It was stupid of her, she believed. Thinking that Draco had been honest with her.

Isla felt like a fool for trusting the words he'd spoken. He gave her his word that he didn't feel for Pansy anymore, yet she just caught them standing in the shadows, kissing each other.

Not that she could be mad, she truly felt like she couldn't. Isla had Theodore. She had Theodore, and the guilt of being upset with Malfoy for still having feelings for Pansy could eat her alive.

She couldn't be mad. Still, she was honest, and he wasn't.

Malfoy wanted her to ask him to wait for him, and she didn't. She didn't know how. Never had she been this divided — this parted and confused in her mind.

Pushing Draco out of her head, she went to find Theodore instead. He was back. She'd seen him in the doorway to the common room before she rushed after Malfoy. She watched him smile at her, and wave for her to join him, so she did.

''Theo...'' Isla gasped, and she practically threw herself into his arms, but the very minute she did, he didn't hug her back. Theodore always hugged her back. ''What—''

''So you're fucking him too now?'' He yelled out, causing the people close to them to snap their heads, looking confusingly at them, ''You just chose him over me?''

''I didn't—'' Isla shook her head, grasping at her own throat now. It felt like she couldn't breathe properly, ''But I hurt him, Theo, and I needed to speak to him. You told me that I should—''

''I don't give a fuck about what I told you. Are you fucking him?'' Shouting at her now, he gripped her arm, roughly, ''Are you fucking—''

''No!'' Isla's whole body trembled. She didn't understand a thing that was happening. She didn't know how this night could end in complete chaos. His hold of her arm began to sore. ''Of course, I'm not!''

''Get the fuck out,'' Was what he said before he dragged a hand through his hair, tugging it back wildly, and he pushed her out of the common room. Theodore slammed the door shut in front of her.

He humiliated her in front of everyone, but mostly to herself.

Standing in the dungeons now, she cupped her palms over her face, and she tried so hard to grasp what just happened, but nothing made sense to her.

Theodore had asked her to see Draco, to get to know and spend time with him. Never had Theo been as mean and violent with her as he was now, and the spot on her arm where he'd been holding her, ached. Rosy marks showed. Isla was so tired. She was so exhausted by trying to do right for everyone else — that she lost herself.

Sighing out loudly, she stumbled back. Her spine collided with a corridor wall, and she slipped down it. Her knees hugged to her chest, her arms folded around her limbs to make herself tiny, invisible, and she cried.

Silent sobs echoed throughout the darkened hallway.

Isla never meant for this to happen. She didn't mean to hurt either of them. She tried with everything she owned to make it even, to give them both equal parts of her with her best capabilities, and to the gravest reason she knew how, but somewhere along the line — she completely missed herself.

Too consumed and too riled up in both of her choices that she failed to see that it wouldn't be a thing left of her for them to have if she didn't start minding herself to. Knowing that she carried her own flaws, understanding that she indeed was as much to blame for this as they were, she didn't know what to do.

Conflicted and trapped in her mind as she was, Isla failed to hear the approaching steps and the boy that hunched right beside her, ''Isla?''

Coiling back, nearly throwing herself to the floor and her eyes flayed wide open, ''Theo?'' She whimpered, quickly drying her tears, brushing her hair away from her face, ''What are you—''

The brunet snatched her wrist, bending it away from her to see the pearls of hurt, rolling down her face, ''What happened, Isla? Why are you crying?'' His thumb found her cheek, and he wiped the tears off, ''Isla, what—''

''No,'' It simply made it worse for her, his change in behavior. Too messed up by the past hours that she didn't realize the truth as it so solidly sat in front of her, ''No! You can't do this. You can't hurt me, throw me out and then run after me when you're feeling bad—''

Sobbing out, she heaved. The air wasn't there anymore. Her whole body felt strained, ''You can't—''

''Hurt you?'' Theodore kneeled, his kneecaps bruised against the stone-covered ground as he scowled at her, not earning a clue to what she cried about, ''Isla, I would never hurt you. What are you on about?''

