This chapter contains violent scenes and blood. Please read with caution.

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''326.''

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Reality looped around her, brutally almost as she felt sick.

Amelie hadn't used her own magic in ways similar to this one in months. Ever since Adrian robbed her of her wand in the Manor the night he came to take her away — she never practiced her own magic until a few nights ago when Theodore came stumbling in, hurt and wounded.

The nauseous sensation wavered her, and she tried her best to swallow it with Theo kept close to her — Amelie shut her eyes closed, squinting as they landed in Edinburgh, on what looked to be an abandoned street, an alley with no lights or people.

She took a step back from her friend, peering around in the dark. She couldn't recall a thing. It all looked so different since she last visited this town.

''Is this it?'' Theodore spoke lowly. His teeth shattered as he looked around, his wand held high, ''This doesn't look like a practice to me.''

He stared blankly at the buildings surrounding them. Every single one was brick-covered and aged. It looked ghastly to him, scary and frightening as he took a step closer to Amelie.

''What are you—'' Amelie whispered, flinching at the feeling of Theodore's chest pressing into her back, and she nearly chuckled as she heard the stressed breaths he held, ''Teddy, it's not even scary, it's just...dark.''

Theodore clocked back to what he was doing, looking down at her wide-eyed from above and stepping back awkwardly.

He straightened his shoulders, poking his chest out, ''I'm not scared, Amelie, can you stop?'' He mumbled, offended, ''I never said I was scared.''

She rolled her eyes away from him as she began walking down the alley. Her feet stumbled across the rock-clad ground in the gloomy embrace.

''Wait—'' Theodore shouted, running his way close to her as he intertwined their arms, walking closely, ''You can't just—''

''Not scared, was it?'' Amelie grinned, her wand firmly hugged in between her fingers as she whispered, 'lumos' underneath her breath, and it shun brightly from the edge of it, ''There you go, better?''

Theodore scoffed, attempting to shove her back from him, but she held onto him.

It was strange to her, feeling the strength of her magic again. This wand truly fitted her. It was perfect. Draco always knew her better than she'd ever understood herself, and no one except him would pick out one as made for her as he did.

She stared down at her gift. It was straight, with carved patterns into the whole thing, beautiful to say at least. It had a ring right above the handle, silver coated, exactly like her bracelet and Draco's rings.

He'd really thought about this, about her.

It was as if he was with her through that wand. That it wasn't only her strength but his power combined with hers. She left safe with it in her hand as if nothing could hurt her because he had unchained her, allowed her to be the most of herself.

They rounded a corner. She nearly walked as if she knew where she was going, unconsciously, and Teddy vacantly followed.

It turned brighter from there, but it was still more than harrowing, especially at night, to Teddy at least.

Amelie had seen worse, lived through more horrible things than she would ever be able to explain — this wasn't far as frightening to her as it was to him. 

They hurried across the empty streets, not wishing for anyone to notice them as they lurked around the town.

''Here...'' Amelie halted, making Theodore slip out of her grip as she turned to the side, staring down yet another darkened alley. She closed her eyes and twitched her wand for her magic to burn out.

''I think...'' She whispered, not looking around as she sought to feel her way there. Theodore stared at her shockingly. He couldn't begin to grasp how she'd ever walk into that lane with her eyes closed and no lights.

But Amelie wasn't foolish, rather the opposite. She tried to imagine her steps down this backstreet, just like she'd done as a child.

How her father's car had stopped right there.

Amelie halted again, standing in stillness for a second as she remembered how she jumped over her father in the back seat and how he stepped out after her.

Her eyes squeezed tighter, and she began walking again.

She recalled how her father refused to hold her hand, so she always gripped the pocket of his robe, turning it inside out, so her fingers felt the silky material inside of it. He usually rolled his eyes at her and cursed underneath his breath.

Amelie felt a stinging sensation in her chest at the memory, but she kept walking.

Her father at many times stopped and lit a cigar on fire before he began marching again, shouting something to the man still standing by their car as Amelie skipped beside him.

