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'' Choose.''

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Amelie's breaths hitched in the back of her throat as she watched him in the doorway. Adrian rose a brow before his eyes snapped to Draco, standing with nothing but his night pants on,

'' What the—'' Adrian shouted, pure spite trailed his tongue as his wand threateningly raised against Draco, '' What are you doing in here?''

She swallowed — he was here.

'' Adrian,'' Amelie chocked out, looking at him as her heart shattered. It felt like a curse to her — as if she couldn't resist it. She couldn't resist him, and after two weeks apart — her body ached at the loss of his.

She caught a step forward, but as soon as she sought to take another one — Draco snatched her by the arm, dragging her back as he stepped in front of her.

'' Not so close, Pucey,'' Draco spat, his jaws gritted, '' Now leave.''

A cruel smirk curled onto Adrian's upper lip, and his green eyes narrowed in Draco's grey ones, '' I'm not leaving without her.''

Draco strode forward in the darkened room. His wand pushed up against Adrian's throat as his other hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, '' I said leave, Pucey.''

This had to be what he talked about — Draco.

This had to be what he meant when he said that he had a dark side — a side with no remorse — a side of him that is more than capable of taking the life of another.

'' Don't forget that we share the same position, on the same side,'' Adrian grinned, seemingly fearless by the blonde one. His eyes snapped over Draco's shoulder, looking straight at Amelie as she stood terrified behind him,

'' But by the look of it, we share a lot more than that—''

'' Crucio,'' Draco shouted, without hesitation, as the green light of torture scored Adrian to the floor. His body trembled, trails of screams left his throat at the curse, and by the look of this — Adrian battling one of the cruelest of spells, her heart felt as if it was being ripped out.

Tears pooled as she wanted to throw herself closer, but once again — Draco stopped her from doing so, and his hand gripped around her arm, '' You don't have to feel bad for him.'' Draco said, and he looked at her with a painful stare, '' He has done so much worse to you.''

'' Please, Draco,'' Amelie begged him as her knees weakened, '' Please. I promised to stay with you, and I will. I promise I will, but you need to stop this.''

'' Oh dear—'' Narcissa gasped from behind them, and the unexpected sound caused Amelie to look at her, but Draco didn't — all he could ever see was Amelie.

'' My son, listen to the girl. I know you—''

'' No,'' Draco snarled furiously, teeth clasped as he turned to face his mother, '' If I didn't do what I did, he would have—''

'' I know, son,'' Narcissa stared bewildered at the both of them. Her hand stretched in the air, '' Let me at least take her out of here. There is no need for her to see this.''

Draco tilted his head back to hers, and a flash of guilt tore through the numb eyes before he shut them close, slightly nodding his head at his mother, '' Of course,'' Draco said, cruelly, '' Take her downstairs, and I'll be down in a minute.''

Malfoy breathed in heavily before his hands signed off her body — it stung in both of their chests at that — it felt as if they were letting each other go.

Another loud scream fled Adrian's throat as Amelie shot Draco an agonized look, '' I don't want to leave you.'' She said, saddened.

'' Then don't leave me, just go downstairs, and I will be right down.'' His eyes pierced through hers, '' I won't let anything happen to you, Amelie.'' He put pressure upon his vocals as he said her name, almost as if he needed to show her that he was serious.

The blonde strands of his hair fell messy over his head as he shifted around, aiming his wand back at Adrian.

Narcissa tangled her arm with Amelie's as they walked down the stairs — she was still in her nightdress, and the late hour made her dizzy.

His mother cleared her throat to hush the sounds of Adrian's torture, '' I have someone that I know is happy to—''

'' Amelie!''

Her heart skipped a pathed beat as she halted on the last step of the stair. Her eyes prickled in tears by the look of his brown curls,

'' Teddy?'' Amelie breathed out, and he ran towards her as Narcissa smiled proudly at the two best friends. Theo's arms wrapped around her, picking her up.

'' I missed you,'' Theodore mumbled into her hair before he buried his head in her shoulder, '' I missed you so much.''

Amelie couldn't hold the tears back, and she let them fall — her entire persona weakened at the feeling of Theodore close to her again. Everything she sought to think — every destructive mindset, every cruel thought, faded by the scent of him.

Honey — Teddy always scented, similar to honey.

But the second her hands grasped around his neck to pull him even closer — to give her haunted mind and her worn soul a bit more peace — he dragged away.

