BREATHE -draco malfoy

twenty six.

"AHGGGGGHHH!!"

Ana didn't open her eyes, but she knew that she was awake. She could feel the pain everywhere, and it was not simply physical. She had been screaming before she had even gained consciousness, and now the bloodcurdling sounds were erupting from her with reckless abandon.

"AHGGGGGHHH!" Ana wailed again as the pain wrecked her body. It was physical pain, mental pain, but worst of all was the pain in her heart as it shattered inside of her chest. Her scream was guttural and terrifying, making the people around her call out. A few hot tears squeezed out of her eyes, but her entire face was contorted in pain, unable to let them all out.

"Mum! What's wrong with her?" Ron asked frantically. Ana didn't open her eyes. She didn't look over. She was idly surprised to hear Ron's voice, but in that moment, she could think of nothing and no one except Draco.

"Ana," Molly Weasley cooed, dabbing Ana's forehead with a damp cloth.

"Is she alright?" asked Hermione's voice with horror. But Ana wasn't listening. Silent sobs were wracking her body now, leaving her destroyed. She was pulsating, not a sound coming out of her. Her face was paralyzed, contorted into the most terrifying visage the Wesley's had ever seen.

"Well, she has been petrified," Fred said gently, but his voice was laced with fear as well. Ana closed her eyes tighter, trying to keep herself from screaming again. Her chest shuddered as she struggled to breathe, as she had let all of her air out but couldn't find the strength to suck it back in. Ana was coming undone. She was dying, right there on the couch. The death she felt was inside of her, and it was bursting through her and out of her chest. The tears streamed freely now as she wept, burying her face in the crook of the battered orange couch.

"Ana, are you hurt?" Hermione asked, her voice closer now. She was crouched down right next to Ana's face. Ana opened her eyes and gasped suddenly, the previously silent sobs turning into loud ones, sorrow erupting from her. The sound was loud and heartbreaking, making everyone in the room gasp. Ana was shaking violently, digging her fingernails in her palms. She gripped under her ribs with shaking hands, trying to stop the pain from stabbing her in the chest. This pain, this all consuming pain, was even worse than the Cruciatus Curse. It was inescapable. She sobbed over and over again, unable to stop even if she wanted to. Hermione touched her shoulder, trying desperately to console her. It was no use. Ana sobbed on, her head tilting back in agony.

Eventually, Ron shooed his family out of the living room leaving only Harry, Ron, and Hermione with Ana. They all three silently crouched down by the couch, not knowing what to do. Ron had never seen someone in so much pain. It chilled him to the bone.

"Ana," Hermione said gently, wanting an explanation.

Ana gasped for air, hyperventilating. She had to consciously remind herself to breathe, or else she would completely pass out.

"He-he..." Ana started, staring off at the ceiling above her. But her vision blurred as the memory of Draco's face flashed in her mind, horror stricken, as terrified and destroyed as she had ever seen him. Ana wailed loudly again, her whole body pulsing. Her friends flinched at the new wave of sounds coming from her throat.

"What?" Harry asked gently, taking Ana's clenched fist in his hand. Ana felt the cold silver of Draco's ring press against her pointer finger and sobbed again, gasping loudly at the feel of it. She didn't stop to think about how the ring had been returned to her. In reality, Severus had slipped it on her finger right before he sent her off. The feeling of Draco's ring pressed against her palm made her break apart all over again. The only thing that the ring brought her now was pain.

"He-he thinks I'm dead!" Ana erupted, silent sobs wracking her again. She buried her face into the couch to silence her cries. There were dumbfounded looks being thrown at her from her three best friends, and they were wondering who on Earth Ana would cry this hard about.