TRIGGER WARNING: Contains sexual assault (NOT rape) towards a minor. If you are sensitive to such things, please take care.

"Well, here we are." Anna gave a terse smile and gestured down the stairs leading to the Great Hall. "I really should have worn flats. My feet are already killing me "

"They look good though." Chloe assured her.

"Yeah." Anna sighed resignedly. "I'll tell you if it was worth it in four hours."

"I know it will be!" Leah insisted. "My mama says that beauty is pain, you know!"

Valentine stood with the three other girls, trying to remember not to touch her face. The makeup was an unfamiliar feeling. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable but it was certainly there on her face and that alone was strange enough. When Chloe had finished and held up the mirror for Valentine to see, she didn't know whether to laugh or poke her at her face to see if that was really her. Valentine had never been a great judge of beauty and although she'd never thought herself ugly, this was definitely different. Her eyelids were shimmering beige, her lips were dark red and the light blush had actually given her face some colour for once. She was so used to seeing herself with that white pallor that now she actually looked alive and almost like she hadn't been before.

...I really should get more sun. Don't know where the hell I'll find that in Britain.

Chloe had definitely done a good job in her limited opinion on the matter. This was the kind of thing Narcissa would have died to see. It still felt odd though. Almost like she was wearing a mask in the physical sense. But it was only for a few hours so no harm. This was certainly fair from her greatest trial if one could really call it that.

A boy and a girl passed them, arm in arm. They stared at the four of them obtusely and only looked away when Valentine served them a glare.

They weren't the only people to have done that, in fact, several people had done it all the way from the dungeons to here.

Valentine thought it must have been Leah's hair that they were staring at as her waist-long locks had always made her easily identifiable in a crowd, especially if she was flailing around as she tended to do. Now, her hair sat just above her shoulders, the new length giving it more waves and bounce now that it wasn't weighing itself down. Valentine was almost surprised to see how good it looked. At first, she could barely recognise her life-long friend but it was her through and through. Leah loved it and Parkinson had been wrong, that was the important part.

"Let us go and find our dates shall we." Anna linked arms with Chloe merrily. "See you all inside."

"My hair is so damn pretty." Leah said as if she had read Valentine's mind, adjusting her flower crown.

"I know. You've said so fourteen times." Said Valentine.

"Well, it was true fourteen times!"

"I think I should go find Michael." Said Chloe. "He said he'd wait just inside for me."

"Alright. Cool. No problem." Anna nodded, looking very much like she was trying too hard to be causal. "I should go hunt down Meriton then."

"Ooooh!" Leah grinned. "You're going with Meriton? Why didn't I know that! He's cool. His hair is floppy."

"He only asked me a few days ago." Anna shrugged. "Neither of us had dates and like you said, he's cool, so why not?"

"Well, have fun you two!" Chloe linked arms with Anna.

"We will! Make sure to save me a dance, alright!"

"Sure thing." Said Chloe and the girls laughed as they headed down the stairs.

There was a moment of silence as Leah stared after them. Then she broke it by saying;

"Seriously, Val. How pretty is my hair though?" And proceeded to molest her own head.

"No matter how pretty you look, you'll still always be an idiot."

"I'm going to just pay attention to the pretty part." Leah decided.

"You do that."

"Really though. I look impeccable and you look phenomenal." Leah surmised and then paused. "Uh. I used those words right, right?"

"Yes, Leah."

"Okay, sweet, so how about we go see if I need to kill Blaze or not?"

"I suppose so."

"Brilliant! Now! Onward soldiers! Into the depths of the buffet!"

I wonder if Draco and Liam are here yet...Blaze wasn't in the common room when we left but I wouldn't put it past him to leave without them.

Leah hurried and down the stairs, seemingly unhindered by her heels. Valentine tried not to gawk at her. Her own heels and tight dress definitely didn't make the short trek down the stairs all too easy, the long one coming up from the dungeons certainly hadn't been. So, she followed behind at her own pace, like a man being taken to hang.

