Written for alyssialui's Pairing the Character Drabble Competition
Word Count: 180
Pairing: Astoria/Millicent
The twelve year old cringes as she hears the loud laughter coming through the door of the fourth year girls dorm. Without even seeing them, she can easily discern the voices. Pansy's is raucous and is more of a screech than anything else, Tracey's is like what a fairy might sound like with a cold, Phaedra's is a rattling wheeze, and her own sister's voice possesses the cold regality of a queen who had just condemned a man to die.
"Did you see her though?"
"She looked hideous!"
"Like a troll in drag!"
Without making her presence at the door known, Astoria tiptoes to the bathroom where Millicent stands before the mirror, silent tears streaking down her face as she harshly wipes the blush from her cheeks and rouge from her lips.
Astoria brushes reassuring fingers against a trembling hand, half expecting to be pushed away. When she isn't, she lays her head on Millicent's shoulder.
"They're the ugly ones," she murmurs softly as Millicent sniffles, her watery eyes tight with anger and hurt, "I thought you looked beautiful tonight."