"DIGGORY! DIGGORY! DIGGORY!" The crowd cheered in excitement.
Lost among the many, the older boy beside Valentine threw his arms up and just barely missed smacking her in the face. Before she could threaten to throw him down into the arena, Liam reached forward and shoved the boy back, sending him stumbling into his friends and creating a chain reaction down the entire row.
"Watch yourself!" Liam snapped. "You're not the only one here, you know?'
"You alright, Val?" Asked Draco, tugging her closer to him by her elbow.
"I'm fine." She growled, tearing her arm away. She turned to Liam with a glare. "I don't need you to push people for me."
"Right. Sorry." Liam blinked. "I wasn't thinking."
"You sure weren't." Draco snickered.
"Shut up, you." Liam pouted sourly.
"I didn't say anything." Draco cocked his head to the side in mock innocence.
"Ugh, the both of you can shut up." Valentine groaned and turned her attention down into the arena where Cedric Diggory was stepping into view.
He stood at the opening of a cave, smiling widely and waving to the crowd. Once he saw the Swedish Short-Snout, its silvery-blue scales winking in the light, his smile dropped and fell into a determined frown. The goal was to retrieve a golden egg placed somewhere inside the rocky terrain of the arena. That was easier said than done with an irritated dragon inside with him. From then on, Valentine, for the most part, barely feigned interest.
Cedric was a clever guy and seemed to handle himself just fine, give or take a few scorch marks from the dragon's glaring blue flames, so she didn't feel the need to wind herself up with worry. No, she would save that for Harry's turn.
If Harry gets eaten by a damn dragon today, I'm feeding the Minister to it next. And Snape. And Lucius. And Parkinson. Maybe I should write this down.
Leah was cheering loudly without abandon. She was at Blaze's side, jumping up and down and practically screaming in his ear.
"DIGGORY! DIGGORY! DIGGORY!" She chanted along with the crowd.
"Can you not do that directly into my ear!" Blaze glared at her but she just grinned and did a strange little dance.
"Nope!"
Blaze grabbed Draco by the shirt sleeve and yanked him close.
"Please, tell me why I like her?"
"How should I know? I don't even know how she's still alive after all the glitter she's inhaled over the years." Draco scoffed.
Valentine tuned out their chatter, staring down into the arena as Delacour and Krum went head to head with their own dragons, one after the after.
Fleur Delacour had faced a Welsh Green, which as its namesake would suggest, was green from the tips of its horns to the barbs of its tail. It certainly wasn't the most dangerous of all dragons, but of course, the nature of any dragon was danger itself. She managed a rather decent success, charming it to sleep and only catching fire once when the dragon snored and fire shot from its nostrils. Leah almost cried at the sight of Fleur's silky blue skirt after. The girl hosed herself down with her wand, and then, with all the dignity of someone pretending that didn't happen, she retrieved the egg and left before the crowds cheering could wake the dragon.
Valentine found that it interested her little more than Quidditch ever had. It just all seemed so unnecessary for the dragons to be dragged all the way from Romania and students having to risk their lives for something even more unnecessary like eternal glory. Weren't there other ways to be entertained without the chance of someone dying? Soon enough, she found herself sighing and leaning against the wooden railing.
"Are dragons seriously boring you right now?" Liam stared at her incredulously.
"This isn't the first time I've seen a dragon." She shrugged. "I've been with the Malfoys' on trips to Romania several times. The novelty wore off."
"Only you could see dragons as a novelty." Liam laughed and then glanced at Draco who appeared to be as excitable as anyone else. "I suppose the novelty never wore off for him."
"Hmm." Valentine looked back into the arena and drolly.
Krum was up next and Liam's attention was immediately removed from Valentine's lack of excitement.
"GO KRUM!" He cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Idiot!" Blaze scowled. "You're cheering for another school, you know!"
"I don't care about the schools, I just want to see him kick some ass!"
"Shut up or I'll kick your ass." Draco elbowed him.
Krum had been, in Valentine's opinion, unlucky enough to face a Chinese Fireball. It was an almost lion-like beast, it was flaming red with a mane of razor-sharp spikes around its head and neck and large lethal claws at its feet. Although Krum didn't seem overly intelligent, he used a Blinding Hex with no complications. If you don't consider almost getting trampled in the dragon's panic and rage a complication. He then scooped up his golden egg hastily and didn't stick around for the applause.
Then Dumbledore's voice caught her attention and that of everyone else in the stands.
