The Death Eater's Daughter

Chapter Sixteen - Indulgence

Somehow, early October had rolled round. Luci had felt that it had come too quickly. Just weeks ago, she was desperately impatient to go home. Now, though, she felt like her time to leave would be here before she knew it, and she wouldn't want to go.

She was sitting next to Draco at his desk, and he was scribbling astrological equations. Luci was watching him vaguely, but was mostly daydreaming about seeing Harry that evening. It had become a terrible habit that she was unable to break. She'd given up at this point and was allowing herself a small indulgence, since she rarely did so.

"Well?" came her brother's voice, slicing through her thoughts.

She blinked, and then absentmindedly studied the parchment. "Yeah, looks good. It's kind of amazing how far you've come."

He shrugged. "Nothing better to do, I guess."

"True. No evil plots taking up all of your attention," said Luci playfully.

"Very funny," he snapped.

"Oh, c'mon, you know I'm kidding. And... we'll get out of here eventually," she encouraged.

"Not soon enough," complained Draco.

Luci used to agree with him. Today, she merely replied pleasantly, "We'll survive."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You seem... happier lately. Is it that boy you've been writing letters to?"

A few days ago, Luci had sat down to write to Josh while Draco had been perfecting an Everlasting Elixir. It had been a completely harmless letter, of course, but Draco didn't know that, and considering the alternative, he didn't need to.

So she grinned at him and detoured, "Hey, isn't it time for lunch?"

He rolled his eyes at her and muttered, "Revolting," and Luci laughed.

----------------------------------------

Tonight, she was teaching Harry the bubble shield. He had been thrilled at the prospect of learning a protective spell for once, after all of the offensive tools he'd been given. They'd been dueling earlier, and he'd observed that he didn't know nearly enough methods of deflection. Luci had agreed, apologized, and offered to change tactics.

"Now, I'm going to have you try this on me," she was saying. "It's a harmless one, if you don't get it right, and it's much better to practice on people."

"Shouldn't I be practicing on myself?" he asked.

"Nope, not yet. It's a difficult one. Okay, so repeat after me: Clypeus."

He gave her a tentative glance but did as she instructed, lifting his wand and directing the spell at her.

Suddenly, she felt her skin expanding, her clothing stretching, her torso rounding out. Her first instinct was to panic, but her feet began lifting from the floor, and it occurred to her that she'd simply forgotten to warn him about visualizing actual bubbles.

"Oh my god, what did I do?" Harry was shouting anxiously up at her. "Are you alright? Luci! Should I go get help?"

By now, she was floating about against the ceiling, and she couldn't stop laughing. If she did, she'd realize how humiliating it was to be a large round object in front of a boy whom she wanted to find her attractive.

"Shhh!" she tried to hush him through her fits.

"No! Luci! Stop laughing!"

He really looked quite upset down there, so she finally aimed her wand at herself and commanded, "Decresco!"

Slowly, her body began to deflate, and she was lowering back to the floor.

"Tell me you're alright," he called up, looking completely distressed.

"I'm fine," she answered nonchalantly, but truly, the embarrassment was sinking in and she felt her cheeks burning. "That was entirely my fault."

"How was it your fault?" he asked, when she landed clumsily in front of him. He reached out a hand to steady her, and her skin sparked where he'd touched her.

"If you think about bubbles, weird things can happen. Obviously." She patted at her stomach to make sure that she'd returned to normal. She still appeared to be the thin, pale, flat-chested little thing that she'd always been.

"Looks like my clothes won't make it, though," she said wryly, pulling at her stretched sweater. Then she turned away and moved towards the couch. She wanted a little distance between them, to catch her breath and to fumble in her head for that mask she liked to wear. She hated when she lost control of her emotions the way she'd just done. It was the stupidest thing she could possibly let happen, especially in his presence.

But he came and sat down next to her. "You sure you're alright? I'm really sorry."

She glanced sideways at him, and his expression was distraught. She smiled, "Yes, Harry, I'm alright, I promise. I've been through much worse, believe me. And it's a really tricky spell. No one gets it right the first time."

He sighed and began fiddling with his hands. She wanted to take them into her own, and averted her eyes to quell the urge. In fact, it was probably best to get away from him. It was past their usual departure time anyway.

"I'm sleepy," she told him.

"Me too," he said softly, "but I hate sleeping."

Curious, despite her original escape plan, she continued, "How come?"

"Nightmares," Harry answered, suddenly sounding groggy.

She frowned. "What about?"

He took a shallow breath. "Dumbledore. The Astronomy Tower. Same one every night."

Luci allowed herself to peek over at him. "What happens?"

"I dunno," he yawned. "I can't save him. Or anyone else. I just want..."

He stopped and looked sideways at her. "I don't wanna talk about it."

She was disappointed, but she agreed, "Alright."

They sat there for a few minutes, neither of them saying anything. Luci noticed that their knees were touching, just barely, but at that tiny point of connection, it felt like there was a hole being burned right through her jeans...