''You just—'' She could barely talk anymore as he moved closer, and he sheeted her shaking body with his arms. Dragging her into his chest, ''You—''

''I just got back, Clarke. I landed outside two minutes ago,'' Theodore pushed his lips into her head, trying to wrap his own mind around what was happening to her, ''I'm sorry I'm late. My father — it didn't go as planned. I had some things to deal with. I wasn't coming back until tomorrow, they insisted I'd stay another night, but I couldn't let you think that I forgot about you, love.''

Isla sobbed silently against his shirt. Her tears stained the white material, ''I'm—''

''What the hell happened?'' Theodore muttered, his curls fell across her face as he came close, tickling her skin, ''Why are you saying that I hurt you?''

It took her moments to gather herself, to calm her heavy breathing, and to collect the lost piece of her sanity, but he didn't let her go. Theo held onto her. His arms made it easier for her to breathe.

Shifting a bit in his lap, Isla finally dared to look up at him. Meeting the eyes she'd fall for, over and over, ''You were here, in the common room, twenty minutes ago, and you yelled at me in front of everyone, and then you threw me out.''

''I just got here, Isla. I don't know what you're—'' He paused with a sharp inhale. It stung in his chest at the realization. How her former friend must have tricked her, using a spell to portray him and fooling her in front of everyone, ''Isla, that wasn't me.''

Not being able to think clearly, she frowned, ''What do you mean—''

''It's them, love. They are trying to get to you. I swear, I just got here. There's no way that I could've been in there. I was at home, minutes ago,'' Theo knew she'd believe him, yet he craved for her to understand that he would never do that to her. He'd hurt her before, and he would never put her in that position again, ''It's Ava.''

''But I saw her—''

Suddenly, it made sense to her as well. Seconds after, Draco walked away from her, just as she couldn't see him. Ava appeared while Blaise and Violet were nowhere to be seen. And then, when she thought Theodore kicked her out, she didn't see Ava.

This wasn't a goodbye party for Leo. Ava knew that Leo and Mila would never show, but she was certain that Isla would. Ava had spent years being her best friend. She understood perfectly that Isla would show up and defend her friends.

This was all a scheme to mess her life up even more.

Draco didn't kiss Pansy. Draco didn't betray her trust or the word he'd promised her. He went to his room, and if she walked in there right now — she'd find him in his shower, getting ready for bed.

They fooled her. They once again tried to split her and her choices apart.

''It wasn't you,'' She whispered, and she finally tangled her arms around his neck, straddling him on the cold ground, ''I'm sorry—'' She apologized, hiding her head against his shoulder, ''I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry I thought you—''

''Don't,'' Theodore kissed the side of her head, ''Don't you dare apologize for the way they hurt you. They fooled you, love. This isn't your fault.''

Anger boiled within Theodore, and no matter how civil he tried to be in this world. No matter how much he sought to stand above the childish fights Ava always brought them into, he couldn't do that now.

Because now — now she was crying in his arms, and never could he stand for anyone hurting her in the ways they'd done.

''Did they do something else?'' He questioned, calmly but Isla caught the rage as it smoothly rolled off his tongue, ''Where is Malfoy?''

She froze slightly as she cursed within the flesh of her mouth. Isla was always honest with him, and she'd tell him everything that had happened without blinking twice but this hurt because she hurt Draco.

Ashamed for what she failed to ask the blond, not uttering the words he so desperately wished to hear, she sucked in a breath, ''Something happened.''

''What?'' Looking puzzlingly at her, he drew his brows together, trying to read the girl through the darkness, ''What happened? Is he okay—''

''I was reading the night you left, and he came down to join me. We had a talk, and we fell asleep, and when we woke up — I tried to spend some time with him, but he left, and I was upset. So we fought again, and we....''

Theodore wanted to know. She knew that. Yet, it was so hard to tell him that she'd kissed Malfoy. No matter how she did it, she always felt like she betrayed one of them.

''You...?''