One whole cigar was what it took for them to get there — for her feet to hurt due to how fast he'd been striding and her almost falling over because she had a hard time keeping up.

He would, if he was in a bad mood, yell at her the whole way — telling her how if she'd ever got him in trouble here or if she did anything to make him late, she'd pay for it.

Still, he brought here along everywhere.

He wished to keep an eye out for her even when he couldn't stand her.

Amelie stopped again, and her eyes peeled open.

A massive property showed before them. It was here — this was it, the right place, where she'd always accompanied her father.

It looked like a castle, almost hidden behind a majestic gate, and a thick layer of forest-covered around it. Dreadful was the way to describe it.

Something she read in the novels in Draco's room, something out of a fairytale.

It didn't look as fallen when she was younger, but now it did. Abandoned, poorly, and rotten, almost.

The wind wasn't as soothing anymore. It shifted cooly for every step she took up to the fence.

''Is this...'' Theodore gulped, his body tensed, ''Is this it?''

''I don't know if the Doctor you told me about was here, but this is the only practice I can remember my mother and father visiting,'' Amelie hushed, her fingers traced over the metal bars, whispering a spell below her gasps that caused the lock to blow in pieces.

Theodore's eyes flickered at that. It had been such a long time since he'd seen Amelie in action with her magic, and it blew his mind every time.

''Careful—'' Theodore rasped out, taking a stride forward from stopping the gate to slamming right on her. Amelie winced back as he caught her, one arm around her spine to save her from falling.

She felt a smile as it dragged on the edges of her mouth, and relief swept across her face, ''Thank you.''

Teddy merely smiled back as he held it open for her to pass, and they did.

They stalked in on the miles-long yard, and not a human in sight. It was deserted. Windows were cracked, and glass spilled everywhere.

The sky darkened even more as closer they got to the building, and the wind turned biting cold. Theodore flinched as he caught the bolting sound of thunder.

''Are you sure it's—'' He paused, constantly checking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following them, ''Is it the right place?''

Amelie nodded, her fingertips twitched against the palms of her hands nervously. She wasn't scared, yet it indeed was intimidating.

''Here,'' Amelie whispered, pointing towards a side door, ''Father always walked in here.''

She began to stroll towards it, walking rashly to it as Theodore sighed loudly. He didn't find any pleasure in this.

He regretted even mentioning to her that he was meant to go here.

Her hand closed around the handle, and she stopped, waiting for him to join her, ''Teddy, can you hurry, please? It's already been an hour, and if we're not back until Draco wakes up, we'll be in so much—''

The squeaking sound of a swing hewed her off, and her eyes flickered to watch it. She felt shivers, stabbing their way down her back by the look of it, swaying in the wind.

Theodore stopped as well, hastily as his eyes broadened and his face paled. He cloaked sick.

''Teddy!'' Amelie whispered, harsher, waving her hand at him, ''I'll go by myself if you'd rather stay out here—''

''No—'' He gasped out, almost running towards her, ''No chance in hell, I'm sticking with you.''

Her head snapped to the door again, opening it slowly not to cause too much attention in case someone was in here. If it wasn't as forsaken as it seemed to be.

Both of them coughed as they stepped inside, hearing the door close behind them with a loud slam. It was dusty, and it swirled around them as she waved her wand again, and the icing light flickered.

The hallway was empty — harrowingly empty. Hospital beds piled up along the walls, and pieces of garbage smeared the floor.

She clamped her teeth together. Her dress fluttered in the small strokes of wind that blew through the corridor. It was cold, and it stung at her bare legs.

''Which way?'' Theodore whispered, bending down to her level to hear her reply, but she didn't say anything. Amelie simply turned around quickly and marched over the plastic floor.

He blinked, surprisingly for the courage she carried before he tripped after her into the shadows, heeding after her echoing steps.

Narrowing her sight at the doors she passed, her view snapped across the numbers. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she knew that she'd recognize it the instant she placed her eyes upon it.

321.

322.

323.

324.

325.

326.

She stopped.

326.

