Unmasked

Note: This chapter describes a panic attack and the result of abuse. Take caution reading this chapter if you feel like this may be a trigger for you. 

The echoing of scraping chairs and loud chatter reverberated off of the walls of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom the next day. Harry, Ron and Hermione filed into the room with a few minutes to spare, shuffling over to their seats. As they settled in, Harry and Ron were still arguing over a question in their potions homework, to which Hermione whacked Harry over the head with a roll of parchment to get him to shut up. He scowled at her, then turned back to his seat next to Ron to put his bag down, plopping down in his chair. Hermione smirked, satisfied, and did the same. 

A hush spread over the class as Snape strode up the aisle a moment later, using his wand to flick open everyone’s books to page 492. He stood at the front of the room with a brooding glare, as if daring anyone to speak. He took a moment to look over them all before saying dully, “Chapter 10 is on duelling.” He spun to face the blackboard, scrawling on it as he spoke. “We will quickly review what you have learned in previous years… that will be today. It will be brief, covering basic tactics, defences, charms, jinxes, hexes, and the like. You will pair up once I am finished the lesson and practice these basics, but please, don’t break anything or I will be forced to take house points… You are strongly encouraged to use silent incantations, however, it is not mandatory as this is just review.” 

The class listened attentively as Snape droned on about hexes and jinxes that many of them had practiced the year before as a part of Dumbledore’s Army. The defences were common to all of them, as were the few charms they had been taught were useful in duelling. About twenty minutes later, Snape released them to find their partners. Hermione partnered with Ron, so Harry partnered with Neville. 

Neville first threw a leg-locker curse his way, which he blocked. Harry retaliated with a jelly-legs jinx, which Neville blocked as well. Silently, the dancing hex was shot at Harry, who ended up doing a jig in front of his peers. He chortled, shooting back a hex that tickled Neville so much he cried as he thrashed, trying to remember the counter jinx. Harry eventually remembered how to remove the one on himself, while trying to simultaneously help Neville out. 

The classroom was full of commotion. Dancing students, stumbling students, Gryffindors with elephant trunks and Slytherins desperately trying to escape the invisible tickling fingers. Pansy and Draco fired silent hexes back and forth, each periodically hitting each other, but usually blocking them. Seamus and Dean managed not to make anything explode, however, Seamus did end up being blasted against the back wall. At the front of the room, Snape shook his head solemnly, quickly returning to his marking. Ron had managed to successfully hit Hermione with both a leg-locker curse and the tickling curse, so she had to hop around, laughing wildly while desperately trying to get enough breath to remove the effects. Ron was trying to laugh, but could only quack every time he opened his mouth. 

Among all of the noise, a shrill shriek quickly got everyone’s attention. All eyes landed on a pair of Slytherins at the far side of the room. Pansy’s hands covered her mouth. Her horror filled eyes led everyone to follow her gaze, causing gasps and screams to escape her classmates, followed by silence as everyone tried to comprehend what they were seeing. Snape immediately stood from his desk. 

“I-I,” Pansy stuttered, taking a step towards Draco. “What happened to you?”

Draco was staring down at himself with wide eyes, scanning each and every exposed mark with panic. He had left his robe at his desk and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. There was no escaping the cuts, scars and bruises littering his pale flesh. His glance shot up, meeting the eyes of his peers. All of them. The long cuts and gashes, swollen and jagged scrapes, different sized and coloured bruises… The fresh and the old. Exposed for everyone to see. He said nothing, just stared between himself and the crowd of his peers. 

“Miss Parkinson!” Snape bellowed. “What have you done?”

She was nearly in tears. “N-nothing, Professor! I swear! I only used a charm that removes all protections, charms, and potions… This-this wasn’t me.” Her eyes turned back to her duelling partner. “Draco… what happened to you?”

He finally met her eyes, but his voice was barely a whisper. “Quidditch.” 

In the crowd, Hermione pushed through to find Harry. He saw the wrinkles on her forehead, and grabbed her arm. “There’s nothing we can do. Not yet.” 

“Harry-”

“Not yet.” 

“Quidditch?” Pansy squeaked. “You haven’t-”

“It’s from quidditch!’ Draco blurted out. “I swear. Tha-that’s all it is, Pansy. Quidditch. J-just Quidditch.” 

She searched his eyes, then his body when he dropped his gaze. His hands clenched and unclenched. He wouldn’t look at her. “How can that be from…”

“I swear,” he said, but his voice broke.

As people started to clue in, they pushed forwards, enclosing him in the middle of a circle. He looked in all directions, eyes wide. Voices punctured the air all around him, shouting and asking questions. 

