𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄~ {The Lestrange Daughter #1}

𝟑𝟓. Blue

Narcissa led Valentine and Draco in through the large double doors. The foyer looked that same as it always had. Polished marble floors, a staircase on either side of the space, stretching around to meet at the middle.

Draco seemed immediately comfortable. He pulled off his scarf and gloves tossing them at Emma without even a glance.

Valentine wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk right back out that door. For a place that she knew so well, it felt so alien to her.

She and Draco went up together, their rooms being across the hall from one another. Their rooms were cleaned all year round and so it was like they had never left. No dust, no stuffiness.

She threw her coat over the back of her desk chair. Her room always felt too big when she returned to it. It was bigger than the one she shared at school. It reminded her how ridiculous it was to have such a huge space for one person and how empty it made it seem.

Valentine's windows were open. It made the room colder than usual and she didn't even shiver. They knew she preferred things on the cooler side so Haley had probably opened them that morning. It was dark already and the lights of the manor painting shapes on the lightly frosted gardens.

She heard Dobby come in behind her at one point, asking to forgive any inconvenience as he bought in her luggage. She ignored him and took a bath. That was one thing she didn't miss. Bathing alone. Leah could be entirely too handsy and never listened when Olivia told her not to run on the slick tiles.

She thought about Harry and his friends. About Colin Creevy, Justin Flint-Fletchly and whatever had attacked them. She thought about how much time she wasted during these holidays. It was time she couldn't get back but also time she couldn't get out of. She knew Narcissa would pitch an absolute fit if she tried to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. There was also the little fact that everyone believed she hated the school just as Draco did. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Given the choice, she would have picked bickering with Snape over listening to her uncle complain about her behaviour and then blame it on Draco any day.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"M-m-miss, dinner is ready." Came Haley's stutter.

Valentine didn't reply but yanked the plug from the bottom of the bath to let the maid know that she was getting out.

-----Pretending To Hate-----

Draco had reiterated the entire situation with The Chamber of Secrets twice despite the fact that Lucius, who was on the school board knew all of this. Lucius didn't seem to mind and delighting in hearing it.

Valentine barely glanced up from her food but she could hear that smug tone in his voice. He was never in such a good mood and it rubbed Valentine the wrong way.

Of course, he would be happy about Muggle Borns' living in fear.

She wondered if he was this gleeful about it when discussing it with the other school board members. She wondered just how many of them were on his payroll.

"Val," Narcissa peered over at her. "You're awfully quiet over there. How's school been?"

"I publicly humiliated Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Ah, yes." Narcissa frowned, "we heard about that and we were not pleased. You're so much better than these childish pranks, Valentine. And you're on probation. Again."

Valentine glanced at her uncle. She expected him to chime in at any moment and scold Draco for not keeping her in check but he was far too busy having Draco describe the bloody words from the night they found Mrs Norris in detail. As grateful as she was that Draco was able to spend a moment around his father without being a tense wreck, the gleeful glint in their eyes was about to turn her off her meal.