"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now our fourth and final contestant."
Here we go. All aboard the breakdown train.
As Harry emerged from the darkness of the cave, Valentine braced her hands against the wooden railing, craning her neck to see everything.
"HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!" The crowd roared and cheered until they weren't until the stands fell into complete silence and Valentine felt a tight knot forming in her stomach.
Harry stood alone and utterly so. He had no friends to fall back on, it was just him, the dragon and golden egg.
The bloody Hungarian Horntail. Of course. Just brilliant.
While, yes, all dragons were dangerous, the Hungarian Horntail was known for being particularly violent and territorial. It was very large with black scales, a row of deadly bronze horns on each side of its head and a spiked tail that was very much more spike than tail. As Hagrid had said, it was one nasty piece of work. And because fate was always so kind, it was the dragon that Harry would be expected to survive. Harry looked positively terrified and not a single spectator would have reason to blame him.
His eyes landed on the golden egg and he immediately made his move towards. The second he did so, he was leaping out of the way and narrowly missing the dragon's weapon of a tail.
Beside Valentine, Draco laughed like it was all in good fun.
The Hungarian Horntail let loose a bellowing screech that Valentine felt she related to far too much to be healthy.
The dragon spat a stream of fire and Harry endured another close call, ducking down behind a rock only for the dragon to close in again with its tail, knocking Harry halfway across the arena and out of Valentine's line of sight.
As the crowd gasped in fear and horror, Valentine was climbing up onto the railing, eyes trained on the dragon.
"What are you doing?" Draco hissed. "You'll fall!"
"Quiet, I'll be fine." She waved him off. She was honestly relying on the tenseness of her stance to keep her balanced.
"Be careful." She heard Liam warning her from behind.
Valentine could do nothing but watch Harry scrambling across the rocks, just barely missing getting crushed by the dragon's tail again. She was ready to do anything, to jump in at any moment. This could have been the day her secret was no longer such. At this moment, secrets didn't matter to her.
Harry made a desperate dive behind a boulder, trying to save himself from being burned to a crisp. The dragon's chains stopped it from leaving the rocky pit but allowed it to open its wings and hover over the boy's hiding place.
"Oh, this is going to be good." She heard Draco chuckled below her.
"Gah, I can't watch!" Leah exclaimed.
Valentine saw Harry point his wand towards the sky and shout something but couldn't hear him over the crowd. Nothing happened and her heart skipped a beat.
A distraction. That'll be my best bet. Distract the dragon with something it can't ignore and then get Harry the hell out of there.
Harry scrambled for another boulder. He peeked around it before quickly hiding from sight. The dragon was right there and waiting. The Horntail let out a howl and a blast of fire, hitting the back of the bolder, Harry's only defence.
Valentine was about to reach for her wand when she felt air rush above her and then saw Harry's Firebolt zip down into the arena.
That's what he did! He summoned his broom!
Harry took his chance, jumping from his hiding spot and landing on it at the last minute. The stands brightened with cheers at his small triumph.
He headed straight from the line of fire to the golden egg but was just short from having it in his grasp, the dragon a few feet behind.
Harry flew higher and the dragon's chain pulled taut and- snapped. The links broke under the strain and a wave of fear rushed through the crowd.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
"Val. I really think you should get down." Blaze's voice trembled.
She ignored him, too focused on Harry.
"Val!" Draco touched her ankle. "Just get down!"
She ignored him too.
Harry saw that the chain had broken and fled the arena in haste. The dragon followed, spiked tail ripping through the roof of the teachers' stands. The students were suddenly back to cheering again despite the dangerous and pissed off dragon on the loose.
Well. That's just fantastic.
"Hey, guys?" Said Leah. "How are they going to get the dragon back?"
"Leah..." Draco stared at her blankly. "That was actually a question...that made sense."
"Yeah, and now I'm concerned for more reasons than one." Blaze glanced up at the screeching dragon that disappeared towards the castle after Harry.
"Should we be worried, right?" Asked Liam. "I mean, that is a live and very aggravated dragon on the loose. Even if he catches Potter, I don't think that'll quite hit the spot."
"Oh, we should definitely be worried." Blaze nodded.
Valentine agreed and was already way ahead of them.
Crap. What the hell am I meant to do? If Harry uses his head he'll forget the egg and fly as far away as can. With the Firebolt, he just might have a chance. Might.
