''Good morning,'' She whispered, lying on her stomach and admiring the boy sleeping next to her. She could never wait for him to wake up on his own. She always woke him before he had a chance to peel his eyes open, ''Theo—''

He gave a groan, silently so, but it caused her insides to tickle, her lips arching up in a smile, ''Really?'' He sighed, smiling himself at her fingers in his hair, ''Every damn morning, yeah?''

''Yes... Theo!'' She squealed out as he hastily wrapped his arms around her, flipping them around and nailing her to the mattress, ''Don't—''

''Don't what, love?'' He finally opened his eyes, locking them in hers. He had that lazy look, his lids heavy, his skin warm and flushed. She could look at him forever, ''You said that I should keep my hands to myself, but what about you—''

Isla bit down her lower lip, trying to conceal the growing smirk, ''It's hard when you look like that.''

''Look like what?'' He grinned, knowing exactly what she meant, ''What do I look like, Isla?''

She couldn't speak. He had her in such a hold, ''I don't—'' She managed, ''You look like...oh?''

His head dove to her bare chest, brushing his nose along the tender skin, ''What?'' He kneeled back, kissing her stomach in the process, ''You said to keep my hands to myself,'' Placing both of his palms onto the mattress, ''You never said anything about my mouth.''

''You just woke—'' Isla groaned at the last word, feeling how he disappeared underneath the covers altogether, ''You just woke up, Theo— oh my—''

He nudged her thighs apart, opening her up for him as he sunk down between her legs, brushing his mouth over her underwear. He grunted, ''Fucking hell, Isla... silence the room.''

''Theo—'' She folded the edge of the sheets away from them, looking down at him, ''Are you sure? I don't want you to feel bad—''

''Feel bad about what?'' Theodore caught the hem of her underwear between his teeth, dragging them down over her hips as she lifted herself, helping him to get them off, ''Feeling as bad as he did when he fucked you? I don't think either of us feels bad about it, Isla. It's not a competition. If I want something, I take it. If you want something, you'll take it, and if he wants something, he'll do the same. I don't hold either of you responsible for sleeping together as long as you're honest with me about it. I can't really blame him, can I? You're irresistible. Why should we feel bad all the time when I can make you feel so good.''

Her body was burning at his words, the way he was so mature about all of it, no matter how hard she made it for him, ''So that leaves it up to you. I will never touch you if you don't want to.'' Leaning back a bit, he gave her an honest look, ''If you don't want what I want, you tell me, alright? If you don't want this, tell me, and I'll stop. I need you to feel safe.''

She smiled, her elbows propping her up, ''You know that I want you, Theo. I always want you, but I just don't want you to regret anything.''

''I would never regret being with you,'' Theodore reached up, his arms flexing as he hovered her, speaking close to her mouth, ''I don't want to feel bad. I don't want him to feel bad, and I don't want you to feel bad, Isla, but if you do — we'll stop. You know I'll stop if you want me to. We'll go down, eat some breakfast, and I'll show you the lake, it's not far from here—''

Her back nearly arched as he was speaking. Never did she think those words could have such an effect on her, ''I don't want to stop....''

Theodore pushed his lips to hers before he licked and sucked and bit his way down her chest, leveling her core and once again groaning at how soaked she was for him, ''Then you better silence the room, love. Don't want to make the rest jealous, do we?''

Just as Theodore lowered himself, kissing her inner thighs, she reached for her wand, ''M—''

''Isla! Theodore!'' Mila's voice ripped through them both, causing them to jolt up, ''Breakfast!''

''Fucking hell—'' Theodore growled so loudly that it shook the girl lying underneath him.

Isla laughed out, ''We'll be right there!''

Theodore rolled off her legs, tucking his face into the covers in disappointment, before he stared up at her, his eyes still crammed with starvation for her, ''I'll be continuing this tonight.''

Isla sat up, bending forward until her lips were close to his. She kissed him slowly, ''You better.''

_____

''So what?'' Leo asked, gazing across all the books standing on the shelves. All of them gathered in the library, ''We just... what? Read?''

''No,'' Draco dropped a bunch of old files down at the table, glaring at the boy, ''You read these. I've already gone over every book there is, but there's not much to find. This law is new, and it's set in stone, not many loopholes, but there might be a few.''

