It wasn't long after Violet's nap that she was awoken by a warm hand against her arm, pushing her softly to get her out of that deep slumber. She pushed herself off the cushions beneath her, swiping the back of her hand against her cheek and she batted her eyelashes, a small grunt escaping her lips.

As Violet sat up on her bum and focused her eyes, she realized Draco was crouched down before her with pleading eyes and his glasses hanging low on the bridge of his nose. Violet immediately straightened up and criss crossed her legs.

"Draco what are you doing here?" she spoke softly and looked around with squinted eyes, still grunting and stretching her shoulders, "What time is it?"

Draco places his hand on her knee and clears his throat, "I came to check up on you, you cancelled the meeting with the Aurors. It's nearly midnight and I saw a lamp light coming from under your office doors."

Violet sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears; feeling it damp against the pads of her fingers made her remember she had fallen asleep in tears after what had happened. Violet had hoped it had all been a dream and that the horrible way Thomas treated her wasn't real but after she realized the slump she was in on the couch beneath her, she knew it wasn't fake.

"Were you crying?" Draco asks and lightly caresses under Violet's eyes, causing her to relax, "Your eyes are swollen Vi, what's wrong? Is this about earlier?"

"No Draco, this isn't about us."

Violet stressed herself thinking about the situation, she ran her hands through her hair and shook her head. She rolled her neck, exhaling loudly and Draco realized she was upset, more than anything from earlier could have caused.

"Draco I-" Violet's voice cracked and she palmed her hands against her eyes, "Thomas and I are getting a divorce and it's all my fault and he was so rude to me, he shoved me and I fell and-"

Draco stood up quickly and clenched his jaw, "He did what?! Did he hurt you?"

Before Violet could even answer his question Draco was turned around, heading to the office doors in fury. Violet knew Thomas tended to stay late filing paperwork in his office so when she put two and two together, her feet subconsciously got her running after Draco through empty corridors in the ministry.

"Draco please!" Violet pleaded breathlessly, "Don't do anything stupid, this can ruin what we're trying to hide, don't do this!"

Draco didn't bother to listen; he simply continued walking at a fast pace, folding up the cuffs on is black satin button up. Although the situation was unfortunate Violet couldn't help but fawn over the view before her, a man she knows looks amazing beneath her clothes acting this way was more of a turn on than she expected.

Snapping back into reality, Violet gasped when she noticed Thomas was in fact sitting at his desk with a pile of paperwork and a bottle of fire whiskey in his hand, not even a glass to sip on just the bottle.

"Draco no!"

The sound of Violet's shouting caused Thomas to turn in their direction and immediately he was dropped off his chair by a punch thrown by one Draco Malfoy. His palms held him up as his chair slanted with him on the ground, a grunt of pain heard from below.

"You want to act tough Thomas?" Draco huffed and bent over to grab Thomas by the collar of his shirt and pull him off the ground before throwing another punch at his bleeding cheekbone, "Throwing Violet on the floor is so manly isn't it Thomas? You couldn't handle the news like a man, your father would be so disappointed."

"Draco, stop it, he's hurt and you've proved your point!" Violet pulled him back and he obeyed, standing behind her with his chest pressed tightly against her back.

Violet could feel Draco's heart pounding and she watched Thomas intensely as he picked himself up off the floor, blood spilling from his nose and the cut on his cheek. Thomas stumbled on his feet - probably from the punches more than the liquor - and he tried to lunge forward at Draco before Violet pushed him away, holding her hand up.

"Seriously Thomas! You just got beat up by this man, you are in no state to try and fight him!"

"What the fuck!" Thomas seethed and wiped his blood, "You're going to defend her Draco? You're my family! She has no one, her father is dead!"

Violet was stunned by his statement and her eyes widened with tears, unable to contain herself she turned around and began crying. Thomas knew how difficult it's been for her to process her fathers death and he was there with her, holding her hand during the funeral. So after all that she couldn't believe he was saying that to her face, simply because she asked for a divorce.

"Watch what you say Thomas," Draco snarled and stood his ground, knowing the last thing Violet needed was a fight while she was saddened, "People only tolerate you because of who your father is and who you're married to but after this divorce lets see who has no one."

