A Darker Shade of Red

I See You

The days passed by quickly and soon enough the day of December 24th arrived. What was so speacial about this day, you ask? (Besides Christmas Eve, that is) Easy, its the anual Christmas Ball. Every student had returned to Hogwarts and every girl was gossiping over couples and dresses and everything else...

Well, except our fateful foursome.

"So Gin, you and Dragon-boy going together?" inquired Nicole at breafast that morning.

"But, of course." she answered with a bat of her eyelashes.

Laura just smiled as Cole started making gag noises.

"Oh, like you and Mr. Loverboy are so able to stand," Gin exclaimed, glaring, "You're all smooches and gropes."

Now it was Cole who glared. "Whatever. Speaking of Greg, I'm gonna go track him down." she said, standing up, "I haven't 'smooched or groped' him today."

"Okay." the other two chorused, smiling.

Cole grinned as she turned and exited, leaving the dirty-blonde haired girl and the redhead alone.

"Are you and Blaise going together?" Gin asked.

"Yeah, I think he really likes me." Laura replied, smiling still.

"That's good. I'm really happy for you, Laura." Gin was about to say more when the two heard a loud crash in the enterance hall.

They exchanged a glance with T.J. (who was at the Slytherin table) before running out to see what was up. When they opened the doors they were met with the sight of a bleeding Greg and the back of Cole's robes as she billowed away.

Moments Ago

Cole grinned as she exited the Hall but it faded when she realized Greg was standing there, in front of everyone, kissing pug-face Pansy Parkinson. Her jaw dropped and her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Gregory Christian Goyle!" she shrieked.

The two Slytherins jumped a part, as though getting shocked, and looked at her.

"Nikki! Th-This isn't what it looks like, I swear!" he said, running up to her.

"No Greg, I'm not stupid. I know what's going on here and I don't care!" she shrieked, "You-You fucking lying, cheating BASTARD!"

The black haired girl grabbed at glass vase and hurled it at him, it was quickly followed by two more vases and many names and swears. Soon she let the tears take her over and ran up to the Gryffindor girl's bathroom, with some tripping and scrapes. As she flew into the common room, she glared at the Golden Trio, who were sitting on the couch in front of the fire-place.

When she finally reached her destination, the girl yanked up her sleave and clumsily pulled out a smooth silver dagger. Letting the tears fall onto her newly exposed flesh, Nicole pressed the blade to her fore-arm and thanked the gods she had locked the door (as well as put a silencing charm on the room) as she screamed bloody-murder, quickly dragging the knife across her ivory skin in fast strokes. Used to, she'd do this slow and silently, but not now. Now she cut deep and fast and screamed while she did it.

Cole heard banging on the door and knew her friends were out there. She couldn't let them see her like this. Not yet, not now.

She removed the silencing charm for a moment. "I'm fine, guys." she bit out, "I'll see you in a minute."

Cole cursed herself for lying to them but they just couldn't know.

She needed at least one secret. Just for now.

Later on Ginevra and Laura were smiling at each other as Cole fixed the hem of Gin's dress.

(www. loralie .com/ images/ Huge/ 7451h .jpg - Gin's dress
www. loralie .com/ images/ Huge/ 7458h .jpg - T.J.'s dress
www. loralie .com/ images/ Huge/ 7697h .jpg - Laura's dress)

"You two look gorgeous." Cole commented, "Okay Gin, you're good."

Laura stood from her seat on her bed and turned to Nicole. "Are you sure you're okay by yourself?"

The fanged girl smiled and sighed. "Once again; Yes, Laura, I am fine." she replied, "You two go, have fun, tell Greg to get fucked."

"Will you at least walk with us to the enterance hall?" Gin pleaded with a smile.

"Oh alright. I want to see Teej's dress anyhow."

The three made their ways down to the hall and smiled at seeing how beautiful the fourth part of the Sinister Four was looking this evening.

"Well, here come your dates, ladies." Cole said, "I'll be seeing you."