She narrowed her gaze across to the staff stands where the teachers were brushing splintered wood off each other. Neither Dumbledore nor Snape seemed to have a plan in motion, though she doubted they could have foreseen this anyway.
"Maybe we could lure the dragon back in." Suggested Draco. "Blaze, go climb down into the deadly dragon pit and call out to it."
"Ha, ha. You're hilarious. Why don't you call for it since it's your idea?" Blaze gestured down into the arena and as he did, he caught sight of the two boys standing in the row in front of them. "Oi! Eyes front and centre, you creeps!"
Valentine looked down into the face of two panicked and blatantly guilty and regretful Ravenclaw boys.
Oh, that's just gross.
To Valentine's knowledge, no one had ever looked at her inappropriately before. Narcissa had given her and Draco that talk years ago and it had never seemed like something that would actually happen to her, especially not when she spent the better part of the day trying to be as threatening and unwelcoming as possible. It made her feel incredibly uncomfortable to know that anyone would look at her that way, even despite her outwardly attitude.
"Were you seriously just looking up her skirt?" Liam sneered down at them. "You have a death wish or something?"
One boy moved his mouth open and shut soundlessly, brain floundering for a way out of this.
Draco's seemed to channel his inner Lestrange as his arm shot out and grabbed the boy by the scarf, yanking on it roughly
"Listen up, you disgusting little rats! Keep your eyes to yourselves or I'll remove them from your head!"
"W-we're sorry!" The other boy forced out.
"Sorry isn't good enough!" Leah glared down at them with teeth bared like a wild dog. "You make me sick! Do it again and I'm going to come down there and cut you up into little pieces so small no one will be able to tell you were ever human to begin with!"
"Leah!" Valentine snapped and her friends froze looking up at her. "I appreciate everyone's threats but I can handle this myself."
One of the boys was practically drowning in his own sweat and the other that was only now released from Draco's grip still hadn't managed to shut his mouth at all. Valentine's frown morphed into a smile, too wide and casual to be in any way trusted.
"Hello, down there." She cocked her head to the side ever so sweetly before swinging back her leg into the sweaty boy's face. He cried out as she felt a tooth come loose beneath the toe of her boot.
By now other students in the stands had taken notice. The other boy tried desperately to make some sort of escape, but no one wanted to mingle in an affair of this kind. His friend was too busy clutching at his mouth, blood dribbling down his chin. He was on his own.
Valentine might have felt bad if this had been all some misunderstanding, but she didn't have room in her head right now to have remorse about something that they probably should have been learning the hard way, to begin with.
She crouched down so that she was only a head taller than the boy and then like Draco she reached out and grabbed the front of his robes, pulling him forward harder than her small frame would suggest she could.
"Name." She hissed.
"Wah...what?" The boy blinked, eyes wide with fear.
"What's your name, you imbecile?" Valentine's hand curled and he was pulled that much closer.
"His name's Matthew Harrison." A voice suddenly rose from the crowd several rows behind them. Valentine didn't glance back and she didn't have to when she heard Liam speak.
"Jane?"
"The other one is Michael Lean." The same voice spoke.
"Oh. Little Matty and Mikey, then is it?" Valentine pouted patronisingly at them and gave the boys cheek a less than gentle slap. "How cute. Draco make note."
"Trust me, I will."
"Now, how about you-" Valentine's words were suddenly cut off by a dull droning roar that filled the arena. She slowly straightened to her full height, the two boys forgotten.
She saw him coming in distance and then Harry flew down into the stadium and snatched up the egg in the blur. Valentine was immediately surrounded by celebratory cheers in every direction. The dragon was nowhere to be seen.
Thank goodness.
Her stomach filled with relief and theknot in there loosened. Then remember that the rest of the world could never be aware of it.
Her hands curled into fists at her sides and she turned her gaze back down to the boys.
"This is your fault."
"What?"
Valentine swung her leg back and straight into his chin with a crunch.
--Pretending To Live--
On the walk back up to the castle, Draco had spotted the cluster of Beauxbatons' girls, together like they always were, congratulating Fleur on a task well done. He had grinned and invited Blaze and Liam to join him but was met with awkward glances.
"Oh, right." Draco had rolled his eyes heavily. "You both already have your gross little crushes."
Then he hurried off before either one could argue back.
"Ten galleons say they laugh in his smug, little face." Blaze scowled.
"Twenty says they don't even acknowledge him." Liam added.
"I like our odds." Blaze nodded.
"Wait, what is he doing?" Leah frowned.