Theodore nodded at Malfoy's words, picking some of the sheets up before he slipped onto a chair, ''Fun,'' His voice riddled in irony.

Mila snickered, rolling her eyes at the brunet, ''This is good for you, Theo. Learning something.''

He scoffed out a chuckle, ''We all don't have a head for these kinds of things, miss Ravenclaw.''

Isla smiled, adoring the friendship the two had created. Theodore was protective over her. Ever since the pub where Ava had been nothing but cruel to the girl, he felt like she needed a friend, someone she could truly rely on, and she could.

''What about you?'' Leo snapped his sight to Isla as she sat on the couch, ''Aren't you helping?''

She held up the law book in her hands for him to see, ''Already on it.''

Both Draco and Theodore smirked at that, quickly pushing their lips into firm lines the second their eyes met. The tension of Isla being with Theo in ways she couldn't be with Draco caused it to stiffen around all of them.

''Smart girl,'' Theodore looked at her again, shaking his head, ''If you only could be this invested in everything else, yeah?''

Isla squinted, giving him a dry grimace, ''Says you?'' Her tone mocking him, ''Sometimes I wonder if all you are is a pretty face.''

''Watch it,'' He hissed, not clearly thinking about the fact that Draco was still in the room, ''Speak like that, and I might just continue what we started this morning—''

Malfoy slammed the rest of the papers down at the table before he marched out without a word. Isla closed her eyes, breathing out heavily at her lack of respect. She didn't mean to hurt him.

Standing up hastily, she caught how Mila called out for her, but Theodore was quick to hush her down, telling her that the only one Malfoy would be willing to talk to was her or him, but he wouldn't do Draco any good right now.

She heard how Draco slammed the front door shut, but she was quick to open it again, running after him out on the front yard, through the maze of bushes. She lost him.

Frustratingly peering around, she shouted ''Draco!''

Nothing.

She tried shouting again, ''Draco!''

Still nothing.

Placing her hands on her hips, she groaned underneath her breath, dragging her fingers across her chest until she had her arms folded, ''You know what? Suit yourself then. I won't stand here and apologize for something you caused.''

Biting her own tongue, she realized how wrong she was by saying what she did, ''You said you didn't care if I needed him too, Draco, and I won't apologize for needing him. He never made me apologize for needing you.'' She corrected herself.

Still waiting for a reaction, she huffed, ''I'm done apologizing to you. You hurt me, and then you told me to take my time forgiving you — and then you get mad. I know that was unnecessary, alright? I won't say things like that again when you're around, but don't act like you didn't do the same thing back in school when he hurt me.''

Tugging her hair back, she let her hands fall to her sides, yet standing on the same spot, ''You acted even worse than that. So don't try and make me feel bad for—''

''You're still a fucking maniac.''

Draco stepped forward from behind a bush, eyeing her down, ''If you think standing here, in my own fucking garden, yelling at me will solve anything—''

Isla bored her stare right back at him, ''What can I say, Draco? You always seem to bring out the worst in me.''

''Glad we still have something in common.'' He snapped, his jaws locked in anger, ''Now get back in there and finish what you and Nott started this morning.''

She grimaced in annoyance, throwing her arms out, ''You're unbelievable. You know that, right? What Theodore and I do, doesn't concern you.''

''And you're real smug, you know that? He's talking about fucking you, right in front of me, and you just expect me to stand there, listening to it?''

''I don't, but I expect you to act as mature as he did when you did the exact same thing a few months ago.''

''I won't apologize for feeling fucking sick by hearing it.''

''I'm not saying that you should apologize. I'm saying that it's really immature of you to be upset about something you do as well.''

Draco rolled his eyes, glaring at her for being right in this. He knew he'd acted even worse in the past. He couldn't be mad at them for doing what he'd done too.

''Then what do you want me to say, Clarke? That it makes me bloody nauseous thinking about him inside you?''

Her eyes widened, her breaths hitched.

''Because it does. Hearing him say that makes me want to beat the living shit out of him.''

Isla didn't know what to say, too shocked at what he was speaking.

