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'' I wish I had the chance to meet you earlier in life before everything got so complicated.''

_____

Her eyes peeled open by the bright sky, glimmering through the window as she stretched her arms out. The room she had snuck inside last night was freezing, and her chin tucked underneath the covers even more.

She looked beside her, hoping to get a glimpse of the blonde boy she fell asleep next to but nothing.

His side of the bed was empty.

Amelie flew up, sitting straight as she stretched her spine, looking around in the largened room, still nothing — Draco was nowhere to be found.

The disappointment of him leaving her, when the only reason she stayed was for him, made her more than dismayed.

Her head fell back to the fluffy pillow as dust swirled around her, and she huffed, looking over the nightstand on her side of the bed only to jolt back up.

There was a tray placed on it, with a clear, tiny vase and a pink tulip — a glass of apple juice and a note.

Her fingers stroked the sheet as she propped herself up against the headboard, her eyes fell upon the letter,

''

I'm sorry that I had to leave before you woke up. It didn't feel right waking you.

I have matters to attend to this morning, but I will be back in the afternoon.

Mother is making breakfast downstairs.

Look in the closet. I got you something.

And I hope you will be keeping what you told me last night.

I don't like sleeping alone anymore either.

See you soon.

— D.M.

''

Amelie's thumb stroked over her bottom lip as she felt a smile shyly sneak upon her, and she couldn't believe that even in his absence — he made her smile in a way no one had done before.

Her gaze flickered to the massive closet built into the grey painted wall. It was huge. She didn't quite grasp how he could own that many pieces of the same suit.

Her feet scored cold over the floor as she made her way over to the cabinet, her hands slid one of the doors open, and all she watched hanging was his black suits. The tips of her fingers stroked over the soft fabric, and she smiled at the scent of it.

Everything in his room scented as he did.

Amelie hesitated for a brief moment to whether she was going to open the other door too. She didn't know what he meant by the note he left her — that he had gotten her something, and that frightened her.

Amelie was never the one to care for gifts and things. Her father was a very wealthy man, and if she wished — she could buy the things she pleased for herself; but instead, she loved spoiling others with love and affection.

She let the other door open, and she stepped back — to her surprise, all her clothes were there, in his wardrobe, every piece of her wearing was structured after coloring.

Still, even if he had done so — bringing her clothes into his room without asking. She melted at that because, to her. This meant that he wanted her here.

She had never felt wanted before, except for Teddy, but that was different.

Her fingers trailed over the material of her shirts, dresses, and skirts before she looked down on the shelf as she saw a little black, velvet-covered box.

She picked it up, stroking the dark material for a minute, and then she opened it.

Her lips parted, and her face fell — it was a bracelet, a breathtaking, silver-coated piece of jewelry, with a charm hanging off it.

It was a raindrop, a charm made into a drop of rain, and the severed lips pushed together into a smile again.

Rain.

It would always be rain to her.

Her mind clouded of what he had told her last night when he believed her to be asleep, '' I wish I had the chance to meet you earlier in life before everything got so complicated.''

It stung in her chest as she thought of it. How different everything could've been, and how happy she would be.

Amelie's fingers touched the silver, and she studied it before placing the box down on the shelf. She locked the bracelet around her wrist, and even if she wasn't the one enjoying jewelry — she had never been; This, she didn't mind.

This fitted her perfectly — it was elegant, clean, and it was as if he knew how much she connected him with rain.

'' Amelie—'' Theodore's knuckles struck the door, '' Are you in there?''

She shifted around, her hands brushed at her nightdress, '' Yes, come in.''

Theodore stood gawking at her in the doorway, raising a brow at her, '' So... You two share a bed now?''

Her lower lip sucked in between her teeth as she gently nodded, '' Maybe.''

Theo's eyes narrowed, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked over her head — watching the closet filled with all her things behind her, '' Well... I'm happy if you're happy.'' He loosened his stern look,

'' But Narcissa made breakfast, so are you coming?''

