This chapter contains scenes of violent actions. Please read with caution.

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''I'm sorry.''

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''If you do that, I'll hunt you and everyone you hold dear down.'' Draco threatened, still being held on his knees in the dimmed hallway, ''I will kill every single wizard and witch if you—''

''If I do what?'' The Death Eater laughed out, viciously, ''If I give Mr.Nott here, exactly what he's deemed to have? The mark runs in his blood, Malfoy.''

Draco's eyes flickered, doing everything in his power to wrestle his way out of the hold the other two men seemed to have on him, but it was in awe. He couldn't trick them.

''Kill me then,'' Draco growled, ''Take me instead and let him go,''

Tears shredded in Theo's eyes of the brutal touch being ripped into his arm. It hurt too much to breathe properly. He was just as helpless as Malfoy was — neither of them could do anything.

''On my count, boy,'' The man seethed, ''One...''

''Nott, look at me,'' Draco begged him, ''Look at me and breathe, just fucking breathe, and I will fix this. I promise.''

Sobs echoed.

Theodore's eyes dimmed in pain, and his pupils blasted, ''Draco, I can't—''

''Two...''

''Look at me,'' Draco shouted, his hoarse voice shredded throughout the hallway, nearly making the men holding him flinch. Theo's eyes snapped to his, and it stung in Malfoy's chest because of it, ''There you go, now close your eyes and breathe. It will be over before you—''

''Three...''

Theodore screamed. His body wrenched and turned in the Death Eather's hold of him as he sought to fight it — he did everything possible to fight the ink spreading across his skin.

Draco's own eyes squeezed shut, and it was plain torture to hear Theodore hurt so badly. He tried to yank his arms, to force himself out of the position, ''Fucking stop it!'' He yelled, ''I will kill you, I will fucking kill—''

Theodore's whimpering hewed him off as his teeth gritted. Malfoy was furious at the sight of Theo's body being dropped to the ground.

''You...'' Draco's voice was dangerous, terrifying at that. His face stoned, ''I have seen your face, and I will come for you.''

The Death Eater merely laughed again, taunting him to the fullest, ''I thought you said you'd kill me?''

The veins coating Draco's neck popped out of fury, and his skin flushed in a feverish color, ''I will, but not now. Not today. I want you to know that I'm looking for you, and I want you to know that I will find you, and when I do—'' Draco chuckled, darkly, ''You'll regret placing your hands upon him.''

''We'll see about that,'' He stated, booting Theodore in the stomach to increase the pain he was already drained in, ''But for now, Malfoy... let's play a little game.''

Draco struggled as the man kneeled in front of him, and with the tip of his wand pushed underneath Malfoy's chin, he forced his head up.

"You have disobeyed the Dark Lord, boy." He seethed, narrowing the devilish eyes in Draco's, "And with that comes punishment."

Draco breathed out, a breath filled with angst and anger. His chest heaved against the floor, "Yeah?" He chuckled out, provoking the Death Eater, "Do your worst."

The man blinked quickly, surprised with Malfoy's lack of fear, "You have quite the attitude for someone so helpless..." His hand shoved into his pocket, bringing out a blade, ''I wouldn't if I were you.''

Draco kept his daring facade as he stared murderously into the man's eyes. His face voided emotion, banning Theodore's ragged breaths.

''Bring him to his knees.'' The Death Eater commanded as the other two acted on his demand, forcing Draco up vigorously, ''Not so tough anymore, are we?''

Malfoy's teeth gritted dangerously as he breathed heavily.

The man looked up at his servants, bowing his head down to Draco, ''He's a real fighter this one, isn't he? And to think that you have slaughtered nearly a hundred of our men these last few months.''

The men behind Draco, taming his straining body, chuckled at the spoken words, but Draco didn't budge. He didn't flinch. He didn't react — he simply stared at him so intensely that it almost stung the man's skin.

''Let's get to it then, shall we?'' He said loudly as the blade rose in his hand, and without falter, he snatched his wrist, making Draco's face slam to the side and blood slipped the ashen skin.

He tore the blade across Draco's cheek, leaving a large cut behind him, but Draco refused to give in. His chest fell and rose roughly as he licked the blood flooding over his lip, and he grinned at the man.