A boy standing near the bottom of the stairs noticed her and quickly elbowed his friend beside him. They only had a moment to stare before Valentine shot them a glare and they averted their eyes. Most people knew better than to stare at her so openly.

What the hell is everyone's problem tonight?

Near the doors of the Great Hall, Leah was showing off her new hair cut to Professor McGonagall.

"Isn't it awesome, Professor?"

"It's a very practical length, miss Lovat." McGonagall nodded.

"Val! She likes my hair!" Leah hopped about on her toes, pulling the attention of everyone in the immediate area. "...I think!"

She...is going to flash so many people tonight if she keeps doing that...

"Oh, my word! Miss Lestrange..." McGonagall appeared to be honestly shocked as she appraised her. "I hardly recognised you. You look quite mature."

"Thanks." Valentine answered, not bothering to make eye contact and instead sent a dark glare at the many students gawking at what she assumed was Leah.

"The ball will officially begin in a minute when the four champions arrive." Said McGonagall. "I believe Mr Malfoy, Zambini and Highcourt are already inside."

She pointed them in the right direction before flitting off to another group of students.

Leah grabbed Valentine's arm and half dragged her inside. She was the first to catch sight of their friends standing near the door, or more specifically, Blaze.

"BLAZE!" Leah screamed his name as though she was issuing a battle cry. She zoned in on the boy in question and as he turned to greet her he was met with the flying mass that was her body. The two collided with a very audible and painful sounding thump, ending up in a rather ungraceful jumble of limbs.

Ouch.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to kill me? Why do you have to be so bat shit insane every day of the week? Take a break for once!" Blaze hissed, as he tried to shove her back and sit up. When he when did, he finally got a proper look at Leah. "Y-Your hair!"

"Isn't it pretty?" She beamed.

"Wow...bloody hell. It's beautiful." Blaze blinked. He glanced down to take in the rest of her and saw her bare thighs looking back at him. He immediately returned his eyes to her face. "Uh. The rest of you looks great as well."

"I know right!" Leah shrugged like that was obvious and attacked him in another hug. "And you look like you but better than usual!"

"You call that a compliment?" Blaze arched a brow at her. "I called you beautiful and great."

"Sorry, sorry! You look fantastic! That shade of blue suits you...wait. Oh, my, God! We're both wearing blue! Isn't that cool?"

Before Blaze could reply, Draco, who had gone completely unnoticed by Leah, gasped all though he had been deprived of air for quite sometime.

"What the hell did you do to your hair, you absolute mad woman?"

"I just cut it a little bit."

"A little bit?" Draco exclaimed, lip curling in disgust. "A little bit! You barely have any hair left!"

"Oh stop, I do too! Besides, it's my head, not yours so butt out!" Leah pouted.

"It just looks...weird. I don't like it. You've always had your hair long. That's your thing. You don't even look like you anymore. Not to mention your mother is going to throw a fit when she sees you." Draco pouted right back. "Tell her I'm right Liam!"

Draco waited for an answer but it never came. He glanced at his friend, who had also been completely bypassed by Leah. Liam stood facing away from them, seemingly fixated on something.

That was when Valentine realised that what he was fixated on was her, standing a few metres away where Leah had left her. He looked like he was in shock or something.

"Liam? What are you staring at?" Draco elbowed and then saw Valentine as well? His jaw nearly hit the floor. "You've got to be kidding me. What are you wearing and why the hell are you wearing it!"

Draco has instantly flustered all over again, first being bombarded with Leah's new look and then turning to see his cousin in a tight, curve-hugging dress.

"It's a dress, moron and I didn't choose it."

"I can't believe mother sent you THAT! And I thought Leah's hair was bad!"

"What are you even screeching about? This is just a dress and that's just hair."

"I'm just saying that dressing like that is going to attract all kinds of attention from all the creeps in this place!" Draco tried to defend himself weakly. "Remember what happened at the first task?"