“What happened?” Susan Bones. 

“Who did this to you?” Blaise.

“Are you okay?” Neville. 

 Snape shoved his way to the front as Draco’s breathing became rapid and laboured. “Draco,” Snape demanded harshly. “Did your father do this? Did Lucius do this to you?” Draco continued to heave for air, backing away. He was shaking now. “Did Lucius do this to you??”

“Please,” he sputtered. “Please don’t let him know anyone knows. Please, Professor.” 

“What are you talking about?”

In the crowd, Hermine yanked on Harry’s arm, glaring at him. He nodded. “Let’s go. Quick.” 

Draco couldn’t tear his eyes away from Snape. “Please don’t tell him I’ve been weak. It’ll only make it worse.” He broke with that thought, shaking like a leaf and gasping for air. “I-I... can’t... t-take it!” 

“Back up!” Hermione screamed, elbowing people aside. “Leave him alone.” People grabbed at her and told her off, but she shook them off. “He’s having a panic attack, leave him alone!” 

Harry followed her through the crowd and past a bewildered Snape. He approached Draco cautiously, who at some point had sat down on a stool. His face was buried in his hands and he was hunched over, hyperventilating. Harry knelt in front of him, placing a hand on his knee. Draco flinched. “It’s Harry,” he said softly. “It’s just Harry. I’m not here to hurt you. Safe, remember?” Harry then reached for the blond’s trembling hands, trying to pry them away and coaxing him to breathe. “You’re safe, Draco… breathe. Focus on that. You’re safe right now, I promise. No one is here to hurt you.”

The rest of the class had either retreated to their desks or huddled awkwardly away from the situation, talking it over in hushed voices. Ron stood near the front, trying to comprehend the turn of events. Hermione padded over to where Pansy still stood, trembling and horrified. The gryffindor held out her hand to the other girl. “Come here, Pansy. We know it wasn’t on purpose. It’s not your fault, okay?”

“What have I done?” Pansy said. “I swear, Hermione. I didn’t know that… that…”

“I know, Pansy. Harry and I both know. It’s okay. Come with me. Your friend needs you.” 

Pansy took Hermione’s hand, and let the brunette lead her over to Draco. She knelt just off to the side of Harry, who was still talking quietly to Draco. Hermione stood beside the stool, rubbing gentle circles and lines into the blond’s back. 

Draco gasped for air again and Harry bit his lip. He massaged the other boys hands. “You need to breathe… you’re okay. I’m not here to hurt you. Neither is Hermione. Or Pansy. Okay? We are here to help. You’re safe with us. Just breathe.”

One hand fell from Draco’s face and Harry held it in both of his. “You’re safe, Draco.” 

“Can you follow Harry’s breathing?” Hermione asked. “Listen to his breathes.” 

Harry counted them out for him. “In… out… In… Out… Good.” The other hand fell. Harry caught it. He held Draco’s hands in his. They didn’t shake so badly anymore. “In… Out… In… Better.” 

Draco’s eyes fluttered open a moment later, meeting Harry’s. “Everyone’s going to know, Harry,” he croaked. “Everyone’s going to know how weak I am.” 

“You’re not weak. You’re being abused, Draco. And that’s not the same thing. I’d have the same reaction as you if everyone had found out about what happened to me like this.” 

Draco dropped his gaze. “But it’s me… I have to… I’m… it’s me. You’re you. I deserve it, and you didn’t. I’m a Malfoy… I can’t… I shouldn’t… But I do!”

“Look at me, Draco,” Harry said. “This is not your fault. Okay? It’s not. I promise. You don’t deserve this, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.” Draco nodded. “You look like you want to hide.”

He met Harry’s eyes. “I do.” 

“Maybe one of us should take you back to your dorm. You should get some rest,” he said. 

Again, Draco nodded. 

“I’ll do it!” Pansy piped up. “Is that okay with you, Draco?”

“Just drop me off, and come back here, please, Pansy. Okay?” 

She nodded with pursed lips. “Okay.”

They turned to leave, but Harry put a hand on Draco’s shoulder. “Come find me if you want to talk, yeah?”

Draco nodded again, a small smile gracing his lips. Then he turned and left, Pansy at his side. 

Harry and Hermione both sighed, then turned to head back to their desks. With students sitting in random places, they just decided to sit together. Harry rested his head on the desk, while Hermione put hers in her hands. SIlently, Snape strode over and squatted in front of their desks. He coughed lightly to announce his presence. The two students looked up, startled. 

Then Snape’s face softened and he spoke in the kindest voice they’d ever heard him use. “Fifty points to Gryffindor.”