Isla knocked on the door to her childhood home.

It didn't look the same anymore. The last time she'd been there was over Christmas with Theodore. Her heart ached when her mind crawled back to that beautiful boy.

Then, snow-covered most of the yard, the driveway, but now, green grass grew, and what looked to be flowers and bushes of roses around the facade began to bloom.

''Why do you knock on your own door?'' Draco muttered beside her, and his hand on her lower back slightly moved upwards, ''It's a bit strange, isn't it?''

Isla looked up at him, noticing how the sun brushed his skin, reddening it almost, ''Because I haven't been here in months... and I haven't spoken to my mother since...''

Draco's jaw sharply fixed at that, and he peered down at her, ''I know,'' He said, sparing them both the tension of speaking about the trial again.

''And it just... feels wrong, I guess.'' She looked back at the door with a nervous sight, ''I don't know.''

His head dipped, and he pushed his lips to the side of her head, ''I know. I didn't mean to question you. I'm curious, that's all.''

He'd grown.

Draco had become someone so beautiful too, and she barely caught the squeaking sound of the door as she looked at him. That blond boy was something else, someone completely breathtaking.

''Isla—'' Her mother gasped as she opened the door. Her eyes were wide, and her curls framed her face gracefully, ''Oh dear.''

Draco let go of his girl, and her mother's arms clung around her instead. She hugged her daughter tightly. So tight that both of them found it hard to breathe.

''My beautiful Isla,'' Her mother withdrew after long moments, simply looking at her daughter with her hands cupped over Isla's jaws, ''It's been months!''

Isla gave a faint breath, looking down at the ground, ''I know. I'm sorry, but it's been... crazy.''

''With Fred's trial?'' Her mother had a crease of worry between her brows, ''I know that's why you haven't been here, Isla. I know you're mad at me for asking you to participate, and it's... It's my fault. I shouldn't have laid that on you, and I—''

Isla cleared her throat, staring back at her mother with a tense look dragged across her face before her eyes flickered to the boy standing behind her.

''Oh, dear—'' Her mother let go of Isla almost immediately, and she aimed all her attention at Draco instead, ''Draco Malfoy,'' She nodded, politely, ''It's good to see you again.''

Isla's head snapped, looking up at the blond boy next to her, ''Again? When did you—''

Malfoy gritted his jaw, a bit awkward and startled, ''I...''

''He was here looking for you a few months ago, early in the morning, so early that I barely had a chance to talk to him before Lucy needed a lift to school.'' Her mother smiled, ''But it's really good to see you again, Draco. It looks like you found her.''

Draco nodded. His hand was back on her spine as he pulled her a bit closer, ''Looks like I did.'' He felt her whole body flaming in warmth, ''But it's a pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Clarke. I hope we're not interrupting something.''

''Oh no,'' Her mother shook her head, stepping back into the house, in order to let them through the door, ''And please, call me Grace. I feel old when people call me Clarke. It reminds me of my mother.''

Isla glared up at Draco with a frown, ''Mhm, imagine how I feel.''

Malfoy couldn't help but breathe out a chuckle at that, scoffing at her almost, ''For fucks sake,'' He grumbled into the back of her head, his arms closed around her waist as she led him into her house, ''You love it, Clarke. Don't lie.''

''And how long are you staying for?'' Grace turned around, happily, ''For the night? Or just over the day? I have to run out a bit later to pick Lucy up from school, but then we're not doing anything.''

Isla felt Draco's arms slipping off her, and she uncomfortably shifted around a bit on her feet, ''I don't... We haven't gotten that far yet.''

''Well, I'll prepare some lunch, and you can stay as long as you'd like,'' Grace said, striding towards the kitchen. Her tone was glad and high-pitched, ''It's not like you're in school anyway!''

Isla huffed out at the statement, and she spun around to Draco, ''Sorry about that...''

His hands landed on her shoulders, and he pulled her into his chest, holding her close.

It was as if he couldn't help himself. He'd been in a constant need to touch her for the past couple of days. He couldn't explain it. He barely understood it. He just needed to touch her, have her close.

It had been like that before. That he rather touch her, kiss her, hold her than tell her things. He would rather place a kiss on her mouth than speak some meaningless words she would forget about.

