A Dish Best Served Cold }{ [Nyx/Gwen]

[Shenea Itotia]

Things were not supposed to be this way. A Witch's seventh year at Hogwarts was supposed to be magical, and special. Full of wonder and mystery. A year worth remembering and clinging to in your dreams at night. A time to stress about in a positive sort of way, and revel in at all times. This was most definitely not how Shenea's year was supposed to be. She should have had the perfect year, filling with things she wanted to remember. Faces worth remembering, days and nights worth sharing stories about, and a Wizard to finish the year off with and perhaps even keep a hold of for the rest of her days. But Shenea didn't have any of these things. Her year was, simply put, complete shit. And why was this?

Well, it was all very quite simple. Her friends were not friends at all, bt back stabbing aquaintances. Her boyfriend had betrayed her on more then one account, with more then one girl- and a girl who apparently didn't even like guys for that matter! And what did she have to show for all of this? A full bottle of Fire Whisky, unopened, and practically singing to her to be drank. She hadn't bothered to even mess with the cork in the top yet, though the lable had been peeled off some time ago. Things, as of late, were just not good, and while alcohol seemed to be the answer all of her House mates resorted to, Shenea just couldn't seem to make herself fall into a drunken stupor. What was the point? How was being drunk going to solve anything? It would just give her a headache in the morning, after all.

No, the money spent had been wasted. Maybe she'd give it away to someone later...Though right now she was taking comfort in just holding the bottle. It created an odd sort of heat and warmed her cold hands, though the weather (while dark) was nice and shouldn't have chilled her skin in the least. She felt cold a lot lately, especially when she was drifting between anger and depression. Life was unfair, even with her body temperature lately, it seemed. And yet all of this was forgotten when she heard voices. Lovely, why couldn't people just stay indoors and leave well enough alone at night? Probably for reasons not unsimilar to her's. Though the pair of bodies she saw caused Shenea's posture to go rigid and her eyes to narrow.

"That has to be her..." she all but growled, watching Nyx Treassa and whoever else she was with come across the bridge and into the court yard. "Well, well, well..." she hummed, climbing to her feet slowly once the girls were close enough to hear her. "If it isn't the little Gryffindor slut. The seductive singing harlot that I've heard oh so very much about..." And she had, Dio had made sure of that. "Tell me, Treassa, was it? Did you enjoy your little romp with my boyfriend?" True enough, Sebastian wasn't her boyfriend anymore, but that was beside the point at current. "I was under the assumption that you didn't even like girls," she scoffed, then glanced at the blond girl accompanying her briefly, "So I suppose your encounter with Sebastian was completely out of character."

An almost insane gleam shattered the pain in Shenea's eyes all at once, "That's alright though, beating you senseless will be completely out of character for me." With that, the bottle she had been cuddling like a friend just moments before was raised, then came thundering down at an angle, aimed sloppily at the side of Nyx's head- though any collision wouldn't have made it that far with Nene's raged aim and her miscalculation for Nyx's company. The gasp of horror and shout of protest that sounded from the blond only registered after the bottle of fire whisky collided with Nyx's right shoulder. This only infuriated the brunette more and her now free (yet now wet...) hands shoved the blond girl hard, getting her out of the way before her attention went back to Nyx. She was going to pay, one way or another, and that was that.

[Nyx M Treassa]

This was the second day of Gwen keeping her company. Though she still hasn’t been sleeping well, her stomach wasn’t sinking any lower and her spirits were up and brightened by the gorgeous beaming smiles Gwen liked to share. Her steady presence was reassuring, too. All of yesterday and this morning she was there at her elbow, looking just so content to be walking around with her as they went around the castle to do various chores. Nyx even waited for Gwen outside of her class that night so they could spend dinner together; quietly and outdoors in the dark. Not so much alone, however, as Nyx lead them down to the lake where the fireflies danced on the lily pads. Nyx enjoyed it, and for the first time in two weeks she felt like herself again.

That was until they crossed the bridge, and the first venom-laced hisses cut her ears.

