"Miss Lestrange!" McGonagall's eyes widened upon the scene. "What have you done?"
McGonagall rushed past her to the boy, carefully lifting him into a sitting position.
"Well? Explain yourself immediately! This is very serious!"
"I was just teaching him a little lesson, Professor."
"A lesson? What kind of lesson could possibly result in this!" McGonagall gaped at her, struggling to get the still sobbing boy to his feet.
"I don't know about you Professor, but when someone puts their hands on me, they're lucky to still have them."
"Pardon?" McGonagall frowned.
Valentine sighed irritably and gestured at Nayden.
"That sobbing pile of pathetic right there followed me from the Great Hall and would have forced himself on meif I didn't reduce him to said pile."
McGonagall stared at her for a solitary moment, processing her meaning.
"Oh!" She gasped, dropping the boy completely like he'd bitten her.
He groaned as his head smacked into the ground and he curled into a shaking ball on the grass.
McGonagall stepped over him and hurried towards Valentine, her entire demeanour and expression changed. She grabbed both of the girl's arms gently.
"I apologize, are you alright?"
"Better now that he's not going to be touching anyone or anything for a while." Valentine shrugged indifferently.
Nayden cried louder and McGonagall shot a look at him over her shoulder.
"I'dsay." She murmured.
Then two giggling voices followed by footfalls stepped into the courtyard. Then the giggles were cut off abruptly followed by;
"Oh, my, God."
Valentine turned to see Anna and Chloe standing hand in hand just off the walkway, smiles having just clearly dropped off their faces.
"Is he okay?" Anna eyed Nayden and then looked to Valentine. "Isn't that Mr Creepy?"
"Nevermind him." Said McGonagall dismissively. "Go and fetch Professor Snape and the Headmaster immediately!"
The two girls exchanged confused glances.
"Now!" McGonagall urged them.
And with that, the two scurried off.
"Are you sure that you're alright?" McGonagall asked her again, searching her face for some kind of sign of distress.
"I'll live." She shrugged and then nodded to Nayden. "What are you going to do with that?"
"That is why we need Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. This kind of behaviour is totally deplorable, utterly barbaric. It will not be stood for, I promise you."
"What in the hell have you done this time?" A familiar voice growled out behind them.
"Ah. Just in time." Valentine turned to Snape. "This thing put his hands where I didn't want them."
"And you...?" Snape prompted.
"...Broke both his finger and his perverted spirit at the very least."
Snape huffed in annoyance.
"This isn't exactly what I had planned for tonight either, you know." Valentine scowled.
"This is Karkaroff's territory." Snape ignored her last comment.
"You are Miss Lestrange's Head of House, Severus." McGonagall reminded him.
"It pains me to this day."
"That makes the two of us!"
"Severus, take her inside." McGonagall nudged her towards him. "It'd be better for everyone involved."
"I'm sorry. Who's the victim here?" Valentine was more than a little irked. "He attacked me!"
"No is denying that." McGonagall assured her. "Now, just go with Professor Snape."
"Honestly. Is it entirely impossible for you to stay out of trouble for one night?" Snape reached to grab her arm but she yanked it away at the last moment. "Just come on."
He shoved her along the path.
"This isn't my fault! I was trying to get away from him!" She hissed, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they were far enough away from McGonagall. "He kept staring at me like a pervert so I moved tables and he just got up and moved closer. And it wasn't like I was trying to seem inviting. Even Anna Henley noticed that he was staring! I ended up leaving the Great Hall all together just so I wasn't risking causing a scene night. I thought we could have one night where I could just sit in the corner just hating the world, but no. No, some waste of space decides to molest me instead! I didn't think he'd be dumb enough to follow me. He told me that he was a 'nice guy' and that we were going to have 'so much fun together' and that all I had to do was 'let it happen'. Damn, creep. He's lucky I didn't kill him and if I had my wand, he probably would have! Arg. It's like I can still feel his hands. How vile can a person be? It's just disgusting."