He loved to touch her. He always had. Her touch was the first thing he fell for.

''Nothing to be sorry for,'' He mumbled, his chin landed on the top of her head, ''Mother's will always be mothers, but don't bother for that now, take me to your room.''

She arched back at the question, smiling shyly as his hand came to her jaw, brushing over her cheek to tuck a wave behind her ear, ''My room? Already?''

''What?'' His tongue grazed the inside of his cheek, ''You saw my whole house before I—'' He hushed, swallowing his words before he had a chance to utter them, ''—before I moved in with you and Nott.''

''Right,'' Isla tangled her fingers into his shirt, and she nodded towards the stairs, ''It's up there.''

Malfoy reached for her hands, and he held them close to his chest for moments. There it was again, that aching feeling of having her close.

He looked down at her until he withdrew, and he led her up the stairs. Halting at the top of them, he studied the different doors.

''It's the one—''

''Shut up,'' He squinted, trying to make out which door was hers, ''I want to guess before you say anything.''

She smiled, rolling her eyes at him.

Draco started walking towards the third door from where they were standing, and he opened it without hesitation. Isla watched as he stepped inside, slightly smiling to herself.

She closed in on the doorway, tilting her shoulder against the post of it. She just looked at him as he peered around. There was something warm bubbling within her, something calm that took over at the look of him.

Draco looked over everything there was to see. He stared at the pictures on her dresser, the books piled up as bedside tables on each side of her bed, the frame of her bed. Even the tear in the tapestry next to her mirror hanging on the wall caught his attention, and he ran a finger over it.

''Theodore?'' Draco looked back at her as she balanced herself on the thresholds. She nodded, not wishing to hide anything from him anymore, ''Could've guessed.''

''Well, you did.'' She tilted her head. Her hair fell over her bare shoulders and over the straps of her dress, ''So... how do we like it?''

Draco pushed his lips tight, staring down at the bed, ''We haven't exactly tried it out yet, but you tell me. From what I remember, you and Nott had quite the Christmas celebration in here—''

''Oh, you filthy—'' Isla gasped, clicking her tongue at him, ''Do you even know how to make conversation that isn't inappropriate jokes?''

''What?'' He had a smirk climbing the corners of his mouth, ''I can't make jokes now?''

Her steps were timid as she crossed the doorstep, and she stopped right in front of him. Usually, she'd sink down on him. She would place herself in his lap and wrap her arms around him.

Isla didn't want to do that. She didn't want to be in her room. She didn't want them to be there.

This wasn't her idea.

She didn't want to visit her mother. Isla wanted nothing else than be close to Theodore.

She just wanted him close to her. She wanted to have her head on his chest and his arms around her. She just wished to be tucked down in his sheets, with him on top of her, sleeping.

Isla couldn't sleep anymore.

Isla couldn't sleep because she was so afraid that he'd stop breathing if she did. If she weren't there, listening to his heavy breaths — they'd stop heaving. She was terrified that if she couldn't feel his heart against hers, it wouldn't beat anymore.

She was scared to death all the time because Theodore was sick.

He'd held her every day. He whispered against her head that just because she knows now, doesn't change anything. He said that he was alright. He said it hurt less when he didn't have to lie to her. He said he loves her, over and over, he said it.

He'd spent his days calling her beautiful, pretty. He'd spent his time kissing her, holding her, making sure she was fine, but he saw how she slowly faded into something he didn't wish for her to be.

He watched as she became something his aunt had become, something his uncle was traveling to escape. He saw her turn into the very reason he didn't want to tell her. She became scared, anxious, worried.

He could barely close his eyes for a minute without feeling her hand sneaking to grip his, and she felt if he was still warm, if he was breathing.

Theodore couldn't see her go through that. He didn't want to, so he asked Malfoy to take her to her mother's. He wanted Draco to ease the pain he'd so unwillingly caused her because he couldn't take it away.

Theodore always took her pain away, and it broke him that he couldn't do that anymore.

No matter how hard Theodore tried, he just harmed her more, so he suggested that the two leave for the day while he got some time with his aunt.

Isla didn't want to go.

She started crying when she said goodbye to him. She pressed herself against him, and she buried her face in his chest. Isla held onto Theodore with everything she had until she had to step away because Draco had come in.

