Finished Have a Penny? PV Shymane

♫

Alan looked at the Slytherin girl with a soft smile, which quickly was replaced with a thoughtful frown upon hearing the question the girl asked in a meek voice. ”It is not that I think the Sorting Hat is wrong, it never was... I am just not sure why he would send me to Gryffindor-”, he explained carefully, making sure not to word it too confusing, not only to not confuse Nico but also not to confuse himself.

”I totally get what you mean, but I think it is cool that you got into Slytherin. It is a cool house with people who can push themselves to their limit to follow their dreams”, he smiled, as he let himself fall back into the pillow with a sigh. ”I actually thought I would end up there, but I guess I take after my dad~”.

When the Nurse went to talk with Nico he just send her mental support and what he hoped was an encouraging smile. Thinking she might be uncomfortable he focused his gaze on his lap, reading the notes he had scribbled onto the back of his hand. Something about the library and homework, he supposed. He could not read it anymore.

After some horrid gagginglike groans, with an occasional 'There, there, love'; a faint tink'ing sound of something hitting the bottom of the bucket, could finally be heard.

'Three pennies? Oh dear. You really didn't hold back, did you?' The Nurse shook her head slowely, while carrying the bucket. At a sink, she carefully washed them clean. 'You can lay down again, love. Some rusty fluids might follow still.'

Nico rest her head in the fluffy pillow, laying on her back. Her face was pale like a ghost. 'Y-Yes, madam' That might have been the worst experience she ever had. It hurt so bad... Some tears rolled down her cheeks, wishing her father was there to hold her hand. He always did that... He always was there for her...

Her bottom lip quivered as she tried to keep herself together. She wasn't alone. Not anymore. Her new friend Alan was there. Less than two meters away from her. Using her sleeve, she wiped away her salty tears. She had to be a strong, big girl now... Crying in front of boys... Silly girl.

Slowely, she turned on her side, facing Alan. Her body was still recovering from the painful vomiting.
'S-Sorry that you had to hear.. and see that.'

♫

Alan blocked out the noises as best as he could, as he felt nausea raise in his stomach. He just shut his eyes tigthly while doing his best to think of something else. Lyrics, best way to ignore those groans and gags was to think of songs and it kind of worked. He was nearly humming, yet his lips were a tight line as he clamped his fists into the blanket.

Only when it was done, he opened his eyes again, black spots dancing in front of his eyes, so tightly were his eyes closed. However upon hearing the girl's angsty words witha kinda broken voise, Alan's head snapped around and he shook his head quickly. "Don't worry about it, Nico", he said gently with a small, nervous smile. He did not want her to be uncomfortable.

"It is not as if this whole scenario was your intention, so don't be sad... You are not in pain anymore, are you?", he asked, concern written in his green eyes as he slightly tilted his head to the side. A small habit he got over the time, whenever he was confused or trying to figure something out. A sigh escaped his lips.

As Alan asked if she was okey, she nodded softly. Alan was one of the few boys she knew. He was warmhearted and awfully kind. She could sense that. She had a thing with... sensing peoples intentions. It worked the same way as a gutfeeling. Actually. Let's just call it a gutfeeling.

She pulled up the blanket over her head, like a hood, her face still visible. She sniffled still and looked up at the window behind Alan's bed. It looked sunny out. The warm, golden beams of sunlight shone down upon Alan's fluffy, hazelbrown hair. Nico couldn't help but stare. Before, she hadn't noticed how green his eyes were. The light reflected softly onto his face. It made his eyes look like emeralds. Not litteraly but the color in his eyes seemed lighter, brighter than before.

He looked like some sort of angel. From a dream...

ACK! Wh- H-How long had she been staring at him... ? Nico breathed in, too fast and choked in her saliva. Coughing into her elbow, she curled up. If you cough in your hands, you carry diceases to others a lot faster. That's not a good thing.

While coughing, she rolled over onto her other side, spitting out some more rustjuice that came with it.
'....Ugh...'
Nico sighed, grabbing a tissue to wipe her mouth. What a disaster. With every coughing fit she has, she regrets that penny-eating stunt. Not ever, EVER, will she do something so foolish again. Wrapped in the blanket, like a burrito, she rolled back over to face Alan. He still looked like an absolute piece of work with the bloomy light, shining onto him. Her face flushes red. What the... She pulled up the blanket, that only her eyes would be visible. The lower part of her face however was hidden. Covered.

♫

Seeing that the other girl seemed to calm down ever so slightly, he too began to feel more relaxed as he took a look at her. Seeing her kind of stare at him, made him frown a bit, yet he did not wonder much why she was staring as he too sometimes got lost in thought when he was Looking into a direction and often it made it look as if he was staring at a particular Person. He Always felt embarassed when someone pointed it out, so he would not do that and just would Keep quiet until she would wake up from her thoughts again.

With a worried face, his frown deepening he looked at Nico, who suddenly started coughing again. Was she still in pain? "Are you still alright or is it getting worse?, he asked as he tilted his head slightly. He began to wonder whether he should call for the Nurse or if he could do anything to make her better. There must be a way, right? Maybe he could distract her...


