This chapter contains mentions of blood, violence, emotional trauma, and other upsetting themes. Please read with caution.

_____

''You never loved me, did you?''

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Amelie woke up with a strident gasp.

Her body jolted and writhed off the mattress in the belief she'd still be in danger. All she managed to remember was Draco's hand — his fist curled around her neck as he held her head below the piping hot water, how he tried to drown her in their own bathtub.

Tears instantly pearled in the brim of her eyes at the portrayal of Malfoy's treachery. He hurt her.

Draco Malfoy was the one person whose touch never bothered her. He could always embrace her, stroke his thumb across her cheek, hold her hand, wrap his arms around her. Not even that one time in Dublin where he almost suffocated her — hurt her, but this did.

Amelie was scared of what he did. She didn't think she was capable of ever being scared of something Draco put her through, but this claimed the price. Terrified beyond reason, she grasped at the covers around her, her fingers digging into the silk.

Feeling as a body weighted next to her, someone settling upon her mattress as the fabric sunk, ''Shhh...'' Theodore mumbled, crawling up over the sheets, ''It's just me, it's just—''

Amelie yet inched away. Frightened for the touch of another, not truly comprehending that Theo was the one next to her, and it took the girl minutes until she was capable of calming down.

''I'm—'' She whispered, shaking her head with tears rolling across her chin, ''I'm sorry, I just—''

It was so hard to speak. Her throat strained as every vocal ripped through her lungs.

''Shhh...'' Theodore kneeled over the bed, his arms faltered a bit in the air, bowing his head hesitantly, ''May I?''

With a rapid tip of her own head, Amelie nodded, and her hands reached between them, welcoming Teddy to comfort her, to bury herself in his ease and sympathy.

''Teddy—'' She shook, all of her, violently shattered in the arms of her best friend, but he didn't allow her to speak. Theo simply pushed his hand into her head, and he let her forehead lean to his shoulder.

They stayed like that, in silence for moments.

Amelie tried to breathe. She tried to remain calm, not to let the things Draco did to her  — drown her from within all over again.

''What happened?'' Her voice was barely heard, her limbs aching, ''What happened to him?''

A puzzled scowl mounted her friend, slightly shifting her around in his arms, and he looked at her with such skepticism, ''Amelie, what— he just tried to kill you? He attacked you, and he tried to kill you, and you want to know what happened to him—''

Shaking his head woefully, Theo stared away. Not for a second could he wrap his head around why she'd be concerned with Malfoy when he was the reason she was injured.

Theodore loved Draco, he adored the blond boy and every piece of heaven he brought Amelie, but he couldn't accept what had happened.

He couldn't get the feeling of Amelie's body, drenched in heated water, her skin nearly fuming out of the warmth. Her breaths weren't there. All she managed to choke up was the same water he tried to drown her in.

It haunted Theo. It was one of the worse things he'd ever had to live through because he knew how much Draco truly loved Amelie, and a betrayal similar to this one — was unforgivable.

''Don't say that,'' She weakly coughed, ''Don't speak like he's some mental...'' Her voice lowered, her throat strained, ''Something happened to him, something must have happened to him because he would never do this to me. You know that.''

''He did,'' Feeling as she slipped from his arms, Amelie kneeled back on the mattress, ''He did do this to you. He's not the one who dragged you out of that bloody water, Amelie. I did. I was the one pushing my hands into your chest for you to keep breathing, while Narcissa had to curse him. He was mental, Amelie. I have never seen anyone act like that before—''

''He didn't do this,'' Amelie stood up on the floor, her knees frail. Her voice shook, ''Don't blame him, Teddy. Don't speak about him like that when you don't know if it's him—''

''It's him, Amelie,'' Theo rested on the bed as she stepped up to the mirror, her eyes closing before she had any chance to see herself, ''It's him. It's Draco. I have searched his head, I tried to drain him of magic, but there isn't a trail of magic upon him. It's not polyjuice, and it's not a trance. This is Draco.''

''It's not...'' It was a whisper that left her lips, holding on to every ounce of hope she carried for Malfoy, wishing that this was a cruel joke, something that wasn't real, ''It can't be him, Teddy. I can't—''

Still with her lids sealed, she stood in front of her own reflection. Amelie refused to open her eyes and see the marks he'd caused her.

Theodore watched with a heavy heart as her skin vibrated, her frame wavering at what she wanted to do. He forced himself off the bed, taking long strides up to her, and he placed his hands on her shoulders unhesitatingly.

Swallowing the pain in his throat, he gazed across her bare body. She was standing in nothing but her bra and underwear — that wasn't what troubled him, but the purple shade her skin had veered into. Brutal marks covered her arms from Malfoy's fingers. Her throat was bruised beyond explanation.

''Amelie, I can take all of that away. You weren't completely healed before, but you are now. I can make all the marks go away. You shouldn't have to see—'' Theo sought to speak, but she drew a breath at his words, and it made him quiet down.

''I want to see them—'' She said, and she allowed her lashes to unroll, her sight mangled to the wall above the mirror at first, still dubious, ''I want to see—''

''You don't have to like you said — this isn't Draco. It can't be, so why look at something he didn't—''

A gasp, a silent heart-wrenching gasp fled her lips as the lower one quivered. Slowly beginning to shake her head, tears leaked from the brim of her eyes.

