alisanne

Title: Below the Surface
Author:

alisanne
Rating: PG
Word count: 100 x 6
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters/pairings: Eloise Midgen/Angelina Johnson.
Challenge: Written for

femslash100/

femslash100's prompt 596: Below, and for another of my assigned pairings at

rarepair_shorts' Number's Game. :)
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Beta(s):

sevfan and emynn.
Authors Notes: Eloise flies below the radar.

~

Below the Surface

~

Eloise lurks below the stands watching Angelina. She’s like poetry on a broom, and Eloise allows herself to sink into a familiar daydream.

Angelina descends from the air. Her Housemates crowd around her, trying to get her to smile at them, but she only has eyes for one person.

Pushing past everyone, Angelina strides over to the Hufflepuff section, where Eloise sits, and in full view of everyone, she extends her hand to Eloise. “Would you like to go for a ride?” she asks.

Eloise, pretty and brave in the dream, boldly replies, “Oh yes.” And together, they soar away.

~

“Oi, someone’s below us!”

The words rip Eloise from her dream, and before she can escape, she’s trapped, surrounded by Gryffindors glaring at her.

“Are you spying, Hufflepuff?” one of them asks. “Planning to steal our tactics?”

“No!” Eloise scrambles out from under the stands. “I was—”

“What?”

Eloise shakes her head. “I have to go,” she whispers, pushing past them.

Of course, someone figures it out. “I think she has a crush!”

Her dream becomes a nightmare as loud, brash Gryffindors follow her, taunt her. “Do you have a crush, baby badger? Do you like a lion?”

Eloise runs.

~

Eloise doesn’t stop until she’s back in her bed, huddled below her blankets, curtains drawn. She sobs, stuffing her fist in her mouth to try not to be noticed. It doesn’t work.

“Eloise? You in there?” It’s Hannah, the bravest of them all.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Eloise tries to stifle her crying.

“I can hear you, you know!”

Eloise sighs. “What do you want?” She sighs when her voice cracks.

“Someone’s in the common room to see you.”

“Who?”

“I’m not your butler! Come see for yourself.”

Resigned, Eloise emerges a minute later. It’s not to be her day.

~

The person waiting’s immediately recognisable. Eloise gapes.

It’s gorgeous Angelina Johnson. “Eloise?” she says.

“Y…yes?”

Angelina smiles and Eloise’s heart about stops. “You’re the one who’s always watching me practice, yeah?”

Eloise bites her lip. “I’m not spying!”

Angelina laughs. “Oh, I know. You didn’t listen to those twats, did you?”

Eloise blinks.

Angelina rolls her eyes. “They’re idiots. I’ve seen you below the stands before. I like that you watch. Whenever you watch, we win. You’re my lucky charm. Anyway, I wanted to tell you, you’re welcome to watch anytime.”

Eloise is wrong. It’s her best day ever.

~

“Potter’s caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!”

Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff all erupt with cheers, while Slytherin boos. Eloise, for once properly seated, screams as loud as she can. While everyone surrounds Potter, Eloise has eyes for only one person, and she’s approaching.

“Enjoy the game?” asks Angelina.

Eloise grins. “Oh, you know, it was okay.”

Angelina snorts, and together, they start for the changing rooms.

They’ve become friends, her and Angelina, and although Eloise wants more, she’ll take whatever she can get.

Eloise ponders blurting it out, but fear stops her, so she hides her feelings below her spotty face.

~

Eloise waits for Angelina to finish changing. “Hey, if you don’t hurry, you’ll miss your own House celebration!”

“I don’t care about celebrating with them. I’d rather stay with my lucky charm.”

Eloise goes still as Angelina clasps her shoulder. Then, slowly, she turns. Angelina’s face is right there.

Angelina’s eyes search hers. “So?” she whispers. “Want to help me celebrate?”

Something must have shown in Eloise’s expression, because Angelina smiles, kissing her.

Eloise feels like she’s dreaming, like there’s lightning trapped below her skin, like the only thing keeping her tethered to Earth is Angelina’s mouth.

Together, they soar.

~