This chapter contains character death and violent actions. Please read with caution.

I cried. I sobbed, and I am so sorry. If you have a sad playlist, put it on.

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'' This is on you, Amelie.''

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'' I told you that you'd come back to me.'' Adrian's tone immediately shifted hostility, '' You always come back to me.''

Amelie still hadn't gathered her missing courage — she was terrified, more than it, but not of what he could do to her, but what he'd cause upon Pansy if he got the chance.

'' Didn't you miss me, darling?'' His teeth showed as he rose a daring brow at her, '' Answer me.''

She couldn't find her voice. She couldn't speak through her parted lips — she tried to, her mouth divided, and a heavy breath filled her lungs but not a word fell off her tongue.

'' Amelie—'' Pansy's hands grasped at the strong arm as it held her in place, her spine, tightly pushed up against Adrian's chest, and the knife began to tear through her skin, '' Amelie, look at me.''

She couldn't. She was already looking at Pansy, but not in her eyes — no. Amelie's sight bored through Pansy's stomach, and her mind clouded by the thought of Aimee.

'' So you did lie to me, didn't you?'' Adrian's jaws gritted, and blood started to slip out of where the tip of the knife was pushing in, '' You knew she was pregnant all along, didn't you? Who else knew? My mother?''

Amelie gulped, her wand firmly clenched in between her fingers — so tightly that her knuckles shifted colorless.

Adrian merely chuckled at her, '' So my mother knew, that's interesting, but on another thought — she was the one who set you up to this, wasn't she?''

She still held her tells, but her eyes finally flickered across the brunette girl and landed on the boy her life belonged to.

'' I don't know—''

'' Don't lie to me!'' Adrian shouted as he took a step forward, and Pansy stumbled along with him, '' Don't you fucking lie to me, you ungrateful witch.''

His words made her teeth clench together in fear, and her skin shivered — even if she caught the footsteps down the stairs, that someone was coming to her rescue, it didn't matter, not to her.

Amelie had faced the demon standing in front of her more times than she could ever be able to count, and he will never stop. He would never cave nor give in.

She knew that.

It didn't matter who was coming down, who would be her freeing — because she would never be safe. Not from him.

'' Fine!'' Amelie called back, her face twisted into a grimace — a look of agony, '' I won't lie. Yes, your mother told me all about this, over six months ago, in your home, and I didn't know what to do, Adrian—''

'' You helped her lie to me?'' The furious boy hissed, '' You actually helped my own mother lie to me? You helped her get inside my head?''

'' No—'' Amelie seized a step forward, closer to the girl being held so violently in his arms, '' I didn't know she was going to do that. I didn't even know that she knew before—''

Pansy gasped, her nails bored into Adrian's arms as he dug the knife deeper.

'' With every lie, Amelie—'' He warned her, '' With every lie you tell, I will force it deeper.'' He referred to the blade against Pansy's throat, '' Don't you dare lie to me. I know you better than anyone.''

'' I— I won't just don't—'' Amelie's note tore in desperation, '' Just don't hurt her, please.''

Adrian's upper lip arched. His grin made her nauseous. He toyed with her soft heart. Adrian realized, many years ago, that it wasn't a thing Amelie wouldn't do for her friends, and to play with that — to have a soul she held so dearly in his hands, with her life on the line — was more than amusing to him.

'' Tell me about my mother, what did she do?'' He said mercilessly.

Amelie swallowed again, trying to ignore the panic she felt rising within — she didn't prize to scare Pansy. She didn't want to do a thing that would frighten the pregnant girl.

She didn't want to hurt Aimee.

'' She—'' Amelie sucked in a harsh breath, her wand ready in her fist, '' She planted memories of herself taking care of Pansy's pregnancy. She made you believe that it was taken care of, and I found out the night of your ceremony.''

Adrian nodded slowly, dangerously.

He didn't even have magic on his side in this. All he possessed was a knife — but to someone who'd stood against the vile boy with magic as he didn't own it and lost every time — Amelie knew not to underestimate him.

He was ruthless — a sinful monster.