There was something about that number that felt utterly familiar. She closed in on the door, looking slightly at the tag next to it, 'Dr. Brown.'

''Teddy...'' She mumbled, her fingers brushed the dust off the name, ''I think this is it.''

She didn't wait for him before she flung the door wide and doubtfully strode inside. It was a mess as her eyes gaze across it.

Books sheeted the floor.

The desk had been searched and thrown upside down.

The windows were broken, curtains ripped apart, and the drawers to his archive had been shredded to pieces — paper both whole and ripped apart ones fluttered in the wind, seeping through the cracks of the diminished glass.

Amelie raised her wand, feeling the hesitancy as it grew loudly within her, but she tried her hardest to ignore it. To not give in nor give up. She couldn't.

Even if she realized how wrong this was — how much she shouldn't be doing this without Draco here, she needed to see it through.

Theodore stumbled inside, looking around unexpectedly, and he swallowed what he saw. Someone had been here before them. Someone had already searched and torn this whole office to pieces.

''Amelie, we shouldn't be here—'' Teddy choked out, sensing as they walked right into a trap, ''We should leave, now.''

''Wait—'' She muttered, making her way up to the desk, kneeling to the ground in the spilled glass. It stung at her skin, but she was too consumed in what her eye caught.

Photographs — a whole bunch of them held messily across the ground along with a copy of a newspaper. Amelie picked it up, blowing some filth off it as she read the headline.

'Known Doctor murdered in a muggle home.'

Her brows knitted as her face fell into a disturbing mantle. She flipped the pages to the article.

Deathly potion.

Dr. Brown.

A visitor only hours before.

She flung it shut just as fast.

It was the day Draco had come home late for dinner.

The day she was still lost in her own head — she knew that something was wrong that evening. He didn't sleep. He was awake when she had gone to check on him.

''He didn't...'' Amelie felt tears as they shredded in the corner of her eyes, droplets that felt so heavy, ''Tell me he didn't...''

Theodore's face held coldly. His jaws sharp as he stared at her, unheedingly, ''He did,'' There wasn't a point in lying to her anymore. She'd figure it out on her own if he didn't tell her.

''No—'' Pearls streamed down her cheeks as the air around her thickened. It turned hard to breathe again, ''No, why? Why would he do this... There was no need—''

''He had to die,'' Theo stated, sternly, keeping a solid front not to break down himself, ''He knew too much, and if Draco found him...''

''So would the Death Eaters...'' Amelie tugged at the edge of her dress, bringing it up to dry her tears, a weight in her chest clenched around her heart, ''He had grandchildren...''

Theodore looked away. His eyes in tears.

''He had grandchildren, and we just— we killed him,'' She sobbed out, muffling the sounds of her cries with the palm of her hand, ''He can't do this anymore, Teddy—'' Amelie nearly pleaded to herself, ''He will die if he keeps this going.''

''I know,'' The spine of Theo's hand brushed against his skin, wiping the tear that had fallen away, ''I know he will.''

It hurt her so much. It hurt her so much that she couldn't even talk about it because there was no way she'd be able to explain it.

Malfoy slaughtered for her, constantly, without remorse. There wasn't a length he wouldn't go to in the tries to keep her safe — there wasn't a line he wouldn't cross.

He simply did it — all of it and all for her.

Always her.

''But Amelie—'' Theo's voice was low and hurtful, she could tell, ''We need to go, before—''

''Dublin...'' She muttered, her breaths hitched as she caught the city, ''Why does it... Dublin...'' She kept on whispering until her head snapped, and she optimistically glanced at him.

''His family lives in Dublin, he had an office there too, my father was there once, and I had to stay with Dr. Brown's wife—''

''What are you talking about?'' Theodore raised his voice, taking a track closer to her, ''Do you think we'll find what we need there?''

Amelie nodded, surely. She was certain — it was somewhere, one of the only places her father didn't bring her with him, which to her — meant that he found it too valuable.

''I do, I think we can find where my mother is hiding—''

A loud collision out in the hallway cut her short as she flew to her feet. Both of them looked at each other timidly.

