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'' What brings you here?''

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Draco Malfoy.

He didn't want to do this; he didn't want to do any of this. The thought of questioning Theodore's father was cruel, it hurt him in ways not imaginable, but he had to.

He had to find her. He had driven her away. He made her go, and he felt the weighty responsibility of bringing her back,

She wasn't safe. Her mind wasn't safe.

The truth of her mother still being alive threatened the girl he refused to believe he cared for so deeply.

No one ever understood why — why her mother's wellness mattered to the dark lord, but Draco, he did.

A chilly night, before his fate to enter Amelie's life was decided, he had overheard the dark lord in a heated conversation with his father, where they discussed the matter of her mother still being alive,

The dark lord is a man, who is buried so deep within the darkness — who is so ruthless in his mind — sadistic, wicked to the point that even one person, one single person fleeing the life he had planned for them to live, caused him to retaliate,

The dark lord was fooled the night he had gotten the news of Amelie's mother's death, and somewhere inside that twisted, wrecked mind of his, he knew — he held the truth of her still being here,

She was alive, and the fact that she carried a piece of his soul with her — made him furious.

Not many things in this life — in this world scared Voldemort, but the fact that Amelie's mother left with a piece that could be the end of his cruel ruling made the dark lord vicious.

And with Amelie's father's escape from under his deviant throne was testimony enough for him to realize that he was right all along,

The vengeance he was destined to seek for her doing such an unruly act — was grave, more than it.

He planned to hunt her mother and the happiness she had found in hiding, to the end of the earth if he was in need to. He would never give up.

The dark lord never gives up.

Draco held the reality of that, and perhaps that was why he was so scared, so intimidated by the thought of Amelie not being safe, all because he knew that Voldemort is capable of the most unforgivable acts, and he would use his dark magic on her, every chance he could get,

His mind was clouded as he stormed up the stairs — it must have been somewhere he hadn't looked yet,

Someplace where she kept something from him. He even tried to search her wand, in attempts to find her through her magic, but it was impossible — because he never got the chance to give it back to her, it rested on his nightstand,

Almost as if he believed that a part of her was with him through it — that she in some way were safer with him holding on to her wand,

And it granted him some peace in the unknown. It comforted him, the thought of her being just an inch safer than she was before.

With his own wand firmly clenched in between his fingertips, he twitched his wrist, mumbling the words apparate to himself,

And in the swifts of moves, he stood safely in front of the Nott residence.

Draco felt guilty being here. He felt ashamed, knowing that he would be able to do anything towards Theodore's father if he didn't reveal what he wanted to hear.

If he didn't speak of where Theodore had taken her.

With another swift of his wand, the door to his friend's childhood home flung open, and Draco's steps over the wooden deck scored severely.

'' What is this—'' Mr. Nott mumbled, the newspaper in his hand annoyingly tore from his eyes as he stumbled out in the doorway.

He looked around, hoping to catch whatever it was that made the door rip open, but nothing — from his point of view, the entrance was as empty and deserted as he had left it hours before.

But what Mr. Nott had no clue off was that a tall, blonde-haired boy, dressed in his all-black suit — stood lurking behind the wall leading to the living room,

Draco couldn't expose himself just yet, even if he — weeks ago, had established that Amelie wasn't to be found here, he couldn't be too certain.

His ears on edge as he shut his eyes closed, trying to listen if there was possible for another person to be here, and even if the light of hope burning within him went out years ago before any of this had the chance to occur,

The thought of Amelie was similar to a match, a heavenly glimpse of hope that could torch a fire within the walls of his own hell.

The grey eyes flayed open in the consciousness of her still not being here, of his mind holding so worn out of exhaustion that it is intended to play tricks on him.

He took a step over the wood, meeting the doomed eyes of Theodore's father, and as he did — as he watched the green eyes flicker in confusion as to why he was standing there, in a living room that was supposed to be empty,

He saw a glint of fear in a brave fusion with hope — the hope of Draco being able to tell him where his son had fled,

Mr. Nott straightened his spine. His head dipped in a swift nod as he greeted the blonde one who was already standing in his home,

'' Malfoy.'' Mr. Nott quietly spoke, his hand gestured towards the kitchen for Draco to join him as he walked across the room,

Theodore's father pulled out a chair, flopping onto it as his elbows slammed the glass table. He let out a sigh of frustration before his hand tilted, pointing over the table to the vacant seat,

Draco met his gesture kindly — like the well raised, mannered boy his parents taught him to be, he did what Mr. Nott had urged.

He slipped down onto the chair, staring emptily at the man in front of him.

'' What brings you here, Draco?''

But Draco stayed quiet. Not speaking a term as he looked around the room, how small it felt to what he was used to, how friendly and greeting it felt to be in such an environment as simple as this one.

The ticking clock caught his attention for a brief second — and even if it was a slight moment, it took him back to the night in the library.

The night he had been given a chance to feel her, touch her, and kiss her.

And he did.

He explored the sweet taste of purity falling off her lips as she kissed him. He felt the softness of her skin soothe against the palms of his hands in the most tender way. How the tips of her fingers gently stroked against the silken strands of his hair.