Valentine shivered slightly, rubbing her hands up and down her arms in revulsion like she could erase his touch.
"I'm probably going to get some kind of weird infection just from being near him. I need to go boil myself in hot water. Maybe remove a layer or two of skin."
Snape didn't say anything for a moment as she scowled and muttered under her breath. Then he said softly, just loud enough for her to hear.
"Well done."
Valentine blinked in surprise. Had she heard that right? Was he being sarcastic?
"Was that a sincere compliment I just heard?"
Snape frowned disconcertingly.
"Whatever opinion you may have of me, Lestrange, I will never condone such actions. It's juvenile and as you said yourself, vile."
Oh, God. He's serious.
A wide grin spread over her face and she couldn't stop the laughter that burst from her mouth.
"What is wrong with you?" Snape gave her an apprehensive glare. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I could say the same about you." Valentine wiped away tears of sheer bemusement. "I would hardly ever expect an honest compliment from you."
"It is less of a compliment and more of a statement on the boy." Snape said stiffly. "To believe that approaching you of all people would end well for him was a grievous error on his part."
"Hell yes, it was." Valentine snorted. "To think I put all this effort into being as threatening as possible and some idiot decides to take it as a challenge!"
They came down the stairs and entered the Great Hall. The orchestra had been replaced by some kind of band playing loud music. The students were crushed up against the edge of the stage, screaming and doing more of what was spastic jumping then dancing.
"To think this is what I was missing." Valentine grumbled. "How awful."
Snape merely grunted in agreement.
Valentine scanned the room, searching for her friend in hopes that they had not even noticed her disappearance. Instead, she spotted Anna and Chloe speaking with Professor Dumbledore.
"Did Anna and Chloe find you?" She asked Snape.
"No." He said. "I came across you myself."
"You do have a knack for showing up out of nowhere." Valentine nodded. "However disconcerting that may be."
She saw Dumbledore glancing around the room before seeing the both of them and quickly excusing himself.
"Dumbledore is coming over." She said.
"I can see that, yes."
"Miss Lestrange." Dumbledore came straight to her. "Are you alright, dear? Henley and Connelly told me I was needed urgently."
"I'm fine. A little annoyed if anything. Well, actually more than a little annoyed."
"Understandable." He nodded. "Your school mates informed me that a Durmstrang student was injured."
"He deserved it."
"Ah. And why would he deserve it?"
"He was being creepy and while being so, put his creepy hands all over me. I enacted some small measure of vengeance."
"Is he alive?" asked Dumbledore, looking to Snape pointedly.
"To be honest, I didn't look him over." said Snape, unabashed.
Valentine almost laughed again.
"Last I saw,he was crying in the dirt. McGonagall should still be with him. What exactly is his punishment going to be, Professor? Because in my opinion, physical pain, although already inflicted, is not enough."
"This will be discussed with all the relevant parties as soon as possible. I'll go to Professor McGonagall myself at once." Said Dumbledore. "Severus, go and collect Karkaroff. Tell him what has happened. The Malfoys will need to be contacted as well. And Severus, it might be advisable to keep an eye on Miss Lestrange here. Just in case, hmm?
Then Dumbledore hurried off, leaving the two dumbfounded by his last statement before they could question it.
"Did he...just assign you as my babysitter?
"It would seem so." Snape grumbled, rather disturbed.
"Gross."
"Be grateful." Snape shoved her forward so that they could make their way through the crowd and find Karkaroff.
"Grateful? For your company?"
Snape turned on her with a hardened glare. Then suddenly his glare dropped into something of mild concern and confusion.
"You'rebleeding."
"What?" Valentine's brows furrowed.
Snape tugged harshly on a ringlet by the side of her face and she immediately batted his hand away.
"Don't touch my hair." She snarled.
Valentine touched a hand to the ringlet herself and felt wetness. She pulled her hand away in surprise and looked down at her fingertips, painted red with blood.
