This chapter contains mature content along with mention of blood. Please read with caution.

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''Happy birthday, Draco.''

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Draco's breaths hitched. He couldn't think. He couldn't work through his mind properly as he looked across their room, their bathroom.

She wasn't there.

Rushing his way to the living room, he nearly tripped as he ran down the stairs. His heartbeat swelled in his ears, a thin coat of sweat took over his parched palms.

Halting in the doorway, he stared straight at his mother as she rested on the couch, reading a book.

''Where is she?'' Draco snapped, angrily yet his tone laced with so much worry, ''She's not in our room, where is she—''

Narcissa's neck moved, staring wide-eyed at her son's rational behavior, lowering her book as her lashes battled her hooded hues, ''What are you—''

Draco took another step into the room, raising his voice, ''Amelie, where is she? She's not in our room, and it's late—''

''She said goodnight about an hour ago. We had dinner, and she told me about your trip to the cabin, and then she went to bed...'' Narcissa declared, ''Perhaps she's taking a bath—''

Malfoy didn't bother listing to his mother as she spoke. He simply groaned underneath his breath as he stormed back upstairs.

It felt as if he couldn't breathe. It felt as if his chest caved in and his bones crumbled.

Slamming the door shut behind him, his hands dragged through his hair, tugging it back roughly, and he shot their bed a swift look.

Immediately clocking the piece of folded paper resting on it he'd overlooked before.

Grasping desperately at it — his chest stilled. Reading the written address and he recognized the writing instantly.

It was Amelie's.

He'd locate those small curves she made in the ends of the letter A in a heartbeat.

Not wasting a second, Draco hauled his wand up, whispering the magic he knew would take him to the location on the wrinkled piece of paper, and wind scored heavily around him as he landed outside a massive mansion.

Knitting his brows, he marched towards the entrance, flinging the door open with a twitch of his wand, and he shouted, ''Amelie?''

Repeatedly he yelled her name, storming his way through the darkened home. His steps echoed severely as he marched along the tile floor.

He was scared again.

Draco got terrified every time she left the Malfoy Manor without telling him, and he was furious with her for doing so.

But not as damned as he was with himself for leaving her the whole day — giving every sinful soul the chance to get her.

He shouldn't have left her. He knew that. Never should he have left her at home this morning.

Drops of sweat fled his hairline, and his fingers grasped at the tie he was wearing, easing the folded knot as his chest heaved roughly.

He couldn't think.

He couldn't form a thought in his worn mind without her next to him, and just as he was about to shout her name for the tenth time — Draco flinched.

He watched as he halted abruptly in a doorway, leading into a beautiful library, how the girl his heart she owned, stood in what looked like a sea of lighted candles.

Amelie spun around quickly the second she caught his breaths behind her, and the broadest of smiles took over her calm features. Smiling so widely as her hair spilled messily across her shoulders.

''Finally,'' She nearly chuckled out at the frightened look he carried, ''Took you long enough.''

Draco's face fell into utter confusion before his brows furrowed, and he scowled at her, ''Took me long enough?'' He hissed below his breath, ''Yeah, it took me long enough because I just got back to the bloody Manor, and you weren't there—''

Her head tilted, wavy strands of her hair followed, ''I left a note,''

''A note?'' Draco almost seethed at her, taking a step into the dimmed room, not seeing the large object placed underneath a silky cover in the corner of it, ''You left a scrunched up piece of paper, Amelie. A tiny bloody piece of paper on the bed — how am I supposed to—''

Malfoy couldn't conclude what he was about to speak until she reached him, standing right in front of the blond with her hands pushing into his toned chest, ''You're here now, aren't you?''

The way she was looking at him. How she peered up at him so innocently from below her lashes and how her lips arched into a shy smile — in no reality could he stay mad at her.

Draco was so weak when it came to Amelie.

''I missed you today,'' Amelie breathed. Her forehead falling to his chest and her eyes sealed at the feeling of home he brought her, ''You can't leave for that long. A whole day is too long.''

