This chapter contains the mention of blood and emotional trauma. Please read with caution.

_____

''Let's end this war, Malfoy.''

_____

''Where—'' Amelie chuckled at the way he was so unsteadily leading her out of their room, hearing how Narcissa softly laughed behind them, ''Draco, what—''

Malfoy was covering her eyes. His palms barricading every chance she held in seeing a thing. He didn't take her far, only to the room next to theirs, ''One second,'' He said, still blocking her sight with one hand as the other one found something in front of her.

Whispering in her ear, he kissed the side of her head, ''Alright, you ready?''

Amelie nodded. Her own hand was placed on the bump she carried. She was showing even standing up now. Even if she dressed in looser dresses and shirts, it wouldn't be long until Teddy figured it out, ''Ready.''

He smiled. She didn't see it, but she felt it. His touch was warm, caring. He cared for this. He cared so much for what he was about to show her.

''Don't make fun out of me, yeah?'' He mumbled, his voice low and hoarse into her head, ''It's not...something I do, but for my girls — I'd do anything. Even this.''

She was getting more excited now. Nearly jumping up and down at the way he was speaking. She wasn't much for gifts. She had never been, but she could hear the eagerness in his voice and the intensity in his embrace. Amelie already knew she would love this.

''We would do anything for you, Draco,'' She tipped her head to the side, into the palm of his hand, ''Now, show me or I might—''

Draco let go of her. Hastily and abruptly. His arms sliding down her frame and landing over hers. He held her belly too, now.

''Draco—'' Amelie gasped. Her eyes were wide and tear-filled. She was close to crying again. She always cried, ''You—''

''I did,'' He said, trying to sound unbothered. When he, in reality, was more than thrilled. He'd been working on this for a month. Ever since he found out about his little miracle, their miracle — he'd worked and worked. He both studied and came up with new spells and magic to create what she was looking at. He built a room for her. Draco had built a room for their daughter, ''For you, both of you.''

She couldn't comprehend it properly. It felt surreal to her. Real. This made it real. He made it real by putting it in full view for her. This made it all so clear. They were actually having a child. A daughter. A girl. Her girl. His girl. Their girl.

''Draco...'' Amelie whispered, almost scared to walk inside. She didn't want to ruin anything. She didn't want to mess it up, ''This is....''

Her gaze fell upon all of it. The soft yellow shaded walls. Just like he'd painted the walls in their bedroom, he painted their daughter's room in the exact same shade. In the same color, she adored as a child herself — in the color her father took from her, Draco gave to their daughter.

Something as simple as the tint of the walls made her fall in love with him all over again.

The tiny crib in the corner of the room was white and oval. There was a thin, soft covering that hung from the roof above it, spilling so beautifully around the crib. The bed-lined was made. He even made her little bed.

Amelie looked to the side, finding an armchair similar to the one he had in his room back at the Manor. He loved that chair. She remembered.

Bookshelves draped one entire wall. It was as if Draco had made it feel like a library on that wall. Amelie adored libraries, and he knew. The mat covering the floor was fluffy and soft. The curtains hanging around the windows were thin, light. There was so much light in this room. Stuffed animals covered the end of her crib, all kinds of them, and she lifted her stare. Walking closer to the bed when she saw it.

Rain.

He made it rain right over the place her beautiful little head would lay. Threads, invisible ones, hung from the ceiling, and at the ends of them, it was crystal formed into drops. Rain. He made it rain.

''Diamonds,'' Malfoy mumbled, sneaking up behind her and gripping the edges of the crib. He trapped her in his arms, one placed on each side of her, ''Only the best for our little girl.''

Amelie cried again. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she allowed the tips of her fingers to touch them. It made a heavenly sound as they brushed against each other, all the pearls. ''Draco... this is beautiful.''

''You are beautiful. She will be beautiful,'' He said, his arms moving to hug her, ''This is just things. Things for us, for you. It doesn't really matter, it's material things, but it's all I can do for you right now. I can't do more than this.''

Leaning back against his chest, she tilted her head, burying her cheek against the white shirt he was wearing. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve him. Never did Amelie believe that Draco had so much love for their unborn child already, but he did. He loved his little girl more than he understood himself.

''You do enough, Draco,'' Amelie tangled her fingers with his, holding their girl together with him, ''Everything you do is more than enough. No matter what you do. If it's those back rubs in the middle of the night — you massaging my feet, brush my hair, play the piano for Atlas, talk to the baby. Everything you do is enough. I couldn't ask for anything else but you.''

His heart pounded. That made him so warm. She saw every little thing Draco did for her. Never did Amelie take a single act for granted. He adored that about her. That she saw him. No matter what, she saw everything about him.

Malfoy held her tighter. He didn't know what to say when she spoke in the ways she did now, so he held her, and Amelie knew. Every time he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body closer than it had ever been, she knew it was his way of thanking her or saying it back. He kissed the side of her head.

But he froze. Quickly and unexpectedly. Amelie winced because of it. He brought their tangled mess of hands up into his view, studying the ring she wasn't wearing. His heart ached, but he stayed silent. Brushing the weight of her not telling her best friend any of this yet, off his shoulders.

She'd told him that she wasn't ready to tell Teddy. She wasn't ready because she didn't want her best friend to hurt more than he already had done. Theodore hurt and hurt. He placed everyone above himself, and she only wished for good things when it came to him. That had nothing to do with Draco. It was all her. She was scared that Teddy wouldn't survive if all of this ended in heartbreak.

He was happy now, even if the world was so uncertain. Even if they didn't know what would happen next. Teddy was happy with Adrian, and that was everything Amelie wanted. She didn't need him to worry about her baby, she didn't want to take the spotlight off him and Adrian to tell him about the ring Draco got for her.