''Amelie—'' Theodore whispered lowly. Letting his fingers brush down the length of her arms, pushing his lips into the back of her head, ''Let me take them away. Let me take them away from you and let me help you sleep.''

''No...'' She looked blankly at the bruises in her skin, where he'd pained her enough that the veins filled with blood flooding through her ruptured and her skin caved, ''I don't want to sleep, Teddy. I want to see him.''

''Amelie—''

She didn't listen. Striding up to the armchair, she grasped at the robe, her robe. The night robe Draco kept safe for her and the robe he used to sleep with when she wasn't there, only to feel her scent.

Knitting it around her waist, she peered up at her best friend, ''Take me to him, please? You're keeping him somewhere in here? Don't you?''

''Amelie—''

''I deserve to see him,'' She mused, her eyes narrowed, and the stubborn loops in them wouldn't give in. Theodore knew that, ''It wasn't him, Teddy. It can't be him. I refuse—''

''I don't want you to see him before I know what's happening to him. I don't want you anywhere near Malfoy until I see for myself what went wrong. I tried to, but he's strong, Amelie. He's too strong and with just me there — he shut me out.'' Theodore's voice laced in heartbreak, ''He's... I don't know how he can be this strong. It doesn't make any sense.''

Theo had been trying to figure out what magic Draco was trapped underneath in order to act in the way he was. He cleansed the boy of magic. Still, nothing was put on a show. For the first time, in what felt like a lifetime — Theodore couldn't fix it.

''Then take me to him,'' Amelie begged, her fingers grasping at his arms, clinging onto her best friend, ''Take me to him and let me help. Maybe he's not like that with me? Perhaps I can distract him, and you can—''

''I don't want you to hurt, Amelie. He's not...'' Theo swallowed the doubt, scared and frightened of what he'd seen of Draco, ''He's not in his right mind. I don't think you'll—''

''Let me see him,'' Amelie didn't stall it. She didn't want to wait, ''I need to see him.''

It was with a groan and his head thrown back. He studied the girl. Scanning her features along with her damaged throat, he nodded.

Leading her through the hall, down the stairs, all the way to the basement, he huffed, and he turned around, facing her in the gloom, ''I had to take him down here. Narcissa didn't want Atlas running around and finding him.''

Her eyes flickered, feared and not at all prepared for what she'd be walking in on, ''Is he—''

''I tied him up. He's in a chair with magic surrounding him. I couldn't risk—'' He sounded so beaten, so weighted of the fact that Draco was doing this, ''He can't be let out, Amelie. You need to promise me that. I've seen what the Dark Lord does to people and what they become. I healed Adrian from it, and it's not pretty.''

Her shoulders sank, her skin paled, and she winced by the damp, chilly air, ''I know—'' Nearly choking on her own saliva, she tugged at the material of her robe, wrapping it tightly around herself, ''I wouldn't do that. I would never risk Atlas.''

''And you need to distract him,'' Theo continued, heard as severe, ''You need to keep him talking, and you need to keep him focused on you so I can get into his head.''

Amelie's feet soared against the stone-covered floor, scraping at the pads of it, ''I'll try.'' Her vocals trembled off her tongue.

Still, the boy hesitated for a mere minute, looking at her suspiciously before he aimed at the metal door, twitching his wand to make the metallic open itself.

''Malfoy,'' Theo said as he marched through the door, shooting a spell towards the lamp, and the light dimmed, ''I brought someone.''

''Yeah?''

That sent shivers down her spine, almost stabbing their way across her skin. It was his voice. It was Draco's voice indeed, but it shredded with so much malice that it nearly caused her to believe it was someone else.

''I don't want to see her. It's her you're talking about, right?'' Draco spat as Amelie stayed hidden behind the wall, not showing herself quite yet, ''I can feel her fucking perfume, and I don't want her here.''

''It's not up to you, is it?'' Theo countered, annoyingly with Malfoy's lack of respect, ''You lost any say you had when you did what you did last night.''

A dark chuckle left the blond's throat, clearing it provokingly, ''You mean what I should've done a year ago? Saved all of us from that pathetic excuse of a witch and everything she's done to fuck up our lives—''

''Shut that foul mouth of yours right now, Draco. The only pathetic one here, is you,'' Theo couldn't restrain himself when Malfoy was speaking with this much inhumanity, ''Betraying her like that makes you nothing but a sad — sad excuse of a—''

''Does it?'' He spat angrily now, ''If it weren't for her and her family, we all would be safe. You wouldn't have left your father behind, and I didn't have to give my whole damn life up for her—''

Amelie stepped into the room. Her arms hanging at her sides, eyes broad in tears at the look of him. His shirt was ripped apart, his hair tousled, and his skin dirty with dust. Theodore had chained him to a chair in the middle of the room. His wrists and ankles were tied down.

''There she is,'' Draco spoke, tipping his head to the side as he smirked, evilly, ''I was just telling Nott over here how much of a disappointment you are, Avery.''

Numb, that's how she'd explain the feeling.

His damned eyes finally caught hers, and there wasn't a string of warmth left within him, she could tell. She'd seen everything Draco Malfoy had to offer. Every vicious act, every word of love, but this — this was something else.

