Duplicitous | T.N.

XXIII • Red & Green Ying & Yangs

Her head was nestled deep into her silk pillow, near suffocating herself at the pressure. The cushion was wet by that point, wet with thick, salty tears. She had spent all night releasing any pent up emotion to her pillow.

The poor feather infested object had been thrown, soaked and nearly ripped multiple times, but she felt better. Finally.

For months she had bottled her grief, her sadness her anger. Her emotions felt as how she could only describe a cold, diseased hand holding her down. She struggled against the demented limb every waking moment, completely unaware that the cure, the release, all stemmed from a simple good cry.

When she awoke that morning her emotions were completely at peace. There wasn't a pulsing voice at the back of her head eager to make her sob; it had silenced, her mind had silenced.

Aurora deemed herself lucky, her roommates were passed out by the time she arrived back from the library, she kept her sobs to a minimum volume, they didn't notice. She was thankful.

Her roommates had already upped and left by the time Aurora opened her puffed eyes. She dragged herself to the bathroom to prepare herself for the day.

Like she had found herself often doing, she stared into the eyes of the girl behind the mirror. She looked like she had just escaped a cat fight. Her eyes were red and bulging, her cheeks puffy and swollen and her lip had been damp from the constant gnawing at it, her mouth looked shrivelled by that point.

Shrugging on her clothes, she walked out of her empty dorm. Her emotions were numbed enough, she was easily able to present her peers with an assuring smile. No one questioned her.

It was the weekend, she was ever so thankful for it. Initially her plans were to hide out in the library but she would rather pitch herself off the astronomy tower than have to risk the chance of running into a particular Slytherin.

She groaned. She couldn't stall seeing him forever, it was bound to happen, whether it be in class or while eating in the great hall.

Her eyes did a quick scan around the empty hall way. She had to confirm she was alone before she began to throw her arms in the air and stomp her feet around in a frustrated manner.

Literally stomping, Aurora made her way to breakfast. She huffed loudly as she threw herself down on the bench, before her a plate of eggs, toast and besides it a glass of pumpkin juice. Breakfast was plain and underwhelming, she didn't know why a part of her believed brekkie could perhaps release her from her state of numbness.

Aurora was too busy staring at her plate that she failed to notice the two occupants who had taken their seats beside her.

Either side of Aurora sat her very good friends. Her strong willed friends. Her ambitious friends. Her high achieving friends. The two were near identical in everything but house. For the two were not friends with each other. Glaring at one another by Auroras side, Red and Green, White and Black. Ginny Weasley and Daphne Greengrass.

It wasn't until that very moment did it occur to Aurora that these girls were the very same. They both leered at one another, both very fond of the house prejudice, an exception for Daphne who loved Rory despite her robe colour. Daphne had her hands crossed in front of her, Ginny copying the action, both wore matching thick scowls.

"Aurora Dear, you look so tired, have you been sleeping?" Daphne spoke first, any signs of aggression disappeared as she spoke to her friend.

"No need to insult her." The red headed witch spat.

"I'm not insulting her. I'm checking up on her." Daphne replied, very clearly appalled at the accusation.

Aurora rolled her eyes. She had never witnessed the two cross paths before, never had she thought of it, never did she contemplate an interaction between them, if she had, she would've thought of it just like this.