Love Off The Bat -- Ch 1: The Faithful letter
Type of Story: ficlet
Genre: eventually fluff, slightly angst in some scenes, friendship.
Fanfiction: Harry Potter
Pairing(s): DracoxOC [RonxHermione]
Setting: To Draco, meeting Leliel is the last thing he ever wanted after a seemingly harmless potions lessons.
To Leliel, Draco is simply her worst nightmare and nemesis. Never did they know fate can be so unexpected.
A/N: Gaiaonline request. Please C and C~!
[[Chapter 1: The Faithful Letter]]
Like any other summer holidays, Leliel woke up at around noon, stretching in her small bed and hitting her hands on the headboard yet again. She winced, but had fully awoken as she slowly pulled herself up on her bed, crossing her legs together.
It’s the first day of her summer holidays, finally the days when she can sleep in late without having to worry about being late for school is here again. She rubbed her eyes awake as she got out of the bed, slipping into her home slippers as she does so like every other morning, almost tripping when she went into the bathroom.
After near half an hour, she went down to find a bowl of cereal and a message on the table, left by her dear mother who had worked at the local bookstore, asking her to ‘eat it all up’. She smiled, knowing that her mother had always cared for her, and loved her with twice as much love as a single parent could ever give.
Yes, her father had left them when she was about five to six years ago, she couldn’t really remember, but it was at least a good decade ago. Then she was young, she didn’t know her mum’s ‘your dad went to visit the stars’ meant that her dad was gone forever, but she did grew up to understand the true meaning. As well as being mature enough not to throw a tantrum over her mother’s intended ‘lie’. She knew it is just the way any mother would do to protect their child.
Washing the empty bowl in the sink, Leliel’s eyes trailed out to the sky outside the window. Ever since her dad’s departure (she refuse to use the word ‘death’), her mother had moved them to this two room apartment in the city so that she can find a part-time job or two. The apartment is rented, and a little small to most people, but its size is what Leliel would deem as ‘cosy’. In fact, unlike other jam-packed high rise apartments in the city, this one is at the end, and offers a great view of the sky and the park from the back.
Tempted by the great weather, Leliel opened the window, only to find a letter flying into the apartment. Shocked, Leliel took a step back but relaxed when she found the letter lying on the kitchen counter.
It’s the same letter which she had received since four years ago. The first time the letter was delivered, there was an owl by the window which her mother had chased out using a broom and high pitch screams. In contrast to her mother, Leliel took it pretty well. She was surprised no doubt, but not freaked out by any means.
Nevertheless, her mother had chuck out the letter upon reading it, laughing it off as a prank, a costly one at that.
The second year, the letter came the same way, except that this time there’s no owl. Instead it just flew in and landed on the dining table where Leliel’s mother is preparing a sandwich; Leliel woke up earlier than usual by a certain scream she knew too well. The letter’s content is pretty much the same, and while Leliel found it fascinating, her mother certainly didn’t.
Not to mention, it ended up ripped to shreds in the rubbish chute.
By the third year, the letter ended up in the letterbox which was checked by Leliel every day. That time she kept the letter, hiding it from view from her mother.
Fantasy-ish items have always fascinated her, and that letter certainly falls into this category. She tried googling for the school using the internet, but found nothing of relevance. Yet, this sparked her interest and faith towards magic yet again. She had gradually stopped believing in its existence ever since she knew Santa Claus is a fictional character and will never ever come to town.
This is the fourth year straight that she had received the letter. The same old envelop with a red stamp at the back, the same parchment, hand-written font letter. In fact, Leliel was rather convinced that the words were written using ink pens, though it looks too neat to be hand-written.
Realising that she had not much time, she hastily place the letter onto her desk and got dressed.
---
When she got back, her mum is already in the kitchen, preparing their dinner. Although her mother works dual jobs, there is a two hour empty slot in between both jobs, giving her enough time to prepare dinner for them and take a shower to refresh herself.
