My Potector.

Chapter 4

Helen
You're a disappointment.
You'll never be good enough.
Your sister is so smart.
Why aren't you like your sister?
No one will ever love you.
No one will ever want to be your friend.
Why are you even here?

I woke up in a cold sweat. I noticed I was sitting up in my bed, and I was breathing heavily.
My roommate Hanna Abbot looked over at me, "you good?"
"Y-yeah." I said, taking deep breaths. Hanna fell back asleep quickly. I checked the time, 3:00 am. I threw off my blanket, and grabbed my robe. I snuck out of the Hufflepuff Common room, and walked through the halls. I didn't really know where I was going, I just let my legs take me. My thoughts wandered to Draco. His platinum blonde hair. His grey-blue eyes. The rings on his hands.... I shook my head. What is wrong with me?! I thought. I found myself heading to the astronomy tower. I walked up the many steps. I walked to the edge, and looked up at the stars. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity.
I heard steps behind me, and I turned around.
"Draco?" I said.
Draco stopped walking, and just stared at me, "you shouldn't pick your lips so much. Your lip is bleeding."
My hand subconsciously went to my bottom lip.
He walked over to me, and pulled my hand down. "Are you okay? Why are you awake so early?" His brows furrowed with worry.
"I'm okay. I just.... Couldn't sleep."
Draco nodded letting go of my hand. He walked over to the edge, staring out into the distance. My hands were tingling, and I felt my cheeks get hot. I turned around to stand next him, I stared at the beautiful scenery.
"I couldn't sleep either." He said.
"Is there any specific reason?" I asked.
He stayed silent. "No..." he said blankly. "What about you?" He asked turning his head, looking at me.
I sighed. "I just... had a bad dream...." I was still looking at the scenery.
"Anything you want to tell me?" Draco asked.
I shook my head. "No... I'm fine."
We stood in silence for a while. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon.
"I should go get ready for later." I said, finally breaking the comfortable silence. He nodded, and I walked away, leaving him there.

It was Saturday, so no classes. I entered the great hall for breakfast. I thought about maybe hanging out with Hermione, but then I saw her with Harry and Ron. I thought about hanging out with Pansy today, but I couldn't get something out of my head. No one will ever want to be your friend. I sat down. I'm sure she's busy today.