''What happened to you?'' Amelie said, bluntly not paying an ounce of attention to his insult.

''Fuck off.''

''What happened to you?'' She asked again, taking one step across the floor. His eyes swept across her, taking in every inch of the girl.

''Go to hell.''

She was closing in on him, feet away, ''What happened to you, Draco?''

Theodore took the opportunity as he quietly stepped behind the chair, raising his wand, and began to work.

''What are you even doing here, Avery? I thought I got rid of you, or at least I hoped—''

''What happened to you?'' Enchanting every word now, she put pressure upon her voice, doing all she could not let him see how scared she was.

''Leave—''

''What happened to you?''

''I told you to—''

''What happened to you?''

''Fucking leave—''

''What happened—''

''You!''

It hewed her off.

Draco took a breath, a deep one as he fixed his sight on her, ''You happened to me. When are you going to get that through your fucking head? You happened to me, Avery. It's all you, always you. Every damn thing that went wrong in my life — is because of you.''

Her jaws clenched, her lashes battled.

''Hard to hear, right? Tough fucking luck. This is your fault. I had a life before you. I had a family. I had fucking friends, and then you just had to—'' He was yanking at the chains, trying to break loose, ''You had to take everything from me.''

Theo looked at her with eyes crowded in tears, but he couldn't stop. He had to keep searching.

''I'm sorry,'' Amelie let out, silently, ''I'm sorry you feel that way.''

Malfoy's chest was heaving violently, ''I don't want your fucking apologies. I want you to die. I want you to die, and I want that annoying kid upstairs to go with you.''

It hurt her more than he would ever know.

''You love me,'' Her fingers twitched against her palms, ''You love me.''

''I fooled you,'' He shook his head, blond wet strands swayed to the side, ''I got into that sick head of yours, and I used you. Just like I said all those months ago, but you never let go, did you? You just had to become obsessed with me, and I figured I'd play along for a bit. I had to try and get Pucey's girl, right?''

''You're lying,'' Her note thin, her breaths shaking, ''I know you're lying.''

''I fucked you, didn't I?'' Draco laughed out, ''I got exactly what I wanted and now — I'm done with you.''

It wasn't true. She tried to reassure herself, over and over. It wasn't him talking. It wasn't him. It wasn't him. It wasn't him.

But at the same time — she'd heard this. The constant urge to make her feel tiny, to make her feel small and worthless.

It was as if she was trapped in a state of deja vu. She'd seen this before — this was what Adrian had shown her, what her own father attempted to make of her.

Draco had been tortured into a weapon. He'd been tormented into believing she was the danger and that she was at fault.

A wash of relief tore through her like a tidal wave because this wasn't her Draco. He hadn't lied to her. He didn't fool her — they played him. The Death Eaters took their opportunity when he was captured to change him without magic, to make it impossible for them to break him out of it.

Her Draco was still in there, somewhere, and she needed Teddy to continue his search of Malfoy's head, so she did what she had to do.

Amelie stayed silent. Her limbs aching.

''I'm yours, and you're mine? Or what is it that you keep telling yourself? Let me break it to you, Avery — I'm not yours. I never was. All I did was making you love me. I saved you, right? That's why you're so attached because I took all the evil away, but let's be honest, shall we?''

Draco was speaking so lowly that it shook her, her lips pushed together to keep her breathing steady.

Narrowing his eyes in hers, tauntingly, he spat, ''I am the evil, Avery. I am all your demons, and I am your devil. You worried so much about freeing yourself from Pucey that you didn't realize that I took you instead.''

Tears quietly rolled from her wide eyes.

''You think you're free now, right? That you are your own person? But you're wrong. You went from being brainwashed by one person to another, and that's your damn fault.''

She began to step away, to space herself from the cruelty he kept pouring over her.

''Everything is your fucking fault. If you just died that damn night like you were supposed to — we all would've been happy. We would've been free, but of course, you came back, like a gum stuck underneath a shoe. You crawl your pathetic way back into my life every bloody time.''

Standing in the doorway now, her head shook as he hauled at the chains keeping him tamed, ''I see why your father hated you. I can fucking tell why Pucey beat the life out of you every chance he got because who the fuck could stand you? You're a bloody disease. Everything around you crumbles and dies.''

Her arms falling to her sides, looking defeated.

''If you think Pucey was something — you haven't seen evil, Avery. I saved you from him, but only to be able to kill you myself, so slowly that you barely noticed it, right? You didn't see what I was doing to you all that time, making you so dependent that you can't live without me,'' Gripping the armrests of his chair, he jerked forward, ''But guess what? I don't want you. Perhaps I did once before you took everything from me, but you're fooling yourself if you ever think that I loved you.''

Not a single emotion showed upon her as she let out a trembling breath. Draco glared at her, devilishly, and just as his lips parted to keep offending her — her sight ripped from his, and she shot Theodore a pained stare, ''Did you get it?''

Nodding, the brunet stepped around the chair, halting right in front of Draco, ''I did.''

Malfoy scowled, furrowing his brows, ''What the—''

''Thank you for giving us what we needed, Draco,'' Amelie wiped the tears off her skin, courageously shooting him a forced smile, and then she walked out.

Her spine collided with the nearest wall, and she slipped down it. Her knees hugged to her chest as she buried her head into her arms.

