This chapter contains scenes of emotional trauma. Please read with caution. 

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''Fix this.'' 

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Amelie's eyes flickered between the two boys. She didn't understand a thing that was happening.

Why would Malfoy call her Amelie after not even once mention her by her first name before? Why would he look at her with that small glint in his eyes? Why would he stare at her as if he'd seen a ghost?

She couldn't wrap her head around anything. All she wanted was to go home. She just needed to be back with Adrian. This didn't seem real to her — she would never be in Malfoy's bed.

''What happened?'' Draco growled, snapping his head to look at Theodore. It was more of a threat than a question, ''Why did she just call me Malfoy?''

Theodore gulped, but he wasn't fearful of Draco's harsh act. He was miserable, and not even the blond's attempts to menace him — worked at this time.

''I'll talk to you downstairs, but Amelie needs her rest right now.'' Theo nodded towards her, meaning for Draco to see how frightened she looked and that they couldn't do this in front of her.

Draco's eyes caught hers again as she sat, with her spine against the headboard, her knees hugged to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. She never rested like that anymore. He knew that because he made her stop.

Amelie only sat in that position when she was still with Adrian, he'd noticed that she did that thing with her legs and her arms when she needed to make herself small — invisible, but she didn't have to do that anymore.

Not with Draco.

She stopped when she was with him, but now — now she wasn't anymore.

Her brows knitted slightly at the broken look of the boy standing in his black suit in front of her. His wand in his fist as his jaws gritted, ''I'll be back,'' He mumbled before he hastily turned around, shouldering Theo as he stormed out of the room.

Draco marched all the way down to the kitchen, striding right up to the liquor cabinet as he pulled out a clear bottle.

He didn't bother pouring it into a glass.

''Draco, dear,'' Narcissa gasped as she strode after him into the kitchen, watching as her son ripped the stopper off and poured the biting taste of the colorless liquid down his throat.

He didn't form a grimace. He simply swallowed it all before he threw the bottle across the kitchen, leaning his back onto the counter behind him.

Theodore stepped through the doorway and nearly flinched by the sound of shattering glass. He looked straight at him, narrowing green eyes in Draco's grey ones, ''You're not seeing her again today, not like this, Malfoy.''

Draco scoffed, tilting his head away from them as he peered out the window, ''That's not your choice to—''

''Hell it is,'' Theodore spoke up, much louder, ''She doesn't remember—''

''Don't—'' Draco's jaws held sharp enough to cut through paper, his skin reddened, ''Don't you dare say it.''

''Say what?'' Theodore fired back, ''The truth? That she can't remember anything?'' His face was as cold as Draco's, and the daggers shooting between them stung.

Malfoy hushed, his eyes sealed for a minute before peeling wide open again. He looked back out the window, and the evening sun glimmered through the glass.

It wasn't raining.

''How?'' He asked, lowly, ''How did this happen?''

Theodore's glacial expression eased at the crackling in Draco's hoarse voice.

He couldn't stay mad.

"She died,'' He whispered, taking a few hesitant steps up to the kitchen island, his palms against the wood, ''She died because she thought you did. She killed herself, Malfoy, after being abused for months and when a mind is—''

He paused and took in a shaky breath, ''When a mind is overworked and toyed with like hers was, it's hard to come back without consequences. All I know is that it's not magical—"

''I know that Nott,'' Draco's hands settled along the edges of the counter behind him, his knuckles paled, ''We have talked about it a hundred times, that she might wake up different, but you said it wasn't magical?''

Theo nodded, understandably, providing Draco with the comfort he knew that he needed, ''Her heart stopped, and when her heart did that, she stopped breathing and the oxygen flooding through her lungs and through her blood, heaved, which leads to damage to the brain. Her brain didn't get any air for minutes and with that—''

''Comes consequences. So I've been told,'' Draco finished for him, still protesting to look at the brunet. He sighed, tipping his head back as the alcohol he'd consumed moments prior rushed through his veins.

''What do we do now?'' He mumbled, his eyes tormented and hodded, ''Do you know how to—''

''I don't,'' Theodore bent over the island, ''But I will try,'' He sought to comfort himself. He didn't feel as if anyone else did that for him.

He watched his best friend wake up clueless, too, misremembering everything she'd worked so hard to master. In reality, losing everything that was her. She was back on square one, and Theodore couldn't do a thing to fix it.

There wasn't a spell that could overcome nature in that way. There wasn't a trail of words that could be hummed to reverse what her body was protecting her from.

Draco's chest rose and fell violently at what he'd been through. He never seemed to be able to rest. He was constantly in a battle between right and wrong when it came to her — and now he didn't know what to do anymore.

