Limerence; Draco Malfoy

Chapter Thirty-Five: Suffocation

Cold.

I had never felt so cold in all my life.

The adrenaline that was earlier pumping through my bloodstream had turned to ice. The harsh winds that tussled my leaf strewn hair were relentless enough to make my entire soul tremble. And tremble a great deal I did.

Because despite my feverish thoughts, I was still on high alert of my surroundings. Still alert enough to know that I was not somewhere safe, and that if I stayed lying here for a moment longer in this ditch I'd so stupidly fallen into, I'd likley succumb to hypothermia.

Either that, or I'd become pray to whatever sinister creatures lurked in the surrounding shadows.

Stiffling a choking sob, I scrambled up to my feet, the ice which was numbing my aching limbs nearly causing my knees to buckle. I turned a slow circle, gasping in the painfully chill air and feeling it burn my lungs raw.

Shadows. Darkness. Cruel whisperings and taunts from the wind. More darkness. The void.

... I was all alone.

My eyes squeezed themselves shut - tighter tighter and tighter, because crying was as pointless as it was pathetic. And it would only worsen my breathing. Constrict my already tightening airways-

I needed to find them. Draco. Fred.

A light, perhaps? That would be very convienient right now.

For it was so, so unforgivably dark where I'd ended up. Dark enough for me to remember why I slept with the nightlight on until the age of thirteen. Terror trickled through my veins - sharp and lethal, and I stumbled forwards.

Crept past one daunting tree trunk, and then another. Twigs scratched my face, arms and legs, whilst my feet slipped in all directions over the muddy leaves. I couldn't see even see my own hand infront of me, so I suppose collision was bound to happen.

"Ouch!"

I yelped, not having time to put my hands forwards as I ended up banging my head on something solid.

Something, or someone, suddenly pushed my shoulders back with inhuman strength. I staggered backwards, breathless, and then my ankle was swiftly kicked from under me.

The air was knocked out of my lungs before I could scream for help.

I was thrown to the muddy forest floor, landing on my back with a sharp thud.

My next petrified scream had barely been given the chance to escape my lips, before the dark creature was suddenly looming above me in the gloom, pinning me down underneathe it. Wrapping its monsterous hands around my throat...

My eyes adjusted to the darkness before his did.

His hair was the first thing I recognized: the gleam of moonlight illuminated the platinum even further, and I noticed how messy it was. Ruffled. A style much different to the usual sleek, straight strands he kept it in.

And then I caught his eyes - those iridesent, hardened all consuming eyes.

They didn't recognize me, in the dark.

And it was too late to call out and tell him, because the icy grip around my throat was squeezing, tighter and tighter. Ready to kill.

His wider frame practically engulfed me, making it impossible to wriggle free. So I silently pleaded up at his shadowed face with my eyes, managing to choke out one, last desperate sentance.

"D-Draco stop...it's... me!" What if that realisation didn't stop him?

But then his gaze flickered and widened; the menacing, killer look was instantly replaced with distress.