"CRUCIO!"
Lily's scream echoed through the kitchen as she fell to the floor, but this time no one came rushing down the stairs to the rescue.
It was just Lucy, Owen, and Lily, and the thought sent a jolt of fear through Lucy.
"Leave her alone! You want me, right? I'm the one you're angry with! I'm the one who told them what happened!" Lucy screamed, as Owen slowly pulled his wand backwards and ended the curse.
Lily was breathing heavily on the floor, and Lucy resisted the strong urge to run to her side.
"But the thing that will hurt you the most, is hurting her" Owen said, a sick grin on his face.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he pointed his wand back towards Lily and yelled, "AVADA KEDAVRA".
Lucy screamed and rushed forward, shoving Owen to the ground only a moment too late.
"No!" Lucy screamed, crawling over to Lily's lifeless body.
"Lucy! Luce! Wake up!" Roxanne yelled, shaking her younger cousin's shoulders as the younger girl continued to thrash around on the bed.
"What's going on?" Lily asked quietly, her voice still sounding slightly pained from her place next to Lucy.
"I have no bloody idea! I was woken up when she started this and kicked me on the side of the head. Lucy Weasley, if you do not wake up this instant!" Roxanne yelled, shaking Lucy's shoulders more roughly.
Lucy's eyes suddenly sprang open and she sat up, her forehead crashing into Roxanne's nose.
Roxanne fell backwards, landing with a thud on the floor, clutching her nose.
"Ow" Lucy muttered, rubbing her forehead lightly.
"It's bleeding! I think it's broken! I knew you had a hard head!" Roxanne yelled, holding up her hand which had small spots of blood on it.
"Are you alright?" Lily whispered, grabbing Lucy's sleeve.
Lucy's eyes went wide and she turned to look at Lily.
"You're alright!" Lucy yelled, turning and clutching Lily, laughing happily.
"Yes, I believe the one we have to worry about here is you" Lily said, raising an eyebrow at Roxanne and Molly over Lucy's shoulder.
"Nightmare?" Molly asked.
Lucy nodded into Lily's shoulder and understanding hit all of them.
"I'm right here, Luce, promise" Lily muttered quietly, clinging to her cousin a little bit tighter.
Lucy could feel the tears building up in her eyes but held them back and turned to look at Roxanne, who was now kneeling by the end of the bed, still clutching her nose.
"Sorry about that" Lucy muttered sheepishly.
Roxanne shrugged.
"Aunt Ginny can fix it, I'm sure" she replied, standing and exiting the room. She stopped in the hallway and turned back towards them.
"Are you lot coming? Breakfast!" she yelled.
Molly rushed out of the bed and passed Roxanne, who rolled her eyes.
"For someone so much like her father, she sure eats like Uncle Ron" Roxanne said, shaking her head.
She turned and raised an eyebrow.
"We'll be there soon" Lucy promised.
Roxanne nodded and walked away.
"Things will be alright now, Lily. Your dad and Uncle Ron caught Owen and now all I have to do is go in and testify against him and he'll go to Azkaban for a long time, especially now that he's used an Unforgivable on you" Lucy muttered, her hair falling in her face.
"I never doubted that things would be alright, Lucy" Lily muttered, before standing slowly.
She looked a little shaky on her feet, so Lucy stood quickly and helped her younger cousin down the stairs and into the kitchen where Ginny was cleaning up Roxanne's nose, Harry was serving breakfast, and one unexpected guest was waiting near the entrance to the kitchen.
"Lorcan" Lucy muttered, stopping short in front of the boy.
"I'll take her, why don't you two go talk. Breakfast will still be warm" Harry promised, taking Lily's arm from around Lucy's shoulder and waving them away.
Lorcan held out his hand and Lucy took it hesitantly, allowing him to lead her out into the yard.
"We haven't talked in a bit, I was worried about you" Lorcan muttered.
Lucy shuffled her feet, feeling slightly guilty.
"I do care about you, you know? I know you don't seem to believe it, which I don't understand one bit, but I love you, Lucy Weasley, and I'm going to keep loving you. I'll wait if I have to, until you're ready to be with me" Lorcan said, turning to face her.
Lucy licked her lips and looked up at him.
"How can you possibly care for me now? After everything that's happened? That arse Owen made sure that he took something that I can never get back and it wasn't meant to be like that! My first time was supposed to be special! It was supposed to be with someone I love, who loves me, and who will always be there for me no matter what. It was supposed to be.." Lucy stopped, her words trailing off.
"Supposed to be?" Lorcan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It was supposed to be with you" Lucy muttered, tears building up in her eyes.
Lorcan's jaw dropped open and he stepped forward, placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder and sighing a little when she winced.
"I'm so sorry that had to happen to you of all people. It shouldn't happen to anyone at all, but to happen to someone so sweet, and caring, and loving, it just doesn't make any sense. You should be running around here with your cousins, not worrying about some arse and what you're going to have to do in order to make sure he gets sent where he belongs. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if you're not ready for a relationship, then I'll wait until you are. I would wait years if I had to" Lorcan said, smiling a bit when Lucy blushed.
"You honestly mean that?" Lucy asked, looking up and meeting his eyes.
"Of course. Haven't you heard? I'm the romantic brother" Lorcan joked, laughing as Lucy shoved him lightly.
"I won't let anything hurt you again, Lucy. I promise you that much. And if Lysander has his way, after what he heard went on here last night, Lily is never leaving his side again" Lorcan said, turning serious again.
Lucy leaned up and pressed her lips lightly against his cheek, making him blush.
"I know you'll never do anything to me like he did. I guess it's just taking me a while to get used to the idea that I can trust any bloke other than the ones I'm related to. But I am ready to try a relationship, as long as you're ready to take it slow for me" Lucy said, smiling at him.
"As slow as you want" Lorcan promised, holding a hand over his heart.
Lucy smirked.
"But first, there is one thing I want to do" she commented, before leaning up again and pressing her lips against his.
Clapping made them break apart, and they turned to see Roxanne, Molly, Lily, James and Albus all standing by the door to the Potter house, clapping and cheering loudly.
Lucy turned back towards Lorcan and laughed, burying her face in his chest and letting him wrap his arms around her.
For the first time in weeks, she actually felt safe.
And it was the best she had ever felt.