''God—'' Malfoy chocked out, mesmerized at the way she was speaking to him. His palms caught her jaws, and he tilted her head back to see her properly, ''You can't speak like that...''

''Why?'' Amelie smiled, allowing the weight of her head to rest in his hands, ''I did miss you.''

''Because then I won't be able to go anywhere again,'' He muttered as he bent down to her level, pressing his lips to hers, ''Hell, I missed you,'' Draco whispered into the kiss.

The panic he'd felt before when he didn't know where she was, poured off him in a heartbeat as he felt her arms as they clung around his neck. Pulling him down to her even more.

''Don't do that again,'' He warned, his breaths heated on her lips, ''Don't leave without telling me again. Not even with a note.''

Amelie pulled away, her eyes hooked in his, and she saw that worried dash in his pupils as her chest tightened. She didn't mean to scare him, ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean—''

''I know,'' He mumbled, cutting her short as her arms slipped off him, ''I know you didn't, but don't do it again.''

Nodding as she moved her head, looking around in the flickering lights of the candles standing on the ground and Draco noticed, frowning a bit as it came to mind where they were.

He'd never been here before.

''Amelie, what is this?'' He said puzzlingly as he took a step back. His icing eyes swept through the library they stood in before finding their way back to hers, ''Why are we—''

''Come here,'' Amelie whispered, her fingers tangled with his as she led him out of the library. Malfoy walked hesitantly behind her, peering around cautiously.

Taking him up the stairs, through the hallway, she halted outside a room, turning around with excitement as it stained her twinkled features, ''So...'' Amelie tried to hide the smile she possessed, ''I was thinking — this could be Teddy's room.''

Her untangled hand closed around a doorknob as she pushed the wood open, revealing the room she wished her best friend to have.

It was bright, large windows so that he'd never feel trapped.

Draco didn't have the chance to say a word until she rushed out, her bare feet tripping across the tile as she yet again halted outside another door, further down the hallway, ''And this could be Atlas's room.''

Looking inside, he saw how it would be perfect for a child, ''Amelie, what are you—''

''And this—'' She chuckled as she let go of him, walking down to the door in the far end of the hallway, ''This could be mother's.''

Malfoy stopped at that, still feeling as the anger ripped through him every time her mother was mentioned, ''Amelie—''

She took strides towards him in the dark, but just as she closed in on him — Amelie rounded a corner, her feet quick, ''And down here...'' She didn't falter once, ''This could be your mothers. It has its own balcony and stairs out to the garden.''

He felt his heart as she once again took it over. Even his mother she'd thought about.

''Amelie,'' Draco said, sternly and the intensity in his vocals hewed her off, ''What is this?''

Not intimidated at all by his question he sought to make serious, she smiled, cheekily, ''It's ours.''

He blinked, quickly at the sudden surprise her words caught him in, ''What?'' Nearly snapping at her, he shook his head, ''That wasn't the deal, Amelie. We said I get to buy you a house and not—''

''Well...'' Amelie shyly walked closer, standing in front of him as he looked down at her, ''Don't be mad until you see our room, and if you don't like it — then you're allowed to be mad.''

Groaning below his breath, he inhaled sharply, and he shot her a swift nod.

''And don't you worry, Malfoy,'' Amelie grinned, biting down her lower lip, ''You can pay me back later.''

She strode away again, through the corridors, past the stairs to the other side of the house before she stopped, and she turned to face him, ''Ready?''

His hands shoved into his pockets, and he fixed his eyes on her, giving her permission to open that door and show him what she'd be wanting to.

And she did. Amelie let the door slide open, and she stepped aside for him to walk into it.

Malfoy's eyes flickered wildly across the walls of the colossal room, ''Yeah...'' He hummed, studying every square of it.

