PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟐𝟗. Apology

TRIGGER WARNING; Contains depictions of mild violence.

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Valentine didn't want to be there, but she wouldn't dare leave Umbridge and Potter alone together. It seemed to be like asking for trouble. She looked around at the other students, all sitting silently. She caught Meriton quickly looking away as her head turned. They were all waiting for her to do something again.

After the first day of school, it had circulated quickly that Valentine Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge did not play well together. The atmosphere that enveloped the class was a mixture of worry and anticipation. No one had ever objected to her hatred of Professor Snape even though he was her house leader and was constantly favouring his own house. Lockhart had been hardly any different and neither had Mad-eye for that matter. People didn't like Snape. People didn't like Valentine. Few people liked Lockhart and Mad-eye. It didn't matter who was on the losing end, someone out there was enjoying the scene. Valentine's open hatred of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was similar. No one liked Umbridge and so they were inclined to sit back nervously and just try and stay out of harm's way themselves.

Draco leaned in close to her.

"Can you just...just..." His voice trembled slightly."...stay quiet?"

Valentine turned to face him slowly and he immediately seemed to regret his words.

"But you could get in big trouble!" Leah had turned around in her desk and whispered in possibly the loudest of ways.

"Since when did getting in trouble bother me?"

"We all know you're a super badass, but she works with the Minister." Blaze added. "She could have you booted from Hogwarts for good if she tried hard enough."

Valentine leaned forward in her chair slowly. Blaze leaned back in response.

"No one," Her eyes glowed viscously. "is expelling me."

"Right." Blaze swallowed thickly. "Forget I said that."

Valentine caught Liam looking at her next. He gave a weak smile, almost like he was attempting to comfort her.

She raised her brows at him, tilting her chin as if to ask 'what are looking at?'.

Liam's smile dropped and he turned back to the front.

"Val." Draco whispered again, this time in a pleading tone. "Father will be angry if he hears about what you did."

"That snivelling rat holds nothing over me." Valentine growled lowly. "He can get as mad as he wants. There's nothing he can do to me, or you."

"Quiet class." Umbridge's voice came from the back of the room as she entered. She came right over to where Valentine sat and smiled down at her almost pitifully. "I do believe you neglected to attend your detentions, my dear."

"Oh, did I?" Valentine battered her lashes and pouted mockingly.

"They will be doubled and you will have to make up for them." Umbridge told her in a clipped tone. "You will also no longer be permitted to sit with Mr Malfoy. I have a special seat all of your own in front, nearer to me."

You have got to be fucking kidding me...

Draco nudged Valentine's knee with his own when she didn't move. She suspected that if she refused Umbridge would have just thrown her out.

She could feel every eye in the room on her as she raised slowly, emotionlessly walked up to the front of the room and found the desk Umbridge had been talking about. It was a single desk, situated at least two metres away from the first row, where Chloe Connelly and Anna Henley sat.