Author's Note: Oh God I am so excited:) This chapter, in all its glory, is to the one who broke her rule just for Lily and Lysander. Avalon Heart, I pray you enjoy this as much as I do.

Lysander froze. His body stiffened with all the speed of a rocketing bludger, his blood icy and cold, yet his face felt warm with a blush.

The drunken slur from behind him drew nearer, hissing in a sultry voice, "You can't avoid me anymore. I'm done playing games."

While every decent bone in Lysander's body screamed at him, begged him to stop this before it could get bad quickly, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of heat peak into his ears. He had never heard her speak that way before. Only in his dreams.

"Lily," her name left his lips in a breath, and he realized very suddenly just how much power she had over him.

She gave a warm, firewhiskey coated laugh, "Don't sound so nervous, Ly. It's only me. Only little Lily Luna Potter."

He shivered, turning slowly to face her. She was so close, yet in her eyes he could see her mind was a million miles away, stuck in the numb abyss that she now called home, darkened by a level of pain only he could understand.

For as Lily had lost the man she had loved, Lysander lost her everyday.

She sidled closer to him, incredibly elegantly for someone so evidently intoxicated. "Explain something to me, Lysander Scamander. Why are you avoiding me?"

His blush deepened and he swallowed, running his hand up and down his left thigh. Anything to stop him from reaching out and touching her. "My classically hilarious and devastatingly true comments on the mating habits of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack didn't seem needed."

She didn't laugh. She only looked at him with those perfect brown eyes.

"You are needed Lysander."

His face was becoming exceptionally hot now. The way she said that gave him the feeling that she wasn't just looking for emotional support. His tongue flicked over his lips and he rubbed his thigh harder.

"What are you saying Lily?"

She moved so that she was standing right in front of where he sat, laying a hand over his shoulder. "I miss you, Lysander," her voice was softer now. More careful. Perhaps she wasn't as drunk as she appeared. "I miss you, and I need help. I don't want to feel nothing. And you're the only person who's never hurt me. I need you."

His fingers twitched with the incredible need to reach out and hold her. His voice was much gruffer now, "I'm here for you. I'm always here for you."

And then she did something that even he couldn't see coming.

She rested another hand on his shoulder, pulling herself soundly into his lap, her knees on either side of him now, straddling him. "Make me feel something Lysander."

Her breath hit his lips. He no longer could see anything but Lily, feel anything but Lily. This was a dream come true, was it not? Sure, it was spurred by alcohol and pain but this was everything he had ever wanted.

But he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of her. He couldn't hurt her.

"No, Lily." His hands rested innocently on her sides and he pushed himself out from under her and as far away as he could manage, knowing that he couldn't afford to doubt himself even for a minute.

She stared at him for a long, long time. She couldn't believe this. Even if it was evident that he didn't feel anything extraordinary, it wasn't like a boy to turn away from her. Challenging as always, Lysander Scamander.

"Ly, I'm practically offering myself up on an silver platter. Don't be an idiot." She moved back toward him them, stumbling over her knees slightly in her drunken state.

The more he watched her, the more resolute he stood in his decision. He loved her. She wasn't just some slampiece to him. He was truly in love with her, and he knew that she was in no condition to feel his love.

"Lily, I'm not going to do something you'll regret tomorrow."

She snorted, standing up and throwing her hands up, wobbling. He rushed to her, putting a hand on her side, supporting her. "Fucking Robbie Finnegan would. Why won't you?"

Her voice was a loud shout. Strong. Emotional. She almost sounded like Lily again. Tears glistened in her eyes, electric. They no longer were dulled. He couldn't help but smile.

"Because I actually care about you." He leaned forward, kissing her forehead gently. This was not an unusual gesture for him. Whenever she was too frustrated with his delusions or his musings, he would kiss her forehead to calm her down and bring her out of her heated cloud. Instantly, he felt her relax.

"He doesn't care about me. Why do I always go for guys who don't give a damn, Ly?" Lily eased her body into his. She let a hand travel up his chest to toy with the collar of is shirt, unbuttoned slightly. She noticed the shiver that this elicited and was shocked at how satisfying it felt to make him shiver.

Lysander brushed a stray hair behind her ear, whispering close to her, "If I knew the answer to that, you wouldn't be with them."

She shivered. Why did she feel this way all of a sudden? He was her best friend. Her insane, hilarious, and albeit sexy best friend. She didn't want to start something he couldn't finish.

