_____

'' You will always be worth waiting for.''

_____

Amelie's hesitated in her steps, all way down the small stairs.

She needed to do this, no matter how much her body caved — her mind was set. There was no going back from this.

She felt as she craved the comfort of speaking her mind against him.

'' Are you absolutely sure about this?'' Theodore asked from behind her, his voice shook out of nervosity, '' I mean, a hundred percent sure? Because we can go back to your room—''

'' I'm sure.'' She turned around to level his eyes. '' I'm okay, Teddy. I promise, wait for me upstairs.''

'' I can't go with you?'' He lowered his voice, hunching his spine to be closer to her, '' I mean you can't be with him all by yourself.''

'' I can, and I will. He's behind bars. He's locked inside the basement like you said. He can't get to me anymore.'' Amelie was starting to grow impatient with the endless trail of questions.

Theodore held for a brief moment before his head dipped — nodding to what she has requested of him.

'' Fine, but I'll be right upstairs, and all you need to do is shout for me, and I'll be right down here. Alright?''

'' I promise.'' She held as she turned around, looking down at the lattice door at the end of the stairs.

Amelie caught Theodore's tracks move up the steps again, and she kept walking down, but she froze.

Her whole being stilled at the last step.

It was as if she couldn't move — as if it all came crashing down on her again, over and over until that last sip of air in her chest heaved.

Every time he abused her flashed through her mind.

'' Who's there?''

She flinched by the hoarse voice, pressing her spine against the wall. The sound of chains clinking together made her breaths hitch in the back of her throat — she wasn't sure if she was ready for this anymore.

Amelie was terrified.

'' Amelie, is that you?'' Adrian growled again, and the echoing of heavy steps came closer, '' I can recognize that flower scent, anywhere, you know.''

Her body shook violently. She didn't possess a thought to what she was doing as she stepped down over the stone.

Her eyes widened as she faced the heaviest devil in her life. She barely recognized him anymore — he had changed so much since she last saw him.

Even if his hair was longer, almost so lasting that it fell into his eyes, even if his muscles had faded and the olive tone of his skin, ashen — he still had that vicious look in his eyes.

That could never change, and neither can he.

'' I knew you would come back to me, darling.'' Adrian let out a weak cough, watching her as he stumbled closer.

Amelie stayed quiet, studying the marks on his face, the cuts in his arms, and the bruises coating his skin.

'' Say something, darling. Let me hear that beautiful voice of yours.'' His tone was gentle, manipulating almost.

'' I—'' The air in her lungs fastened, and suddenly — she couldn't speak. Not a single sound left her tongue because all she could do was to look at him.

At the boy who cursed her and her life.

The mixture of emotions within caved her bones — she was scared, but at the same time relieved that he was here, locked up, in a place where he couldn't possibly hurt her anymore.

'' You, what, darling?'' Adrian kept his voice calm and steady, '' God, I have missed you so much.''

Her lower lip shook as she stood petrified, '' I have—'' She swallowed the lump growing in the back of her throat,

'' I haven't.''

'' You haven't what? Missed me?" His breathing stilled. The devilish green eyes narrowed, '' And why is that, Amelie?''

The way he said her name made chills spread down her spine.

'' Why haven't you missed me? You love me, remember?'' Adrian's fingers grasped around the bars of the door, '' It's you and me.''

'' No.'' Her breaths airy, '' You can't do this to me anymore.''

The moment she said that. The second those words fled her throat, her haunted mind eased. It was a weight, lifted off of her chest, and for the first time in years — she could breathe properly.

It was as if her heart gave in to what her mind already knew.

'' Do what, exactly?'' He hissed, pushing himself into the metallic, '' Tell me, my future wife, what I—''

'' I'm not your future wife, Adrian.'' She caught a step forward as the bravery within her fragile soul grew.

'' I'm not yours anymore.''

Adrian arched his neck, shifting impatiently by her lack of understanding. His tongue rolled over his lower lip, and his teeth bit down on it after,

'' And why is that, darling? Is it because you have others to care for now? Like Malfoy, for example?'' He turned hostile. His smirk was broad.

'' Draco has nothing to do with this—''

'' Oh.'' Adrian let out a peel of provoking laughter, '' So we're defending him now. I see.''

'' I'm not—'' Amelie's sight grounded, and her fingers curled into fists. She inhaled as she felt the panic drown her — just like Teddy had thought her.