She tried to stay unbothered in there. Amelie did everything she could not to break at the words he was spitting at her and convince herself that this wasn't Draco.

But the very second she stepped outside that door — she shattered. Sobbing inaudibly into her own touch, she caved.

This wasn't her Draco. She knew that. Yet, it hurt her more than words could ever come to explain.

''Love...'' Theodore mumbled, shutting the door with a loud thud before he slipped onto the floor next to her. His arms sheeting her shoulders, and he pulled her closer, ''It's not him. You know that. I saw—''

''I know what you saw...'' She huffed out a sob, shaking her head and burying her whole self his hold, ''I saw it too.''

''Torture...'' Teddy admitted, dragging her up on his lap, ''This is worse than I thought it would be. I hoped it would be a curse or something I could fix, but this—'' His eyes dashed in agony, his note cracked, ''I don't know if I can fix this, Amelie.''

It caused her tears to leak even more than they did before. Her skin burnt, ''We need to fix this, Teddy,'' She shuddered in his lap, weak and confused, ''I don't know how, but we need to fix this. He's—''

''I know, love,'' Pushing his lips into her forehead, he nodded, ''I know, and we will fix it. We can study, find articles and books about it, and we can research. There's hope to be found, Amelie. We just need to—''

''Find it,'' Finally looking up from her hiding, she forced the frailest of smiles, ''We need to find it.''

''He's still here, alright? Even if they turned him... into this. They didn't kill him, and he's still here. We can fix this. We just need to figure out how.'' Theodore was silently pleading to himself, ''I'll get the books right now, Amelie, and we'll—''

''I miss him,'' She whispered, her fraudulent smile faded.

It had been over a week since the madness rose around them, ever since Narcissa showed up on the doorstep of the cabin — she hadn't known peace. Her world was a constant battle, and she felt like she hadn't slept properly for ages.

Amelie was wounded, both by her mother and by the fire she'd set Azkaban on. She had found out the truth that Hermione was no longer a star, brightening up this dimmed world. Blaise sacrificed himself for her sake and Adrian — he finally got to rest.

There weren't many reasons left for her to fight. Everything around her crumbled, the verity was never going to be the same, and it pained her to a point where she didn't know if she wished to make it.

All she had left was the people in this house, her own safe haven in human form — the shape of heaven in mortal frames. Perhaps home wasn't a place but a person, she believed, several of them.

It would always be them to her, and now she was scared to death that she'd lose Draco. That he wouldn't be able to break out of the mind, they so viciously placed him within.

_____

''No, you have to throw it!'' Amelie chuckled, watching her little brother pitch the ball in her direction, ''There you go.''

Atlas burst out in laughter the second she failed to catch it, ''You're not good at this at all!'' He shouted, ''If I need to throw it, you need to take it!''

Stepping up to the ball laying on the grass, she hunched, picking it up, ''Well, if you threw it—''

Altas placed his hands on his waist, gaily shaking his head at her, ''Don't blame me now.'' He smiled broadly as his dimples showed, ''I'm better at this than you.''

''You're not—'' Frowning, her hair danced in the wind, ''You need to—''

''Yeah, yeah,'' He jeered, still with a smirk as it swept across his features, ''I'm seven, Amelie, and you're losing to a child.''

''Atlas!'' She bent back up, her fist tensing around the ball, before she threw it in his direction, ''Don't be mean—''

''I'm not mean,'' Chuckling and catching the ball, his cheeks held a rosy color, ''I'm just telling the truth.''

''You spend too much time with Teddy,'' Amelie rolled her eyes, her arms dropping to her sides as she felt the last strokes of sun tickle at her nose, ''You're starting to sound just like him.''

''Teddy cheats,'' Atlas folded his arms across his chest, hugging the ball, ''He's so much taller than me, so he throws it too high—''

''Teddy is what?''

The voice came unexpectedly from behind Amelie, making her wince as she spun around. Her whole self calmed the instant she placed her sight upon him, his curls messy, his shirt half unbuttoned, ''He says you're a cheater, Teddy. Is that true?'' Raising a mocking brow, ''Are you cheating when you play with my little brother?''

''He is!'' Atlas beamed, running his way towards them, and without notice, he threw the ball right at Teddy, ''He always cheats when we play.''

''I don't!'' Lifting his hands in the air, he glared playfully at the boy wrapping his arms around Amelie's legs, ''It's not my fault that you don't know how to play—''

''Draco always lets me win,'' Atlas snickered, but Amelie and Teddy didn't.

The sphere around them slightly drained at the spoken words, and she stiffened in her movements. Not truly certain what to say or what to do.

Four days had passed since she rescued the blond boy she so painfully longed for, and they hadn't come any closer to a solution for him. Malfoy was yet a monster, a merciless, cruel human being, and he didn't spare a chance to insult and hurt her with his menacing words.

Still, she was down there every day. Every night Amelie insisted on bringing him food — during the days, she let his mother or Teddy take care of it. She spent all her time researching, and she played with her little brother.

Amelie sought to it that she'd devote as much time she possibly could with Atlas. He was so confused and so puzzled by what was passing around them. Draco was nowhere to be found, and his mother was still in the wind.