Looking at him, a proud grimace mounted her, and the skies she carried sparked in her eyes, ''Yeah indeed,'' She whispered, and her arms sheeted around his waist from behind. Her head falling to his spine, and she huffed out, ''Nice, right?''

Rolling his eyes amusingly, he turned around. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, ''Still wasn't the deal, was it?''

''No...'' Amelie bit down her lower lip, ''But I think you'll like it even more when you see what I got us.'' She didn't let him heed what she said before she rushed out, leaving him behind.

''Amelie—'' He tried to shout after her, but it ended in him shaking his head instead, muttering underneath his breath as he stalked after her, ''Fucking hell.''

Draco marched through the hallway, trying to find the girl, ''Amelie, where did you—''

He stopped entirely as he stood in the doorway of the library again.

Malfoy couldn't believe what he was looking at, and it stole the air from his lungs. His pulse quickened.

''Happy birthday, Draco.'' Was all she said, standing in the same sea of flaming candles in nothing but a pearly sheet as it smeared to her body.

Her collarbones on display, her shoulders bare.

''Amelie—'' He breathed, his face fell into a hypnotized cloak, ''I don't—''

Tipping her head to the side, she smiled at him before she slowly let the fabric fall from around her, and she was on complete array for the boy she loved. Nothing but her underwear covered her.

''Hell—'' Feeling as his heart missed a beat, shaking his head, he stormed up to her, his hands grasping around her exposed skin. Draco lifted her as her legs wrapped around his torso, holding onto him with everything she had.

''Happy birthday,'' She whispered again, her hair spilling around them, "I know we say it all the time, but we never said what it meant..."

Her arms tensing around his neck as she talked so closely to his lips, ''I am yours, Draco. I want to be yours, always, and I want you to be mine. I want us to be us, and I don't ever want to be without you.''

Not anywhere in this lifetime could Malfoy understand what he'd done to deserve her. What he'd done to earn the unconditional love she constantly poured over him.

''Fuck — you're mine. You were mine since I first laid my eyes on you, Amelie. Even if we didn't know it yet, you were always going to be mine.'' He held her, speaking with so much honesty, ''You were always mine.''

''Yours...'' Her lips arched, a smile coating them, ''I'm yours, and you're mine.''

Her fingers moved across his clothes chest as she began to unbutton his shirt, ''This is ours, Draco. All of this. This life, everything that happens in it. I don't care how it all ends because I get to be yours.''

Dragging the material off his shoulders, she left his upper body bare, and she kissed his shoulders — her lips honoring his exposed skin.

He kneeled down on the covers, placing her gently below him as she clung onto him, her fingers grasping at his belt, and she unbuckled it. Pushing his pants down as he so mesmerizingly looked at her.

''I want you,'' He growled at the touch she brought, ''I want you so fucking bad—''

His lips matched hers as her feet shoved his trousers down, and he slipped out of them. Spreading her thighs apart for him to be closer, her hands tangled in his hair.

He couldn't possibly get enough of her as he kissed her fiercely on the floor of the library now belonging to them.

''I want to taste you,'' He mumbled into her mouth, ''I want to taste all of you.''

She nodded, her hands moving over his head, grasping at his jaws, ''Then taste me,'' Amelie whispered.

Withdrawing from her lips, he pathed his own over her cheekbone, down her chin, and across her shoulders.

Lingering over her scars as he praised them. His mouth melting with her skin as she gasped out, desperately in need of him to have her.

Kissing his way down her bare chest, his hands moved tenderly over her frame, taking in every piece of her he possibly could until he reached her lower stomach, and he brushed his nose along the scars still shining rosy in the moonlight.

Draco curled his fingers around her underwear, looking up at her for permission to pull them down and Amelie once again nodded.

He shoved them down over her legs, taking her knee as he placed it over his shoulder and his lips immediately attached to her inner thighs. Kissing every inch of scars she had.

''So fucking beautiful....'' Malfoy groaned, letting his tongue roll along with the pink faded marks, ''Every inch of you, so fucking beautiful.''

