PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟏𝟑. Creep

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

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​​​​"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 though.

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.

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.