Draco paused and stared at the boy before him, not recognizing him from the kid he helped raise and educate.

"I don't even know you." Draco shook his head, "Your parents and I taught you better than this."

Thomas chuckled drunkenly, his teeth covered in blood as he flashed an evil smile, "Get out of here, go fix your own fucked up marriage."

"Enough Thomas!" Violet turned around in tears, her face burning red. "You're making a fool out of yourself, just stop it!"

At this point Violet was a teary wreck, she was running out of Thomas' office, hyperventilating as she crouched to the floor with Draco right next to her; he put his arms around her and squeezed tightly to comfort the panic in her and calm her down. Violet didn't fight the gesture, she simply melted in his arms and shuttered a breath that nearly made Draco cry.

"Violet I know this isn't the right moment but I love you." he spoke softly, causing her eyes to widen at the words and hands began to shake. "I've always loved you and I just want you to know I'll do what you need me to, it doesn't matter where I am, you can always count on me."

"Do you love me enough to leave Astoria?" Violet asked, knowing the answer wouldn't be in her favor, she was just tired of hearing empty promises.

Draco hesitated and let his arms loosen around her body, "Violet."

Just hearing her own name, she knew. Violet knew that Draco was always going to be the love she could never fully have, that she was only ever going to be his favorite secret and not someone he can love loudly.

For a couple of seconds both Draco and Violet stared into each other's eyes, one of them filled with guilt and the other drowned with sadness. Violet formed her lips into thin lines and she simply shrugged her shoulders, saying more than she could with words. It was

"I get it." Violet lied and fronted a smile with red eyes, holding back sobs. "Astoria is your safe person, you'll never leave her for me. You want us both."

Violet leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, holding a couple of seconds, a tear streaming down her face because she couldn't fight them any longer. As she pulled back, Draco watched her body fade into a swirl of wind and before he could say anything to make her feel better, she was gone and he was left in an empty corridor with her soon to be ex-husband a couple of doors down.

-

As Violet landed in the driveway of her home, her shoulders relaxed and she took a look at the magnificent manor in front of her; knowing it would be hard to part ways with a home she's gotten herself used to is hurting more than she thought it would. Violet never had any intention of living in that Manor with Thomas, it was far too big for them two she couldn't imagine just herself, she would feel more alone than ever.

Violet began walking towards the doors, her wand lit dimly in her hand. Once the large doors opened before her, she saw dozens of people walking back and forth, dusters in hand, luggages, furniture, clothes, everything. Everyone around her seemed to be in such a rush they barely noticed her arrival, not until she called one of them out at least, then they all stopped in their tracks and turned to her with fright, as though they had been caught.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" she spoke loudly, echoing the foyer, "Who's stuff is this and where are you taking this?"

Karla stepped forward, being the one doing the instructing of the moving articles, "Madam Blishen, we heard about the separation between you and Sir Nott, he has asked us to pack up all of his belongings and send them to his fathers Manor...did you- did you not know?"

Violet gasped softly, looking around with a fake smile, "Of course I knew- I uh, I'm just processing it all, it must've slipped my mind with everything else going on. Continue please."

With no hesitation, the workers continued after her words, causing the foyer to fill with commotion, Violet squeezing between everyone to get to the staircase. She quickly ran up the flight of stairs and took a seat right at the top, her eyes lowered and her face dropped with sadness. Violet couldn't believe Thomas was being so harsh with her, she never meant to end on terms like this but she also couldn't keep stringing him along, living a lie.

As everyone hecticly moved around below her, Violet felt as if she had no control in her life anymore, like this home didn't belong to her and these people who helped her these past years, they're strangers to her now.

After a couple minutes of watching, Violet heard the doors open below her; her eyes shot up and she was wide eyed, expecting Thomas to walk through the door but who walked in surprised her more. She noticed the person shocked as well by the commotion going on but as they looked around, they finally locked eyes with Violet and they shrugged their shoulders, almost as if they felt sympathetic.

"I was hoping we could talk?" they asked and raised a bottle of wine in their hand, "I brought a bit of back up, I thought you could use it."

Violet smiled softly and patted the floor next to her, "You can come join me."