"I'd better go before I fall asleep," Harry said eventually. He slowly got to his feet.

"You want me to see if I can find something for the nightmares?" asked Luci, standing too.

He gazed at her for a long moment, and then, "Yeah. That'd be great."

She nodded and he started for the door. "Night then."

"Night, Harry," she called after him.

And since she wasn't the least bit sleepy, she decided to Apparate down the street and call Kristen. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to talk to someone who might be able to tell her she wasn't crazy.

"It's ten o'clock in the morning!" answered a scratchy voice.

Luci laughed. "Good morning, Kristen."

"Luci!" she shrieked. "Hey, don't you know I'm never up at ten?"

"I've forgotten," admitted Luci. "Wait, who are you, again?"

"Your bestest friend in the whole world who misses you," Kristen replied through a yawn.

"Misses me, my ass. One letter? That's pathetic."

"Yeah, sorry about that," she muttered. "Having some issues."

"What issues?" But Luci knew already.

"Maggie. She cheated on me. With a boy. Again."

Kristen sounded crushed, and Luci sighed, "I'm so sorry, honey."

"When will I learn?"

"This time, maybe?" suggested Luci.

"No, not this time," Kristen grumbled. "I want her back. I'm gonna forgive her like I always do."

"But... why?!"

She took a deep breath. "I dunno. Because I love her. Because I'd rather be with her than without her."

Luci pursed her lips before starting slowly, "But, Kristen, you can do so much better!"

"It's not about that!" blurted Kristen angrily. "She's the one I want! I don't know why I can't get any support from you!"

"I just... I hate seeing her hurt you over and over again. Is it really worth it? To be with her?"

"Yes."

Nodding, Luci allowed, "Okay. Then be with her. But she might never stop doing this."

"I know," she sighed.

Luci shook her head to herself. "As long as you know... Who was the guy?"

Kristen took a moment to answer. "His name is Chad; that's all I know. I don't wanna know anything else."

"Probably a good idea," Luci concurred. "Hopefully, it was just once?"

"She only admits to once. Because I caught her on the phone with him talking about that... once. God, it was fucking awful."

"I'm sorry," said Luci again, helpless. "This is most likely impossible, but is there anything I can do from here?"

"Talking to me helps."

"Okay, I'll stay on as long as you want."

"Eh, I have to go to work, unfortunately," she grumbled.

"That sucks. How's it going? Anything new?"

"They just hired a really cute girl, actually," said Kristen, her tone changing instantly. "She's waiting in the section near me. I'm totally going to set you up with her when you get home."

"Fantastic," murmured Luci. "The entire male race hates me, and now, this is my fate - my best friend setting me up with chicks, who will all probably end up hating me too."

"Oh, bah," scolded Kristen. "Speaking of, how's Harry Potter?"

"He's... good," Luci grinned.

"Ooh, how good?"

"Kristen!"

"Hey, forgive me for hoping you might finally be getting some!" she laughed.

"I will never be... getting some?"

"So you haven't hit on him yet?"

"Er... not directly..."

"Indirectly?" prompted Kristen.

"I don't know! I mean... I don't know! We just... hang out."

"Doing what?"

Luci shrugged. "I teach him stuff," - and then before Kristen could make some lude comment - "spells and charms and things."

Kristen scoffed. "God, that sounds dull. He's gonna see you like one of his old geezer Professors."

Something sank in Luci's stomach. "Really? You think he will?"

"That's what it sounds like to me."

"Shit," she muttered, and then, "I don't even know why I care!"

"Because," began Kristen, "he's hot, so you say, though I find it unlikely and somewhat disturbing..."

"Platonically hot," corrected Luci.

"Is he still just platonically hot? Or does he make you forget that Mark guy ever existed?"

Luci went rigid, stunned. It was true. She used to think about Mark every day. Every single day. And now she couldn't remember the last time he'd crossed her mind...

"Oh my god," she gasped.

"Ahhhh!" shrieked Kristen in her ear. "Luci, this is so exciting!"

"Shut up! No, it isn't! This is terrible!"

"You have a crush!" giggled Kristen. "This may very well be the best day of my life."

Luci huffed. "That is very sad, Kristen, very sad."

"Say what you will! I am ecstatic! Oh, what a start to the day!" Kristen was making chirping noises.

"Okay, go start it then," said Luci. "I'm going to go end mine."

"What is it? Three in the morning there?"

"A little past, yeah."

"Yes, you should go to bed. You need all of your energy to nurse your newfound lust!"

"Ugh. I'm gonna stop telling you things."

"No, you aren't," countered Kristen. "Call soon and tell me some more things, okay?"

"Okay," Luci laughed. "And... I'm sorry about Maggie."

"Eh."

"Love you."

"Love you too. And, hey, Luce?"

"Yeah?"

"Congrats. I'm proud of you."

Luci growled at her best friend and slammed the phone back into its cradle.