Valentine's gaze darkened.

"Creep's or not, it's not my job to dress in a way that won't attract attention. I will not regulate my clothing because other people cannot keep their eyes to themselves. I could kill everyone in this room if I truly wanted to, Draco. This overprotective behaviour doesn't suit you and it better stop before it gets on my nerves."

"Um." Draco swallowed. "Okay. Yeah. You're right."

"Yes, I know, thank you." She noticed Liam still standing there, watching her and was immediately on the defence. "And what the hell are you staring at?"

"You!" Liam suddenly yelped. He paused and took a moment to collect himself. "You look good."

"Uh-huh." Valentine rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you be looking for Philips?"

"Right. Yes. Right." Liam nodded, not moving from the spot he was rooted to.

He was dressed in dark red robes with slate a grey undershirt and bow tie. Unlike Blaze, it didn't seem so bizarre for him to be dressed this way.

"Liam."

"Yes?"

"Philips. Go freaking find her."

"Yes, of course." He shook his head little and dashed off in a random direction.

"What was his problem?" Valentine asked Draco, watching him scurry away.

"Who knows?" Draco shrugged. It was only now that Blaze and Leah dragged themselves up off the floor. "Ugh. I can't even look at you right now."

Draco blatantly snubbed Leah and moved to stand on the other side of Valentine.

"Oi! Jerk!"

"Draco!" A voice with a thick french accent cooed before Draco could snap back.

"Ah, Camille. I was going to look for you." Draco turned with a smile and took the arm of a pretty blonde girl that Valentine recognised as one of the twelve Beauxbaton students. "Everyone, this is Camille Lefevre. Camille, this is my cousin Valentine and two idiots."

Camille giggled and smiled at them.

"It's lovely to meet you all. I think tonight will be so much fun."

Valentine glanced over her. Blonde hair pulled back in a bun, sky blue eyes, a simple, yet silky pink slip of a dress. Her jewellery was chunky, her lips were glossy and her demeanour unassuming.

Standing together, she and Draco made quite the classic picture, Draco in his clean-cut black, white formal robes and slicked back hair and her looking very elegant and poised. Narcissa would have been proud.

"We're the two idiots. Leah Lovat and Blaze Zambini." Leah offered the other girl a handshake, hanging off Blaze and giggling like a giddy psychopath. "Your dress is so pretty and shiny!"

"Hello, and thank you." Camille shook her hand and laughed. "I heard all about how you asked him to the ball during your study period in front of everyone. I could never hope to be so brave."

"Yes. I am very brave, some may say stupid, but me, I like to ignore them and say I'm brave."

Camille seemed undeterred by Leah's generally strangeness and turned her gaze to Valentine.

"So, you must be Valentine Lestrange. Draco has told me all about you. You look stunning in that dress, if I may say."

"You may." Said Valentine.

She wondered how Draco had managed to get such a seemingly sweet girl to be his date. He didn't exactly have the most friendly reputation. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd used his status, given his personality, it was the best thing he had to work with.

"Look, I think it's starting." Said Blaze.

The group weaved through the mob to watch the Champions and their dates enter. First was Fleur Delacour and a dark-haired boy Valentine recognised from Ravenclaw. Second was Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum.

"Is that...?" Leah trailed off uncertainly.

"Do not say it." Draco hissed under his breath. "Liam is definitely somewhere having a break down right now."

"Yeah, just listen for the sound of tortured screaming." Blaze scoffed.

Camille tugged on Draco's arm with a questioning frown.

"Don't ask."

Next was Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang and then the source of so many of Valentine's sleepless nights, Harry Potter and his date, one of the Patil sisters. From the distance, Valentine couldn't be sure which one. Valentine watched him move past, not nearly as enthusiastic as the girl on his arm.

The Champions came to a halt in the centre of the room where the dance floor had been set, the students clustering around. Then, the orchestra began to play and the Champions started their dance.

