𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄~ {The Lestrange Daughter #1}

𝟒𝟎. Dreams

Valentine had her legs slung over Draco's lap with a book in her hands. She hadn't been so relaxed in months. Since the issue with the Chamber of Secrets had been solved, things were quiet again in the castle, or at least, as quiet as anyone could expect. The Weasley twins had glued Flitwick to a chair and Leah had made a giant paper crane half the size of herself that came to life and wreaked havoc for a few minutes before Valentine threw water at it. So, they were back to things as usual.

Draco was replying to a letter from Narcissa and the others were elsewhere in the common room with Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and Meriton. A group was a little too rambunctious for Valentine and Draco. They barely managed with the six.

Valentine could hear them laughing loudly at something Blaze said. Clearly, Blaze wasn't trying to be funny because he was shouting his typical baseless threats at them. Leah was the only one low enough to be at risk of anything Blaze could do. Then Hasani said something and Leah requested an immediate high hive.

Valentine thought she ought to thank him one day. If he hadn't dared to approach them just to let Draco know that his father had been around the school, things could have played out differently. He was a nice guy, again, really too nice to get much too involved with them. He certainly seemed to know better and Valentine was glad for that.

"Leah, could you not interrupt for like two-"

"NOPE!"

They laughed again that.

"Come on, just-"

"NOPEEE!"

"Why!" Demanded Blaze.

"N.O.P.E."

"I hate you so much."

"You say that like I value your opinion of me."

"That's cold, Leah."

"Like ice, yes."

"You guys are so weird." Crabbe's laugh sounded more like a wheeze.

"Oh, don't even get me started." Liam groaned.

"I'm not that bad!" Blaze insisted. "It's that spaz that's the weird one!"

"Don't be like that!" Leah poked at his head. "We're weird together!"

"Don't poke me, woman!"

"You're funny when you're mad. Like a little ball of fury."

"So, what if you've got a few inches on me! I'm still growing here!"

"You're not even five-foot, Blaze."

"Stay out of this, Liam! You're even taller than she is!"

"By like an inch."

"For now on I'm not talking to anyone who's over five feet tall!"

"That's like everyone except for Val." Said Leah.

"Then so be it!"

"Can't they hear themselves?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Do they always have to scream so much?"

"I believe Leah would say yes." Said Valentine.

"Leah would say yes to marrying an octopus." Draco scoffed. "I'm not going to take her word as law."

They'd been living out all their free periods like this. It was what had become of their Defense Against the Dark Art's classes. They could have just replaced Lockhart for the last month of the school year but why bother exams had already been cancelled? After a year of living in fear of petrification, they deserved some extra free time. For Valentine's friends that meant being as loud as humanly possible. For Valentine herself, it meant a cut back on creeping through dark hallways and her feet thanked her for it. But it wouldn't last. The end of the year was soon approaching. Just another week.