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'' All I care about is you.''

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The heated water steamed in the bathroom they both were standing in as it filled the bathtub. Amelie's body close to his. She felt nervous — more than it. She hadn't done anything like this before, with someone who treated her so gently.

Draco's eyes dragged over her as she still stood fully dressed in front of him, and her sight flickered. He didn't know if she was doubtful or simply nervous.

'' May I?'' Draco gestured towards the slightly oversized sweater she was wearing. Her teeth bit down onto her lower lip as she nodded.

With a deep almost shaky breath, his hands softly trailed over her waist as he gently tugged at the hem of her sweater.

Amelie could feel how her heart was pounding roughly within her chest as she stretched her arms up for him to drag it off her, and when he did — she lightly gasped by the fusion of hot and chilly air.

Draco's eyes stayed locked in hers. It was as if he didn't dare to look at her bare chest. He didn't want to come off as disrespectful — he didn't want her to be uncomfortable with him. Draco craved for her to be safe and to feel protected when he was around, and she did.

He didn't realize just how safe she felt here, with him as his fingers clenched into fists around the fabric of her shirt.

'' Draco,'' Amelie let out in a whisper, '' Look at me.''

His jaws ticked, as his head shook, '' Amelie, you don't have to do this. I can just go—''

Her fingers stroked over his, and she took her sweater from him, flinging it to the floor.

'' May I?'' She gestured to his shirt; a shy arch in the corner of his mouth rose upon him as he nodded. Amelie started to undo each button of the black fabric as he kept looking at her — he couldn't tear his eyes off of her.

She was beautiful — breathtaking, as she stood there in front of him, with her heart once again on the line for him.

He knew that.

He knew that her heart rested in his hands, and he would protect it with his life.

Nothing would ever happen to Amelie when Malfoy was around.

'' Here,'' She mumbled, holding his arm out for him before she hauled the soft material off, and he stood — just like her, with a bare chest.

She had seen it before, studied it, every inch of his ashen skin, and the mess of faded scars, but she couldn't get enough of it.

He was beautiful.

Draco didn't say anything. He simply looked at her as she gazed back at him, both in the total need to be close to each other. Amelie's hands arched at the hem of her skirt as she slowly dragged it down, together with her underwear.

The act caused Draco to gulp. He didn't know where to look anymore — even if all he wanted to do was to look at her. He wanted to stare, to memorize every mark on her body, every freckle, every cut, every birthmark.

He wished that he could look at her — in this way, forever.

Amelie smiled shyly as she stepped away from the blond into the ceramics of the bathtub, and she slipped down below the lines of heated water. Her body was soaked by the tiny bubbles floating around her.

'' You are—'' Draco mumbled close to her ear as he settled behind her in the tub, '' Breathtaking, Amelie.''

She shoved herself forwards, letting on more room for the boy, but he didn't follow the act — instead, he gripped her shoulders and stopped her from moving away from him. Draco didn't want more space between them — he needed her to stay close.

'' Does this feel alright?'' Draco leaned his own back against the edge of the bathtub, with her in his arms, '' Are you alright, Amelie?''

She timidly smiled to herself as she let the length of her spine rest against his chest, and her head dropped back to his shoulder, '' I'm more than alright, Draco.'' Amelie whispered as the tips of her fingers played gently over his arms. '' Are you?''

'' Mhm,'' Draco hummed at her, pushing his lips into the back of her head, '' More than just alright.''

'' Me too.''

They stayed there, in the quietness of the bathroom with nothing but the pouring water as it echoed within the tile-covered walls.

It felt safe to her — even if she was exposing herself, showing Draco all the hidden parts of her body, she still felt sheltered, protected by his arms around her and his lips as they continuously placed kisses on her bare shoulders.

Draco was praising her, and all the faded marks on her body — he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

He wanted to see them all, to kiss every single scar of sin that other souls had forced upon her, and take all her pain away.

He loved being this close to her. Still, he couldn't quite get the words she spoke to her best friend a few days ago — out of his head.

Malfoy had no clue that she felt that way — that she was protecting his feelings in the same way he was covering hers. He didn't know that she was scared and that she didn't want him to be hurt in all of the madness circling them.

Not that he minded — he certainly didn't. He felt honored that she was keeping him safe because that meant that she felt the same way for him as he did for her.

Draco didn't know if it was love he was feeling. If this was what love is supposed to be. He hadn't loved anyone before.

He had never been in love or even cared for another soul as he did for hers, but he had this urge — this craving to shield her from everything and everyone.

It drove him mad, nearly to the point where it exhausted him to be this longing for another person.

Amelie's head tilted back, even further to peer up at the blond as he remained silent — deeply fixed into his thoughts.

'' Draco,'' She whispered for his attention, her mouth arched into a humble smile, '' What are you thinking about?''

His head shook as he met the heavenly eyes he couldn't possibly get enough of, '' You.'' Draco mumbled, shortly as his arms tensed around her shoulders, '' I'm thinking about you.''

'' Is that so?'' Amelie sucked in a harsh breath by the sense of his hands around her, '' And why are you thinking about me ?''

" I'm right here."

His eyes sealed, '' I don't want you to be scared that you'll hurt me, Amelie.''

Her body stiffened.

'' I heard what you said to Nott the other day, and I don't want you to be afraid that your past will hurt me. The only thing that will hurt me — that will be the death of me is not being with you.''

