Shadows of Slytherin Book 1

Draco

❗️TW: Mentions of Panic Attacks/Fainting❗️

As I sit in class, my attention is suddenly drawn to Dani, who rushes through the hallway in a hurry. Without a second thought, I jump out of my seat and quickly make my way to the door to follow her. The worry on her face is clear as day, and I can't help but wonder if something is wrong.

However, before I can even take a step towards her, I hear Professor Snape's voice calling behind me, "Mr. Malfoy!" But at that moment, my concern for Dani overrides Snape. I ignore him and rush out of the classroom to catch up with Dani.

I spot her turning into the herbology classroom, and I call out her name, hoping to catch her attention. "Dani, wait!" I shout, hoping she hears me.

As I turn into the classroom, my attention is immediately drawn to Dani, whose hands are clenched tightly, one at her heart and the other on the table in front of her. I can see that she is struggling to steady herself, her breathing heavy and labored. I approach her, "Dani... Are you alright?"

She shakes her head, and when she looks up at me, I notice that she appears extremely pale, with dark circles under her eyes that make her usually vibrant green eyes stand out even more. Without hesitating, I place a hand on her back, trying to comfort her. "Dani, what can I do to help?"

Her head continues to shake. "I-I don't know... I can't breathe... I haven't been able to sleep..." She leans her head against the table, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's getting into my head too easily... I feel like I'm losing my mind, Draco. I can't keep going like this..."

My heart aches as I listen to Dani's words. I know she's been struggling lately, but seeing her like this is heartbreaking. I gently rub her back, trying to provide some comfort, "What can I do to help you feel better?"

She slowly stands up, "Draco...". I watch as her eyes roll back, and she begins to fall. 

"Dani!" I reach out and catch her just before she hits the ground.

I kneel down, carefully holding her in my lap. I notice that her eyes are tightly shut and her body is completely limp, indicating that she's lost consciousness. Panic sets in, "Dani? Dani, wake up!" I shout.

I scan my surroundings, hoping to find someone close by to help. "Help!" I yell, my voice trembling with worry. "Someone, please help!"

As I turn back to Dani, I can feel my heart racing as I gently stroke her hair, "Please, please wake up, Dani," I whisper. Her eyes are moving frantically under her eyelids, causing my mind to think of a million things, trying to figure out what could have caused her to collapse.

"What happened..?"

I turned my head and see Mattheo standing in the doorway. His expression quickly changed from one of surprise to one of alarm as he saw Dani, unconscious and limp, in my arms. Without hesitation, he dropped the bag he was holding and hurried over to her side.

As Mattheo knelt down beside us, his eyes flickered back and forth between Dani and me. "Draco, what the hell happened to her?" he demanded, his voice urgent.

I could see the fear etched in his face, mirroring my own feelings of helplessness and confusion. I shook my head, struggling to find the right words to explain what had just happened.

"I- I don't know," I finally managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "She was shaking, and she said she couldn't breathe. Then she started talking about someone getting into her head too easily, and that she felt like she was losing her mind. She said she couldn't take it anymore..."

Mattheo's expression darkened as he absorbed my words. "Losing her mind..?" he demanded, his tone sharp.

I shook my head again, feeling completely bewildered. "I have no idea," I said, my voice tinged with frustration. "She didn't say anything else. She just collapsed in my arms."

As Mattheo reached out to gently touch Dani's forehead, he noticed her eyes moving quickly under her eyelids. His eyes widened, "Oh my god..."

"What?"

"She told me it's gotten worse," Mattheo whispered, his voice low and grave.

My heart rate quickened at the somber tone in his voice. "What's gotten worse, Mattheo?" I asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"He's in her head. Draco, my father is in her head," he said, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. The gravity of the situation was now apparent to me. My mind raced as I tried to process the enormity of what he was telling me. 

"We need to wake her up right now!"Mattheo yelled. 

"Snape! Get Snape!" I shouted, hoping that he could help her. Mattheo quickly nodded and sprinted out of the classroom.

I turned my attention back to Dani, feeling a sense of frustration building inside of me as I tried to wake her up. "Dani, wake up!" I yelled, giving her body a gentle shake. But nothing happened. She is still completely unconscious.

"Come on, Dani. Wake up!" I urged her, feeling the weight of the situation becoming heavier on my shoulders. I knew that we had to wake her up before it was too late. Her mind is too valuable, and if Voldemort found out anything about our ties to Dani, we all will be dead.

It was then that it hit me. Voldemort is becoming more powerful and dangerous with every passing moment. I felt my jaw clench in anger and determination. Voldemort is going to return a lot quicker than any of us expected...