Loving you || James Potter

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IN THE GLOW OF THE BALLROOM,
flutes of sparkling drink passed gracefully among the guests, their steps light on the gleaming marble floor. In the quieter corners, whispered conversations carried an air of secrecy, while subtle exchanges took place over trays of fine hors d'oeuvres.
The evening unfolded with an elegance that suggested old traditions and long-held alliances.
The annual sacred 28 winter ball.

The most noble and ancient houses of pureblood families were attending every year on new year's eve.
Not all were included—just the ones that are only associated with the purest wizards and witches.
The ones who mingled with other kinds—halfbloods, muggleborns— were
shunned and deemed as traitors.
Bloodtraitors.

A tall boy, rather thin, high cheekbones and piercing grey eyes.
His suit was as crisp as new and dyed to a uniform shade of bleak grey.
He grimaced at the feeling of his tight tie and felt almost strangled.
The presence of all these prejudiced people, nasty people they are, was suffocating.

He watched his younger brother with his friends, drinking champagne in one of the corners of the hall, wishing his friends wouldn't be deemed dirty and would attend too.

Sneaking a bottle of whiskey in the inside of his suit, he walked towards the terrace, desiring to drink himself alone into the new year.

The boy turned around the corner, sighing in relief to be alone as he strutted lazily towards the doors to the terrace.
Opening them he breathed in the cold winter air, snow coating small parts of the floor.
He put a cigarette in his mouth, searching for a lighter, before he cursed —realising he forgot his at home.

"Here.", a voice offered and he jumped up, his eyes wide in shock as he yelped.
He turned to the right to see the person talking.

There she sat on the cold floor—
Blonde curls messily sticking up, lipgloss and eyeliner smudged.
She sat with crossed legs in front of her, revealing the slit of her black glittery dress.
The top was shaped like a corset, the skirt part clinched on her like a second skin.
She held out a silver lighter towards him.

"Fuck.", he cursed, hands going trough his hair,"You scared the shit out of me, Adelina."

She chuckled, before handing it to him,"Nah, you are just as blind as you were as a child, Siri."

Sirius took the lighter off her, before plopping himself on the floor next to her.
He lit his cigarette, blowing out the smoke.
Nudging her, he asked,"What are you doing out here alone?", before offering her his cigarette.

She took it, the cigarette laying delicately between her fingers as she took a drag.
"Hiding, drinking."

The Black heir chuckled, taking out the firewhiskey out of his suit.
"We on the same page then."

She grabbed her own bottle of champagne of the side and hold it towards him, clinking their bottles together.
"I guess we are."

The air between them is thick, not with words, but with a quiet understanding. Each holds their own bottle, staring into the liquid as though it might hold the answers they seek.
No words passed between the two, not that it was needed.
Their silence is not awkward, but heavy with unspoken emotions—pain, regret, or simply exhaustion.
It's the kind of quiet that lingers when two souls are too weary to reach for connection, yet somehow, in that shared silence, they understand the weight the other carries.

"Now tell me.", Sirius broke the silence, gulping down some firewhiskey as he grimaced slightly.
A harsh breath escaped him as he added,"Why not celebrate with my brother, you know, your best friend?"

Adelina rolled her eyes playfully,"Is my company that bad?"

He looked at her deadpanned,"I know you since we were bloody walking, Lina. Don't fool me."

The blonde swallowed as she grimaced, before sipping on her champagne,"Mother dearest thought it would be so amazing to look for my future husband."

The Black heir stared at her, eyes comically wide as he blinked,"The fuck? You are 16! It's just your 5th year at Hogwarts."

Adelina shrugged, her heart clenching, as she gave him a wobbly smile,"I—I it's alright, I think."

Sirius gulped down some whiskey, his grip tight on the bottle as he heaved a deep breath after swallowing.
It didn't matter that they didn't talk much, he knew she was a people pleaser, so she would do whatever her parents ordered her to do—even not interacting with him.
Though she always tried to give him her best smile when she caught him in the halls and asked him how he was.
Even with not much contact these past years, he saw her as the little sister he never had.
And he would be damned—

"To who? Did they mention any name?", Sirius questioned as he shrugged,"I could handle it."

A humourless chuckle escaped her lips, the first Sirius ever heard passing her lips.
"Let's not talk about it."

The Black heir resisted to ask more as he heaved a sigh.
"Look, Lina, I won't let that happen, okay? Don't you worry."

"There's nothing we can do."

"Trust me, I will help you, okay?", Sirius nodded assuringly and for the first time, he looked absolutely serious.

And for some weird reason—she trusted him with her life.