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

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'' Blue.''

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The dusk cleared over the castle as Amelie walked her way down to the library, with the hope and knowledge that the blonde-haired boy would be waiting for her.

She hadn't been able to clear her mind off of him ever since he looked at her the way he did in the bathroom.

There was something about the mysterious yet obvious boy that calmed her. He affected her in a way no one else seemed to be able to do, and even if it was intriguing, it was more than terrifying also, because this was an unrevealed enclave.

She had never done this with someone else, never been this close to someone she didn't know that well but still manage to trust.

The hallways scored dark, shallow, empty. Amelie's heels crinkled along the stone-covered floor before she halted in her steps, and she pushed her palms against the doors, hauling them open into the dimmed library.

Amelie's eyes flickered, '' Draco—'' She said in a whisper as she snuck further in between the dusty bookshelves covered in old novels, '' Draco, this isn't funny.''

Her spine arched straight and her breaths light as feathers the second she caught a hushed sound behind her — her fingers curled into fists, and her eyes squeezed shut before a known chuckle rose behind her,

'' You truly are a tough one, aren't you, Avery?'' Draco stepped out of the shadows, his note mocking her, '' What if I would've been someone else? And all you do is stay still?''

Amelie panted out the holding breath, sending him a glare, '' I told you it wasn't funny, Draco.'' Her hand grasped at her throat as he continued to let out chuckles at her.

'' We'll see who's the fool when I am done with you.'' Draco's upper lips curled, and he smirked at her before his amused look faded into a serious one, '' You need to understand something, Avery.''

He cleared his throat, '' That what we're about to do... what I am about to do to you isn't easy. Overcoming fear isn't something that happens overnight. This will hurt you, and it will take time.''

Amelie gulped, '' What do you—''

'' But when I am done with you, and when we've succeeded, you'll never be scared of Adrian or your father, ever again.'' Their names slipped his tongue with disgust as he showed it.

Amelie stood nervously before him, her fingers still clenched into fists, and his tall towering made her feel small — but that wasn't an issue for her because she always wished to make herself tiny, invisible when someone was hurting her.

Draco's eyes glistened by the moonlight, sneaking its way through the window cracks, '' How do you do this?'' Amelie whispered, '' Help me, I mean.''

'' How do I do this?'' He hushed. His teeth showed as he licked his lower lip, '' Sit down,'' He gestured towards the table that stood surrounded by chairs — and one chair that held different than the others, it was turned towards him.

Amelie slipped down, her legs shook out of the timid feeling and the gaze the blonde held as he eyed her down.

'' If you agree to do this, we can not stop.'' His tells trailed shivers down her spine, '' We can't stop once we started, Avery. I need you to fully understand that—''

'' I do, Draco.'' Amelie chewed on the inside of her cheek, nodding towards the blonde, '' I understand—''

His head shook as he slowly walked up to her. Draco placed both of his hands on the armrests of her chair as he towered over her, grey eyes pierced through hers like daggers, '' I need words, Avery. I need you to tell me that you want this.''

She swallowed, feeling how his minty breath tasted sweet on her innocent lips, '' I want your help, Draco.'' Amelie nearly choked out, owning no thought of what he'd do to her.

Draco nodded. His step back made her feel lonely in her exposed position. His hand fiddled with his wand, '' I need you to choose a word.'' He told, still keeping his eyes on her, '' A safe word. It can be a fruit, a color, or something—''

'' A what—''

'' A safe word.'' He hewed her off as his shoulder leaned against a bookshelf, '' You need to have one, for when you can't take it anymore.''

Draco kept on flipping the wand in between his fingers as he grew impatient with her lack of words, '' The clock is ticking, Avery.''

'' Blue.'' Amelie choked out, her fingers grasping at the armrest, '' I want to use blue.''

She couldn't help but feel good about her choice of words because it was her mother's favorite color and who would be more suitable to save her from herself than her mother.

Draco rose a brow, rushing a hand through the blonde strands as he slightly tugged his hair back, '' As you wish.''

His wand stretched in between them to a point where it leveled her head, and she held her breath — terrified for what was about to come crashing down on her. '' I need you to close your eyes, Avery.''

'' Can you do that for me?'' He said, and her eyes fluttered shut, '' Good. You're doing so good.'' He kept on mumbling, in his own way — he was praising her bravery.

'' I'm sorry for this.'' Draco sucked in a harsh breath, '' Legilimens.''

The spell clocked her eyes wide. The lingering light of magic swirled her mind, nearly paralyzing her on the chair she was seated on.

'' I want you to think about your father. Can you do that?'' He asked her, but she couldn't see him — all she watched was the flashing images of her father and his violence.

'' Good, Avery. You're doing so good.''

He saw what she did. He watched her memories through his magic, '' I want you to focus on something your father did to you as a child.''

The second his words came to mind — her eyes squeezed shut, and the image of her father, burning cigarette after cigarette all over her skin almost suffocated her.

That tended to be his favorite rule of punishment, even when she was a harmless child — he would cherish the times her screams of torture ripped through the walls of their home. Amelie took beating after beating, all because her father wasn't strong enough to battle his own pain.

