Warning: Whilst not explicit, this chapter does make mention of verbal and physical abuse. If reading this could have a negative affect on you, then please don't continue with this chapter.

Written for the Song Fic Boot Camp Challenge - Candles by Hey Monday

Candles

Lost sight, couldn't see

When it was you and me

As Lilia set the table with her mother's china, she hoped desperately that it would work this time. Maybe, if she tried hard enough, made it nice enough, he would remember. Back to when this relationship started, back when it had been both of them putting in. She had thought it was so perfect back then, back when she felt like she was able to prove her friends wrong every time they told her it would end badly. Back when she thought he loved her. But it wasn't like that anymore.

Over and over, she tried to make things better. Be a better girlfriend, the one he said he deserved. But it was like he wasn't even in the relationship anymore. Sure, they went on dates, and attended parties together and acted like the perfect couple, but behind closed doors, they were anything but.

But she loved him, and so she stayed, trying to make him remember how he had once loved her. Because he had, he had to have loved her once. Because if he hadn't, then none of this, none of the last two years would have been worth it.

Been black and blue before,

There's no need to explain.

I am not the jaded kind,

Payback's such a waste.

She didn't know why she bothered anymore. All of this time and effort into something she knew all along wouldn't work out. He had taken one look at the table, all set out so nicely, before he started screaming at her, complaining about how all she ever did was waste money on things they didn't need. Why cook so much food when she could obviously survive on less?

She couldn't remember the last time he hadn't flown into a rage like this as soon as he got home. Every night he would find something that she had done wrong, something that warranted his screaming. Something that warranted the bruises he gave her. But she was finding herself grow increasingly numb towards his behaviour, and she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not.

She no longer cared how many bruises she had, for what was one more to add to her long list? What was one more tirade when she had already endured hundreds?

She had read something once that talked about such situations. About how she should fight back, or at least tell someone. But what was the point? Payback wasn't going to help her, and getting help would merely get her into more trouble. No, it was much better to just take it, nothing had ever happened except for a few new bruises. And those were easily healed with a charm. No, what was the point in payback if nothing serious ever happened?

Blow the candles out,

Looks like a solo tonight.

I'm beginning to see the light.

Rose couldn't believe what she was seeing. The table was set for what looked like a romantic dinner for two, with candles in crystal holders and rose petals strewn across the table. And on the floor next to the table was her best friend, unconscious and covered in bruises.

Forgetting why she was there in the first place, Rose choked back a sob as she hastily blew out the candles and gathered Lilia into her arms and through the floo. She was struck by just how tiny she was – much too light for a nineteen year old in Rose's opinion.

As the medi-witches bustled around, trying to stabilise her friend, Rose ran through all of her memories of the past few years, wondering how she didn't see the signs. The bruises brushed off as clumsiness, the spacing out, the flinching every time someone appeared suddenly or touched her without warning. Just how long had this been going on for?

You're invisible,
Invisible to me.
My wish is coming true,
Erase the memory of your face

The first thing she realised was that she couldn't hear his angry yells anymore. The next thing she realised was that she was tucked tightly in a bed in a very white room surrounded by machines that made various beeping and whirring sounds. She was in a hospital.

She honestly didn't know whether to feel relieved or panicked. On one hand, she was safe from him for at least a few days, but on the other hand, someone had found out. He had always made it very clear as to what would happen if someone found out…

The sound of someone stirring in the corner pulled her out of her thoughts and back into the present. Lilia tried to get her eyes to focus as she blinked in the too-bright artificial light used in St Mungo's. Brown hair breaking out of its ponytail, chocolate eyes filled with worry. Muggle clothes and the flash of a ring on her finger. Rose. Of course it had to be Rose, her best friend and the biggest worrier she had ever met, that found her.

"Rosie." She found she couldn't talk in anything but a whisper. She just couldn't find the energy required. But luckily that was all she needed to make Rose spring out of her chair and hasten over to her bed.

"Lilia!" The relief in Rose's voice was painfully clear. Just how long had she been here? "Lia, oh thank Merlin you're ok! How long had he been doing that? Why didn't you tell me? No no, don't answer, you really should save your energy. Oh Lia, I honestly thought we were going to lose you." At this point her voice broke and Lilia was faced with the alarming scenario of Rose crying. Rose never cried.

Once Rose had recovered herself, she continued with her rant of worry and caring. "Lilia, Scorpius and I have been talking and we've decided something. And we're not taking no for an answer. Now, I think you know that you can't go back to living with Sebastian, it isn't safe. So, you're going to live with us until you find your feet again, ok? No, honestly Lia, we're serious about this. You're my best friend, I want to help you. I feel guilty that I didn't pick up on the signs earlier, so please let me help. It's either that or Aunt Ginny has vowed to force you to stay at their house until she deems you able to live on your own, which we both know is never. So please come and live with us Lia. Please."

She couldn't help it, her eyes had been tearing up during Rose's speech, and now she was out and out sobbing. Now she thought about it, she didn't really know why she hadn't told Rose before, of course she would help her. For the first time since Hogwarts, she was going to have a real home, living with people who really loved her. For the first time for over a year she could face each day without the fear of him hanging over her.

Blow the candles out,

Looks like a solo tonight.

But I think I'll be alright.

Three months. That's how long it had been since she had left the hospital, retrieved her few belongings and left his life forever. She was finally free, and for the first time in two years she was really and truly happy. And so when she saw his owl deliver a letter with her name written in his hand, she didn't even bother to open it before tossing it on the fire. Because she didn't need him to make her feel loved; she had Rose and Scorpius and Albus and the Potters and somehow, she knew that someday, she'd be perfectly ok again.

A/N. Wow, ok that was a lot angstier than what I would normally write. But this headcanon for Lilia just wouldn't go away. To clear things up, Lilia is the muggleborn daughter of Dudley. She grew up around the Weasley-Potters and so it wasn't really a shock when her Hogwarts letter came. She's a Ravenclaw and Rose's best female friend. Sebastian is the son of Blaise Zabini. Also, I just wanted to make it clear that I, nor anyone I know personally, has been in a situation like this. This has come form too many legal studies assignments! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Next chapter should be more light-hearted. NG