"What the hell?"
She prodded with her fingers over the side of her face and hissed as she brushed her ear left lobe.
Snape grabbed her left shoulder with no measure of care.
"Get off." She tried to batter his hand away again but he pinned her with a black-eyed glare.
"Stop being difficult and let me see."
He tossed her hair over the back of her shoulder to survey the wound.
"I lost my earring." Valentine grumbled.
"It looks like it's been torn from your lobe and that's your main concern?" He stared at her. "How did you even manage this?"
"Damn it. Narcissa is going to nag at me, I just know it. And if it's anywhere, it lodged in that moron's face. I did head butt him rather forcefully."
Snape sighed. He looked so completely done with the entire situation.
"Go find Madam Pomfrey. I will go find Karkaroff."
"I thought Dumbledore had you had to keep an eye on me." Valentine battered her lashes innocently.
"Dumbledore's not here." He turned and disappeared into the crowd.
"Jackass." Valentine watched him go with a sneer, pulling her curls back over her shoulder to cover her ear, which now that it had been brought to her attention, was throbbing.
She was sure she'd seen Madam Pomfrey somewhere at one point during the night so she was certain that she had to be here somewhere. She scanned the room for what felt like the one-hundredth time that night and spiedMadam Pomfrey through the crowd. She was standing by the food table speaking with Madam Hooch. Valentine started towards them, growling at anyone who got in her way.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine felt her whole face twitch as Madam Pomfrey dabbed the potion-soaked cotton ball over her ear lobe. On instinct, she tried to jerk her head away but the woman had a firm grip.
"Stay still." The woman tsked. "I know it stings but this will go quicker if you don't move."
"It doesn't sting." Valentine snapped at her.
It did sting, but not too much. It wasn't the pain that was bothering Valentine. She was officially sick of being touched by anyone for the foreseeable future. She could still feel his hands let alone having to put up with anyone else's.
"You don't need to worry, Lestrange. I'm sure Dumbledore will come up with an appropriate punishment for the boy. Honestly, though? Who raised him to think it was okay to do such a thing? How ridiculous."
"Hmm." Valentine hummed trying not to flinch as Madam Pomfrey dabbed at the back of her ear.
She was hardly worried about the boy getting away. Narcissa and Lucius were being contacted and whether Lucius liked her or not, he would be obligated to defend his blood and more importantly,his reputation. If Nayden Andonov's family were high-born then they would be lucky if they didn't end up completely shunned from society. And if they were low born, then they would be lucky not to disappear altogether. Valentine had never considered the influence and power that inherently came with money and old names to be a good thing but it was certainly going to come in handy in this case. And of course, this was ignoring the chance that Valentine's friends didn't murder Nayden Andonov in his sleep.
Madam Pomfrey put a gauze in place over her ear lobe, taping it in place carefully.
"It should be all healed up within an hour but I would suggest leaving that on until morning just to be on the safe side. If you notice any pain tomorrow, or any bleeding or inflammation, come straight to me."
"Fantastic. Can I leave now?"
Then, as if on cue, the door flew open and Draco, followed by Camille, Leah, Blaze, Liam and Jane. They flooded into the hospital, not a breath between them.
"Val, are you alright?" Liam was the first to get his words out, but Draco was the first at her side;
"Are you okay? Father will see his whole family destroyed!"
"Val!" Leah and Blaze crowded around the other side of her. Blaze was visibly the only thing holding Leah back from climbing all over her in a tizzy.
"Are you okay, Val?" Leah was practically in tears. "How bad are you hurt?"
"It's dreadful." Said Jane, frowning deeply, voice slightly strained. "Attacking you like that. Just horrible."
"Who was it?" Draco asked hurriedly. "What was his name?"
"Are you going to be okay?" Leah spoke louder as if no one could hear her.
