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'' We need to leave now.''

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Draco Malfoy.

Amelie rested frozen before him. Her lower lip trembling. She didn't want to leave — she showed it more than well — and Draco could see that the resistance wasn't held for Adrian. It was for Theodore. She loved her best friend more than anyone else, and for Malfoy to be the one taking her away from him ached inside as a waver of doubt scored the blonde.

''Avery—'' Draco sought to reach out for her, but nothing. She held still as her eyes bored through his and a shaky breath fled her lips.

She shook her head, staring emptily at him, '' I can't go, Draco. I can't leave everything behind just because my father chose to escape. It doesn't work like that.''

Malfoy swallowed in an attempt to imagine how this could play out — every scenario possible flashed through his mind as he grumbled, '' I know it doesn't, but it has to, staying here isn't working for anyone right now.''

His eyes stared blankly, '' Especially not for you.''

Amelie sucked in a harsh breath, locking her eyes sealed as she placed her palms over his chest, and her tiny fingers gripped the fabric, '' I don't know what you want me to do, Draco...''

'' I want us to leave, we need to—''

'' I can't!'' She suddenly shouted. Her voice tore through the timber around them, echoing loudly, but she didn't move. Her eyes fell to look at his jacket. The tears prickling in them glinted in pain.

'' I can't, Draco. I can't leave. ''

Malfoy's head rose, looking over the darkness — the crackling noise of the unknown sounded as the leaves shrugged by the light wind.

'' Why?'' He looked down on her again, and he was scared to touch her. '' Why can't you leave?''

She huffed as her forehead dipped into his chest — she trusted him. Amelie trusted Draco in ways she had never trusted anyone before, and even if she didn't speak it out loud — he knew because, after years of abuse and torture — no one comes to terms with a touch that easily.

You stay clear of it, and that's what she used to do. She stayed away from every touch possible because all she ever felt in another person was hatred, spite, hurt — but not with Draco.

He was gentle with her — kind. He showed her that he was to be trusted, and after months of trying — she finally did. Amelie trusted him,

Just like he needed her to do.

Draco needed her to join him willingly. That was the only way the Dark Lord would accept her. Her father did leave. He fled, and Adrian returned for her, but not to hand her over to the Death Eaters — no.

That was Draco's task. That was his deal with the devil to get his father released from under Voldemort's power. His life for hers, and even if Malfoy had grown to care for Amelie, even if he had granted her with many promises — he had to do this, or the Dark Lord would kill his father.

At first, the Dark Lord used Draco himself as leverage — he sought for Malfoy to the cruelest of things to other human beings, and he did. Draco used his magic to take the lives of others, to torture them beyond imagination.

He was a monster, and she — she was his prey.

'' We need to leave, now.''

Amelie still hesitated as her head felt heavy against his chest. Draco didn't know what to do — how to make her join him. He gripped her shoulders, holding her back to face the angelic features she held, '' You are safe with me, Amelie.''

He needed to use her name — he loathed speaking it. He hated saying Amelie because it made him feel so much closer to her. He grew a conscience with her — Malfoy couldn't do as told when she was near, and especially not when she was looking at him, in the way she did when he said her name.

'' I promise you that I won't let anyone hurt you.'' He needed to convince her, and she needed to unite with the dark side on her own terms, or she wasn't of use — that was the deal.

'' What about Theo—''

Amelie was quickly hushed by the shouting that scored from afar, and footsteps rushed closer through the woods — they were here.

'' Amelie!''

'' Amelie, are you here?''

Draco held her near as they marched closer, and with his wand glued to his hand — he rose it against the voices, '' Whatever you do, Amelie, don't believe a word of what they tell you.''

'' Why shouldn't I—''

She didn't look at him. She merely held onto Malfoy as she was shaking out of her beliefs that her boyfriend was coming to take her away.

To take her to the Malfoy Manor, for the dark side to do as they wished with her — to turn her into one of them in order to complete her father's task — when he was really here, to save her from the boy holding her.

'' What are you doing, Malfoy?'' Adrian's voice tore in spite as his wand pointed directly at them, '' Let her go right now.''

'' Pucey—''

'' No, let her go right now, Malfoy.''

Draco swallowed. His jaws gritted and unclenched as she stepped back from him — her head snapped between the both of them, '' Is it true, Adrian?'' She said, her note airy in disbelief, '' Are you going to—''

'' Amelie,'' Theodore breathed out while striding closer to her, '' Don't leave with him. You don't know what he—''

'' That's enough, Nott,'' Malfoy spat, and he felt as if his temper missed him — his blood boiled.

They would convince her to stay — they had the power to do so. Draco knew that he did, especially her best friend. He had a hold of her that no one else could ever break through.

He watched her as she watched them. Her eyes glistened, yet they stared more than blankly, and she tried to clear the battle between her heart and mind.

Amelie wasn't a foolish girl. She was intelligent, witty, and deep inside; Draco believed that she grasped the fact that in one way or another — she had to leave. He had studied her thoughts, and the night her mother died — she had told Amelie all about this, how one day her father would leave, and how Amelie had to make it on her own

— and for her to do that, she had to leave. If it wasn't with Malfoy, it was with Theodore, but he could never do that — Theodore had too much pressure upon him. He couldn't leave. His family would've disowned him if he ever executed such a thing — and that left Draco because, in her mind, Adrian was a loved one, but not the one to trust — Malfoy was, and he had to take advantage of that.

He had to take advantage of her.