Malfoy knew it wasn't about him, yet it felt hard for him. It felt suffocating knowing that a boy she once loved lived underneath the same roof as them. That same boy vandalized everything there was to scar about Amelie. Yet, he tried to play along. To let Amelie have this. Have both Adrian and Teddy close, but when she wouldn't admit their engagement to them — Draco felt insecure.

She noticed. Amelie always noticed.

''Draco—''

''Are you ashamed of me?'' He bluntly asked, still holding her. He would never stop holding her, ''Is that it? I understand that you don't want to tell them about her,'' He put pressure upon her stomach, ''But I don't understand why you have to take that ring off your finger every chance you get—''

''It's not...'' Amelie turned around, her hands splayed out on his chest, ''It's not like that. You know it's not.''

His arms tensing around her, gripping her neck. He just looked down at her while her own stare was bored into the white shirt. ''I'll tell him. Both of them,'' Amelie said, honesty riddled her voice, ''I will tell Adrian and Teddy about both the baby and about the ring. I promise. I'll do it tonight—''

''You don't—'' Draco breathed, pushing his lips into her forehead. He felt so bad now. He didn't mean to pressure her. She knew he didn't, ''You don't have to do that. We can wait.''

''I don't want you to feel like this, Draco,'' Her voice was softer now, silk almost, ''It was never my intention to make you feel like I was hiding it because I'm ashamed of you. I'm just scared. I'm still so scared, Draco. Every day.''

His hands found her jaws, tilting her face up so that he could admire her. So that he could admire every tiny detail of her. All the way from her caring heart that carried more love for everyone around them than herself to that adorable nose of hers. He kissed it. The tip of it, gently.

''I don't care,'' Draco let out, ''I don't know why I feel like that. It has nothing to do with you. It's just Pucey. I still don't like him being here.''

''I know you don't,'' Amelie whispered, ''And I love you for letting him be here. I love you for letting Teddy be happy.''

Rolling his eyes, he huffed an annoyed chuckle.

''I'll tell them,'' Her fingers lingered on his suit jacket, gripping the edges of it, ''I'll tell them now that we know she's healthy. I just want her to be alright, and now that we know she is, I will tell —''

''Oh my—''

Both Amelie and Draco's heads snapped. Staring blankly at the boy standing in the doorway. Adrian's eyes had never been so wide as they were now. His breaths held so shallowly. His skin paled.

''Adrian—'' Amelie gulped, shaking her head at the way they'd been caught, ''I need to—''

Draco turned back to face her. His hands moving to her neck, ''Not in here. I don't want him in here. This is ours.''

She nodded, rapidly and she took a step around the blond boy. Her hands stayed on his chest for a mere second, giving Draco all the comfort she thought he might have needed at that moment.

This was indeed theirs, and even if she was leveled with the fact that Adrian was living here, she understood that she needed to comply with Draco's boundaries. She couldn't take this away from him.

She reached the place Adrian was standing at. His lips still parted in shock as she stretched her hand out, meaning for him to take it, but the second she meant to do that — Draco cleared his throat. He looked at Adrian with a death stare that even caused her to shiver. She withdrew.

''Come with me.''

_____

Amelie brought the boy to the roof he once had taken her when she was in need of him. The night she decided to leave. The night before Draco got back to her. The night before she got pregnant, and now — now Adrian knew.

''Amelie....'' He whispered through the chilly seeps of wind. It was cold around them. It was autumn, and the brisk breeze tugged at both of them, but he couldn't focus. That room he accidentally walked into as he looked for her trapped all his attention, ''What was that room?''

She smiled. Looking out over their property. All her mind circled was how she hoped her daughter would be able to run around out there. It was that time of day where the sky was coral, where all the shades of day fused with the gloomy night, and all the worries in this sphere seemed to fade.

Clocking out of her thoughts, she peered over her shoulder, seeing how he sat all curled up, his knees hugged to his chest. She laid down close to him, causing him to let go of his legs and taking her head to his lap. She stayed like that for a minute, close to him,

''I'm pregnant.''

It felt good speaking those words. It made her smile even more. She was pregnant. She was carrying the most beautiful part of both her and Draco.

She could hear him swallow. His fingers nervously toyed with the ends of her hair. Taking a moment, he looked out over the same world she did, ''Say something, please.''

Bending down, arching his spine, he pushed his lips to her forehead. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to do that, to touch her in that way — but he did it anyway because he was so proud of her.

Thinking back to a particular time in their life, Adrian smiled to himself. They were lying on his bed, back in school. It was at the beginning of them, and they talked about their future. She spoke about it with so much happiness. She was so thrilled telling him everything about how many children she wanted, to what she wished their names to be, but with time.

With their love as it darkened, his love for her turning poisonous, her love for him escalating, those wishes she had, faded.

The next time they talked about kids, she wanted less. And less. And less. Until she wanted no children at all, she never told him, but he knew it was because of him. All him. He broke her.

''Four,'' Amelie smiled, her chin placed upon his chest as her body was covering his. Adrian stroked her back, tracing tiny circles across her skin, ''I want four kids, I think.''

Adrian took her hand, kissing the spine of it, ''Only four?''

She felt her cheeks burning out of the way he was looking at her. So much love. He loved her so much. She could tell. It was so easy to breathe with him.

He dragged her up, closer to where he wanted her to be, ''Is it too little? Do you want more?''

''With you?'' Adrian kissed her lips, lingering for moments before he kissed her again, ''I could never have enough.''

_____

''And how about the future?'' Adrian was looking at her from the edge of the bed, ''Still four? Mother thinks that's too many.''

Amelie forced a frail smile, staring at the marks on her shoulders through the mirror, ''Two, I think. I don't want to disappoint her.''

''When?'' He laid down, peering up at the ceiling instead. The tips of his fingers brushed along the bruised knuckles he had, ''Mother thinks we should have them early. After you turn eighteen, the sooner, the better.''

