an: for maddie. happy very belated birthday. :3

Lucy stood at the back of the garden, near the house, dressed up and grown up in a figure-hugging red dress with equally daring heels and lipstick. Sure, she might be the only female cousin who wasn't asked to be a bridesmaid – which everyone was awkwardly not mentioning – but that didn't mean she wasn't going to go all out. Lucy liked to dress up, liked to be bold and colourful and interesting, and even in an ocean of red hair you could spot her from several miles off today.

She fiddled with her mirror, checking her heavy eye makeup again in the mirror, wondering if she should give herself cat eyes at the last moment. Glancing around, Lucy could see James and Fred flirting with some friends of the family no one had heard of, Louis being the gentleman as always and taking his job showing guests to their seats very seriously. Mrs Weasley, Aunt Ginny and Aunt Audrey rushed in and out of the house so fast they were practically blurs, seeing to this and that and other things Lucy didn't care about. Aunt Hermione was yelling at Uncle Ron – not an unusual sight – and she knew Uncle Harry was hidden away somewhere downing half the alcohol they had set out for the celebrations.

The bloody celebrations.

Lucy wasn't sure if she could survive sticking around that long. Louis and Dominique had already said they'd help her smuggle a few bottles of vodka and escape, just the three of them, if she wanted to, and Lucy was seriously thinking about taking them up on that offer – but then she would have won. She would have driven Lucy away like she'd promised all those months ago she would.

Lucy was never one to give up without a fight.

Before she could nip off to go reinvent herself with eyeliner, a hush fell through the enormous crowd of guests and some slow, melodic tune started up. Lucy supposed it was a classic wedding song, but it was the most boring thing she'd encountered since the biography of Celestina Warbeck her grandma had bought her one Christmas.

Two men stood up at the far end of the garden, their backs to her. Lucy saw the blonde head of Louis, the best man, turn to face her. He gave her a soft smile which meant a million things, so Lucy sent him a smile back that meant only one: Fuck off.

It took her a moment to realise that by now, everyone was in place and she was walking down the aisle, a vision in white – or whatever it was. However, even Lucy couldn't deny that Lily Luna Potter did look beautiful. She was showing less skin than she ever had done before in her flowing ivory dress, with the lace veil as delicate as her features. Her vibrant red hair was piled up on top of her head, fastened with gold pins that made her hair shine even brighter, and her perfect figure carried her gracefully down the aisle. Her husband to be turned around when Louis motioned behind them, and his breath caught in his throat when his eyes found his fiancé.

This was the first time Lucy had genuinely hated Lily.

She couldn't remember at what point she'd decided Lily was a lifelong enemy. Maybe it was when the redhead ripped the head off her favourite horse doll, when they were little. Maybe it was Lily told everyone about Lucy's bed-wetting problem at the start of the first year, including Lucy's crush, Toby Goldwin in Hufflepuff. Or maybe it was when she'd started going after Lucy more than anyone else in their fourth year.

The years of hate had kind of just merged together, now she thought about it.

The one thing Lucy couldn't believe was the story her mum and Aunt Ginny liked to tell, when their daughters were in the middle of an especially big fight. Once upon a time, Lily and Lucy were inseparable, joined at the hip. Born only a few days apart, they were closer in age, and even Lucy had to admit that yes, they had been best friends at one point. For a time.

Not now.

Nearly everyone else seemed to be under the illusion that someday, Lily and Lucy would grow close again, like they used to be.Lucy simply scoffed at this idea. They were all crazy. The two girls hated each other, couldn't anybody see that? Lily had hurt Lucy so much more than anyone else, and the emotional and physical torment wasn't something that could be fixed by a kiss-and-make-up. Lucy thought the only two people who weren't blind to everything Lily had done were Louis, Dominique, and Uncle George.

"Alright, kiddo?" A hand clamped down on her shoulder, and Lucy recognised the voice instantly.

"Never been better, Uncle George." She didn't turn around, but she knew her uncle was smiling.

"Lucy, if it helps, I might have slipped a little surprise for the perfect couple in the wedding cake," he admitted in a low voice.