"Shut up!" Valentine growled. "How the hell can I answer you if you don't give a damn chance?"
And so they all fell silent.
"Thank you. Morons. My injury was minor and already taken care of. I am fine."
"But what about-" Draco started and was cut off.
"In fact, I'd be even better if you'd all calm down." Valentine glared at him.
"Sorry." Liam apologized. "We couldn't find you anywhere and got worried. Then we heard from Parkinson that something had happened."
"What the hell does she have to do with this?"
"Anna and Chloe told her." Leah pipped in.
"Yeah, they said some guy had been staring at you and then maybe followed you away from the ball." Said Blaze.
"We only know the details because you have witnesses." Liam spoke up again. "Two sixth years were snogging in a classroom looking into the courtyard and they saw most of what happened. They saw McGonagall get involved and they've pretty much told everyone by this point."
"Do you know his name?" Draco asked again, his usually pale eyes dark. "He isn't going to get away with this."
"From what we heard I don't think he did." Said Camille. "It sounds like he got what he deserved."
"That's really not enough though." Said Jane. "He should be sent back to his own school in a casket for what he did."
"Ahem." Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat, having been completely forgotten. "You may leave Miss Lestrange. Take your friends with you."
Valentine grimaced.
"Do I have to?"
--Pretending To Live--
It had taken twenty minutes of convincing for Valentine to get the others to return to the dance floor. That ball still had hours to go and she was still determined to make this night into something more than 'that time a guy felt her up and got his backside handed to him'. It took some threats and persuasion, insisting that she was fine, very much not traumatized and just generally annoyed by the inconvenience of the entire situation.
Leah, Blaze, Liam and Jane did head back out onto the dance floor, although a little unsurely. Draco however, was a different story. He utterly refused to leave her side, sitting with her stubbornly and boldly claiming that he was not going to move.
Valentine just felt bad for Camille who sat there with them for a while, totally neglected by her date. Valentine told Draco to either attend to her like he should have been or let her go spend the night with someone else. Draco chose the latter and Camille was overall understanding and modest about the whole thing, saying that she was pleased to see how much Draco cared about his family and that what happened to Valentine was awful. Then she pecked Draco on the cheek, thanked him for the time they did actually spend together and then headed off on her own.
Valentine felt like this was the kind of thing that would usually upset a girl. The ball wasn't even halfway through and her date was ditching her to sit with his cousin. But looking at things from Camille's perspective, insisting on continuing the night like nothing had happened could risk coming off as callous and selfish and she did seem to be a genuinely sweet girl. It made Valentine wonder how she ended accepting Draco's offer in the first place, his reputation wasn't all that kind than her own.
Valentine leaned back in her chair, they were sitting at a table off to the side. Harry, Ron and the Patil sisters were just where they were when she had left.
They seem to be having just as much fun as I am.
Looking across the rest of the room, she saw her fair share of stares. Just as the others had said, her two surprise witnesses had spread the word in record time. At least she wouldn't have to deal with anyone saying that Nayden was innocent and hadn't done anything to warrant her attack. She had enough problems with the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
"I can't believe this happened." Draco was honestly more wound up than Valentine.
Most of her anger had been expended by hearing Nayden scream when she broke his finger. It wasn't the most damage she could have caused but it had certainly been satisfying.
"I can't believe anyone would dare put their hands on you like that." Draco had curled his fists tightly into the silky table cloth. "It's totally disgusting."
"Oh, stop." Valentine rolled her eyes. "You're just getting yourself worked up."
"How can I stop? He hurt you!"
"I am fine." She snapped at him. "How many times do I have to say it? I appreciate your rage on my part cousin but there isn't a thing he could ever do to me that I couldn't overcome. Knowing that he's likely ruined himself and his entire family by doing this certainly helps."
"How are you so calm right now?" Draco stared at her.
"Because I refuse to waste any more of my energy on that cur. Perhaps you should do the same."