She swallowed, thickly and hard. It was a bit harder to breathe now, ''That's fine,'' She said, still gazing at the marks carved into her skin, ''As long as you're happy.''

_____

''I don't want you to raise my fucking kids!'' He shouted, throwing the glass he was holding in her direction, ''I don't want anything to do with you. I want you to turn eighteen, so we can leave this damn school. I don't care what my mother says. I want this over with. I want you to be pregnant, and I want you to birth these fucking children so I can leave with them.''

Amelie made herself tiny. Invisible as she tried so hard not to cry because of the splinter of crystals that struck her skin, ''Please,'' She whispered, her teeth shattering, ''You can't take them once they're ours. They will need me—''

''As soon as you're pregnant and as soon as they're born, you'll never see them again. That's all you're good for — your last name and your bloodline.

Another glass came her way. She didn't stand a chance. She couldn't breathe. It was so hard to breathe now.

_____

He failed her. He failed her graver than her father had failed her. He failed her in ways worse than he learned how his own father failed him.

He failed her.

He took that happiness she wished for a future away from her. Adrian ripped her of everything just because he wasn't strong enough. He was never strong enough, but she was.

Adrian always believed that he was the powerful one and she the weak one. He ever so believed that she was frail and fragile, and he ruled over her — when Amelie was the capable one all along. She was so powerful. Amelie was so forceful, and he never saw it. But seeing her now, resting with her head in his lap on the roof of her own home — he was so proud of her. He knew he had no right to be proud, but he was.

It was always him to her, but never her to him. In ways, he regretted that today.

''I am so happy for you,'' Adrian finally whispered, placing his palms behind him, holding himself up, ''I wasn't expecting it. We were thinking you got engaged, but this... Amelie, this is something else.''

Her neck moved, looking up at him from below. She still held onto that adorable smile of hers, ''You know Draco asked me to marry him?'' She sounded startled. She thought they hid it so well.

Adrian chuckled, playfully shaking his head at her, ''Amelie, you two have been sneaking around like you've been on a honeymoon for almost a month now, of course, we noticed. I just...'' He blinked. It hurt. She made it, and it hurt. It didn't hurt in a bad way nor a jealous one. It hurt because he was pleased for her, ''Of course, we knew something was up. I just didn't think it would be this.''

''Does it bother you?'' Amelie asked as she looked away, locking her sight at her fingers in her lap. She indeed remembered all the times they spoke about children, even before he turned vile, ''That I am with Draco like this?''

Adrian frowned, his brows drawn together, ''Are you happy?'' He asked.

Amelie brought up the ring, hanging around her neck, fiddling with it between her fingers, ''I am.''

''Does he make you happy?''

''So happy,'' She whispered, ''He makes me so happy, Adrian. I never thought I'd have this. I never thought I'd have a love like the one he gives me.''

''Then I'm happy. You deserve happiness, Amelie. All of it. In every form possible. I might not stand much of Malfoy, but I am happy for you. Both of you.''

She felt the tears again. She always cried, ''Thank you....'' She whimpered, lifting her upper body from the roof and shoving herself closer to him, ''Thank you, Adrian. For everything. For being here with Teddy, for saving Draco, for saving me, for being wonderful with Atlas. Thank you.''

He smiled. She didn't see it often, but when she did, her heart pounded, all because she finally had the Adrian she deserved all along.

Taking his hand to her hair, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, lingering over her cheek. It hurt again. This time it was pain. So much pain. Everything he ever put her through, ''I am sorry,'' He didn't take his touch away, and she let him be there, his hand stroking her jaw, ''I never apologized for everything I did to you. I don't want to apologize. No apology in the world will be enough for what I've done.''

''Adrian...'' Amelie tilted her head, letting the weight of it rest in his palm.

''No. If I could, I would leave. I would leave you to be happy and not be a constant reminder of everything I did to you. You never deserved any of it, Amelie. Nothing. You deserve the world, and I am so sorry I took that from you.''

''I'm not,'' Her lips arched carefully, ''It might sound foolish, but if it weren't for you and everything that happened between us... I would never have met Draco when I did. He wouldn't be my Draco. I wouldn't have this....''

She hesitated at first, but then she reached for his hand, and she placed it over her stomach, ''I wouldn't have her. I would still be so scared of the world if it weren't for you.''

"It's a girl?"

Amelie nodded proudly.

She saw something she never thought she would see. Tears. Adrian had tears in his eyes as his hand brushed over her clothed belly, ''This really is something, isn't it?''

She looked at him. She looked at him so dearly, so deeply. Amelie had never looked at Adrian as she did now, ''And it wasn't all bad, Adrian. We had so much fun together in the beginning. Do you remember France? How you took me to that library? And Italy? When those doves chased us around? I know you hate yourself for what you did, but you should love yourself for the moments we were happy.''

Adrian sobbed out. His body shaking.

''Just promise me,'' She said, quietly as she placed her hand over his, ''Promise me you'll give our little girl everything you didn't give me. Promise me she's safe with you and that you'll love her as you loved me in the beginning. Promise me that, Adrian. That you'll protect her.''

He nodded. He nodded so quickly. It wasn't anything to think about. He would always protect that little heart beating within Amelie.

And that — that little moment between them when her eyes met his. When she saw all the regret, she wished he'd shown her all those years ago, when she watched all that hurt and pain level into love. He loved her daughter already. He would do anything for her child. She saw that. She saw it all as the downpour of sorrow gathered in his irises.

This was the moment she'd waited for. This was the time she never thought would come. That was when she knew that her little miracle growing within her would be safe with him. When she, after everything he'd ever so put her through, she could finally trust him.

That was when Amelie Avery forgave Adrian Pucey.

As much as she did it for herself — she did it for her daughter too.

Amelie had grown up in a world very different from the one she knew now. Her world was dark, dangerous, hurtful, and evil. All she knew growing up were the sinners feasting on her life and draining her of it every chance they got.

