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'' Sweetheart.''

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Amelie Avery.

She stood, similar to a question mark in front of the two boys. '' Who lied to me?'' She asked both of them. She was confused as to why they would jump apart the second she had stepped closer.

'' Well? Who lied to me?'' She asked again, and her eyes dragged across them — but nothing, neither of the boys, uttered a single word. They merely stood startled in front of her while their face's brightened by the guiltiest of looks.

Amelie felt a hand on her lower back as it pulled her close into a tight chest, and she swallowed, trying not to flinch at the touch Adrian brought.

'' Are you ready?'' Adrian urged, eyeing both Theodore and Draco down. '' Or do you want to keep standing here with those—'' He held as a disgusted glare shot between them.

'' Don't be rude, Adrian,'' Amelie mumbled while peering up at him. She smiled shyly to ease his faltering temper, '' I said I'd go with you—''

Theodore took a step closer as his eyes glued intensely into Adrian, '' Where are you taking her?'' He asked. His tone low yet threatening — his head snapped to the blonde one as he placed a hand on Theodore's shoulder,

'' Easy there, Nott,'' Draco seethed, almost urgently as he sent the brown-haired boy a severe look — he didn't want him to start something similar to the last time the Slytherin boys argued, '' I'd like to have a word with Amelie, if I may?''

Adrian tensed, his body shifted in stone next to hers, and his warm breaths nearly iced, '' Why?'' He questioned the blonde one's intentions, '' Why do you need a word—''

'' Adrian,'' Amelie hewed him off, turning around in his hold to fully face him, '' Go ahead, and I'll meet you in your room.''

Her sight grounded, '' I think I deserve to say goodbye.''

Adrian didn't answer her. His dimmed eyes were plastered in Amelie's as his fingers dug into her waist before he slowly let her go with a slight nod, '' Five minutes."

With that, the boy she held so dearly snatched Theodore by his arm, dragging him down the hall from them. Her heart ached as she met Theodore's stare, frightened as to why Adrian pulled him away, before her eyes flickered to Draco's, watching as he stood tall in front of her.

His grey hues caught her off guard — in the same way, she always fell lost in them, '' What did you—''

'' Where is he taking you?''

The boy's demeanor in front of Amelie changed utterly — the warm embrace he always brought washed in gravity, '' I asked you a question, Avery.''

She looked at him, how the crease in his forehead formed with his brows drawn together and how his eyelashes battled the anger that flashed through his eyes.

'' To his mothers. He said—''

'' You can't go there.''

Amelie stepped back, and her arms crossed over her chest as she shook her head — stray strands of hair spilled over her shoulders by the move. She was trying to read him, to understand the puzzle of mystery in front of her — to grasp a little of the reality he granted, but Draco was an unraveled boy.

A boy with many secrets, a boy with a deep, dark hidden place, where no one but him was allowed to enter — and she tried. Amelie sought to open him up, to get Malfoy to talk to her, but when she did — he distanced himself even more.

Her face twisted as her lips pushed into a firm line, '' And why is that, Draco? Why can't I leave with Adrian? We're only going to his—''

He held a look of remorse, hesitatingly holding his tells before he let out a loud sigh, '' Walk with me?'' His hand gestured to walk down the hall to the entrance leading out of the castle.

Her head shook yet again as her arms dropped to her sides, '' You know that I can't. He said five minutes.''

Draco's eyes rolled, and his arm stretched out for her to take. '' I don't care about Adrian. He can wait, and if he ever does something to punish you for it. I'll deal with him.''

Amelie doubted the blonde's intentions for seconds, but she had always felt safe with Draco before — her arm linked with his as he led her in silence, down the courtyard, over the bridge until he halted at the edge of the dark forest.

Draco's eyes dragged over her before landing over the tree line. The uncertain fright swelled through her nerves as she stared into the mass of trees — how the sky shifted darkly just as the forest began and the noises of animals hunting for their prays between the timber.

Her breaths hitched in the back of her throat, '' What are we doing here?'' Amelie quietly asked as she strode an inch closer to the tall boy, '' I mean, it's not safe here, right?''

'' It's safe,'' He said, shortly, before taking long strides in between the wood. His hand was placed on her arm to prevent her from losing his comforting hold.

The leaves falling from the tree crowns crackled underneath their shoes, and even if the forest shifted in shades of dimmed dark, it still echoed in peace to her — as if the evilest of things out in the world couldn't get to her there. They stayed safe in the danger.

Draco stopped, and he let his hand off hers. He glanced at her with guilt as it flashed through his eyes, and he tried to hide it, '' I need to speak to you about something.''

Amelie lightly nodded. Her fingers nervously twitched against the palms of her hands as she mantled a severe look at the chilly strokes of wind tugging at her cheeks.

'' There is something you need to know about Adrian—''

Her veins iced. Her heart was heavy as she nodded again. She was brave — she had to have courage.

'' He's not taking you to his mother.''