Amelie felt her heartbeat in her ears again as she dragged away from the blond in the water, shifting around in her position to look at him, '' Draco...''

'' No, Amelie. You don't get to choose this for me.'' He combed a wet hand through his hair, '' You don't get to decide what will hurt me or not. I don't care about Adrian.'' He scoffed.

'' That's really not—''

'' What?'' Draco looked at her softly as the length of her hair spilled in the water, '' It's foolish? It's stupid? Don't you think I know that? I just—''

Her eyes flickered, '' You don't have to do this, Draco. I don't want you to—''

'' Are you even listening to me?'' He nearly snapped at her, '' I want you, Amelie. I want to be with you no matter who your life is bounded with.''

Amelie's eyes widened at his confession, and her jaws slightly clenched.

She wanted to be with him too, more than anything — all she wished for at this moment is for them to be free — unchained from everything and everyone.

'' I know, Draco.'' Her hand stretched in between them to wipe a trail of bubbles off his forehead, '' But my life, with Adrian, is really complicated, and I can't ask you to be alright with all of this because there isn't a way out. There will never be a way out for me. I'm stuck with him, and there is nothing I can do about it, Draco. I have tried everything, but it's the unbreakable vow. It can't be undone.''

'' I know that.'' Draco's hands settled on her shoulders as he turned her around, dragging her into his chest again, '' But I don't care.'' He mumbled into the sweet spot of her neck,

'' I don't care about anything else, than being with you. We'll deal with Adrian, my father, your mother, and everything else we have to take care of, but right now—''

Draco's minty breath fanned hot on her shoulder, '' All I care about is you.''

Amelie's eyes sealed as she nodded, '' Draco...'' She breathed out in a whisper to the kisses he trailed behind her ear,

'' What?''

'' I need to tell you something.''

'' What?''

She swallowed the hesitation — this was the right moment. She needed to do this, to say what she's been meaning to say for weeks now, but she didn't dare to. Even if he heard her speak those words to Theodore, she still wanted to tell him.

She wanted him to hear her say them.

Amelie wanted him to hear that she was in love with him, and she couldn't imagine her life without him either — that she was just as lost and miserable when he wasn't close to her. Still, she didn't feel ready to say the words they both needed to hear,

She didn't want to mess things up between them — to create more pressure.

Amelie inhaled sharply as she forced a smile, '' I think we missed dinner,'' She whispered, and Draco playfully rolled his eyes at her, but even if he did — she noticed the flash of disappointment in them.

Her heart ached — she really wanted to say it, to just spit it out and make them both whole in the bittersweet life they held in.

'' I think we did.'' Draco grumbled back, and his hands combed through her hair to wet it more, '' But I want to do something first.''

Her neck arched back against him, and she felt the coldness his hands brought as he poured shampoo onto the top of her head,

'' Why are your hands always so cold, even when we're in the bath—''

'' I don't know.'' He began to massage at her roots, her eyes sealed at the feeling, '' I just know that you make them warm.''

Her heart fluttered.

'' You make me warm,'' Amelie whispered underneath her breath, not for him to hear — but he did, and a curve came upon his lips at her words.

'' Does this feel right?'' Draco said as he reached around her to grab the shower handle.

'' It does.'' Amelie felt the calm scent of clean cotton score her senses again — she would finally scent as he did, and nothing made her happier.

Draco washed all the bubbles out of her hair, and just as he was meant to settle the handle back in its place, '' Let me try something.'' Amelie shifted around, her eyes leveling his, and she reached for the bottle of shampoo before dropping the liquid in her hands.

'' Here—'' Her fingers sought to tangle into the blond strands, but Draco hastily jerked back, raising a brow at her,

'' I already agreed to let you cut it, now you want to wash it too?'' He stared severely at her.

Amelie rolled her eyes as she bit down on her lower lip before she strived closer to him in the water,

'' You still haven't let me cut it, but yes.'' She didn't wait for his approval. She simply dragged the palms of her hands over his head.

Draco groaned at her doings, wanting to seem dismayed and serious — but she could still see the flicker of satisfaction in his bothered grimace.

'' Do you want me to stop?'' Her fingers rubbed over his scalp, slowly dragging her touch away, '' Because I will—''

'' No—'' Draco's hands wrapped around her wrists to keep her in place, '' Continue.''

She did, she kept on shampooing his hair as his gaze fell upon her bare chest, and his jaws tensed, '' God—'' He muttered.

'' What?'' Amelie snapped back, concerned that she was doing something wrong, '' Did I—''

She had no chance of finishing her sentence. Draco wrapped his arms around her, and he pulled her as close as he could before he flipped them over in the splashing water.

Her chest and back drenched in the heated liquid as he held his arm around her, his other hand placed on the edge of the bathtub,

'' You drive me crazy, you know that, right?'' He brushed his nose against hers.

'' Do I?'' Amelie smiled back, sneaking her arms around his neck, '' Draco, your hair—'' She chuckled at the ridiculous look of the blond strands covered in shampoo.

His eyes rolled as his head dipped into the water next to her shoulder, shaking it as he hauled back, '' There.'' He grinned at her, liquid dripping down all over his features.

'' You are crazy.'' Her chuckle made his heart flutter.

'' No,'' Draco's lips stroked against hers before he kissed her softly,

'' You make me crazy.''

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