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'' I want all of you, always.'' 

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Amelie stood nearly terrified at the end of the upper floor hallway as she waited for Lucius to join her in his office. She didn't quite grasp as to why the intriguing man had requested to talk to her — but she didn't dare to decline.

'' Ah, miss Avery.'' The tall, blond man marched closer before his hand closed around the doorknob, and he swung the wood open, '' After you.'' He nodded for her to walk ahead,

Her eyes gazed over the darkened room as he shut the door behind them, and he slipped down on his side of the massive desk.

'' You must be feeling confused as to why I am home so soon?'' He asked, and his hand gestured for her to sit down across from him.

'' Not at all, Sir, this is your house—''

'' If only your father had the curacy to be as polite as you are, miss Avery.'' Lucius's mouth dragged out in a smirk, '' It truly is a shame what happened to him, and you have my gravest condolences for what occurred.''

Amelie nodded, and her body tensed, '' Thank you, Sir.''

'' Now—'' He dropped his cane onto the table, leaning over it after, '' I understand that you and Draco have been searching for your memories?''

'' Yes, we have,'' She forced a smile, feeling more than intimidated to where this was going, '' Sir.'' Amelie corrected herself.

'' Good, you see, the reason I'm asking you this, and not my son, is because he has been developing this need to protect you...'' He sent her a glare, '' And I don't understand why he feels the need to protect you from his own father, but that's not relevant.''

Amelie nodded again, and she tried her best to keep up with the words he was spitting out.

'' And I suppose that you're familiar with the sensitive timeline we have on this matter, so what I want to know from you, miss Avery — is how far you have gotten.''

'' How far—''

'' Yes, how far you and my son have gotten to find the location of your mother.''

She did her best not to show him just how startled he made her, '' We haven't reached—''

'' And why is that?'' His tone harsh, severe as he narrowed his grey eyes in hers, '' How come that you were able to find his deepest even forgotten memory, but he wasn't—''

'' Oh...'' The vicious smirk was smeared onto his lips again, '' You don't trust my son.'' He said as he forced his chair back, '' And how come my son depends on you but you don't...''

'' I do—'' Amelie's chin rose, '' I do trust your son.''

'' But not enough.'' He shot back as he took long strides around her chair, '' I guess you see how that is a problem for me, that you're not trusting my son enough to grant him your memories?''

'' I do.'' She said again.

'' And why is that?'' He placed his hands on the backrest of the chair she was seated on, '' Why is it a problem for me, miss Avery?''

Amelie swallowed thickly as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, '' Because the Dark Lord will...'' She held for a second, hesitant if she dared to say it out loud, '' He will kill you if Draco doesn't find them.''

'' That's right, and do you know what he's looking for?''

'' My mother.''

Lucius let out a chuckle, and he shook his head at her as he leaned closer to her ear, '' Your mother has something that is of great value to the Dark Lord, and she stole it from him before she...'' Another peel of provoking laughter slipped his tongue, '' Before she fooled everyone to believe that she was dead.''

Her jaws tensed as she spun around in the chair to face him, '' What is it? What did she take?''

'' You see, dear, innocent Amelie,'' He took a step back, '' I think you already know what she took, but you just don't remember it. That is why you and Draco need to work harder.''

Lucius strode up to his desk again, with his eyes glued on her, '' You and Draco, have the two of you—'' He brushed some hair off his shoulder, '' Have the two of you perhaps talked about your feelings?''

Her eyes snapped of the man awkwardly, and her fingers twitched against the palms of her hands.

'' If you don't mind me asking, of course.'' Draco's father kept on pushing, '' Because a great deal in trust can sometimes be found when you know how the other person feels.''

'' I don't—'' Amelie nearly choked on her own saliva, '' I don't think that is any of your business, Sir, and even if it was... I don't think that's the case—''

'' How do you know that if you haven't talked about it?''

'' Because we don't want to—'' She snapped, and her eyes grew wider at her own words, '' I'm sorry, Sir, but this has nothing to do with—''

Amelie was quickly cut off by the door being shoved open, and the blond boy her heart continuously missed a beat for marched inside. His eyes snapped between Amelie and his father before he frowned.

'' What is taking so long?'' Draco crossed his arms over his chest, '' You said a quick word, it's been nearly—''

'' Manners, Draco!'' Lucius shouted, slamming his hands onto the desk. He shifted, visibly upset by his son. The act caused Amelie to slightly flinch in her seat.

'' Don't do that,'' Draco snapped back, taking quick steps up to Amelie — his hands settled on her shoulders.

