Phew, what a late night doozy! But this was wonderful to write, and I hope you all really love it.

JKR owns it all! Honest, I'm just borrowing her characters.

Written for the Light and Darkness Competition. Can you believe it Alicia? I managed to cram every prompt in there!

Warnings: Angst, cousincest, and femmslash. Don't like any of that, don't read this, simple as that!

Enjoy my loves! xx

Roxanne watched as her cousin lifted her wand, giving it a small swish. They were working on an intense spell that day in Charms, and it seemed that Dominique was having a rough time. Biting her lip, she debated going over to speak with her.

But that would just be another excuse to rub salt in the wound. She had a hard enough time dealing with her depression, and going out of her way to spend time with Dominique would only make it worse.

Earlier that morning, Dominique had received a letter from Victoire, who excitedly told her sister that she and Teddy were engaged. Roxanne knew that Dom had been crushing on the older blue haired boy, so she was definitely feeling down on that account.

Not that Teddy would ever deserve Dominique anyways, Roxanne thought bitterly to herself. Dominique needed someone who was strong enough for her, someone who would be there to love and support her. Dom needed someone who knew her inside and out, someone who really knew her. Someone like me.

It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't put her own personal feelings aside. But it was hard to be supportive when you knew your own personal interests conflicted with the matter at hand.

Roxanne wanted to comfort Dominique, tell her that Teddy was just a silly boy and that everything would be all right, but she couldn't. She just couldn't pretend to be sympathetic when on the inside she was jumping for joy that one factor was out of the way.

Now there's just a million left to hurdle.

Perhaps that she was a girl, that was one hurdle to cross. And then, even if they crossed that, they were cousins. That was a rather large hurdle to cross, but Roxanne couldn't help but hope.

Hope that maybe Dominique would someday return her feelings.

With a sigh, she stood and scooted her chair closer to Dominique's. "You look like you're having a hard time," she said gently.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Dominique replied snidely, rolling her eyes. Reaching up, she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "It's this stupid charm."

"Here, you're overextending your wrist too much," Roxanne explained, reaching forward to grab Dominique's hand. Maybe showing her would do the trick?

But as their hands touched, a small bolt of electricity ran up her arm. She gasped, Dominique doing the same. Hearts racing quickly, their eyes locked.

Roxanne noticed her eyes were blue, and not just any blue, but air superiority blue. A heavenly blue. A perfect blue, just like her.

Neither of them said anything, too lost in the moment to even think.

"Now class," Professor Flitwick said, gathering their attention.

Reluctantly, Roxanne looked away.

"For homework, write a foot of parchment on the uses of the Augmenti charm, besides the obvious. Think outside the box! You're dismissed."

She went to get Dominique's attention, but the blonde had already disappeared. "Dom, wait!" she called out, scrambling to her feet and quickly gathering her things. She rushed into the hallway, following her to the Room of Requirement. Luckily, she managed to slip inside before Dominique warded the door shut.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, watching as Dom started to pace.

"We can't do this, Roxanne!" Dominique shouted, whipping around to face her cousin. Her eyes were bright with passion and her cheeks were slightly colored.

"Do what?" she asked, not quite sure what exactly was upsetting Dom so much.

"This," she cried, waving her hands about between them. "This chemistry, this attraction between us, it's wrong!"

Roxanne's jaw dropped. Was Dom seriously saying she was attracted to her back? "But… I thought you liked Teddy," she supplied, not quite sure what else to say. Her heart and thoughts were racing a thousand miles per second, and she started to feel faint.

"No, I don't. I like you, Roxanne, hell, I love you, but that doesn't really matter."

"Doesn't matter? Of course it does, Dominique! It matters quite a bit!" Roxanne argued back.

"We won't work out… not now, not ever, and we both need to get that through our minds."

Roxanne looked at her pleadingly. "You're not even giving us a chance… why not?"

"Why not? Roxanne, it would take a miracle for the two of us to work out," Dominique said sadly, knowing it was the truth. There was just too much in the way… it just wouldn't work, and so many people would get hurt in the process.

With a dejected sigh, Dominique moved and sat on the couch that had magically appeared. She patted the spot next to her, motioning that Roxanne should join her.

With a pout on her face, Roxanne took a seat.

"It just wouldn't work, Roxy," Dominique said, gently taking Roxanne's hand. She held it in her own tightly, almost as if she was afraid to let it go.

"Remember that quotation that Aunt Hermione always uses? 'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.' I never understood what that meant, Dom, but now I do. It's you, Dominique, you give me strength and courage. You make me proud of whom I am, despite knowing that so many people wouldn't agree with me," Roxanne whispered, her throat constricting on her. Any moment now, she felt like the tears were going to fall.

She could deal with loving Dominique unrequitedly, but knowing that Dom loved her back, but didn't want her hurt her deeply.

"We just can't," Dominique replied firmly, a few tears leaking down her eyes.

"Why? Are you afraid to tell people that you love your cousin? A girl, no less!" Roxanne hissed at her, becoming angrier now.

"I'm not ashamed!" Dominique protested immediately, hurt that Roxanne thought so little of her. She quickly tore her hand from Roxy's grasp.

"Neither am I! I'm proud of who I am! I'm proud that I've come so far on my own, struggling with my identity."

"Your pride will make you foolish," the blonde hissed, narrowing her eyes. "Letting it get in the way… it could ruin everything. Your life, our friendship, it'd all be over if you told people you were a lesbian who loved her cousin."

"My pride makes me strong, and I'm willing to take that risk, Dominique, why can't you see that? I love you Dominique!" she cried, desperately wishing her cousin would understand.

"I love you too, but it just isn't enough," Dominique said sadly, standing. "I'm sorry, Roxy, I really am, but I think right now I just need some time. And I know that in time, you'll get over it too… you'll find someone more in your league, Roxanne, just don't lose faith."

And without another word, Dominique exited the room, leaving Roxanne to her thoughts.

It hurt… it all hurt so much.

But she would cope… she would take those "yellow joking pills" as little Fred called them from the Doctor, and she would be all right.

Her heart and life would go on…