Midnight || Sirus Black

chapter 20

The drawing room at Malfoy Manor was an intricate blend of grandeur and intimidation, with dark mahogany furniture, silver accents, and velvet drapes that muffled the moonlight. Esther stood near the unlit fireplace, her arms crossed as she waited for Sirius to reappear. The evening had been a calculated performance, and she was exhausted from playing her part.

"I see you're hiding," Emilia's voice chimed, light but knowing, as she entered with a glass of wine in hand.

"I'm not hiding," Esther replied curtly, though she couldn't keep the edge of guilt from her tone. "I'm... reflecting."

"On how insufferable your fiancé is?" Emilia teased, flopping onto a nearby chaise lounge.

Esther's lips twitched despite herself. "It's a miracle I haven't hexed him into oblivion."

"Hexing him won't solve your problems," Emilia said with a smirk. "But it would be satisfying."

Before Esther could reply, the door creaked open, and Sirius stepped in, hands shoved into his pockets. He glanced at Emilia and arched an eyebrow. "Oh, good. A private conference," he drawled. "Don't mind me."

Emilia grinned, clearly unbothered by his sarcasm. "Don't worry, Black. I was just leaving. Try not to argue too loudly, will you?" She winked at Esther and sauntered out, her departure leaving a tense silence in her wake.

Sirius leaned against the wall, watching Esther with a guarded expression. "Hiding in the drawing room now? That's new."

Esther narrowed her eyes. "I'm not hiding."

"You're avoiding," he corrected. "But who could blame you? Spending an evening with this lot is enough to make anyone run for the hills."

"Your family included," Esther shot back, her voice sharp.

Sirius barked out a laugh, the sound bitter but genuine. "Oh, absolutely. Walburga's probably plotting my demise as we speak."

Esther's gaze softened slightly, though she didn't let it linger. "You make it sound like you don't care."

"Maybe because I don't," Sirius said, shrugging. "They've made it clear where their loyalties lie. I stopped trying to impress them years ago."

The sincerity in his tone caught Esther off guard, and for a moment, she saw past the arrogance he so often wore like armor. But she quickly brushed the thought aside. "Well, that's your choice. Some of us don't have the luxury of indifference."

"Is that what you think?" Sirius pushed off the wall, stepping closer. His voice was lower now, almost a whisper. "That I don't care about any of this?"

Esther held her ground, her chin tilting defiantly. "That's exactly what I think."

They stood there, the space between them charged with unspoken tension. Esther could see the frustration flickering in his eyes, but she refused to back down. It was Sirius who broke the silence, running a hand through his hair.

"For the record," he said quietly, "I care about plenty of things. I just don't care about pleasing people who only see me as a pawn in their game."

Esther blinked, his words striking a chord she hadn't expected. She looked away, her defenses faltering for just a moment. "Maybe we're all pawns," she muttered, her voice softer now.

Sirius stepped closer, and for the first time that evening, there was no trace of sarcasm in his expression. "Maybe we are," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't mean we have to play by their rules."

The air between them grew heavier, and Esther felt her pulse quicken. She didn't know if it was anger, frustration, or something else entirely, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from his.