Just as quickly as Gwen managed to build her up, all of her insides went dropping down. Her gut landed thickly in her legs, making them feel heavy. The words rang through her head, slut, slut, slut, SLUT, SLUT! Nyx was extremely embarrassed that she didn’t understand what ‘harlot’ meant, but it was probably along the same lines. Blood drained out of her face, leaving her normally golden hued skin ashen and pale. “Ah-… Ah din’t… Ah w’s… Merl’n, m’so sorry. Ah was ‘ammer’d, an’…” There was no excuse, not for how disgusting she was. “I nev’r want’d tah lay with’a man!”

Her heart thundered and clenched in her chest, making it hard to breathe. She stood stone still, watching with increasingly desolate eyes as the bottle came crashing down. She’d deserve it if this girl beat her to a pulp. Nyx squeezed her eyes closed at the last moment, preparing for the blow to the head… Instead she felt a burst of pain explode on her shoulder. Fire whiskey oozed down her arm along with some blood from the small cut she received. Blue-green eyes opened, glittering softly with superficial tears as he heart kept breaking.

“ ‘it me…” The words came softly. “Ah din’t mean tah, but ah d’serv’t. Merlin, jus’ ‘it me…”

[Shenea Itotia]

"Stop it! Leave her alone!"

Apparently the little blond girl wasn't taking the hint to stay out of the matters between Shenea and the Gryffindor slut. Once again, she shoved the other girl backwards and out of the way, then quite easily grabbed Nyx by the throat. Her hand didn't quite fit all the way around the other's neck, but she didn't care. She was already moving them backwards until she had the fifth year rammed into one of the stone archways. Screams were heard, and at first a perversion of amusement flooded Nene's mind, until she realized it wasn't her target that was screaming.

"You lame excuse isn't going to protect you." she hissed, her eyes slitting dangerously as her voice dipped low, "Besides, if you really liked chasing skirts like you claim, why would you have seduced him? Hm? Answer that one, you little slut." She wrenched the- admittedly- tall teen away from the archway, then slammed her back against it again. This sort of violence wasn't typically in Shenea's nature. No, she was much more proned to curses, and good at them. And yet her mind was oblivious to this fact right now, and her wand was completely forgotten. "I should beat you unconscious, shred your clothing, then give you to a pack of randy Slytherin boys!"

Her hand tried to tighten around the other's throat, but without the leverage of being able to close her hand, this was difficult to accomplish, "That way they could fuck you senseless, repeatedly, over and over again, and the entire school would see just how much of a slut you really are!"

[Nyx M Treassa]

“Gwen… Go n’side, please?” Her voice was quiet now, like it was the day Gwen found her. Defeated, ashamed, and hurt. Nyx didn’t raise a hand to defend herself when the Slytherin’s grip tightened around her neck. There was no scream, but a slight garbled sound that was a result of her throat closing and air still trying to flow to her lungs. The act was a little surprising, but Nyx didn’t thrash against her; instead her hand rested on Itotia’s forearm to steady herself as she was sent backwards. Watery green-blue eyes squeezed shut at the first impact and the jarring of her throat.

“Ah-” Cough. “Sing-” Gasp. “No’h th’nk’n…” Tears streamed down her cheeks as the pluming guilt seared to it’s maximum. She was, she was a slut and this was her punishment for being so freaking stupid. Nyx brought her other hand up to hold Shenea’s arm, holding herself steady as she was slammed back into the wall again. “S’rry-” Nyx made a sound as her throat closed completely, and her hands flinched instinctively around the other girl’s arm.

The beast inside her was barking at the end of it’s chain, daring the Slytherin to try to beat her. Nyx could take her no problem, probably without putting effort into it. Shenea was only winning because the guilty Gryffindor refused to lash out on what she thought to be justified punishment.

“Nngh…!”

[Gweneth Carlon]

This was all becoming way too much far too quickly. Gwen considered herself a rational girl. She liked rules, she liked them to be followed. Things happened according to a set of rules, and people were expected to follow them at all times. So why was it that Slytherins always seemed to think they were the exception to this rule? Well, for once, Gwen's mind just couldn't comprehend the rules. She couldn't remember what was said about fighting, about drawing your wand on another student, about cursing or hexing someone else. None of it made sense and when she tried to read the written rules in her mind, they blurred and faded to the point of non-comprehension.

As an ending result, Gweneth Carlon lost it.

