You're My Destiny↣ Harmione

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter 19 - Invitations

Sirius was sitting across from a worried lady in this classy restaurant and realised he had to take some action here. Reaching out, he took her trembling hand and gently caressed it.

"Ami, whatever happens tonight, I promise you we will leave this table, at the very least, still the best of friends."

"I don't see how, Sirius. I know what you really want to happen, I just can't understand why. Years ago, I made a conscious decision to focus on my career. To be honest, there wasn't a line of suitors desperately trying to get me to change my mind about that..."

"Well they were all blind, and stupid."

"I remember a young trainee auror, following me around like a lost puppy..."

"I was lost, until I met you. You believed in me, encouraged me..."

"I most certainly did not. I was the epitome of professionalism in my dealings with a junior auror."

"So, how many other junior aurors have you held when they broke down after killing their first wizard? James had Lily to do the same for him, I don't know if I would have survived without your strength and compassion."

A blushing Amelia admitting to Sirius he was the first, and only, certainly encouraged his pursuit. "First you told me it was normal for trainee aurors to have crushes on their trainers. Somehow I can't see that happening in Mad-Eye's class."

Hearing her laugh at that slight joke saw Sirius push on. "Then, after I qualified, you told me romance between junior and senior aurors couldn't happen. I respected that reasoning, knowing of course how much your career meant to you. Only the fact we were fighting a war stopped me resigning from the auror corps there and then. I knew you needed every wand you could get, so I stayed. I stayed for you, Ami, nothing else - and only my godson going into hiding saw me leave."

She tried to say something but Sirius was on a roll, he needed to get this out there. "I never intended to be away for so long, not seeing you for over a decade was never part of any plans I had. When you walked into my cell that morning, I though you were an angel..."

"After spending a decade with dementors for company, Mad-Eye walking in that door would have looked like an angel to you..."

"I just can't see Mad-Eye with wings and a harp, can you? I also know you could have sent anyone to collect me from Azkaban, but you came in person..."

She couldn't look at Sirius while answering. "To me, seeing Pettigrew's name on Harry's map was as big a shock as discovering Voldemort was still alive. I can't deny I have feelings for you, Sirius. I'm just not sure what those feelings are. Staring at that map I knew at once you were innocent, and those feelings I buried away all those years ago came rushing back. I couldn't let anyone else come to get you, and finally take you away from that place."

"Ami, the one thing I learned in Azkaban is that life is at best fickle. We shouldn't put off to tomorrow what can be done today because, sometimes tomorrow is too late. I don't want us to be too late so I'm going to put my feelings on the table for you to pick over."

Taking a steadying breath, Sirius opened his heart. "When I was younger, I wasn't a very good person. I rejected my family because they were dark, without rejecting most of the traits that they embraced. I was arrogant, conceited, a cocky bully who really was a Black in every way except for being dark. The dalliances I had with witches were nothing more than boosts for my shallow ego. Then I met you..."

"Sirius I..."

"Please, Ami, let me say what I need to. While you were impervious to my charm and cheesy lines, we formed a connection that neither of us can deny exists. Your job was to take raw recruits and turn them into aurors. With me, you took an arrogant git and turned him into a man - only not in the carnal sense. My biggest regret that Halloween was that I didn't go to you. The war was effectively over, we could finally have been together - and then raised Harry and Susan as our children."