Valentine watched Harry with a small measure of pity as he fumbled his way through, his partner clearing whispering him instructions as they went. Luckily of the two of them, most eyes we're on Krum and Hermione.

"So, who is your date for this evening?" Camille whispered to Valentine on her left.

Immediately Draco tapped on the girl's shoulder to try and warn her.

"Nobody." Valentine replied.

"Really? But I heard you had so many willing to take you. And look at you. Surely you could have had your pick?"

"I have no interest in such things."

Draco was still trying to stop Camille before she unknowingly started something when Liam returned with a girl on his own arm.

"Everyone-"

"Good evening. I'm Jane Philips." Jane had cut Liam off before he could scarcely start. "It's great to finally meet you."

The words were said to all but her gaze was trained only on Valentine.

She was dressed modestly in a flowing cream coloured dress, the top half lace and the bottom half a sweeping chiffon skirt. Her hair was worn in long mahogany waves, her light makeup complimenting her pleasant features and hazel eyes. Like Camille, she seemed totally harmless, polite and unassuming. So, it made Valentine wonder why she felt this nagging in the back of her mind. Something was off here but she couldn't put her finger on it. She tried to ignore it, tonight was supposed to be about her friends having fun, not her unfounded suspicions towards a person she knew virtually nothing about.

"Hey, it's good to meet you as well." Said Blaze.

"Hi." Said Leah without her usual excitement. "Blaze, we should dance now."

"Oh, um, alright. Coming Draco?"

"Oh, let's." Camille smiled.

"Sure." Said Draco and led her off after Leah and Blaze.

"Us too?" Liam asked Jane.

"I'd love to." She squeezed his arm lightly.

"Uh, Val?" Liam looked to her before leaving.

"What is it?"

"Will you be fine on your own?" He asked carefully.

She rolled her eyes languidly, planting a hand on each hip.

"Go. Dance. This torture will be less so the further that," Valentine pointed to the giddy mess that was Blaze and Leah. "is away from me."

"If you're sure then."

"I am. Now get lost."

"It was lovely to meet you." Jane quickly slipped in.

"Whatever." Valentine groaned, tired of all the small talk by this point.

She turned literally on her heel and started walking away, effectively ending the conversation.

They should just enjoy themselves. They spend hours with my tyranny hanging over them day after day, you'd think they'd be begging for a reprieve. This is one night I will not be ruining, so they should take full advantage of that.

She made a beeline for the punch bowl. Something to keep her hands busy as she fully intended to spend the next several hours sitting at a table with an expression like she hated the world. She didn't get halfway there before a boy was at her elbow.

"Excuse me, Lestrange?"

"What?" She cut him a vicious glare.

"Um." He paled. "Would you do me the honour of dancing with me?"

"Not even if it would kill me if I didn't." She barely gave him a glance as she kept moving.

Another four steps and a hand tapped on her shoulder. She growled.

Oh, for crying out loud! All I want is some damn punch!

"You look-"

"Save it." Valentine growled.

"But-"

Valentine snapped one hand out and grabbed the boys bow tie, yanking him close, he gave a help squeak.

"I have no interest in dancing and definitely not with you." She pulled tighter. "Be a good little boy and spread the word for me, won't you? Valentine Lestrange does not want to dance."

She shoved him away and continued on her path. When she finally reached the punch bowl, she ladled herself a cup and stalked off to a table set in one far corner of the hall. The night was young and so everyone else was still up on their feet, either dancing, spectating or chatting with friends. Valentine kicked off her heels under the table and regretted that she hadn't bought a book with her.

Now, what the hell am I supposed to do?

She huffed, realizing how long this night was probably going to drag on. If she left early her friends would likely insist on going with her and if she snuck off without telling them, they'd probably come looking once they noticed. She didn't want that. She wanted them to have fun like any other student here, at least this once.