That was her friend. Her Nyx- though she had no real claim on the girl...- this stupid Slytherin had her hands on. Her Nyx that the older girl was hurting physically and emotionally. And her Nyx to protect at any and all cost, however great or small that cost might be. That settled it indefinitely. Gwen pushed herself back to her feet and nearly ripped her pocket with the force she removed her wand from it. A moment later it was pointed at the Slytherin, "Let her go!" she demanded. It wasn't a request, it wasn't a plea, it was a demand laced with a promising threat.

*Shenea*

So, the little blond had some guts after all. Shenea didn't loosen her grip, but her head turned to regard the other girl now firmly in the picture. "Do you honestly have the gual? Hm? Do you think you have what it takes to curse someone? You have to mean it you know. Can you?" she smirked in a cruel sort of way, "I don't think you do..."

Regardless, her hand lowered away from Nyx's throat, but she didn't step away. "Just what would you do? Which curse would you be bold enough to use against me? And could you do it, before I reached back up and strangled the life right out of your girlfriend here?"

*Gweneth*

The smugness of the Slytherin only made Gwen that much more angry. As soon as that hand fell away from Nyx's throat, and before Shenea could finish speaking, Gwen gestured with her wand and called the first spell that came to mind, "Flipendo!" the force of the spell impacted, and luckily, the Hufflepuff was situated to the side enough that when it hit, it shot the Slytherin away from Nyx rather then into her. She followed the other's body and stood with her wand still pointed down, but didn't get close enough to be grabbed. She wasn't stupid. "Now get up and get lost." she hissed, "Or I'll blast your arse into the lake and let the squid have you."

*Shenea*

Before she knew it, her body was in the air, and just as suddenly it hit the ground. The little bitch had actually hit her with a spell! Shenea hoisted herself up on her elbows, ready to leap again only to find the same girl feet away, wand pointed at her again, ready to nail her again. she'd been threatened and the terms carried out, and now there was nothing else to say or do. She was at the disadvantage right now, and she knew it. Slowly she got back to her feet, eyes always on this crazy blond girl. "Fine." was all she said, then her gaze drifted to Nyx, "But I think your slut of a girlfriend got the message. Be sure to keep her on a tighter leash, or next time I'll wait until you're not around to protect her." With that, she headed inside, bumping shoulders rough enough with the other girl to make her stagger, though not enough to make her lose her focus with her wand, apparently.

She shot Nyx a meaningful look as she passed, then carried on as if nothing had happened as she disappeared up the steps and inside.

*Gweneth*

Once the Slytherin was gone, Gwen's entire body swayed. All at once her anger vanished and her mind felt weak. Hell, her entire body felt weak. What, exactly, had she just done? She'd attacked another student...and now she'd be lucky if she didn't get expelled. But that wasn't her concern right now. No, right now she had Nyx to worry about. As if this thought had reconnected her brain to the rest of her body, Gwen turned and crossed the ground to Nyx's frame. She looked the Gryffindor over, concern obvious in her gaze, and asked the most simple and stupid question she could have probably ever asked at this point in the softest voice she could manage right now, "You ok...?"

[Nyx M Treassa]

Time seemed to pass by slowly, ticking by at the rate of her increased heart rate pounding in her ears. Her face reddened as her body realized there wasn’t enough oxygen to support the system, and her lungs began flinching with every breath she tried to take. More tears streamed down, burning scorching trails along her cheeks and down her neck. Her head was fuzzy, and the pounding in her ears was so loud she didn’t even hear the two others exchanging words. The world might as well have melted away behind her closed eyes.

The beast whimpered, and simultaneously the same sound escaped Nyx’s throat before she was finally let go.

Against the pillar, she sunk down and held her neck. Air rushed back and forth over her lungs as her body refueled the life-giving gas; her head swam briefly as the blood came rushing back. Nyx blinked her eyes (which deposited more tears) open and searched around the darkness. Where was Gwen? Brief panic gripped her before she realized that the proper, sweet Hufflepuff was pinning down a seventh-year Slytherin with her wand. This was both impressive and troubling, since taking on someone two years older was quite a big difference. However, Gwen was a ‘puff at heart, and seeing her like this to defend her worthless, sorry self caused a heavy ache.