''Was that your worst?'' Malfoy spoke vibrantly low, and the shocking cloaks spread across the men's faces. They didn't understand how someone could remain so calm in a situation similar to this one.

''Pathetic,'' Draco spat, violently forming his words, ''I will still find you, and I will kill you—''

''Enough!'' The man threatened as he booted back towards Theodore trembling body. A flicker of fire flashed through Draco's eyes at the sight of it, and blasting rage coiled through him.

''Don't you fucking—'' Malfoy growled, twisting and pulling in the hold he was kept in, ''Don't you dare touch him.''

''If hurting you won't work...'' He snickered, peering around slightly in the dimmed hallway, ''I will hurt him.''

He strode forwards, closer to the blond, and the second he did — Theodore's arm wrapped around the man's ankle, making him fall, and the two Death Eater's holding Draco back, flinched at that.

It gave him the perfect opportunity as he, without hesitation, rebelled and stood flat on his feet. He turned around quickly, reaching for his wand to end the suffering around them.

Theodore laid in tearing pain on the floor. He didn't own an ounce of strength. The curse of the dark mark scored through his veins as the ink embedded into his skin more firmly. He couldn't watch as Draco tore two of the men to pieces.

He didn't want to.

As Draco turned around, ready to make the third one pay for his deeds — he had already fled the scene, and instead of running after him, Malfoy kneeled beside Theodore.

His eyes bolted in hurt for the brunet, and his skin shivered.

Draco knew that Theodore wasn't capable of handling the mark. He was too pure. This was nothing to someone so wicked as himself, but to a boy like the one, now resting forsaken on the floor — it was a disaster.

''Nott,'' Draco swallowed, hunching next to Theodore's body, ''Get up—''

Theodore remained silent. Not a word fled his hurting throat after minutes of constant screaming. His breaths shallow, his eyes haunted, ''I don't—''

The ink stung, weighty, into his skin.

''Get the fuck up right now, Nott, before anyone else arrives,'' Malfoy's note held stern. His brows furrowed as he yanked the boy back with a grip of his collar, ''We need to leave.''

He didn't want to treat Theodore this way, not when he was hurt, but he needed to — there was no time.

''I know—'' Theo breathed, exhausted to a level that wasn't explainable. His legs weakened, and the soring agony of what he had to live through caused his face to twist into a grimace. The otherwise calming pupils heavily shifted in a drained mantle, ''I'll try—''

''For fuck sakes, Nott.'' Draco dragged Theodore up by his coat, his fingers clenched tightly around the material, standing on his feet before his wand raised, and they — through Draco's Magic, ended up back at the Manor.

Malfoy shoved Theodore away from him, looking at the brunet as he stumbled, ''Hell, Nott. What were you thinking?'' He shouted. The foyer shifted dimmed. Hours had passed since they first left the house, ''I told you to protect yourself, and you get yourself caught instead? Without your bloody mask on?''

Theodore stretched his spine as straight as he could, and his eyes leveled Draco's. Tears shredded in the corner of them, ''I'm sorry, I didn't—''

''Sorry?'' Draco scoffed, hissing irritatingly as he rushed both of his hands through his slightly damp hair, ''You're sorry? What if they killed you, yeah? What is Amelie supposed to do?'' His hand marked towards the stairs, gesturing to the girl resting in his room.

''So careless, Nott!'' He yelled, marching over to the drink cart that stood, covered in dust against one of the walls. Draco's hands closed around a bottle, blowing the filth of it before he ripped the stopper off with his teeth, and he poured a glass full of the shimmering alcohol.

It tasted bitter in his throat. He swallowed the biting sense, cocking his head to stare back at Theodore, who stood startled, scared almost across the room.

''Sorry—'' Draco seethed, rolling his tongue on the inside of his mouth. A thin layer of sweat collected on his forehead, ''Tell that to your father when they come for him to seek vengeance. That's why I didn't want them to see your bloody face, Theodore—''

Draco's voice shifted violently louder. He couldn't keep himself together.