She sipped her punch and watched her friends dancing. Leah bounced about with her never-ending supply of energy, a little less elegant than a waltz usually was but who expected anything else from her? Blaze, on the other hand, looked both dizzy and delirious in a way he seemed to be actually enjoying. Valentine wondered if that was what romance was supposed to look like or if, like usual, Leah and Blaze were an isolated incident.

Draco and Liam spun their dates, looking ever the dashing gentlemen that Valentine knew was partly an act perfected from birth. As she knew them, Draco was a bratty, cowardly bully and Liam wasn't a whole world better. He was just more naturally polite and accommodating than Draco. It was easy to forget that he was every bit as much as a bully as Draco and seeing them like this, it was hard to believe that either of them were. It was nice, Valentine decided, for them to seem like any other student.

She scanned across the hall, looking for a different but still familiar face. Harry had only managed that first dance before fleeing the dance floor, his date looking rather dejected. He sought out Ron, who he had seemed to have made up with recently and had the other Patil twin at his side. Neither boy looked thrilled to be there and neither girl looked thrilled with the situation.

Whoever came up with the idea of balls should be shunned.

She watched the four Gryffindor's find a seat and now with knowing just where Harry was and that he was just fine and safe, she was left irrevocably with nothing left to do. Her first instinct was to get out her wand and carve up the silky, silver tablecloth but that just made her remember that her wand had been left in the common room. This dress hadn't been made in mind of a wand and she didn't even have her boots to slip it into. She curled her toes, them scraping across the stone floor.

Damn. I miss my boots.

"Hey, Lestrange." Anna gave a little wave as she walked up beside the table. Valentine noticed immediately that she didn't sound as naturally casual as usual. She was forcing something and it showed. "Not going to dance?"

"No."

"Oh. Fair enough then. I don't know how the other girls can dance in these heels and not look like a demented newborn deer anyway. It's definitely a skill I missed out on."

"Don't you have a date to attend to?"

"Meriton's getting us some punch. Neither of us are really big on dancing either."

"So, why exactly are you here then?"

"I just saw that you were sitting alone looking bored out of your skull and thought, hey, why not? At the very least you might get someone to insult and I might have something to take my mind off...other things..."

"Other things? I'm not a distraction for your personal issues, Henley." Valentine spat.

Anna flinched a little but just laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, my bad. I'll just leave then." And as she turned to do so, Meriton arrived with two cups of punch. "Oh, hey. Thanks."

"No problem...are you feeling better now?"

"Not really. You?"

"Not really.

"Well. Aren't we the life of the party?"

The two gazed out at the crowd of dancers, both looking equally forlorn and deflated.

What the hell is that about?

As she reached for her own punch to take a sip, she felt the ever too present eyes on her. She scanned the room, searching for the culprit and spotted a Durmstrang student standing on the other side of the hall eyeballing her. Valentine knew his face but not his name or anything about him. When their eyes met, he raised his own glass of punch as if in a toast. Valentine half slammed hers back in the table and pointedly ignored him.

Then a different Durmstrang boy Valentine remembered as Georgi Lukanov, was pushing past Anna and Meriton with the quick 'excuse me'. Valentine and her friends interacted with him briefly in the past when Leah had asked him 'If someone was to tell you to take a tall glass of water and shut the hell up, what would that mean?'.

"Good evening, Lestrange." He smiled at her.

Valentine's expression immediately darkened.

"Uh, excuse me." Anna had to get up on her tiptoes to tap the older boy's shoulder. "I wouldn't do that if I was you."

He looked down at her questioningly.

"You were going to ask her to dance, right? You shouldn't. For your own well being. Dancing isn't her thing and I don't mean to speak for her but she can only turn down guys for so long before losing it and killing someone."

Georgi looked back to Valentine for some kind of confirmation.

She just arched a brow as if to say 'Think she was kidding? Want to test that theory?'.

"Well, uh. Sorry to bother you." Georgi swallowed thickly and turned back to Anna and Meriton. "Then perhaps would you like to dance, Miss? Unless you two are together...?"