Nyx raised her eyes to Shenea, but dropped them when she was spoken to. Shame warmed her ears, but she had nothing to say… She wasn’t worth the words.

When Shenea left, there was a pause before she felt Gwen’s presence in front of her. Pools of glittering shame leveled with her pathetically, and Nyx looked positively miserable. “Ah’ll be fine…” She whispered quietly. Sniff. “Yeh c’n go now… Yeh dun’ need tah stay.” More tears fell, more and more streaming down her cheeks. Merlin, Gwen probably never wanted to see her again: She was a slut, she was a lesbian, she was stupid, she was a horrible person, she was just so, so wrong. And Gwen didn’t even know she was a mutt, a freak of nature yet! Nyx cupped her face in her hands and curled forward, her heart breaking for reasons she couldn’t understand.

It wasn’t even the guilt anymore.

[Gweneth Carlon]

Gwen stared down at her friend, watching, reading, and waiting. When Nyx spoke, the blond 'puff shook her head and crouched down to eye level- though Nyx was currently curled up on herself- before speaking again. "Is that why you've been hurting, Nyx?" her voice was still soft, and not so much curious as still deeply concerned, "Because some stupid, stupid guy..." she didn't finish the sentence and instead cleared her throat a bit. "Lookit me," she reached out carefully and pulled the other's hands away from her face, her eyes soft though there was frustration mixed in there as well over the situation. "I knew you were hurting, Nyx, I could see it, I could see it in everything you said or did. It was painstakingly obvious, but I had no idea the pain ran this deeply.

This isn't your fault. Do you hear me? Not a single bit of it is your fault. You were drinking, right? And I'd be willing to bet that if that stupid Slytherin's boyfriend got a hold of you, he wasn't drinking, which means he took advantage of you. Not the other way around." she caught the other's gaze firmly, "Do you understand what I'm telling you, Nyx? You're not a slut. You're not. You were hurt, and taken advantage of, and that does not make you a slut, it makes you a victim. Especially if you don't like boys in the first place."

She released the other's hands, allowing her a bit of space again, though only rocked back a bit and didn't get up. "So please...Don't push me away. I wanna help, if you're still willing to let me..."

[Nyx M Treassa]

Tears streamed through her fingers, dripping down her hands, her wrists, and her arms. She couldn’t seem to stop the flow as the storm raged violently inside of her; self-hate was becoming a mantra to sing in the back of her mind while the thoughts kept on sweeping by. Her shoulders shook from the force of her fluttering sides, trying to keep all the embarrassing sounds in. By this point Nyx was honestly hoping Gwen had run for the hills, because she wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold them in without her chest exploding. The moment she thought she might burst, Gwen was talking to her in the softest voice imaginable.

A small whimper escaped.

Gwen still didn’t know all of it, didn’t know that it must be her fault. Nyx, she had to protect her from making such assumptions, that she was actually worth a glance. The brute needed to strip herself of every last shred of lies and just tell Gwen everything. Soft hands pulled at hers (why did they have to be so soft?) and pulled them away. Miserable, reddened eyes peered up from a shamefully bowed head, blinking away tears and trying to be brave enough to look Gwen in the eyes.

“Yeh dun’ understand,” She squeaked. Just looking at Gwen (who was gazing at her so trustingly) ripped her heart from her chest. And then the words just started pouring from her, trying to make Gwen understand and run. “M’grea’h gramma was’a Veela, an’ my grea’h grea’h gran’pa was’a giant!” One secret revealed; because she was a Veela, she was a beautiful monster. Because she was a giant, she was a stupid one. Gwen would realize this. “Ah w’s drunk, bu’h Ah star’ed singin’! N’no’h th’ way I shoul’h! ‘Nevah sing th’veela way’.” She quoted her mother dismally. “Ah s-s’ duced ‘im ev’n tho Ah din’t mean to!”

As Nyx spoke, her body began rocking slightly. “M’ah… S-skaht chasah?” Those were the words the Slytherin had used. “Ah’d nevah want’a man. Bu’h tha’s why yeh shou’n’t be ‘round me! Other’s’ll stah’t tah say yer one too…” She swallowed thickly. “Ah was drunk’nother nigh’h, too. Ended up k-kiss’n Diomedea R-Rosier. The wom’n pushed mah b-bes’h friend d-down th’stairs! Tha’h’s why Izzy won’h be near me!” Tearstained, puffy, and achingly sad, Nyx turned her face towards Gwen pleadingly.