As they sat down at the dining table, her mother broke the silence.
“...So, I’ve read the letter, again,” she started, poking the cherry tomato with her fork to no avail.
“What letter?” Leliel asked as she slurped mango juice, before choking on it when she realise what letter she meant. “...You saw?”
“Yea, it’s on top of your desk when I went to your room just now to pick up the dirty clothes. And no I didn’t throw it away. But we need to talk.”
Leliel bit her lower lip, and cocked her head to a side, slightly confused. She nodded.
“Right, so...what do you think of transferring there?”
Leliel arched her eyebrows. Even though she would really love to go to the school, provided it did exist in the first place, she had not expected that to come out from her mother who had reacted so violently with previous episodes with the letters. She stared at her mother, looking for signs that she is joking, but found none. Her mother is a fun person, but whenever she says she wants to talk, she’s serious.
This time isn’t any exception either.
“Why?” was the only question that she manage to croak out of her throat as she saw her mother leaning back on the dining chair and sighed.
“Just because,” she licked her dry lips, “I know you have always been fascinated about it, but because I’m worried about sending you to a boarding school I’ve rejected the previous offers. You’ve...always been rather reliant on me, especially after, after your father’s death.”
She paused slightly upon seeing Leliel’s slight cringe but continued, “I was worried that you’re not able to cope with it. But you’re all grown up now. You have to learn to be independent, and I’m sure you can do a great job being on your own now. I trust you.”
Silence ensued as Leliel made no response. Finally after what seemed like ages, the young girl sat up from her chair, adjusting to a more comfortable position as she leaned forward. “This...isn’t a joke is it?”
“Do you think, I’ll joke about school administration?” Tone slightly raised and Leliel gulped.
“I, I mean, I though, er...well, the school, it’s fake right?”
“It exists.” Her mother replied, nonchalant, as if she’s routinely announcing that she’s leaving for work and asking Leliel to lock the door.
“...No way,” Leliel whispered.
“...And who was the one that believe magic still exists? Why are you so slow when it comes to this?”
“But, but how did you know? I thought you said this is a fraud?”
“I got a surprise visit.”
Now, that is something new. Leliel arched her eyebrows in slight confusion for the umpteen time that evening.
“Well, that was two years ago. This guy came to visit me, robes and all,” she stuck out a hand to stop her daughter from cutting her off as she continued, “Yea, I freak out and all, but after I calmed down, he introduced himself to me. ‘Mr Dumbledore’ as he call himself, the headmaster of the school.”
“Of course I don’t believe him, thinking he was a stalker but we struck a deal. He showed me that magic exists, and with his sincere looks, I finally got myself to sit down and talk to him. About you, of course. Apparently, you’ve got potentials to become a wizard, or a witch in your sense. He mentioned that there are a few of people like you in the world, where parents are not descendants of magician bloodlines but exists potential to become one all the same.”
“Then, of course, I rejected his offer to have you transferred. I did what I believe is for your own good, and because I didn’t want to let you go. He agreed, but he told me that the offer still stands, and that he would still give me the options by sending in the letter every year.”
“But now, as I watch you grow up, and your ‘faith’ in magic has once again grown in the years, I know, sending you there would make you happy. What happened a few weeks back just proved it yet again. No normal person can make the remote control float, though I seriously think you’ve totally forgotten the whole ordeal. You were capable of similar things when you were younger, maybe because you have such strong beliefs then.
“I realised that what I previously did was selfish, and somewhat childish. You will always be my child, and I love you so. So now I’m going to send you to the place where you have always wanted to be part of.”
---
That’s how Leliel found herself on platform three-quarters and a half after bidding good-byes and giving farewell hugs to her mother. She had already been awed about how the people get through the wall onto the platform, and she found everything to be very interesting by far; the trip to get her wand and school supplies, and her new companion, a rather adorable, honey-brown owl.
Being early, and found no seating number allocated on the ticket, Leliel randomly selected an empty compartment and stroll in.