She shouldn't be alive. She was meant to die, to fade, to pass a long time ago. She wasn't supposed to be there, but she was. She was there. She was there in every way she never thought she would be.

''You will do great, Amelie,'' Adrian murmured, smiling at her and wiping his tears, ''You will do amazing as a mother. There's a reason I chose you all those years ago. You will be amazing.''

''What about you?'' Her hand stroke across his, looking up at him and the swollen eyes he had, ''When are you and Teddy becoming more than just this?''

Adrian scoffed, and he gave a shrug of his shoulders, ''I want us to be more, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I can feel the darkness coming. It's like he's calling for me, the Dark Lord. I can just... I can feel it.''

Her head tipped, bowing it in understanding to what he meant. She could feel it, too, sometimes. Especially at night, when the gloom took over, and the shadows rose, she could feel them closing in.

''That's just another reason to be happy right now, to do everything now before it's too late,'' Amelie stood up, reaching her hand down for him to take it, ''I know it's terrifying but don't take this for granted. Any of it. We don't know how much more time we have.''

Grunting at the stiffness in his legs, he brushed his pants off before leveling her, matching her kind eyes, forest and bronze as his mother used to say, ''I want to be with him, in all ways possible, Amelie. I adore him, but it's—''

It came to her mind as she reached for her wand and looking at it. She never thought about it until now — well, once, right after Draco bought it for her. It was in Edinburgh, her first time using it when they were still on the hunt for her mother.

The silver ring. It was a beautiful mess of silver details on that wand, but that ring was in the very same silver her ring was in, her bracelet — the same silver Draco's rings held.

''It's perfect....'' She whispered to herself, cutting him off as she began threading the silver away from its place, ''Adrian, this is so perfect.''

Her voice laced with excitement. She was so happy with what she came up with, ''Here—'' She held it up between them, ''Teddy can have the same silver Draco, and I do.''

His eyes grew wide. Slowly, he lifted his hand, taking the ring from her, ''Amelie, what are you—''

''Don't waste time, Adrian. Ask him. Life is too short. We've established that now, so don't let it go to waste.''

He smiled. Adrian smiled again as the sun lowered completely, and it turned utterly dark.

_____

Amelie rolled her shoulders, feeling how Teddy's hands slipped down her arms. She was seated on the living room sofa, in her best friend's arms, with her little brother sleeping in her own lap. The fireplace sparkled, shooting a soft, warm light to spread across the room at the late hour.

''Why does your hair always smell like flowers?'' Teddy sniffed, taking a strand of it up to his nose and smelling it properly, ''I always liked that smell.''

Amelie scowled playfully as she huffed out a quiet chuckle, leaning her head back against his chest. She ever so found her friend's small statements a bit funny, ''I like the scent of flowers.''

''Yeah,'' Theo smirked, tipping his head to the side and staring mockingly at the blond across the room, ''It's a good thing one of you smells nice.''

''Teddy!'' Amelie laughed out, surprisingly as she put pressure upon Theodore, ''Play nice.''

Draco merely rolled his eyes from his armchair, narrowing his eyes at the brunet, ''At least my name isn't Teddy.''

Theodore gasped dramatically, slapping a hand across his mouth. Portraying to be hurt by Draco's comment for so a second before his face stiffened and he looked far too serious, ''Funny, Malfoy. You're one funny guy.''

Amelie smiled, looking down at Atlas and stroking her fingers across his hair as he was deeply placed within the world of imagination, ''You're acting like children.''

''I'm acting like a child?'' The blond bent forward a bit, gripping the armrests of his chair and digging his fingers into the wood, ''I'm not the one—''

''Oh, you're certainly the one—''

''Enough,'' She mumbled softly with a hint of laughter as it ripped through the severe tone she held, ''Let Atlas sleep in peace, will you?''

''Oh, so the kid gets to sleep in peace, but when I lay on this sofa, sleeping, everyone seems to—'' Amelie looked up over her shoulder, frowning at her best friend as he hushed, ''Fine.''

It turned silent for a second. Only the sound of the flames was heard.

Amelie tried so hard to gather the courage to tell Teddy about everything. How Draco asked her to marry him and how she was growing a little human, but it was easier said than done. She was so scared that he'd be upset with her for keeping it to herself for so long.

But she didn't want to tell him, not until she knew it was safe to do so. This was hers. She and Draco's. Their little secret. Their little miracle. Their little girl. His girl. Her girl.

''So...'' Theodore meant to break the silence, sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth, ''When were you two planning to tell me about that ring?''

Amelie froze. Her hands stilled around her little brother's numb body, and she nearly choked on her own saliva. While Draco once again rolled his eyes at Theo, ''What?'' The brunet lifted his brows, ''Are you denying what we all already know?''

Amelie tried to sound surprised, ''How did you know?''

''How did I know?'' He mimicked her, stroking her hair as she kept peering up at him, ''Well, let's see... You two have been sneaking around like kids on Christmas, trying to open their gifts before Santa Claus even had time putting them out. Malfoy is never this polite to me. You trying to keep that ring you're hiding on that necklace a secret is also pretty obvious. Malfoy is never this polite to me. I have been your best friend for over a decade, Amelie, and did I forget to mention that Malfoy is never this polite to me? Oh right, don't forget the fact where I'm not stupid.''

Amelie laughed out silently as she hugged Atlas closer. She shot Draco still sitting in the armchair across the room, a roll of her eyes, ''Guess we weren't that secretive after all.''

''No, you weren't,'' Theo chuckled, kissing the top of her head. Draco's jaws gritted, ''Oh, ease down there, tough guy. If you haven't noticed, I'm not playing for her team anymore.''

Amelie had to slap her hand over her mouth to suppress the laughter that kept coming. She didn't want to wake her little brother at the late hour.

