A/N This is written for the third round of the February 2015 edition of the Fanfiction Tournaments (the theme for the month being Valentine's Day).
A paper plane landed on Molly's desk. Curious, she unfolded it. She felt a jolt in her stomach as she recognised the handwriting of Duncan, her boyfriend since three months. She started reading with a smile upon her face, but her smile soon faltered and her mouth dropped open. Tears were welling up in her eyes. This could not be true. She looked around for Duncan's face, but when she found it, he simply shrugged. He looked a bit uncomfortable, but she read no apology in his eyes, no regret, nothing. She didn't know how she finished the rest of the class, but when the bell rang, she was the first one out, crying and brushing her classmates aside. She stayed in her dormitory for the remainder of the day, skipping classes for the first time since her arrival at Hogwarts three and a half years prior.
-o0o-
As often happened, Lucy sat alone at the diner table. She'd have thought that by now things would have bettered. But no, she was still mocked for being the first Weasley – the only Weasley actually – to ever be put in Slytherin. And if mocking had been the only thing, she could have handled it. But her family had put many of her housemates' family members in Azkaban and even though the war had ended several years ago, those families still hold grudges against any Weasley – especially the daughter of the Minister. They'd trip Molly, or Roxie or Fred just as well, given the opportunity, but Lucy was the easiest target, because, well, she was always within reach and she was just a first year. James was spared from any antics ever since he nearly hexed Jacob Flint into oblivion – and Jacob was two and a half years older than he was – and they went easy on Dom as well, probably because of her Veela heritance, that got even Jacob enthralled. Vicky was already an OWL student when most of the bullies started Hogwarts, so none dared interfere with her, either.
Lucy had been looking forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since Molly started, but so far the year hadn't brought her much good. Oh, she kept a brave face. She'd lie and tell her family that she loved Hogwarts. She thought that maybe Dom knew what was going on, because she'd look at her oddly at times as if asking if she was okay, but the only one who really knew was Molly. Her head turned towards the Ravenclaw table – only to find that Molly wasn't present at dinner.
She hasted herself towards Ada, Molly's best friend, when dinner was finished.
"Ada, where's Molly?"
Ada looked around, then said softly: "Duncan dumped her this afternoon. He sent her a note."
Lucy looked at her in shock, then clenched her fists. "What? That slimy git, where is he? I'll hex him into the next century!" She looked around if she spotted Duncan's face somewhere, but he had already retreated to the common room, it seemed.
"Where's Molly?" Lucy repeated.
"In the dormitories. She didn't want to come down to eat, said she wasn't hungry."
"Can you take me to her?"
Ada hesitated. "You're a Slytherin, you're not supposed to go into our common room…"
"I know that, but she's my sister! I need to be there for her!"
"Yes, but I'm not too sure the others would like it if I showed you in."
"Then blindfold me or something!"
Ada shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I can't. I'll tell Molly you asked for her, okay?"
Defeated, Lucy sighed. "Fine. Tell her that if she wants to talk or needs a shoulder, I'm there for her."
"I will." Ada shrugged apologetically. "I really am sorry."
"I know you are. It's not your fault." Stupid inter-House divide.
As she walked towards the dungeons, Lucy was fuming. How dare he treat her sister like that? Breaking up with her just before Valentine's Day? And via a note, nonetheless? He hadn't even had the gut to tell her in person! Lucy could only imagine how Molly must feel right now. She wished there was something she could do for her.
-o0o-
Lucy had been brooding all night when an overheard conversation between two of her roommates gave her inspiration to do something for Molly. Nothing would show her someone cared like a Valentine's card, right? And it would also show Duncan just what he'd done away with. Lucy immediately got her crayons out and started working. She didn't care that the others smirked at her for being engaged in what they believed to be homework at this early hour. Let them talk, she thought. She skipped breakfast in the knowledge that there were other ways to get food. Teddy had told the Weasley-Potter cousins about the hidden entrance to the kitchens. Lucy grinned. It was a secret she'd never share with her classmates – not if they continued to behave like they did, that was.
She also skipped her double Herbology lesson. She felt a bit bad about that, but she'd go to Professor Longbottom later today to explain. She was sure he would understand. He was a friend of the family, after all.