He couldn't know.

Draco couldn't know why she was a mess, why she couldn't eat or even spend five minutes alone with him before she asked for Theodore.

She wished she could tell him.

She hated doing that to him.

Isla hated lying to Draco because she'd lived through the consequences of the last time she did, and there wasn't much she feared more than breaking his fragile heart.

''You zoned out again.''

Looking down at the blond boy as he pulled her to stand between his legs, he let his forehead tip to her chest, ''Talk to me,'' He said quietly, ''I don't like this, Clarke. I don't know what's going on with you, and I don't like being kept out of the loop.''

Isla frowned, thrown off guard by his question, ''What?'' She asked, her tone dropped, ''Nothing is wrong—''

''Don't lie to me,'' His own voice was muffled by her dress, ''We said no more lies, Clarke. I want to know what's happening—''

''Lunch!''

Her mother's voice had him groaning into her chest instead. Draco grabbed her waist, and he pulled himself up towards her, standing tall in front of his girl as she did everything not to look him in the eyes.

His hand took her jaw in the palm of it, and he angled her face up. She didn't have a choice but to meet his eyes now, ''I don't know what happened. I don't know what happened between you and Nott, but you're not yourself. I don't like this. I know every damn thing there's to know about you, and if I didn't respect you enough, I'd look through your head.''

''Draco—'' She tried speaking, but his thumb pushed against her lips, and he kept her hushed.

''I won't. I won't look, but I'll be fucking damned if he did something to make you behave like this. You've just... become the person I know you are, and to see—'' He swallowed and looked away, ''I can't see you like before, Clarke. I won't allow it.''

''He didn't—''Her sight flickered, and she stared emptily at the floor, ''He didn't do anything, and nothing happened. Nothing is wrong. I don't know why I'm... like this right now. I'm sure it will be fine soon, and it can go back to normal.''

Draco didn't believe a word she'd said, but he pressed a kiss onto her forehead, and he held her tight until her mother was halfway up the stairs to get them.

_____

It wasn't until after dark, when Draco had met Lucy, and they'd shared a long conversation about how life at Hogwarts lived to be, she felt like she could breathe.

She looked over Draco as he kneeled next to her little sister, and she showed him her homework. Her heart melted. Simply watching him be so gentle, hear how he hummed and nodded at things Lucy said. He smiled when she did, that was the entire world to Isla.

She had never seen Draco like this.

She'd never seen him with children, and it caused her heart to pound roughly within her frail chest.

Isla didn't mind being there when she was allowed to see them, hear them whisper and smile as Draco said something that made Lucy giggle.

''So...'' Her mother breathed out, flopping down to the couch next to her, ''What is the real reason you came here?''

Isla met Grace's curious eyes, ''I can't come home without a reason to do so?''

''Of course, you can,'' She said, nearly sounding offended, ''That wasn't what I meant.''

Isla looked back at Draco, ''That's what it sounded like.''

''Isla...'' Her mother placed a hand on her daughter's thigh, ''When will you stop being mad at me for what happened?''

''I'm not mad at you.'' Her reply was short and stern, ''When will you stop thinking that I am?''

''I know you,'' Her mother didn't take her eyes off her daughter, ''You are mad at me, and that's alright. I shouldn't have asked you to do that. You have other things to deal with, and with everything going on with your friends... it was selfish of me, and I apologize.''

Her gaze traveled back to her mother, caving a bit further into the couch, ''I wasn't mad... it was just... a lot of things happened after that, and I wasn't prepared for that to happen.''

Nodding, her mother granted her a polite smile, ''Things with Theodore?''

The ache scored through her veins at his name.

She just wanted him there. Isla just wanted him close.

''I have to say that I was surprised to see Draco here. I thought you and Theodore... I thought you decided—''

''I haven't,'' Isla shook her head, ''I don't... I don't want to speak about it. I don't...''

''I understand,'' Her mother looked out over the boy playing with Lucy, ''He's not what I imagined him to be... Draco.''

Isla did the same, peering over that blond boy who had her heartbeat speeding.

''When he came here looking for you... he seemed so angry. He was very... angry with himself, I think, and that's why I thought you chose Theodore because my Isla wouldn't settle for a boy with that temper.''