It’s going to be an exciting new year.
Genre: eventually fluff, slightly angst in some scenes, friendship.
Fanfiction: Harry Potter
Pairing(s): DracoxOC [RonxHermione]
Setting: To Draco, meeting Leliel is the last thing he ever wanted after a seemingly harmless potions lessons.
To Leliel, Draco is simply her worst nightmare and nemesis. Never did they know fate can be so unexpected.
A/N: Gaiaonline request. Please C and C~!
[[Chapter 1: The Faithful Letter]]
Like any other summer holidays, Leliel woke up at around noon, stretching in her small bed and hitting her hands on the headboard yet again. She winced, but had fully awoken as she slowly pulled herself up on her bed, crossing her legs together.
It’s the first day of her summer holidays, finally the days when she can sleep in late without having to worry about being late for school is here again. She rubbed her eyes awake as she got out of the bed, slipping into her home slippers as she does so like every other morning, almost tripping when she went into the bathroom.
After near half an hour, she went down to find a bowl of cereal and a message on the table, left by her dear mother who had worked at the local bookstore, asking her to ‘eat it all up’. She smiled, knowing that her mother had always cared for her, and loved her with twice as much love as a single parent could ever give.
Yes, her father had left them when she was about five to six years ago, she couldn’t really remember, but it was at least a good decade ago. Then she was young, she didn’t know her mum’s ‘your dad went to visit the stars’ meant that her dad was gone forever, but she did grew up to understand the true meaning. As well as being mature enough not to throw a tantrum over her mother’s intended ‘lie’. She knew it is just the way any mother would do to protect their child.
Washing the empty bowl in the sink, Leliel’s eyes trailed out to the sky outside the window. Ever since her dad’s departure (she refuse to use the word ‘death’), her mother had moved them to this two room apartment in the city so that she can find a part-time job or two. The apartment is rented, and a little small to most people, but its size is what Leliel would deem as ‘cosy’. In fact, unlike other jam-packed high rise apartments in the city, this one is at the end, and offers a great view of the sky and the park from the back.
Tempted by the great weather, Leliel opened the window, only to find a letter flying into the apartment. Shocked, Leliel took a step back but relaxed when she found the letter lying on the kitchen counter.
It’s the same letter which she had received since four years ago. The first time the letter was delivered, there was an owl by the window which her mother had chased out using a broom and high pitch screams. In contrast to her mother, Leliel took it pretty well. She was surprised no doubt, but not freaked out by any means.
Nevertheless, her mother had chuck out the letter upon reading it, laughing it off as a prank, a costly one at that.
The second year, the letter came the same way, except that this time there’s no owl. Instead it just flew in and landed on the dining table where Leliel’s mother is preparing a sandwich; Leliel woke up earlier than usual by a certain scream she knew too well. The letter’s content is pretty much the same, and while Leliel found it fascinating, her mother certainly didn’t.
Not to mention, it ended up ripped to shreds in the rubbish chute.
By the third year, the letter ended up in the letterbox which was checked by Leliel every day. That time she kept the letter, hiding it from view from her mother.
Fantasy-ish items have always fascinated her, and that letter certainly falls into this category. She tried googling for the school using the internet, but found nothing of relevance. Yet, this sparked her interest and faith towards magic yet again. She had gradually stopped believing in its existence ever since she knew Santa Claus is a fictional character and will never ever come to town.
This is the fourth year straight that she had received the letter. The same old envelop with a red stamp at the back, the same parchment, hand-written font letter. In fact, Leliel was rather convinced that the words were written using ink pens, though it looks too neat to be hand-written.
Realising that she had not much time, she hastily place the letter onto her desk and got dressed.
---
When she got back, her mum is already in the kitchen, preparing their dinner. Although her mother works dual jobs, there is a two hour empty slot in between both jobs, giving her enough time to prepare dinner for them and take a shower to refresh herself.
As they sat down at the dining table, her mother broke the silence.
