𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄~ {The Lestrange Daughter #1}

𝐀 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭

Leah sighed and looked around her room, wondering for a moment why everything was upside down and then remembering that it was in fact, upside down. She swung her legs down off the bed, sliding easily across the silken sheets and falling onto her side with a thump.

"Boreddd." She groaned loudly, reaching one arm out and beginning to drag herself across the floor as if she had lost the ability to walk.

After several minutes and two metres away from her original position, Leah rolled on to her back and stared up at the clouds and birds painted on her ceiling. It hadn't changed since she was born, as was the same with most in her room. She'd added things on herself as she grew older, but baby toys still littered the selves and her old cot still sat in the corner. Her mother had mentioned before that she was too old to keep such things but even Draco's teasing wouldn't persuade her. All her friends had long since abandoned rocking horses and rattles and Valentine had once remarked that it was a waste of space. Leah paid no mind to that seeing how Valentine's room was larger than her own and she had never even attempted to fill it. Their rooms were quite opposite in appearance.

Valentine's walls were dark wood and wallpaper while Leah's were brightly painted. Valentine had an orderly bookcase against one wall, while Leah had a tall display cabinet near overflowing with everything from trinkets to photographs and pretty rocks she had found in the garden. Valentine's bed was large and four-posted with black bedding that had once been pale purple before she had won that particular argument against Narcissa. Leah's bed was white and sky blue with a quilted headboard taller than herself, her bedding every colour imaginable although one would have to look under the formidable mountain of stuffed animals. Valentine's desk, despite being expensive and finely made, was simple, used for study and always neatly sorted and kept clear. While Leah's held a large ornate mirror with golden filigree designs and was constantly cluttered by hair ribbons, clothing and jewellery. Yes, it was quite possible they were the best example of opposites.

Leah, still on the floor, rolled back on to her stomach and tucking her arms under her head, she pouted. Leah hated the holidays. She missed her friends. She missed sharing a room with Olivia and Valentine. She missed Liam and, despite his teasing, even Blaze. She wished to see Valentine and Draco although she had spent all day with them yesterday. Mr Malfoy had been in one of his bad moods recently and she knew her mother preferred she keep some distance. She hoped that meant all she had to do was wait out this dull and dreary morning and then she could go visit in the afternoon. If she was really lucky than she could convince them to come and visit her next, then Lucius wouldn't be a problem. And yes, Leah knew all about that.

She had never been the most observant of people, but even she could see what was right in front of her. She'd seen the bruises and marks that Narcissa hadn't healed yet, the kind Draco always did his best to hide. Draco's father had a temper that hers didn't. Draco's father used pain as punishment while her own had never raised a hand to her. She had once asked her mother why things we're so different in their family and she had received a sound scolding. These were not the kind of things little girls we're to speak of and she should certainly never say a word against their friends the Malfoy's. Leah had never gotten a real answer to her question. She supposed Lucius must have liked doing it or else why would he do it at all? This easily made her not like him, but to disobey her mother and say something was unthinkable. She was told it wasn't any of her business and she supposed, that until Valentine or Draco asked for her help, that it would stay that way.

Leah missed Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, she didn't have the time to lay on the floor and wonder about things that gave her a headache. Something was always happening at Hogwarts, even if it was one of her best friends suffering from a mysterious nose bleed. What would she do if Valentine had died? She frowned. She didn't want to think about that. Valentine said she was fine, but she wasn't so sure. She may not have been as smart as Valentine and Olivia or as witty as Blaze and Draco or even coolheaded like Liam, but she knew when something was wrong with her friend and it killed her too not be able to help.