"He's going to flirt with the Beauxbatons girls." Said Liam.
"Oh! Well, why didn't he just say that!" Leah brightened instantly. "Draco, wait up!"
She raced off after him, shoving her way haphazardly through the crowd as they neared the outer wall of the castle.
"Oh, no." Blaze stared after her, aghast. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no."
"Blaze?" Liam arched a brow.
"I never even considered that!"
"Considered what?"
"GIRLS!"
"Uh, Blaze...I'm pretty sure you've considered girls. We share a dorm."
"No, not me! Leah! I'm such an idiot! I didn't even stop to think that I was a whole gender away from having a chance!" Blaze groaned mournfully.
Oh, bloody hell. Is this all anyone ever thinks about these days?
Valentine walked half a pace ahead of them, looking down at the small spattering of blood on the tip of her shoe.
"So, you were actually going to try then?" Asked Liam.
"Huh?" Blaze stared at him stupidly.
"You were actually going to try and seriously be with Leah? Draco and I just assumed you were going to suffer with this as you watched Leah marry someone else and have a tribe of kids until the day you died. Or killed yourself, whatever came first."
"The suicide thing was Draco's input wasn't it?"
"Naturally."
"That boy's obsession is nearing unhealthy levels."
"Name one thing about him that you'd call healthy."
"Fair point."
"Anyway, we're getting off-topic." Liam shot him a look. "Are you serious about Leah or not?"
"Well, uh...I mean...um...No? Wait, not no. Yes? Maybe? I..." Blaze dropped his face into his hands dramatically, growling in frustration. "I don't know, okay! I don't even know how this happened!"
"No one does. I don't think you'll ever get an answer to that, mate."
"Why does this have to be so damn hard!"
I don't see what the big deal is here. They're already friends that see each other every day. What could possibly change by Blaze confessing this weird affliction of his?
"Bloody hell, calm down." Liam looked around at the stares Blaze's mild to medium break down was drawing. "Try not to think about it."
"But the GIRLS, Liam. I never considered the GIRLS."
"God, you really are an idiot." Valentine spoke up with a scowl. "You really think Leah could pick between men and women? I've seen her take three days to choose a pair of socks to wear and you think she can make that kind of decision? Haven't you been paying attention?"
"I try not to." Blaze admitted without shame. "Gives me a headache."
"You're missing the point." Said Liam. "Val's right. I doubt Leah will stick with either side. Remember that time she proposed to a scented candle because it smelt really good?"
"Yeah." Blaze nodded. "Damn, she's weird. One time, I saw her plan a wedding for a ladybug and a hand towel. She said opposites attract but I don't think that's how it works."
"It really isn't."
"But...but what if she does choose? And what if she chooses GIRLS?"
"I already told you. You die sad and alone with a loveless life of regret or you end it all before your fortieth birthday."
"I don't want you guys to talk about me when I'm not around anymore."
"You think that'd stop us? Draco would write you detailed instructions if you asked."
"That is really, seriously, not healthy."
As they stepped into the main courtyard, the three caught sight of Draco and Leah talking to a group of five Beauxbatons students. A dark-haired girl laughed at something Draco said and a tall girl, even more so than Leah, was braiding the younger girl's hair to sit over her shoulder.
"And here I thought this day couldn't get any worse." Blaze grumbled miserably.
"I am legitimately shocked." Said Liam. "They're usually fine until they open their mouths. Draco's a jerk and Leah disturbs people in record time. I can't believe they haven't been shunned yet."
"Ughhhh, stop." Blaze hid his face again. "I don't want to think about this anymore."
You and me both.
--Pretending To Live--
Leah trudged out of the Transfigurations classroom, head down and grumbling to herself bitterly. She'd just gotten the scolding of a lifetime from McGonagall for not paying full attention in class. She didn't see what the big deal was so long as all her work got done! And seeing as Transfigurations was her best subject, she didn't think McGonagall had to be so harsh on her. At least she actually showed up for class and stayed awake too, what else did McGonagall want from her? If anyone had room to complain, it was Professor Binns, even if it was his own fault that hardly anyone could stay awake in his class.
Lost in her own miserable grumbling, Leah didn't see the boy facing away and standing right in front of her, at least not until she had already walked right into him.
"Gah!" She leapt back like a frightened cat. "Don't jump out at me like that!"
The boy, dressed in the Durmstrang uniform, turned to her with a confused smile, looking her up and down.