“Please dun’ waste yer time on me!”

[Gweneth Carlon]

Gwen took in everything that was just said to her one sentence at a time. Her brow creased slowly and she leaned back a bit to look at the sobbing Gryffindor for a long, silent moment.

"So?" she finally asked, arching a brow at the other girl. But that seemed too simple. She'd just been given so much information that her non-caring over any of it could have been misinterpereted as just one piece. "You're a mixed blood. So what? You like girls. Who cares? The biggest issue here is that you had a serious misunderstanding with a guy, and it wasn't your fault." Gwen frowned a bit and shook her head, "And if this friend of your's can't forgive you for the things you do while intoxicated, that's her problem, not your's." She lowered her face closer to Nyx's making firm eye contact again, "Its not your fault, Nyx. Any of it. You've really gotta quit beating yourself up over things you have/had no control over. Its not healthy, and you're only going to make things worse for yourself in the long run."

She leaned back again and sighed, "And I don't think I could handle it if you depressed yourself into a stupor...Sure, I'd visit you in your catatonic state, but how much fun would you be, really?" it was a lame attempt at trying to coax a smile from the Gryffindor, but really this situation was serious...But, what else could Gwen do?

[Nyx M Treassa]

Eyes widened with all the words Gwen was saying. Could that possibly be it? There was no anger or disgust in Gwen’s voice; she seemed totally okay with everything she just said. It dumbfounded her completely, because everyone else seemed to care. Everyone else was very content to blame her for everything, and to single her out because of her flaws and her stupid actions…

Gwen was looking at her like there was nothing wrong, and she didn’t know what to do. She was crying because she was all wrong, but Gwen… She didn’t think so. The tears stopped almost immediately, and she just fell silent. What else could she do, with Gwen being so close and so comforting to her? Nyx swallowed a thick ounce of embarrassment, and took a few moments to collect herself.

“M’sorreh…” Her voice cracked with tears and embarrassment. What an idiot, sitting there and sobbing like that… “Ah dunno what ‘cat-a-tonic’ means…” Nyx’s ears turned red hot with embarrassment, but there was relief, too. Gwen was trying to joke with her, and she didn’t care about what she was, and she was so sweet, and smart, and beautiful… Long arms reached out and tugged Gwen close, and she hugged her tightly.

“Sorreh…”

[Gweneth Carlon]

Well, whatever it was she had done, seemed to have worked. Something she'd said or some way she'd looked. Whatever it was, Gwen was glad she'd done it. Anything to make those tears stop...It broke Gwen's heart a little bit more every time one of those salt watery dropletts made another streak on Nyx's face. And yet, she hadn't quite been expecting the end result. When she was apologized to, she'd been about to open her mouth to protest. Inform the other girl that there was absolutely no need to apologize what-so-ever. But her sense of retort died off in her throat when she was tugged forward.

Red hot flames of color splashed to life under the natural glow of Gwen's cheeks. These flames sparked to life there, scorched over the bridge of her nose, and burnt the tops of her ears viciously. A soft, almost squeaky sound left Gwen's lips, but she didn't pull away. She couldn't, not now. Her body reacted faster then her mind and all too easily the blond fell into the embrace she was offered. Her body snuggled up against Nyx's as if she was made to fit against the Gryffindor- and quite truthfully, that's how she felt. Like that is exactly where she belonged, and no where else. This brought a content sigh to life on Gwen's lips, though when she realized she'd made the sound, her blush intensified ten-fold and she pulled herself back gently- so as to not make Nyx think she'd done anything wrong.

"No need to apologize to me..." she very nearly whispered, the blush still red hot on her face. Hoo-boy...what an idiot she'd just made of herself...

[Nyx M Treassa]

The way she was sitting with her knees sharply angled due to the positioning of her feet, Gwen fell completely against her in this hug. Nyx felt for a moment that she was a mug, and Gwen was a warm tea or soup that filled her to the brim. For a few moments she hugged her with this tenderness that was hard to associate with someone six feet tall and looked the way the Gryffindor did. But she did, with her soppy cheek pressed against Gwen’s head, her arms wrapped around her, and her legs on either side. Her heart jumped back into her chest and swelled, the beast in her head was melting, her mind started buzzing…

Gwen’s perfume really could do a number on her, and almost instantly she began that quiet rumble of happiness in her chest.