Both Anna and Meriton were shaking their heads before Georgi had even finished speaking.

"No, no, not us." Said Anna. "Definitely not us."

"We just came to the ball together." Said Meriton.

"Ah." Georgi nodded.

"And I'm not much of a dancer either, but this guy-" Anna grabbed Meriton's arm and nudged him forward. "is just dying to dance with someone."

"What? Anna!" Meriton shot her pleading look.

"Don't be chicken." She nudged him harder.

"Why not?" Georgi shrugged and held out his elbow for Meriton to take with a debonair smile. "If you'll have me?"

"Go get him, tiger." Anna yanked Meriton's punch from his hand.

"I, uh...I...alright." Meriton tentatively took Georgi's arm.

"Great." Georgi led him away as Anna flashed them a thumbs up.

"Ha. He's hopeless." Anna chuckled.

"I didn't need you to speak for me, Henley." Valentine snapped.

"I know. Sorry." Said Anna. "I didn't think you'd want to deal with him though. I mean, you're tucked away in corner glaring daggers at any male that comes within a ten-metre radius. Well. Except for Meriton but he doesn't count."

"I don't care what you think, I handle my own affairs."

"I'll remember that."

Valentine scoffed but she couldn't have disagreed more with what she'd said. Anna was probably just trying to save her some frustration and Georgi some physical harm. She may have been grateful but she couldn't exactly let Anna know that.

The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end. She was being watched again. She looked to where the boy across the hall had been but he was no longer there. Instead, she spotted him now standing by a table, much closer than before. He was still staring like he had nothing better to do.

Oh, just great. Now I've got to deal with this fucking weirdo.

Valentine found herself wishing this night would become boring again.

She ignored him again and took another sip of her punch. All she hoped was that he'd stayed where he was and took the damn hint.

"Okay, so is it just me or has that creep totally staring at you for the past five minutes." Anna frowned deeply.

"He has."

"Gross. I mean, him staring, not you."

"Hmm."

"Do you want me to hang around? Like as back up?" Asked Anna. Valentine shot her a sharp look. "Right. Dumb question. You can handle yourself. I'm going to eat everything that can be dipped in sauce now. Just...I don't know. Be careful of Mr Creepy."

"Uh-huh."

"Uh-huh." Anna nodded and left for the direction of the food table.

Valentine turned her eyes back to Mr Creepy as Anna had dubbed him. He was even closer now. He smiled and waved and Valentine tried her best to convey, with her facial features alone that he should keep his distance. Just in case that wasn't obvious enough, she shoved her feet back into her heels, got up and moved several tables closer to the dance floor. It was louder here but that wasn't her main concern at the moment.

She traced her friends in the crowd again and Harry as well, who hadn't moved from his spot. She really, really wished that she'd bought a book. Several minutes passed and she looked back over at where Mr Creepy had been standing last but he was no longer there.

Good. But...why do I still feel like I'm being watched?

Valentine looked again, turning in her chair and saw him. Sitting at the empty table behind hers.

Bloody hell.

He sent a cocky smirk in her direction. He pointedly looked her up and down and it made Valentine's skin crawl. She had physically moved tables in an attempt to show him that his attentions were not wanted and yet there he was. Her first instinct was to march over there and demanded to know what the hell his problem was. Probably drop a threat or two and cause a scene if he still couldn't get the message. But this wasn't some random night. This was the Yule Ball.

She found her friends on the dance floor again, still dancing and definitely having more fun than she was. She was still determined not to ruin this for them. She knew that they might come looking for her if she left but it was better than starting a brawl which would have them come running to defend her and then all the Professor's and Snape to restrain her from killing anyone. The Yule Ball would grind to a stop and the night would be effectively ruined.

No. That's not happening.

She stood again, leaving her punch on the table. If she was lucky, her friends wouldn't notice that she was gone for awhile and even then they still might decide that it was better to leave her be.

Valentine headed straight for the exit, pushing past a couple standing in the doorway, cutting in between them both.