"I didn't jump out at you. I was just standing here." His accent was very thick and it took Leah a second to realise what he had said.
"Are you sure?" Leah pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Uh, yes. Very sure."
"Oh." Leah blinked, defensive stance falling away. "My bad then."
She really should have known better given how many times a day she ran into people and things on a regular basis. Both she and Lavender Brown had nearly wound up rolling down a flight of steps that morning because of it. But that was funny though, even if Lavender didn't really think so.
"You are Lovat, right?" The boy asked.
"Yeah, that's me! You can't be as important though because I have no clue who you are."
The boy blinked in surprised seeing that Leah was being perfectly serious and then chuckled.
"No, I'm not very important." He said with a lopsided grin and then put out his hand. "I'm Nayden Andonov."
Leah took but a second to study him. He was a little shorter than herself with broad shoulders, a strong jaw and a slightly crooked nose. Not like Blaze's, Leah mentally noted. Blaze's was completely straight. Like all the Durmstrang boys, his dark hair was cropped close to his head. His hands were big and he had a light shadow over the lower half of his face that told Leah he shaved. He was rather handsome, she decided. But not a way that particular intrigued her.
"Leah Lovat the Great and Powerful." She slapped his hand in a high five instead of shaking it and he stood there a little longer, mystified.
"You know, I heard something interesting about you a little while ago." He looked her in the eyes as he spoke.
"It wasn't me!" Leah immediately jumped back on the defensive. "If it's something Blaze or Draco said, it wasn't me! Unless it was. But they're jerks and even if it is true I'll deny it to the grave! You'll never take me alive!"
And thus Nayden was back to looking mystified.
"Ah, I heard you were running about the school giving out free hugs?"
"Oh. That. Yeah, that's totally true. What about it?"
Nayden grinned at her and glanced at his feet almost shyly.
"Well, you see, I heard this but did not receive a hug myself. To be honest, I may have felt a little bit left out."
"Aweeee." Leah cooed. "You poor thing! Here!"
She immediately flung herself at him like a speeding train, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and squeezing tightly.
"There you go." She sang as she pulled away. "All better now?"
"Yes." Nayden chuckled. "All better. You give very good hugs."
Leah gasped loudly.
"Thank you! I know right? That's what I keep telling everyone but they're all 'you hug too tight' and 'I can't breathe' and 'I think I broke a rib'. They just don't understand!"
"Well, I do. I think you hug with just the right amount of tightness."
"Oh, stop it." She laughed and slapped his shoulder a little too hard. "You're so nice. My friends would totally eat you for breakfast. What's your name again?"
"Nayden."
"Nayden. Okay, cool. I can remember that. Maybe. Honestly, my brain doesn't always do what I tell it to."
"It's not a problem." He assured. "I'm sure I can remember for both of us. Now, do you have anywhere to be?"
"I'm going back to my common room. My friends are waiting. They're probably so worried about me. Sometimes I get lost."
"Well, we can't have that." Nayden held out his elbow. "Let me escort you."
"You're so sweet!" Leah took it. "Seriously. Don't come near my friends, they'll see it as a sign of weakness and literally rip you to shreds."
--Pretending To Live--
"GREETINGS." Leah all but screamed as she skipped into the common room, drawing annoyed and tired stares from everyone in sight.
Valentine grumbled inwardly. She had a headache, light and dull, but irritating all the same.
Does she always have to be so loud?
Leah headed straight for the couch in front of the fire and flopped herself down into the empty spot beside Draco.
"There's no way McGonagall went on for that long." He frowned. "Where have you been?"
"I made a new friend." She grinned.
Liam arched a brow at her from his adjacent arm chair.
"Like a human friend? Or is this of the animal and or inmate object variety?"
"He was definitely human! Well, he seemed human anyway. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was."
"He?" Blaze stiffened at Valentine's side.
Oh, here comes trouble.
"Yes. Um. Okay, so, I didn't actually ask but I'm pretty sure he was a he. Anyway, when I was on my way back I ran into this boy from Durmstrang and he was super nice. He said he heard that I was giving out free hugs and felt left out that he didn't get one, so I gave him one! And get this! He thought my hugs were just fine! Not too tight or anything!"
Valentine could practically hear Blaze's brain running over time as every part of his body went tense.
This is ridiculous. What's the point of getting jealous? It's not like Leah is going to up and marry this one random Durmstrang boy.
