PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟒. Goblet

Platform nine and three quarters was as crowded and bustling as ever before. Valentine shoved an older student out of her path, causing a chain reaction of cries of pain, all of which Valentine ignored. Draco walked beside her, not bothering to hide his laughter at what she'd just done. 

"Hey." A gasping figure threw itself in front of them. 

"Draco." Crabbe joined Goyle, both standing in silence for a moment to catch their breaths, faces red.

"So...uh, the game..." Goyle panted.

"The World Cup." Crabbe was the first to string together intelligible words. Then he grinned. "How awesome was that right? Our parents told us everything-"

How is anyone this stupid?

Valentine's hand slapped over his fleshy mouth before he could speak another word. 

"Another word and I'm pushing you on the tracks." She hissed with a burning glare that made Crabbe visibly shiver. 

"Are you both crazy?" Draco leaned in, fighting to keep his voice low. "Don't talk about that here, you idiots. Didn't your parents mention that it was a secret?"

The two boys gave hurried nods.

"Then keep your mouths shut." Said Draco. 

Valentine pulled her hand away, wiping it on Crabbe's robes. Crabbe and Goyle stood there for a moment, glancing at one another, unsure of what to do.

"Are you brain dead? Get on the train." Draco kicked Goyle in the shin.

"Ouch!"

"Yeah! The train! Let's go." Crabbe grabbed Goyle and started pulling him away. 

"Why the hell do you keep them around?" Valentine fought the urge to facepalm. 

"You think I haven't tried to get rid of them?" Draco growled in annoyance. "Every time I've told them to get lost they just keep coming back!"

"It's your own fault. You fed them and now they won't leave you alone." Valentine flicked a dark curl over the shoulder and started moving towards the train herself, Draco following. 

Crabbe and Goyle weren't actually around that often, although Valentine always complained whenever they were. They may be thick, but they still knew better than to test her patience and tended to hang around the others when she was present. It was a fact she ignored. She'd take the two idiots over Pansy Parkinson's noxious presence any day. 

"Val, look." 

Valentine turned to her cousin who was waving over at Liam and Blaze down the aisle. Liam was standing just outside it while Blaze had forced himself half out of the compartment window, waving wildly to get their attention.

"Speaking of things you can't get rid of." Valentine grumbled with a roll of her eyes. Her tone was much lighter, although if you weren't part of her inner circle, you would never have noticed. 

They hurried along the aisle on the train, several people scurrying back into their compartments when they saw Valentine coming. 

Liam was still outside the compartment door waiting, with a warm smile. When they reached him, Draco ignored Liam and gave Blaze a prompt smack up the back of his head. 

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Do you know how stupid you both looked hanging out a window like that?" 

"I haven't got much of a choice?"

"What?"

"He's stuck." Liam explained, barely holding in a laugh.