'' I see...'' Adrian grinned once again, his teeth sank into his bottom lip as he leaned closer to Pansy, and with his nose brushing against her ear, he kept his sight locked at Amelie, '' Don't you remember how I used to sleep with her, darling? When you laid in your bed at night, after I taught you one of my many lessons, crying, and I wasn't there? Do you know where I was, Amelie?''

She refused to let him crawl beneath her skin, '' You were with Pansy.''

'' That's right,'' He groaned silently into Pansy's ear, '' I was with her, praising every part of her body while despising yours. Don't you ever wonder why I hurt you so badly?''

Her heart ached, but she wouldn't let him in, '' No,'' Her teeth gritted, '' Because you hated me?''

'' I hate you, that's certain, but you disgust me, Amelie. You disappointed me, and you drove me to find closure in another person, and now you want to save that person's life? I fucked her, Amelie. When you stitched up every scar, when you cried, when you learned how to manage spells to cover up your bruises — I fucked Pansy.''

Her throat began to burn, her eyes prickled in tears, but she couldn't cave — she had come so far, too far to let him take it all away from her.

She had Draco, and everything that happened before she fell in love with the boy who constantly would save her life — didn't matter to her anymore.

'' I don't care,'' Amelie sought to speak against him, '' I don't care what she did. She's my friend—''

'' Friend?'' Adrian seethed before a laugh, nearly a maniac one, slipped his tongue, '' You call someone sleeping with your boyfriend a friend? God, you never learn, do you?''

Adrian's eyes flickered down to Pansy's stomach as he slowly slackened the pressure from her throat and dragged the knife down her chest, halting right over her belly.

Amelie's eyes widened at that, and she took another step forward.

She didn't even hear Theodore approach her from behind. She couldn't feel his hand on her shoulder. She missed the wand he raised towards Adrian — all she saw was Pansy and her unborn child.

'' Oh, Theodore!'' Adrian greeted the brunet evilly, '' How's your old man? He isn't that sick, is he?''

Amelie's brows dragged together, and the startled gaze upon her face shifted into a doubtful one, '' What—'' She rose, but the instant she did — it clocked her mind.

Lucius.

Lucius had told Narcissa about Mr. Nott's health when he knew Draco to be home, and the letter — her face twisted — the letter didn't arrive with an owl. She never once, during the days of the envelope's arrival, noticed an owl coming with it.

She gasped, inaudibly, for herself, '' You did this,'' She whispered.

'' Did what, darling?''

'' You and Lucius...'' Her eyes leveled his again, '' But why? Why would you lie about Theodore's—''

It all came rushing down on her — Draco.

They needed Draco out of the house. Both Adrian and Mr. Malfoy noted that they couldn't get close to Amelie when Draco was around.

He wouldn't let anyone near her.

'' Draco,'' Amelie's jaws clasped together, '' You needed to get Draco away from me...''

'' Finally!'' Adrian screamed out, '' Perhaps you aren't as foolish as you make yourself look, darling.''

'' What is he talking about, Amelie?'' Theodore asked from beside her, and she nearly flinched at the spoken words — she still hadn't clocked him being there. She was too riled up in her thoughts.

'' He's—'' Amelie's eyes dragged off Adrian to level Theodore's, '' They lied, about you father. They said he was sick, and that's why Draco left, to find out more because we thought he didn't tell you, but it was all—''

Her hues sealed, and her breaths stilled for a mere second, '' It was all a part of their plan to get Draco to leave.''

'' So clever, my darling,'' Adrian smirked from across the foyer, and Pansy's eyes grew wide in panic as he put more pressure upon the knife, '' But do you know why Amelie? Can you figure it out?''

Adrian taunted her. He was making fun of her, right there and then.

'' I—'' Amelie's fingers twitched against the palm of her hand, '' My mother...'' She whispered to herself again, '' But why—''

Her head shot up as her face fell into a complete look of despair, '' The Dark Lord.''

'' That is correct, Amelie. The Dark Lord.'' Adrian rose a brow as he gripped a fist full of Pansy's hair, and her head tugged back to lean against his shoulder, '' Why do you think that Mr. Malfoy came back for Christmas? It surely wasn't to wish his son a happy holiday.''

Theodore's features turned into a mantle of confusion, but Amelie's didn't — she wasn't foolish. She knew what this meant, and her eyes fluttered close.