Nothing was the same to that fragile soul, but she tried to make it manageable. Allowing the boy to sleep in her bed, she read to him every night, and she woke up at him chuckling at her soft snoring in the dawn. Atlas was her sanity in the missing of Malfoy. She didn't know what she'd do without that lively little soul. He blessed her life for the better, and them earning the chance to know each other, mastering each tiny thing about another, was the composure within the chaos.

''He'll be back soon,'' Teddy said with a faint smile, nearly holding his breath, ''He's looking out for us right now, but he'll be back before you know it.''

Amelie looked away, her teeth gritted, and she tried not to break down. She'd been so strong. She'd stood so solidly, and she craved to keep that act going.

''And mom too? Right? She'll be back?'' Atlas peered up at the brunet, his eyes glinted in hope, and a joyful cloak swept across his face, ''She's been gone for days. I miss her.''

Humming, ''We'll get them back.'' Theodore nodded at the boy, taking a stride closer as he, with his hand, tousled Atlas's hair before he moved it up along with the length of Amelie's arm, and he cupped her jaw.

''We will fix this, love.'' He promised, keeping his eyes mangled with hers, not once looking away from her, ''I promise.''

''Dear!'' Narcissa shouted from the entrance of the house, her hands angled and waving in the air, ''It's time for a bath, Atlas! You've been playing outside all day. I can't begin to imagine how dirty your clothes must be, and Amelie... it's time...''

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Narcissa gave a swift nod of her head, ''For dinner.''

Atlas scoffed, threading his arms over his chest, ''Why can't I get dinner?'' He scowled, yet it was adorable to all three of them, ''How come I have to bathe, and Amelie gets dinner—''

''Just get inside,'' Theodore roared merrily. His tone was gentle as he started sprinting after the boy, ''You're filthy, Atlas. You have mud everywhere, and if you don't get inside to bathe, I'll have to throw you into the lake, and we don't want that do we?''

''Throw me in the lake!'' Atlas laughed out at Theodore's arms folding around him, and he draped the boy across his shoulder, ''I want you to throw me in the lake!''

Her brother couldn't stop laughing as he hung over Theo's spine, his skin reddened, and his chuckling broke by spirited screaming, ''Too bad, now I'm throwing you into the bath instead. God, you stink, Atlas.''

''No, you stink!''

''No, you—''

''Theodore!'' Narcissa smiled, leaning against the metallic fence around the porch. Her eyes slightly widened by the little boy wresting the larger one as he still swayed over his shoulder, ''Be gentle, please. I don't want him to get hurt.''

Amelie stalked after them, stepping up the stairs, and Narcissa was quick to reach her arms out for a hug. She could always tell when Amelie needed some comfort.

Narcissa had grown to care for that kind-hearted girl more than she ever believed she could. She was so grateful for Amelie and everything she still managed to do, even if she ever so was robbed of her happiness.

''I put a tray on the counter, dear.'' Narcissa mumbled into Amelie's hair, tightening her arms around the girl as she hugged her back, ''Make sure he eats, please. He barely had any breakfast or lunch.''

''I'll try,'' Amelie whispered, drawing a deep breath as her bones felt like they'd dust, ''He threw his food at me yesterday.''

''He did what?'' Narcissa leaned back, her hands gripping Amelie's upper arms, and she shook her head, ''Why on God's earth would he—''

''It's not a bad thing,'' Amelie tried to smile, her throat hurting. It hurt so much to breathe, to speak. Without Draco, everything hurt, ''He's showing emotion. He gets angry. That's just a good thing.''

''Mhm...'' The lady suspiciously frowned, pushing her lips together in a firm line, and she wasn't at all pleased with what Amelie said. She couldn't stand her son being cruel to her, ''I can go down there tonight if you want? You don't have to—''

''It's alright,'' Amelie took a track back, huffing out at the sun as it lowered between the tree crowns, but she was quick to return her gaze at Narcissa. Her hair fell so smoothly across her shoulders, Amelie always loved the fusion of brunette and blonde she carried, ''I'd like to see him, even if he's... like this.''

''Amelie...'' Narcissa appeared beaten, shooting a rapid glance across her shoulder to see that Atlas wasn't there to hear, ''Theodore told me what he says to you, Draco, I mean, and it's not kind things. You don't deserve what he's doing to you or what he did in that bathroom.''

''It's not him,'' She tried to convince herself, just like she'd done for the past three days, over and over, she forced it into her mind, ''It's not him. It's them. They made him this way and I—''

''He was like this before... you came into the picture.'' Narcissa gave a faint curl on her lips, tilting her head, ''He was a monster, Amelie. I know you didn't see it, and I know you'll never believe me when I say it because you only see the good in people, but he was someone I hoped would be gone for good.''

Inhaling sharply, she reached and tucked a strand of Amelie's hair behind her ear, ''I would be lying if I say that I don't see him again.''

Her eyes flickered nervously across the lady as she withdrew, backing away from her, ''Don't mistake me, Amelie. I love my son no matter what he is or regardless of how he behaves, but I just hope we get Draco back, or else — I don't know what we can do to protect ourselves from him.''

Amelie stood petrified, once again — the time before her and Draco was brought up, and she barely knew a thing about it. He never told her, he didn't wish to speak about it, but she could tell that it was horrifying.