''Just keep your hands to yourself, Nott, and perhaps you'll live to see another day.'' Draco scoffed, mockingly, tensing his hands around the armrests, ''She's my fiancé now. So If you thought you had a chance before — you certainly don't have one now.''

Theodore merely grinned at that, ''We'll see about that, Malfoy.''

''You fucking—''

''Draco!'' Amelie whispered harshly as she pressed her palms over her brother's ears. Knowing that he was asleep, but she still didn't wish for them to curse when he was around.

''My apologies, Mrs. Malfoy,'' Draco rose a brow, liking the way her future name sounded, a bit too much, ''Won't happen again.''

Her cheeks blushed. The burning feeling caused a feverish shade to grow upon her, ''I'm not Mrs. Malfoy yet,'' She smirked, taunting him right back, ''But keep dreaming—''

''Where is my best friend, and what have you done to her?'' Theodore cut her short, stroking the tips of his fingers down the length of her arms, ''As much as I like your humor, you're starting to sound a bit too much like me—''

''What did I say about those hands, Nott?'' Draco interrupted, dragging a hand through his own hair and shifting a bit in his position, ''Keep them to yourself.''

Theodore ignored the blond and settled all his focus upon Amelie instead, ''So, when's the big day? Now? Soon? Before our lonely mass murderer over here gets us all killed? Or before our beloved Dark Lord comes to slaughter us?''

She smiled again, shaking her head at Theodore's lack of seriousness, ''Actually...'' She was going to do it. She had to do it. It was now or never.

Tell him. Tell him. Tell him.

''I just have to bring Atlas upstairs, and then I'd like to—''

''Let me take him,'' Draco pushed up from his seat, marching over the floor to where she was seated, and he hunched next to her, wrapping his arms around the little boy's sleeping body, ''I barely had a chance to see him today.'' He mumbled.

That made tears pool in her eyes again. He planted a kiss on her forehead before he bent back up and strolled over to his armchair with her brother as he now slept in Draco's arms instead, caused her heart to miss a beat.

Amelie loved seeing Draco with Atlas. She adored how protective he was over her brother and how he truly cherished being with him.

She couldn't wait to see him with their own little heart. And there it was again, she believed. Their little girl. She was everywhere. In all her thoughts, all the time. All Amelie managed to think about was her daughter. Their daughter.

''Well,'' She sat up, turning around and facing her best friend in the shadowed room, ''We don't want to have our wedding for another six months... because we're waiting for someone.''

She was so nervous. So, so nervous that she thought her veins would rupture.

''Who?'' Theo scowled, cocking his head, ''Who are you waiting for now? And for half a year? Amelie... are you still hoping for your mother to return? Let me tell you. She's either dead or in love with that—''

''Teddy!'' Amelie waved her hands in his face, glaring at him now. His comment caused Draco to snicker, silently, ''Focus, please.''

Straightening his spine, Teddy sat up properly, ''Fine, fine. Okay, who are you waiting for? All our friends are....'' He stopped himself, closing his eyes for a second, ''We don't have anyone to wait for.''

Her pulse quickened. A thunderstorm ripped through her, and she placed her hands on her belly. She even put on a dress that showed that beautiful bump she had, ''You haven't met her before, but she'll be here in about six months.''

Theodore looked at Draco, then back to Amelie before he stared blankly at Draco again, ''Is she okay? Because this is—''

''Teddy, please.'' Dragging the last letters out, she sighed, moving her hands over her stomach now.

Draco tried so hard not to, but he smiled discreetly from his chair, still with Atlas sleeping in his lap. It was the best thing he knew, seeing her hands upon her own stomach. It felt so real to him when she did that, when she felt and shielded their little girl.

Leaning his head back, he admired that girl he was so deeply in love with. She was glowing. She was so unspeakably beautiful to him. Carrying his daughter only caused him to fall so much harder for her.

''I still don't get it,'' Teddy scratched the back of his head. His eyebrows knitted in pure confusion, ''I don't know what six months have anything to do—no.''

Her eyes were broad now, biting down her bottom lip.

''No...'' Theodore shook his head, curls spilling wildly over his forehead. He began to move away from her, pushing himself back a bit to see her more clearly, ''No, no, no. Tell me you're joking.''

''Teddy...''

His lower lip shook. His chin trembled, ''Amelie....'' His eyes were glued to her stomach. He didn't even look at her anymore. He simply stared at that little bump he cursed himself for not noticing earlier. Theodore didn't even notice how Adrian joined them, slipping down in the armchair next to Draco's.

''Tell me you're joking,'' He said again. His heart crashed and floundered within him. He couldn't breathe. Just looking at her and that smile she held. She wasn't joking. Amelie wasn't joking.

''It's a girl,'' Amelie brushed her hands along the sides of her stomach, ''We're having a little girl, Teddy.''

He tried so hard not to break. Theodore tried with everything he owned not to let that piece of sanity he still carried escape, but that was impossible. That was the most out-of-the-question thing he could ever think of because she was pregnant.

His Amelie. His best friend. His reason. His savior. The person he'd given his life to protect. The person he would keep sheltering until he took his last breath on this earth, until the last beat of his heart trickled him, until the blood gushing through his veins ceased, until there was nothing left of him.

Theodore had spent his entire life, the whole of himself, the brim on his magic, and the downfall of everything he lived to be — he'd given it all to her. Ever since they were kids, ever since his mother died and he was left to what felt like loneliness, she was there. Amelie was always there.

He had fought, bled, nearly died for her to make it and looking at her now. The most precious person he would ever know, sitting there with that beautiful smile playing on her lips. That was his reason. She ever so spoke of how much he saved her. How he always gave everything up for her to be happy, when in reality — she saved him too.

Amelie made his life worth living. He'd seen his father crumble as his mother died, and he was going there too. Theodore was fading and slipping and vanishing from this life when she pulled him out of it. Amelie saved him.