''I know I fucking hurt you, but that doesn't mean I stopped feeling all of it. Have you thought about how I feel about all of this? I can't even sleep in my own fucking bed without you, and then I have to hear that he was going to fuck you this morning, in my fucking house—''

She could hear the fusion of pain and anger in his vocals. She could see on his face how hurt all of it caused him to be.

Now it was her, it rocked sickly within.

''Draco...''

''No. I don't want your fucking pity,'' He stepped closer to her, ''I want you, but I fucked that up. So bloody excuse me for walking out when I hear your shit.''

His hand raised in the air, reaching towards her to tuck that strand of hair he found annoying out of her face.

''You're not ready to forgive me, and I accept that. It's entirely up to you, but you don't have to hurt me in the process. That's all I'm asking. I don't do well with feelings, Clarke.''

''I know,'' Her voice was low, apologetic, ''I'm sorry.''

''Don't be sorry,'' He said, softening, "I'm not mad that you need him too. As you said, I don't care. If anyone deserves to be with you, it's him. I just don't want to hear it.''

He rose that storm within her again, taking over all her sanity as his thumb brushed over her cheek, lingering for a bit. She let the weight of her head lean against the palm of his hand, ''You waited for me, Clarke. You waited for me for so long, and I messed it up. That's nothing you should be sorry for.''

Isla pinched her lashes shut, releasing a troubled breath. She wasn't ready to forgive him yet. She didn't know if she wanted to. She didn't know what she wanted.

Looking up at him again, their eyes crashed and collided in a mix of love and pain. Their irises stained with each other.

''God,'' Draco muttered, leaning in until his lips pressed against the side of her head, ''No matter how mad you are at me — you're still fucking beautiful, Clarke.''

He let go, not even looking at her before he marched away, disappearing into the maze of bushes around them.

And there she stood, feeling as if her heart was being ripped out from her chest, once again not knowing what to make out of it.

_____

''Hi, you.'' Isla smiled as Theodore stepped out of the bathroom, turning the lights off, ''I missed you.''

He quirked a brow, smirking amusingly at her, ''I've been gone for five minutes, love. Sometimes, I think you need to take a breath and gather yourself a bit.''

Frowning at him, she shoved away as he laid down next to her, making him cock his head, raising both of his eyebrows, ''Now what's this—'' Theo grabbed her by her hips, dragging her right back to where she was lying, ''There we go, better.''

''You're rude,'' She scowled.

Theo chuckled, ''And you're pretty.''

Her heart melted, caving in to his arms immediately.

''So...'' He didn't stop pulling her closer until she was crawling on top of him, ''What do you want to do now? After this very... eventful day.''

Referring to the dinner they had earlier. It was awfully awkward. All of them simply sat around the table in silence, neither speaking a word.

Isla smirked at him, rolling her eyes, ''I want to....'' Bending down, her lips brushed over his bare chest, ''I want to go for a swim.''

He stilled. Giving her the driest of looks, ''You want to go for a swim?''

''Yes.''

''At midnight?''

''Yes.''

''Out in the cold?''

''Yes.''

Theo sighed, his head thrown back against the pillow before he aimed it back to look at her. That smile would have him cave for anything. She knew it would, ''Please?'' Her hands finding his hair as she tangled her fingers into the brown locks, placing tiny pecks all over his face, ''Please, please, please—''

''You're hell of annoying sometimes,'' He muttered, rolling his tongue on the inside of his cheek, ''You know that, right?''

''I know,'' Isla kept that proud arch on her lips, climbing off him and standing up by the side of the bed. Dressed in his t-shirt again, ''But that's just one more thing you love about me, isn't it?''

''I'd say you don't know what you're doing, love.'' He stood up beside her, hunching down and pinching his fingers at her thighs to lift her, ''But something tells me that you're more than fully aware.''

He apparated them out to the lake, located beyond the woods, standing around Malfoy's home. He didn't stop until they both were undressed, her standing in nothing but her underwear, as did he.

''You sure about this?'' He smirked, knowing that he'd cursed the water to be warm with a spell without telling her, ''It's cold.''