The things he'd said in the cellar of the castle the night of the masquerade, how he was the Dark Lord's favorite, and how he was shaped and formed to what Voldemort desired him to be. Amelie was always terrified of his past, not for her own sake but for his.

It haunted him to a point where he laid awake all night so that he wouldn't fall asleep and have his damaging nightmares. Malfoy rarely had nightmares these days, ever since Amelie owned her own mind again and after they found harmony in each other — he never dreamt anything bad.

''I know...'' She whispered, looking back at the lady, ''We have to get him back, Narcissa or else—''

''We will,'' Narcissa smiled graciously. Only she carried that arch on her lips and the calming effect it had, ''We will try, at least, but now you'll have to forgive me before Atlas pours water all over his bathroom again.''

''Thank you,'' Amelie stared after the lady as she disappeared into the house.

Warmth swelled within her, taking over every single nerve she retained. Narcissa cared dearly for Atlas, and she offered to do everything with him. She made sure that her brother showered and bathed almost every day. That his clothes were clean and that he never went hungry.

She played with him when Amelie didn't. Narcissa made him assist her with every meal, and he would brag about how good he was at chopping vegetables. Setting the table and helping with the dishes afterward was also something he cherished. She taught him how to look after the garden, how to plant, and how to reap, and she always, every morning following breakfast, brought him down to the lake in order to feed the ducks.

Atlas loved feeding the ducks, throwing the bread as far as he could to see the birds chase it. That was all he rambled about before he fell asleep, and Amelie made sure to be there when he went to bed. She let him doze off into imagination with her arms around him — she wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would he.

Their mother was still missing, and Draco couldn't be further away — so they found shelter with each other. Finally, after seven years — the two siblings, at last, had another.

Striding into the kitchen, her fingers trapped the tray. She carried it to the basement, placing it on the floor and hauling her wand up to unlock the door.

Taking the deepest breaths, she gathered the strength she knew she'd need for this, and she opened the metal.

''You again,'' Draco scoffed the instant he caught her perfume, and he slid down a bit in his chair, settling both of his elbows upon the armrests, ''How disappointing.''

''You have a way with words, Malfoy.'' Amelie kept her face clean of emotion, not a feeling showed as she walked closer, settling the tray upon the table, and she dragged it across the floor, ''Never seem to disappoint me in that field.''

He reacted to that. It was with a thick swallow he grimaced at the way she said his last name. He always loathed when she did that, ''I'm not hungry.'' The blond muttered, nearly spitting his words at her, ''So take that and get the hell—''

''I don't care. Your mother wants you to eat, so you better eat.'' Amelie huffed, shoving the table near the boy with a squeak as it ripped over the stone-covered ground, ''And I don't bother for that attitude, Malfoy, so keep it to yourself.''

She backed up, her spine hitting the wall from across the room. She slipped down it, hugging her knees to her chest, she stared blankly at the floor, and she waited for him to be done.

Quietness soared around them, and she tried not to let it mirror on her, not displaying just how much this ached within.

Clearing his throat, Malfoy took a bite of his dinner, ''You never spoke like that to me before,'' He murmured, ''Why are you speaking like that to me now?''

''Well,'' Amelie lifted her chin, and her pained stare leveled him instead, ''You never tried to kill me before, so what do you think?''

''Should have done it sooner,'' Taking another bite, he glared at her.

Amelie combed her fingers through her hair, ''Perhaps you should've.''

''What?'' He snapped, out of nowhere, ''What the fuck is that—''

She didn't say a word. Looking away, she hummed silently to herself, pretending that she failed to notice how he reacted. Theodore told her that it was important not to encourage his change in manners. It needed to come naturally, so she ignored it, then Draco wouldn't realize it himself, and he'd keep doing it.

''Avery, I'm talking to you,'' Malfoy frowned, putting his fork down, ''Don't be pathetic, Avery—''

''Are you done?'' She said, coldly still not sparing him a glance, and it felt like her heart dropped. She wasn't fond at all to portray herself this way, ''I have things to attend to.''

''No, I'm not fucking done.'' Draco lied, trying to figure out the girl as she yet sat on the floor, ''What things? More crying, perhaps? More begging for me to come back to you? Perhaps you should stab yourself again.''

Peering down at her hands, Amelie locked her sight at them, shunning the boy. It hurt her tremendously that he made a fool out of her. She was down here the first night after Theodore had gone to bed, and she cried. She pleaded and begged for him to come back to her, and now he taunted her for it.

''Avery, what things—''

''It doesn't concern you anymore, does it?'' She fired, her eyes flickered to meet his, and the tiny twinkle in the corner of them caused her to feel sick. She missed him so much, ''It has nothing to do with you, so if I cry or stab myself — it's none of your business.''

''What is your bloody problem?'' Draco nearly shouted at her, slamming his fists into the table and throwing his tray to the floor as it shattered. Porcelain and glass crushed and spilled, ''You don't get to talk to me like that—''

Shaking her head, Amelie was used to him acting this way. She pushed herself up, carefully walking closer, and she kneeled again, starting to pick the pieces off the ground. It turned absolutely silent. Only the heavy panting of the boy echoed.

''Do you hate me yet?'' Malfoy blurted out, causing her brows to knit and her neck to move, looking up at him.

''What?'' She asked, reacting annoyingly.