She found him on that bathroom floor when he was not older than twelve, with scars and cuts so deep that she didn't think he'd make it, but she didn't give up. Amelie did everything she could on that cold tile ground, covered in blood. She didn't stop fighting for him, and she brought him back.

Twelve.

Theodore was only twelve when that happened.

Amelie sat with him, humming and rocking his body in her arms until he woke up. She kissed his scars. She kissed his forehead. She kissed his cheek. She kissed his ear. She kissed his hair. She didn't stop. Amelie tried to take his pain away, blowing small breezes of wind over the cuts he'd caused himself.

And ever since then, even if they were friends long before his mother's passing, even if she was the reason he still felt like he belonged, before he tried to leave, they became inseparable after.

She was everything to him.

Many people sometimes had more than a hard time understanding the bond the two best friends shared, but not them. Never them. Amelie and Teddy knew exactly what they were a part of, what their friendship meant, what they meant. Them. It had always been them for as long as he could remember.

Always them reading, always them laughing, always them crying, always her loving how he scented like honey and always him rolling his eyes at her when she said he did. Always her trying to beat him to his favorite words in his favored book and always him speaking it louder than her. Always them.

He gave up his father to be with her. To keep her safe, and if Theodore had a chance to do it again, to change things around, he wouldn't. He would keep it exactly how it was. It was their story. It was them.

''You— you're having a baby?'' He stuttered now, hardly understanding a thing at that point. His vision blurred, his voice crackled, ''You're having a girl?''

Amelie smiled so warmly at him. A smile only she carried, and she took his hand in hers, pathing it up to her stomach, ''We,'' She said, certain and fixed, ''We're having a baby.''

Draco watched from a distance. Stroking his hand down Atlas's back and holding the little boy close. He didn't think it was achievable. He didn't think he could love her more than he did. Malfoy questioned himself every day — every hour of every day. He questioned that because he seemed to love her more every minute that passed.

She was hugging her best friend now. Both of them were crying and sobbing into each other's shoulders. The greatest love of his life was hugging the very reason in her own, smiling and holding her stomach. Holding the most precious thing Draco would ever know. His daughter. His girl. Both of his girls. Every beautiful part of both of them.

His beautiful girls.

He was so in love with her, and even if he tried to hide that smile that kept tugging at the hem of his lips, he couldn't. She made him happy. It made him happy seeing her happy.

''Easy there, Malfoy,'' Adrian grinned, ''That smile is starting to show a little too much now.''

And quickly as a puff of wind, Draco's smile faded, and he scoffed underneath his breath.

Amelie withdrew from Teddy, softly wiping the tears streaming down his cheeks, ''Is this alright with you? Us having a baby?''

Theo hugged her again, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into the tightest hug yet, ''It's more than okay, Amelie... We're having a baby... We're having a little girl.''

Amelie breathed heavily into his shirt, feeling as if she could finally rest for a moment. Teddy was happy for her, and that was all she needed.

His sight darted across the room until it reached Malfoy's, and he gave a rapid nod of his head. Silently giving Draco all the blessing in this world for what they had created.

Theodore bent back, taking a deep breath as he collected himself, ''Okay, so what about names? Have we—''

''Not so fast,'' She hewed him off, and she became nervous again. So, so nervous, ''There's one more thing to take care of.''

Theo's face fell into a cloak of worry, frowning at her, ''What is it? What happened?''

She rose to her feet, brushing her dress down. Her fingers twitched against the palms of her hands, ''Adrian....''

Theodore snapped his head, looking straight at the boy he failed to notice as he stepped closer. Amelie backed up, smiling widely at them.

Adrian dragged a bothered hand through his hair, slightly tugging it back before he halted at the edge of the sofa, gazing down at the brunet, ''Theodore....''

''Wait,'' Teddy choked, shaking his head. His sight rushed from Amelie to Adrian, then to Draco and back. His veins froze for seconds, ''It's not yours, is it?''

''For fucks sake!'' Draco groaned, throwing his head back in frustration.

''What?'' Theodore raised his hands in defeat, shifting a bit scared from the blond's reaction, ''What the hell do you want me to think—''

He stopped breathing. His heart didn't beat anymore. The second he watched Adrian drop down on one knee, he ceased to exist, ''No....''

''I never thought I'd do this,'' Adrian shakingly breathed out through a whisper, making Theodore straighten up on the couch, ''I never thought I'd have someone like you in this life, Theodore.''

''No....''

Amelie dragged her steps back across the room, stepping behind Draco as she placed her hands on his shoulders, kissing his head.

''I want to throw up,'' Draco muttered, rolling his eyes.

Amelie chuckled quietly into his hair, ''Shut up and let them have this.''

''I never thought I would find someone like you in this life. When Amelie left me, when we were done, I thought I'd be alone for the rest of time.''

Theodore had to swallow hard not to cry again.

''I was a monster. I was something a human shouldn't be allowed to become.''

''Finally, something we agree on....'' Draco huffed out as Amelie carefully slapped his shoulder, ''What? What am I—''

''Shhh!''

Crossing his arms around Atlas, Draco groaned again.

''I thought love was something you were forced to do. Not something you earned or felt. I was taught that love was evil if you didn't take control and make it your own. I didn't believe in love. I trusted power, that what you control was what you had.''

''Adrian...''

''Until I met you,'' There were the tears again, Adrian was crying, ''And how lucky I am to have met you, Theodore.''

Teddy was shaking. His chest stung with every inhale he managed.

''So...'' Adrian was so sure about this. Ever since his talk with Amelie, ever since she gave him all the confidence he could possibly need, he was so certain. Theodore was it for him. The boy he once hated more than anything came to be the most important one.

''No—'' Theo shook his head, staring down at his boyfriend, ''Adrian—''

''I don't want to waste more time. We don't know what will happen. We don't know what will come, how it all ends, because it does, Theodore. It ends. Everything comes to an end, and it wouldn't be the end for me unless it is with you. I don't want us to waste a second of it.''

