#hl fics

Sitting down at her bench, her beautiful freckled face that normally adorned a bright smile that could rival the sun was now laced with irrefutable anxiety and pure dread. She struggled immensely with keeping plants alive back home in London, and even when she was young in Dublin–how was she supposed to be expected to get a passing grade on magical plants?!

To avoid speaking to anyone and to calm her anxious mind, she pulled out one of her romance novels to read until the class began. If things went her way, class would be unexpectedly cancelled today. No, forever.

But, that did not happen and never would. Elisa Saorise Lennon was to accept her fate. Class indeed began, and even worse–she had to be paired with someone. Normally, she would have been delighted. Making friends was exactly the sort of thing she needed, and she was always trying to push beyond the shyness that came with being the new girl—especially the one who had never attended a Muggle school, let alone Hogwarts. She was an extroverted lady at heart, but the prospect of someone working close enough to her to see how terribly awful she was at Herbology made her cheeks redden in preemptive embarrassment.

“Miss Lennon will be working with Mr. Sturton, and Mr. Sallow will-”

Before her brain could even process who this ‘Sturton’ was, she heard a smooth and easy voice come up behind her.

“You’re Lennon, right?” Asked the voice.

Her honey eyes followed the sound, finally fixing on a tall boy who was casually taking a seat next to her now. He had neatly styled strawberry blonde hair and eyes that, the moment she looked into, she felt were reminiscent of the ocean.

“Y-Yes, you can call me Elisa, though.” She replied.

Nodding, he immediately moved to a relaxed position of resting his head in his hand as the other waved about while he spoke.

“Wonderful to officially meet you, new fifth year. My name is Liam! Which, of course, you can call me as well. No need for such formalities as surnames.”

“R-Right– okay! Um, so, Liam, I need to tell you before we start with these…mandrakes, that I’m not exactly the best in this class…n-not that I won’t try, I always give it my all-”

He waved his free hand, lifting his head off the other to look at her more sincerely. “Hey, you’re alright. No need to feel ashamed or nervous about that, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I won’t be upset, I’ve seen you try your best all these weeks, I trust you.” He reassured, his smile easy and eyes soft in compassion.

Somehow, his presence was reassuring. Her face melted as her shoulders relaxed in tandem, relief washing over her. “Thank you,” she said, smiling sweetly. “You…seem confident?”

He barked a laugh. “Oh, I sure am! But it didn’t come instantly when I started here as a boy. I was born into a muggle family, just as I have heard you did, so I understand that adjustment period to magic all too well.”

“You’re a muggleborn too? Wow! Where are you from?” She asked excitedly, her face lighting up at having something in common.

He felt a little skip in his chest at how delighted she seemed, blinking for a moment as his brain caught up to her question. “Ah- yes, I uh- London. Yeah, London…Paddington,” he sputtered.

She tilted her head. “Paddington? Really? That’s where I’m from!” She said merrily, “Well, technically I’m from Dublin–well, I was born in Galway, but–you know what I mean! My family lives in Paddington!”

“Do you, now? Wow, we live pretty close by then! I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around.” He said, toying with the cover of his textbook absentmindedly.

Her gaze briefly averted. “Um, well– my family isn’t very- well, yeah, me too!”

Sensing her apprehension, he shifted the subject to try not to call attention to his observance. “Well, perhaps we will see each other around during holidays, then! Although, I’d love to hear what Ireland is like, too–never been.”

“Oh, it’s the most beautiful place. London is too, and Hogwarts, but my heart will always be in Dublin.”

He laughed, his handsome features highlighted with his smile. “Aha, I can tell. Every now and then, I catch a hint of what I assume is your home accent? It’s quite charming. I was born and raised in the same town, so I enjoy hearing about other places.”

Her cheeks reddened a bit. “Ah, yes. Although, my parents and brother have much stronger accents than me since I was so young when we moved. I adapted.” She paused for a moment, smiling softly. “But, you know, it is nice to know I have a friendly neighbor back home! Someone who knows about magic.”

“A neighbor and a friend, correction,” he said, a playfully smug smile on his face.”I believe we have a few classes together and I often see you on your own. Been meaning to talk to you. If you don’t mind, I’ll make sure to come bother you more often–help you get out of your shell more–maybe even be your trusty guide to learning how to navigate Hogwarts.”

Fidgeting with the hem of her robe sleeves, she nodded. “Okay, I’d like that very much, if it’s not a bother.”

“Not at all, not at all. Now…” he drawled, stretching his long arms high. “Shall we work on this…project? I don’t particularly want to do it either, but I sort of didn’t finish my homework, so I want to be on the professor’s good side before I break the news…”

As a month or so went by, Elisa and Liam had become rather good friends. He showed her all kinds of things as she grew acclimated to the school. He found her to be quite pleasant to be around–she was like a piece of the sun itself when she opened up, he thought. She was slowly breaking out of her shy shell, and inside lay someone bubbly, silly, creative, clever, and brave. Although, he would admit he liked to make her mad from time to time, too–her reactions always amused him, so he took it upon himself to do it on purpose just to see her face scrunch up like a lemon, or to hear her yell when she had such a soft voice–it reminded him of his little siblings back home, Amelia and Henry.