Oh, if her mother only knew.

''But he's not... angry. He seems to be a very sweet boy, Isla. A very kind boy, and that why he's not what I imagined him to be.''

Isla smiled shyly, ''He's not what I imagined him to be either...''

''He loves you,'' Her mother smiled back, nearly whispering the words. Isla's head snapped to look at her mother.

It felt like her heart had missed a beat.

''I can see it in the way he touches you, how he wants to be close to you... I can see that he's not very fond of being here, but he is, and he's smiling because he wants you to feel safe.''

Isla swallowed, shifting a bit in her seat, ''I don't think he loves me—''

''Oh, my dear Isla...'' Her hand tensed around Isla's leg, ''Both of them do. They both love you more than you think.''

Isla loved them more.

Isla loved both of her boys so much more.

''And I can see why you haven't made up your mind yet, with who to pick, I mean. It must be one of the hardest choices you'll ever make.''

There was something aching inside her, something heavy that caught her heart and squeezed it. She knew that already. She knew it would be the death of her, choosing between the two biggest parts of her.

The two biggest loves of her life.

''How do I—'' She breathed out nervously, and she turned to face her mother with a low tone, ''How do I do that? How do I choose? I can't do that. I can't do it to either of them. I'd choose one but still stay close to the other if the Ministry didn't have their stupid laws around it. I don't— How do I make up my mind?''

Isla was blurting out her words in a whisper. She couldn't hold back. Didn't know how to.

Her mother kept her gentle smile, and she tucked a wave behind her daughter's ear, ''You don't make up your mind, Isla. You don't stress yourself up over it. You let it happen. You're a smart, young girl, and you'll know where your heart is placed when it's time.''

''I barely have any time left—''

''I know,'' Her mother hushed her, nodding, ''I know it's just a little over a month left, but that doesn't matter, Isla. When you know, you know.''

That whole conversation had her insides twisting. Her heart felt like it dropped to the pit of her stomach, tore through her like daggers, and crashed to the ground.

It made her nauseous.

''I just—'' Her palms lathered in sweat as she brushed them over the sofa, ''I can't—''

Grace looked after her daughter as she stood up and rushed out in the hallway. She wasn't surprised that Isla left a situation she felt pressured in. Isla had a habit of doing so.

Draco frowned from the floor, and he shot her mother a confused look. He was shocked that Isla ran out. He didn't expect her to do such a thing. He thought she wanted to be there.

''What happened?'' He asked quietly, ''Is she—''

''She will be,'' Grace smiled at Draco as they both stood up, meeting in the middle of the room, ''I think you know this already, but my daughter is... she can be a bit all over the place sometimes.''

Draco tipped his head, ''I'd know.''

''I think you do, and I have to say that it's impressive how you take care of her, both you and Theodore. Isla... She lost people, a boy she cared about, her father, and her cousin. She's been through so much, and she never speaks about it.''

His jaw tightened, ''She told me.''

''I'm happy she did. I'm happy she can be honest with you about this because during the past two years, she barely even spoke to me about it.''

Draco folded his arms over his chest, looking at the hallway Isla slipped out in. His note wasn't hostile, yet it was cold, ''You have one hell of a daughter, Mrs. Clarke, and I... I know she hasn't visited in a while, and I'm... I'm partly to blame for that, and I'd like to apologize—''

''Grace,'' She said, smiling, ''She might not talk to us as much as she used to, but something tells me she's in good hands, Draco. Don't apologize for taking care of her. I am delighted that you do. I am not delighted by the fact that she dropped out of school, but I have a feeling that she needs to learn more about the real world than she does about potions and spells.''

Draco hadn't talked to an adult in this way for so long, apart from the conversations he held with Theodore's mother when she was home. Isla's mother reminded him of his own. He liked it.

''I think she's adapting to the real world,'' Draco nodded towards the doorway, ''She's a smart girl when she wants to be.''

''I think you two bring out the better in her. I've never seen her so... filled with life in years. It's beautiful to see my daughter find her place on this earth again. I have both you and Theodore to thank for that.''

''I don't think so,'' He felt an arch in the corner of his mouth, but he stretched it tight again, ''I think she's the one doing us good. I know she is. Theo and I, we weren't half the people we are today before we met her, she... she's one hell of a witch.''