Violet's visitor jogged up the stairs and swung their expensive coat to the side, letting it drape down a couple of steps. Apparating a couple of wine glasses to them, Violet began pouring red wine nearly to the brim and remaining silent. They clinked glasses and took a long sip, Violet longer than theirs. She needed something to ease the pain and the worry but she didn't want to seem desperate so she set her glass aside and turned to face her visitor.

"So what do you want to talk about Cressida?"

"I want to apologize first of all," she placed her hand on Violet's lap and looked at her old friend, teary eyed. "I was so harsh on you Vi, I should've taken your feelings into consideration and not pushed you so hard to Thomas because he's my brother. Thomas is an idiot, Draco called and told me what happened, he said you could use a friend right now."

Violet furrowed her brows and set her now, refilled wine glass aside. "Draco called you? Wh-why would he do that?"

"Well he let me know what Thomas did to you and what an idiot he was," Cressida sighed, "He also let me know you were thinking of Thomas' feelings when you asked for the divorce and wanted him to find someone who can actually love him back."

"That's hilarious," Violet laughed and wiped the tears from under her eyes, "Draco told me he loved me after he beat down Thomas."

Cressida nearly spit out her wine and she clasped her hand over her mouth, she couldn't believe what she had heard; in the years she'd known Draco and Astoria the only time she'd heard love be said was when Astoria would say it and he would never respond. Cressida knew it would take a lot for Draco to even express emotion, so what he felt for Violet must've been serious.

"Well did you say it back?"

"No, of course not." Violet shook her head and sighed, "I can't deal with him, he doesn't even know what he wants, he tells me he loves me but he's still with Astoria and he knows Im still with Thomas so it's not right. It's just too much for me to handle."

Their conversation came to a halt and before Cressida could explain to Violet that Draco meant what he said and her turning him down will set him back, Thomas walked into the foyer. Cressida stood up from the step and balled her hands into fists, her eyes stood on him, daggered like they could kill.

"You have some nerve showing up here!" Cressida defended Violet, stomping down the stairs until she stood in front of Thomas, giving him a push. "Laying your hands on a woman, you know better than that you moron!"

Thomas was too drunk to retaliate, he simply stumbled back until he fell back against the doors. His cheek was bruised from getting hit by Draco earlier and his lip was cut and still bleeding.

"Thomas, can we talk please?" Violet sighed, feeling like an idiot for wanting to explain herself but not backing down from trying. "Let me clean you up please."

Cressida turned back to look at Violet, her eyes softened and then she looked at Thomas again; she realized that the whole time in their marriage Violet truly cared for him, she just never showed it so she was painted as the bad person but Thomas was the bad one the whole time.

With his eyes bloodshot, Thomas looked up at Violet and muttered, "Whatever."

Violet wasted no time to run down to Thomas and grab him, pulling him up straight, she gave Cressida a nod to go into the living room and as she did, Violet walked Thomas up the stairs. She was gentle with him, still caring enough to treat him like the best friend she once loved and cared for. Violet's hand held his as his arm hung over her shoulders and she struggled slightly as she pulled him into her bedroom, taking him into the shower.

"I'm so sorry Draco hit you, I don't know what got into him." she brushed his curls away from his face before taking off his shirt and she saw a tear drop down his cheek.

Thomas chuckled with tears and threw his head back against the stone wall in the shower, "He loves you Violet, it's obvious he's been in love with you from the start. I just didn't want to admit it to myself until tonight. Draco has never even been that defensive for Astoria."

Violet didn't want to let herself believe what she heard to be true, she didn't want to hurt over Draco again. She cleared her throat and turned away from Thomas, turning on the warm water and letting it hit his skin. She left him in his boxers, not wanting to make him uncomfortable, especially since he was drunk, and she just ran her fingers through his curly hair, scrubbing softly.

"You don't know what you're saying Thomas, you're drunk." Violet gulped and lathered soap on his head, letting him relax on the stone bench.

"Sure I do, I read about it in my mothers secret article."

Those words caught Violet's attention and her eyes widened, looking down at Thomas who was now with his eyes closed and snoring softly. She grabbed his face and tried to wake him but he was out cold and not responding.

"What did you say Thomas?" Violet spoke sternly, "Are you telling me your mother is Mrs. Reality? Thomas?!"