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meet me in the afterglow.
༒
Darkness leached from the girl.
Sirius Black watched as Celeste Malfoy entered the room, early to an Order meeting for the first time in her life. So early that the room was still empty. Her footsteps slowly clicked across the worn cedar floorboards. Her jaw was tight, her eyes set hard as she took her seat. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed him.
Sirius leaned against a doorway, studying her with an impassioned intensity in his eyes. He found her mystifying and mesmerizing all at once, as he always had. His heart was already hammering by the time she leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms, staring down the innocent dining table.
Somehow, she had transformed into a wraith. She was colder. Farther. Someone he wasn't sure if he knew. Someone who he desperately still loved― even if he might never admit it.
The thought struck against him like a terrible chord. But Sirius waved it aside, harnessed onto his shred of hatred for her, ignoring the ringing in his chest.
It was then that she finally lifted her gaze, scanning the room until it fell on him.
Nothing in her expression changed.
Sirius felt an odd chill run down his spine.
Celeste blinked once, emotionless and indifferent. "Hi," she said flatly.
He was stunned that she had even bothered to acknowledge him. Sirus fumbled for the right words, stammering, "Oh, h-hi."
Where she once would've softly smiled, or rolled her eyes at him, she now simply fixed him with a sharp, piercing look. "Have you standing there this whole time?"
Ignoring his confusion and bewilderment, Sirius answered slowly, "Yes. Yes, I have. Before you got here." He failed to take note that she had been sitting there for ten minutes already.
Celeste muttered something foul under her breath.
For what seemed to be the hundredth time, Sirius was dumbfounded. How was this Celeste? She had never been this heartless in the slightest. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing that should concern you," she said, smooth ice coating her words. She looked away from him, inspecting her nails. "Where's Oliver?"
"Who?"
"Oliv― Olivia," Celeste snapped. She blinked, surprised at herself for the change of tone. She hastily added, "Sorry."
Sirius looked her up and down, narrowing his eyes. Irritation laced his voice as he answered, "She's fine. Great, even. We're great."
Celeste twisted her hands. "That's... wonderful," she said, rather quietly.
He regarded her with a mocking smile. "Don't be ridiculous. You're practically seething. You hate the girl. Changed your mind about me, have you?"