'' I'm not defending anyone. I'm just saying that Draco has nothing to do with this — this is about you, Adrian.''

Her eyelashes battled the tears she felt burning, '' It all comes back to you, always.''

He kept his evil grin, raising a brow at her, '' Did you sleep with him? Malfoy? Is that why you're acting like a—''

'' Stop!'' She nearly shouted, her foot stamped against the stone-covered ground but all he did was laugh at her.

'' This isn't about him. This is about you. It's always about you, Adrian.'' The muscle in her jaw ticked, '' I have taken all of your anger, for so many years, without doing anything about it, and I can't do it anymore.''

Adrian's eyes turned darker, but he kept his mouth sealed.

'' You hurt me, Adrian, for years. You hurt me so badly, and if it wasn't for Teddy and Draco—''

'' And we're back to Malfoy, I see.'' He rolled his eyes, leaning his forehead against the bars.

'' You broke me. You destroyed everything about me, and then you blamed me for it. You put all your blame on me for something you crushed.''

'' Because you did, Adrian. You broke me more than it's possible for a person to be. Still, you found a way to do it, and when I thought you couldn't take anything else from me — you took my freedom.''

'' Oh, yes.'' Adrian's head tilted, '' That's my best accomplishment. "

"The vow.''

Amelie couldn't hold it back. A clear, innocent tear rolled down her drained cheek.

'' You took everything from me.''

'' And happily so.'' He shot back, his hands pounded against the door,

'' You don't understand, do you? I own you, Amelie. I own everything about you, and there is no escape from me. You can keep me locked up here, for the rest of my life, but I will always be there, in your mind, torturing you of everything that makes you happy.''

'' Stop.'' She whispered, her fingers twitched against her palms.

'' I made you. I formed you to what I wanted you to be, and if you ever think that you could escape me, you're lying to yourself, and you know it.''

'' Adrian, please, stop.''

'' You're not foolish. I taught you to be smart. I taught you how to manipulate for me, and deep, deep down that fragile, pathetic little chest of yours, you know that you're nothing more than what I made you be.''

Amelie caught slow steps back as he kept going. Her spine struck the wall as she slipped down against it.

" Pathetic."

" Useless."

" And to think that I picked you out of all people, disgusting."

Her hands cupped around her ears, and her knees hugged her chest. She couldn't think. She couldn't let him do this to her again. She needed to be strong.

She needed to be everything that she taught herself to be and not what Adrian made her.

But Adrian was going mad — insane as he slammed his chains against the metal,

'' You can keep telling yourself how strong you are and how far you've come, but I will always be here, reminding you of the lie you're living.''

Amelie tried not to listen — she worked to distance herself from his words and leave, but it was as if she couldn't move. She didn't dare to.

She wanted to make herself small. She wanted to disappear.

Adrian always did this. He crushed her, and then he punished her for being broken.

And that was her price — for having a soft heart, the world would always use her.

'' You know what? Maybe I should just kill myself, at least then I know that I don't have to see you ever again, and you'll die with me because you know what, darling? Not even your own life belongs to you.''

'' It does.'' Her whimpers were inaudible for him to hear, but the important thing was that she knew it for herself.

'' My life belongs to me. I am worthy.''

'' I am worthy.''

'' I didn't choose this.''

'' This isn't my fault.''

'' My life belongs to me.''

'' I am loved.'' She tried to convince herself.

He was shouting at her, hammering his hands into the bars as the tears drowned her skin.

'' Ask Malfoy, Amelie. Ask him where your father is.'' Adrian kept going, '' Ask him, and find out just how honest your bloody little savior is, but when you do— just know that you'll be coming back to me like the pathetic—''

'' What is going on?'' Draco growled from upstairs, '' What did you do, Nott?''

" Where is she?"

'' She needs this—''

'' Let go of me, right now, Theodore.''

'' No, Draco. You don't understand. She has to do this. She needed to see him—''

'' Get out of my way, Nott. I'm not telling you again, are you completely out of your mind?''

'' Draco—''

'' Don't.''

" Amelie!"

Amelie squeezed her ears harder — she didn't want to hear anything, not Adrian, not Theodore, not Draco.

She just wanted the ground to swallow her whole as Adrian kept spitting the cruelest of words at her.

