SOIRÉE, SIRIUS BLACK

22 - one last time.

IT WAS A FEW HOURS AFTER FLORENCE HAD BROKEN IT OFF with Sirius. Even though they had had limited time together she still felt like it was a heartbreak. The common room was deserted as it was past curfew and everyone was in bed. Florence couldn't sleep, it felt like her heart shattered when she saw the look on his face when she ended it.

That night at dinner Sirius didn't spare her a glance but Florence didn't miss the glares being sent her way by none other than James Potter.

The fire was burning out and Florence was deep in her thoughts dreading her future with Amycus. Her whole life she had known she would marry who her parents wanted her to and be the perfect child, but then there was always the other half of her that thought she would leave for herself. She didn't want to hate her life just to make her parents happy.

"Hey." A voice spoke out in the silence. Florence turned to see Sirius standing there sheepishly.

She looked him up and down biting the inside of her cheek before responding, "Hey."

"I was thinking..." Sirius started kneeling before her in front of the couch, "You don't get to end this."

"Sirius..." Florence started looking down at her lap shaking her head, she couldn't possibly look him in the eyes. "Please, don't make this harder for me. You have no idea how bad I wanted it to be you, S," Florence whispered to the black-haired boy, finally looking deeply into his grey eyes, memorizing every part of him one last time. "I wanted it to be you and I. It's just not possible."

"It could be if you wanted it to," Sirius whispered back, almost pleading for her to change her mind, to come back with him. "Why can't we be happy together?"

"I gave someone my word. I must honor it." Florence said, "My parents set it up and I said yes."

"Screw your parents, screw Carrow." Sirius' voice started to raise as he grappled onto her hands trying desperately to ignore the ring on her finger. "Run away with me, Flo, please."

A tear rolled down her face as she looked at him and shook her head softly, "I can't. I gave them my word."

"You could if you wanted to." He said.

"I-" Florence started not knowing how to respond to that. It was true, she could if she wanted. But did she want to? She loved him. Was it worth it to ruin her whole life and leave everything behind?

Andromeda did.

Andromeda did it. Could it be that easy? Could it be that easy to just say yes?

"I don't want to," Florence said.

Sirius' face dropped he wanted to say a million things back. Scream for her to stay with him forever, to never leave his side. Claim she gave him her word too by all the words they exchanged. He knew better, he knew that it was all a fantasy. He would love the girl who made soirée season more than tolerable for him until his last breath on this planet. Florence Odette took his heart without a receipt to return it. Sirius Black's love belonged to her, it always would. At the end of it, he couldn't force her to do something she didn't want to.

So instead he said, "Okay."

She knew he would let her go. He could be selfish but not with her. Part of her had hoped that she was wrong. That she truly didn't know Sirius Black. Part of her hoped that he would be selfish with her, just this once.

"I believe I will always love you," Florence said with a sad smile. "You have me. You had me from the very start, I love you, Sirius Black."

Sirius looked up in surprise, she had never told him that before. "I love you too, Florence Odette," Sirius responded. He leaned in to kiss her one last time. It held a million unsaid words and confessions. It held his love for her, It held everything he had to give.

Sirius broke away meeting her gaze one last time before she was a married woman. He leaned in to hold her once more whispering "more than anything," against her.

And then finally, the time came for what Sirius hoped never would've come.

"Goodbye."

Florence stared after him. Was she truly going to let him go? After everything, they had gone through? She always knew she was going to have to leave her parent's grip at some point. Had she met the inevitable point?

Florence looked down at her hand and the shining diamond placed upon her left ring finger. Then to his retreating figure, her lip was caught between her teeth as her eyes went back and forth from the ring to him.

But, at last, her eyes landed on the ring. She had told Amycus she would marry him. She had told her parents she would marry him. How could she break that promise? She couldn't.

It seemed though her mouth was ahead of her, "Wait, Sirius," Florence yelled after him, "Fuck it,"

Sirius turned back a confused look placed upon his face, "Flo?"

"I would rather leave my parents and everything than not have you in my life," Florence said finally meeting up with the boy.

"You'll leave with me?" Sirius asked his lips curving upward.

"Yes." She couldn't stop the words before they slipped off her lips. But, never would Florence Odette regret them.