Amelie sobbed out a muffled cry. Sheeting her arms around Malfoy's neck as he kissed her wrist. He would never admit to it, but oh, how happy he was for Theodore. Even if Adrian was the one, he still wished Theodore so much happiness.

It was beautiful to him, seeing how Teddy finally had the love he deserved.

Adrian reached down into his pocket, pulling the ring Amelie had given him up as he held it between them, ''Theodore Nott, will you marry me?''

It turned silent. Barely the sound of Atlas breathing heavily in his sleep cut through their ears.

Theodore only blinked. He blinked so slowly, nearly debating if this was real life or not, ''Adrian, are you sure about this?''

He smiled, nodding, ''I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life,'' He shot a sneaky look across his shoulder, ''If the fact of that child really being yours, Malfoy—''

''Watch it.'' The blond gritted, not finding Adrian's joke funny at all.

He looked back at Theo, still smiling, ''You are it for me.''

''Then yes—'' Teddy sobbed, taking Adrian's jaws in his hands and bringing him up onto two feet, ''Yes, yes, yes—''

He kissed him. Theodore kissed Adrian with everything he had. They kissed and kissed and cried and cried. Emotion and feeling filled the room as Amelie whispered into Draco's ear, making him stand up with Atlas nestled to his chest.

They walked out, leaving the two boys to have their moment to themselves.

_____

''Why do I feel like we are forgetting something?'' Amelie gazed around, staring skeptically at what she had created in her backyard, ''Your mother knows about the flowers, right? That she needs to cut them—''

''She does.''

The girl still didn't rest. She shook her head at the sun as it traveled lower, ''And they know they have to be out here by six? I don't want to miss the sunset.''

''They know.''

''Then what is it?'' Amelie huffed out, biting down her bottom lip as she meant to think, to vision everything in her head. She had this all thought through. It had been two weeks since her best friend got engaged, and she had worked day in and day out to create the most magical little place out in the garden, ''I just feel like I'm forgetting—''

Draco kissed her. He caught her jaw in his hand as the other one settled on her belly. It had grown. It grew more and more for every day that passed. He could see it so clearly now, ''You aren't. There's nothing to forget. My mother is getting Atlas dressed. She knows about the flowers. Theodore is getting ready in our room and Pucey in theirs. There's nothing you have forgotten, except....''

He kissed her again. Slowly and her hands grasped at his neck, pushing herself up on her toes to be closer to him, ''This. You're beautiful, Amelie.'' He admired the dress she was wearing—the dress he'd given her for Christmas. The first dress she owned that didn't have long sleeves to cover up her body.

She smiled, leaning her forehead against his, ''Promise I'm not forgetting anything. I just want everything to be perfect. They deserve this, Draco.''

Malfoy mockingly rolled his eyes at her, kneeling down so that he'd be leveling her stomach as he kissed the material of her dress, ''If you turn out like this, I might have to give you to Teddy—''

''Draco!''

''Fine,'' He chuckled close to where his little girl was growing, ''Keep your mother in check today, will you? Because I can not deal with her, my mother, Teddy, and Pucey at the same time. I might just grab Atlas and run—''

''And leave her with me, alone?'' Amelie placed her touch on his shoulders, peering down at him with her hair as it fell like curtains around her, ''Then she'll definitely turn out like me.''

Malfoy sucked his inner cheek in, pretending to think for a moment before he kissed her stomach again, ''Fine, I'll just wait until you are here with us and then we'll—''

''Amelie!''

Amelie spun around as Draco flew to his feet, barely standing straight until the little boy threw himself in his arms. Clinging onto the blond with all his strength, ''You two look pretty,'' His head went from staring at his sister to inspecting Malfoy, ''So you are kissing my sister's baby?''

Draco let out half a chuckle, sending a confused look in Amelie's direction, ''It's my baby too, you know, and you really need to stop spending so much time with Theodore, because this isn't funny anymore—''

Atlas began to twist and pull in Draco's arms until he let him down, and he marched up to Amelie, ''It's my baby too. She's my sister, Draco.'' He crossed his arms, lowering his chin and glaring at Malfoy, ''And I'm the youngest, so the baby is mostly mine.''

Amelie smiled, shaking her head. Her fingers brushed over her little brother's hair as she fixed it, feeling how his arms wrapped around her legs, ''It will be my baby too, right? I can play with her?''

''Of course, you can,'' Amelie hugged him, warmth spread within her at how everyone was so thrilled and invested in their little miracle, ''She'll be all of ours.''

''Most mine.''

Draco scoffed playfully as he began stepping closer to the two siblings, ''No, most mine. I'm the one who made her—''

''Draco, please.''

''What do you mean you made her?''

Amelie looked at Draco like she'd seen a ghost, yet with an annoying dash in her pupils, ''He's seven.''

Malfoy pushed his lips together, firmly and then he gave a nervous grin, ''Well....''

''What does he mean he made her?'' Atlas peered up at his sister, scowling at their way of not speaking to him, ''I want to know too—''

''I need to check on Teddy.'' Amelie glared at the blond, ''I need to make sure he's not freaking out, and you need to take care of what you just caused because I'm not having this conversation with a seven-year-old child.''

''Hold on—'' Draco marched towards her, kneeling in front of her again as he leaned his forehead against her stomach, always near their little girl, ''You better hurry back, because I don't know for how long I'd be able to be without you two.''

Amelie's heart skipped a beat as Atlas did the exact same thing Draco did, hunching down and giving her bump a quick peck. Their girl. All of theirs.

Reaching back up, he pushed his lips into the side of her head, ''Get Nott and let's get this over with.''

She smiled, breathing him in, ''I love you for being on board on this.''

''Mhm,'' Draco hummed, tousling Atlas's hair as she walked away. Both of the boys stood behind and looked after her as she stepped inside the house, ''You have a beautiful sister, little one.''