''There's no way you still love me after I tried to kill you. So it's an easy question, Avery. Do you hate me?''

Taking a moment, she placed the pieces of glass on the tray.

''Can you answer my damn question?'' Growing impatient, he yanked at his chains, bending over his knees to see her properly, ''Do you still love me—''

''I don't know.''

It took all of her as she stood up, leaving the clutter on the ground.

Amelie needed to hurt him. She needed him to feel something. She lied, when she truly loved him so much that she tore herself in two to try and get him back.

She needed her Draco back.

''Fucking great,'' Draco tried to be rude, but she could see as she watched him how his shoulders slightly sunk, his evil smirk faded. This hit a nerve, ''Then it won't do as much damage when I kill you.''

Holding herself from letting the tears roll, she drew a breath, ''It won't hurt at all. As soon as I know that Atlas is safe and hidden in a place, you'll never find him — you're free to kill me, Malfoy.''

Blinking, surprisingly, he gritted his jaws.

''Because that's what you wished for all along, isn't it? Killing me? Fooling me into thinking you ever cared for me, and then — then you get to kill me, perfect, right? You give me everything just to take it away. It's genius, really.'' She kept her tone low, ''So, no. I won't stop you. You gave me everything I wanted, so why should I keep you from getting what you want?''

Kneeling again, she kept on going, ''So when the time comes, you'll be the one to kill me. It was always supposed to end this way, correct? I was always meant to die, and I was always meant to die for you. I already did once, so what—''

''Stop,''

''So what would the difference be now? I mean, yes — last time, I killed myself for you because I couldn't imagine a life without you, and now you'll be the one to take my life for good, ironic, isn't it?''

''Stop it.''

''I hope you'll be happy without me, Malfoy. I hope you'll be able to live and breathe in all the ways you couldn't when I was here, and I hope—''

''Fucking stop it!''

It burnt within him. His veins torched on fire at the way she was speaking, how she shaped the tells of her not being alive anymore. Draco didn't understand it, but it caused him to feel nauseous.

''And why should I do that? You have done nothing but threatening me for days, so why should I—'' Standing up, she banged the tray onto the table, ''Why should I stop? You have made yourself more than clear, Malfoy. You don't love me. You never loved me. You should be happy that I'm letting you kill me.''

''Shut up!'' Draco jerked forward, ''Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!'' His chains rattled, and without truly knowing what he'd done — he felt his blood ice by the view of Amelie on the ground, squealing in pain of the way he'd forced the table with the tray of broken glass towards her.

''No—'' He gasped, silently, ''Avery, fuck—''

She didn't say anything at first. Stalling herself for a moment, she remained on the ground.

''Avery,'' Draco called out for her, ''Avery, can you stand—''

Tears rimmed in her eyes, and she shook her head, giving him a stare that if he'd been in his right mind — he'd die. Amelie never looked at him as if she was scared of him, but she did now.

''Avery—''

''You weren't lying...'' She uttered, raising from the stone with splinters of glass all over her skin. He hurt her. ''You never loved me, did you?''

Leaning back into his chair, Draco looked away. He couldn't look at her without feeling something. He wasn't allowed to feel.

''I figured,'' She coerced a frail curl on her lips. Her persona was calm and steady, ''I think it's better if your mother takes care of all your meals from now on.''

''Damn it, Avery—''

Her eyes held the weight of a thousand demons, and she looked right at him, memorizing the boy she loved more than anything, ''Take care, Malfoy.''

''Avery, for fucks sake—''

''Avery, don't you fucking dare! Get back here!''

She flung the door shut, her chest exploding, her heart feeling as if it would beat out of its cage, and she couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears. Falling to the rocks, Amelie cried. She sobbed, and she whimpered.

_____

''Why aren't you sleeping?'' Theodore asked from behind her puzzlingly. He watched as she sat on one of the sofas, the fireplace was alighted, ''It's really late, Amelie—''

''I can't sleep.'' She stated, tucking her chin against her chest as she watched the flames sparkle. It was the middle of summer, yet it brought her so much solace to have it lighted, reminding her of Draco and all the times he put the fireplace in Malfoy Manor on fire for her.

''How did it go with Draco?'' He mumbled, slipping down next to her, wrapping his hands around her ankles, and he pulled her legs to his lap, ''Was he—''

''I can't do this anymore, Teddy,'' Whispering now, almost as if she was scared to hear her own words. She didn't want to admit to it, but Amelie wasn't sure she'd be able to hold on for much longer. It was breaking her in ways she had failed to be torn before. ''I'm actually starting to believe him. I don't think he ever loved me...''

She always took everyone else's sins, but she couldn't master Draco's. He was her savior, her reason to keep battling. Never did she imagine she'd be fighting him.

''Or I think he did, but I think at some point — he stopped. I don't think he loved me in the end, Teddy, and it hurts.''

''Don't say that. You know exactly how much Malfoy loves you. The only reason this happened was because he loves you so much that he surrendered to get your mother back. Never question his love for you. He'd do anything to have you and to be with you. You know that.'' His tone harsh now, cocking his head as he saw the tiny cuts in her arms, how it still reddened around the marks, ''What the—''

''It's nothing,'' Shaking her head, her hair leaked in a mess across her shoulders. She didn't get the air she needed, ''It's nothing, Teddy. I promise.''

