Title: In the Healing Dark
Characters: Fred II, Lucy (no pairing)
wc: 250
"Fred?" Lucy leaned out the window and called her cousin's name into the night.
"Yeah."
She crawled past the faded orange curtains. All the cousins knew the best way onto the Burrow's roof was through Uncle Ron's old bedroom. Until their grandmother caught them, they would continue to use the roof as their secret meeting spot.
The shingles were gritty under Lucy's feet as she climbed carefully toward Fred's perch between two chimneys. He shifted to make room, and they gazed at the stars together.
Lucy broke the silence first. "I thought it was a funny prank."
"Well, you're the only one who did." Fred slouched until he lay against the steeply pitched roof.
"Maybe it's hard to laugh when you're turning blue."
"Or maybe I'm not funny like my dad is. Or like Uncle Fred was." In the starlight, Lucy could see him scowling.
"Who says you have to be like Uncle Fred or your dad?" She inched down until they were side by side again, primly pulling her nightgown over her knees. "Anyway, my dad hardly ever talks about Uncle Fred being funny, but he does say he was brave and good. You're brave and good, too, aren't you?"
She rested her head on Fred's shoulder.
"I bet Uncle Fred would've laughed to see Aunt Hermione colored like a blueberry." And under her cheek, she felt Fred relax.
As a falling star streaked across the heavens, Lucy couldn't help but believe their uncle was grinning down at them.
Originally posted at nextgen_drabble (Lucy, Fred II, stars) and 100quills (heaven).