''Nothing that stopped me before,'' Isla winked at him, her cheeks blushing, ''Or is it you that's—''

Theodore rushed towards her, slamming himself against her and picking her up as she squirmed, ready to freeze to death, but instead, she blinked, confusingly at the heated water, ''Theo?'' She arched back, wrapped around him, ''Did you pee—''

''You're fucking stupid sometimes,'' He laughed at her, the moonlight illuminating their bodies perfectly in the dark night, ''No, Isla. I didn't pee in the water, I used something called magic, ever heard of it?''

She held onto him, grasping at his shoulders with her nails as he stopped. The water reaching to their chests, the air calm and steady around them, ''I hate magic,'' She muttered, folding her arms around his neck tighter, ''Have you ever thought of that? How much easier would life be without it?''

''Have you ever thought of how easier life is with it?''

She frowned, playfully, ''Do you always answer a question with a question?''

''Do you?''

She smiled. He smiled too.

Allowing her to hold onto him tighter, both of them breathed out. It was nice, calming to be there in the chilly night, tangled around each other without anything worrying them.

''Did you come up with something?'' She asked, her chin on his shoulder, ''For Leo and Mila?''

''We did,'' Theodore nodded, brushing his nose into her hair, ''He wants us to testify. All of us, to make it certain to the Ministry that they didn't do anything wrong.''

''Did they?'' Her fingers played with the soft locks in the back of his neck, the water still and warm around them, ''I mean, technically? Did they do anything wrong?''

''They did.'' It hurt saying that. ''Technically, Leo is breaking the law by being with her. Pansy didn't choose him, and he's meant to be alone, and she's breaking the law by not figuring out who to choose. It's technically wrong for them to be together. They're breaking the law by interrupting the system.''

Isla sighed heavily, sinking into him even more, ''So what? We testify, and we make a sad story out of it? Hoping that they'll go for it? Does he really risk going to prison?''

His hands slithered down her lower back, grasping under her thighs to bring her up more, ''He does. They'll make an example out of him to make sure no one else breaks the law.''

''And we can't do anything? More than hope that he's not sent to prison?''

''We can't. It's impossible.'' Theo muttered, feeling more than displeased with himself. He'd tried. He'd done what Draco told him to do, but he didn't succeed. He didn't find a way out, ''Or we help them run.''

Isla jolted back, her hands pushing against his shoulders, ''We do what—''

''Think about it,'' He looked at her, his face had fallen, his brows resting, ''We can get them a house across Europe. No one has to know. It's smart. They'll be together.''

''Did you ask them?'' Isla could cease to exist on the spot at how he was looking at her, so soft, so caring.

''I did. Mila would go for it, but Leo refused. He doesn't want a life like that for her.'' Shrugging, Theo leaned in, pressing his lips against her forehead, ''So we'll have to do what we can with what we have. We can't force him.''

She knew what Leo thought about it. He didn't want Mila to live on the run, to constantly have to worry and abandon all of her friends and family. Even if Isla rather see them escape than him going to prison, no one could change his mind. It was set.

''I didn't expect less of him,'' Tilting her head up, her nose nudged his, ''We need to speak about something else too.''

Theo frowned, ''What happened?''

''Draco,'' Her voice was low as he moved them around in the water, slowly, ''He was upset about us... flirting with each other in front of him, and I can't blame him.''

''Neither can I,'' Theodore hugged her closer, his words hitting the side of her head, ''It was a stupid comment, I know it was... I'm sorry.''

''Don't apologize,'' She was quick to answer, ''It's not just your—''

''I shouldn't have done that. I just didn't think. It won't happen again.''

Isla hugged him back, once again wrapping her arms around his shoulders and bringing him into where she wished for him to be, ''I don't want him to hurt more than he already is,'' She whispered, the mist thickened around them, ''And I don't know how to make him stop hurting without hurting you.''

''Isla...'' Theodore's voice was calm, so steady, ''You won't hurt me. Caring for him doesn't hurt me. What hurts me is you blaming yourself for all of this. You don't deserve to hurt either.''

She pushed her lips against his neck, placing a soft kiss onto his bare skin, ''I don't deserve you.''

''You deserve everything.''

She smiled, settling more kisses over his collarbones before she kissed her way up to his jaw, finding his lips, ''I love you,'' She said, so honestly, ''It's beautiful, loving you.''

Theodore kissed her back, his hands gripping her jaws as she tightened her thighs around him, ''I love you more, pretty girl.''

_____