Grace placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, ''It makes me happy that you think so highly of my daughter, but don't forget what you do for her as well. It's easy to forget that, and I don't want you to, Draco. You are good for my daughter, so is Theodore.''

''Thank you, Grace.'' He said, and he didn't hate the hand she'd settled on his shoulder, ''Where did she go? I don't want her to be alone—''

''You see, Draco, with all of this good, a little chaos follows.'' She rounded the boy, and she reached her hand out for Lucy to take, ''And sometimes, this chaos has to be. She'll be out when she's ready.''

Draco didn't like that.

He didn't find any comfort in what her mother said.

Whenever Isla disappeared without a word, his veins iced, and his breaths turned shallow. He couldn't expect her mother to understand. She didn't know how many times Isla had tried to run away from him.

He needed to ensure that she was safe and that she wasn't by herself if things got too heavy.

''Say goodnight to Draco, will you?'' Grace stopped right in front of the boy with Lucy wrapped to her waist, ''He might be gone by morning.''

''Goodnight Draco,'' Lucy smiled up at him, and his hand tousled her hair as he nodded goodnight to her, ''I hope you're here in the morning.''

''I hope so too,'' He muttered as Grace led her out of the room and up the stairs for bed.

He stood alone in the middle of their living room for moments, debating whether he was meant to give Isla some space or if he was meant to look for her.

He didn't like the first option very much, and just as he aimed for the doorway — a wall of pictures caught his attention.

Weasleys.

He hadn't seen a picture of them during the whole day. He figured he would, but then he thought she'd told her mother to get rid of them because he didn't know, but then again, her mother spoke openly about her cousin.

All of it was just a chaotic mess in his head as he tried to focus on that wall. They were all there, an entire wall of them, hidden behind a corner.

The frames were nailed from roof to ground, and Isla was in almost every single one.

Draco's hand landed on his shirt, covering the marks carved into his waist. It had to be his imagination because he thought it hurt. He could swear that it ached a bit as he saw her dress a Christmas tree together with her cousins.

She was standing next to her aunt, making dinner. She was sleeping in Fred's lap as he read for her. She was three, four, five, eight, nine, twelve, fifteen, sixteen, all different ages, and she was as adorable as he'd believed her to be.

Draco looked around, making sure that she wasn't there watching him, and when he cleared that he indeed was alone — he smiled. Malfoy smiled to himself and let his fingers brush over some of the pictures.

She was a Weasley.

Draco Malfoy fell in love with a Weasley, and he'd damned himself because of it. He didn't want that anymore. He didn't want to hate himself for what her last name was.

He loved her despite it.

He was in love with the purity of her soul and the kindness her heart held.

It became even clearer as he stood there, looking over those pictures, and a sob caught his attention. It was muffled like she held her hand over her mouth.

She didn't want him to hear. He couldn't blame her.

Never had he marched as fast as he did now, and he followed the sound of her muted cries until he reached the downstairs bathroom.

Tipping his forehead towards the door, he whispered, ''Clarke, what happened?''

She didn't answer.

Isla stayed as hushed as she could.

''Clarke, if you don't tell me what upset you, I'll break the damn door, and I won't use magic to do it.''

His voice was so calm, yet so filled with force. Isla nearly shook at how hard she was holding her breath. Her fingers grasped at the sink, doing everything possible not to look at her reflection in the mirror above it. She hated seeing herself cry.

''I'll count to ten, Clarke. Then I'm breaking the damn door.''

Isla pinched her eyes shut, letting go of the breath she so stubbornly kept locked in her chest.

''One.''

She kept her eyes closed, trying to stabilize her breathing.

''Two.''

Attempting to look up, she bent her head back down just as quickly.

''Three.''

She sobbed out again, and she stumbled backward until her spine hit the wall.

''You're pushing it, Clarke. Four.''

She slid down the wall with her head buried against her dragged-up knees.

''Fuck this—''

Draco grabbed the handle and went straight for the hinges holding the door bolted to the doorframe. With a swift, almost violent push, he lifted the door off of its locks, and he settled it against the wall next to it.

