This chapter contains scenes of death and emotional trauma. Please read with caution.

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'' I can't live without you.''

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Draco didn't know what to do.

He didn't know what to say or what to think. He simply stood frozen in front of her, entirely still in the doorway, and he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

It was her.

It was his Amelie, after months and months of searching for her.

He found her.

Amelie's breaths held shallow, her eyes sealed. She looked to be in pain to him, and the instant he strode closer — he noticed the blood-stained sheets and her hand placed on her stomach.

Malfoy swallowed thickly as his eyes flickered all over her body, and his blood fumed.

Her arms had marks of Adrian's fingers, her throat was bruised, and the skin wasn't close to nude anymore — it held completely mauve. Her collarbones had marks and cuts all over. She had a purplish circle around her eye.

He didn't even have to guess what the rest of her body would look like.

Draco's jaws clenched as his insides wrenched in pain. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as he kneeled beside her.

He didn't know if he was allowed to touch her or not. Draco didn't want to scare her, yet he needed to take her away. There was a fragile timeframe he moved within, and if there was a chance of Adrian coming back — he wanted to avoid him, for Amelie's sake.

Malfoy didn't want her to have to see that monster one more time. He just wanted to take her away from it. That was one of the strangest holds Amelie seemed to have of Draco. He didn't care for vengeance when she was around. He only cared for her.

'' Amelie,'' Draco let out in a whisper, hesitant to if he could touch her, '' Amelie, are you awake?''

She stayed quiet, and his heart shattered altogether.

It hurt him beyond explanation to see her in this state, to even begin to imagine what Adrian had put her through. It caused his eyes to flicker off hers, and tears prickled.

'' Sweetheart.''

He hadn't called her that for what felt like ages. Not that he didn't want to, but because it didn't measure up to her. No name except Amelie could ever compare to her.

Still no response from the heavily asleep girl.

'' Amelie, please,'' Malfoy reached his hand towards her, gently tracing the tips of his fingers across her cheek. It broke him to pieces yet made him complete.

He touched her again.

He finally had her right here again, yet so far away.

Her fingers gripped the sheets as she hastily shot up from her lying position. Her entire body jolted, making Draco flinch back.

'' I'm sorry. I'm sorry.'' Amelie blurted, her eyes hooded as she looked down onto her lap. She failed to realize who was standing next to the bed, '' I fell asleep, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—'' She kept on mumbling before her face shifted in agony, and she clutched the wound on her belly.

'' I'm sorry—'' Her neck arched back. Her eyes flickered.

Amelie's heart stopped. Her lips parted, the lower one shivered.

'' No—'' Her head shook as she pushed herself away from Draco on the mattress, '' No, no, no—''

Her sight snapped to the door before it landed on the blond again, '' You're not here. You're not really here.''

'' Amelie,'' He said, lowly. He was scared to death.

Her head kept shaking, '' No, Draco—'' Amelie gasped, holding the cut tighter, '' No, Draco. You can't be here.''

She propped herself up on her knees before grabbing the already blood-soaked pillowcase, and she pushed it against her wound. Amelie then crawled over the mattress, stumbling up to the door, and she shut it.

Her actions earned a confused look to coat Draco's features, '' Amelie, what are you—''

'' You can't be here.'' She whispered, her spine struck the wood, '' You can't be here, Draco. You need to go—''

'' Are you out of your mind?'' He hissed, taking steps closer to her again, '' I'm not leaving you.''

'' You have too—'' A tear rolled down her cheek, '' He knows you're here, Draco. He found the diary and he—''

'' You had the diary?'' Draco's heart dropped again.

She did. Amelie had the diary all along, that was one of the only things that kept him sane the months they spent apart, and it turned out to be true. She had it.

'' Of course, I did,'' Amelie whispered, still holding feet away from him, '' But Adrian found it Draco, and he wrote something and he—''

'' Shhhh...'' He mumbled, closing in on her slowly so that she wouldn't panic, '' I'm here, Amelie.'' He kept his tone quiet, and he halted only inches away.

'' Draco—'' Amelie gasped, trying to find all the bravery she had left to stand against him, not to let herself cave into the boy in front of her.