He was here to take her away.

Adrian was here to once again rob her of her freedom.

'' He found your mother, Amelie.''

Her veins iced as her eyes stayed sealed.

'' He found your mother before Malfoy did, and this is his vengeance. The Dark Lord has granted you back to me, and I am allowed to take all precautions necessary to make it happen.''

Theodore's hand dropped from her shoulder.

'' You are coming with me, Amelie.''

'' She's not—'' Theo sought to speak, but the second he did — Pansy let out a cry at the knife digging deeper into her stomach.

'' Did you not hear what I just told you, Nott?'' Adrian yelled, his vocals shredded throughout the manor, '' She's coming with me, or this pathetic little liar dies.''

Trails of sobs left Pansy's throat, and Amelie couldn't think properly anymore — nothing in her head added up, everything was on display, and Pansy's life was hold hostage for hers.

It was as if a flicker of realization hit her — a moment of truth in all the unknown.

She knew what she had to do, and her heart broke because of it.

'' I'll go with you,'' Amelie stated as her wand lowered, '' Just don't hurt her, and I'll come with you.''

'' Amelie, don't—'' Teddy sounded desperate, more than it. He felt more than helpless in a time like this one, '' There has to be another way,''

She smiled as she turned around to face him. Her best friend. Her savior through it all. Her everything.

Amelie's hand reached up to cup his jaw as she held the brave smile, '' It's alright, Teddy. I need to do this.''

His head shook, and the brown curls spilled over his forehead, '' No, no, Amelie—'' He gripped her arms, nearly wanting to shake some sense into her, '' You can't leave, think about me, think about Malfoy, we can figure this out, perhaps it's something else he wants—''

Amelie gazed all over him, his face mantled in despair and agony as the tips of her fingers brushed some messy strands out of his eyes, '' I should've cut your hair too...'' She whispered,

'' Just—''

She could feel how her heart shattered, but she didn't want to show it. She tried to be brave, to be everything she knew rested within her — to be everything she taught herself to be, and not how Adrian made her.

'' Just tell Draco—'' The lump in the back of her throat hurt as her voice was beginning to crack, '' Just tell Draco that I love him, please.''

Her eyes glinted in tears as she tore her sight away from his. She couldn't look at him anymore because if she did — she would change her mind.

'' I never got the chance to tell him that I love him,'' She said, and Theo swallowed, '' And I love you, Theodore.''

Amelie couldn't call him Teddy. It would make this more impossible than it already was.

'' I love you so much it hurts, but you have to trust me. This is for Pansy and Aimee.''

She turned away from him to look at Adrian again and the smirk he held viciously, '' I'll go with you, but you can't hurt her. Let Pansy go, and I'll come with you.''

'' I will...'' Adrian began to loosen the hold he had of her friend as Amelie stepped over the tile floor, closing in on her gravest nightmare.

As Amelie stood, side by side with Adrian, he licked his lower lip, and he turned to fully face Pansy, still with the knife in his hand, and just as Amelie was meant to grab his arm and to raise her wand for them to apparate themselves away from the mansion.

To leave everyone she loved and cherished so deeply in order to save them.

Adrian let out a peel of dark laughter, making Amelie frown at him, on the edge of tears and the instant her lips parted, to question him,

'' No!''

Pansy gasped, her eyes flickered to Amelie's as Adrian forced the knife murderously into her chest.

It was as if time stilled.

It was as if everything around her held in complete slow motion, as if all of this was a dream — a terrifying nightmare that she couldn't wait to wake up from.

Her face fell as she screamed. Her hands cupped over her mouth to muffle the sobs falling off her lips, and the sound of that screeching cry she sobbed out — tore through the whole house.

It was heartbreaking — breathtaking.

'' Pansy—'' Amelie cried, her hand grasped at Adrian's arm to push him out of her way as she watched Pansy's body collide with the floor.

In the lumbering pace, reality held her in, Amelie tried to push herself past Adrian to get to the girl, now lying in a massive pool of her own drenching blood — Pansy's clothes stained in the red color, and her eyelids closed.

