She & Him

Part 32: Mental

It was like a switch was flipped when he attacked me.

Something's definitely wrong with Draco.

He's always been hotheaded and irrational- but tonight was unlike anything I've ever seen from him before. He was tugging at his hair and yelling at no one. When he was choking me- his eyes seemed listless and dull- like he wasn't even there.

He scared me- no doubt about it. I'm still trembling as I sit on my couch.

"Here, Hen- some tea to calm your nerves." Ginny hands me a steaming mug of tea from my kitchen and Luna just sits and looks at me curiously.

"He just flipped?"

"I mean...he was yelling at me most of the time I was there, but the last few minutes weren't even directed at me. He was just...yelling and going off." I tremble and try to still my hands.

"And then he just pounced on you- took you to the floor and started choking you?" Ginny asks once more for clarification.

"Yeah...but it wasn't him. It was like...like...I don't know. Something is just wrong."

"Yeah, he's psychotic." Gin states and sips her tea.

"Well you would be too if you were in solitary confinement for eight years." Luna defends Draco and I look at both of them.

"He probably thinks I hate him. Probably thinks I'm never going to talk to him again." I say and set my tea down.

"And are you?" Ginny asks and I shoot my eyes to her.

"Gin..."

"What? He attacked you. Mental problem, anger issues- or what not: he could very much kill you next time. He could have killed you tonight."

"He's not himself."

"How do you know? I mean how do you honestly know that's not the real Malfoy? This is the longest you've been around him. You've never been personal with him before- how don't you know he's just a psychopath, who is going kill you?"

"Ginny- he's sweet and caring and..."

"Dear Lord- you're mental yourself! Draco Malfoy nearly killed you. He pelted you with books and..."

"GINNY!! I know! Okay! I know! It was scary and upsetting and frankly, I am both pissed off and very very stirred- BUT I know Draco- despite what all of you think- I love him and trust him. Something is wrong." My outburst startles them and I stand up. "I just want to know he's okay. I just want him here."

I start to get upset and my heart wrenches in my chest.

"I just worry about you- Hermione. We all do. We see how happy Draco makes you- it just makes me nervous because we don't want another Ro—."

"Don't you think I know that. I do." Ginny's phone starts going off and she steps out of the room for a moment. Sitting down, Luna watches me as I leans back into my couch and cover my eyes.

"He is sick- Hermione. It's not a character flaw." She says delicately and I look at her.

"How do you know?"

"Nausea, paranoia, mood swings- among other problematic issues: it isn't just a shitty upbringing or poor genes. He's sick. He doesn't mean to act that way or hurt you- if he did- he wouldn't have stopped. He would've be vastly different in most instances." She states and I sigh heavily. Ginny comes back and looks at us.

"Harry called- he said that they evaluated him and found a diagnosis." I sit up and watch her intently. "They set him up with some medication and sent him home."