"Lestrange." Said Snape, weaving his way through the tables towards them. "Your presence is required."
"What now?" She groaned.
He narrowed his eyes pointedly.
"I do believe this is something you would wish to be present for."
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine had never seen so many people in the Headmaster's office at once. There was Dumbledore, McGonagall, Karkaroff and Nayden. Then the couple that had seen everything, a girl named Georgia Faucet and a boy named Jared Stevens, dressed in their formal wear. And then, of course, Snape and Valentine herself. At this point, she was really regretting her heels.
She glared across the room at Nayden who kept close to Karkaroff's side as if she might attack him at any moment. His arm and hand were bandaged, his nose didn't seem broken like she'd assumingly left it, but the blood that still covered the lower half of his face said that it might have been fixed with a quick spell. Valentine was rather proud of her work and it wasn't often she got to be proud of her own violence.
"This is a most serious situation, Igor." Dumbledore addressed Karkaroff, tone solemn.
"I agree." Said Karkaroff. "We should get this matter settled as soon as possible."
"Absolutely." Dumbledore nodded and gestured to Faucet and Stevens. "If you will, tell us what you saw."
The two sixth years flushed bright red, it was now public knowledge what they'd been doing at the time when they'd seen what had happened.
"Well, um." The girl, Faucet, cleared her voice. "We were in a classroom on the second floor and I noticed Lestrange out the window. She was in the courtyard alone and I thought she was just leaving the ball early or something."
"I was freaking trying too." Valentine grumbled under her breath and Snape shot her a look.
"Uh, yeah." The boy, Stevens, found his voice next. "We didn't think anything of it at first but then this other guy wearing a Durmstrang uniform walked out into the courtyard as well."
"And then what happened?" Dumbledore prompted.
"They were just talking for a bit." Said Faucet. "Which was, well...a bit odd."
"Why would that be odd?" Asked Karkaroff sharply.
Faucet looked taken aback. She swallowed thickly and glanced at Valentine.
"Lestrange doesn't really just have conversations with people like that. Honestly...we only kept watching because he thought something might happen."
"Something might happen?" Dumbledore repeated delicately. The girl glanced at Valentine again, more nervously this time. "You can speak your mind, child. We must know everything that happened."
"Something bad." Stevens took over. "Lestrange isn't really known for being friendly. We thought she might try and hurt him."
"And when I did he deserved it." Valentine grunted.
"That remains to be seen, girl." Said Karkaroff stiffly.
"Excuse me?" Valentine bristled.
"Quiet Lestrange!" Snape barked at her. "Can we get this over with?"
"Um...yeah, so we were watching them talk and she started walking away from him," The boy continued. "but then he came up behind her and put his arms around her and we could see that she was struggling and trying to get away but he's like twice her size. And I think he was saying stuff to her because she stopped struggling and he was...touching her."
"This is not what I have been told." Karkaroff spoke up again, looking down at Nayden pointedly.
"That-that's because they're lying!" Nayden spat. "That's not how it happened!"
Valentine barely had a second to register the anger coursing through her before she was charging at Nayden. Snape reached out just in time to grab her right wrist and yank her back forcefully.
"You bastard!" She screamed, eyes burning like blue fire. "Not how it happened? You're the liar!"
Nayden took several panicked steps back, only stopping when he hit the railing of the staircase against the wall.
"Keep her away from me!"
"Lestrange!" Snape hissed, having to grab her other arm to restrain her. "Calm down!"
Arg! What is it with people today? Snape wants me to calm down and Draco wants me less so? Make up your damn mind!
"Miss Lestrange! Stop that this instant!" McGonagall shouted and she actually did. "He will not escape punishment but he can only be punished once all the facts are laid out."
"Fine." Valentine huffed and pulled against Snape's grip. "Let me go, jerk."
And he did so, only after dragging her back so she was standing behind him.
"Continue." Dumbledore gestured to Faucet and Stevens once again.
