Obsidian & Bronze {Fred Weasley}

2. The attack

(A/N) TW: Hey there, I just wanted to iterate that this chapter contains description and details of a panic attack and may be triggering for some readers. 

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Nervous was no longer an appropriate description to reflect the sheer terror washing over me, pummeling like a suffocating ocean wave, it's  bitter intensity burning and raw. If I thought the train ride was going to be bad, it was a walk in the park compared to the feeling of getting off that train and being hit with the reality of the schools presence impending nearer. 

My body racked with fear, the only mild relief from this sickening sensation was when I momentarily allowed my mind to wander and fixate upon the idea of a certain redhead. Holy fuck was he attractive. There must have been a considerable number of times throughout the rest of the journey I convinced myself I was magnifying his beauty inside my mind, because no one can look that good.

"It's just through here" Her voice was mellow and calm, as though perhaps she could see the harsh terror creeping onto my features, the nauseating fear ebbing away at me. I followed Hermione through the Gryffindor common room and up one of two spiral staircases situated towards the back.

"You'll be staying with me, just you and I. I hope that's ok, if you're not happy we could-" Hermione began rambling breathlessly, although I felt slightly guilty for making her so nervous, I found slight comfort in knowing that I wasn't the only one who was prepared to break down at the drop of a hat.

"It's perfect Hermione" I interjected before her speech grew too excessive.

I was already warming to Hermione. Her scatty yet somehow perfectly organised brain and her light sarcasm that she concealed so well with her strong intellect, she seemed like the type of person who I would take a liking to from a young age, had I ever had the opportunity to make friends earlier than the age of sixteen.

She didn't feel the need to press me into answering the thousands of questions, although I could sense them on the tip of her tongue. I didn't blame her for it, it's not everyday you meet the daughter of a convicted murderer. It was briefly silent before Hermione perked up once again.

"How come you're already in Gryffindor? I didn't think anyone was allowed to skip the sorting ceremony" Her tone was delicate and she spoke slowly, almost as though her words were being processed through a vigorous filter, like I was a china doll, one wrong move and I'd crack.

"I spoke to Remus about not wanting to face the entire school on my first day. The thought of it made me sick" I noticed how intently she listened, as if she didn't want to miss a single word. "So he spoke to Dumbledore and I got sorted at Grimmauld Place a few months ago" I involuntarily shuddered at the memory of being there.

She didn't respond after that. Not from a place of insult, there was just simply nothing more to say.

And so we spent the next hour emptying our bags and chatting absentmindedly about school, and by we I mean I allowed Hermione to nervously ramble whilst I took in what she had to say.

I noted that the mixture of advice from Sirius and Hermione didn't leave Snape coming out particularly strong in anyone's books.

We got changed into our robes and made our way to the great hall for the introduction feast, stopping on the way through the common room and rejoining Harry and Ron.

"Ardelle, we have to take you there sometime, we can go this weekend. Honeydukes is wicked" Ron was smiling at me like a giddy child, with a grin plastered across his freckled face. Never in all my life had I ever seen someone so excited about sweets, but I would soon learn that was Ronald Weasley to a tee.