Written for Flying Lessons (Term 4) – Assignment 1 – Prompts used: (plot) someone bullying a member of your pairing.

A Willing Heart

The corridors of Hogwarts were dimly lit and nothing except Lorcan's footsteps was heard. It didn't really look or feel like any student would be up that late, but it was his job to check anyway. Lorcan had been so happy when he had been made a prefect of Ravenclaw, but after actually performing his duties did he understand that it wasn't just all fun and games as he had hoped it to be. It was a lot of work and he had to prepare for his OWLs as well but he was enjoying it nonetheless. He was determined to work hard and have fun along the way.

A muffled sound reached Lorcan. He froze as soon as he heard the disturbance. He tried to point out the direction and the origin of the noise. He walked on his toes, confused. It wasn't the usual giggling and panting he heard when students were out of bed. Was someone crying? He increased his pace and reached the turn of the corridor. Few feet away, a small figure sat hunched on the floor. Her dull red hair scattered over her shoulders.

"Excuse me? Are you okay?" Lorcan asked in a whisper and he neared the girl.

She stiffened and immediately looked up. Lorcan felt a flash of recognition. It was one of the Weasleys.

"Lucy, isn't it?" he knelt down and asked hesitantly when she didn't reply. He wouldn't have known her if it hadn't been for the get-togethers that his family was invited to every summer. Lucy Weasley was easily the least boisterous of the entire lot. He hadn't really spent much time with her, but he had seen her around. She was a year younger than him, but whenever he did hang out with the gang, she was there most of the times.

Lucy stared at him in surprise, he noticed that she had brilliant blue eyes. He had never been that close to her to notice them. Lorcan felt a strange hollowness in his stomach when she continued to stare at him.

"Um, are you okay?" he repeated, feeling a little hot.

"I'm okay," she said, her voice hoarse from crying.

"Why were you crying?" he asked gently.

"It's nothing," she answered in a small voice.

"I won't tell anyone," he promised with a smile.

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and her lower lip trembled; Lorcan felt uncomfortable with the situation, but he didn't want to leave this girl without making her feel at least a little better. He settled down next to her comfortably, waiting for her to talk.

Both of them were silent for a few minutes, Lorcan studied her pale hands, they were red – almost peeled.

"Everyone except my cousins teases me a lot," Lucy was hardly audible. If he hadn't been seated next to her, he would have completely missed it.

Lorcan felt a pang in his heart when he remembered all the passing rumours. Nobody dared to tell it to any of the Weasley or Potter clan, but he had heard them. Lucy Weasley was considered a complete weirdo, looked down upon because she wasn't as outgoing as the others and had little odd habits.

"I'm not like my cousins, and it matters to others," Lucy said in a louder voice. Lorcan wondered if she had spoken to anyone about it before. A part of him felt sure that she hadn't. A silence settled between them.

Taking a deep breath, Lorcan said, "My mother told us about how she was bullied and laughed at for being odd, but then she met some people who didn't in her fourth year. And you know what? They are still the closest of friends." Lorcan wasn't sure why he was using her mother's example, but he hoped that Lucy felt that all wasn't lost.

Lucy simply stared at him, and mumbled, "Thank you."

Lorcan then accompanied her back to the Gryffindor common room, and bid her goodbye, with a mischievous warning on avoiding being out of bed late in the night. He went back to his own bed with a new resolve to befriend Lucy Weasley . . . there was something about her which made him want to help her.

The next time Lorcan hung out the Potters and Weasleys, he spent the entire time conversing with Lucy, completely missing all the surprised and curious glances which the cousins exchanged.

A/N: I can't wait to write more of this pairing. Hope you enjoyed it!