She couldn't, because if she did — she could never leave him again, but this was too dangerous. He was put on the line for her, and she would never allow that.

Amelie loved Draco too much to let that happen. As much as he wanted to protect her — she wanted to protect him too.

'' Are you really here?'' She was so overwhelmed because the last time he was here, he didn't see her, she was hidden, and now she wasn't.

If felt like a strange dream to her, '' Are you—'' She swallowed a sob, '' Are you really here?''

'' I am,'' Draco held her tightly, '' I am here, Amelie. I am here, and I will never leave you again.''

Her heart skipped a beat.

'' I missed you,'' Her head tipped, making her now longer strands of hair fall over her face, '' I missed you so much,'' Amelie's voice shredded.

Draco traced his finger carefully as he placed it underneath her chin, and he tilted it back up, meeting the eyes he'd missed so badly.

'' And I missed you,'' He mumbled. His hand moved over her skin before resting on her jaw, and he gazed all over her.

She looked numb. Still, her eyes glinted in the long-lost hope she sought so hard to find, but it was right there — with him, always.

'' I'm sorry—'' Amelie choked out on the utter edge of tears, '' I'm so so sorry—''

She couldn't finish her sentence before Draco wrapped his arms around her, and he dragged her into his chest. Right where she was supposed to be all along.

Her fingers grasped at his suit jacket, and she buried her head in his chest.

For months, this was the first time she felt as if she could breathe properly again.

He came for her, even if it was dangerous and both of their lives held at risk — he came for her.

Draco held her as tight as he dared to. He didn't want to hurt her more than she already had been hurt, but he could at the same time — not help it. He craved to have her near and never to let her go again.

There wasn't a world that could be spoken at this time. Them simply holding each other said more than enough.

'' I missed you, and I'm sorry.'' She whispered again. Malfoy settled his chin on the top of her head, '' I'm so sorry.''

At the same time, he couldn't take it. He couldn't be alright with her blaming herself. This was far from her fault.

Draco leaned back, slightly, cupping the palms of his hands around her jaws, and he bent her head back to look at her. His Amelie. His beautiful Amelie.

'' It's not your fault.'' He stated, his thumbs stroked her bruised skin, '' You don't have to apologize for anything. This is my fault. All of this is on me. I shouldn't have left you.''

Amelie blinked quickly, her cheeks drenched in tears.

'' I'm not going anywhere without you, and I'm never leaving you again.'' Malfoy sounded honest, truthful as he kept his eyes on her, '' You are mine, Amelie. Mine and only mine.''

She nodded slowly. Even if everything hurt at this time, she couldn't help but feel a curve in the corner of her mouth.

'' And you are mine,'' It wasn't a question or a vague thing for her to say. It was a statement. She meant it in the most honest way possible.

She did belong to someone else than herself now. Amelie was Draco's, and he was hers.

'' My Amelie,'' Draco leaned closer, his nose brushed against hers, '' I'm never letting you go again.''

Amelie let out a sob at the feeling of his breaths fanning her skin again, and without even a second thought — his lips pushed against hers.

Malfoy kissed her.

He finally got to kiss her again.

Amelie's fingers tangled into the blond strands as she forced herself up on her toes. Draco's arms wrapped around her, fully.

'' I love you,'' He mumbled into her lips, '' I love you. I love you. I love you.'' Malfoy couldn't stop saying those words to her as he kissed her, over and over.

He needed both of them to hear it, to understand what it meant.

'' I love you more,'' Amelie's tears kept streaming as she pulled away from him, '' I love you so much more.''

Draco felt complete by that. He had never felt as whole as he did with her, even in a time like this one.

'' But Draco—'' Her feet flat against the floor and the pain from the cut in her stomach sored, '' You can't be here. I love you, but you need to—''

'' I'm not leaving you.'' Draco's jaws gritted as he hauled his wand out, '' I'm never leaving you, Amelie. I can't live without you.''