Another crash scored and another, and another, noisily, and it tore through their ears as the room began to shake. Portraits covering walls dropped to the floor with force, and the room started to cave.

Several blasting claps of thunder struck the practice as Theodore gripped her arm, dragging her out through the doorway.

Their legs weakened by the caving floors, and he wrapped his arms around her, mumbling 'apparate' underneath his breath.

Nothing.

They were trapped in the falling building.

''They blocked the magic,'' Amelie gasped, shooting a stare around them for the closest exit, ''Teddy!''

The panic struck her as she dragged him away from the collapsing ceiling.

She could barely see a thing. The dust rippled around them, and pieces of stone and metal fell from the walls.

Her hand grabbed his, and she began to run to where they had entered the house, and the second she slammed her hands onto the door — it didn't open.

It was bolted shut by the crumbling walls, ''Damn it!'' She shouted.

Sweat started to layer on her forehead, yet she was extremely cold. Her veins flushed in adrenaline fused with dread.

''Here,'' She called out for him, taking his hand in hers yet again as she dragged him with her. He couldn't believe this.

He had made a deal with Voldemort to keep her safe — protected. Theodore had saved dozens of his men only for him to steal the word they agreed on and attack them.

''They weren't supposed to touch you!'' Theo shouted, his hand combed through his hair as he followed her down the falling corridor, ''They weren't— this wasn't the deal!''

Amelie halted, spinning around quickly to face her best friend, ''What?'' She urged, puzzlingly, her voice laced with fear, ''What deal? Who wasn't supposed to—''

She screamed as a blast of magic struck right next to her, forcing her into the wall across the hall. Her vision blurry, and her head bolted in pain — she felt something tickle her forehead, her finger scratched at it,

Blood.

Amelie hit her head.

She couldn't think. She couldn't grasp what was passing anymore. Her body felt so weak, so unexplained. The back of her head fell against the floor again, and her eyes fluttered close.

The pain was unbearable. The ringing sound in her ears took over any other noise that was heard.

''Amelie—'' Theodore growled out and as he watched her body, helplessly on the floor, ''Fuck—''

It was as if something torched inside him. A sparkle of courage, anger, and strength lit up. She was hurt. They hurt her.

He didn't hesitate as he bent down, shielding her worn body with his arms, and he lifted her, carrying her through the explosions around him as if nothing was happening.

He walked out of the yard, plainly stopping in the middle of it as he laid her down, safely on the ground. Her skin shivered by the damp grass around her.

Theodore turned away from her, having her guardedly behind him as he rose his chin to the skies, seeing all the darkened shadows flying in the wind, shooting spell after spell at the building.

He swallowed thickly. His wand in his hand as he stretched it up, and he fired a spell of light up in the heavens.

The magic tearing the hospital apart faltered as they all aimed their wands at Theodore instead.

Closing his eyes as he reached his arms out, putting himself on full display for the Death Eaters, ''We had a deal!' He shouted loudly, ''We had a deal, and that was for you to spare her bloody life!''

The shadows in the skies dropped like fog to the ground, and without notice, twelve men stood around them, hovering as their masks glimmered in the moonlight.

''We indeed had a word,'' One of the masked men spoke, dangerously, ''But that word got a lot more fragile when your friend began to kill people again.''

Theodore scoffed, shaking his head as he peered at the ground, ''Like you tried to kill us now?''

''We're simply protecting the Dark Lord,'' Another man gritted, pointing his wand at Theodore, ''As should you.''

Amelie laid still on the grass as she began to regain consciousness. Her head felt heavy, and her limbs ached.

Her eyes peeled open as she saw the lightning and the thunder in the clouds above her. It looked beautiful, she thought until she tipped her head, watching all of the men standing around her, and the adrenaline rushed through her once more, making her stand on her feet next to her friend.

All head snapped to hers as she gulped, clenching her fist around her wand tightly.

''Teddy—'' She whispered, her hand reached to grab his, ''Why are they—''

''Ah!'' The man in charge shouted, turning his body to her as the dimmed fog followed him, ''The famous Amelie Avery, I presume?''