''That's why I cursed that fucking mask over your face so that they wouldn't see you, but of course, as the brilliant boy you are, you found some fucking way to mess it all up—'' His eyes flickered,

''What about Amelie, yeah? She can't fucking lose you, Nott. What if she lost you? What if they did more to you than give you that bloody mark—'' Draco shouted, his note tore apart as he, without thinking, threw the glass back down at the drink chart.

Glass, liquid, ice cubes shattered everywhere as Draco placed both of his hands on the wall above it. Some pieces of the broken material splattered up and cut his skin. His chest rose and fell so massively, but he couldn't care.

It was a crumbling mess within him. He needed to focus — to try and think straight.

''I'm sorry!'' Theodore yelled back, his hands gripped the roots of his own hair, constantly flinching every time Malfoy made a move. He was terrified, ''I am sorry, Draco. I tried. I tried to do what you taught me, but it was dark, and that man came out of nowhere—''

Theodore's speech hewed off by a sob, ''I tried—'' He reached his sleeve up to his cheeks, drying the fallen tears, ''I tried, and I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry I never wanted to put my father or Amelie at risk, I'm—''

Before Theodore could even continue his words, Draco stormed closer, halting only inches away for moments. He just stood, tall in front of him, his face stoned, and no emotion was shown. Theo's eyes closed, and he couldn't level that disappointed look Draco held.

''I'm sorry.''

''I'm sorry.''

''I'm sorry.''

He seemed so angry with the brunet before he — without truly thinking himself, wrapped his arms around Theo's breaking figure.

It hurt him tremendously to hear him blame himself.

Draco understood that this wasn't Theo's fault. He didn't mean to weigh the boy with it, but he was scared too. Draco was terrified of losing him. He'd grown to be one of the only people Malfoy could trust — and the thought of him, hurting or even worse — caused Draco's jaws to clench.

He didn't want to imagine a life without Theodore, and he refused to think about Amelie's life without her Teddy.

It wasn't imaginable.

But what Draco failed to realize was that Theodore couldn't see a life without him too. More feelings than he let on, was held for the blond.

Theo's arms clung around Draco as well, sobbing into his shoulder as Malfoy patted his back, ''I know,'' He mumbled, ''This isn't your fault, Nott. It's mine. I shouldn't have brought you there, and I shouldn't have yelled at you.''

''No—'' Theo gasped, shaking his head, ''It is my fault, and if I just would've listened to you...'' His insides crashed, and he felt more than dizzy. It was turning overwhelming for the boy,

''Nott, damn it,'' Draco muttered at the failing state Theodore found himself in, keeping him steady on his feet, ''Here—''

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Narcissa was seated in the armchair, right next to Amelie, as her eyes flickered over the pages of her book. She was reading out loud to the unconscious girl. She believed that it calmed her, even if they weren't set on if she was able to hear them.

Her book slammed shut as she caught grunting and low words from downstairs. Her spine stretched, and she sat up properly in her seat, ''Looks like the boys are home.'' She stood up, bending over Amelie as she placed a kiss on the top of her head, ''I'm sure that Draco will be up here any minute.''

Narcissa rushed downstairs, her steps hurried, and her breaths hitched as she watched Draco help his friend to sit down on a chair next to the kitchen island. Both of them held completely quiet.

''Draco...'' His mother pleaded, but the blond didn't even snap his head. His eyes glued on Theodore as he strode up to the sink, pouring cold water into a bowl together with a cloth.

''What happened?'' She asked again, quieter now. In the realization that something went terribly wrong, ''Did any of you get hurt—''

Her hand slapped over her mouth as she gasped at the sight of Draco, tugging Theodore's sleeve up, revealing the mark, inked to his skin, ''Oh, dear.''

''Yeah,'' Draco mumbled, dipping the towel in the water before sending Theodore a slight nod, gesturing for what he was about to do, but Theo couldn't care — in his world, he'd already lost.

Malfoy swiped the fabric over Theodore's skin, causing the brunet to hiss through his teeth at the burning feeling, ''It's alright. It will cool down in a few minutes,'' Draco assured him, still brushing over the wound.

''It hurts a lot the first few days. With the mark, darkness alliances, but you won't feel it. The cold water usually helps.'' Malfoy talked slowly, not to overwhelm the boy, ''I got mine a year ago, back in school, and I used to take a lot of cold showers just to ease the pain, but it will give in, I promise.''