''Don't—'' She whispered, hiding herself and the humiliation she felt crawling inside her, ''Draco, I don't want—''

He stopped, and she could feel how he watched her shaking body on that bathroom floor.

Without a word, he immediately kneeled right next to her, and he wrapped his arms around her as she trembled. Draco lifted her to his chest as he sat down on the floor, and he nestled her close to him.

''Tell me,'' He whispered after moments of calming her down, ''What happened?''

Isla sniffed, tugging him even nearer with her fingers tangled in his shirt, ''I just—'' She couldn't breathe properly, ''It's everything...''

''Mhm?'' Draco pushed his lips to her temple, placing a soft kiss on her. Somehow, he knew exactly what she meant by that. Somehow that was all she needed to speak for him to understand, ''Everything can be rough sometimes, Clarke.''

She nodded against him, her shaking hand cupped his jaw, and her forehead fell to his shoulder, ''Everything is just... I hate everything sometimes.''

''I know you do,'' Tightening his hold of her, he mumbled, ''But when you hate everything, you come to me. I'll drop everything for you. You know that.''

''I didn't—'' Finally, she dared to look up, and he met her tear-filled eyes, ''I didn't want to ruin the mood.''

Draco rose a brow, ''You're fucking stupid sometimes, you know?''

She frowned.

''Ruin the mood? Clarke, if you're upset, nothing ruins the mood. I don't care if we're in the middle of a fucking rollercoaster ride or if we're at a God damn funeral. If you need me, you tell me, and I'll help you.''

Isla blinked quickly. Tears leaked from the brim of her eyes at that, ''But I—''

''No fucking buts,'' He cut her short. His words were forceful, yet his tone remained calm and soothing, ''I don't care. If you're sad, angry, or anything else, you come to me, no matter where we are and what we're doing. I didn't stand there with your fucking mother, telling her how smart you are for you to act so damn clueless.''

A bitter arch tugged at the corner of her mouth, ''You told my mother that you think I'm smart?''

His lips pushed tight, and he groaned at himself, ''I take it back.''

Isla shifted around on his lap, and her legs settled on each side of him. Straddling him, she let her forehead fall to his, ''No, you don't.''

''No, I don't,'' Draco whispered. His hand came to her cheek, and he brushed her draping hair away from her face, making sure that he could see her properly, ''I want to, but I won't.''

Isla smiled, and she nodded against him. Her arms clung tightly around his neck, and her tears spilled over his skin. He calmed her down with soft strokes of his hands as he pathed his touch down her spine.

''I'm not used to this,'' She kept her smile, and he could feel her heart pounding, ''I'm not used to you being... like this.''

''Me being like what?'' His voice dropped in pitch, making her shudder as his hands brushed her waist to keep her steady, ''Human?''

''Soft,'' She retaliated, smiling, ''You're always human, but you're a bit... cold sometimes.''

''Yeah?'' He tried to seem unbothered.

''And it makes me... warm that you're trying.''

His heart missed a beat.

She noticed. He didn't think she did.

Draco always believed that Isla saw him as cold and heartless no matter what he did, but he didn't know how wrong he was.

That messy girl saw it all.

''I know it makes you a bit uncomfortable... being all cuddly and sweet—''

His hand almost flew to her chin as he bent it upwards, making her meet his penetrating eyes, ''Never call me cuddly and sweet, ever again, Clarke.''

Isla gasped, still smiling, ''I think you are sweet.''

''You're the sweet one,'' He let his tongue graze the inside of his cheek, ''Now, call me sweet again, and I might have to show you just how foul I can be.''

''You're sweet,'' She grinned, blushingly, ''Even if you hate it, I think you're sweet, and I like this side of you. I wish you let me see it more often.''

His thumb brushed over the tender skin underneath her eyes, and he wiped her tears away.

That soft look his face held quickly faded into a stern one, and he looked down at his finger with a frown, ''Clarke...is this... are you wearing something on your face?''

Isla's eyes widened, nearly looking embarrassed as she pushed his hand away, and she huffed, ''No—''

Draco's heart clenched in his chest, and he could almost feel an aching pain in his wrists as he realized that she tried to cover up her swollen eyes. She didn't want him to see that she'd been crying.