''Boys,'' Narcissa caught their attention, making both of their necks snap to hers, ''I think it's for the best if we all just call it for tonight. You've been through a lot, and so has she. We all deserve an early night for once.'' Her fingers grasped at the ends of her sleeves, hesitant to if her son would agree.

Theodore nodded, his brown messy curls kissed his forehead, ''I'll stay with her for the night, and we can start planning how to do this tomorrow.'' He pushed himself back from the furniture, standing tall in the doorway, ''I can take her to my room, and she can stay there—''

''Just—'' Draco finally looked at him again. His arms folded over his chest, ''Let her stay wherever she wants. I'll sleep in the living room.''

He didn't want to sleep in their bed without her. He couldn't — only the thought of doing so ripped his heart into pieces all over again.

''You don't have to—'' Theodore tried speaking, but Malfoy shook his head, pushing his lips together.

''Let her sleep where she's comfortable. If it's in our—'' He halted on his words, jaws clenched for a second, ''—our room, or her old one, or yours. It doesn't matter. Just make sure that she's alright, and we'll talk about it tomorrow.'' He agreed, truly against his will, but he couldn't put her through more at this point.

''Are you sure?'' Theodore frowned, puzzled as to why his friend contented to it so quickly, ''We can try—''

''Just—'' He held his trembling breaths, gripping onto the counter tighter to not let the soaring alcohol get the better of him, ''Fix this. That's all I want.''

Theodore hummed, his sight grounded before he turned around and walked out of the kitchen. Leaving Draco and his mother in it.

Narcissa didn't speak much — mostly because she didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to comfort him now. She didn't know how to soothe herself. It was heartbreaking seeing her son lose Amelie over and over again.

She didn't understand how her son could be so strong in all of this, how he could still stand properly with all the knives he'd taken to his back.

She truly admired him for that, for still trying.

_____

''Can I come in?'' Theodore knocked on the door, sliding it open to peer inside, and there she was. Amelie hadn't moved a muscle since he left her up here, ''How are you—''

''What is happening, Teddy?'' She whispered, tilting her head down to watch the tangled fingers in her lap, ''Why did you leave?''

He closed the door behind him, taking careful steps across the floor, ''I needed to speak to Draco—''

''Why Malfoy?'' Amelie questioned. Her skin had faded terribly by her weeks in a coma. Her eyes held blank as her hair fell lifeless, ''Why are we here, and why did he just—''

A cough scored her throat, hewing her off as she traced the inner side of her elbow up to her mouth, protecting the surroundings from her rasp.

''Amelie, may I?'' Theodore bowed his head towards the bed, gesturing for himself to take a seat at the edge of it, next to her. She nodded her reply, blinking quickly as he slipped down, facing her fully.

''I need to do something, and then I'll explain, is that alright?'' He asked her softly. He saw that it was hard for her as her body held in a weak state to try and grasp what was occurring around her.

''Is this more spells?'' She looked worried, clasping her fingers together harder. She remembered how he used to practice healing upon her, and for Amelie, that was not long ago — while Theodore recognized it to be years since he did that.

''It is,'' He whispered, shoving himself closer to her as he brushed a strand of hair off her shoulder, and he mumbled his words, pushing his wand into the skin of her neck. His eyes sealed all together, and he constantly nodded to himself — understanding what he saw.

Amelie's features twisted into a slight grimace as she felt his magic rushing through her. It stung and burned a bit in her chest, and she gasped at the feeling of it.

''Are you alright?'' He muttered, through spells, ''You need to tell me if it hurts,'' He kept on humming, his lips barely moved as his eyes squeezed tighter.

''I'm okay,'' Amelie whispered, curling her fingers into fists to drag the attention off the feeling in her neck and the sparking colors around her. The darkened room lit up all different shades.

''I see,'' He quieted, concerned before he leaned back from her. His eyes matching hers, ''I understand better now.''

Amelie's hand gripped the side of her neck, stroking over the red mark his wand left behind, and she gulped. Her own sight flickered, ''What did you see?'' She whispered, ''Why am I here? Did they do something to me—''

''No...'' Theo was rapid to answer, not wishing to increase the suspicion she held for the Malfoy's, ''This has nothing to do with Draco and Narcissa. They have been nothing but kind to us.''

Amelie huffed, her eyes glinted in pure confusion, and her cheeks didn't own a stain of color. It was frustrating to her, trying to wrap her head around Theodore's mystic words. Her heartbeat pounded, and her pulse quickened.

