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"You're allowed to hold me, you know?"

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Amelie was standing in the doorway to her room at the manor. It felt strange to her, being here again.

The fact that she was heartbroken the last time he made her leave caused her chest to cave in. The heavy lingering almost made it hard to breathe.

And the truth of Adrian, being two floors down, locked up in the basement, didn't make any of it more manageable.

But if anyone was strong enough for this — it was her, even if she didn't know that herself.

Battles and struggles within your life are inevitable — Amelie understood that, but it's the way you choose to handle it, it's the way you fight back, that matters.

Her sight gazed over the room as she stepped inside of it. The look of it was almost as how she left it, yet not,

Something had changed.

The books on the shelves were brand new, not old and dusty like she remembered them. The paint on the wall next to the window held fresh — someone had coated it recently, and the stinging yet satisfying scent of it filled the room.

She didn't know that Draco had ripped this room to pieces while looking for her — that he had spent his nights crying against the wall next to her door.

Her eyes fell to the timber, noticing the handle inside of it, and she smiled.

This time was different.

This time — he wouldn't lock her up, holding her captive. This time, she was here on her own terms.

Amelie's thought spun straight to the diary she had left behind, and she rushed over to the bed, dropping down to her knees as she tucked her hands underneath the mattress — but nothing.

It wasn't there anymore.

Panic flooded throughout her veins as it clocked her — most of the things in her room were replaced, and the only reason for them to be new is if someone had been in here, shredding it apart.

'' Are you alright?'' Draco's voice scored loud from behind her. She pulled her arms out from below the bed.

Her cheeks burnt by the embarrassment, '' I'm fine.'' She lied, worried that he had found her diary, '' I was just looking for—''

'' This?'' He held her book up in front of him, and her lips parted.

Draco shoed into the room, closing the door behind him as she rose from her kneeling position.

'' Don't be mad.'' His jaws gritted, '' Don't be mad at me. I just—''

Amelie took quick steps up to him, wrapping her fingers around the leather spine. She looked at it for moments as he looked at her.

He always seemed to look at her.

Even if she knew that he'd been invading her privacy, in a way that made her upset — she couldn't be bothered. When it came to Draco, she put all of her trust in him, and if he felt the need to read her hidden thoughts, he must have a good reason too.

'' You just...?'' Her head shot back, facing his guilty stare.

Draco cleared his throat, his eyes held an agonizing glint, '' I needed to find you, and like I said — I will never apologize for doing so.''

Her eyes scrunched together as she looked at him, a wavy lock of her hair fell over her forehead while shaking her head,

'' But this is—''

'' I know.'' Draco hushed her, letting his hands into his pockets, '' I'm sorry.''

Amelie's face softened, her head tilted to catch his grounded stare, '' I thought you said that you wouldn't apologize?''

Draco's eyes rolled at her gentle comment, '' Well. If there is an actual time to apologize. I believe this is it.''

'' Really?'' The corner of her lips arched as she sought to hide her smile, but he noticed, and the warmth flushed within him because of it.

'' Really.''

" But I have a question for you." Draco looked at her, curiously.

" Of course."

" How do you do it? How can you be so kind and forgiving? I was wrong, reading your..."

" Thoughts." He hushed, " Still you don't seem to mind. Why is that?"

Her eyebrows rose, " I like to believe that kindness has a way of coming back to you."

Draco simply stared at her, out of words to what she said. She said it without question, as if it was the most clear thing in the entire world, not knowing about the darkness in it.

His mind clouded by her warm heart, and as she stood close to him, he could nearly feel it.

" This world doesn't deserve your selflessness. You know that, right?"

'' Thank you,'' Amelie whispered, tipping her forehead against his chest, '' Thank you for apologizing.''

She always did that, and she didn't grasp why — but there was something about burying her head in his chest, that made her feel complete, whole in a way she'd never felt before.

Maybe it was the warmth of it or the fact that he seemed to love it when she did because he always settled his chin on top of her head, but he didn't fold his arms around her anymore, not like he did before she left — and that made her feel like something was wrong,

'' You are allowed to hold me, you know?" She mumbled into his black suit jacket, '' I don't mind.''

She could feel how he sucked in a harsh breath. His head felt heavy on top of hers.

'' I just don't want to hurt you,'' Draco replied as his whole body tensed.

Amelie felt a rush of pain sting in the cage of her chest, '' How could holding me possibly hurt me?''

Draco didn't answer. He simply placed a hand on the back of her neck, tangling his fingers into the brown strands of her hair as he gently pushed her head back into his chest, right where he needed her to be.

'' You if anyone, don't hurt me when you hold me, Draco.'' She whispered, and he smiled. She didn't see it, yet somehow — she felt it.

'' I should shower and clean myself up. I feel like a mess.'' Amelie said, gripping the book in her hand harder.

'' You're everything but a mess.'' Draco mumbled shyly, '' But I'll leave you to it.''

He took a step back from her, '' I'll see you downstairs for dinner later.''

______

Amelie enjoyed feeling the warm water shatter over her as she shampooed her hair — massaging her fingers against her scalp to wash herself clean of it all.

The last few weeks away had been more than needed. Still, the second she returned here. It all came crashing down on her again.

She couldn't shake the thought of Adrian being in the basement, even if he was locked up in chains and magic, underneath Draco's heavy guard — she was still scared.