Amelie's eyes narrowed in his as her arms hugged around her shivering body by the brisk wind, '' He's not?''

'' He's not.'' Draco held, and a hand brushed over his sleek hair, '' He's taking you to the Death Eaters. Your father has requested you to—''

Silence — even if he granted her with quietness. Amelie wasn't a fool. She knew what this meant and what he was trying to tell her.

'' Why didn't you tell me?'' Her brows knitted together as her breaths ragged, '' I knew this was coming. I know that he wants me to unite with his side, and I promised him to do so, but what I don't understand, Draco—''

He furrowed as she kept going, '' What I don't understand is why you would keep this from me, why Adrian would. Unless...''

'' Unless my father isn't with them anymore.''

'' No,'' She gasped at her own words the second they came to mind.

'' No,''

'' No,''

'' No,''

Draco sighed loudly, gently bowing his head at her suspicion, '' It's true, Avery. Your father escaped, and he's nowhere to be found—''

Her head shook as she battled the shedding tears in the corner of her eyes — her father knew the danger he would put her in if he left. If he abandoned the Dark Lord in his most craving time, and she knew what this meant.

Amelie's flashback.

Her hand stroked Amelie's cheek, fingertips brushed against the tender skin, '' You know you're safe here, with me, right love?'' Her mother spoke, gently tucking a curl behind her ear.

'' I know, mother."

Her mother smiled with bravery as she pulled away, dragging the covers over her daughter's chest, '' But you need to understand something, my dear—''

The brown eyes Amelie always found comfort in stared intensely. The light of the lamp placed on her nightstand brightened the dark room, '' That one day, not far from now. I will be gone, and you have to trust your father.''

Amelie's face shifted in a grimace as her head shook against the soft pillow, '' I can't—''

'' Yes, you can, because in the far future, he will leave too, and then it's just you, and I need you to understand what will happen to you the day he decides to leave."

The shaking of Amelie's head turned into a slight nod, giving her mother the permission she sought to speak — to tell her daughter the truth of her future.

'' The Dark Lord has wishes for your father. Things that he craves for him to do, that you father can not—''

'' — handle.''

Amelie stayed quiet, laying completely still in her bed, unwillingly taking in every word her mother spoke.

'' And that means that he one day when a certain request is asked, has to leave, and when he does, the Dark Lord is going to turn to the next one in the Avery bloodline—''

'' Me?'' She hushed, closing her eyes as her mother stroked a hand softly over Amelie's forehead, '' Yes dear, he will turn to you.''

With a harsh breath sucked in between her teeth, she rose from her resting position, placing herself next to her mother.

'' What does he want me to do?'' She asked politely, not knowing if she would pass an undrawn line with her curious questions.

Her mother forced a smile, taking her daughter's hand in hers, '' That's not of the matter right now, when the time comes. I'm more than convinced that someone is going to tell you about this.''

'' And when they do,'' She hesitated, a fallen look climbed her front, '' You need to hide, love. You need to stay as far away from the Dark Lord as you possibly can.''

'' Will you promise me that?''

'' Will you promise me that, dear? That when I'm not here to protect you—"

" —that you will protect yourself?"

Amelie didn't know what to say, so with a slight bow of her head — she agreed to the words her mother had spoken — deeply within, confused, curious, scared to what this meant, but she promised her mother.

And a promise, for a girl that never felt much truth — a promise was everything.

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Amelie's eyes prickled in tears, and her chest heavily rose and fell beneath her robe, '' He's gone?'' She asked Draco, wishing for any answer but the truth — waiting for something else than what she knew was coming.

'' Why do you think they sent Adrian back here?'' Malfoy answered with a defeated look.

She stumbled back. Her heel stuck in a root as she almost tripped, but before she had the chance to hit the ground — he got a hold of her,

The boy that no matter what happened, no restrain of where he caught her,

He always did.

His arms wrapped around her as he pulled her into his chest. Amelie could feel her figure tremble in his safe grip. '' It's alright, Amelie—''

Her name — he said her name again.

'' Remember when I told you that no one can hurt you here?'' He whispered into her hair as he breathed her in, '' You're always safe with me.''

The salty liquid poured down her drained cheeks as her fingers grasped at his jacket to pull herself closer to him.

'' Sweetheart—'' Draco held, in an attempt to break through to her, and he bent his head down to look at her, '' I wouldn't let anything happen to you.'' The corner of his mouth twitched. His hand cupped her cheek as a ring-coated thumb rubbed in circles,

'' You have felt more hurt than anyone should ever have to do, but you don't have to do that anymore.''

Amelie blinked quickly as she sought to find the answer she knew he held onto. The tree crowns brushed in the wind, and his blonde hair nearly danced in the frisky breeze.

'' You deserve so much more, and I am ready to give you everything—'' Malfoy looked around, making sure that no one was close enough to catch them, '' But we have to leave, and we have to leave now.''

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