The mark shifted, and the signature in it lingered, ''I just want to see Amelie.'' Theodore whispered, his head hung. His skin paled, ''Can I see her?''

''Of course, dear,'' Narcissa strolled to the other side of him, her hand stroking his back to provide comfort, and her face fell into a harrowing cloak, ''I was up there with her for hours, no changes.''

Draco cocked his head, staring intensely at his mother for a short minute, and it was as if Amelie fled his mind for just a second in all the worrying about her best friend before it all came crashing down on him again.

''I'll take you upstairs,'' Draco put the towel down, his arm crossed Theodore's shoulder as he helped him up on his feet again, ''Stay with her for the rest of the night. She could use your company.''

Theodore nodded, stumbling next to the blond up the stairs, down the hall before Malfoy shoved the door open, and there she was — the girl, who even in a deep sleep like this one — stole his breath, right out of his chest.

Draco helped him settle down next to her, tucking them both in between the sheets before he strode around the bed. He hunched next to her. His nose trailed along her jawline as he breathed her in.

''I love you, and I'll be back tomorrow.'' Malfoy whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead, ''We need you, Amelie.''

Theodore looked after Draco as he closed the door behind him, and he huffed. They laid in utter silence for minutes as the room shifted darker. His eyes got used to the dimness.

He didn't say anything. The tips of his fingers traced over his mark, and it stung every now and then, but it wasn't the pain that ached — it was the fact that he felt beaten. That he'd lost.

Theo turned to his side, facing his best friend in the gloomy room, tucking his hand underneath the pillow to prop himself up even better. He didn't speak at first, not because he didn't want to — but he didn't know what to say. He wasn't clear on how he was supposed to address this.

How could he possibly tell her that he'd failed her?

He felt like that. As if he'd failed her by not being strong enough — not standing against the mark and the Death Eaters granting him with it.

''Do you remember that night...''Theodore whispered, uncertain and a bit ashamed to someone hearing him, ''The night Adrian cheated on you with Pansy, and you came to my room?''

Theo's fingers tensed around hers, ''Do you promise to stay with me forever, then?'' He reached their hands up in between them, gently planting a kiss on the spine of hers,

''Forever, Teddy.''

Amelie flinched as he propped himself up on his elbows, rolling over to the side so that he almost laid on top of her, ''No matter what?''

She smiled at him. The brown strands of hair were a complete mess upon his head, ''No matter what, Theo.''

His eyes narrowed, his breaths hitched, and she could see that flash of fear flicker in his eyes — even if he didn't tell her, she knew. She knew how much all of this frightened him.

Theodore never wanted this. He never wanted the mark or the legacy his friends craved to get. He wished to live in peace, to do what he dreamed of,

''Promise me you won't let the mark change me, Amelie.'' His head sunk to the crook of her neck, ''Please don't let it change me.''

''I would never let anything change you. You know that.'' She mumbled into his hair, scrunching her nose at it tickled it, '' I promise you that.''

''Maybe we should just run away together?'' She whispered. His head arched as he looked at her confused, and his eyes pooled.

''Would you do that for me?'' He smiled through his pain, ''Would you actually run away with me?''

Her hands brushed through his hair, ''You know I would do anything for you.''

He faltered for a second as if he was waiting for her to say something back, to respond and tell him what to do, even if she never asked for it — she usually did that, state her opinion before he even asked a question.

That was only one of the hundreds of things he adored about her. Another one was the fact that she used to hum as she read. He loved that. It eased his overworked mind.

Theodore never showed it, but his thoughts were worn, his mind drained, and it had been for years, but those soft, silent sounds she made as she flipped through the pages, stilled it all. Amelie knew that — even if he never told her, she knew, and that was the sole reason for her to keep doing it.

''You said we should run away together...'' His pulse quickened at the thought of it, how easier it would have been if they did as they wished, ''You promised to that it was the two of us, but now I am here, all alone again.''

