Duplicitous | T.N.

LVI • The end marks the beginning, the beginning marks the end

"Why?" A timid voice sobbed. Eloped in a fit of heavy tears, her chest heaved past the fountain worth of salty water that ran down her flushed, pale cheeks. "I'm so stupid!" She gurgled, her head flung back as her shoulders shook profusely.

"You're not stupid." Another voice tried to help.

"Yes I am." She cried, her voice muffled by the wracking sobs that had yet to escape her tense chest. With her face in her hands, tears fell quieter, but much much harder. "Why am I like this." The girl groaned. Defeat kicking at her side.

Fearful her lungs may burst, she allowed the cry that itched to crawl up her throat to escape her wobbly lips with a ferocious punch. And with that, the heavy crying started again. "Oh." She whimpered.

Daphne Greengrass wailed into her arms, shrivelled up in the corner of a forgotten hallway seven stories up as she attempted to conceal her distressed state. Theodore Nott had his comforting arm around her, unsure exactly how to handle the weeping witch.

The seventh floor, being practically abandoned, worked as the perfect place for heartbroken girls to cry their hearts out, and so she did Theodore awkwardly consoling her. Yet, it came as a heavy shock when they each noticed the gentle echo of footsteps near them.

With a quiet gasp, Daphne covered her puffy, flushed face, fearful for anyone to see her. Luckily, however, the footsteps never approached. The voices lingered a room away, the single sandstone wall separating them.

"I can't be seen like this." She shook her head, the blonde locks of hair bouncing upon her shoulders.

"No one's going to see you." He rubbed her back, it did little to ease her worries, so he stood. "In fact," He huffed, "I'll go and make sure of it." Brushing himself off, he wandered through the entryway and into the other room.

There, he considered himself lucky, to find Aurora Flores stood before the window. Beams of creamy sun caressing the blush of her face, due to it, her caramel coloured hues produced a forest green so dim he nearly missed it, but it was there and it was gorgeous. Said florescent glow emphasised the strips of gold within her dark hair.

She wore a simple, pretty smile. Fake. He accused, almost bemused, he found it too easy to notice such a grin from her. It was that particular smile in which he could see no soul, for when her smile was genuine, her heart was worn on her sleeve, the passion seeping through such a grin. Yet it remained absent that day, as was the genuineness.

With her arms delicately placed before her, she nodded slowly along with the words of the person before her, she, having yet to notice the Slytherin, continued to politely uphold a conversation with some Gryffindor he didn't know.

Despite remaining unaware who the person she spoke with was, he found the boy easy to read. With a coat of hazy pink upon his cheeks, and the way his hand rested upon the back of his neck, in such a shy manner, Theodore found he was being obvious. He scoffed. Loudly.

Two sets of heads turned to him, one brightened in his presence, the other stiffened. Shying away from Theodore's naturally darkening presence, the Gryffindor boy looked towards Aurora, Theodore guessing, the boy predicted she'd do the same. She didn't. Bathing in his attention, her smile grew real.

Based off the way her body took the opportunity and leant towards the Slytherin and away from the Gryffindor, he could very well guess she hadn't been too thrilled maintaining chat with him. The boy, dulled at the sight of Theo, whatever hope that Theodore would simply walk away diminishing as he stood still. "Nott." The guy greeted.

He nodded in reply, still unsure of the boys name... and how he knew Theodore's name, himself. "Flores." He turned his head towards her. "You're needed." He spoke, his tone dulcet, eyes leered towards the Gryffindor boy who's happy - shy demeanour lessened.