_____

'' Do you mind if I sit here?'' Pansy looked over Amelie's shoulder, gazing curiously at her as she was seated on the living room couch, in front of the fireplace.

It was something about writing in front of a fireplace that made all her worried thoughts ease.

'' Of course not.'' Amelie replied, patting the seat next to hers for the girl to slip down to it, '' Are you alright?''

Amelie had spent her whole day on this couch while waiting for Draco to return to the manor. She was writing her mind down in her book again, and she had missed that bounded piece of paper terribly.

'' I was hoping to talk to you about something, if I may?'' Pansy leaned against the backrest, her legs crossed in front of her as her hands stroked her stomach.

'' Anything.'' Amelie put her book back onto the table, slightly shifting in her seat to watch her friend.

Pansy held an agonizing look, her brows knitted together, '' I wanted to talk to you about... Adrian.''

And there it was, every time his name was mentioned, her veins iced, and her chest felt more than heavy, but somewhere along the line — it got more manageable, and hearing the name of her gravest nightmare didn't hurt as much as it used to.

'' What about Adrian?'' Amelie's fingers grasped at the ends of her sleeves like she always seemed to do when she felt anxious.

'' First of all. I want to apologize. You didn't deserve any of the things I put you through while being with him.'' Pansy kept on stroking her belly,

'' And second of all. I want you to know that I didn't know what he was... doing to you. He told me that you two were happy together, and if I knew, Amelie — If I would've known what he did behind those closed doors. I would have killed him, because no one deserves that.''

Amelie swallowed, her jaws gritted as her eyelids started fluttering.

'' He did something to me, once too, when I told him about the pregnancy and well... You know what happened after that.''

Pansy's sights grounded, and Amelie could see how uncomfortable she was at her silence, but she didn't know what to say.

She didn't know how to speak because the lump in her throat was torturing her. Amelie didn't want to cry. She didn't want to give Adrian, and the abuse he had put both of them through, any more of their tears.

Her fingers stroked over the bracelet on her wrist, and it soothed her because in all of this mighty weather — Draco was her calm, pouring rain, the kind you couldn't grow tired of.

'' And then you disappeared before I felt like I could speak with you. Theodore told me some things after you went here with Malfoy, but it didn't sit right with me to talk about that before I talked to you.'' She looked sad, nearly devastated as she hushed.

''How is school these days?'' Amelie sought to change the topic to save herself from the pain it caused her to talk about Adrian, '' Is it the same, or have a lot of things changed?''

'' It's mostly the same.'' Pansy said, '' Things have changed, and a lot of people are scared of...''

Her tongue halted, '' The Dark Lord, but the headmaster, along with the professors, are doing the best they can.''

'' I see.'' Amelie's mind went straight to Draco, and everything she witnessed in his head the last time, how Voldemort forced him to take another human life.

'' But I'm happy that you're here now. It's safe here.'' Amelie forced a smile, '' And that little Aimee is safe and sound.''

Amelie's eyes fell upon Pansy's stomach, and she felt the warmth flush through her veins again. Seeing the girl, she knew Adrian had treated almost as badly as he treated her, turning her pain into power — made Amelie more than happy, thankful for the life she was held in today.

'' But there is something else.'' Pansy quieted, her head spun to look through the room as she leaned closer to Amelie, '' It's about Malfoy.''

Amelie's brows furrowed, her heart nearly suffered its beat, '' What? What about Draco?''

She watched as the doubt grew wider on Pansy's face, and she got nervous — terrified that the blonde would have done something to break everything she had worked so hard to build with him.

'' Adrian told me something, and he said that he would tell you too—'' She held, her eyes glinted in tears, '' Not that I believe anything that Adrian ever told me, but this seemed...''

'' Accurate.''

Amelie's fingers curled into fists. Her breaths held more than shaking.

