In another life (Draco x reader)

Defense Against the Dark Arts (p14)

The day after Malfoy's 'attack' he left the hospital. After what I said to him he had been kind to me, he would smile at me during classes and I would catch him staring at me a few times during the day. He really milked his injury and I saw his Slytherin friend Pansy Parkinson took this as an advantage to practically slobber all over him and care for his injury. It was so obvious she was in love with him.  

We had Defense against the dark arts today and I wasn't particularly looking forward to it due to my previous experiences. This year we had a new teacher who Hermione, Harry, and Ron told me about since they had met him on the train ride to Hogwarts. Harry really liked him so that gave me a little bit of hope. 

As class started I zoned out a little looking at Malfoy and Pansy standing next to each other, which for some reason made me feel angry. After I heard the wardrobe in front of the classroom shake, my attention was drawn back to Professor Lupin who I noticed had glanced at me quite a couple of times. 

"Very good Mr.Thomas." I heard "Now can anybody tell me what a boggart, looks like?" Lupin asked as he walked by me. 

"No one knows, boggarts are shapeshifters, they take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so T-" Hermione started as usual.  

"So terrifying, yes, yes." Lupin cut her off. "Luckily a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it now." The wardrobe behind him shook a couple more times. "Without wands please." He said as everyone was ready to pull them out. "After me...Riddikulus!" 

"Riddikulus."  The whole class repeated after him 

"Very good, a little louder, very clear, listen Riddikulus." He continued. 

"Riddikulus." The class repeated once more. After some more explaining Professor Lupin called on Neville to be the first one to face the boggart. 

Once again I felt Professor Lupin glance at me a couple more times. He told the class what he feared the most was Professor Snape, to which the class giggled. He then proceeded to whisper something in Neville's ear and finally, he moved next to him, and they both raised their wands. 

The wardrobe door creaked open and out came Professor Snape. 

"Riddikulus!" Neville shouted, his wand pointed at Snape. In a blink of an eye, Snape was now wearing old women's clothes which I soon recognized as Neville's grandmothers' clothes. The class laughed. 

"Everyone fall in line!" Lupin shouted. People rushed to get in line trying to get a taste of the boggart. Everyone was pushing and shoving and I managed to squeeze myself between Harry and Hermione. Ron and Parvarti in front of us. Ron's boggart turned into a huge spider, which upon casting the spell ended up on roller skates. Parvartis' boggart turned into a massive cobra, which then turned into a jack in the box. Which personally I found slightly more terrifying. 

Now it was Harry's turn, he stood in front of the jack in the box. Everyone waited to see what it would turn into. It warped and turned into a dementor. I felt everything around me go silent, I heard a ringing in my ears and I stumbled backward. I felt like the room was closing in on me, I pushed my legs towards my chest and buried my head in between them. I felt like I couldn't breathe. 

Suddenly I felt a hand on my back. "y/n! y/n!" I heard Seamus's voice and I looked up to meet his gaze and Neville's as well. I looked around and everyone was staring at me. I saw the Slytherins laughing and Draco trying to hush them with a look of pity in his eyes. Professor Lupin had started to walk towards me with his hand extended.

I got up quickly, stared into Seamus's eyes for a few seconds before running out of the classroom. I ran through the halls with no specific destination in mind. After I felt like I was far enough from the classroom my run turned into speed walking. I stopped when I found a secluded, dark corridor still unaware of where I was exactly. I sat on the floor and leaned against the wall feeling completely frustrated, flustered, and embarrassed at what had just happened. I stayed there for a few minutes trying to calm myself down and then I heard people coming my way. By this point, I had decided it was best for me to go and talk to Professor Lupin to. 

I got myself up and tried to work out exactly where I was. I retraced my steps and soon found myself to be close to the owlery. As I walked back I glanced out at the castle grounds and I thought I saw a large black dog running into the whomping willow. I shook my head telling myself it was part of my imagination trying to forget what had just happened with the boggart. 

On my way to Professor Lupin's office, I tried to rehearse what I was going to say to him, I arrived at his office door, and just before I knocked I took a deep breath. 

"Come in!" I heard a voice inside 

I walked into his office taking in everything around. I noticed it was filled with more interesting objects and creatures than in previous years I had been in here. 

"Ah, Miss y/l/n!" He said in a kind tone 

"Professor I'm sorry for walking out, I just-" I started, I felt like crying again.

"No please, it's perfectly ok. I heard what happened to you on the train. Dementors are terrifying creatures, what you went through is no easy thing y/n." He started 

I nodded keeping my gaze down. "I don't want to be scared of it...them. But-" H

"I can help you with that y/n" He interrupted "I've just offered Harry help with them too, it seems he's having similar issues." I saw him smiling kindly. 

"Really, Thank you, professor, is there anything you want me to do, I mean for leaving the class early?" I asked feeling guilty 

"No, no, the class was dismissed just after you left. Mr. Malfoy waited for you for a while but seeing as you hadn't come back I ushered him to get to his next class." He told me. 

I propped my head up at the mention of Draco's name and felt myself blush a little. I saw his smile widen at my actions. 

"Yeah, well we're friends and he was the one who helped me with the Dementor on the train," I told him. 

"You remind me a lot of your mother." He started walking closer "She has a kind heart, sometimes too kind. It's her greatest strength but it can also be her greatest weakness." 

I furrowed my brows, confused at what he was telling me. "You know my mom?" I asked. 

"Of course, she's a brave woman your mother. I haven't seen her in years though." He said now looking out his window. 

"Why?" I was enjoying our conversation. 

"Well, some things happen. We parted ways and just never reconnected." He sighed. "You should get going to your next class y/n. Talk to Harry about the classes and come with him to see me." He walked to his door and held it open for me. 

"Thank you, Professor." I gave him a wide smile. I walked to my next class wondering about why my mother had never mentioned Lupin in all the stories she had told me about her teen years. I also remember her not telling me she knew Lucius and wondered what else my mother hadn't told me about.