Amelie knew him better than anyone, almost better than he knew himself, and she held the truth of the person he truly is.

To her, Adrian was a ruthless monster — the devil in human shape, and he prayed on the misery of other souls.

His own soul was dark and deeply filled with hatred. He didn't possess one single ounce of respect for human life, and nothing could change that.

But she still cared, and that was her biggest flaw. She was cursed by the caring of the monster her life was bounded with.

Her face dived into the stream of heated water as she felt her eyes burning in tears.

She was still scared, and she always would be. No one — not even her father had caused the amount of harm on her as Adrian had done.

He had tortured her for years, and no matter how hard she tried to strain herself from the fright she held for the vile boy — she would never be free.

A sob fled her throat, and her knees grew weak by the panic washing over her. She dropped down to the ground as she silently cried.

" Amelie, are you in there?"

Her body flinched, and she crawled into the corner of the bathtub she was lying in.

She stayed quiet, hearing how Theodore mumbled something underneath his breath, and the door slowly opened.

" Teddy—" She sobbed, pulling the shower curtain all the way across the bathtub,

His hand slammed over his eyes, " I'm sorry. I thought you cried."

Amelie was hidden behind the curtain with her knees dragged up to her chest. He couldn't see her and the heavy drips of water muffled the whimpers falling off her lips.

" I'm okay, just go, please." She begged him as she hugged herself.

Theodore sat down on the edge of the bathtub, on the other side of the fabric hanging between them.

" You're not okay. You're crying. I can hear you." He spoke, his tone desperately cracked by the hurt of his best friend.

" Tell me about it." He whispered, " Tell me what's making you sad, and I'll help you."

Amelie hesitated, but as he once told her — you don't have to go through this alone.

And she didn't. No one did. Confiding in another person can be the saving of a haunted mind.

" I'm just—" She felt another sob in the back of her throat as she let it out, " I can't stop thinking about Adrian."

Theodore's face twisted, swallowing as he felt her pain.

He could always feel her pain.

He knew just how hard she had worked to escape her past of the boy who hurt her so badly, and he did everything he possibly could to help her.

They had been forming her mind for the better. For weeks they had been doing all things imaginable to straighten her — to bring out the strong, powerful girl he knew was hiding beneath all that sorrow.

'' You know, love.'' He breathed out, his hand stretched inside the shower, and she watched his fingers twitch together. Theo wanted her to take his hand.

Her wet fingers tangled with his and his thumb rubbed circles on the spine of it.

'' You know that no one deserves your tears, and I know how hard it must be for you to be here. To know that he's here too.'' Theodore leaned his back against the tile wall,

'' But you are safe here. I am here, Malfoy is here too, Narcissa, and from what Draco told me, we will have other guests arriving soon. You're not alone, Amelie.''

She nodded, even if he couldn't see her — she nodded because she knew just how right he was.

'' Do you remember what I told you in the cabin?'' Theo kept on stroking her hand with his thumb, comforting her as best as he could.

'' What?'' Amelie swallowed the tears that wouldn't stop coming.

'' That you are not to blame. You are allowed to be scared, and you are allowed to be hurt. That is more than understandable. He has been hurting you for so long, and no one could simply forgive and forget that easily. But you have come so far, and you are so strong, love. You amaze me every day, and I will keep saying that till the day you believe me.''

It calmed her.

The way he spoke to her — the way he comforted her with the kind words he always sought to tell.

It did much for a person who had been through what she had. Someone talking to you about it. Someone understanding you, and someone willing to help you.

Theodore was her greatest anchor in the depth of her pain.

'' And you are not alone. I will always help you and listen to you. You know that.''

Her fingers clenched around his, tighter as she forced herself off the ceramics. '' I know.''

Amelie turned the water off, feeling the steam around her thicken her lungs as she let go of his hand.

'' Can you give me the towel, please?'' She whispered, her hands dragged over her soaked hair to squeeze most of the water out of it.

'' Of course.'' He muttered, standing tall on his feet as he grabbed the towel off its hanger, tucking it behind the curtain for her to take.

'' Thank you.'' She wrapped it around herself before pulling the material to the side, stepping out of the shower.

Theodore looked at her. His stare matching her eyes was soft, soothing. '' You know.'' He smiled, taking a boot closer,

'' Even when you're sad — you're still the most beautiful person there is.''

Amelie couldn't help but let out a gentle huff at that, gazing back at her friend as he wrapped his arms around her,

'' What are you doing?'' She chuckled, '' You'll get soaked.''

'' I don't care,'' Theo mumbled back, holding her close as his shirt stained by her wet body.

'' Now tell me what you want to do. Do you want us to leave? Do you want me to ask Malfoy to move Adrian somewhere else?''

Her chest felt heavy again as she thought of it — and her mind could only reach one thing.

'' I want to see him.''

Theo's entire body tensed as he leaned back from her — staring down at the broken girl.

'' No.'' His head shook, '' Absolutely not."

"No.''

Her brows furrowed, '' That's the only thing I can think about. I think I need closure. I think I need to see him, locked up behind bars to truly understand that he can't hurt me anymore.''

His green eyes fell over her innocent features, and somewhere — deep inside, he knew she was right.

He couldn't stand against it. If she felt as if she needed to do this — then it was her choice.

'' Please, Teddy. Let me see him.'' Her pleads struck his soul, and he nodded.

'' Get dressed, but we can't let Malfoy see us.''

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