She swung her legs up onto Blaze's lap with enough force to shake him but not hurt him. No one else took much notice. It wasn't rare for her to use someone as human furniture, although that privilege was usually reserved for Draco. She felt Blaze relax under her legs slightly but didn't look at him.
"Durmstrang you say?" Liam's interest was piqued. "Do tell us more."
"Down boy." Draco shot him a look like he was scolding a puppy.
"He walked me back to the common room." Said Leah, obvious to any struggle she has caused Blaze. "He's so nice. And funny. And shorter than me. I like it when people are shorter than me. It makes me feel like soup."
"Soup?" Said Draco.
"Yeah, you know. Soup. It's short for superior."
"No, it absolutely is not."
"Since when?"
"Since always!"
"Vallllll!"
"What do you want from me? He's right. Soup is most definitely not short for superior."
"But I swear it is!"
"Well, you're wrong. Which is something you should be used to by now."
Leah pouted at that and slouched in her spot.
"But it is."
"But it's not." Said Draco off handedly as he reached into his robes for something. "Val, before I forget. It's from Mother."
Draco held out a sealed envelope to her.
Valentine looked at it drolly.
"And you're unable to open it why?"
"It's addressed to you." Draco shrugged.
Strange. Narcissa usually writes one letter for us both unless it's something important.
Valentine took the envelope from him and studied it for a moment. It was indeed addressed to her and her alone, 'Dear Valentine' written in her aunt's elegant scrawl. Anything Narcissa had to say to her was usually included with whatever she had to say to Draco and delivered by Draco's owl, Beak Face, as it was easier than approaching Darcy.
She tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter, unfolding it unhurriedly. The parchment was fine and thick under her hands, stamped with the Malfoy coat of arms.
"Maybe it's about those perverts from today." said Liam, demeanor less his usual calm and more serious. "There was a lot of blood after all. They could have made up a story, said you attacked for no reason."
"They won't if they know what's good for them." Draco scowled.
"And if they do, they'll have more to worry about than just a few missing teeth." Blaze added coldly.
As Valentine's friends proceeded to discuss ways in which to deal with said perverts should the need arise, Valentine read through her letter.
My dearest Valentine,
I write to you to speak about the up and coming Yule Ball Hogwarts will be holding. We can't have Draco and yourself walking around in anything less than the finest, although it's not Draco I'm worried about. This is a very formal event Valentine and you must dress as such.
"Oh, hell no." Valentine hissed under her breath.
"What is it?" Draco asked.
"The Yule Ball."
"The what?" Blaze attempted to crane his neck and read the letter.
"It's a dance held during the tournament." Valentine sighed.
She'd known about it from past reading on the tournament itself and had completely forgotten. It was a customary tradition made to help strengthen the bonds between the participating schools. She didn't recall it being compulsory but Narcissa clearly expected her to attend.
"A dance?" Leah brightened immediately.
"Yule Ball?" Liam hummed. "Sounds festive."
"Does that mean gowns and fancy music and grown up dancing?" Leah grew increasingly more excited by the second.
"Yes, Leah." Valentine groaned.
"I've been to a few with my grandfather." Said Liam. "They can be pretty boring unless you know someone there."
"My parents hate those sorts of things." Blaze chimed in. "I've literally seen my mother set invitations on fire. My brother goes to them, but that's because there's always alcohol and he drinks like a fish that can't keep it in his pants."
"Can't keep what in his pants?" Leah frowned.
"Uh. His fins."
"Your brother has fins?"
"Weren't you just getting excited about dresses?"
"Oh, right. Yes, I can't wait! I should wear purple. No pink. Wait, no I look best in blue...awe, but yellow is so pretty as well!"
"Nice save." Liam whispered to Blaze.
"Thanks." The boy huffed in relief.
"What colour are you going to wear, Val?" Leah jumped up from her place. "Don't say black, you can't say black!"
"Shut up, Leah." Valentine scowled. "Whatever monstrosity Narcissa forces on me is going straight to the bottom of the lake."
"Are we expected to bring dates?" Draco spoke up.
"Most likely." Valentine grumbled.
"Have someone in mind?" Asked Liam.
"One or two." Draco grinned. "From Beauxbaton's, of course."
"I still cannot believe they actually talked to you."
"What can I say? It's the Malfoy charm."
"Draco, you're very pretty, but you're about as charming as a cactus."
"Screw you, Highcourt."
"My point exactly."
"Ohhhh, a date sounds like fun!" Leah giggled and Valentine felt Blaze tense up all over again.
Oh, bloody hell.