''We kissed, and I ran downstairs. He caught up with me, and he told me a lot of things, and he asked me—'' She gulped, tensing her fingers around his neck, ''He wanted me to tell him to wait for me, but I couldn't until it was too late and he left, that's when Ava approached me, and she showed me how Draco was taking Pansy upstairs—''

Theodore frowned, a dubious mantle took over, ''He wouldn't do that—''

''I know!'' She blurted, shaking her head, ''I know that now, but I didn't know that when I saw them kiss so, I ran to who I thought was you and then....'' Breathing out in relief that it wasn't Theodore who had treated her that badly, ''And then you showed up.''

Nodding in silence for a second, he let the tips of his fingers trace across her cheek again. Catching her jaw in the palm of his hand and he kissed her slowly. His touch crowded in comfort, ''Thank you for telling me,'' He mumbled into her mouth, feeling the safety of them always being honest with the other. He knew he could trust her, ''How are you feeling?''

''I'm tired,'' Isla breathed against his lips, trailing her fingers up his neck, and she tangled them into his messy curls, ''But it's better now that you're here.''

Theodore held her for minutes on that hallway floor. Pressing his lips to hers from time to time and he allowed her to drain him of all the solace she could possibly need.

''I have to do something,'' Theodore grunted, leaning back from her before he raised them on his feet with her curled up in his arms, ''I'll be right back, and then we'll go to bed.''

''Don't go, please—'' She begged, refusing to let him go, ''I don't want you to—''

''Go up to your room and wait there for me, I'll be back, and I'll stay with you tonight. I promise. I won't be leaving for a few days now.'' Letting her stand flat on her own two feet, he loosened his grip, ''But don't come out of your room, stay there, and I'll join you,'' Theodore backed away towards the painting, and he whispered the password to let them both in, ''Don't talk to anyone, don't stop. Don't open your door. Lock it with that spell I taught you, and I'll be there in a minute.''

''Promise,'' Whispering as she stalked after him, looking up at the brunet from below, ''Promise you'll stay with me.''

''You know I will. I promise. Now go—'' He nodded towards the dorms, and she did as told. Isla slipped through the sea of dancing students, making herself tiny and invisible before she locked her door behind her, and she stayed. Isla took a shower, and she nestled into her sheets as she waited for him.

_____

Theodore strode the way to the room he shared with his friend. He'd barely seen Malfoy since before Christmas, and even if they indeed were best friends — the tension between them had never been worse.

Not that Theo wanted it to be. He never wanted his best friend to doubt him, but because it wasn't an easy thing, both of them being in love with the same girl. Yet Theodore wished nothing more than to still have their friendship in place. He loved Draco more than he could ever form with words.

It was a cliff between them and a heartbreaking one at that, but he'd never let it rule. Theo was more than respectful about Isla's feelings for Draco, and he wanted all of them to have a fair chance within the pillars of the marriage law.

''Malfoy!'' Theodore growled as he slammed their door shut, crossing his arms, ''Are you—''

Draco stepped out of the bathroom, his skin drenched from the shower he just took, and drops of it spilled from his hair. With only a towel wrapped around his waist, he scowled, ''What is it?''

''Isla,'' He said, and it caused the blond to freeze in his tracks. The startled look exchanged for a troubled one.

''What?'' Draco's tone shifted darker, severity echoed as he stretched his spine, ''What happened to her? Is she—''

''Ava,'' Theo hewed him off, tilting his shoulder against the doorframe. His shoulders straightened, cocking his head, ''Ava used poly juice to turn into one of us. Violet and Zabini was in on it—''

''What the hell did she do to Clarke? Where is she?'' Growing worried, even if he didn't wish to see the chaotic girl who caused his heart to ache on that dance floor, he was still bothered when it came to her, ''Did you talk to her?''

''Apparently, Isla saw you and Pansy kiss, and I cussed her out in front of the whole party,'' Theodore raised a brow, staring at his friend, ''They hurt her this time, Malfoy. You should've seen her. I found her crying in the hallway.''

''I'm killing them,'' Draco marched up to his dresser, hauling a shirt and pants out before he strode into the bathroom again, growling from inside it, ''I'm killing Green — I don't care anymore. First Leo, and now Clarke? It's fucking madness.''

