Paradox | T. Riddle ✔

~•3.4•~

The ballroom at Grimmauld Place was filled with guests, dressed in luxurious silk and brocades. A few of them were waltzing in the center to the light music while others lingered in the corners, drinks in hand.

His mother was playing the part of a cordial hostess, welcoming all the guests with a stunning smile on her face. His father was with his friends, immersed in a deep discussion that revolved around politics, the Ministry as well as current affairs of the Wizarding World.

Regulus, however, felt terribly out of place. 

Earlier, he had always had Sirius to keep him company during those boringly monotonous balls, his brother always provided an opportunity to make him laugh and have fun. But Sirius was no longer a part of the family hence Reg found himself wandering alone in the ballroom, his features set in an emotionless look.

His blue eyes scanned the entire ballroom, searching for one face in particular but much to his disappointment, he found it nowhere in sight. He sighed softly, keeping his features neutral as he passed by the people he barely knew, a stiff smile flickering on his face as he replied nonchalantly to the greetings sent his way.

Everything was so dreadfully monotonous, it was as if the night was playing on repeat.

At last, he caught sight of the face he had been searching for and stopped in his tracks as if dazzled by her beauty. His blue eyes were fastened upon Eleanor Troy for she looked truly ravishing in an emerald green dress that matched the color of her eyes.

Her hair were let down in cascading brown waves, held in place by a delicate silver hairclip on the side, while two thin strands framed her face as well. Her lips were painted a bold red and she looked different and much more stunning than any other woman present in the ballroom.

Her green eyes locked with blue and the enrapturing smile on her face widened. Beside her was her elder sister Esmeralda Troy who followed her gaze and upon seeing Regulus, the woman nodded her head lightly.

Regulus approached the two and Eleanor introduced him to her sister and then to her parents as well. Walburga and Orion had met the Troys already and as Reg's eyes flickered towards his mother, he saw her give him an approving nod which set his heart at ease.

It felt twice better to know that his parents had no objection to his and Eleanor's relationship.

The Troys too were exceptionally welcoming towards Regulus and Eleanor's father took a liking to him immediately.

With the light music playing, gradually most of them took to the center where the waltz was going on and Eleanor's hand gently entwined through Reg's.

"Are you going to keep getting bored tonight or will you ask me out to dance?"

"May I have this dance, my lady?" He asked, a smile spreading on his face to see her laugh.

"Of course, kind Sir."

Her hand rested on his shoulder while he held her by the waist as they joined the couples waltzing in the center. Reg's blue eyes couldn't leave her as she looked absolutely breathtaking, and she laughed slightly when he missed a step because he couldn't focus on anything else.

She leaned closer, her head resting on his shoulder as she mumbled, "wanna ditch the party?"

Her green eyes had a mischievous spark dancing within and her alluring smile widened as he nodded. They completed the waltz and Eleanor gently pulled him away from the center until the two reached the door.

They slipped out of the ballroom and no one noticed.

Regulus took her out to the gardens where the navy blue of the night was illuminated by the moon shining above. She had linked her arm with his as they walked through the gardens.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," she remarked, her head resting on his shoulder, "just you and me with nothing to worry about... Just us..."

Regulus knew she was referring to the war that was approaching, to the battling sides of light and dark and he felt guilt stab him through the heart, knowing what side he had chosen.

"Reg, can't we just freeze time?"

He looked down at her wistful green eyes, his palm fitting across the curve of her cheek, "time is a dangerous thing, Elle. Messing with it brings no good."

She sighed, "I know, it was just a metaphor."

"What happened?" He asked, realizing that she had been happy back in the ballroom but right then she looked sad.

"I don't want to lose you," she had stopped walking and turned to face him, her delicate hands cupping his cheekbones, "Regulus, I can't bear to lose you."

"You won't lose me," he breathed though his words held uncertainty that he was trying so hard to mask.

Eleanor might have noticed that as her eyes saddened, "promise me?"

"I promise."

His hands had fastened onto her wrists gently as he leaned down and connected their lips together, feeling her melt against him as he pushed her back in the shadows for he did not want to be seen by any of the guests.

He held her against the stone pillar, his heart racing as he broke off the kiss. A slight gasp escaped her and she leaned in again, not wanting to break the moment so soon.

His thumb traced the cupid's bow of her mouth, everything else fading into nonexistence as he held her close. And despite everything else that had thrown him into confusion, there was one sentence he was perfectly sure about.

A sentence he let himself voice out to her.

"I love you, Elle," he breathed, blue eyes taking in each flicker of expression on her features, "and there's no one else I would rather want to be with instead of you."

Her marble green eyes softened and an enrapturing smile broke out on her face as she replied, "I love you too, Regulus."

And just like that, even though they were standing at the brink of war and nothing was safe nor certain around them, for the moment they decided to simply overlook it.

They were both together and that was all that really mattered.

***