Lucy giggled, causing a few people to glance at her. "Does it involve explosions, fire and a mysterious bright green liquid?"

"As well a few horse doll heads," he replied nonchalantly, patting her shoulder again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to plant something on Harry's chair before he sits down."

Lucy smiled as her uncle left her, and she found herself alone again. Lily had reached the front now, her bridesmaids gathered around her in a haze of gaudy pink that matched no one's hair or skin tone. Dominique, who looked especially disastrous and clearly knew how much she looked like a blown-up raspberry, had squeezed Lucy's hand briefly when she passed, and now smiled at her, before mouthing, "We'll go as soon as possible."

But Lucy shook her head, determined now she would stay with everyone else for all the celebrations. If not for Lily then for him, because he looked truly happy right now. Happier than he would ever have done with her.

Lucy bit her lip as Lily linked hands with Lorcan Scamander, her smile radiant. Lorcan, who looked even more perfect than usual. Lorcan, who had a smile for everyone and knew what to say in every situation. Lorcan, the first boy she'd kissed, the first boy she'd held hands with, and the only boy she'd fallen in love with.

She wished they could just go back to those days, when it was Lorcan and Lucy, not Lorcan and Lily. But they weren't experiencing childhood crushes now, and they weren't teenagers anymore.

Things weren't as simple as that.

So Lucy watched the ceremony from the back and just about stopped herself from being sick when the vows were being said. And she ended up getting drunk in the corner with Louis, Dominique and Uncle Charlie until four in the morning, well after Lily and Lorcan had disappeared to their honeymoon destination. But when she woke up again, Lucy knew she hadn't had nearly enough to drink, because she could still remember every sharp, painful detail of their shining, beaming faces.

It was just three years later the whole thing fell apart.

Since Lily and Lorcan's wedding, Rose and Scorpius Malfoy had finally tied the knot and had two, as predicted, beautiful and spoiled daughters, Madeline and Philippa. Fred and his Muggle wife, Summer, had adopted the brattiest kid known to mankind, and James had done him one better as usual and had the spawn of the devil with Annie Longbottom. It seemed as if everyone was growing up and starting a family, happier than they'd ever been, while Lucy was still living off one-night stands and more often nights sitting alone, venting her emotions onto paper. Poetry, art, diary entries – it didn't matter, as long as they had her emotions written all over them.

Maybe, if Lucy never found anybody, she could just find her own place out in the country and make art for the rest of her life. It didn't seem like such a bad idea.

The first Sunday in July. That was the day Lily came tearing into The Burrow, interrupting the weekly bachelorette knitting session Dom, Roxanne and Lucy were in the middle of.

"He – he left me!" she wailed, tears streaming down as her face as she made ugly, sobbing noises that sounded like she was trying to hack up a lung. "H-h-he left me!"

"Lily? Lily, sweetie, calm down!" Grandma hurried through from the kitchen and wrapped Lily in her arms, while the three girls just stared.

"Um – sorry if this sounds insensitive, but I don't know what you're talking about and don't really care," Dominique put in. Grandma shot her a glare, and Lily's wailing increased.

"Lily? What's wrong?" Roxanne asked, getting up to rub Lily's back soothingly. "What happened?"

"Lorcan! He – he's gone! Gone for good!"

"You've got to be kidding me."

Louis had ventured downstairs now, but the others had been shocked into silence. Lorcan and Lily – broken up? It didn't make sense to Lucy. Sure, they'd had their hellish arguments before, but they always seemed so steady. So… well…

Perfect for each other,she thought bitterly.

"What do you mean, darling?"

"I mean exactly what I said! He packed up all his stuff, shouted that he never wanted to see me again, and left!"

"So where is he now?" Lucy asked quietly.

"How the hell should I know?" Lily turned her red face to her, lower lip trembling. "You can have him now. He's all yours – I'm not standing in your way."

"Lily!" Grandma admonished.

"Lily, I don't want to – oh, forget it." Grabbing her coat, Lucy fled from the house and marched across the yard, Disapparating as soon as she got to the gate.