Narrowing his eyes, Theo clenched his jaws, ''What did he do?''

''Nothing—''

''Tell me what he did,'' Stroking his fingers across the span of her arm, he felt her skin vibrating. Her bones crumbling.

Propping herself up a bit, she tried to stay solid, ''He never hurt me before all of this, Teddy and I can't—'' Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, ''I don't know if I can do this anymore. Perhaps it's just better for us to take Atlas and go.''

Lifting a brow, a bewildered look took over, ''You're not giving up on him.''

''I'm not!'' Amelie gripped the fabric she was seated on, nervously tugging at the skirt of her dress, ''I'd never give up on him, Teddy. I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. If he leaves, I leave. It will always be that, no matter what state he's in, but for now — sometimes, I feel like it's better for us to take Atlas and run.''

''Amelie—''

''I pushed him too far today. I went too far, and he showed me something, he got emotional when I said I didn't love him anymore—''

''Do you?''

The asked question caused her to frown, and she looked right at him, her legs heavy upon his lap, ''Of course I do. I will always love him.''

''Are you still in love with him?'' His tone crammed with doubt, ''Like, in love — love?''

Tears began to prickle and pool, ''I am. I am so in love with him that it hurts.''

''Then what are we even discussing—''

''I don't know! You? Narcissa? Atlas?'' She forced herself off the couch, standing up and wrapping her arms around herself, ''I can't think about myself right now, Teddy. They are getting closer and closer every day that passes. The Dark Lord will find us, don't you think I see the paper? How they rade house after house, they will find this one eventually. My spells won't work when they do, and if Draco hasn't killed me already — they will.''

''Amelie—''

''And I'm not scared of dying. I'm not scared at all, but I am scared for you, for Atlas, for Narcissa and for—'' She choked on her own words, her throat aching as she sobbed out, ''And for Draco. I am so scared for him, Teddy—''

Backing away, she shook, the entirety of Amelie was shaking uncontrollably, ''What if I don't get him back? What if I don't have him anymore? He's supposed to be here with me. It's supposed to be us, and not this.''

She slammed her hand across her mouth, muffling the sounds not to be heard. Theodore arched forwards on the couch, and he reached for her hand, dragging her into him as he stood up, ''He'll be back, love. He'll be back, and you'll be together—''

''I just miss him,'' Burying her head in his chest, she hugged him. That was the only place that seemed to feel safe these days, ''I miss him so much that I can't breathe. I can't sleep because if I do — I'll dream of him, and I can't be dreaming about him, Teddy. I can't be dreaming about him when I can't have him.''

Theodore felt the tears stinging in his eyes. It almost hurt to touch her, knowing how much she was suffering, when he carried pain of his own. He'd lost the one person he hoped to spend the aftermath with, and he constantly buried that agony in order to save Amelie from hers.

''I know you don't believe me, but we will get him back. We'll get him back, and we'll—''

Amelie snapped her neck, quickly and it made the boy coil back with her in his arms, ''What the—''

She looked around skeptically. Squinting, Amelie let go of her friend, and she stepped towards the hallway, ''Did you hear that?'' She could've sworn she heard something.

''Amelie, what are you doing?'' He whispered, harshly as she snuck out into the corridor, ''For God's sake—''

She didn't wait for him. She didn't stop until she reached the foyer of her house, and she reached for her wand, tucked into the waistband of her skirt. She lit the candles, hanging across the walls on fire with a mere spell.

''What is happening...'' She spun around hastily as she paralleled her front door, and if she didn't know any better — she would've thought that the soil underneath her feet was quaking and the midst summer air-cooled.

Knitting her brows, she took hesitant steps up to the entrance of her home before she settled her fist around the handle. Amelie paused, taking a breath. If Draco were here, he would've stopped her, but he wasn't.

Malfoy wasn't hers anymore.

Slowly twisting her wrist, Amelie shoved the door wide, and the next thing she knew — she didn't believe it to be true. Never did she think she'd face the damned eyes ever again.

''No, no, no—'' She whispered, throwing herself out the door at the vision of a fallen boy on her porch. Her knees crushed along the ground, and she covered his body with hers.

His skin was almost purple, and when she touched it, she felt like she was holding pure ice. He was so cold. Barely a movement over his chest, his eyes sealed and his clothes stained in burns and blood.

''Teddy!'' Amelie shouted so loudly that it crackled at the pitch of it. Doing everything she could, she hauled his freezing body with her, pulling him onto her lap, and she held him, ''Teddy!''

Amelie cried again, ''Teddy, hurry, please!''

''What the hell are you—'' He stoned in the doorway, not properly seeing who she was holding, ''Who is that—''

''He needs help,'' She shook, her fingers grasped at his torn shirt, ''He's so cold, Teddy. I think he's dead. You need to look. You need to see—'' Rambling, her sanity fled her body.

''Please, Teddy. You need to—'' Begging and pleading, ''Teddy, do something—''

''Amelie, who—''

''Please—''

''Who is it?''

Her own skin and dress smeared in the boy's blood, and she felt the scent of burning smoke as it came from him, ''He's dying, Teddy. It's—'' Gulping, she pinched her lashes shut, swaying her body with him hugged her chest.

She held onto the boy for dear life as she whimpered, ''It's Adrian.''

_____