Indoor Puddles Solo

Date: Sometime earlier this year.
Time: An hour before curfew
Mood: Broken and moody.

The sun was still peering through the cold, stone windows. The sky was a peachy orange with a red glow that kept increasing. It would most likely start to turn purple soon. To announce the coming of nightfall. Students had recently finished their meals and were expected to go back to their common rooms and dorms. As a Prefect, Nico had some extra time. Prefects usually saw how the castle went quiet and the way halls became empty.

On most days, it felt soothing to her. To hear the steps and chattering of peers reaching puberty, melt away into the darkness. The flames of the lonely torches placed on the walls, were her only company. Hah... When was the last time she had actual contact with any of her fellow Slytherin peers?

Her pale hand gently rested onto her badge, her fingers feeling the inscription and shape. The tapping of her mary janes had come to a stop as the sudden silence of the corridor overwhelmed her. It was... really quiet. Maybe some echoing of voices in the far distance but... it hit her harder than ever before. This year had been a mess... Lost her best friend who... suddenly left without warning. She ... got called names. Got cornered because of her duties. The ghost spiders that had attacked her House. Her eyes glanced down at her feet, her grip growing tighter around her badge.

With a brisk move, she ripped the badge off her robes and looked at it. Her pale, perfect face, smothered with red tears. Her nose was running and everything around her became blurry. Not just because of the redness in her eyes... but also in her head. Her surroundings seemed to fade into a dark focus that nearly erased everything in sight. In a fit of anger, the young dhampir screamed, throwing her badge across the hall before dropping onto her knees. Her hands buried in her face as her claws gently yet firm dug in her skin. An nearly uncontrollable sobbing emanated from her. Shoulders shrugging with every hic and cry. 'I hate this... It's never good enough... Why do I even do this? Why did I even get this? I don't deserve this...'
Her hands slid down to her lower arms, again tightly gripping them. 'I'm alone. Who would ever believe a mere stupid dhampir!' She whimpered, her head hanging down, tears dripping down onto the cold, merciless floor. It gave her no comfort. It fed more onto her doubts. As if this was the best she deserved.

The badge shimmered quietly in the distance, calling for her. As if to say that this was no mistake. But the dhampir didn't feel it. Didn't see it.

Didn't believe it.

After a while she quieted down. With the thick stone walls, it was unlikely for anyone to have heard her, unless it was a Professor on patrol or one of her Prefect colleagues. She needed to move. To go to her bed. Sleeping. That would be nice. What was that like again?

Quiet, as if nothing had happend, as if she had merely tripped over her own feet, Nico walked over to the piece of metal and put it on the other side of her robes. The prior spot was ripped... With the back of her sleeves she rubbed away the red stains and snot from her nose.

'Better get back...And order a new uniform...' She spoke softly, her voice sore.