''He does!'' Narcissa snickered, marching up to the two with roses hugged to her chest, ''And I will have a beautiful grandchild thanks to her. I'm happy you chose such a beautiful girl, Draco, because with you and your father's genes—''

Rolling his eyes, he took a swing with his arms and lifted Atlas up, ''Yeah, yeah, don't forget the part where my genes are your genes as well.''

Narcissa laughed out, feeling happy about this whole day. It was late autumn outside, yet it had never been warmer like the world knew how special today was for them.

''What will her name be?'' Atlas grasped at Draco's ear, tugging at it, ''I think you should name her Atlas. It's a pretty name.''

He chuckled. Malfoy let out a grunt from his chest at the pain of Atlas playing with his ear as they walked up to the altar Amelie had so beautifully prepared, ''You can't tell your sister yet, but I thought of a name, and it's perfect.''

Frowning, the little boy looked like a question mark, ''Then why can't she know?''

''I want it to be a surprise,'' He let the boy down onto the ground before hunching down himself, fixing Atlas's tie.

It was adorable to Draco, seeing an all-black suit in this tiny size. Atlas had begged Narcissa to make him a suit just like the one he himself wore, ''And it's a truly special name. I don't want her to know yet.''

Atlas gave a suspicious grimace until he finally nodded, ''Okay.''

''Talia,'' Draco said, and his insides ached at the name. It meant more to him than anyone could come to explain, ''Talia because it means rain.''

Narcissa gasped, catching her son off guard in the missing of her eavesdropping on them, ''Draco....''

The blond didn't want to. He tried so hard not to, but he blushed. His mother knew exactly how much rain and everything that came with it meant to Amelie and Draco. She was so proud of her son for coming up with such a name, ''It's perfect, Draco.''

''Mhm....'' Atlas lips tightened, thinking long and hard for a minute until he burst out in a full-on smile, ''I would like Atlas more... but I love it!''

Narcissa made her way up to her son, folding her arms around him, ''I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of the both of you.''

''Yeah, yeah...'' The blond shrugged, portrayed as bothered as he held his mother back, ''Let us keep it to ourselves until I tell her about it, yeah?''

''Of course.''

They fixed the last things surrounding the altar Amelie built. She spent days making it absolutely perfect for her best friend, and she didn't let anyone as much sneak a look at it until she was done.

Adrian joined them, and they stood all lined up at the bow of roses she'd made, waiting for Amelie and Teddy to come out, but the time ticked and the sunset Amelie had been so stressed about began to fade.

''Go get your sister,'' Draco whispered to Atlas, knowing that she was probably doing some last-minute fix on Theodore's suit. He didn't want Adrian to be outside with him all alone, ''And tell her to hurry, I miss her.''

''I miss her more!'' Atlas barely had a chance to hear him properly before he sprinted off. Aiming for the backdoor as he disappeared out of Draco's sight.

The blond stretched back up, standing on the opposite side of the altar. He stood on Teddy's side. He would always be on Theodore's side. In his corner, no matter what. Even if he didn't find one ounce of joy in the matter of Adrian being the one he wanted to be with, he still had his back. Theodore had grown on him. He had become the brother he never knew he needed, and he would protect that brunet with his life. If it so came down to it.

The time kept passing, and Atlas didn't come back. Panic chewed within Draco as he turned to his mother, ''I'll go look for them.''

But he didn't take a step forward until the sky, as it shifted in color, darkened. A brutal wind stormed up around them as he locked eyes with Pucey, already standing with his wand in his hand.

''What the—'' He mumbled as the crowns of the trees brutally brushed together, and the clouds nearly shifted in an inky color. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all. Everything was wrong. He could feel it.

Malfoy didn't earn a chance to think properly, nevertheless get inside before he saw something he never thought he'd see again. It was a ghost. Someone he was hoping he'd never have to see again, rushing towards them.

His father.

His father was hurrying closer, and he could see how his lips moved, but not a word fled them. Draco couldn't hear a thing as he met his father's gesture and marched up to him. Malfoy gripped him by his collar and shoved him back the first chance he had, ''What the hell did you do?''

''He—'' Lucius panted, his chest heaving as Draco's caved. His girls. His two girls were everything he could think about. Amelie and their unborn daughter. His daughter, ''He found—''

''What the hell did you do?'' Draco shouted now, once again forcing his father back, ''Where is she?''

''I didn't know, son. I didn't know until he took us here. I didn't know....''

''Malfoy!''

He heard how Adrian called out for him as the thunder echoed around them. It was pitch dark outside now.

They found them. The Dark Lord found his Amelie. Atlas. Teddy. He found them. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't even blink. He just ran inside, up the stairs until he was standing in their room.

Their room. His and hers. And he watched how they had trashed it. How glass from the mirrors now coating the floor spilled in a mess. He saw her ring. Their ring was covered in blood.

His heart stopped. Dropping to the pit of his stomach.

Falling to his knees, he gripped the roots of his own hair, and he breathed out the heaviest breath he'd ever exhaled and with that breath. With that burn in his chest as he lacked air, something flipped inside him.

Adrian halted in the doorway, his eyes wide and his lips parted, ''Malfoy, they took all three of them.''

''I'm killing him,'' He didn't falter. Draco rose to his feet, with her ring in his hand as he stared down at it, ''This ends now, Pucey.''

His girls. His miracle. Her miracle. Their miracle. His Amelie. His daughter's mother. His daughter. Their daughter. Teddy. Atlas.

Malfoy had never been this angry. He had never been so furious that he kept calm, but he was now. He was so inflamed that even Adrian feared him at this moment, but he nodded, agreeing to what Draco spoke, ''Let's end this war, Malfoy.''

His chest heaved. His insides felt like they were on the far edge of exploding. He was burning. He was burning just like he was about to burn the world for her, "Let's end this.''

_____