And part of it, on a deeper level, reminded him of when his late older brother Theo would tease him. So he just couldn’t help himself. Besides, no matter how mad she got, she eventually always laughed.

He watched her blossom into making more friends–although he was very skeptical when she got close to Sebastian Sallow. He was not too remarkably fond of him, and often pushed his buttons on purpose for some reason he couldn’t pinpoint. But, as long as she seemed happy, he didn’t mind.

However, all of that aside, if anyone had asked Liam when exactly Elisa had become his friend, he wouldn't have been able to answer.

One day she had simply been the shy, quiet fifth year who'd appeared out of nowhere that everyone talked about, and the next day she was occupying the seat beside him whenever she could, sometimes stopping by the Gryffindor table to steal bites of his treacle tart when she thought he wasn't looking–and he couldn’t be mad when she looked so happy eating it. So he’d sigh, and let her do it. And the very next day, she was dragging him along on questionable adventures when she wasn’t with Sebastian, Ominis, or Poppy. Or, regrettably, forcing him to study with her.

“Please, o’ great magical redheaded garden gnome–don’t make me study–” He pleaded one Friday evening as he followed her begrudgingly to the library.

She walked merrily ahead of him despite their height difference, smiling as her Hufflepuff robes fluttered. “I’m not a garden gnome! And it won’t be so bad, Liam! What if you fail? You got out of a failing grade last time, but I don’t think Sharpe will be as generous…”

“You’re the size of one,” he retorted, before continuing when she ignored it. “And, I won’t fail! I am a master of potions.”

“You just hang out with Garreth Weasley the whole time! And have gotten involved in his shenanigans!” She said, turning as she walked backwards. “Come on, just give me one hour of your time. Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

He groaned dramatically, but there was no bite. “Alright, alright–but in exchange, will you listen to my new song and tell me if it’s good?”

“Of course I will, I love hearing you play!” She beamed, big eyes crinkling to match.

He felt a faint tint hit the tips of his ears, his smile returning. “Alright, then we have a deal, my little Hufflepuff pal. But don’t kick my leg under the table if I’m distracted!”

When they made it into the library, they found a table tucked away where they could sit across from one another.

Slightly kicking her feet underneath the table in anticipation, Elisa flipped open the textbook and slid it across the wooden table. “Here you go, you start with chapter ten.”

Liam stared at her, faux offended. “Bossy.”

She frowned, her soft cheeks puffing slightly. “Am not!”

“Kidding, kidding–” He said, hands up in defense as he laughed.

With the sigh of a man undergoing a tragedy, he opened his textbook, and half focused on reading the words. He wasn’t sure if he was actually reading, but something in him stilled for a moment as his thoughts drifted away.

The only person who had been able to get him to seriously study was Theodore Sturton. But ever since the train accident a few years back, he refused to study. Theo would sit beside him for hours and help him–bribe him with sweets, find ways to get him excited about the subject. Even when Liam began at Hogwarts on his own, Liam studied more ardently to be able to brag to Theo, and make his big brother proud.

Yet somehow, Elisa had managed to sneak her way past that resistance he held. Not often, only sometimes he’d cave. But moments like this where she asked with that hopeful smile, so genuinely excited to learn every quizzical thing the wizarding world had to offer–it was difficult to say no.

Because when he learned of the wizarding world, his family welcomed it with warmth. He had people to go back to in Paddington to tell about his adventures in his signature animated ways—and she did not. Her family wasn’t accepting of her being a witch, and he felt bad the closer it grew to holiday break—every time she watched everyone around her open letters from their loved ones with a glimmer of hope—no, of yearning, because she never got one back.

And yet, her brightness and warmth was like a beacon to those she surrounded despite it all, and she didn’t even realize it due to being shrouded in self doubt. She didn’t realize that her cheerful demeanor had helped him, even, when he was having days of hidden grief—hidden survivor’s guilt underneath all his jokes and silly behaviors. Her sweetness and warmth had softened it, although he had never confided in anyone about how badly he truly missed his brother.

And so, he had an unspoken commitment to himself that he’d help her find her voice. Every day that he saw her meet people and venture out into the world on these strange adventures, braving everything unknown with a bright grin and laughter, he felt pride surge.

Perhaps this is how Theo felt watching him grow. Or how Liam himself would feel about Amelia and Henry as they grew.

Perhaps Elisa was beginning to be an important friend in his life. Even as she was beginning to branch out her tree and wasn’t clung to his side like the beginning of the school year, he was content because she was growing her wings and finding the fire that was kindled within her heart.

So, he studied with her. Just this once, he swore—because he wanted to play his guitar, one of his comforts during his grief that became an integral piece of his life—and hear someone give him the chance to express himself through music as it was the only way he knew how.

But also, to be a sturdy force in Elisa’s life so she didn’t have to face this world alone any longer.