He got dressed so quickly, ready to fight the battle both of them knew was rising, ''She had a plan, Malfoy,'' Theodore dragged his sight across their room. He didn't sleep in there as much anymore, ''Isla wanted to frame Ava with some of that green—''

''The same thing you got her high on?'' Draco tugged his shirt across his shoulders, pulling it down over his toned stomach, ''That was a shitty thing to do. You didn't have to get her high.''

''She needed a break,'' Theodore rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck, ''I don't know if you two talk about it, but she's been through hell, Malfoy. All of this is hard on her. Yeah, it's tough for us, having to stand the other being close to her, but imagine how she's feeling.''

''Damn it,'' Draco muttered, scratching his jaw, ''I fucking hate this, Nott. I fucking hate all of this. I hate them. I hate this bloody law. I hate all of it.''

Swallowing the lump in the back of his throat, Theo agreed, ''I know you do, mate. I do too.'' He confessed, ''It's fucking wicked, and it's mean, all of it.''

''So what's the plan?'' Draco scanned his friend from head to toe, and he couldn't help but notice how much Theodore had changed.

He didn't look as confident as he once did. His eyes had dark circles fading underneath them.

''If you place this in Ava's room....'' Theodore flipped a tiny bag of leaves up, holding it between his fingers, ''Then I'll cause a scene that will make the teachers come running.''

''What scene?'' The blond looked hesitant, ''And what will that bloody bag do to Ava?''

''If they find it in her room, she's done for. She'll be expelled, and her father can deal with her as he pleases. The scene is to make the teachers aware. We have parties all the time, Malfoy. Ava will know if someone went to get them.''

Still, with his dubious mantle smeared to his face, Draco nodded, ''Mhm, that might work.''

''Here,'' Theo threw the bag across the room as Malfoy caught it, shoving it down his pocket.

"And Clarke, she'll stay out of it?''

That earned a scoff to flee Theo's lips, pushing them together not to laugh, ''I certainly hope she will. She has a habit of not doing what I tell her, but she's really upset over this, so my guess is she'll stay in her room.''

''Fucking tell me about it,'' Draco snickered, an amused smirk curled on his lips, ''She's impossible.''

''She really is....''

Turning silent between the two, Draco took a few steps forward, ''Nott, I don't want this to come between—''

''I know, mate,'' Theodore hewed him off, ''It's the law, and I'm so fucking sorry about that. I always got your back. You know that.''

Smiling as he sought to hide it, Malfoy tipped his head. Looking down at Theodore's hand, he noticed the ring — the same ring he carried.

They had gotten those rings for each other one Christmas when they were children. A symbol of friendship, as his parents used to say.

''And I'll always have yours.'' Draco said before Theo turned around, opening the door again, ''Don't get into any trouble, Nott. She needs you.''

With his spine leveling Malfoy, he smiled, sending a swift look over his shoulder, ''She needs you too, Malfoy. So do I, so don't you dare mess this up.''

Theodore walked out, leaving Draco in their room with a warm feeling as it flushed through him.

It comforted the blond, knowing that he didn't lose everyone like he thought he did. He still had Theo, and he always would have.

Theodore sprinted down the stairs, walking straight into the closet, hidden behind the drapes in the far back of the room. He knew they usually hid the fireworks they celebrated the quidditch games with whenever they had a win, and he picked most of the material up.

Storming out of the common room, he reached the dungeons outside it. Placing the fireworks, he cast a spell, aiming for them to fire after five minutes. Theo keened that this would for sure wake every last student and teacher up from slumber. The noise would shake the whole castle alive.

Leaving a tiny note behind him, written and signed with Ava's name — he snuck back into the party.

''Missed me?''

The high-pitched voice caused his blood to boil and his temper to fume. Spinning around on the steps of the stairs, he glared right at the Hufflepuff girl he despised, ''Get the hell away from me, Violet.''

''Oh, so you have....'' She marched down the steps, stopping close to him as she let her hands slither across his chest, ''I've missed you too, Theo.''

