Then Sirius kissed her neck softly. "Happy Birthday, Bunny."

It took her eyes a moment to settle on it, but immediately she noticed the new addition to the study, and it had tears welling in her eyes.

The beginnings of a family tree were plastered on the wall, three faces and names already joined together. Sirius, Harry, and her.

"It's perfect, Siri," she said, "but I'm not part of the family."

"Turn around, love," he said, chuckling a bit.

A confused look made it's way onto her face before she did so, only to find Sirius down on one knee, a velvet ring box in hand. Ivy gasped and covered her mouth, hiding away her excited smile. Tears pricked at her eyes, and one fell as soon as Sirius began speaking.

"Ivette Arora," he began, sounding a bit nervous for once in his life. "I never pictured myself to be one to settled down. At least until I met you. You, who is so caring and smart and gentle and beautiful. I love you, Ivy, and I know I'll never love anyone ever again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you picking out shapes in clouds and making you breakfast. I want to wake up every morning to your breathtaking smile that I'm somehow lucky enough to witness. So—"

"Yes," she cut him off.

Sirius huffed playfully. "Let me ask, yeah? I only get to do this once."

Ivy bit her lip and giggled as he opened up the ring box, revealing a dainty, golden engagement ring that would stack perfectly with his family's signet ring. The diamond sparkled in the light, and it was the prettiest piece of jewelry he'd ever given her simply because of what it signified.

"Marry me, Ivy?" Sirius asked, sounding hopeful — as if she'd ever say no.

More tears fell as she nodded before she dropped to her knees as well, pulling Sirius into a deep kiss. She didn't much care for the ring. All she wanted was to marry Sirius — she'd wanted it for a long while now.

Sirius grinned into the kiss before pulling back, brushing his thumb over her cheek, wiping the tears away. "Is that a yes?"

"Of course, it's a yes," she said, kissing him once more.

Then Siris reached for the ring and took her hand, sliding it onto her ring finger with pride — he'd gotten her ring size from Val, so it fit perfectly. Ivy only stared at the engagement ring for a moment before moving to kiss him again. He was far more important than any ring would ever be.

His lips moved against hers slowly, gently, kissing her like she was the most precious thing in the world — she was to him.

Under any other circumstances, Ivy might have laughed at his laziness as Sirius Apparated them to the bedroom, the soft mattress hitting her back as he laid her down.

"I love you," he murmured against her mouth.

Sirius pulled back and kissed every inch of her face, making her giggle happily before she leaned up and captured his lips again.

"I love you, too," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. "So much."

"So much you'll marry me?" he asked with a grin, raising an eyebrow as he hovered over her.

She matched his grin and nodded. "I'm gonna marry you, Sirius Black."

"I'm gonna marry you, Ivette Black," he said, loving how it sounded coming from his mouth. Then he leaned down, kissing her slowly once more while sliding his hands down her hips.

Each touch was gentle and deliberate as he worked his hands underneath the sundress she was wearing, earning a soft sigh against his mouth as he began to slowly draw circles around her clit through her underwear. Usually he'd toy with her a bit longer — have her begging for him — but he didn't want that. No, this time he was fighting off the urge to beg, wanting her more than he ever had.

So, he got to work, kissing every patch of skin he saw as he pulled her dress up over her head, brushing his lips against every scar and curve, letting her know how showered with love she was.

Missing his mouth — because she wanted to kiss him until she couldn't breathe — she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back to her lips while sliding her fingers between the buttons of his shirt to open it and push it off his shoulders. As his tongue explored every inch of her mouth, she reached down, undoing the buckle of his jeans. And he couldn't help but grind into her palm when she grazed over it. He was already painfully hard, turned on by the mere thought of spending the rest of his life with Ivy.

"I need you now, Darling," he groaned, lips ghosting over the base of her neck.

"You've got me, Siri. Forever," she promised, her eyes shining with love for him.

He claimed her lips once more before pushing his underwear down his legs, freeing his straining cock. He hitched one of her legs around his hip before entering her slowly, and though she'd had him the night before, she was so tight that he moaned from the feeling of her walls swallowing her. And as Ivy got used to the familiar stretch of him, he intertwined their hands, pressing her arms above her head as she adjusted to his size.

"I love you," he breathed out, beginning to roll his hips. He couldn't say it enough. "Merlin, I love you, Ivy."

She whined and clawed at his back and shoulders, lifting her hips to meet each thrust. He was moving at an agonizingly slow pace, wanting to take his time and feel every inch of her. "I love you, Siri. I'll always love you. Always."

| | |

"Let me fucking see!" Val exclaimed as soon as Ivy stepped back into Grimmauld Place, Sirius a step behind her with a content smile on his face.

"You knew?" Ivy asked, still unable to wipe the grin off her face.

Val snatched her hand up, and Molly hurried over, wanting to see as well. Ethan wasn't too far. As soon as the couple left for the manor, Val told everyone within hearing distance what Sirius was giving Ivy for her birthday.

"Oh, my," Molly said, looking at the diamond with wide eyes. "He did well."

"Not just well — bloody fantastic," Val said, shaking her head. "Would look better with a green stone."

"I'll be sure to tell Viktor," Sirius teased, earning an eye roll from her. She and Viktor hadn't been together long enough to say the L-word, much less talk about marriage.

"I've got to write Harry," Ivy said, smiling at the ring. "He'll be so excited."

"Oh, I was going to send him a Howler — that way Moony and everyone else will know too," Sirius said, and based on the glint in his eyes, Ivy didn't think he was joking. She wanted to sigh and roll her eyes but found she couldn't, still on cloud nine from his proposal — she figured it'd be weeks before the smile faded from her lips. She'd let Sirius get away with murder in her current happy headspace.

Molly scoffed at Sirius before ushering Ivy into the living room while Ethan hugged Sirius. Fleur, Tonks, and Moody were there, discussing Order business already, but stopped upon their arrival. "Now, we must start planning. When do you want to get married?"

Ivy looked to Sirius for an answer, not having thought about any of that. He smirked and pulled her close by her hand. "I'm free tomorrow."

"Absolutely not," Molly said, swatting his arm.

"She's right, Siri," Ivy said, clearly amused. "I want everyone at Hogwarts to be able to come. Maybe over the Christmas or Easter holiday break."

"Christmas then," Sirius decided. "I'm quite eager to change your last name."

"Can we get married at the manor? In the back gardens?" Ivy asked, looking to Moody for this. The Auror was the one that was in charge of when people got to leave the safe house.

"It's not wise," he grumbled. "Everyone gathering in one place."

"Oh, c'mon, Alastor," Sirius told him. "We've already put away five Death Eaters since restarting the Order up. They're in hiding. They wouldn't dare target something with so many people."

"Like they targeted the World Cup?" he shot back, making a rather good point.

"They can't get married here," Tonks said, her hair currently a vibrant blue. "It's depressing and dingy."

"I've worked quite hard to clean this place up," Molly said with a frown. "But she's right, Alastor. Surely Dumbledore can take protective measures to ensure everyone, Harry and Ivy included."

The older man grumbled, and Ivy swallowed nervously, fearing the worst. But then he rolled his one good eye and gave in. "Fine, but I will be saying 'I told you so' if things go sideways."

Sirius grinned triumphantly. "I'd expect nothing less."