"Bye C!" they called as she walked away.

"That," Gin began, grinning, "was awesome."

The ball had ended and now the three girls were (T.J. was snuck into the Gryffindor girl's dorm) outside the dorm door. When Gin reached for the nob, the door simply creaked open. She looked back at her friends with a concerned look before entering.

"OH MY GOD!" she screamed at the sight that met her eyes.

Nicole was lying on her bed, wearing a beautiful red gown (www. loralie .com/ images/ Huge/ 7432 .jpg - Gown ). She laid on the bed on her side, her face still gleaming with old tears and a blood-tinged razor blade in her hand. Blood dripped continuously down from the gash on her wrist, onto her palm and then onto the oak floor boards.

Dearest Friends,

You want to know why, I suppose? It is because

I didn't want to get you killed. Voldemort has been

tracking me down for a very long time. Everything

I told you about me is true, I didn't lie to get your

simpathy. I am sorry, I had to do it.

Tand edo.

Nicole R. Lupin-Keith

Gin sank to her knees in horror and soon T.J. and Laura joined her with tears in their eyes.

"Tand edo?" Laura asked in a hoarse whisper.

Hogsmeade Cemetary, Christmas Day

The eight of them just sat there in the wooden fold-out chairs as Remus Lupin said a few words about his neice.

"... She was judged and never given a chance by anyone... Except these—" he motioned to Ginevra and everyone "-and the good professor, here."

Snape just nodded.

The ceremony continued at a slow rate and then they were standing under a weeping willow, saying their goodbyes to her.

Damnit, Cole... Why did you do it? Was it Greg's fault? Was it our's? Why was Voldemort tracking you down? Why did you leave us with so many un-answered questions! Gin smacked her hand against the tree in anger.

She felt an arm slide around her shoulders and knew it was Draco. She turned and hugged him. "It's not fair... " she murmured into his shoulder.

"Shhh... I know, luv, I know... " he said, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Unbeknownst to them there was a girl with raven locks watching them. Ginevra Rosellen Weasley... figure it out, you silly girl! Figure it out! she thought, frustrated.

"Mummy? You okay?" said a small voice from her side.

The woman looked down and smiled. "Yes, Katie, Mummy's just fine."

Gin smiled weakly at Laura and T.J., "You guys can go, I'm gonna take a quick nap."

They looked aprehensive but nodded and left for the Library while Gin made her way to the Gryffindor common room. But when she entered she glared at seeing her brother and company sitting on her couch.

"Oh Gin, we heard about Nicole." Ron said, standing, "We're so-"

"Shut up, Ronald." she snapped, "Don't you dare, dare, say you're sorry, you bastard. You three hated her and all my friends from the beginning, so don't even lie to me now and say you're sorry!"

Harry stood up then, "Look Ginny, we really are so-"

"NO!" she screamed, "Just shut the hell up!"

The redhead streaked up to her dorm and locked the door before leaning against the door and sliding into a sitting position. She just couldn't deal with those idiots right now. She couldn't deal with anything right now. As she threaded her fingers through her hair she saw a glimmer from inside Nicole's old trunk.

She stood and wiped her eyes, moving towards it. She reached out and realized it was a dagger. Her brows furrowed as she wondered why Nicole could have had a dagger besides the purpose of killing herself.

Then it all clicked.

She used to cut.

She tried to kill herself before this all.

But why? she thought, She'd always seemed kind of... Breezey. Not really caring what people did or thought about her.

Gin took the blade and ran her finger-tip over it. She dropped it when she heard something.

"You stupid little slut!"

SMACK!

"You're just like that stupid father of yours!"

SMACK!

The redhead dropped to her knees as the voices screamed and shrieked, hitting the young girl she realized was Cole at eight-years-old.

"Mummy, please! Stop it!"

Another smack acrossed her face.

"Don't ever speak to me like that!"

"No... no... please stop it... " Ginevra murmured, clutching her head in pain.

End Chapter