"Hey!" The girl cried after her.

Valentine didn't bother to turn back and tell her all about how insignificant she was. She was more focused on hoping that the Durmstrang Creeper wasn't going to follow her all the way out of the hall, down the corridor, a flight of steps and around a corner. Even Leah would have caught on by now that she wasn't welcome. Just in case, she took the stairs two at a time.

When she rounded that corner she slowed, realising just how fast she'd been walking. She could practically hear Snape's patronizing drawl in the back of her head; The Valentine Lestrange. Running away. Who would have thought such a thing was even possible?

Jerk.

She exited out into the inner courtyard and heaved out a sigh. The moonlight reflected off the glimmering beads of her dress and the frost caking the grass crunched beneath her. She could feel the heels of her shoes stabbing into the ground lightly. She wondered how Narcissa lived like this and suddenly had a newfound respect for her. It would have stuck harder if she hadn't watched her husband abuse their son for years.

The cold air nipped at her arms and face, but it didn't bother her. The music from the ball could still be heard playing faintly, as could the laughter and talking. Valentine gazed up at the moon, far away in the night sky. She remembered as a young child at perhaps five years old, that in winter she would pretend that the stars were really snowflakes that had risen instead of falling and gotten stuck in the sky. Of course, even then she knew it wasn't true. A lot of things had changed since she was five years old, but some hadn't. Even now she was still playing pretend.

Then she felt those eyes on her again and suppressed a shiver up her spine.

You have got to be kidding me.

"Wow. If you don't mind me saying, you look beautiful in the moonlight."

The voice was deep and coated in a thick accent. She turned slowly, her face already poised in a mask, ready for war.

As she suspected, it was the Drumstrang boy that had leered at her and now followed away from the ball altogether. Like most people, he was taller than her, dark closely cropped hair, dark eyes, wide muscular build with a slightly crooked nose. He stood there, casual as anything as if he hadn't basically just stalked her.

"Leave me be." She snarled, hooded eyes burning bright as the moon glowed behind her.

"Come on, now! It's just a little compliment, I didn't mean to come off as rude." The corners of his lips twitched into a grin and he chuckled. "No harm done."

"You want it to stay that way?" She challenged.

"Ah. So everything they say about you is true then." He took a step closer to her. "As beautiful as you are cold. Forgive me if I don't freeze under your gaze, I tend to run rather warm."

Valentine's eye narrowed dangerously. She could still hear the music from the ball echoing down the corridor she'd exited from and was reluctant to escalate, even out here in private. She now regretted leaving her wand behind.

The boy took another step closer. It took every inch of her willpower for her to hold her ground. This boy was not here to simply pay compliments and overstep boundaries. He wanted something else.

"My name is Nayden by the way. Nayden Andonov. I heard you turned down every offer you received for the ball tonight and then you showed up completely alone. That's quite a powerful statement, Valentine."

"I wasn't trying to make any statement and do not speak to me with such familiarity." She spat. "Now, leave me be."

He pouted lightly, shoulders slumping.

"But I only wanted to let you know how stunning you look in that dress. It suits you. Your school's robes really do nothing for your figure."

Oh, how I could crush you.

"You've paid your compliment now leave." She snapped at him like a viper.

He straightened his back almost comically and frowned, playing the serious gentleman as he offered the crook of his arm.

"Miss Lestrange, would you allow me the profound honour of granting me this dance?"

"I told you no." She snarled once more. "Are you deaf? Or just stupid?"

His hand dropped, stance changing completely, but that smile drifting back on to his face.

"There's no need to be so aggressive, I'm a nice guy. There you were. Sitting all alone, wasted beauty. And I thought that maybe I could show you a good time."

"Thanks but no thanks."

I'll go back to the common room. Wipe this stuff off my face. Take off these shoes. Sit by the fire and read without interruption.

Valentine turned on her heel. She took a step away but had only taken that single step when the boy was already pressed up against her back. He slapped a hand over her mouth in a bruising grip, grabbing her shoulder with his other hand.