Amelie held her breath, feeling heated breaths as they fanned over her core, ''Please—'' She begged, twisting her fingers in the blond strands of his hair, ''Please, Draco—''

''Promise you'll tell me if I'm hurting you,'' He said, still looking up at her through his lashes. His stare carried lust-filled and intense, ''If you feel like I'm hurting you — you'll tell me.''

''You could never hurt me,'' She heaved, her body twitching underneath him, ''It doesn't hurt when you touch me.''

Humming, he let his lips fuse with her heat, and she coiled back, her head tucked into the sheets at the feeling.

''Fuck—'' He growled, tasting her arousal on his tongue in all the ways he craved to, ''So damn sweet.''

Her head falling back, her fingers intertwined with his over the sheet and covers on the marble floor, ''Draco—'' She gasped.

The sensation of his tongue against her, the feeling of his lips attacking the aching pain in between her legs almost ripped her apart. Draco was making her feel so good. His touch caused her eyes to roll on her breaths to hitch.

''And to think I never tasted you...'' He groaned as he pleased her. His tongue nearly dancing across her core, taking in every ounce of her he could, ''You taste...''

She couldn't breathe as he split his mouth from where she needed him to be, and he trailed soft kisses over her inner thighs, lower stomach before he found his way back.

''Fucking mesmerizing...'' He kept on going. Fixing his lips and flicking his tongue across her heat. One of his hands slipping from hers as it coated her waist, keeping her shaking body tamed, ''I fucking love you, Amelie.''

Her neck arching as she felt her high crashing over her, ''I am so damn in love with you, and I can't think of a better birthday gift than to taste you.''

''Draco—'' Amelie moaned out again, so softly. It was pure heaven to his ears as he caught those tiny sounds, ''I'm—''

''I know, let it go for me,'' He groaned against her, looking up at her as he studied every twitch in the corner of her eyes and every time her lips parted to whisper his name, yet he let his tongue graze across her core.

''Let it go for me, and let me feel all of you. I want all of you, Amelie—''

Curling her spine, her hips bucked slightly, and he felt as her body trembled — fingers tensing around his, and she fell apart.

Euphoria took over, and her lashes fluttered as she crashed completely at what the blond did to her, feeling as he savored everything he could before he kneeled back up.

Kissing the marks in her thighs as he went. Never did he let a scar go unnoticed. Draco ever so craved to take every piece of shame or pain she felt — away from her.

Lowering his body over hers, her fingers clawed at his shoulders, ''I want to feel you too...'' She whispered, breathy as she was still in the missing of wind in her lungs.

''I want to feel you, Draco,'' Amelie begged him, needing more of him, and as the twinkle in his eyes brightly flashed — she could see how he wished for more too. He just never asked for it.

Diving his head down and brushing his nose along her jawline, he let his lips melt utterly with her skin, ''I need you...'' He mumbled, ''I can't get enough of you.''

Amelie let her head tip to the side, and she felt his muscles flexing against hers, ''Don't ever get enough of me,'' She pleaded, shivering at the way he left wet kissed down her neck, ''Never get enough of me.''

Swallowing thickly, she glanced right into the silver eyes he owned, and she drowned in them, every time she managed to fall completely lost in him, ''Just have me, Draco, and don't let me go.''

''I could never,'' He said, propping himself up, ''I could never let you go.'' His hands gently tucked between her and the covers she laid on, and his arms snaked around her as he dragged her up to him.

Straddling him as he sat on his knees, ''Good,'' She smirked gently.

He kissed her slowly, emotionally, and he felt how she began to rock against him — how her body caved into his without question.

''I need you,'' She heaved out, her sweet sounds trapped in his mouth.

''And I need you,'' He whispered, huskily against her throat, and she shivered, her hands tangled into his hair, ''I need you, all the fucking time I need you—''

Amelie gasped out at the sensation, ''Then have me,'' She said, lowly, ''Have me like last time and the time before that—''

Her fingers running down his bare chest.

