"Draco." Violet gasped, freezing in her position because she was too shocked to even move a muscle.

She felt every nerve in her body start to boil with her blood, her body breaking out in a sweat; her nails dug into Theo's biceps, holding herself up because she felt faint. Maybe it was Theo's tight grip on her that was cutting her circulation because he too was too shocked to even move away from Violet. They just got caught fondling each other by Violet's ex-lover and Theo's best friend.

Theo was shaking uncontrollably like he was scared or nervous. However, not even his shaking or pale face was enough to pull Violet's eyes away from Draco's whose eyes were full of shock.

Draco stood in the doorway, hand on the door handle with red cheeks and pained eyes; his lips were parted like he was gasping or about to say something about what he saw. Those grey eyes that once was Violet's favorite were bouncing between his best friend and his lover.

Violet finally found the courage to move, reaching for her hoodie with such a slow movement that was full of shame. She felt her cheeks burn red with embarrassment and humiliation as she put on her hoodie to cover her almost naked upper body. She never thought she'd be seeing Draco again and for Merlin's sake, not in the way that just happened. 

"I should've –" Draco cleared his throat awkwardly, dropping his eyes to the ground. "– uh, I should have knocked or been announced. My apologies."

No one else said a word as Violet sulked off the desk, looking around at the mess she made by tossing everything off of it. Draco simply stood in the doorway and Theo stood facing away, trying to get his bulge to go down before he turned to look at Draco.

Violet crouched down on the floor and slowly picked up her office phone, shutting off the out-of-service ringing that was the only noise going around the room.

The room was filled with an awkward tension and none of them knew if to speak or even what to say. Draco and Theo hadn't moved from their stances and Violet was crouched on the floor with her hand slightly over her mouth. She didn't know what to say once the room went quiet, her hands were sweating profusely and her heart was racing out of her chest; her head started spinning and she felt the food in her stomach rise to her throat.

It was gross but Violet reached for the bin by her desk, brought it to her chest, and hurled into it with disgust. Her vomit spilled into the bin, her stomach feeling emptier by the second. She felt a set of hands grab the loose hair that was fanning over her face and she gasped when she felt the cold rings against her neck.

"Do you need some water?" Theo spoke softly from behind her. "Do you want me to take him outside?"

Violet opened her mouth to speak but it wasn't words that came out, it was more vomit. She gripped the sides of the bin and hurled even more, crying with disgust at this point.

She was so nervous that she had thrown up.

"Is she alright?" Draco huffed, sounding angry but worried.

Theo turned his head, furrowed eyebrows taking over his expression.

"No, she's not alright!" he shouted back, holding Violets hair. "You just show up randomly after an entire year and expect her to be perfectly fine? What are you even doing here Draco?"

Draco was angered at Theo's rudeness as he stepped into the office completely, shutting the door behind him for more privacy. His fair skin burned red as he walked towards Theo, towering over his best friend who was kneeling beside Violet.

Draco growled, using his wand to clean up the mess from Violet's desk, putting everything neatly back. "I came back for my job and my home. I came back for my old life."

Violet finally turned around, a scoff escaping her lips as she looked up at Draco, the action still feeling unnatural to her. She still couldn't believe that he was there, standing in front of her in his usual black suit and fine glasses. It felt as if she was dreaming his presence, maybe she was dreaming the entire day. From her getting along with Thomas to her makeup with Theo, to this; perhaps it was all in her imagination.

"Your old life?" Violet laughed scoffingly as she shook her head, taking Theo's handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "That life is long gone, Draco, there's no getting any of it back. Look around, everything is different."

As she stood on her feet – not wanting to kneel before him any longer – she raised her chin to show that she was all but intimidated. Draco looked down, catching her eyes with the same look in his eyes but not on his face.

He was intimidated.