'' Draco, please. He has locked down the house for weeks. We can't apparate ourselves from here. We need to go outside, and it's too dangerous. If he catches us—''

" I cleared it of magic." He stated, " I cleared the whole house of magic the minute I got here, let me try—" Draco raised his wand, mumbling the spell that was meant to take them away. To save them both, but without success.

" How is that—"

" Just go Draco. Please just leave. He can't kill me, so just go and save yourself—" It hurt so much to speak for her.

'' I haven't—'' He sighed, tearing his eyes away from hers. It ached too much, '' I haven't been alive, Amelie. I couldn't breathe not knowing where you were and to know that you were right here, so close—''

Malfoy inhaled shakingly. His eyes agonized, '' I have never hurt so much as I did without you, so no. I don't care. You're coming with me.''

Amelie's eyes caught him again, '' He'll kill you, Draco. He won't hesitate. You don't know what he did—''

Her head wavered. Amelie didn't want to tell him what she had to live through the time they spent away from each other. She couldn't do that to Draco.

'' I don't care. I'm already dead without you.'' He finished, and his hand dove back into his pocket before he brought out the knife.

The same knife Adrian used to cease Pansy and Aimee of their lives.

Amelie recognized it immediately, and she took half of a step back because of it.

'' Is that—'' She whispered, her eyes flickered. Her skin paled.

'' Yes, and I need you to hold onto that if something happens.''

Amelie didn't fully understand what he meant, but she doubtfully let her fingers close around the handle, and she hid it inside the pillowcase.

Draco peered down at her body, seeing the cut as it still leaked blood. It pained him to see her hurt.

'' Here—'' He breathed, bending down to carry her, but she instantly dragged away, '' What are you...''

'' I can walk, and you're gonna need both of your hands when Adrian—'' She swallowed the last word, and her eyes pleaded his.

Malfoy nodded as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, ready to walk out of the room, but the instant they did — he stopped, and he looked down on her again.

No one had ever looked at her the way Draco did. Her heart could beat rightly again.

'' God—'' His lips collided with her forehead, '' I didn't think it was possible to miss someone this much.''

Her nose brushed against his chest, smiling lightly before his grip on her tensed. He carefully led her out of the room.

Draco held onto her, glaring around every corner before he even dared to lead her around it. He couldn't afford to take one wrong step — to have a clouded judgment because it would hurt her.

'' Draco—'' Amelie whispered, earning his attention in a heartbeat as she nodded shyly towards the end of the stairs. Two Death Eaters stood on the main floor, peering around.

Malfoy pushed a finger up to his lips, singling for her to stay hushed and still. He let go of her for just a second to take a few strides ahead, his wand pointed towards them as he shouted, '' Avada Kedavra!''

The green light made Amelie stumble back, right into someone's chest.

Draco was out of sight to her as she flung around, facing the masked man.

'' You—'' The man hissed, grabbing a fist full of her hair, and she whimpered. He turned them around before he forced her back, aiming his own wand right at her, '' Where is Malfoy—''

Amelie's eyes grew wide. She gasped as she watched Draco score his wand right through the Death Eater's back from behind, causing the man to gasp for air.

'' I'm right here,'' Draco growled, carving the Death Eater open before he pulled away, '' And that's for touching her." He spat, brushing his hand against his suit jacket to wipe it clean of blood as the man fell lifeless to the floor.

Amelie's skin shivered at that, but Draco simply reached his hand out for her to take, and he tugged her with him again, '' I'm sorry,'' He mumbled as they started to walk down the stairs, '' You weren't supposed to see that.''

'' You killed—''

'' I know,'' His teeth clasped together, '' But he touched you.''

Amelie gulped. Her face twisted in a grimace out of the torture her scar caused her. She held onto the blond with her life as they continued to walk through the Pucey residence, and just as they passed the dining room,

Chills fled her spine, and without even warning Draco — she turned around.

Her eyes caught his in a heartbeat as he stood at the end of it, smirking devilishly at her, with the diary tightly held in his hand.

'' No—'' Amelie whispered, slightly arching forward by the pain she felt. Draco stopped the second he felt her arms slipping of his, and he spun around too.

'' Well, well, well,'' Adrian grinned, clapping his hands, '' What do we have here?''

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