'' Let me go!'' Amelie shouted; tears drowned her skin as she shoved, she pushed, she hit Adrian with all she had — she needed to get to Pansy.

There wasn't a thing on her mind, not even the knife, falling out of Adrian's grip and clicking against the ground caught her attention.

She only saw her — Pansy.

The girl she had learned to love through their common fate. The girl who'd failed her so badly yet mastered to cause her to feel home.

Amelie needed to save Pansy, to save Aimee, and she used all the strength she could main to get out of the vicious hold he held her in, but Adrian was too strong, too evil, too sinful, and he would never let her go.

In a rough move, he slammed Amelie's fighting self into the wall behind her — his hand snaked around her throat as he kept her in place, '' Don't fucking move.'' He spat at her. His fingers dug coarsely into her skin.

'' Let me go,'' Amelie sobbed, her eyes still glued on Pansy's numb body, '' Let me go, please, please, please—''

'' Shut up!'' Adrian shouted into her breaking features, '' This is on you, Amelie!'' He pointed a finger towards the lifeless girl on the ground, '' This is your fucking fault, never forget that.''

'' No,''

'' No,''

'' No,''

Amelie nearly dropped to her knees as her body couldn't keep her steady anymore, but Adrian's hands around her neck tensed, '' Let me go,''

Amelie's vision became blurry. The lack of oxygen in fusion with her constant trails of cries caused her eyes to be swollen red. Her tears kept flooding.

She couldn't do anything. She was utterly helpless as he kept slamming her back against the wall — and the hands of abuse touched her again.

'' Amelie—'' Teddy let out in a whimper, but she couldn't look at him. She couldn't look at anyone except Pansy as her skin paled and her trembling breaths stilled.

The puddle of blood she was laying in shifted larger by the mere minute, and her hand — Pansy's hand, that had been resting on her belly to protect her unborn child, fell to the floor.

'' Amelie, please—'' Theodore's hands tugged his hair back in defeat. He was crying too. Theodore didn't know what to do anymore, '' Tell me what to—''

Adrian's neck snapped, and he watched as Theodore strived to get closer to them, to come as near as he could, and as he did — Adrian's hand grabbed Amelie by her wrist, and he snatched the wand out of her grip.

He aimed it straight at Teddy, and another maniac laugh cleared his throat, '' Stay back, Nott.'' Adrian growled, his hand upon Amelie's neck gripped it harder, '' Stay back, and let us leave.''

'' Let us leave right now, or I'll kill you too.''

'' No—'' Amelie choked out, her need for air caused her cheeks to drain of color as her heartbeat rose to pound in her ears. Her hands desperately grasped at his arm, '' I'll go—''

She swallowed as it hurt to speak, '' I'll go with you, just don't hurt him—''

Amelie was still looking at Pansy, noticing how her lips had faded into an azure and mauve shade.

Tears fell, over and over — she could barely make out anything through her dim eyes anymore.

'' Amelie, don't go—'' Theodore was begging her at this point, '' Don't leave us, please.''

She blinked, slowly and then — she nodded.

Theo didn't know what to say anymore — his sight snapped between Amelie, standing in the grip of the devil, and Pansy lying lifeless in her own blood on the floor. He didn't even dare to raise his wand towards them, too scared that he'd hurt Amelie if he ever tried to go against Adrian.

Theodore sobbed. She didn't have to see him to notice that, and even if she wanted to — she couldn't look at him. It would make everything so much harder.

'' You can do this, Teddy.'' Amelie let her body heavily cave into Adrian's grip of her, '' You need to let me go...''

'' Amelie—''

Amelie would constantly give her own life to save theirs, even if it meant that she would lose Draco too,

Draco.

She promised him not to move. She promised him that she'd never leave him, no matter what, and now — now she was.

She was once again ripped apart — torn from the boy she had fallen in love with so deeply, the boy who took all her pain and all the torture she ever had to live through — away.

He was hers, and she was his.

Her Draco.

That name hurt more than anything, it caused her veins to ache and her heart to break over and over as she nodded towards Adrian, giving him permission to take her away.

'' I love you, Teddy.''

'' Don't you fucking dare, Amelie—''

'' Apparate.''

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I am so sorry, but remember that we have at least 30 more chapters to go. <3