Theo fixed the cuff links of his Auror uniform as he leaned back against the desk, watching Violet take control of the situation. He knew better than to interfere with Violet's business, she was strong enough to handle it on her own and he knew she wanted to. However, if he did need to step in, he wouldn't hesitate.

"Know your place Draco, you're nobody as long as I'm in control," she spoke angrily. "Just because you came back doesn't mean your life is here waiting for you. No one and nothing here is waiting for you!"

Draco bit the inside of his cheek, nodding in understanding. "You have changed." he sighed. "What happened to you and your kindness?"

"Do not talk down to me!" her voice shivered, the wanting of her old life is painful enough, she didn't need to be reminded of it. "I am stronger now and you don't understand everything I have been through since you left!"

"You're blaming me?!" Draco stepped forward but didn't get far before Theo's hand stopped him.

"Step back!" he growled, stepping in front of Violet. "Don't even try to fucking manipulate her with your charm and victimizing. I've known your tricks for far too long and I'm done letting you get away with them."

Violet parted her lips with shock, her head falling to the side in a sassy manner as her hands held her hips with anger. She scoffed at those words, feeling betrayed slightly but thankful that Theo stood up for her even if she could have done it herself.

She was looking at the back of Theo's hunky figure, her eyes aligned with his shoulder so she can see Draco's expression. This was the one time she was thankful for being a tall height.

The expression on Draco's face was hard to describe or even relate to. He looked angry but sad and confused at the same time. But his eyes, couldn't stop moving from Violet to Theo like he was going insane.

"I'm staying." Draco finally spoke, looking directly at Violet as she stood behind Theo. "I came back and I am not leaving for either of you."

"Oh, you're staying?" Violet asked sarcastically, stepping to the side to see him better. "Well, that's a first but in that case, good luck finding a place to stay."

He came back for his home but Violet and Theo both knew well that Violet would never give it up to him no matter how much he fought. She bought that Manor for herself and Thomas, it was home to her and that was never going to change.

Draco furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, moving his gaze to Theo, expecting an explanation but no one was giving any.

"I assume you still live in the flat?" Draco turned back to Violet, raising eyebrows. "I'll take that back gladly and you can find a place to stay."

Violet felt caught off guard by his rude response, she never thought he'd be one to take her out of a home and on the streets.

"Oh no, I have nowhere to go," Violet replied with more sarcasm, knowing she had ownership of two Manors and that flat. "Theo? Do you think I can stay at your place? I'm sure Draco would have thought of sending me there anyway, right? For old times' sake?"

Her sarcasm was confusing Draco even more but it was just amusing to Theo because he knew exactly what she meant.

"Is there something I'm missing here?" Draco scowled, clenching his sharp jaw.

Violet shook her head, turning her back to him as she walked behind her desk. Theo and Draco watched her as she opened a drawer and rummaged through the labeled piles of keys until she picked one out. Her eyes scanned one of the silver keys with her initials engraved on them and she felt eighteen again. 

Without wasting more time reminiscing, she extended her hand out to Draco and he confusingly reached forward, taking a pair of silver keys from her palm. He looked down at the laminated paper hooked on one of the keys and saw the letter he had written for her when he gifted the flat, she had stored it with the keys.

"Enjoy the flat Draco." she felt her chest tighten as her words came out with pain. "I'm sure your wife is going to love it just as much as I did."

There was no more sarcasm in her words, just the sound of her holding back the tears as the lump in her throat grew. She knew he wouldn't come back alone; Astoria was always going to be in every corner of whatever room he was in.

Draco dropped the keys into the pocket of his trousers, swallowing nervously because he didn't know how to respond. Just when he thought he had to, however, his phone started ringing. He jumped at the sudden ringing coming from his pocket and wasted no time shoving his hand inside, pulling out his phone and pressing it to his ear like it'd save his life.

"Hello?" he looked down as he spoke. "I'll be there soon."