"Listen," his lips drew her attention once more, "Why don't you head back to your room? It's getting late now. I don't want your parents seeing you blast-ended drunk, alright?"

She didn't know what made her say it, but the words came so easily that she just couldn't help herself. They flowed from her like water, pure and simple. The best part was she didn't regret them once they were out.

"Let me stay here? With you?"

He watched her cautiously. His eyes searched hers, but she didn't sound as drunk now, and that fire that he loved so much was back. She was warm in his hands, real. She was alive, here with him. And she sounded like she really did need him. Wanted him. He only had one option.

"Use Lorcan's bed. He doesn't sleep up here usually, anyway."

She seemed to sparkle, her soft smile an unusual sight in his eyes. Graceful as she was, she was nothing if not wild. Untamed. This was a smile she used scarcely, and feeling it shine in his direction was almost too much to handle.

He watched her slowly crawl into the bed across from his, curling up in the sheets, letting a breath he had been holding for Merlin knows how long leave his lips. She was going to be the death of him.

He collapsed down onto the bed, rolling away from the other bed, trying desperately to get his thoughts off the girl with the flaming red hair.

But Lily wasn't having that.

She didn't like the way it felt to be alone in another bed. She had never laid in bed with a boy before, but something in her gut told her that if she didn't crawl in beside Lysander, she would lose it.

So that's just what she did.

He felt her slowly nestle in against his back, her arms wrapping tentatively around his waist. Lysander felt his breath catch in his throat.

He turned with all the speed of a land tortoise, afraid that if he moved to quickly, she would be gone. "Lily…" His voice held caution, a nervousness that should have sept into her. But Lily had never felt more comfortable in her life.

"Oh shut up, Lysander. I'm not that drunk. Now put your arms around me and hold me."

Never one to argue, Lysander wrapped his arms gently around her tiny body, pulling her ever closer, and tucked her head against his neck, feeling as though his whole body was hooked up to an electrical outlet. He had never been happier.

Neither struggled too terribly after that, slipping off to sleep in the comfort of one another's arms…

Lily awoke for the first time in just under a month without the fear of her nightmares or the soft cries of her cousin. She woke in an unimaginable warmth, feeling safe for the first time in ages. She snuggled close to the warmth, hazily trying to remember when she had held onto her pillow so tightly.

It was about that moment that her "pillow" made a soft, contented sight close to her forehead, a sound that belonged quite exclusively to her best friend.

It was all she could do not to gasp loudly. The memories of the night before came flooding back as the sunshine beamed in on their bodies.

It was true what she had said. Robbie Finnegan would have absolutely taken advantage of her that previous night without even an inkling of guilt. Lysander had forcibly restrained both himself, and her.

Because I actually care about you. The words hung in her mind like a shining beacon of light. Of course he actually cared about her. He had always been there for her, even at her worse. Even when they had both caught a cold from sitting in the rain. Even when she had ruined countless numbers of his shirts with tears. Even when she had yelled at him. Even when he was so hurt by what she had said to him in the heat of the moment. He had always cared, more than anyone else.

He had always loved her.

She didn't need to ask herself what the feeling was in her stomach. It was unidentifiable. It was a total mystery and she couldn't put a name to it if she tried. And for the first time in so long, she felt something other than numb.

He cared about her. And she had never cared about anyone like this before.

His eyes opened slowly. Through the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks, she found soft laughter. He was positively the most handsome thing she had ever seen. Ruffled honey hair hung over his forehead, not quite shielding his silver-violet eyes as they looked up at the ceiling with the most beautiful look of contentment she had ever seen.

She loved him. Nothing had ever been more obvious to her in her life.

His head turned gently down to face her, and she felt shivers trace down her spine as he gave her that silly, lopsided smile of his. Her fingers absentmindedly traced her name on his stomach through the cotton of his shirt.

With one look, even in his drowsy state, Lysander could see what was about to happen. He saw a new emotion that, now that he thought about it, wasn't so new at all. It had always been there, in her eyes. Just now, she seemed to notice it too.

He drew a hand to her cheek, wiping away a trail of soft tears.

No words needed to be said. They understood each other perfectly, as they always had. As they always would, as far as they were concerned.

In the warm light of the sun, magnified through the window, with Lily leaning up and Lysander leaning down, perfectly in balance, their lips met, making both of them feel more than either could ever have dreamed.

Author's Note: My heart is so elated with this chapter. Oh man oh man oh man. I hope this made all of you as happy as it made me. But, my friends, we're not done yet. Not even close. You all have my love.