Rewind // Drarry

〰Chapter 18 〰

Meanwhile, his heart got heavier with each beat as he slowly slid the quiz across his table, picked it up by its corner, and peeled it back.

If this were a fairytale, Draco would have turned it over and it'd be an 'O'. He would have been shocked, surprised even, but he would have secretly known he could do it.

But it's not a fairytale.

At the top, in a big circle, was a 'Dreadful'.

Draco felt his chest locking, like his ribs wouldn't expand and his heart won't go and he can't get any air in. Suddenly his heart slammed hard, pounding like he's running for his life.

He's had these 'attacks' before but not in the middle of class. His hands shook and he felt his skin tingle like there were ants swarming all over him, and all he wanted to do was pull them off.

He popped out of his seat. It's like suddenly he couldn't remember any way to calm himself down as he bolted to the door, grabbing his satchel on his way as the room got silent.

He scrabbled for the knob then threw it open, he heard Shaklebolt call angrily for him from behind but the words blurred together.

Draco staggered out into the hall, trying to find his feet as he pounded past other students. He felt vulnerable, like a gazelle being chased by a lion.

"Dray! Draco! Slow it down! You are in charge!" A familiar voice said.

"L-Luna?" Draco said, his voice shaky and hesitant.

The blonde sank down on the corridor floor, struggling to bring back his uncontrollable gasps to a more reasonable, human-being breathing speed. Inhaling as fast as a hummingbird didn't work for the blonde as he found his vision blurring, limbs shaking.

It's hard to swallow as spit pooled in his mouth.

"You're hyperventilating." Luna said softly beside the blonde.

Draco managed a week nod.

"Put your head down." She continued, gently.

The blonde dropped his head to his folded up knees as he tried to calm himself down.

"Can I put my hand on your back?" She asked, earning a nod from the Slytherin.

Draco felt Luna rest her hand on his back, solid and warm. The feeling grounded the Slytherin as Luna started counting.

"One, two, three, in. One, two, three, out."

A minute or two passed before the blonde actually followed the Ravenclaws directions. Draco sighed as he felt his shaking subside. His panic ants retreated and he was finally able to breathe again.

"What happened?" Luna asked after it was clear that the blonde was back now.

Draco shrugs, helplessly. "Patronus quizzes returned." He replied as he used short sentences in order to not get worked up again.

"Shaklebolt gave me a dreadful." He took a breath, "It's not good enough." He took two more breaths, "I'm not going to be able to do this."

The Slytherin looked up as he felt Luna kneel right in front of him, "Focus on one thing at a time, Draco."

He knew he could do that.

"The Patronus quiz," Luna prompted.

The Slytherin nodded, "I got a dreadful."

"How did you do on the last one?"

"I failed!" The Slytherin admitted, he saw where he was going with this, "But it's not enough!" He said, louder than he'd intended.