Violet huffed, hearing the words come out of his mouth that were most likely being said to his wife. She felt rage and annoyance build up in her blood as he rushed to send a message, being at Astoria's beck and call like usual.

Both she and Theo watched from the desk as he didn't even bother to say goodbye before running out of the office. But as soon as that door closed, Violet felt her chest drop and she broke down in tears.

"Oh god." she cried into her hands, feeling like the tension in her body was pouring out. "What is he doing back here?"

Theo wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her frigid body into a warm embrace. Her head rested on the warmness of his chest and she sobbed and sobbed as he continued holding her tightly. It worried him what would happen to her now that Draco was back in her life.

However, it worried him more about what would happen to them and their renewed relationship now that he was back.

"Do you want to come home with me?" he spoke on the top of her head. "You shouldn't be alone."

Violet stood quiet for seconds, not knowing how to respond because some part of her wanted to say yes but the other wanted to resist the temptation. She wasn't going to be alone if she went home because now – after her lunch and earlier activities – she had Thomas to go home to. Even if it was just as friends for the moment.

"N-no that's okay Theo." she lied as she shivered in his arms. "I think it's best if I go home and tell Thomas what happened. I'm sure he'd like to know Draco is back."

She swiped her thumbs under her eyes where pools of water were as she stepped back from Theo, clearing her throat. Her hand swept anxiously through her hair and she looked up in his eyes, wondering what to say next.

Nothing she would say could clear the awkward tension that had formed around them after being caught by Draco. So, she did what the new her did best...she decided to say her goodbyes.

"I should get going." she grabbed her cell phone off her desk and reached for her purse. "As should you, I have many cases for the Aurors tomorrow and a good night's sleep is necessary. I will see you tomorrow, Theo."

Without letting him get a last word in, Violet held her purse tighter and walked out of her own office, running for the elevators with tears running down her face. She could barely breathe as she slammed the gate open once she was on the ground floor, running out in desperation for a breath of fresh air. Her sobs were echoing the now-empty Ministry, making the place creak around her because its Minister was broken.

Once Violet made it outside, the cold night snow coated her lashes as she tossed her head back and cried out into the air. Her arms snaked around her torso and she gripped it to keep herself warm in this cold weather.

She wasted no time to apparate off the thick snow, her body being warped in a madness of black wind all around her. The world around her changed and in seconds her feet were landing on a thin layer of black ice. Ice coated her driveway but it didn't stop her from running down it, making it to her front doors.

It was a miracle she didn't slip on the ice but she was too distracted with her emotions to even consider being careful. Violet opened the doors and yanked off her coat, feeling like it was suffocating her the longer it was wrapped around her body. Her breath shivered as she dropped the coat on the ground and ran further into the foyer.

The sound of conversations coming to a halt caught her attention and she turned towards the sliding doors of the sitting room. To her surprise, the doors were slid open and the lights were on, along with the noise and smell of crackling fire coming from the fireplace. She took a step forward and looked into the room, seeing Thomas sitting on a coffee table with Cressida standing beside him and someone sitting on the sofa in front of them.

Scorpius.

Her heart fell to her feet and the sound of her approach made them all turn to look in her direction. Cressida was the first to look up anxiously, catching Violet's eyes with a strong lock and worrisome in her own eyes.

She knew how Draco being back would hurt Violet and her newfound relationship with Thomas and she felt for her.

"Violet-" Cressida whispered with lament.

Before she can even say anything else, Violet turned away and ran for the stairs. Her hand flew over her mouth to muffle the sobs that were echoing through the tall ceilings as her heart broke even more than she thought possible. She pressed her hands against the newly papered walls, holding herself up as she ran to her room with tears blanketing her view.

She heard the sound of footsteps closely behind her but she didn't bother looking back and kept on until she reached her bedroom door. Her sobs came out louder the second she slammed her door shut and ran to her bed, falling onto it in a fetal position. Violet felt the pounding in her head grow and she hugged her torso, sobbing in pain.