She found herself on the outskirts of London. Not the quietest or safest place to Apparate to, but she wasn't thinking clearly. There was an abandoned warehouse place near here Lorcan had taken her to a few times, and Lucy was still certain that nobody else knew about it except them. Or maybe they did –she wasn't that special thing in Lorcan's life anymore, and hadn't been for a long time.

It had been so many years, but she still recognised the rusty red roof and the ivy growing up the side of the building. Heaving the door open with all her weight put into it, she stepped into the cool building. The wide, open space, filled with cloth-covered furniture and boxes and whatever else they had in here, was in complete darkness save for a slim shaft of light from the door that was ajar. Lucy and Lorcan had found an ancient Harley Davidson here one of the times they came, so filthy they couldn't even tell what colour it was, and Lorcan tried to fix it up and give it life so he could learn how to ride it. He never did manage it, though, as far as Lucy knew.

"Lorcan?" she called cautiously – because there was the very likely chance he wasn't here and somebody else was. "You in here? It's Lucy."

Something crashed in the far corner. Without thinking about it, Lucy ran to the corner where she found Lorcan Scamander hunched over, head in his hands, trembling only very slightly. A box lay next to him, which must have fallen and caused the crash. Lucy wondered if Lorcan had knocked it down.

"Lorcan?" she said tentatively.

He didn't do anything except shake his head, and that was when she finally recognised the sounds of crying.

"Oh, Lorcan." Lucy fell on her knees next to him, throwing the hood of her hoodie back. Wrapping her arms around him, he didn't hesitate to lean into her. "Lorcan…"

"Don't," he said roughly, voice muffled against Lucy's chest.

"Don't what?" Lucy asked gently, resting her chin on top of his head.

"Don't say you're sorry. Don't say it was anybody's fault. Don't… just don't." He sounded so broken. So hurt.

"I wasn't going to say anything like that," she told him truthfully. "You want to tell me anything?"

He shook his head. The pair sat like that for about five minutes before he pulled back.

"I never brought Lily here, you know," he said, not looking at Lucy. "Not exactly her thing."

She couldn't the snort of laughter. "She'd turn her nose up in disgust."

Lorcan chuckled. "I've missed you."

"Me too," she whispered softly.

He looked up at her, brow slightly furrowed. Lucy realised how much she'd missed those hazel eyes, always so young and naïve and carefree. And yet now… they looked so old. So tired and ready to give up.

Lucy didn't even realise what she was doing until she felt her lips press against Lorcan's. Hesitating for only a fraction of a second, he kissed back eagerly and Lucy felt fireworks exploding in her head. Then Lorcan was pulling back, resting his forehead against hers. Lucy almost couldn't stand the look in his eyes – she felt like a schoolgirl with uncontrollable hormones again.

"She cheated on me," he breathed in her ear. "With her boss. That's why I left."

"I'm sorry."

"What did I say before?"

"I mean, I'm not sorry. Sorry."

Lorcan laughed softly, and the low, rumbling sound in his chest nearly made Lucy in faint.

"I can't do this yet," he sighed, tucking Lucy's copper hair behind her ear. Lucy nodded, expecting this but still unable to fend off the disappointment crushing her heart. "It's too soon."

"And I shouldn't have kissed you," Lucy said. "I am sorry for that."

Lorcan smiled slightly. "I enjoyed it, though."

Lucy giggled – something she never did. "Me too."

"Just let me sort everything out with Lily first. My… my head's a mess. You know… I just need some time to work on myself. Corny as that sounds."

"I understand," Lucy whispered – and she really did. "I'll wait for you."

And Lucy had finally said the words out loud that had been on her mind for so many years. Because there was no one else– it was just Lorcan. Always Lorcan. She'd thought she was a fool for hanging on to him so long, especially after he married Lily, and he'd unknowingly broken her heart so many times. All because of Lily. But Lily was out of the picture now. Lucy had waited this long, she could wait a few months longer. Lorcan had broken her heart, yes.

But now, for the first time, she felt like maybe he could heal it too.

please review. :)