The other side (Draco x OC)

Dementors

Remus and Aradia agreed to split on the train, being in the same compartment might arouse suspicion and they didn't think everyone knowing Remus is Aradia's caretaker would be wise.

Aradia wasn't in the compartment with Ginny, Luna and Neville, she didn't feel like doing that this year. She left her stuff there, but she was just walking through the halls of the train, enjoying the rain that was pouring harder and harder, when suddenly everything went cold and the rain started stopping. A chill went down her spine, but she tried to ignore it, but then everything went dark and she hit into someone.

"Watch it-" Aradia's eye's quickly adjusted and the person froze as she took their hand before they could even finish their sentence.

"Draco, it's me," she murmured and Draco sighed in relief, gripping her hand a little harder, a familiar figure calming his edging nerves in this darkness.

He didn't even attempt to light his wand, but then he felt sudden dread wash over him, everything going so incredibly cold. Aradia tensed, and wiped her wand.

"Draco, think happy thoughts."

"Why-"

"Just think about anything that calms you, trust me.." he felt her solemn look on him and nodded as she pulled him away from the coldness, whisking them forward. She growled when they were in between two carriages of the train, only thing keeping them from getting completely soaked being Aradia casting some sort of wind spell. "They are everywhere..." she hissed.

"Who are?" But then Draco saw hooded figures, the feeling of dread becoming even stronger as he felt Aradia grip his hand.

"Dementors..." she hissed as one seemed to be going towards them and they had no way to back away.

Draco gripped Aradia's hand, fear paralysing him. "Draco, don't be scared, they're attracted to it..." she whispered softly as the creature was getting even closer.

That was easier said than done, both of them had issues that made them very tasty snacks for dementors, they were just crippling with negative emotions. "A-Aradia, I'm sorry- I-I" Draco heaved out, his eyes as big as saucers as the girl realised what was happening. Draco was having a panic attack.

"No, no, Draco it's okay," she turned to him but then dementor got great interest in them, feeling the panic. Aradia gulped and stood in front of Draco. She couldn't produce a proper patronus yet, not that she didn't try, but she whispered the spell gingerly either way, summoning any scrap of happy memories as a wisp of white smoke-light formed from her wand.

Dementor didn't seem to care, Aradia was growing panicked as well. Don't you have any good memory you useless mutt? She hissed in her mind and glanced at Draco who was clutching onto her back, his breathing fastening by the second. Would that even work? She asked herself but took a breath closing her eyes and hoped it would suffice as she quickly formed the outlines of her perfect world in her head, saying the spells name again, her hands steady as a formless little blob shone from her wand and made the Dementor lose its interest.

She grabbed Draco and draped her cardigan over his shoulder, breathing slightly faster herself and she dug her pocket for chocolate. "Hey, it's okay, Draco, look at me," he looked at her with his big eyes as she cupped his cheeks. "Take a deep, slow breath, and hold it," she quickly instructed and Draco gulped, nodding as he did what she asked of him. "You're fine, the anxieties are because of the dementor, it's all fine," she assured and when he breathed out, still white-faced and light headed, she gave him a big chunk of chocolate.

"It helps with dementor attacks, makes the brain release endorphins which I suppose helps clean the system," she explained as Draco took the chocolate, unsure of what "end dolphins" were.