Her body jolted, and the air filled her lungs as she felt the cold hands wrap around her trembling figure.

Draco didn't even bother to make Adrian quiet — he just needed to take her away from it.

Draco was a boy, who seemed to live for revenge — to seek vengeance for the chaos made by other people, but not in this moment.

All he saw was her, and nothing else mattered.

He didn't care about hurting Adrian or curse Theodore for allowing her to go down there.

He needed to protect her. To save the girl, falling apart in his arms.

______

Draco carried her up to his room. He didn't let his eyes off of her, not even for a second. He just needed to take her someplace he knew that she felt safe.

He hunched down on his bed, with her still in his arms. He held her — closer than he had ever done before.

His large hands around her shaking body made his heart ache and the concerned gaze upon him fell into a heartbreaking one,

Not quickly, but slowly, as if he could feel just how much she was caving in his arms.

'' Amelie.'' He whispered softly, '' Amelie. I'm here now.''

She didn't say anything — she didn't even cry anymore.

She was quiet.

'' Amelie.'' Draco sought to comfort her again, '' You know that all of these things he said to you. They are not true.''

'' This is not your fault.'' He tilted his chin against her head, hearing as the shaky breaths left her lips.

'' Just breathe, Amelie.'' Draco held his note low, steady for her to follow it, '' Can you do that? Can you breathe for me?''

Amelie's head nodded slowly as she pressed the side of her head into his chest — it calmed her. Listening to his heartbeat as it pathed with hers.

'' I'm sorry.'' She whispered, her hands grasped at the ends of her sleeves, '' I didn't—''

'' Shhh.'' Draco mumbled into her head, '' Don't apologize. I know.''

Her breaths in flutters and her heart was ripped into pieces.

She understood what she gave herself into when she went down there — she knew that he could break her even more,

Yet, she needed it, and she — even if he was nothing more than heartless to her, she felt closure because he hadn't changed. He was still the monster she remembered him to be.

She breathed Draco in, that calming, harmless scent of him before she leaned back, meeting the grey eyes.

'' Thank you.'' Amelie whispered, noticing how his jaws clenched, '' Thank you for saving me.''

'' I will always save you.''

And he would. Even when she didn't know that he was doing it, he would always look out for her.

With his palm against her cheek, his thumb wiped the tears off of it.

He dried her suffering.

'' You make me stronger, you know.'' Amelie's words caught him off guard as a brow rose.

'' And you make me weak.'' The cold expression on his face softened at the confused look towering hers, '' But not in a bad way. I could use someone to pull me down to earth from time to time.''

His comment made her smile, once again in the time of misery — somehow, he always managed to make her smile.

'' Really?'' Her eyes flashed in hope, and his hand stayed on her jawline.

'' Really.''

Amelie's eyes dragged over his handsome features, only to settle on his lips. She still missed the feeling of them against hers.

Draco watched her as his hands cupped her other cheek, '' I want to kiss you, Amelie.'' His head leaned closer to hers, '' I want to kiss you, and I want to take all that pain away.''

'' Really?'' The tips of her fingers gripped around his shoulders, and she shifted in her position on top of him.

'' Really.'' Draco breathed out as she placed a knee on each side of him, feeling as his nose stroked against hers.

'' But I want you to be ready, the next time I do so because last time wasn't—''

'' I want you to kiss me, Draco.'' Her sight locked in his, '' And it's not for the wrong reasons or because of what happened downstairs.''

'' Then why?" He mumbled quietly, and she sensed his hands around her waist, pulling her an inch closer,

'' I could wait a lifetime to kiss you. It's still worth it.'' Draco whispered.

Malfoy knew that she was fragile. That she could easily break at the tips of his fingers, but he also knew that the world rested on the tips of hers.

She could take on anything if she wanted to, and he needed to show her that.

'' You will always be worth waiting for.''

Without another word shared — she gently slipped her fingers over the blonde strands of his hair, and her lips collided with his.

It was as breathtaking just like she remembered it to be, and at this moment — something changed.

She was still scared of the boy in the basement, and she was still worried about her mother, but with Draco next to her, holding her in a way she deserved to be held — it all just made sense.

Amelie was meant to be here with him, and he was meant to be with her, and even in the mess of them both not knowing — they knew.

'' Draco, dear.'' Narcissa's voice shredded loudly from downstairs, '' Our guests have arrived.''

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