"Do you know? The first time I had to go here was because I did not pay Attention in Potions and instead of adding one measurement, I accidentally dropped the whole bottle into the cauldron!", he began with a cheeky smile.

"Are you still alright or is it getting worse?

'I'm fine... Really. It's all part of getting better.' She said softly with a hoarse voice, slightly muffled. It did hurt. Also, it tasted bad. The rust lingered on her tongue, as if her entire mouth was made of rusty steel. Thinking about it made her gag again, but she held back, her back arching in a paniful way.

She closed one eye and listened to him talk. It put her thoughts elsewhere. It distracted her and dragged her into his story. It also gave her an excuse to watch him. He looked so colorful. His bright choice of colors, his green eyes and his fluffy hazelnutbrown hair that seemed to beg to be pet. Maybe it was the rust that made her look at him so different. But she didn't mind. It put her at peace.

"Do you know? The first time I had to go here was because I did not pay attention in Potions and instead of adding one measurement, I accidentally dropped the whole bottle into the cauldron!''

He smiled abit cheeky at his anekdote. Nico blinked. 'S-So what happened? Did you get burned? Or... Something else horrible?' She pulled the blanket down from her face. 'I mean... it must've been something serious if you had to be brought to the Hospital Wing. For me.. this is my first time here.'

♫

”Does not make it less painful though”, he explained softly and hoped this did not come of as weak. However Alan understood her, he did not like to show weakness, he did not want to even be weak in the first place. He would like to be strong and independent at one point in his life. Where he could help people better than by just stumbling over his words.

”It was just a bit of a burn, you don't need to worry! It happened during class and I got my scolding afterwards...”, he began to explain and showed her his palm. There would be a minimal scar just below his pointer finger on his left palm. ”The burning cream was instantly applied so there was no real damage, but I guess this small spot was difficult to apply the paste on, which led to a scar. But I don't mind it!”

He hoped his explanation would calm her down and that his reassurance that he was fine would not make her worry anymore. But he was happy that he could get her to think about something else at least, she seemed as if she was feeling less cornered and intimidated.

She smiled, letting out a small giggle as he worried. Immediatley, she had another session of coughing. It wasn't as bad as the first times she had to. Alan worrying, there was no need for that. Her coughing just indicated that her body was getting rid of all the nasty, rusty, slimey stuff. She'd get better before she knew it. But... it was really sweet of him.

Nico grabbed a tissue and hid under the blanket. Alan had seen her suffer enough, so she thought it was only the right thing to do. Under there, she carefully spit out the rust that escaped her stomach during her coughing seizure, into the tissue. As out of habit, she looked at the juices she had expelled into the white fabric. She usually did that to check if she spat out any blood or if she noticed anything strange. It was a good way to see if her body was doing okey. 'Not as much blood, quite alot of rust though.' She sighed, her voice still hoarse. Wrinkling the paper, she peeked back at Alan out of her silky burrito.

Her arm slid out of her peeking hole and aimed at a basket near the footend of her bed. 'H-here goes nothing' With what might have been the worst throwing technique, Nico just dropped the paper next to her bed. Wauw. She blushed embarassed.

Her blue eyes surrounded by redness, gazed up at Alan. She watched as he explained how his finger got a scar because of something that happened in Potions Class. A burn? That sounds painful! Like a snake, Nico carefully sat up. First her body, then her head. As soon as she sat comfortably and didn't feel like she could fall over any second, she carefully reached out for Alans hand. She carried it delicately, watching the scar abit closer.

His skin seemed to glow, because of the bloomy light that fell into the room. It reminded her of the paintings she once saw in a museum. Carefully painted by great masters.

'I'm glad it's a small scar.' She said softly still looking at it closely. 'You're too nice to be in pain, Alan.' She just said that. Didn't even stutter. But that's because she meant it and wasn't even afraid to be truthful.

She noticed Alan's slightly distressed face, followed by pulling his hand back. She had acted too fast, hadn't she? 'S-sorry...I didn't mean to..' She sled her arms back into her cocoon made of blankets, her face visible from the only opening within the bedsheets. Usually Nico knew her boundaries towards others. What would she allow others to do to her. What are her limits. What did she like and didn't like.

She realised too late that she crossed something she shouldn't have with Alan. His clear kind voice had become but a mumble. Hesitant, startled. 'I ehm... I should've asked if it was okey to.. look closer...' The only reason she could give, why she acted so familiar with him was because she had gotten used to his company. She felt rather comfortabe around him and forgot her own social rules. If you feel comfortable, it doesn't mean the other does aswell. When she thought about it, being touched out of nowhere by a semi-stranger would be something that would make her feel uneasy aswell.

The Nurse walked up to them and brought a bottle and a spoon. 'Here, dear. I got you some syrup that can soothe your throat. I'm sure you already spit out most of the rust. Your throat must be destroyed by now...' The Nurse sighed abit worried, pouring some of the brown liquid into the spoon.

'Open up.'

Nico groaned and parted her lips.

After feeding the regretful-penny-eating student, the Nurse got up and pat her head. 'If you feel good enough, you're free to go.' She smiled and wobbled off to clean the spoon.

Nico nodded at the nurse before she left, still wrapped in the cocoon, letting out a small sigh.