Magic was all Percy had ever known. His parents used magic to mend their clothes, fix what was broken-typically by Fred and George-or to take care of any minor injuries that came from everyday life. He was used to that kind of thing. If it could be fixed by magic, then so be it. He hadn't known many things that magic was incapable of fixing.

Until now.

Unfortunately, no one had yet been able to use magic to mend a broken heart.

Percy would have done it in a heartbeat if it made Lucy smile again.

/

Lucy was sitting on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table that was given to him by Hermione-technically speaking, it was for him and Audrey-as a housewarming present. She was nervous, he could tell that easily from how she kept fingering her two braids, or switching to rubbing her hands along her thighs. She was awaiting the arrival of Adam, who was to be her date for the evening. It was her first date as a teenager. Percy wasn't thrilled about it, per se, but what parent was excited to see their little girl growing up? He'd decidedly backed off a little this time around, knowing it was best to handle this differently than he'd handled Molly when she started dating.

His oldest daughter practically had a fit when Lucy asked if she could go out with this boy, only for him to say yes instead of what he'd said last time.

"How come she doesn't have to bring him over for dinner first?" Molly's temper had flared and she stomped her foot in frustration. "That's not fair!"

Molly may have been older than her sister, but she could throw a fit better than any four year old at times.

"Feet off the table, Lucy," Percy said mildly as he passed by on his way to the kitchen. He heard her shoes hit the floor with a thud . He glanced back at her. "So, what do you and Adam have planned for tonight?"

"He's taking me out for ice cream," Lucy was biting back a smile, but he saw it anyway, that and the hint of a blush on her cheeks. Percy remembered those days, back when he'd first fancied a girl. That was before Penny. Oh, Charlie teased him for days about it.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," Lucy sighed happily. It was interesting to watch her like this, Percy had to admit. She'd confided in Percy about how strange Vic was whenever she went on and on-according to Lucy-about Teddy. Yet, she'd been the same way about this boy.

Adam was a muggle boy that she'd met at the local library the day after returning home from Hogwarts. Evidently, they had hit it off right away. Lucy came home that day and for nearly a week, he was all she talked about. Percy felt that he knew all about the boy without even meeting him. It was a bit much at times, but this was also the first boy she'd fancied, so he'd let her have that fun. Really, it was more of a chore to keep Molly from letting her mouth run. She was annoyed by all the talk, complaining to him on more than one occasion about it.

She must have conveniently forgotten how she was once at that stage; she talked of nothing but the boy she'd fancied at the time. Percy was still able to vividly remember how she gushed about the boy's sparkling eyes and soft hair.

"Just remember-"

"To be back by ten," Lucy finished with a smile. "I know, Dad."

"Alright," he chuckled. "And if that boy tries anything , you're allowed to use magic. Just this once, of course."

'"Dad," she rolled her eyes. "Adam won't do anything."

"Of course not, sweetheart," Percy said, looking around the immediate area. "And what time will he be here?"

"Ten minutes," Lucy said, giving him a strange look. "What are you doing?"

Percy let out a huff. "Your Uncle George hid one of his toys in here. I'm trying to find it and get rid of it before it turns me into a toad."

"Or gives you purple hair," Lucy laughed. Percy grumbled under his breath.

George did do that to him once. Right before an important meeting, wouldn't you know. Unbeknownst to him, there had been a few drops added to his tea and he was seconds away from going inside the room when he passed by a mirror, catching his reflection. George got a kick out of it, unapologetically telling Percy that it couldn't be reversed; it had to be worn off naturally . So for the majority of that day, Percy walked around with bright purple, curly hair.

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright being here by yourself?"

Lucy was looking at him in concern. Percy smiled at her reassuringly. Out of his two girls, Lucy was the one that worried about him the most. Molly was off at a friend's house for the night, a magical friend that attended Hogwarts with her, most likely playing quidditch. She didn't have any qualms about going, but Lucy was different. She didn't like to be gone too long out of worry of him being alone. No matter how many times he reassured he was alright being there by himself, she still did it. It was the same thing whenever the two of them left for Hogwarts.

"I'll be fine, Luce. Don't worry about me. Have fun on your date and remember: no kissing and make sure his hands stay up above your waist."

"Daddy," she rolled her eyes again, but she was smiling.

He came over to kiss the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lucy gave him a hug and sat back on the couch, exhaling.