Her eyes narrowed as she cocked her head. Her brows knitted for a second as all the scenarios played out in her mind — there wasn't a fair way out of this, not without her hurting anyone.

First, she meant to stall — to talk back and to flee when they least expected it, but that would be too risky.

She couldn't toy with their lives like that.

She couldn't chance to make it home safely. She couldn't do that to Draco.

Amelie needed to arrive back at the Manor in one piece — if she didn't, she was afraid that he'd tear the entirety of this world apart.

''Don't you dare address her,'' Theodore spat, ''She's under the protection of me. She's not to be—''

Amelie stepped back. Her fingers still tangled with Theo's, and as she heard him talking — she took her opportunity. Her wand aimed, and she shouted, throwing a spell at the men around them as it bounced through each and every one.

Loud sounds of crashing stone echoed as the men flung around, everyone escaping not to get wounded by the flames she'd spawned, and she dragged Theodore half a foot closer, whispering, 'apparate' below her heavy breaths.

Her feet stumbled over the gravel-covered ground, and the sky cleared.

They stood outside the Malfoy Manor again.

Theodore gaped at her, wide-eyed as his skin shifted lividly, ''What?'' He panted, ''Why would you do that? You could've killed us!''

Both of them out of breath, shaken.

Amelie almost tripped back over the tiny rocks, and her face glinted in doubt, her hair tousled, her skin owned stains of dust as the blood kept seeping out of the gash in her head.

''How could I?'' Amelie scowled at him accusingly. Neither of them truly meant to blame the other, but they were both spooked by what had befallen, ''How could you? What deal, Teddy? What were those men talking about—''

''Don't you dare put this one me,'' He heaved, bending forward, hands gripping his knees to spit out the blood in his mouth, catching his breath, ''I tried to save our lives, and you just fire that spell—''

''I did what I had to do!'' Her hands flew out in the air before dropping to her sides in anguish. Her note fumed, ''If I didn't do that, we would still be there!''

''I didn't even—''

''What the fuck!''

Both of them stoned. Not realizing just how loud they'd been yelling and that the hour had escalated to early dawn.

Amelie's eyes pinched shut at the severe steps approaching them before two icy hands gripped her by her arms, forcefully and he yanked her back.

Feeling how rough he wished to be with her, but he couldn't — Malfoy could never be violent with Amelie, even in an unrestrained moment like this.

She refused to flay her lashes wide, already knowing the riled glare he was granting her, sensing as it ignited her drawn skin.

''Where the fuck were you?'' Draco growled, holding her balanced as he madly scanned the wound on her head along with the marks her shoulder and arms kept, ''Tell me right now, where the fuck—''

''Malfoy,'' Teddy warned behind him, his voice desperately begging the blond not to be as harsh as he was with her, ''Don't do this to her, this wasn't her fault—''

Draco didn't take his eyes off her. Not once did he look away from the girl who stood frighteningly in front of him, hooked in his hold.

''You—'' Draco almost roared out, needing to bite his own tongue not to launch an unforgivable spell at the brunet.

He was mad, more than it, and if she weren't standing there close to him, he'd cease Theodore from life for putting her in danger.

''I'll deal with you later, but you...'' His voice softened as he mentioned her. His grip loosened. He couldn't stand having a severe rule on her at this time. Not when she was wounded, bleeding.

''I'll ask you again, Amelie—'' He gave her one chance, to be honest, not to fill him with any lies and be truthful, as he'd been with her. He knew that he would be able to see that thin flinch in her eyes if she was being dishonest.

''Where were you?''

Her eyes peeled wide at the question, and the wind in her lungs closely left her body as she watched his reddened skin and his furious hues. They glinted in worry despite the fact that hatred radiated off him.

She could tell.

Amelie could always tell.

He wasn't angry with her or Theodore. It wasn't about that. It would never be about him holding them responsible for what they did without his knowledge.