He breathed the scent of her in. That sugared, unchained wind of freshly cut flowers and light pouring rain filled every sense he had,

And as his eyes flayed open to face the truth of her still not being here — he could feel a slight drop in his chest. It was a strange feeling, an unfamiliar one, but it hurt. It iced his veins in an aching sensation,

Theodore's father cleared his throat to Draco's silence, and it made the boy became unfoggy of his haunting thoughts.

'' I—'' Draco mumbled, swallowing the pain he felt stinging in the back of his throat, '' I have some questions about your son—''

The look Mr. Nott gave him threw him off his terms before he quickly sought to gather the missing words and the confidence this would take,

'' About Theodore.'' Draco corrected himself politely in an attempt to show respect,

Mr. Nott's head fell and rose in a hastened move, similar to a bow for Draco to keep talking.

'' It has come to my... attention that Theodore and Amelie are nowhere to be found, and the reason to why I am here on such an unaccountable matter is to see if you have any idea to where they could be.''

Theodore's father nodded slowly as the mention of his son shredded within. Theo never told his father that he was leaving — not that he had any time to do so, but he couldn't help but be mad at his son,

Because no matter how complicated life turned to be, both Theodore and his father always communicated. They were in many ways inseparable, and the betrayal for Theodore to leave without even a word hurt him.

Mr. Nott cleared his throat, and only that sound made Draco aware that he didn't. He didn't know.

The tone leaving his tongue shredded in pain — in suffering,

'' I don't.'' Theodore's father sternly spoke, his fingers intertwined in nervosity, '' What makes you believe that I would know where they are?''

'' Theodore.'' Draco answered, his jaws gritted as he rose his chin, looking at the man in pain, '' He always confide in you.''

'' Well—'' The man huffed as a fallen look beat his temples, '' He used to, but I suppose things change with age, Draco. You'll learn about it when you have children of your own someday.''

Draco gulped at the statement Mr. Nott had made. He felt a wave of ache tear his vessels as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat,

'' But if you don't mind me asking...'' Theodore's father held his breath, his eyes studying Draco's as he sought to avoid the fatherly stare,

'' Why are you looking for them? And don't get me wrong, Draco, but you were the last person I would believe to come looking for them.''

Draco gulped again.

'' When I realized that Theodore left — I believed that Adrian would find his way here, not you.''

The burning light of anger flickered through Draco's eyes at the mention of Adrian, and he did everything in his power to hide it,

But the second the thought of Adrian stung his mind — so did Amelie.

The scent of her once again clouded his whole being, and in that moment of malice, it soothed him.

Draco swallowed, his eyes frustratingly tore from the man,

'' I guess your son doesn't tell you everything, after all. Thank you for your hospitality, but I have to be somewhere. '' Draco mumbled as he forced his chair back before politely putting it back, and just as he was about to walk out of the room,

'' Draco—'' Mr. Nott kindly called out for him, '' I know that my son is keeping secrets, and that is what a child is meant to do, and I can see that you have your fair share of secrets torturing you.''

The blonde stopped, his hand placed on the door-post as he tilted his head to the side, peering over his shoulder to listen,

'' Amelie is a sweet, caring girl, Draco, and it would be devastating to see her get hurt in any of you Malfoy men's doings...''

He quieted down, both of them still with their backs facing each other.

'' But I wouldn't put it past you not to look under her bed.''

The words leaving Mr. Nott's mouth made Draco freeze, a trail of chills erupted his spine as his eyebrows frowned,

''As I said, Amelie is a sweet, caring girl, Draco, and I believe that she could use someone on her side, besides — her hiding her things underneath her mattress, and Theodore snooping around to find them, wasn't a rare thing.''

Draco turned around in his shoes, eyeing the back of Theodore's father down as he felt the knot in his throat swell,

'' Take care of yourself, Draco, and please — do me a favor and keep an eye out for the both of them.''

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Draco slammed the door to her room shut, the harsh sound of wood colliding scored loudly throughout the walls,

His eyes fell over her bed, and he hesitated.

He faltered as he felt a sinking feeling of doubt waver within.

Draco didn't want to do this, he didn't want to overstep her privacy, yet he couldn't keep himself from doing so because he needed to find them,

He needed to keep her safe.

Draco fell to his knees as his hands tucked underneath the soft fabric of her sheets, and the slight puffs of wind — that kept hitting his face as the covers sunk back into the mattress made his heart ache,

The scent that traveled by air scoring softly against his skin felt like home — it scented just as Amelie did the night she found him, deeply haunted in a nightmare,

The night he was allowed to kiss her again. The night he told her to leave.

His head shook at the memory, his hands kept searching for something to tell him where she could be, and just as he was about to give up,

Just as he was about to break every piece of furniture in this room out of defeat — the tip of his fingers rubbed against something,

He jolted up on his feet, ripping the covers off the bed, and there it was — bounded in what looked like a little book,

He grabbed it, studying the plain cover before he unfolded the sheets and hunched down to rest on the edge of her bed,

His elbows placed on his knees, his chest felt heavy, and with a harsh breath sucked in through his teeth, his eyes hewed over the first page,

Day 4.

I heard him again last night...

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