Draco didn't waste a second as he lifted her, threading his arm between them, and he pushed his boxers aside. Lowering herself over him again, feeling as he pushed inside her caused Malfoy to groan out.

He could never get used to this feeling. Every time he felt her like he did now. Every time he felt her hug around him, her inaudible, breathy moans on his shoulder as her hips began to roll — he was blown out of his mind.

''Fuck—'' He sensed as she stilled above him, allowing herself to adjust to the feeling as well, ''Just you, always you.''

She nodded, her hair hanging in a mess around them as their body tangled and her hips began to move again. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her near, protecting her exposed body with his touch.

Sliding in and out of her, moaning silently every time he did — he looked up, watching her head as it fell back and he caught her. He'd always catch her.

His palm held large on her jaw, and she tilted her head against it, smiling graciously at the boy holding her, ''Always you, Draco.'' She whispered, diving down to kiss him.

Never had Amelie been able to do this — to call someone hers and hers only before he came along. Her lips moving in sync with his as she gave him every piece of her. It would always be him to her.

Draco Malfoy might not have been her first love, but Amelie was more than sure that he would be her last. It was either him, living the rest of his life with her and never letting her go, or her dying without him. Amelie knew that now.

She'd come to terms with that, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She'd happily die, allowing it all to end if he wasn't with her. If he weren't hers anymore — she'd mercifully fade from this life in the remembrance of them.

That was how much she loved him.

That was how gravely she needed the boy, kissing his way down her shoulders — she'd vanish without him, and there wasn't a thing she wouldn't do for him.

His icing eyes caught hers, realizing that she'd slipped into being somewhere else. That her mind had crawled to a place much safer than this one. That she once again was deeply lost in her thoughts.

Malfoy could rupture, by the sight of her, rolling her hips over his, her nails clawing at his neck, and her body trembled. It was pure heaven to him as he pushed up into her, helping her reach the place she needed him to be.

Everything moved so slow around them, their breaths heaving, their skin layered in thin coats of sweat, and he found her mouth, placing soft kisses on her swollen lips, ''Fuck, you're so sweet for me. My beautiful Amelie.''

Moaning out, her body tensed. Her insides tickling.

Draco kissed her scars again. He'd always kiss her scars. Lingering over every single one as he groaned against her skin at every thrust he delivered, holding her body so tenderly in his arms as he pleased her, as he gave her all of him.

Lust stirred in his eyes, and he felt as his high caught up to him, just like hers did. Feeling her flutter around him, and her breaths shifted so heavy as she came.

''I'm—'' Amelie whimpered, and her hips bucked unsteadily, ''I—''

''I know,'' He muttered, tangling a fist in her hair and bending her head back so that he could watch her fall apart properly, ''Come for me, Amelie.''

Shaking, her thighs vibrating around him — her head fell to his shoulder, coming undone above him as he let it go for her too. Filling her up in all ways he craved to do before he pulled out.

He marked her like that — every time he had her this way, shaking at the tips of his fingers and him praising her body with his — Draco wished to mark her. He'd let himself crash inside her, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

''I love you—'' Draco grunted, throaty as he kneeled forwards, placing her on the sheets again, but she didn't let go. Amelie let her arms stay crossed over his neck as she pulled him down with her.

''Just don't get tired of me...'' She whispered, having him close, but her head moved away from his, ''Never get tired of me, Draco.''

Staring at her, his brows knitted and his face shifted worryingly, ''What?'' He said, propping himself up, ''Never get tired of you?''

Still, with her head tilted, she didn't look at him, simply nodding at what he said, ''Don't leave me, please — never leave me.''

He could feel as his heart dropped, shattered within his chest, and he bent back.

She closed her eyes, ''I'm so scared that you'll leave me. That you will get tired of me just like everyone else.''