Her head moved to the side, trying to avoid his stare, but he was quick to place his hand back on her jaw. Tipping her face back to level his.

''You don't have to do that,'' He spoke so quietly, ''You never have to hide from me. I want to see all of you.''

Isla stiffened a bit on his lap.

''No matter if you cry or smile. I want to see it. I don't want you to put that thing on your face to hide from me. If you want to make yourself comfortable with it, that's one thing. But never do it because you don't believe that I don't already see you as the most beautiful girl there is.''

She didn't know what to say, how to form the words she wished to speak.

Draco Malfoy had a habit of taking her breath away.

Pathing his thumb back to underneath her eyes, he wiped off the makeup she'd put on, ''And to say that I thought you were fucking smart for a second,'' He muttered, ''Makes me look like an idiot.''

Isla just looked at him as they sat there on that bathroom floor, close and tightly pressed together.

''What?'' He asked, annoyance rupturing his harsh tone, ''Why are you looking at me like that?''

''I just...'' She shakily breathed, ''You surprise me. That's all.''

''Yeah?'' Draco met her gaze, ''I thought you said I stopped surprising you.''

''Perhaps I'm not so smart as you believe me to be,'' Isla smiled, and she caved into his arms, ''I don't know why I said that.''

Draco stayed silent, only holding her for moments before he lifted her off of his lap, and he stood tall in front of her.

''What are you—''

''Come with me,'' He said, reaching his hand out for her to take, and she did.

Malfoy fixed the door he'd lifted off its hinges, and he brought her outside.

Not once did he stop, and not once did he answer her questions, asking where he was taking her. He just walked and walked with his hand gripped around hers.

He didn't stop until they'd marched through the woods at the end of her neighborhood.

''Oh, Draco...'' She whispered with a smile as he wrapped an arm over her shoulders. Isla peered out over the lake she once took him to, ''You remembered.''

It was different now. It wasn't covered in ice and snow. The trees were green and blooming in the moonlight.

''Of course, I do.'' His answer was short, fast-paced as he spun her around in his arms, looking down at her with something hurtful in his eyes, ''I'm just a bit nervous that it's not frozen anymore. I don't want you to get the wrong ideas.''

Isla chuckled out a heavy breath, gazing up at her blond boy, ''If I didn't drown you when it was frozen, I don't think you have anything to fear now.''

He pushed his lips tight, and he looked down at his world as she peered out over hers.

''You're not okay, and I know that you don't want to speak about it. I don't care what you say. Something happened, and... you're not okay, Clarke,'' Malfoy said, silently, and it was as if he came to the realization of what she really needed at that moment. The very reason he brought her out there, ''Let me get you something.''

''What?''

He nodded softly towards her, ''I know what you need.''

''Wait,'' Isla pulled him back, and without falter, she pressed her mouth to his. She kissed him, slowly, emotionally, in the light of the moon glimmering above them.

Draco cupped her jaw, bringing her even closer to him, ''My beautiful girl,'' He whispered against her, kissing her again.

''You're beautiful,'' Isla mumbled, moving her lips with his.

Draco placed another kiss on her lips before he withdrew, and he let his hand linger on her cheek, ''I'll be right back. I know what you need.''

She nodded, looking after him as he walked away.

Isla dropped to the ground, hugging her arms underneath her knees, and she sighed out.

Her Draco. She smiled at the thought of him and the thought of their moment just now. She missed those moments. She missed the moments when it was just them, her and her Draco.

It didn't take more than three minutes before she heard the swift sound of magic, and footsteps mirrored behind her in the dark night, and she held herself tighter.

Isla expected Draco to come back with a blanket, a cup of tea, or something else he usually brought her without her having to ask for it. She adored that about him.

''Didn't take long,'' She said, staring out over the lake in front of her, watching as the moonlight kissed the soft water surface, ''I thought you'd be gone for a while.''

''Well,'' He said, standing right behind her, ''I remember telling you once that you wouldn't get rid of me even if you tried, pretty girl.''

Isla nearly shot up from her seated position, flying to her feet, she spun around, and she watched her brown-haired boy standing with his hands shoved into his night pants, his t-shirt loose and tucked into the hem of them.

Tears began to pool the very second she watched his mouth arch into a smile, ''Malfoy said you had a rough night, love.''

