NO MORE A PRETENDER~ {The Lestrange Daughter #3}

𝟏𝟖. Asexual

Valentine was not in the best of moods which were rather convenient as no one expected her to be. Draco and Liam weren't even phased by it as they walked together down the empty corridor, bickering back and forth without any real animosity. 

It had simply become part of their weekly routine to be absent for potions and then for Liam to leave Valentine and Draco to attend Herbology in the period after. Things had been this way for long enough now that nobody gave it a second thought.

"Look, all I'm saying is that if you have to moan in your sleep, do it quietly." Draco pursed his lips knowingly. 

"And I'm all saying is that I have no idea what you're talking about." Liam quipped back at him.

"Well, obviously, because you're asleep when this happens."

"Then how exactly am I supposed to moan quietly, Draco?"

"I don't know, but you better get it together before Blaze realizes that it's his brother's name you're groaning about."

"What? I do not groan about Beck!"

"How would you know? As we've discussed, you're asleep when this happens. Just trust me, I'm trying to help you here."

"Draco, we've been friends for a long time now and I'd say I know that you quite well, which is precisely why I wouldn't trust you with my socks let alone something like this."

Valentine still hadn't figured out how Draco had seen this supposed connection between Liam and Beckett in the first place. Sure, it seemed outlandish but when Valentine really gave a second to think about Liam's romantic interests thus far, she found they consisted of Viktor Krum and the eleven other Durmstrang's that had come to Hogwarts in the fourth year, a girl who happened to be sadistic psycho and was actually in love with Valentine, Valentine herself and now possibly, Meriton. He was easily the most ordinary pick of the bunch and that's what made it so strange. With all that taken into account, was it really all that weird for Liam to have an interest in the bold and flirtatious Beckett Zambini? Probably not but how would Valentine know what qualified for weird in this area?

One thing she knew for certain, whatever feelings Draco believed Liam had for Beckett, they were not public knowledge. As far as she was aware, he never spoke about it when the others were around and only at times like these when no one else could overhear them. 

"Besides," Said Liam, something in his tone shifting towards sombre, "me and Beck are two people that would never work out. Not only is he Blaze's brother, but he's his older brother. There's a six-year difference. Beck would only ever see me like a kid and his brother's friend. Something like that would be way too messy."

He seems...well, disappointed. Even I can see that much. 

Draco studied him with a dark, narrowed gaze for a moment. It was like he was searching Liam's dull expression for an outright confession.

"...You're not going to cry, are you?" He finally said. 

"What?" Liam shot him a look. "No, I'm not going cry, Draco."

"Hmm. If you say so."

"I do say so."

Valentine spotted a bathroom at the end of the hall and cleared her voice, breaking the boys out of their own little conflict.

"Going to the bathroom. Don't wait up."

"Oh, uh. Okay." Draco blinked. "I'll see you out by the tree when Liam goes to visit his plant children, right?" 

"Hmm." Valentine nodded in confirmation.

"Don't make it sound like I'm babysitting," Liam grumbled. "Herbology is a legitimate class."