Theo nervously peered over his shoulder to look at Narcissa before he stared right back at Amelie, '' We need to leave,'' He lowered his voice, '' We need to go now.''

Her face twisted in a grimace, '' I can't do that.'' She whispered as her eyes shut close. It hurt saying those words to him because Teddy was the person she had first promised that she wouldn't leave.

'' You can't do that?'' He took after her, and his heart dropped, '' Why can't you do that?''

She sucked in a harsh breath, and her eyes peeled open to match his, '' I can't leave. I can't leave without Draco. I promised him.''

'' You promised him what, Amelie?'' Theodore snapped, taking a shoe back, '' Why would you let him manipulate you like this? What did you promise him?''

The disbelief flushed through her veins at his words, '' I promised not to leave him.''

A scoff fell off his lips as he looked away. His hand rushed through the thick locks of a mess on his head, '' This is unbelievable...'' He mumbled, taking a stride closer again.

'' He kidnaped you. He locked you in here for weeks, and you go and fall in love with him?'' Theodore's hands clasped around her shoulders, nearly shaking her. '' How could you do that?''

Narcissa's heel over the tile floor caught Amelie's attention as she placed a hand upon Theodore's shoulder, '' There is no need to get upset, Theodore. Listen to what she has to say before you accuse her.''

Amelie could hear him swallow, and the tiny muscle in his jaw twitched, '' Then what could this possibly be about if you didn't fall in love with him?''

The bravery she had kept inside missed her as her lips parted to speak, '' I'm not in love with him.'' It hurt. Nothing had hurt as much as saying those words.

Theodore rose a brow with his sight narrowed in hers before his act dropped, his eyes shredded in doubt, '' You are. I can see it on you, damn it, Amelie!'' He shouted, '' How could you do this?''

'' I said that I'm not in love with him.'' Amelie frustratingly shouted back as her foot stamped against the floor, '' Listen to me, Teddy. I am not in love with Draco. I used him so that he wouldn't hurt me.'' She lied. Amelie had to lie to Theodore.

The reality of her feeling more for Draco than she was ever allowed to was dangerous for them both. '' I promise, Teddy. I was just using him so that he wouldn't—''

'' Is that so?'' Draco's voice scored low from behind her, and her heart stopped,'' You were just using me?''

Amelie's eyes fluttered close as Theodore stepped back, and she could hear how Narcissa urged for him to join her in the kitchen — to give both Draco and Amelie a minute alone.

'' Look at me,'' Draco mumbled from in front of her, and she immediately did as asked. Her eyes fell upon him, looking as he stood tall, eyeing her down.

'' So you used me?'' He questioned her again, jaws clenched, and his lips pushed into a firm line, " You fucking used me?"

Amelie's head shook as she seized a step closer to him — but Draco merely took one back, '' I didn't use you, Draco.'' She said, calmly, honestly, '' I only said those things to Theodore, because he will—''

Her mind battled her heart in a hopeless fight.

'' Because he'll do what? He'll despise you for feeling something for someone like me? Or is it you, Avery?'' Draco's voice was heard louder, ''Is it you who is ashamed for feeling something for me?''

'' No!'' Amelie nearly yelled out, making his eyebrows furrow, '' Don't say that. Don't ever say that. This had nothing to with you, and deep down, you know that.'' She sought to take another step closer, but this time, he didn't take one back. He let her close to him.

Amelie's face softened at the look of him, standing this close to her again — it had been minutes since she left his bedroom. Still, it felt like hours to her — she didn't want to be without him ever again.

'' I would never do that. I would never use you. You looked inside my mind, Draco,'' Her hand stretched in between them, and the spine of it stroked against his cheek, '' You know what I think of you,'' She whispered, and his hands slowly wrapped around her waist.

'' I do,'' Draco said sternly. His hands fitted perfectly around her as he held her close.

It was addicting for him to be close to her — it was as if he couldn't get enough.

She had him trapped, hooked in the grip of emotion that he had no control over. Her pain, her tortured mind, was mesmerizing, and all he wished for was to be better — better for her.

It was something about her eyes and how they held what his thirsted for. Amelie was pure, chained, angelic, and the urge to rob her of that purity yet keep her exactly as sinless became overwhelming.

How she stood in front of him — stretched up on her toes with her hands gently pushed against his chest. She wasn't afraid of him anymore. She didn't flinch when he sought to touch her —when he came close,

'' What the—'' Theodore's voice echoed from behind as he watched them hold each other, '' Amelie, you just said...''