This was about Draco. This was about him, pacing around in his room, nearly tugging this hair off at the roots for being so concerned. For being terrified the very instant he'd waken up without her next to him  — he was scared.

Never had he been so scared.

''Draco...'' Amelie breathed out, her hands moving to touch his arms. The tips of her fingers brushed over the bare skin, ''I'm sorry, I'm sorry we didn't—''

''Don't—'' Draco's jaws gritted sharply as his sight flickered across her features, every scratch on her skin he memorized, in need of vengeance, ''Tell me who did this.''

''Draco—''

''No,'' He spoke again, roughly as he kept her at arm's length. He was so disappointed with her, yet he could never tell her. He'd never place the blame on her. She wasn't foolish. That was the very last thing she'd ever live to be.

If Amelie did this, if she left without his consent and his knowing — she did so because she believed it to be right and that — that Malfoy trusted more than anything.

''Tell me who did this and tell me where you went.''

''Draco—''

''Death Eaters,'' Theodore sighed behind them, and Draco looked away from her, staring out over his property. He still didn't have his temper under control to spare the brunet as much as a glare, ''We went to Edinburgh, and it was a trap.''

''We were ambushed, and it was pointless from the very instant we walked in there, but Amelie—'' Theo cleared his throat in a rasp, ''She got hit, pretty badly, and she passed out for a while...''

Draco shut his eyes closed, rolling his neck at what Theodore informed.

''But we made it out, and I tried to reason with them. There were at least a dozen, but they didn't listen until she woke up and she...''

Amelie's eyes snapped to Teddy's, and she discreetly shook her head, but Theodore didn't catch on to the act, ''And she took on them all, she made them flee, and we just got here.''

Draco's piercing stare was back at her, narrowing the grey eyes in hers, uncommonly. He couldn't show it, but a trickle of proudness scored through him.

He knew that she had it in her. He always knew she owned so much strength, and this plainly showed just how much.

Theo's steps crackled over the ground as he rose to walk away, ''We'll talk tomorrow then, and I'll leave you to it.''

Malfoy nodded slowly after Theodore as he went, and Amelie's fingers reached to brush over the cut in her skin, bringing her hand down to see the crimson blood.

She coiled as Draco let her hand rest in the palm of his.

It was dark, but he could see clearly how much she was bleeding. His blood boiled wildly within. He didn't know how he was supposed to hold back from hunting every single Death Eater that was there, down.

They hurt her.

''I will kill them,'' He said unhesitantly. His words didn't falter, not once, ''I will kill every last one of them.''

It was a promise, a vow of words.

''I will kill every damn man that was there tonight,'' Draco's eyes shredded in pain, so much torture, even if he did everything not to expose it, not to show her, ''I will tear them apart, every last one.''

Amelie blinked slowly as she drew her hand from his, and she brushed the blood off on her dress until her touch came to cup his jaws, ''No, you won't, because it went well.''

She felt the rage as it steamed off him, but she didn't budge.

Now she was the one not caving.

''I'm here, Draco. It's alright,'' Her tired eyes matched his as her thumb grazed along his cheekbone, comforting him as best as she could, ''I'm with you, and everything will be okay.''

''They hurt you,'' He growled, so vibrantly that it shot jolts of electricity through her, ''They fucking hurt you, and I want every last one of them to pay for this.''

He drew a breath, a deep one as his muscles ticked against her palm, ''I want them dead, and I will kill them. I want them to hurt as much as they hurt you—''

''And I want you.''

That threw him off.

The inflamed coat he carried fell into an agonizing one, his brows rested, ''What?'' Draco blurted, ''What do you mean—''

Amelie swallowed the lump in her throat, gathering the last of her bravery, ''I want you, Draco. I want you here, and I want you alive, and if you go after those people, nothing speaks for you coming back to me.''

It hurt to breathe again, Amelie's chest tightened.

Only the thought of him ever being hurt shredded her apart.

Shockingly he furrowed his brows. His palms caught her jaws as she slowly let go of his chin, trailing her touch over his arms instead. Draco curved his spine down to her level.