''Theo—'' Isla stumbled into his open arms without a doubt, ''What are you doing?''

''I... I shouldn't have made you leave. It was rushed and unnecessary. I just... I thought you needed a day with Malfoy, away from all of my madness.'' He hugged her so tight, ''It was wrong of me.''

''It wasn't,'' Isla buried her face into his chest, and she drained him of all the comfort she possibly could, ''It's not wrong. You wanted me to get some perspective, and I love you for that.''

''Did you?'' He smiled, leaning back to look down at her, ''Was it a good day?''

Isla managed to smile back, thinking about the memories of her and Draco she'd be holding onto, ''I did, and it was. Draco made it better.''

Draco did the most selfless thing he could think about at that moment. He brought her Theodore.

Malfoy knew that Isla needed him, and he would always be there for her when she did. He knew that she would've been fine with his arms wrapped around her and his silent words against her neck, but he wasn't the person she needed to heal her at that time. Theo was.

Sometimes, Isla was so caught off guard how much that blond chaotic boy had grown, how much he tried to be better for her.

It made her love him more, so much more, because Draco Malfoy didn't think about himself at that moment. All he thought about was her and what she needed.

''I'm happy he did,'' Theo pathed his hands up to her face, and he held her jaws in his palms, ''I think this day did him good too. I was surprised when he came to get me.''

Theodore had already gone to bed. He was lying on Isla's pillow, staring up at the ceiling, and he waited for them to come back. It was hard sleeping without them now.

''And...'' Theodore kept going, brushing his thumb over her cheekbones, ''Leo came back. We had dinner with my parents, and he went to bed, but he wants to talk to all of us tomorrow.''

''He did?'' She let the weight of her head rest against his palms, and she nodded, ''I'm happy he did.''

''Are you?'' He looked down at her with something aching in his soul. It stained her heart to see it, ''Are you happy, Isla? Even Malfoy is... worried for you now. He was proper upset with me when he came to get me.''

''What?''

''Yeah... He said that if I did something to hurt you, my neck would be the next he'd snap.''

Isla blinked, startled and confused, before she swallowed the lump in the back of her throat, ''He thinks... He thinks you hurt me. He kept asking why I'm sad all the time, and I think he knew that something was wrong, Theo. He's not an idiot. He'll figure it out.''

''Don't—'' Theodore tightened his jaw, the muscles in it ticked stressfully, ''Don't do that. Don't make me feel guilty for keeping it a secret.''

''I'm not,'' She took her hands up, and she folded them over his, feeling the bones of his knuckles, ''It's just... it feels wrong, Theo. All this lying feels wrong when he's trying. You should've seen him today. He really tried to be better, and if we just—''

''It's not up for discussion.'' He cut her short, yet his voice was as calm as always. There was still a loop of pain cluttering it, ''He'll leave if I do. He will see this as more than it is, and he will leave us. He's going to run away because he will think that I deserve you more than he does, and I don't want that, Isla. It's not fair.''

Theodore knew exactly what Malfoy would do if he found out about his blood curse. He'd leave them, and he'd stay away until Isla had to choose Theodore.

He would never let Isla choose him if he knew he was sick. He loved them both too much.

''I just want to go home,'' She said, and they both knew what home she meant, ''I just want to go home, Theo... I'm tired.''

''I like when you say that, home. I love that you see my home like yours.'' The tips of his fingers brushed over the arch in her jaw, and he leaned in, dipping down to catch her lips in a soft kiss, ''But you have to promise me, Isla. You need to keep my secret.''

She nodded, and the lids of her eyes crowded in tears again, ''I will. I will keep your secret.''

''I love you,'' Theodore whispered with a tear in his voice, ''It will be okay. I promise.''

''I want to— I want to go home to Draco.'' She whispered as she leaned back. Her eyes leveled his, ''I just want to go home to Draco.''

Theodore nodded, and he smiled. If she'd been completely lucid, she would've believed that he blushed, ''Then let's go home to Draco, love.''

And they did.

Theodore took her home, and she settled down on the mattress, just like he'd done every night, tucked her between them in their bed.

With Draco's arms wrapped around her, and Theodore's head nestled against her neck, she couldn't be more whole and put together.

_____