Draco's spell tore from her mind, giving her a second to catch her missing breath before it overwhelmed her again. '' Good, Avery. This is going so well.''

It was as if her unconscious self were seeking the pain of her father's abuse — how she would feel utterly numb by the countless attempts to yank away from the vicious hold, how tears drained her skin, how weak she looked to be because she couldn't take it anymore.

How the words, spoken by her father as he did the most ruthless of acts.

'' You're weak. ''

'' You're worthless.''

'' You're my biggest mistake.''

'' If it wasn't for your mother—''

Her mother. Athena. The only person in this world that looked after her, who took his abuse to spare her daughter. The gracious woman who,

'' Stop!'' Amelie breathed out lowly. Her palms cupped her face, '' Please, stop.''

She wasn't ready for the truth that rested within her. She wasn't prepared.

Draco strode closer as his steps echoed before he kneeled down, right in front of her — watching the twisting grimaces of her tortured mind.

'' Avery—''

'' Stop, just make it stop, Draco.'' Her eyes prickled in tears of how hard she sought to shut it out, to not the memory of it all in, '' Please, just make it—''

'' Avery.'' Draco spoke up harshly, ''You need to say the—''

Somewhere in his observing of her — he understood that she wasn't going to give in. She wouldn't listen. Still, his mind battled. He didn't know if it was a good time to touch her. He didn't want to push her, to pressure her even more than his magic had done.

Her fingers tangled into her hair as she tugged it back, but a second later, she flinched instead, her entire self coiled back by the hand he placed on her thigh.

'' Amelie.''

He said her name again, and this time — she noticed it.

'' Amelie, your safe word.'' He mumbled as he leaned closer to her ear. His tone held slow, calming, '' Listen to my voice, and say your word.''

Her chest caved as her bones ached, '' Blue.'' She whimpered out, nails dug into the armrests, '' Blue, blue, blue.'' And she could feel the relief as he shredded his magic away.

'' Good, Amelie.'' His grip around her thigh tensed as the rings coating them stung her skin, '' You did so well for me.''

Amelie's head fell back, her knees dragged up to her chest as she hugged herself, and moments passed in utter silence. She didn't have the courage to speak.

'' Are you...'' Draco scratched the back of his head, '' Are you alright?''

She forced a smile, her vocals trembled, '' Why did I have to do that? How is this ever going to help me?''

'' We all have that one secret.'' Draco held his talk, pulling his hand off of her, '' We all have this one special secret, we didn't know we carried, and that's your trigger. That is what's making you scared of your father and Adrian.''

His eyes glimmered with remorse, and in compaction to what he had to put her through, '' You were so close to giving it up to me, but the second your mind circled it. You snapped out. You're not ready to show me what it is you're hiding.''

'' So I need to do it again?'' She almost seemed sad, dismayed that she couldn't complete it on her first try.

'' Yes, maybe even more than that.'' He kept his honest tone as he looked softly at her. His hands shoved into his pockets, '' But it will be fine, Avery. I'll be here to help you.''

Amelie's eyebrows knitted together, and she could feel the burning sensation of '' Why do you say that? Why do you say Avery and not Amelie?''

Her eyes dragged across the tall boy as his sight flickered off her, '' It's easier.''

'' Easier?'' She still looked confused, '' What do you mean easier?''

'' It's like with you, blaming yourself for Adrian's mistakes. It's easier for me to not grow too close to you.''

'' How is saying my name—''

'' Don't.'' Draco snapped, his neck arched, making his eyes fall on her again, '' Don't question everything all the time.''

'' I'm not—'' The pain in her head cut her off as she buried it in her palms again, letting out tiny, inaudible whines,

'' Avery?'' Draco's brows furrowed, '' What is happening, Avery?''

She didn't answer — she simply tried to breathe her way through the pain she was feeling, just like Teddy had taught her,

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

'' Avery, talk to me.''

Amelie was too consumed by the hurt spinning in her mind, so she didn't hear him.

'' Avery. I want to do something, but I need your permission.'' Malfoy took a step closer, '' I need a nod, or a word, or just anything that—''

She nodded, her head tipped her approval for him to do what he could to help her with this cutting pain she was feeling.

He sucked in a breath, swallowing as Amelie coiled back, feeling his cold hands wrapping around her. He lifted her before seating himself in her chair, with her in his lap. The strong arms trapped her in, and his hold of her tensed to diminish her haunted thoughts.

'' Is this alright?'' He asked her as the side of her head sunk into his chest, '' It's just thoughts. They can't hurt you when I am here. No one can hurt you when I am here, Amelie.''

His hands felt safe on her body as if they would never bring harm upon her, and then he didn't speak another word, neither did she. He held her. He tried to keep the girl, falling apart in his arms — in pieces.

The tension was touchable, and the air around them thickened as she peered up at him, looking over the worrying features and the porcelain skin. It looked soft. She shouldn't be doing this — she knew that because she had Adrian. Still, something felt incredibly right by being here, almost as if a missed piece of a puzzle had made its way home.

Amelie barely felt anything anymore, but Draco Malfoy made her feel everything.

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