''Amelie, look at me.'' The grey eyes met hers, and he watched the fallen deem coat them, '' Remember what I told you? We need to leave.''

Her lashes battled the salty liquid as her chest rose and fell heavily, '' I know.'' She whispered, shutting her eyes closed, '' I know, Draco.''

'' No, Amelie, don't you dare.'' Adrian shouted as his hand clenched around his wand — his fingers shaking out of anger, '' I will kill you, Malfoy. I won't hesitate to kill you if you take her away from me.''

'' You're dead.''

Draco simply scoffed at the meaningless words. Adrian was not allowed to kill him — no one was, not yet, not until he did as the Dark Lord had asked.

His head shook as he kept his eyes in hers, trying to lead the two boys astray from his actions before he swiftly spun around — cutting them off guard.

'' Expelli—''

'' Stupefy!'' Malfoy shouted, and he proudly watched as his spell forced both of the boys into a tree before the fall knocked them out completely.

A gasp trailed her throat, and she looked at him with shredded eyes before she stumbled over to them. Amelie kneeled next to Theodore, '' You didn't have to do that, Draco.''

She arched over his unconscious body as she held him close to her chest, '' It's alright, Teddy.'' She whispered into his head, stroking a curl of hair out of his eyes, '' I'll be back, alright?''

'' I promise that I'll come back.''

Draco couldn't help but feel awful — at least for Theodore, but Adrian had told him, and he knew what the blonde was about to do — both of them knew about the task he was given.

'' Amelie, we need to go.''

She still hesitated with her arms around Theo and her head buried in his chest, '' I'll be back.'' Amelie gently placed him on the ground again as she doubtfully peered over at Adrian before looking back at Draco.

Her eyes clocked in his and without any more stalling — he snatched her by the arm as he pulled her closer, '' Apparate.''

_____

Amelie Avery.

The chilly wind had turned frozen as they stood before the Malfoy Manor — in the utter dark and not a light in sight, '' Draco, what are we—''

'' Be quiet.'' He hushed her down as his hand tensed around her arm, and he dragged her up to the entrance before he shoved the door open.

'' Mother!'' He yelled, pushing her in front of him, ''I have her.''

Amelie's veins iced, and her breaths ragged at the words he'd spoken, '' What are you talking about?''

Draco merely ignored her question, and he didn't even spare her a look. His jawline sharp by the gritted teeth as they caught his mother's heels stepping closer — her hair in a gracious bun, the dress lively around her.

'' Amelie, dear,'' Narcissa smiled, and she held her arms out to hug the bewildered girl — it felt safe to Amelie in her grip as she sensed her fingers stroking over her hair before she leaned back redoing the same act for her son.

'' I'm so happy you made it here in one piece.'' His mother bowed her head as her dark eyes clocked Amelie's, and she noticed the confused gaze in them. '' Amelie, dear? Are you alright?''

She chewed on the inside of her cheek as her head shook — her brown hair spilled over her shoulders, and she tried in a brave attempt to peer up at Draco, but only to notice that the blonde stood without a flash of emotion.

'' I don't—'' Amelie swallowed as she gathered her strength and courage to ask the question Draco constantly ignored. '' Why am I here?''

Draco signed out a loud huff, shoving his hands into his pockets, and the look of him — that little glimpse of guilt in his eyes, was more than enough for Amelie to realize that something was wrong — more than wrong.

'' Didn't Draco tell you why you're here?'' His mother questioned her as Amelie's brows furrowed. Her eyes snapped to watch her son,'' Draco, why didn't you—''

'' There was no time,'' The blonde one hissed at his mother's tells before he once again snatched Amelie by her arm to drag her past Narcissa, '' I'll show her to her room,'' He continued, '' And I don't want you in there, mother. You'll stay away from her.''

She didn't have a chance to look at his mother before his rough grip pulled her over the black tile floor — up the stairs, and he halted right in front of a large wooden door. '' Here,'' He mumbled as his hand closed around the doorknob.

The cold breeze slammed against them from the open window, and the grey curtains hanging next to it danced in the slips of wind.

Draco stormed into the room before he shut the window closed with an annoyed sigh. His palms were still placed on the window sill as he dropped his head, slowly wavering.

Amelie seized a shy step inside, closer to the boy, '' Draco, what is this about? What are you not telling me?''

He cleared his throat as he pushed himself off the sill. He shifted around, '' I lied to you.'' Draco's hand slipped beneath his suit jacket, and he pulled his wand out, '' Do you have your wand with you?''

Amelie's eyes narrowed as a rush of doubt scored her senses — he lied to her, yet he wanted to know about her wand. Her head shook, and the tips of her fingers gently tucked into the hem of her shirt — not for him to see.

The instant her hand curled into a fist around it — before she could even hold it properly,

'' Expelliarmus!'' Draco shouted, and her wand was torn from her fingers in a blink of an eye. His hand rose in the air as he took her piece in a swift move.

Amelie's brows knitted together as she felt startled, '' Draco, what is going on?''

The blonde one stared right through her — before his neck snapped to the hallway, ''Colloportus,'' Draco whispered, and the door slammed shut, locking itself as she noticed that the inside of the wood was held without a handle.

He was going to lock her inside. He sealed it with magic, and there was no other way out.

'' Now, Amelie. Now you will listen to me, and you will do exactly as I say,'' He held, and she could feel the spite of his grey eyes as they burned through her, '' Or else, you'll regret it.''

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