"He was touching her." Said Faucet, pointing at Nayden accusingly, nervous temperament having vanished. "In a way, he definitely shouldn't have been and she definitely didn't want. It looked like he was whispering something in her ear and she like, head-butted him from the side. He let go of her and she kicked him and he moved away. Then they were facing each other again and he ran at her-"
"I did not!" Nayden interjected and before Valentine could try and lunge at him again, Karkaroff struck the boy up the backside of the head.
"Shut up, boy, or we will be here all night!"
"He ran at her." The girl reiterated, sending a glare at Nayden. "But Lestrange tripped him and I think- Well, it happened really fast- she grabbed his hand as he fell and pulled. He was on the ground trying to get away but Lestrange put her foot on his back and was crushing his hand with her other foot while saying something."
"Did you hear anything spoken?" Asked Dumbledore.
"We were too far away to hear most of it, Professor." Said Stevens. "But we did hear him crying and apologising."
Valentine snickered at that.
"And then?" Asked McGonagall.
"Well, Lestrange let him up." Said Stevens. "And she was going to walk away again but he called her a..."
"Yes?" McGonagall arched a brow.
"A female dog, Professor."
McGonagall's gaze hardened.
"And then?"
Faucet seemed to bite back a laugh.
"Then she punched him in the face, ma'am."
Valentine snickered again. Because hell yes she had.
"And after that, Professor McGonagall showed up." Said Stevens. "We didn't watch for much longer."
"Is that how you remember, Miss Lestrange?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"More or less."
"More or less?"
"There were a few excellently witty remarks made by yours truly that went unmentioned but I'll excuse it."
Snape sighed like he just wanted to walk out the door and never look back.
"But otherwise everything Miss Faucet and Mr Stevens said was correct?"
"Yes."
"Well. There we have it."
"What?" Nayden stared at them incredulously. "What about my side of the story?"
"Quiet, boy." Karkaroff growled. "Can you not tell when you have been beaten? This was your mistake. You choose to act as you did and were even seen by two unrelated parties. Do not shame our school further."
"But they're lying, sir!"
"We did not!" Stevens snapped.
"Shut up! This is none of your business!"
"We saw everything you did!" Faucet added.
"You are liars!" Nayden insisted. "She attacked me! I never touched her!"
Valentine was shoving her way past Snape again and as the office door flung open and Narcissa marched inside in all her expensive coat and murderous glare glory.
"Who invited you?" Valentine frowned.
"Valentine!" Narcissa made a beeline for her. "My poor girl, are you alright?"
"I'll be fine if you don't-" Narcissa wrapped her arms around her. "...hug me."
"I could hardly believe the letter I received from Professor Snape. My poor girl." She kissed the top of Valentine's head and then turned her icy silver glaze on the rest of the room. "Where is the creature that hurt my niece?"
"Mrs Malfoy." Dumbledore spoke calmly as if trying desperately not to provoke a wild animal. "Thank you for coming so promptly. We were just about to discuss the issue of punishment."
"But I didn't do anything!"
And that was just the latest mistake Nayden Andonov had made that night.
"You." Narcissa honed in on him like a viper. "You foul little cretin! How dare you put your hands on my niece!"
"Can we hurry along with the punishment, please?" Valentine wormed her way out of Narcissa's grasp.
"I suggest probation." Said Karkaroff. "If he steps out of line one more time, in any sense of the phrase, he will be expelled from the Durmstrang Institute."
"That's all good and well, but I don't want him anywhere near Valentine ever again." Said Narcissa firmly.
"Immediate expulsion then?" Snape suggested.
"That is not for you to decide." Karkaroff narrowed his gaze at Snape.
"Is it not?" Snape glared back. "As people keep telling me, I am Lestrange's Head of House."
"I agree that Miss Lestrange and Mr Andonov should be kept separate." Said Dumbledore, an air of finality in his voice. "I suggest Mr Andonov be confined to Durmstrang ship henceforth, excepting any extreme circumstances in which he would have to leave. This would be in addition to the probation, of course."