''Don't say that,'' Draco frowned, shaking his head at her and his hand placed on her jaw, angling her face back to match his, ''Amelie, I'm the last person to ever leave you.''

Tears formed in her eyes, and she leaned her forehead to his, ''I'm just—'' Her voice shaking, ''I'm just so scared to love you, it's terrifying to love you because I don't know if you'll stay with me...''

Her mouth tasted so dry.

''Everyone I love — leaves me. Everyone but Teddy and I don't want you to leave me, Draco. I never want you to leave me.'' Her breath held thin, and her pulse quickened, ''I can't live if you leave me.''

Not comprehending a word she said, he scowled at her, his eyes flickering over her, and a hurtful look grew upon him, ''Why would I ever do that?'' Draco painfully spoke up, his fingers grasping at her waist and neck, ''Why would I go through hell and back to have you, Amelie? Why would I risk your bloody life, my life, Teddy's, my mothers — why would I do that if I wouldn't keep you forever?''

Her eyes hooded, her lips parted.

''I wouldn't. I wouldn't fight this hard to be with you if I didn't want you, Amelie. I want all of you, all the time.'' He started to sound desperate, almost as if he craved for her to understand, ''I will never leave you.''

Draco leaned closer, brushing his lips against hers, ''Don't ever say that again. Don't ever question me or my love for you. I am yours to have and yours to keep even if you would wake up one day and not want me anymore — I'd still be yours. I belong to you, always.''

''I love you...'' She whispered, weakly and worn, ''I love you.''

She wasn't used to it. Even if Draco had brought hell upon this world to save her — to be with her and to have her. She'd never be familiar with someone fighting for her as he did. She was aware of what he was doing, and she loved him tremendously for constantly saving her life, but she was so scared.

Terrified to lose herself in him. To allow herself to be loved and love him to the fullest.

''And I love you,'' He mumbled, stroking his nose along the spine of hers, ''Don't ever question me again. I'd give my heart for yours to keep beating.''

Amelie stilled, her brows twitched, ''Don't say that—''

He didn't stop, ''You know I would. I'd stop breathing for you. I'd leave for you, Amelie. That's how much I love you. I'd tear this whole world apart for you—''

She didn't let him finish his sentence before her arms folded around his neck and her lips collided with his, ''I'd leave for you,'' Amelie breathed, ''I'd do anything—''

''You won't because I will never let you,'' He leaned his head back, tucking it down to the covers, and he studied her, ''I love you, and I need you to be safe.''

She fell down utterly on the floor as well, her face held numb, ''I need you to be safe too...'' She let out silently, ''I won't be safe if you're not.''

''I'm safe with you,'' He reassured her, over and over as they stared at each other. His burning sight stung at her skin.

Both of them lying silent in the darkness for moments as the moonlight glistening around them and the candles flamed, catching their breaths and gathering themselves for something — they didn't quite know what yet. Still, Amelie could sense as if something was rupturing, something around them being ripped apart.

Draco noticed how she shuddered at the cool air around them and how her chest rose and fell heavily next to him. Squinting in the gloom, his eyes caught the covered object in the corner of the library.

''What's that?'' He asked, angling his head back to look at her, and her shaking nerves eased at the gentleness in his tone.

Propping herself up, she dragged a pearly sheet over her body, ''See for yourself,'' She teased him, and with a grunt, he threaded his cover around his hips, and he stood tall on two feet. Walking over the sea of candles around them.

The tips of Malfoy's fingers ran over the silky material before he dragged it off, and his eyes instantly broadened, ''Amelie—'' He breathed, his eyes snapping across it.

Amelie bought him a piano.

She smiled so proudly at his reaction, nearly sensing from across the room how his veins filled with warmth, and he dropped down to the bench, ''You didn't have to.''

''I wanted to,'' Amelie pushed herself up on her feet, and she walked up to him, standing behind him as the bed-linen fell utterly around her, ''It's your birthday, and I wanted to give you something — just like you give me everything.''

