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

𝟐𝟕. Recovery

The very first thing Valentine noticed was the pain. Although it was rather hard to ignore when it seemed to come from every inch of her body. Her head, face, chest, stomach, arms, legs, feet. Even in amongst the lethargy and the blurring darkness, she could somehow feel it all so clearly, like it was the only thing existing in the world besides herself.  

Then she wondered why exactly did everything hurt so damn much and was bombarded with the sudden image of Bellatrix standing over her snarling, sending a sharp kick into her gut.

Ah. That. Damn. I can't believe she got the last fucking kick in...

That realisation seemed to push her upwards, away from the dark and towards a light that was far, far too bright. She didn't have the chance to pull back before she heard the voices speaking hurriedly.

"-can't have been anyone else. She was seen attacking the girl in Hogsmeade by multiple residents." Said a tense voice that was very much McGonagall.

"Oh, I didn't mean to say otherwise." Replied another that was most certainly Slughorn's bumbling tones. "I have no reason to doubt what you say at all. It's rather...par for the course when it comes to that family."

"But that does not excuse it." McGonagall struggled to keep her voice down. "How could a mother do that to her own child? That mother being Bellatrix Lestrange or otherwise?"

Well, if you haven't noticed, she's something of a malicious psycho. 

Valentine felt a tender ache as another hand touched hers gently. She somehow forced her face to stay neutral, fighting against the grimace.

There was a small thumb that rubbed that palm of her hand softly and a tearful voice whispering;

"Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay," Naturally it was Benjamin. "please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, please be-"

"Shut the fuck up...or you won't be," Valentine grunted, slowly creaking open eye open glare at the pale-faced boy set against the background of the hospital wing. 

His eyes widened as if she'd come back from the dead, tears glistening on his cheeks. 

"You...You!" He quickly let go of her hand, looking over his shoulder to the Professors. "She's awake, she's awake!" 

"Oh, my!" McGonagall immediately rushed over with Slughorn half a step behind her. "Poppy! Poppy, she's awake!"

"Ugh..." Valentine groaned closing her eyes again. "Do you have to be so damn loud? I feel like my head is about to explode."

Just the simple movement of speaking and moving her eyelids hurt. Especially, her nose. 

Oh, right. Face. Wall. Fun times. 

"I was so scared that you weren't going to wake up." Benjamin sniffled and wiped at his face. "You were cold and there was just so much blood when they bought you in. What happened to you?"

Valentine didn't much feel like answering which is why she was perfectly content to let Madam Pomfrey come rushing into view as she slowly opened her eyes again. She pushed everyone else aside, taking Benjamin's place.

"Good, you're finally awake. You had us all worried there, especially with the state you're in, Miss Lestrange." She spoke quickly as her eyes scanned over Valentine raptly. "If it had taken much longer we would have needed to bring you around ourselves. How is the pain? Unfortunately, I can't give you anything for it until I know exactly what hurts."

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Miss Lestrange, you must tell us what happened if you can." Said Slughorn carefully.