"Head Master," Said Valentine. "just to clarify, 'extreme circumstances' would include such things as the ship mysteriously catching fire?"
"As an example, yes."
"Damn it."
"You expect me to spend the rest of the year on that ship?" Nayden's mouth fell open.
"Be grateful that is all." Narcissa snarled at him. "What you have done is unforgivable and in my opinion, your punishment is barely a fraction of what you deserve. If I had my way, you wouldn't have the physical capabilities left to defend yourself."
If I knew she was going to say stuff like that, then I would have invited her myself.
--Pretending To Live--
"Oh, my poor baby." Narcissa would not stop hugging her no matter how much Valentine glared and threatened. "My poor, poor baby."
"I heard you the first fifty times."
They sat together in the Slytherin common room, which for Valentine, was a strange place to see her aunt. She'd been trying to get Narcissa to leave for the last hour but here they were, sitting before the emerald fire.
"I know." Narcissa laughed guiltily. "I'm sorry, but I was just so worried about you."
"Well, as you can see, I'll survive just fine."
"Your uncle is going to deal with that horridboy. Don't you worry."
"Do I look worried to you?"
"No." Narcissa leaned back and brushed a curl from Valentine's face. "You look beautiful. I only wish this wasn't the reason why I got to see you like this."
"My feet hurt." Said Valentine and she reached down to pulloff the black heels and fling them into the fire.
"Valentine!" Narcissa gaped. "What are you doing?"
"Something I should have done hours ago." She looked down at her red and slightly swollen feet. "Stupid bloody shoes."
Narcissa sighed and shook her head.
"It's not my fault you put every protection spell known to man on the dress and completely neglected the shoes."
"Well, I'll remember that for next time then."
"I willkill myself before there is ever any chance for a next time."
"Valentine!" Narcissa gave her a disapproving look. "You know I don't like that kind of talk. I tell Draco that all the time."
"Uh-huh. I'm sure we'll listen one day. When we're dead."
A quiet moment formed between them as they watched the flames leaping across the shoes hungrily.
"You really do look beautiful." Narcissa smiled softly. "You look so grown up. It's honestly almost terrifying."
"You're the one who chose the damn dress."
"I know." Said Narcissa. "And I definitely knew what I was doing."
Valentine just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Val...you know, if you're upset you can tell me. I know you wouldn't want anyone to know if you were, but something horrible really did happen to you tonight."
"Can we not do this?" Valentine groaned. "I'm fine. F-I-N-E."
"Alright, but you need to know that it's okay not to be."
"But I am."
"Okay."
"Good."
"Val..."
"God, can you just leave already?"
"If you like, you could come home with me? Spend the rest of the Christmas holiday at home and come back once classes start again."
"I'm fine."
"Val."
"I. Am. Fine. I don't need to be coddled!"
"...Alright." Narcissa heaved a sigh. "You're fine. Just remember what I told you. I will always be here for you, Valentine."
"Yes, you make that evident by how you're always sticking your nose into my business."
This time it was Narcissa who rolled her eyes. She pulled a reluctant Valentine into her arms once more.
"I love you."
"I know."
"You could always say it back, you know?"
"I could. But I won't."
"Val."
"Don't test me, woman."
"Fine." Narcissa just squeezed her tighter. "Val. The next time anyone touches you like that again, you have my express permission to put them six foot under."
Valentine snorted.
"As if I need your permission."
--Pretending To Live--
They'd continued to stay at the the Yule Ball by Valentine's demand. And coupled threats. There was still two hours until midnight, after all, when the ball would officially be over, but neither Draco, Liam, Blaze or Leah- especially Leah, felt much like dancing anymore. And not for a lack of trying on Liam, Blaze's and Leah's part.