Knocks came from her door and they lasted seconds before her door was opened, causing her to look up with hair fanned messily over her face.

"Violet, do you want to talk?" Cressida asked shyly with Thomas standing closely behind her.

He had his hands folded in front of him and his head slightly down like he was shy or scared to walk into her chambers without permission. Not Cressida however, she was the one with her hand on the door handle and her feet already inside as she watched Violet cry from afar.

Violet pushed herself off her bed and sobbed loudly as she ran forward, launching her arms around a body. She sunk her face into the warm skin of their neck, her arms squeezing with such pain in her touch. Her hands gripped the expensive silk of their clothes and she inhaled the strong scent of rich cologne.

Thomas' cologne.

Cressida awkwardly stepped out of the room, feeling a little bit of happiness from the scene she just witnessed. She knew this was her cue to leave and not ruin it by staying and waiting to say something so she walked away, smiling to herself as she made it to the end of the corridor.

Meanwhile, Thomas – whose arms were dropped at his sides – gasped at the contact of Violet's chest colliding against his. The way her arms wrapped around him, one around the back of his neck and the other under his armpit and around his back; made his heart skip a beat because he never thought this would happen anytime soon.

He felt the warm exhale of her breath against the sensitive skin on his neck, making shivers run down his back. Subconsciously, his arms lifted to wrap around her petite torso as his chin rested on the top of her head, pushing into her thick hair.

"Is everything alright?" he swallowed, nervous that his question might ruin the perfect situation they were in.

Violet shook her head against him, not moving an inch from his hold or even moving her hold around him. Her tears soaked the expensive blazer he had changed into since their last encounter but he wasn't bothered because it was her.

"I don't want to talk." she finally spoke, pulling away for a second to tuck her messy hair behind her ears as she looked up at him. "Can you just hold me a little while longer? Please?"

"Yeah of course Violet, anything you wa-"

He stopped his words when he noticed her take a step back, her shoes coming off before she kicked them aside. She continued taking steps back and she nodded her head back, making him flinch as the realization hit him just that second.

Almost immediately, he kicked his shoes off like a child who was excited to rush to bed because the tooth fairy was dropping off money that night. He closed the door behind him and sped forward, stopping at the edge of her bed to wait for her permission as she already laid under the covers.

"It's okay," she whispered in assurance as she watched the nervousness grow in his eyes. "You can get on Thomas."

"Yeah, I know." he brushed it off, trying to sound cool and relaxed about the exciting situation.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and crawled forward, his knee sinking into the sheets and mattress. As he put down his whole weight, by getting on all fours, he made the mattress move so her body shifted a little. He felt almost embarrassed that he was heavy enough to do so that his cheeks turned red but he still continued making his way over to her side.

Violet felt like maybe she should say something as he laid over the bedsheets right up next to her with his knees bent in a fetal position. She didn't want him to feel like any wrong movement – or Merlin forbid a stomach growl – would make her judge him into embarrassment.

However, the silence between them was so comforting that she didn't want to ruin it.

Thomas gulped as Violet scooted closer, the tip of her cold, red nose brushing against his own because of their proximity. Violet matched the way he was laying down, being at his eye level just perfectly. She was waiting for him to hold her but he had been so focused on not embarrassing himself that he completely forgot that was the reason he was on the bed in the first place.

"Thomas." she broke the silence, making him bravely lift to make eye contact with her. "Is it okay if you hold me like this?"

"Oh right, yes." he went red again.

Violet giggled to lighten the mood as Thomas scooted his body even closer, his arm snaking around her waist. He pressed his palm against her back and dipped his head forward, carefully sinking it into the crook of her neck so his curls were pushed against her chin. His other arm went under her head so she was fully embraced by him and his warmth.

"Is this, okay?" he whispered against the skin of her neck, sending a chill down her body that she never thought she would have felt.

She nodded against the top of his head. "This is perfect."