''But I need to ask you some questions,'' Theodore's head tilted, smiling shyly towards her, ''If that's alright with you?''

''Yes, of course,'' Her view caught the room around her, letting its gaze across the furniture of Draco's four walls, ''Is this really Malfoy's room? It looks different, from how I imagined it...''

Theodore smiled wider, his gaze moved with hers, ''How did you imagine it?'' He shifted around in his position, crawling over the covers to rest next to her instead.

Amelie's mouth twitched as her eyes narrowed. She still fiddled with her fingers in her lap, ''I don't know... Adrian always says he's a bad person and that he's always competing with him, so perhaps something darker?''

She smiled at the look of a robe hanging over one of the chairs, ''I have one of those too, back at home,'' She stated before her neck arched and her head dropped to his shoulder, ''Does Malfoy have a girlfriend now? Why would he have a robe like that?''

It ached so badly within the cage of Theodore's chest. He knew it was her robe. He knew that Draco usually slept with it when she'd been missing, all to feel her scent and her closeness again. She truly didn't remember them.

''Where is Adrian?'' Amelie yawned. Her eyelids felt heavy, ''Is he coming here soon?''

Theodore inhaled deeply to gather what he needed, but he couldn't — he didn't know how to form the words he searched before her breaths slowed and her body, a little bit at the time, gave into his.

She fell asleep on his shoulder, and he had no idea what to do.

_____

''Take place here, dear,'' Narcissa stretched an arm out for her, marking against the table in the middle of the room, ''We fixed this little room for you, while you were...'' She paused, her eyes pushed in an agonizing look, and her pupils darkened.

Her shoulders sunk, ''...asleep,'' Narcissa forced a thin smile, ''Theodore needed somewhere private to heal your body, and this was the best we could do.''

Amelie's eyes darted back and forth between Narcissa and the blank, metallic table in the center of the four walls. She nodded quickly as she took tentative steps up to it — the tips of her fingers traced along with the chilly metal, leaving a soggy trail behind her.

''What am I supposed to do?'' Amelie looked back at the lady, studying the way she was standing. Straight, tall, her fingers locked together behind her back as her black dress fell utterly perfect around her.

''Theodore will be here any minute, and he'll help you,'' Narcissa gave her a gracious smile, not as tender as the last one, but it still soothed within Amelie as her sight dragged across the shelves covering the walls.

It surely looked to her as if Teddy would live his dream in here. The counters filled with bottles of liquid, vials of herbs, and jars of instruments for him to use. She frowned at the thought of it — why the Malfoy's would do all of this for Theodore.

They didn't even know them.

''Is she here?''

''Yeah, mother took her inside, but I'll go now. I don't want her to see me.''

''Don't say that, Malfoy.''

Amelie peered over her shoulder, looking at Narcissa, who still stood by the door and her cheeks feverish by the noise both Theodore and Draco were making.

''I don't think it's a good idea for her to see me, and I don't want to pressure her.''

''You need to be here for this. She doesn't remember, but that's for now. When she gets her memories back, she'll remember how you weren't there for things like this.''

''Nott, I don't—''

''Just stand in a corner or something, but show her that you're here.''

Amelie quickly turned around again, facing the vials as she caught steps marching inside the room, and before she could inhale properly — a hand was placed in her lower back, and she flinched.

Theodore jolted back of her reaction, and his insides wrenched.

He'd forgotten just how sensitive she was with another person's touch — after meeting Malfoy and being with him in the way she was. She didn't fear human contact, but she did now.

''I'm sorry, love. I didn't—'' Theodore's eyes snapped across the room, his muscles ticked at what he'd done as he met Draco's heartbreaking stare.

"I didn't think—"

"No!" Amelie called out, her skin shivered, "I'm sorry, I'm not thinking clearly," Her limbs felt weak as she backed away from the shelves, closer to the table again.

"You can lay on your back, and I'll just—" Theodore mumbled, pickling some of the jars off the counter, "I'll get what I need."

She hesitated for several seconds. She wasn't used to this, and the fact that she didn't know what he'd do to her was terrifying. Her hands shook as she settled them against the icy surface and her body nearly coiled when her back struck it.

Amelie was only wearing one of Theodore's long shirts, and her thighs stung by the coldness the metal brought, but she tried to keep an undoubtedly face, holding her emotions inside when all she wanted to do was to cry.

The way both Narcissa and Draco rested against the wall on the other side of the room caused it all to feel more frightening. In her mind — she didn't know them.

She didn't remember a thing that had passed the last year, but she, at the same time, wasn't strong enough to ask any questions or speak against them. All she could do was to obey.