Draco was now trying to fend of Pansy's poorly timed advances while Liam, who's date was very upset by had happened, had pulled her over to a table alone to talk and calm her down. This left Leah and Blaze to soon give up on attempting to enjoy the rest of the dance after Valentine had left with Snape- they assumed to deal more with what had happened. They'd only danced again in the first place because she had been there watching. Now there was no point and they were allowed to mope on the steps outside the Great Hall, practically sitting on top of one another, the upbeat music from inside echoing around them.
"Well..." Blaze sighed. "Can't say Val's crazy put a damper on this night. She was the last one who wanted this to happen."
"Val would never ruin this on purpose." Leah sniffled. "That's why she came even though she hates this kind of thing...and because I complained until she gave in."
A sob caught in Leah's throat and Blaze sat straighter, tugging her closer as if that was possible.
"Don't cry." He whispered. "She'll be alright. It's The Valentine Lestrange we're talking about here."
"That's not it." Leah shook her head. "This is my fault."
"What? Don't be ridiculous, of course it's not."
"But it is!"
"Alright, keep your voice down!" Blaze hissed before realising that he was now shouting as well. "Leah, what are you talking about? This is all on that bloody creep."
"That's what I'm saying!" Leah whimpered tearfully. "I should have told her what happened before when he grabbed me. Then she would have dealt with him already and she wouldn't be hurt now!"
Blaze blinked at her, going quiet for a moment.
Since the last Leah had interacted with Nayden, she'd been blessed to have almost forgotten about it completely. She hated secrets, but had thought this was one better kept. It was easy enough to ignore him and how he had made her feel in that singular moment when he no longer came anywhere near her. Easy enough to forget that mixture of embarrassment and stupidity. Now, all of that was overwhelmed by an inescapable sensation of guilt.
Blaze lifted one hand, at first hesitant, but gaining confidence as it cupped the side of Leah's face and brushed away a tear with the tip of his thumb.
"None of this is your fault. Do you hear me? None of it."
"But-"
"No, Leah. You didn't make that scumbag do what he did."
"But I knew he had, like, an interest in her. He asked me that day if she had a date for ball."
"You're wrong."
"I'm telling the truth!"
"That's not what I'm saying. I'm not calling your a liar." Blaze lifted his remaining hand to the other side of her face. "It doesn't matter what he asked or would you said. It's not your fault. And if Val was here right now, she'd call you an idiot for saying."
"But I...I feel so guilty. And it sucks. I thought I could forget about it and it would be find and things were fine and now he's ruined it all." More tears fell from Leah's eyes as she leant into Blaze's hands.
"Exactly." He said. "He ruined it, not you. Me and Liam let you forget about what happened because it was your decision to make. You have a right to forget. What happened then doesn't make you responsible for this. That is always going to be on that bastard."
Leah nodded, knocking away his hands to throw her arms around him. Blaze gave an 'oof' on impact.
For a moment he just let her soak through the shoulder of his robes, awkwardly avoiding the pry stares of any student that might pass. As awkward as it might be, he wasn't going to push of her away. Not when he'd finally gotten her.
"You're so great sometimes." She grumbled against his shoulder. "Why are you so great now and such a jerk the rest of the time?"
"That would probably be a question for my parents."
"You should let me meet them."
"Yeah, that's a conversation for another time. Can't deal with that tonight."
Leah pulled back, wiping at her face. Then she pecked Blaze on the cheek and before he could even react, she had jumped up and was holding out a hand to him.
"Huh?" He blinked at it dumbly.
"Dance with me." She demanded, not waiting for a response before she grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet.
"How do you even dance to stuff like this?" Asked Blaze, gesturing to halls open doors, the loud and boisterous music echoing out through them.
"Like this!" Leah exclaimed with far too much confidence for doing a demented sort of shimmy followed by several headbangs.
Blaze stared at her.
"You're completely insane."
"But you looove me!" She sung out, swinging him around her, grin wide on her tear stained face.
Yeah. He did.