His eyes dragged across her as he carefully took her hand in his. Amelie didn't give much reaction to it. Her hand felt heavy in the palm of his as his thumb traced circles on her skin, ''I remember asking you about the mark, and how I never wanted you to let it change me,''

Theo swallowed a sob, gently stretching her hand up to his mouth as he placed soft kisses on the spine of it, ''But I can feel how it's changing me already—''

Tears stung in the corner of his eyes, ''I need you,'' His voice quiet, muffling the sounds of his cries. He hasn't been this close to her, alone in so long. Draco was utterly protective of Amelie, but now he was — and he felt as if he could breathe again.

''I miss you, and I need—'' He gulped on another sob, his lips quivered against the skin of her hand, ''I need you, so please Amelie, come back to us.''

''I can't do this without you.''

Theodore squinted, doing everything he could to cut the running tears, but it was in awe. He couldn't stop crying.

''You said—'' He didn't smile through his pain anymore. He was drowning in it, ''You said that we were going to run away together,'' Her hands didn't brush through his hair, ''You said that you would do anything for me.''

The hot tears rolled down his drained skin, and he wondered if it ever would be a person out there to dry his suffering. He was always the one to fix everyone else — and he stayed behind shattered.

Theodore had to go through most of his life, watching as his best friend was beaten and hurt. He couldn't do anything. God knows he tried, but their lives were bounded. He lost her twice and watched her fall in love with someone that could never deserve her, but he changed his mind.

He mastered to love Malfoy too, even if he took her away from him — even if he lied and locked her up against her will, he put himself and his values aside for her to be happy.

He stayed with them, protected them, helped them through it all, only for Amelie to be able to find the peace she so well deserved. He would always be there for her, to save her from herself every time, and he had been, for years.

It was always going to be her to him — just like it was him to his mother. He prized friendship, loyalty, honesty. He had the biggest heart, and it had ever been filled with Amelie, but now — now Draco earned a place in it too.

It felt good in the most heartbreaking time to Theodore. He finally had, after nearly 18 years on this planet, found his home — his family in both of them. Perhaps soulmates actually exist. He surely hoped they did.

''I love you,'' Theodore mumbled against her hand, calming his stressed breaths, ''I love you so much, and I need you to come back to us because we need you.''

The tears had finally stopped running, and his eyes gazed over her heaving chest underneath Draco's covers, ''I'm falling apart without you and Draco he's—''

He faltered, squeezing his eyes shut, ''He's been through a lot these days, acceptance won't work for him, so he just—''

His entire face twisted in agony, and his veins ached, ''He's not well, none of us are, and we need you here to make it better. Draco has been doing something that I can't tell you just yet, but you need to come back.''

Theo's breaths ragged again. His lungs tightened. He missed her so much.

''Just come back, please—'' His head fell to rest on her slightly chilly shoulder, ''Just come back. I don't know how to do this without you.''

The mark inked in his arm stung, and he gasped lightly by the blasting pain, clocking him out of the heartbreaking thoughts he held of his best friend.

''It will change me...'' He said as he traced a finger over the signature, noticing how the embedded snake unnoticeably linguried, ''I know it will, and I need you to be here, to keep me sane, to keep Malfoy and me sane in all of this madness.''

He was whispering, ''I know Malfoy has it, and he's strong enough, but I don't think I am...'' His locks tickled his forehead as he huffed, ''And I really need you to cut my hair, so please—''

The ache in his chest was worse than anything — the mark he made sure to handle, but the missing of her was unbearable.

''Don't leave them, Draco.''

Theodore's head snapped, staring straight at the door as he caught Narcissa's voice from down the hall. Stumbling steps echoed after severe ones.

''Don't leave them like this. It can wait, at least wait until she wakes up.''

''No, I need to do this now.''

''Draco, listen to me, son. There isn't a thing that's more important than for her to wake up, and I know you're infuriated, but if she wakes up and you're not here—''

''I'm going. Nott sleeps next to her tonight, and I'll be back in the morning.''

''Draco, this needs to stop, all this vengeance and all this killing,''

''It stops when I say so, and I don't say so until she's back with me.''

Theodore gulped, holding on tighter to his friend in the darkness as he heard the yelling.

''She is back with you. She's right here, Draco, but you're not, and if you come back and it's too late—''

''I'll be home in the morning." 

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