Leave Out All The Rest

Death Wish

Leave Out all the Rest

Chapter 25: Death Wish

POV: Lily

It was a busy day in the streets of Muggle London. The sun was barely shining through the clear skies, throwing warmth and rays of light at the ground we walked, gracing us with a bit of heat. It wasn't enough to leave our gloves and scarves at home, but it felt like a kiss of warmth you could enjoy in the breeze.

There was a stampede of people at the shopping center Mum and Aunt Hermione dragged us to, all of them so desperate for those post-holiday sales that they were willing to trample over each other to get to. It was like watching a pack of lions surround their defenseless prey. If the look of utter fear the shop workers were sporting were any indication, then it was safe to say they agreed with my analogy, too.  

While it was entertaining to watch the bloodbath between two men trying to wrestle over a television set, I turned to frown at Lucy while Liam let his hand slip from mine. He was experienced in Weasley anger, as such, I could not blame him from walking over to Al, Malfoy, and Zabini to save himself from whatever tantrum was going to come out from my cousin. 

"You shouldn't meddle in other people's lives," Lucy reprimanded me with her index finger raised high. 

"Loosen up," I huffed at her. "That bloke was obviously smitten with you since the moment we walked into his shop. I just gave you a little push to notice him, too. It was harmless."

"Harmless?" Lucy repeated, her volume picking up. "You gave him my mailing address, Lily! He could be a completely demented boy for all we know! And you're forgetting that I am a—" She stopped before she screamed out a word that was not allowed to be said among all these Muggles. Not if we were okay with exposing a secret world to them that they thought to be only fiction. 

Lucy took a deep breath, but her cheeks were still red. "I don't need your help with my romantic life, okay?"

I snorted. "What romantic life?"

"Get your head out of your arse, Lily," Lucy hissed at me. "Once you do, you'll see not everyone needs a significant other to feel validated."

I frowned at her now, too. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means—"

"It means," said Hugo, appearing from around a light post behind Lucy, gripping on to her shoulder as he interrupted her to speak to me, "that Luce doesn't move at the same speed you do, Lils. If she's interested in a bloke, she'll deal with it accordingly. Right now she's only focused on her academic and charity work to become Minister of Magic. You can respect that, can't you?"

My frown was still on my face as I grumbled a curse word under my breath, but ultimately I ended up sighing in defeat. Hugo was right. As always. As such, I willed my anger to simmer down as I cast my eyes in Lucy's direction. "I'm sorry, Luce," I told her with more sincerity I thought would come out. "I won't meddle in any aspect of your life unless given permission." 

It took Hugo elbowing her in the ribs before Lucy dropped her glare. Her sigh of defeated was more of a grunt, but she nodded at me. "Nothing to forgive," she said. "I know you thought you had good intentions."

Hugo rolled his eyes at her comment. "Hug," he commanded at us, pushing Lucy forward. 

I was the first to open my arms and welcome her in. It took her a moment before she lifted her arms from her side, putting them around me.