Theodore walked over to the table, smiling comfortably at her as he turned on the lamp hanging over her.

"What are you doing?" Draco gritted, his arms crossed and his jaws clenched. He understood that she didn't recollect a thing about their relationship, but he still felt a sickening waver as it rocked within at the way she laid exposed on that table.

"Son," Narcissa whispered beside him, "Perhaps we should let Theodore do what he does best and not ask questions."

She didn't see how Draco nodded. She only heard the quiet groan fleeing his lips. Amelie gasped at Theo's hand stroking her arm, and her eyes lowered to watch it.

"I will drag your shirt up a bit if that's alright. I need to see your scar," His head tipped towards her stomach, and panic struck her every nerve, but she agreed.

Amelie trusted Teddy more than anyone right now.

His fingers grasped at the edge of the shirt she was wearing, and he gently tugged it up, letting it rest at her ribs. He could clearly see how her breaths ragged and her chest heaved.

His heart clenched, and so did Draco's. He knew how much she cherished privacy when it came to her body and the marks on it.

It had taken her nearly a year to expose herself to Draco, and even then, she was unsure about her wounded skin. He could never pressure her when it came to that because she trusted him tremendously before all of this.

Amelie's lower lip quivered as Theodore's fingers brushed over her skin, and she was on the far edge to tears, ''What scar?'' She whimpered, biting the flesh of her inner cheek just to keep herself from crying.

''You don't remember the scar?'' Theodore's brows shifted upwards in a hastily act before dragging back together in confusion, ''What is the last thing you remember, Amelie?'' He spoke softly, providing her with all the calmness he could.

''I—'' She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, ''I don't...'' Her eyes closed at the warmth of his fingers touching her skin, ''School, right before we went on summer break, maybe? When I was going home with you.'' She was so doubtful of herself.

Theodore hummed in response, knowing that it took place three years ago, ''That would explain it,'' He nodded to himself, attending to the other scar that had faded into her pale coat — the wound she'd caused herself.

''What?'' Draco's eyes narrowed at the brunet, his shoulders were so tensed that his suit jacked could rupture, ''What could explain what?''

''He—'' Theodore's sight leveled Draco's raising a brow as he mouthed the name, Adrian, ''He didn't do that to her until we came back to school the following year.''

Draco inhaled sharply at the thought of Adrian actually ripping a knife into her stomach, leaving her injured and hurt behind. His blood fumed, and his breath hitched in the back of his throat.

''Who did?'' Amelie whispered, ''Who gave me that scar?''

Theo's hurting stare flared up towards Narcissa and Draco again as both of them shook their head at him.

They didn't want to overwhelm her more than she already was, and bringing Adrian and his abuse into the question wasn't a thing either of them could handle at the time.

''We'll talk about that later—''

''Where is Adrian?'' Her eyes sparkled in hope, ''I miss Adrian, he would be here, and he'd—''

''No, love,'' Theodore gripped her shirt again, slowly drawing it down over her belly, ''I'm done with the scars, now just let me—''

Amelie felt a rush of electricity through her body as her muscles stoned. The panic grew with every inch of skin he touched, ''I don't—'' Her figure was shaking violently, ''Just bring Adrian here, please. He'll know what to do, please—''

The tears in her eyes failed her as they rolled down, and a sob cleared her throat. She clutched at her stomach, ''Just bring me Adrian, he should be here—''

''Amelie, love, listen—''

''No!'' Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the sounds of her sobbing, ''I want Adrian,''

Draco's jaws gritted, tighter than ever as he watched her terrified self. His spine arched off the wall, ''I can't do this. She doesn't want me here, and I can't—''

He was so close to tears himself.

She was right here. She was right where she was supposed to be — back with him. He had her on an arms lengths distance, with no space between, yet she had never been further away.

Narcissa tried to call after Draco as he stormed out, but he couldn't. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want her to have to see him when she didn't remember him.

It was all a neverending, spinning wheel of plain torture to him. Something he'd never be free of. She was his Amelie. Still, she wasn't, and he could never blame her for it.

This wasn't her fault.

Just as Theodore had explained it, her body was shielding itself. This had nothing to do with Draco or the love she once carried for him. This was everything else. Her heart still belonged to him, it always would, and his heart was hers to bleed dry.

It would always be her to him, even in this state — even if she were so scared of him that she couldn't look at him. It was his Amelie, and there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do to protect her.

Theodore didn't have the chance to finish what he needed to do with her. She was too upset with the fact of being kept in the utter dark.

They wanted to tell her — to reveal everything to her, but they knew she couldn't possess it. Not at this time. She was too fragile. Her heart frail. Her mind on the shaking road to recovery. Draco didn't want anything else than to tell her, to explain to her who he was.

