Imperius | draco malfoy

Chapter 3

Draco and Eloise apparated to a near by cabin in Hogsmeade. 

Eloise slumped against the brick wall.

She felt her head spinning and her heart pounding hard against her chest. She could feel Draco's eyes on her. He walked slowly towards her, studying her for several seconds before speaking. It was unusual for Eloise to feel lightheaded after apparating. She wasn't splinched but she could feel something burning inside of her. 

"What's wrong?" He asked laying a hand on her shoulder. 

Eloise looked up at Draco, her dark hazel eyes meeting his. She blinked repeatedly, trying to keep her vision from becoming blurry. She could feel his hand on her shoulder.  She felt as if something has lodged her throat. She looked away for a moment then back to his eyes. "I can't-I can't seem to breathe properly." 

"I figured." Draco said coldly. His eyes glittered as he stared at her, his expression vicious, almost mocking. "Let's get you inside the cabin. I believe you may be having some sort of panic attack." 

She looked up at him. She thought she might faint.

Draco wrapped his arm around her waist and supported her weight as they walked inside the cabin in Hogsmeade. There was no one there. The cabin was empty but the atmosphere was warm and cozy. 

He walked Eloise over to the couch next to the hearth of the fireplace. "Incendio" He casted and the fire started ascending, allowing the room to grow warmer. 

There was still no air in the room. She kept trying to breathe, and there wasn't any oxygen at all.

Eloise tried her best to take in deep breaths as Draco walked towards the counter looking for tea he could offer to Eloise. She heard him mutter something under his breath. Several minutes later, he came back with a large mug on his left hand and a bottle of Draught of Peace on his right.

Draco was silent as he offered her the large mug filled with hot tea and watched her take a sip. Eloise pressed her lips together and let out small sigh of relief as she started to calm down as she felt her breathing normalize. 

He opened the bottle of the Draught of Peace potion and handed it to her. "Drink it. It will help you relax." Eloise looked at him sharply. His expression was still cold but his eyes burned as she met them. 

"I see you know your potions, Malfoy." She teased him lightly taking the bottle from his hand and drinking it.

He looked exhausted but there was an edge of something seething inside in him. "You're not the only clever student in Severus' potions class, Eloise."

Eloise scoffed and nodded slowly, taking another sip from her tea. He sighed and reached up and brushed across her cheek.

Eloise snorted and jerked her head away from his touch. "What are you doing?" 

He smirked at her. "Had to check if you were either freezing or burning up. Your panic attack came out of no where. I assumed you could also be having a seizure." 

Eloise's hands were aching with cold. She put the large mug of tea down and the now empty bottle of Draught of Peace, on the small table next to the couch, she held her hands out towards the flames of the fire for several moments before she spoke. 

"It was surely a panic attack," she finally said. "Perhaps, I've been thinking too much lately on certain things that it's finally caught up with me."

"What things?" Draco asked conjuring a chair as he sat down.

Eloise hesitated for a moment. "My mother..If she were still alive, I doubt she'd be proud of me. The path I've chosen? It's a big disappointment." 

There was a pause. Eloise listened to the cackling of the fire as the flames burned brightly. She felt Draco's eyes fixed on her, waiting for her to say more as this is the first time she's ever spoken about her mother to anyone. He could feel the walls she's built for years slowly coming down.