just for me ⚘ a Fred Weasley Fanfiction

19. can't a girl just breathe

cw~

Juniper was used to panic attacks by now, she had her fair share of them over the past couple of months. But having a panic attack while running up a steep flight of stairs was a new, terrifying experience.

"Oh my god, I'm going to die." She panted to herself once she reached the top. Her body slumped against the wall next to her, and she tried to stop the world from spinning. Remembering her goal, she set off to find Hermione, trying to get to the hospital wing as quickly and smoothly as she could.
She let her hand trail the wall for what felt like half an hour, guiding her on what she assumed was the right path, while her vision started to blur and her heart was threatening to burst.
While she knew it was going to pass and she'd be able to breathe again within the hour, she started planning out her Will in her mind, essentially leaving everything to her grandmother. "This is how it ends." She said between breaths, her legs feeling like jelly.

"What a horrible way to die." His voice echoed loudly into Juniper's ear, making her wince from the sheer volume rebounding off her eardrum.

"Go away." She used all her energy to hiss back through her teeth. If this actually was the end, there was no way she was going to let Fred Weasley get the last jab.

"Where are you trying to go?" He caught up to her, walking- no- strolling, along side her with ease while she fought for her life.

"It's none of your business... Leave me alone." She wheezed out, giving up halfway through her sentence.

"You've been slumped against this wall, panting, for an unusually long time. Do you need help?" Fred laughed to himself over the state she was in. Until he actually saw the vacant, half-there look on Juniper's face. Without missing a beat, his face snapped into a rare, serious frown. "Sit down." He half ordered, half dragged her to a window sill to sit. 

"I'll be fine." She slurred, her hands shaking violently as she tried to tuck her hair away from her face.

"Take this." Fred said, shoving a paper bag into her grasp. She opened it up and tried to tip whatever was in there into her lap.

"That's mean." She muttered, dropping the bag to the floor when nothing came out. Fred rolled his eyes at her and grabbed it again, holding it open.

"You breathe into it." He cautiously brought his hand closer to Juniper, ready to jump back if she attacked him for getting too close. But Juniper leant towards to bag, breathing in and out while Fred held it for her, she didn't have the energy to keep her guard up, or notice his nerves. "Better?" Fred asked.

Juniper didn't reply as she kept her eyes on his, following his direction as they took deep breaths together. As her breath began to steady she noticed the soft, but bright, green flecks in his brown eyes, and the concern they showed while Juniper calmed down. When she was finally able to take a full, deep breath, the only thing she could smell was lavender. Not even an artificial, scented soap lavender, but a strong and wild, authentic, lavender. Something that you could only find unexpectedly .
While she didn't feel as sweaty or shaky anymore, and the ground had stopped moving from beneath her, her heart did still feel like it was in her throat and ready to come out. She blinked herself back to reality and pushed the bag away, leaving only centimetres between her and Fred.

"It didn't work." She said, drawing a deep breath and readjusting in her spot. "My heart still feels like it's going to explode."

"Maybe..." Fred began to smirk. "It's because you were distracted." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Juniper crossed hers arms over her chest, watching as Fred stood up, leaning against the stone column she rested her back on.