'' My apologies, Miss Avery.'' Lucius smirked again, '' Well, I won't hold you two any longer, but Amelie—''

He once more narrowed the grey eyes in hers, '' Think about what we talked about, will you? And know that I'm here to stay over Christmas before your time is up.''

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The words spoken by Draco's father chewed within Amelie for days. She couldn't quite get the seed he had planted in her head out.

The fact that it was almost time for them to be done — for Draco to take her memories and hand them over to the Dark Lord frightened her. She wasn't sure if she was ready for another session of him invading her head. Still, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for Draco.

Something else nagged her — something that she hadn't thought of before, sex. Amelie and Draco hadn't reached that point yet. Nevertheless had they talked about it — he had never tried anything in that way with her because he knew what she had been through.

Amelie wasn't a virgin — she had sex with Adrian before things between them turned vile, abusive, and after that — he violated her, and the thought of being intimate with Draco didn't score her senses until now.

Not that she didn't want to — she did. Amelie was more than in love with the blond, and she would give anything to be ready for that. Still, she wanted to do it on her own terms — she didn't want to be pushed or talked into such a matter.

It was her body, finally, after years of abuse — she lastly felt as if she belonged to herself, and she wanted to be the one to make those decisions.

But something inside her had sparked since she thought of it — every night she was resting on Draco's bare chest as he slept heavily next to her — she thought about it, how it would be like to be intimate with someone who truly loved you, and who wouldn't leave you in pieces afterward.

Amelie felt as if she wanted to take a step — not a stride that far, but something. She wanted them to be more than they already were.

'' Dinner is ready any minute now, and Pansy had something that she wanted to ask you,'' Draco muttered from his armchair. The book in his hands lowered as he peered up at her from behind the sheets of it.

'' Does she?'' Amelie stood with her head in her closet, deciding on what to wear for the evening, '' Well, I just have to take a bath, and then—''

'' I'll wait for you.'' Draco mumbled before aiming his attention back to the novel, '' Take your time.''

She closed the door to the closet before she turned around with her clothes in her arms, and she thought about it — it clocked her mind as her eyes dragged over the blond.

'' Draco,'' Amelie said, nearly in a whisper.

She was doubtful as to if she was ready to give another piece of herself to the boy she couldn't manage to stay away from, and she was. That made her proud — the long way she had come since she last thought of being vulnerable with someone.

'' Amelie,'' Draco placed the book on his lap before he combed his fingers through his hair, '' Was there something else coming with my name or...''

Her eyes rolled as he pushed himself off the furniture, '' It was,''

'' Then what is it?'' Draco folded his arms around her, and he let his chin rest on the top of her head, '' Did something happen?''

Amelie could feel how his heart was speeding within his chest, and he was nervous — he was always on edge when it came to her.

He didn't know what was about to happen next, and even if he didn't like to admit it — he was terrified of losing her.

'' No, nothing happened.'' Amelie bent her head back, matching the grey eyes that always seemed to look at her, '' I wanted to ask you something.''

'' Ask away then.'' He mumbled. His gaze was curious.

'' I wanted to ask you—'' Amelie couldn't form a proper sentence. She was too nervous and scared that he would find her proposal ridiculous — but with a deep breath and his eyes studying her tense figure,

'' I wanted to ask if you maybe want to take that bath with me?''

Her head dipped into his chest, and her cheeks grew more than red — she didn't feel ashamed. She was feeling nervous, more than it.

''Amelie,'' Draco's hands landed on her neck, and his thumbs stroked her jawline, '' Look at me.''

Her eyes leveled his again, '' You don't have to do this, you know. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes, until you're ready, but I don't want you to rush into anything just because—''

'' Because what?'' Amelie said as his gaze softened at the worried look in hers, '' Because I want to, Draco. I don't want to go too far, but I—''

She swallowed, '' I just want to do something more with you. I want you to see me, and I want to see you.''

This time — this time, it was him, melting at the tips of her fingers.

'' Are you sure, because we can wait.'' Draco's hand moved further up along her jaw as he stroked her skin, '' I don't want you to feel pressured in any way.''

'' I want to, but if you don't—''

'' Don't say that.'' His teeth were slightly gritted. His tone lower, '' I want you, in all the ways a human can want another, Amelie. I want all of you, always, but I want you to feel safe.''

She smiled at that, and her hand dipped to intertwine her fingers with his, '' I do feel safe with you. That's why I want this. I want to feel closer to you in some way—''

Draco huffed, trying not to let the smile he left arching in the corner of his mouth out as he reached their tangled fingers up to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles,

'' Come here then.''

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