She worked on steadily for another hour. At last she felt she was finished. She stretched. She had been sitting in the same position for several hours now, and her back ached. She looked critically at the drawing on the card. It figured two zebras that stood close together, their heads resting at each other's neck. Zebras were Molly's favourite animals. She even had a stuffed one at home, bought when they had visited the zoo a couple of years ago. On the card swirly letters read Happy Valentine's Day. She considered putting the special charm on it that her father had taught her to make it animated, but decided she liked it better the Muggle way. Now there was only the matter of the inscription left… Lucy bit on her pencil thoughtfully. She wanted it to be something that would give Molly the feeling that she had a secret admirer, to prove her that she didn't need the likes of Duncan, but she didn't want it to be too over the top. She settled for You're the most wonderful girl at Hogwarts. She wrote the message in as boyish a handwriting as she could.
She took off to the Owlery. If she wanted it to look genuine, she'd had to send it by owl post. She instructed the owl not to deliver it before tomorrow, and then chuckled as she wondered how many deliveries the school owls would be carrying out in the morning that were all from students trying to hide the fact that they had sent the subject of their affection a Valentine's Card.
-o0o-
Lucy eagerly anticipated the post the next morning. She wasn't the only one. All around her, people were craning their necks in anticipation of the owls.
"Think you'll get a card, Weasley?" she heard a mocking voice beside her.
"Piss off, Nott," she replied without turning to look. She didn't have to: she'd recognise Nathaniel's voice from a distance. He was after all the most fervent in her year in bullying her.
She heard him open his mouth to retort, but he never got a chance to say what he had to say, for at that moment, the owls swooped in. There were more of them than usual, not surprising given the fact it was Valentine's Day. She craned her neck to have a good look at the Ravenclaw table when one of the owls dropped a card right in front of her. At first she thought it couldn't be for her, but then Nathaniel picked it up, smirking.
"Ah, you did get a card." He started to open up the envelope.
"Give it back!" Lucy hissed.
"Nah, I think I'll have some fun with this," he grinned. "Who in their right mind would send you a card?" A thought seemed to occur to him. "Or did you send it to yourself? That's pathetic, Weasley, even for you."
"Give it back!" she said again, more pleading now. She was sure Nathaniel would read it out loud and she didn't want to be humiliated in front of the entire Slytherin house, who were now curiously leaning in to see what was going on.
The card was out of the envelope now and as she had feared, Nathaniel began to read the message out loud. "You are the most caring person I know. You are amazing and you're smart and I love you."
Suddenly, Lucy had had enough. "Why, I never knew you felt about me that way, Nathaniel. I can't say I feel the same way, though," she said sweetly.
The Slytherins surrounding them roared with laughter and Nathaniel was red with anger. "Whatever," he said and he tossed the card back on the table. Then he stalked away, followed by another eruption of laughter from his classmates. Lucy felt strangely relieved. She felt that maybe by standing up for herself, she had finally earned some respect from her classmates. Maybe things would be different from now on. Then her face clouded. It wasn't from Nathaniel, was it? She picked up the card and glanced at it. Then a smile broke through on her face. No, definitely not from Nathaniel.
-o0o-
"Molly! Molly, wait up!"
Molly turned around and saw Lucy running towards her. She halted and waited for Lucy to catch up with her.
Lucy hugged her. "I love you too," she said after she had let go and waved the card in front of Molly.
Damn, how did she… She sighed. "The giraffes gave it away, I suppose?"
Lucy grinned. "That, and I'd recognise your handwriting from a mile away. You should have tried harder to deform it."
"Like you did?" Molly retorted and laughed at the blush that crept up Lucy's face.
"How did you know?" she stammered.
"You're one of the few people here who knows that zebras are my favourite animals. And despite, don't you think I'd recognise my own sister's drawing style by now?"
"Ah, yes…" Lucy said sheepishly. "So, how are you doing now?" she asked tentatively. "I wanted to come by, but…"
"I know. Ada told me. I'm actually doing better already," Molly confessed. "Once I got to realise what an arse Duncan had been, it suddenly hurt a lot less. And your card helped as well, of course," she smiled and playfully punched her little sister. "How are you doing yourself, on that matter? I heard the Slytherins laughing. Did that Nott guy give you a hard time again?"
"He tried," Lucy replied and to Molly's surprise, she saw a grin spreading across Lucy's face.
Lucy told her how she had thrown back Nathaniel's bullying on himself and Molly erupted in laughter. She was proud of her sister, and she hoped that this would finally allow her to find her place at Hogwarts.
"Well done, sis. Very Slytherin of you," she teased.
"Oh shut up," Lucy replied, but Molly saw that she wasn't mad.
"We'll always be best friends, Luce," she promised.
"We're sisters," Lucy replied. "That's even better."
"Sisters and best friends," Molly insisted.
"I could live with that."
They hugged each other again.
"I love you, Molly."
"I love you too, Luce."