Snatching her wrists, he nearly pushed her back, ''Don't you dare fucking touch me. Now stay the fuck away for me, or we'll have a problem.''

Angling to turn around, she got ahead of him, blocking every chance he had of walking off, ''Why? Because you're with your little choice now? Is that why? Because you're in love, Theodore?'' She was mocking him, ''She doesn't want you. You know that, right? You should've seen her and Draco earlier — she kissed him quite much.''

''You vile excuse of a human,'' Theodore gritted, and his otherwise soft persona spiraled into a frightening one, ''First of all, you don't mention her. She's way too good for you even to be thinking about her. Second, you're obsessed, Violet. Fucking obsessed, and you need help for that, and third — I couldn't care less about what Isla and Draco do. It's not my business, and it's not up to me. If you haven't noticed, there's a choice to be made, but your parents bought your choices for you, so I don't expect you to understand.''

He took a step down, closing in on her as she backed up. She looked intimidated now, ''So what? You're too good to fuck me now? She's too—''

''Three times,'' Theodore gritted, clenching his jaws, ''I fucked you three times. The worst three mistakes I've ever done and the three worst times I've ever had. Every damn time I thought of her. I got off for her and never for you. You couldn't even get me fucking off, Violet. So yeah, both of us are too good for you. You're vile and pathetic. Now leave me the hell—''

''That's not what you thought when you dragged me out of here at that party!'' She yelled as he strode past her, ''When you used me to get her jealous!''

''And you think that fucking worked? She would never be jealous of you because you never stood a damn chance against her. You're nothing compared to her. Perhaps if you'd been a good fucking person, but you're not. I left you right outside that door because I couldn't stand you. I have never met a more repulsing human being in my entire life, Violet. Now threaten her, make a fool out of her or even speak of her again. And I'll make your life more miserable than it already is.''

''Theodore!''

''Fuck off,'' He shouted, not even bothered to look at her as he stormed off. He was infuriated by the way Violet had treated Isla. How she'd stolen his letter that was meant for her, and how she'd been nothing but mean to her in that pub. He loathed her and cursed himself for ever touching her in the first place.

Theodore was on his way up to Isla's room, ready for his plan to be set in motion, but the ticking feeling in the pit of his stomach caused him to shift in his tracks abruptly, and he walked to Blaise's and Ava's room instead.

Stopping as he peered around a corner, he watched Draco closing the door behind him, and just as he did — the timer for Theo's magic went off.

Thunder and noise filled the entirety of the castle, and students began to panic, fleeing their way to their rooms not to get caught. Chaos escalated, and he couldn't see if Draco was coming out from Blaise and Ava's room.

''Fuck—'' He muttered, looking around as he slid over the hallway and he twitched the handle of the door, ''Malfoy, you need to go, come on—''

''But the bag!'' Draco whispered harshly. A panicking coat ghosted his features at the way students were screaming and running outside the door.

''Fuck the bag, she'll get caught for the fireworks, now come on—'' Marching into the room, Theodore gripped Draco's arm. He tugged him out into the corridor, shouldering their way to the stairs separating the girl's and boys' dormitory. He nodded towards the tiny bag, ''Get rid of that, or let me take it. If they find you with it—''

''Malfoy!''

It was a teacher shouting loudly at him. Draco shot Theo a discreet look, knowing that this was it for him. He was caught.

''Get the fuck over here, Malfoy,'' Theodore seethed, not planning on letting his friend take the fall, ''Now!''

''Take care of her, yeah?'' Draco rolled his tongue along the inside of his cheek. He knew that he'd get expelled. No one caused a mess this big without being forced to leave school, ''She needs you more than me.''

''Malfoy! For fucks sake! Let me—'' Theo tried to call out for him, but the blond didn't listen. Stepping down the stairs to face the teachers, he made sure that he and only he caught their attention.

Draco sighed. He wanted to get caught for them. He'd always protect Theo as best as he knew how. He'd be kicked out of school, for God knows how long and oh, how he hoped he'd manage to spend weeks without her.

''Mr. Malfoy! This is highly inappropriate. Now, you better follow me.''

_____