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"Hurry up Draco! We don't have all day."
There Blaise was, banging on the bathroom door in the Slytherin dorms. Everyone had already departed to the Great Hall for breakfast while Blaise was stuck waiting for his blonde friend.
Blaise had been waiting for almost thirty minutes. It wasn't unusual for Draco to take a long time getting himself ready. It was quite common actually. However it was unusual because the blond didn't answer to Blaise's impatient comments.
Blaise had seen Draco enter the bathroom however he had not seen him leave. Malfoy was one of the first people to enter the washrooms and seeing him the last to leave was odd.
Draco spent alot of time on his appearance. This had always been quite suspicious to Blaise. Malfoy was a good looking bloke and didn't need much altered to his appearance to make him look presentable however every hour of the day always seemed to be occupied by Draco fixing himself up in the nearest bathroom or broom closet.
Breakfast was ending quick and Blaise was frustrated. He was hungry and wanted to have a huge meal before he started the day.
He had contemplated on leaving Draco behind but he knew that his blonde friend wouldn't stop nagging him if he did. So that option was crossed out.
Blaise had waited for too long.
"That's it Draco, I'm coming in!"
"Don't!" Blaise had heard a soft, almost inaudible shout come from the other side of the door. It didn't sound like Draco at all!
"What are you doing in there. Its been over thirty minutes! Classes are about to start."
Blaise almost thought that the voice he had heard was in his mind because it didn't answer him again.
"Fine. I'm coming in."
Blaise pulled out his wand. He tapped on the doorknob twice and whispered a small "Alohamora" before turning the knob. The door creaked open.
Blaise walked in closing the door behind him. He looked around but no one was around.
He scratched his hair and looked down. He gasped.
There was someone on the floor. They were curled up into themselves as if trying to make themself seems small.
Blaise took a few steps back and stayed quiet. He could hear soft sobs from the small figure. The small blonde.
"Draco?" Blaise whispered.
The smaller blonde nodded but didn't move. Blaise's suspicions were cleared. The small blonde was indeed his friend, Draco Malfoy.
"What happened to you? Why are you so upset?" Blaise furrowed his eyebrows confused.
Draco didn't answer.
Blaise sighed. He walked up to his blonde friend and knelt down. He sat down and crossed his legs infront of the other boy.
He stayed quiet and allowed himself to take in the appearance of his friend.
He looked...different.
He didn't look like Draco Malfoy.
He didn't even look like a He.
"Draco?" Blaise asked again. This time more quietly.
Draco hummed in acknowledgement.
"Look at me."
It was quiet once again. The room was tense and suddenly warm.
Blaise let an unnoticeable smile slip on his face when his friend finally pulled his head up.
Blaise's eyes widened.
The person he was looking at didn't look like Draco at all.
They had long pale blonde hair and silver eyes. A fair pale complexion and light freckles. Almost unnoticeable. Their chin was slightly pointed and their cheeks were fuller. Their eyes were red and puffy and their cheeks were rosy pink. Blaise had assumed it was from crying earlier.
The person he was looking at didn't look like Draco...but in a way, they looked excacly like him.
"...Draco?"
The blonde looked away. A frown forming on their lips.
This person was Draco Malfoy.
Blaise had dealt with breakdowns before. Especially Draco's breakdowns. He knows excacly how to get him to calm down.
So he acts on it.
He takes a hold of Draco's wrists and grabs onto them.
"Look at me." Blaise orders sternly.
Draco looks up. Fresh tears streaming down his face. His breath ragged.
Blaise didn't say anything. He only stared back into Draco's eyes. Draco's wrists were still in his hands. He could feel the other writhe under his hands but Blaise didn't let go. He'd never let go.
"Talk to me, please." Blaise whispered.
Draco shook his head desperately.
Draco was having another one of his violent panic attacks.
Blaise had a hold of his arms to keep Draco from flailing them around.
"Draco please tell me what's wrong." This was only the third time he's seen Draco have a panic attack. Blaise never had to do anything before because Draco would always be able to pick himself together. This time it seemed like Draco was having trouble with keeping himself calm. Blaise had to jump in.
"Don't let go." Draco choked out. "Never let go."
Blaise felt his heart break from the words Draco was saying.
Draco looked up at his darker skinned friend breathing heavily. Desperately gasping for air.
Blaise never knew what caused the panic attacks nor did he understand how to stop them. All he knew is that he wouldn't let go.
"I'll never let go."
Here Blaise was. In this same situation. He stood his ground. He held Draco's wrists like a life line and never let go.
Draco's breathing slowed down but didn't normalise. He was still breathing desperately. He sniffed and blinked rapidly. Failed attempts to try and calm his breakdown.
Blaise was yet to realise that the blonde wasn't wearing any clothes. It didn't distract him however. He was only interested in calming his best friend.
Blaise knew that breakfast had ended and the first lessons had already started. They were late. It didn't matter to him. It was useless to him. His top priority was making sure Drack was comfortable. Maybe comfortable enough to tell him what was going on.
Fifteen minutes passed by. Fifteen minutes of strict eye contact and tears. Fifteen minutes until Draco was able to speak sentences again.
"What's wrong Draco?" Blaise tried again.
Draco took in a ragged breath. "I-i can't find my wand or my binder anywhere."
"Why didn't you ask me for help?"
Draco blinked away a few stray tears. "I was afraid."
"Afraid of..?"
"Afraid... that you would judge me. Afraid that you would hate me. Afraid that you would be disgusted enough to tell everyone I love about what you saw."
Blaise tightened his grip on Draco's wrists slightly. "You know I would never do that. How long have we been friends for? 10 years? Do you really think something like this-" Blaise gestured to Draco's figure "-would break a friendship like ours? Its quite insulting really. Your like a brother--sister--sibling to me and just because you look different doesn't mean I'm gonna gag at you and leave. What do you take me for?"
A small amusing smile fell onto Draco's features.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I was just..."
"Scared?" Blaise smirked.
Draco sighed dramatically and nodded.
"Alright." Blaise let a goofy grin slip onto his lips. "Where was the last place you saw your binder?"
Draco sniffed and smiled.
They stood up. Draco covering his chest. "Can you get me a towel?"
Blaise lifts his eyebrow seemingly confused.
Draco only laughs. "To cover up."
The darker boy realises and covers his eyes. He nods immediately leaving the bathroom.
There's a faint laughing before he closes the bathroom door
He rests his head on the wall sighing heavily.