''I'm yours,'' Draco said, looking deeply into her eyes, ''I am yours, Amelie, and you're mine. You never have to be scared of me not coming back to you because I always will.''

Another truthful word, ''I will always find my way back to you, no matter where I am or what may happen.''

Her skin crawled at the pain of all the cuts in her frame, but she ignored it, drowned it in the longing of him as she allowed his hands on her body to heal her.

''But I'll be damned if I let anyone touch a hair on your head without ripping theirs off,'' He spoke in promises again, ''I'll die, protecting you and happily so.''

Her head shook against his hands, her body trembling, ''Don't—'' Her lower lip quivered, and her breathing shallowed, ''Don't you dare say that. You can't speak like that. I don't accept it—''

''And I don't care,'' His voice louder than hers as the early morning sun bloomed behind the trees at the far end of the property line.

''I don't care what you accept or not. You're mine, Amelie. Mine and mine only, with that comes promises, words you don't always agree with, and things you don't have a say in. That's the way it has to be.''

Tears prickled in her eyes as he leaned closer. His thumb dusted the ash off her skin gently, ''You're mine, and I will kill every single soul that tries to scratch yours.''

''Draco...'' Amelie felt the hot pearls of liquid as they fell over her skin, but Draco didn't look away from her, not once, ''I don't want it to be like that. I don't want you to feel—''

''I love you, and you're mine,'' He said again, honestly, and it made her silent. Her chest balanced as he heeded that those words always calmed her. 

''Now, don't you ever do that to me again, don't you ever fucking leave without me or put yourself in harm's way.''

''I was just trying to help—'' Amelie's vision turned blurry, and her tones broke, ''I'm sorry, I was just trying to help—''

Malfoy couldn't bear seeing her cry. He sheeted his hands around the back of her head, and he pulled her right into him, his skin soaked with her tears.

''I know,'' He mumbled, tangling his fingers into her hair as his heart ached with the sound of her tiny sobs, ''I know you did, but don't you ever do it again.''

Amelie nodded, melting right into him, and even if she'd just been through something that could've led to her death — that could've been the end of everything around them.

She felt safe because he held her. He always had her.

Draco's arms around her body were everything that ever mattered to her. She was safe right here, with him.

Her Draco.

''I love you,'' She whispered. Her neck arched to wrap her arms around his neck and lead him down to her measure, ''I'm yours, and you're mine.''

He nodded, intensely staring at the exhaustion she held. He'd never been so relieved in his life to hold her and to feel her skin on his even if it sored in blood and marks.

He had lost her so many times that if he ever did so again — he would go with her. He would give up, and he would allow himself to die, right in the missing of her.

Amelie had slipped through his fingers every time he had her. Every time he had the blessing to call her his, she faded.

He couldn't do it again.

''I'm yours, and you're mine,'' He mumbled, his hands snaked around her waist to inch her closer, right where she needed to be, and after moments of breathing her in.

Feeling the life she brought him, Draco kissed her, connecting their lips in the most heartbreaking time, but he couldn't spare it.

Time was limited, and he'd never miss a chance to kiss her, to feel her purity on his damned lips. To feel as she freed him of all his chained demons and allowed him just a tiny piece of heaven with her.

Amelie kissed him back, giving all of herself to the boy holding her. It would always be him to her. The blond, stubborn boy who stole her heart and marked it. She'd never be able to live a day without him. 

Her arms fitted perfectly around his body as both of them began to shudder at the nature rising to pour.

It started raining.

Draco kissed her upper lip carefully, savoring every innocent bit of her he could catch before he leaned back up, dragging his thumb over the wound she carried, ''Let's get you cleaned up then, shall we?''

She felt a smile as it tugged on her lips, and he began to drag her with him into the house before they'd get soaked of the rain as it smattered against the ground — Amelie couldn't help but feel bad — terrible, to say at least.

Amelie already knew that she was leaving him again the following day. She couldn't let the lead on her mother go, and she refused to bring Draco any more pain.

She needed to leave, and she hoped with everything that she'd make it back in one piece.

_____