This fool will rue the day he decided to play this game.

She struggled against his hold and in turn, he moved the hand on her shoulder and wound it around her waist, pinning her to him.

"Hush." He whispered, leaning down to her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

She stopped struggling, knowing she wouldn't get free that way.

After several long waning seconds, he moved his hand from over her mouth and curled his arm loosely around her neck.

"Good girl." He laid his chin on her head like she was a child. "There's no need to fight me. I'm a nice guy, remember?"

She nodded.

"There you go." He laughed.

I need him to think he's won before I destroy him.

The arm around her waist drifted downwards. He ran his hand slowly from the top of her thigh and up over her hip. She felt a bolt of revulsion shoot up her spine.

Wait.

His hand then travelled higher, dipping along her waist and running across her stomach.

"We could have so much fun together, Valentine."

Not yet.

The hand at her neck caressed her shoulder gently.

"All you have to do is let it happen."

The hand on her stomach drifted higher, stopping with a single finger pressed to the bottom of her breast. He took his chin off her head and leaned down by her ear to whisper again.

"I promise that you'll like it."

NOW.

Valentine pulled her head back sideways and smacked it into his with a heavy thud. The hands on her body disappeared as he stumbled away from her. Valentine swung her leg back, sending her heel stabbing into his shin. He cried out and she spun away from him.

She saw him wipe blood from his cheek, teeth gritted. There was no more smiling, no more laughing, no more 'nice guy'.

Without a word, he lunged for her. She stepped aside and stuck out her foot at the last moment. He tripped and stumbled to his knees. Valentine saw her chance and took it in that split second. As he fell, she grabbed for his hand and wrapped her fist around a single finger. She squeezed hard and yanked.

The boy let out a startled shriek of pain and landed awkwardly. He tried to scramble away on his knees, panic setting in.

"Get away from me!"

But Valentine wasn't done.

She planted her foot on his back and put all her weight into it, shoving him down into the grass. She could see the injured finger braced against the ground with his hand, the single-digit bent at an odd angle.

"Oh, come on now. There's no need to fight me. I'm a good girl, remember? All you have to do is let it happen." Valentine cooed sweetly and slammed down her other foot on his hand. He let loose a blood-curdling scream as she twisted her ankle and ground her heel into the already injured finger. "You see. I don't have much room in my life for 'nice guys' and if you ever touch me again, I will kill you. If I even hear speculation of you doing this to anyone else, I will kill you. I will hunt you down like the feral rodent you are and you will regret ever taking your first breath. I don't care if it's tomorrow or a week from now or a year or even twenty. I will find you and the last thing you will ever know is the tip of my wand. Do you understand?"

She twisted her foot again.

"It hurts!" He yelped, choking on his own tears.

"Good. Then it's had the desired effect. Now, I want an apology." The boy cried and said nothing. She pressed down harder. "You'll need to speak up."

"Get off me!"

"Now, that doesn't sound like something a 'nice guy' would say."

"Get off you psycho!"

"Not without my damn apology!"

"Sorry! Okay?" He shouted through his own cries. "I'm sorry! Please, just let me go!"

Valentine held there for a moment and then lifted her heel off his hand. She waited another moment and then removed her other heel from his back, stepping away altogether.

He rolled onto his side, sobbing uncontrollably. She got a glimpse at his finger. Pointing almost completely vertical, bent at the knuckle.

"You're pathetic." She scoffed.

This seemed to give him new vigour as he forced himself up on to his knees. Tears streamed down his face, features twisted in anger, injured hand clutched to his chest.

"You bitc-!"

He never got to finish his sentence as Valentine's fist collided solidly with his nose. There was a loud crunch and more screaming as Valentine flexed her fingers.

"Pathetic." She spat one last time and turned to walk away, to leave him there in the cold with only his cries for company

Then, Professor McGonagall stepped into the courtyard.