fine line- J.P

chapter twelve

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we'll be a fine line
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"HEY, HALL!"

Valentina threw her head back in despair and tried to move quickly through the crowded corridor.

"Valentina!"

Valentina whined and stopped walking. She waited for Lily to catch up to her.

"I'm sorry," Lily gasped, bending over to catch her breath. "I just I–I wanted to see how you were. With Potter getting hit and all."

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine, he's fine, we're all fine." Valentina rushed out. "Uh, I'm actually supposed to meet him right now, so is there anything I can help you with?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted Hogsmeade with me," Lily stammered.

"Lily... we're not friends." Valentina said apologetically. "I forgave you because...I was finally ready to let my anger and resentment go. I'm done being angry and hurt by what happened to us." Valentina sighed.

Lily looked hurt but Valentina didn't know what else to say. "I don't get why you're trying to salvage this." She waved a hand between the two. "You have other friends. Better friends... friends that you've chosen."

"You're Valentina Hernandez!"

Valentina flinched at the name. "Hall. Valentina Hall." She corrected. "Hall, Lily."

Lily shook her name, looking slightly disappointed. "You can't erase your name, Valentina. You can't erase your culture. Your last name represents your origin, where you're from!" Lily said passionately.

"Hernandez is the last name of the people that left me. Hall is my aunt's last name. It's the name of the man that she loved. So please, my name is Valentina Hall." Valentina sniffed. "I'm sorry, I have to go." She turned around, leaving Lily once again.

Valentina walked away numbly. For as long as she could remember she tried to get rid of anything she had connected to her parents which meant that she changed her last name as soon as she was able to. When she turned eleven and got to Hogwarts she immediately chose a different name. Brand new person, a shiny new name.

Hernandez.

It made her stomach churn. Groaning, she didn't even want to see James anymore. Oh he was going to be pissed but...she was in a horrible mood and listening to her boyfriend lie to her about yet another late night adventure, she couldn't bear it.

Two nights ago, Valentina was in the common room late at night, trying to study for NEWTs when James, Sirius and Peter entered the common room. Bloody and disgusting. She asked what they had been up to but James and Peter were horrible liars so Sirius used the excuse that they were setting up a prank.

Tired and confused she accepted the excuse but when the next day arrived and there was no prank, she asked James again but this time instead of horribly lying to her, he blew up in her face.

Valentina knew that couples get in arguments, it was inevitable but she did not appreciate the fact that James had done it in front of his friends. It was incredibly embarrassing. Maybe it was her fault, for asking again, she obviously knew he wasn't telling her for a reason but... still. Yelling at her? Not cool.

So, now that Lily had brought up her parents and James had yet to apologize, she was going to hide and rot in her bed.

"You shouldn't have yelled at her, y'know."

"I'm a horrible liar."

"So, yelling at her is better?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.