Who he'd grown to be with her, but he didn't dare to in fear of losing her for good, and all he could do was wait.

He knew that Theodore slept next to her in the bed they once called theirs while Draco rested on a couch on the main floor. He didn't want to be too close to her, and in case he dreamt nightmares again — he did not wish for her to hear them.

Malfoy didn't want to bother her at all. He just needed her back, so he gave her all the space he could, even if he missed her so much it turned hard to breathe. He heard her voice all day, but she didn't speak to him.

Every nerve, every vessel in his body blasted in pain because of it.

_____

Amelie couldn't sleep. She listened as Theodore breathed slowly in his own world of imagination, but she didn't have the strength to close her eyes and do the same.

It was still unknown to her, being in this house with people she didn't believe she could trust. She missed Adrian and her father in the total loss of her rightful mind.

She wasn't strong enough back then — before she met Draco and before she allowed Teddy to help her. She kindly, without any resistance, take every sinful act that was brought upon her. Amelie didn't know how to say no, or how to speak against it.

Her toes curled underneath the covers as she pulled herself up, sitting straight and stretching her spine before her feet struck the floor. She walked slowly, careful not to bring any attention to herself as she slipped out into the hallway.

She knew that this was Draco's room that she'd been staying in — Theodore told her, but she couldn't leave.

It was as if something held her in there.

He'd offered her to sleep in his room, or even a room they claimed to be her old one, but her body wanted to stay put in that room — Draco's room.

Amelie was still kept in the shadows to what had happened, and ever since she'd woken up from what they told her had been weeks of heavy sleep — she felt strange, like an important piece of herself had gone missing.

Like she lost herself, but Teddy reassured her that he'd tell her all about it when her mind cleared of the gloom she felt, and she trusted that, more than anything.

Her small steps were inaudible down the stairs as she walked into the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water, and she stared out through the kitchen window.

Amelie hadn't been outside for a long time — she missed it terribly as she watched the moonlight glimmer and the trees shrugged against each other.

It was like she imagined that the biting breeze scored around her too, even if she stood inside, tracing a glass of water up to her lips. She smiled to herself, shyly by the look of dawn as it rose on the horizon.

Amelie settled her cup back at the counter before she turned around. The cool wind at the pace she was walking tickled her bare thighs, and just as she gripped the handle, leading up the stairs again — she caught the fireplace in the corner of her eyes.

A waver of misgiving shattered in her chest, but she couldn't help it. Her head clouded as she stepped closer towards the living room in the middle of the night, and her hands gripped at the frame in the doorway.

She let out a silent gasp at the sight of Malfoy, resting on the couch with nothing but a pair of pants on. His eyes sealed, and his chest heaved calmly.

He was asleep.

Amelie bit down onto her lower lip — he looked so cold, lying on the sofa with nothing to cover up with. Her sight caught a blanket hanging over one of the backrests of an armchair.

She didn't want to. She didn't want to help him because she didn't know if he wanted her to. Malfoy was asleep, and he didn't seem to mind sleeping without a cover, but it still stung in her chest as she studied him.

He didn't look as cruel as Adrian explained him to be. He didn't look dangerous. He looked sad, broken, and before she understood what happened herself — she stood with the blanket in her hands.

Her head shook, her fingers shaking as she bent down, gently placing the soft material over his legs, and she began to drag it across his exposed stomach. Her eyes widened. The doubtful feeling shifted into a heated one.

Scars.

He had scars covering his chest — just like her.

Amelie's eyes constantly flickered up to his, hoping that he wouldn't wake up and catch her hovering, but she couldn't tear herself away from him.

It felt as if her mind battled her heart — as if he was so familiar, so friendly, loving, and kind yet a complete stranger.

Amelie couldn't place a finger upon what, but something about Malfoy felt safe.

She studied his scars and the burns in his chest for minutes, almost recognizing them, and she felt something, a feeling of familiarity, something rocked like home within her.

Safety.

Her fingers brushed over the scars that were faded into his skin as she dragged the blanket over his icy surface, stepping away from him to walk back upstairs.

Little did she know that Draco was awake and his heart was being ripped out of his chest by her closeness. That she touched him, without him being able to touch her.

It kept her in a loop of doubt because she felt it — even if she didn't understand what, she felt something right there and then with Malfoy.

Something she didn't think she'd felt for years, and it made her smile, a curve played on her lips. Still, her veins ached along with her heart.

If she only knew that once, not too long ago, Draco Malfoy made her feel everything.

_____