Her feet stumbled away from Draco, and the loving look she held so bravely shifted into a startled, guilty one, '' Theodore—''

Draco's eyes snapped to the brown-haired boy he knew she held so dearly as he shook his head. The green eyes flashed in anger, and without another word — he stormed off towards the front door.

'' No, Teddy. Please don't go,'' Amelie called out for him, '' We would never leave each other, remember?"

'' Well, it looks to me as if you gave that promise to someone else,'' He quieted down, standing frozen in the doorway, '' How could you do that?''

'' It's not like that. I have to—'' She sought to speak, but his arm thrown out in the air hushed her, and her shoulders sunk because of it.

'' Choose.''

Draco swallowed Theodore's words as her arms dropped to her sides and her eyes glinted in tears, '' What?'' She whispered in complete disbelief, '' You don't mean that, Teddy—''

'' I said choose. Him or me, Amelie,'' He repeated himself, and he looked at her furiously, '' You can't have both.''

''No. I won't. You can't do this. You didn't even listen—''

'' Because he filled you with lies, Amelie!'' Theodore turned around, pointing a finger directly at Draco, '' You let him inside of your mind. He could easily plant thoughts or even—''

'' Or even what?'' Malfoy snapped, evilly staring the boy down, '' Do you truly believe that I would do that?''

'' You took her away from us, Malfoy. There is a lot of things you have done that I could never imagine that you would do a year ago,''

Amelie stepped in between them. Her face twisted in doubt at what she needed and what she wanted, '' Stop it.'' She gulped, '' I'm not choosing it's as simple as that. I shouldn't have to.''

She shouldn't, and she knew that — she spoke those words with such force as if she realized her own worth in all of this.

Draco knew she shouldn't, and even if he would give anything up, take any life to be the one she chose — he could never be that person, not right now. She didn't deserve this, any of it, and it would never be safe for her with him, not until Adrian was gone.

Malfoy's head fell forward, and his eyes shut as he inhaled the deepest of breaths — and he was already regretting what he was about to do.

The tumbling voices of his mother, Theodore, and Amelie tore through his ears as he leaned his head back, looking at the breathtaking girl standing in front of him, in her nightdress — with her hair spilled messily over her shoulders, the faded marks on her skin from every horrible act she had ever had to live through — shun.

Still, he looked at her as if she was the most gracious human he had ever had the pleasure to watch.

'' Take her with you, Nott,'' Draco spoke up, aiming to turn around — to walk away before she ever had the possibility to stop him, but her hand instantly yanked the blonde back. His eyes matched hers,

''What?'' Amelie's voice slightly broke, '' Why would you say that?''

Draco swallowed again, and he did everything in his power not to let his emotions and the look of her cloud his mind — he couldn't turn back now.

'' Leave, Amelie,'' Draco growled, narrowing his eyes in hers, and her entire face fell. He hauled out from her grip, but that didn't stop her from grabbing his arm once again.

'' No,'' She breathed out, one clear tear rolled down her cheek, '' I promised you not to—''

'' I don't want you here.'' He said. Draco could almost hear how her heart tore in two within the cage of her chest, at the exact time his own heart broke, '' I want you to leave. I'm done with you now.''

Amelie's small hand rushed up to her cheek, wiping the tears off before her eyes grounded, her skin whitened, '' You used me,'' She whispered, '' You said that I could trust you, but you used me.''

Malfoy's veins flushed in hurt, in torture was graver than any curse he had ever lived through, but he needed to do this. '' I did. I used you, and now that I have what I wanted—''

His chest heavy, and his eyes flicked off hers. He couldn't look at her anymore — he broke her, more than anyone else had ever done before, but he was desperate. He needed her to believe him. She wasn't safe here.

'' I don't need you anymore, now leave.''

Amelie's breaths fluttered as she nodded. Still, in the most hurtful time, she stood with more bravery than anyone could carry, '' All I wanted to do was to help you, and to be enough for you,'' She whispered as she gently let go of his arm.

She was — she was more than enough for him, and he could never deserve her.

'' I just wanted to be with you,'' She held as she took a step back, avoiding his eyes searching for hers. '' I'm sorry that I wasn't enough for you, Draco.''

And with that — she spun around, still refusing to look at him as she ran out of the front door.

She was gone, and every emotion that made him a decent human being went with her.

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