It was Thursday. I hadn't hung out or talked to anyone all week. I walked to my next class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Lupin opened up the class, and showed us a cabinet. "Now, can anybody tell me what's in here?" He asked.
Hermione's hand shot up, "a boggart sir."
"Correct Miss Granger. Now, who can tell me what makes a boggart so terrifying?" Lupin asked.
Once again, Hermione's hand shot up, "what makes a boggart so terrifying, is that it reflects what the person fears the most."
"Very good Miss Granger. Now, there is a simple counter curse that we can use. Everyone, repeat after me: Riddikulus."
"Riddikulus," everyone repeated.
"This class is ridiculous." Draco muttered.
Lupin scanned the crowd, and his eyes landed on me, "ah, Miss Helen Granger, would you like to try first?" He asked.
I nodded slowly, and walked over to him.
"Now," he said, "what is the thing you are most afraid of?"
I sighed, "failure..." I whispered.
He nodded knowingly, "this is going to be a little hard, but I want you to turn failure, into something funny."
My eyes grew wide, "but sir I-"
"Are you ready Miss Granger?" He interrupted.
I nodded.
Lupin flicked his wand, and the door of the wardrobe opened.
Out stepped seven people. First Hermione, then my parents, then Harry and Ron, then Draco and Pansy.
"Why are you still here?" They all seemed to say at once, "you're a failure. You don't deserve friends."
I was frozen. I couldn't reach for my wand, I couldn't do anything.
"Your sister is so much smarter then you. Why aren't you like her?"
"Make it stop..." I whispered. I felt a hand on my shoulder, but I couldn't move to see who it was. The boggart changed into a man with long platinum blonde hair.
"Riddikulus!" I heard a boy say. The boggart changed into the man wearing a pink dress. The class erupted with laughter. I finally broke out of my trance.
"Helen! Are you okay?" Pansy asked, scanning my face for anything she should be worried about.
"Here eat this, it'll help." Lupin said, handing me some chocolate.
"Sir, if you don't mind, can Draco and I take Helen out of the class to get some air?" Pansy asked.
Lupin nodded. "Here are some permission slips. I'm very sorry Helen. I hope you feel better soon."
Pansy guided me out of the classroom. We walked all the way to the black lake, my head still felt foggy. Pansy made me sit down on a log, and she sat down next to me. Draco stood behind us protectively.
"Helen, what happened?" Pansy asked, stroking my hand.
"My greatest fear is the fear of failure, and when I saw all of you telling me that I don't deserve friends, and that I wasn't smart enough, I froze." Tears stared rolling down my cheeks.
"Oh Helen!" Pansy said, wrapping me in a big hug. I sobbed into her shoulder, and she slowly rubbed my back.
"Is that why you haven't talked to me all week?" she asked.
"Yes..." I said, "I've been having nightmares about people saying that I'm not enough.... And its really gotten to me...."
"Helen.... I hope you know that I love you so much, and that you are perfectly you! I will never leave you." Pansy said, pulling away from the hug to look me in my eyes, "I promise." She said.
"And as long as I'm here, I will always protect you." Draco said, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Thanks guys," I said, whipping tears from my eyes and cheeks.
"We love you Helen. Don't ever forget that..." Pansy said. Eventually, Draco sat down next to me, and we all just sat their silently...
"Who helped me?" I whispered.
"I did." Draco said, staring off at the black lake.
"Thank you..." I whispered.
Eventually we went back to the castle. I was starving, so we went to the great hall. We had missed lunch, so now it was dinner. We entered the great hall and Pansy stopped, "Helen, sit with us." She said.
"But I'm a Hufflepuff. I can't!" I said.
"You can and you will!" Pansy said, dragging me to the Slytherin table. She plopped me down, and food appeared. Pansy and Draco sat on either sides of me. I noticed that Draco's arm was still in a sling, but shrugged it off. He was probably just wearing it to be dramatic. We all ate our food in silence, which I was grateful for, and then we stood up to leave.
"I wish you could sleep in my dorm, I don't want to leave you alone!" Pansy said as we walked to the kitchens where the Hufflepuff house entrance was.
"I'll be fine Pansy. Don't worry!" I said, hoping that the smile on my face looked convincing.
Draco grunted.
"What's wrong Draco?" I asked.
"I also don't like the idea of leaving you alone right now." He scoffed.
Pansy suddenly stopped, "I have an idea!" She said. She sprinted away, still holding onto my hand. I was dragged with her, Draco following steadily behind us. We ran all the way to Snape's office. Pansy knocked on the door.
"Come in." We heard Snape say. We entered, and Pansy started talking, "professor Snape, Draco and I were hoping we could take Helen into Slytherin house. We don't trust her not to do anything to herself, so I was hoping she could sleep in my dorm!"
Snape looked from me, to Pansy, to Draco standing behind us.
"I'm not going to do any-" I started, but Snape interrupted me, "if you don't let her hear the password, you may let her in." He said.
"Thank you professor!" Pansy said. She walked out, still dragging me. We went down to the dungeons, and Pansy covered my ears while Draco muttered the password. I was dragged through the green and black common room, and into Pansy's dorm.
"I'll sleep on the floor, and you can have my bed." She said. Draco stood in the doorway, making sure no one came in.
"Don't you have roommates?" I asked.
"Yes, but they can live for one night without their beds." Pansy said.
"Have a good sleep Helen, I have to get to my dorm before my roommates get too many ideas." Draco said. He nodded at Pansy, and then left.
"Now, you will sleep on the bed" Pansy said.
"But-"
"No 'buts' Helen. You're sleeping on the bed. End of story. Now get ready for bed, it's getting pretty late." Pansy said. She grabbed an extra mattress from the closet and put it on the floor. We both got ready for bed.
"Good night Helen, sweet dreams."
"Good night Pansy." And with that, I was asleep.

A/n
I just wanted to say that you are amazing, and beautiful/handsome, and perfect, and amazingly you. No matter what anyone says, you're on this planet for a reason. Love you all! <3