/

Percy gave up. He couldn't find the blasted thing. He looked all over. He first suspected George might have planted it in his bedroom or his office. Those were the first places he searched through. He even used a few spells but they were useless. Had his brother merely been joking? Perhaps he hadn't done anything at all and was only trying to rile him, to get his paranoia going.

He came down the stairs, intent on fetching himself a firewhiskey when he suddenly halted. Lucy was sitting on the couch still. She was slumped and her head was bowed. A frown immediately came on his lips. A thought came to mind but he didn't want to think about it, didn't want it to be true.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," he tried to sound encouraging. "Maybe he just got caught up with something."

"He's not coming," he voice was hollow.

A horrible feeling settled in Percy's stomach. "Honey, you don't know that-"

She raised her head a little. There were tear stains on her cheeks and her eyes were bright red and puffy. Her bottom lip was trembling. "It's been almost two hours, Dad." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He's not coming."

Percy felt terrible for her. There were so many things he wanted to say, but none seemed sufficient for the circumstances. Words couldn't mend her broken heart. They wouldn't fix the situation. So, he didn't say anything. He didn't do anything other than sitting down beside her, silently taking her in his arms. She cried into his shoulder, gripping his shirt like she used to do as a little girl when she came crying to him for comfort after a nasty fall; back when she was much lighter so he'd get up to bounce and rock her until she calmed down.

"I just...I don't understand!"

"You don't understand what?" he said carefully.

She pulled back from him and it killed Percy to see his little Lucy's teary face. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing," he was firm yet gentle. "There's nothing with you, Lucy."

"Then why didn't he come?" Lucy demanded. "There must be something wrong with me. He would've come by now if there wasn't."

She flung herself in his arms again, a fresh wave of tears overtaking her.

"I..." That Percy couldn't answer. Regrettably. "I don't know. I don't know why he didn't." He rubbed her back soothingly. "It's going to be okay, honey."

"No it's not!" Her voice was muffled by his clothes.

"I know it doesn't seem like it will be right now," he said quietly, "but it will be. I assure you, it will be."

She yanked herself away from him for the second time. "You don't understand! You don't know how it feels!"

"Perhaps not this exact circumstance," he agreed, "but I've had my heart broken too." She sniffled, not saying anything for the moment. "And I can tell you from experience that it's one of the worst feelings I've ever felt."

A minute or so passed by. Lucy's breathing was starting to even out and in the meantime, everything was quiet.

"I just wanted him to like me, Daddy. I really liked him. I don't know what I did wrong."

He took her gently by the chin, their eyes meeting. "You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all. And I want you to remember that."

"But-"

"Someday you're going to meet a boy that adores you and you'll forget all about Adam."

She rubbed at her eyes, sniffling some more. "I...it hurts, Dad. It just bloody hurts."

He didn't reprimand her for the language this one time.

"I know," he said tenderly. "I know it does. But it's going to be okay. I promise you, it will be. It just takes time."

Lucy let out a deep breath shakily. She was still trying to get a hold of her emotions. "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"When did you get your heart broken?"

"I was eighteen," Percy recalled and reached over to wipe away the tears that remained on her cheeks. "You remember how I told you during that time I was a bit of a prat? Well, my girlfriend at the time thought so too. She told me it wasn't working anymore."

"What'd you do?"

"I continued working. I'd hardly seen her since we both left Hogwarts so she had to come to my office to talk to me. However," he let out a little sigh at this, "once I went back home and saw the picture of Penny and I on my nightstand, that's when it all dawned on me."

He didn't cry that night. He wasn't a crier. But he sat in the darkness of his bedroom, on the floor with a deep ache in his chest. He sat there for a long time, realizing what he'd lost.

She glanced down at her hands.

"Lucy, honey, I know you're hurt. I know this evening isn't what you thought it would be. But I want you to know something."

"What?" She whispered

"No matter how many boys you go through, though I hope it's not many-" That got her to smile a little. "I love you so much. More than you'll ever know. Nothing's going to change that."

She leaned forward to hug him. "I love you, too, Dad."

They sat there for a little while longer.

"I think I'm going to bed," Lucy murmured. She started to get up, but he stopped her.

"Not yet. I have a better idea."

She stared at him confusedly. "What?"

"Let me write a letter to your sister and then I'm taking you out for ice cream."

"What?" She repeated and then she must have realized what he was doing. "Dad..."

He put his hand up. "I know ice cream with your dad isn't nearly as exciting as a date, but I thought we could head there and anywhere else you'd like to go."

A small smile spread across her face. Percy knew her heartache wasn't quite over with yet, but it was a start.