Some of the hurt ebbed away, knowing she wasn’t alone anymore. Gwen wasn’t going to go running for the hills from her, even though she expected it of everyone. Maybe the blond was crazy, maybe she was too sweet for her own good. Heck, maybe she needed Nyx as much as Nyx needed her. All she knew when Gwen pulled away was the way those blue eyes made her pulse go quicker, her scent made her crazy, and her presence made her melt.

All of her senses orbited this huge realization, something instinctual. The sound in her throat, her heart’s swelling, butterflies in her stomach, a lovely buzzing in her head, topped with Gwen being willing to stay, not being afraid of her…

With her eyes illuminated like moonlight under a green-blue ocean, Nyx tilted forward to brush the softest kiss across Gwen’s lips. Mine… The beast inside her lay belly-up in submission, purring with success. Love has been found.

[Gweneth Carlon]

She had hoped she wouldn't make Nyx feel bad when she'd pulled away from the spontaneous hug. That would have been the most horrid thing the Hufflepuff could have done in her entire life. She didn't want anything to hurt Nyx, ever. So the idea of causing hurt herself made Gwen almost sick to her stomach. This feeling didn't last though. As soon as she caught the other's eyes again, her breathing ceased and her heart thudded harder in her chest. Why was she looking at her like that..? Had she done something wrong? She was in for it now, wasn't she?

And just like that, a mere second later, Gwen's mind exploded. It was just a soft, brief brushing of Nyx's lips against her own, but that's apparently all it took. For a moment, the current blond stared at the other girl, mouth sightly open and eyes fairly lazy- though slightly astonished as well. Then all at once, that brief gesture of affection wasn't enough. She wanted more. Perhaps that was greedy, but Gwen didn't care, nor did she hesitate to think twice about her next move. She leaned in and pressed her lips back against Nyx's, more firmly and with definite intent to stay there for as long as the other girl would allow.

[Nyx M Treassa]

It was so difficult to describe the feeling when she’d kissed Gwen. It was far too brief, as an earth quaking fear filled her in the next instant. For all she knew that could have been another horrible mistake, making someone else run for the hills. Something strangely told her to sit still though and remain silent to admire the beautiful girl’s face as she reacted to the touch of affection. Glowing eyes, glittering with aftershock tears, watched her closely, for any sign of distress. Her silent stillness was rewarded, and she was gifted with acceptance.

Her mind turned to pleasant ooze when pressure was applied.

Now obviously Nyx had kissed a few people, and some of them were nice. All of the kisses were just hormonal tongue-play, but this… Her body was stained with this dreamy joy that put lethargy in her limbs and energy in her heart. Behind her eyes, a wall of water built up again before streaming down her cheek. The tear became a solid sphere that fell solidly between them; it was a Veela memento to the emotions skyrocketing inside of her. It bounced from her chest and made a miraculous landing in Gwen’s pocket, slipping down with every shift and movement.

Nyx’s large, non-whiskey soaked hand cupped Gwen’s cheek and she returned the kiss. Lips to lips, Nyx finally filled her final sense of Gwen with taste, and just like everything else, she thought she was perfect. After a moment, she broke the kiss and touched their noses together. “This okay?” She burred softly. Please…

[Gweneth Carlon]

She didn't notice the object that fell into her pocket, however small and significant that it was. She was too busy being lost in everything else going on. Gwen could stay like this, lips pressed against Nyx's just like this, forever...though breathing didn't currently come to mind. She didn't want to, she didn't need to- ok, so maybe she did...but that was hardly the point. No, the point was, she was content, and intended to stay that way.

So it was Nyx that broke the kiss. This brought a confused sort of frown to life on Gwen's expression and her eyes remained closed. Her body continued to lean forward as if she was waiting to be kissed again, but words greeted her instead. A soft sort of humming sound left her lips and she nodded, "More then okay..." she mumbled, her hands now reaching out to search for the other girl's face in order to draw her back in for another kiss.