Draco cocked his head, looking back at her, and if she didn't know better, she'd believe it was pearls of tears she watched in his eyes.

''I already have everything I want,'' He pushed his lips together, his breath paced, ''I have you, and that's all I'll ever want.''

Her fingers ran along his shoulders, tracing goosebumps down his skin, ''This can be our room, I can read, and you can play for me...'' She said, so quietly. His hands trapped her wrist, and he led her around the bench, shifting his palms over her hips, and he pulled her down onto his lap.

Amelie's knees on each side of him and her limbs locked behind his neck, cradling them both a bit from side to side.

Draco hesitated to begin with. He hadn't played in years, but it felt like it came so neutrally to him. With Amelie in his lap, it all seemed so logical.

His fingers skimmed across the keys of it before pressing one down, and he shivered at the sound stuffing the room. Malfoy played it, his touch rushing across the piano as the heavenly notes soothed around them.

With her holding onto him, she smiled into his shoulder. Her bones fitting perfectly with his, and her mind couldn't reach a place further away than this one.

Even if she knew something was coming, she couldn't bother to care at this time because it was them. They sat in the darkness, the moonlight once again kissing their bare skin, and the sphere as they knew it faded.

Somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, they always managed to find peace within each other.

Amelie felt her breaths as they slowed and her eyes as they battled the heavy feeling. She failed to sleep properly for days, and she was so tired now. But with Draco playing for her, his chest fused with hers and her head fallen to his shoulder, she felt as if she could rest for a bit.

Amelie fell asleep. Her body held, exhausted and her mind drawn.

It was her time to rest now.

''Thank you,'' Draco whispered, letting go of the piano and sheeting his arms around her spine instead. Knowing that she'd fallen asleep, he'd always recognize that feeling.

''My Amelie.''

_____

After their first night in the house she'd bought for them — the dawn crawled above the treetops, and Amelie decided to go back to the cabin. To tell her mother and Atlas that they'd gotten a house and that they all could stay there, safe and out of harm's way.

''I'm still mad at you for breaking our deal,'' Draco rolled his eyes, peering down at her as she smiled, shyly, ''I was supposed to pay—''

''It doesn't matter,'' Amelie grinned, ''What's mine is yours, remember? So technically, you did pay for it.''

''Hilarious,'' He quirked a brow, shaking his head as they walked across the yard leading up to the cabin, ''I'm never letting you decide anything—''

''Yes, you are,'' Amelie shot back, stepping up the stairs onto the front porch, ''It's not like I did a bad—''

''You bought a house for god knows how much money and then you left without telling me, and then—''

He was hewed off by Amelie turning around in her shoes, and her arms swiftly coated his neck, pulling him into a warm kiss, ''And then what? What happened then, Draco?''

Malfoy groaned, gritting his teeth as she kissed his upper lip, feeling his hands as they gripped her waist, ''That's what I thought—'' She smiled, her lashes battled, ''So don't be like that. I'll let you buy me anything you want but don't be mad at me for the house.''

''Fine—'' He mumbled, ''But only because I got the best birthday present...'' His tongue ran across her bottom lip, ''And that I got to—''

''Shhh—'' Amelie pulled away, stepping back over the wood, ''Please, my mother can hear you, Draco,'' Chuckling at him as he once again rolled his eyes coldly.

Closing her hand around the doorknob, she shoved the door wide and walked inside. Draco wasn't slow to follow, and just as her eyes flickered, looking around — Amelie's entire face fell.

Her breaths ragged the instant her sight clocked what was happening. It didn't feel real to her.

Malfoy pushed himself past her, falling to his knees beside the couch, and Amelie stood as petrified in the doorway. Watching as her mother was crying and yelling at her, but she couldn't hear a thing.

Only the ringing sound scored through her ears, and she felt tears pricking in her eyes.

It was Narcissa, lying covered in blood on the sofa.

_____