“...So, I’ve read the letter, again,” she started, poking the cherry tomato with her fork to no avail.
“What letter?” Leliel asked as she slurped mango juice, before choking on it when she realise what letter she meant. “...You saw?”
“Yea, it’s on top of your desk when I went to your room just now to pick up the dirty clothes. And no I didn’t throw it away. But we need to talk.”
Leliel bit her lower lip, and cocked her head to a side, slightly confused. She nodded.
“Right, so...what do you think of transferring there?”
Leliel arched her eyebrows. Even though she would really love to go to the school, provided it did exist in the first place, she had not expected that to come out from her mother who had reacted so violently with previous episodes with the letters. She stared at her mother, looking for signs that she is joking, but found none. Her mother is a fun person, but whenever she says she wants to talk, she’s serious.
This time isn’t any exception either.
“Why?” was the only question that she manage to croak out of her throat as she saw her mother leaning back on the dining chair and sighed.
“Just because,” she licked her dry lips, “I know you have always been fascinated about it, but because I’m worried about sending you to a boarding school I’ve rejected the previous offers. You’ve...always been rather reliant on me, especially after, after your father’s death.”
She paused slightly upon seeing Leliel’s slight cringe but continued, “I was worried that you’re not able to cope with it. But you’re all grown up now. You have to learn to be independent, and I’m sure you can do a great job being on your own now. I trust you.”
Silence ensued as Leliel made no response. Finally after what seemed like ages, the young girl sat up from her chair, adjusting to a more comfortable position as she leaned forward. “This...isn’t a joke is it?”
“Do you think, I’ll joke about school administration?” Tone slightly raised and Leliel gulped.
“I, I mean, I though, er...well, the school, it’s fake right?”
“It exists.” Her mother replied, nonchalant, as if she’s routinely announcing that she’s leaving for work and asking Leliel to lock the door.
“...No way,” Leliel whispered.
“...And who was the one that believe magic still exists? Why are you so slow when it comes to this?”
“But, but how did you know? I thought you said this is a fraud?”
“I got a surprise visit.”
Now, that is something new. Leliel arched her eyebrows in slight confusion for the umpteen time that evening.
“Well, that was two years ago. This guy came to visit me, robes and all,” she stuck out a hand to stop her daughter from cutting her off as she continued, “Yea, I freak out and all, but after I calmed down, he introduced himself to me. ‘Mr Dumbledore’ as he call himself, the headmaster of the school.”
“Of course I don’t believe him, thinking he was a stalker but we struck a deal. He showed me that magic exists, and with his sincere looks, I finally got myself to sit down and talk to him. About you, of course. Apparently, you’ve got potentials to become a wizard, or a witch in your sense. He mentioned that there are a few of people like you in the world, where parents are not descendants of magician bloodlines but exists potential to become one all the same.”
“Then, of course, I rejected his offer to have you transferred. I did what I believe is for your own good, and because I didn’t want to let you go. He agreed, but he told me that the offer still stands, and that he would still give me the options by sending in the letter every year.”
“But now, as I watch you grow up, and your ‘faith’ in magic has once again grown in the years, I know, sending you there would make you happy. What happened a few weeks back just proved it yet again. No normal person can make the remote control float, though I seriously think you’ve totally forgotten the whole ordeal. You were capable of similar things when you were younger, maybe because you have such strong beliefs then.
“I realised that what I previously did was selfish, and somewhat childish. You will always be my child, and I love you so. So now I’m going to send you to the place where you have always wanted to be part of.”
---
That’s how Leliel found herself on platform three-quarters and a half after bidding good-byes and giving farewell hugs to her mother. She had already been awed about how the people get through the wall onto the platform, and she found everything to be very interesting by far; the trip to get her wand and school supplies, and her new companion, a rather adorable, honey-brown owl.
Being early, and found no seating number allocated on the ticket, Leliel randomly selected an empty compartment and stroll in.
It’s going to be an exciting new year.