'' He said something about Malfoy and your father. That Draco kill—''

'' Ladies,'' Draco muttered behind them, and the unexpected voice made both Amelie and Pansy flinch as they shifted around to look at him.

Amelie's eyes fell over him, and her heart ached. He looked worn — exhausted to the point that the mauve circles underneath his eyes had faded into his skin.

'' Malfoy.'' Pansy smiled at the blonde as he leaned against the doorpost. He nodded towards her before he looked back at the girl his eyes always sought to take place on.

'' Well...'' Pansy struggled to shove herself of the couch, '' I'll leave you two to it then.''

As she tried to stand up — her knees failed her. She nearly tripped forward as Draco rushed up to her, and Amelie quickly rose beside them. Both Amelie and Draco on each side of Pansy as they held her steady,

'' That was close.'' Pansy nervously breathed out, '' Thank you.'' She granted Amelie a soft smile before slowly walking out of the room.

She looked after Pansy as she disappeared behind the wall — and she couldn't help but worry about what she told her about Draco and her father because Adrian had spoken something similar to her when she last saw him.

'' Did you have a good day?'' Draco mumbled as her head leveled his again. He held only a foot apart from her,

'' I did.'' Amelie felt a twisting feeling inside by how saddened he seemed, '' Did you have a good day?''

His head tipped, his eyes grounded for a brief moment, '' No.'' He said as Amelie closed the longing space between them, '' But it's better now.''

Her arms around his tired body and her head as always — buried into his chest.

The moment she did that, the instant she gave him what he had wished for ever since he left her this morning — his figure gave into hers, and he wrapped his arms around her too.

He hugged her back.

'' I'm sorry that you had a bad day.'' She whispered as he settled his chin on top of her head, '' I hope that I can make your night better.''

Draco's eyes sealed as he inhaled deeply, '' Do you intend on keeping what you said yesterday?''

He was scared that she wouldn't want to — that she was going to abandon him at nightfall when all of  his demons came to visit.

He never liked sleeping alone, and that simple touch of sleeping next to her made it impossible for him even to close his eyes if she wasn't lying next to him.

'' I don't think I have a choice now, do I?'' She leaned back and smiled, '' Since you moved all of my things.''

The drained mantle of his face softened at her smile, and his hand tangled into her hair as he pulled her closer again,

'' No, I don't think you do.'' He kissed her forehead, '' But even if you had a choice, I can only hope that you'd stay with me anyway.''

" Of course I would."

'' But why are you so kind to me, Draco?'' Amelie huffed into his suit, '' No one is that kind to someone without cause.''

He kept his lips on her skin for seconds before his hands in her hair bent her head back to gaze into the eyes he always managed to fall lost in,

'' This strange person once told me that we get back the kindness we give.'' He grinned.

'' Strange person?'' Amelie rose a brow as her hands pushed into his chest to create space between them, '' Well this person, sounds really smart if you ask me.''

'' Really?'' He smiled, gently shaking his head at the girl.

'' Really.'' She crossed her arms, giving him a stern glare, '' Or would you say otherwise?''

Amelie couldn't help but melt at the sight of his smile — he barely smiled at her, but now he did, and so did she.

'' No... I don't think I dare to.'' Draco mocked her as she annoyingly rolled her eyes, tilting her head to pout at him.

'' No, Amelie.'' His tongue licked his lower lip, '' Not that face.''

'' What face?'' She kept the look that made him feel more than guilty, '' I'm not making a face.''

'' Is that so?'' He kept on taunting her as she strode closer, and the warmth flushed within her. Even if he was meant to be mean to her right now, she still adored him more than anything.

She loved this, him joking with her, especially since this was her last night in peace.

Tomorrow was the doomed haunting of her memories back in play and her bones crumbled because of it.

She knew she wasn't ready for this, still she would do whatever it took to help the blonde boy she had grown to care for so badly,

Even if doing so would break her.

_____