triple threat - "I'm worried about you. I think you need help." plus angst
chess - disgusted
340 words
Draco can't look down at his arms anymore. It doesn't matter what he wears — if he's wearing long sleeves, or short sleeves, or even no shirt at all. It doesn't matter whether or not he can see it, because he knows it's there, and the thought of it makes him disgusted.
It hasn't been the easiest few months for him, between his father getting sent to jail and the Dark Lord forcing him to…
The thought of it makes him shudder.
He knows he hasn't been fair to the people around him, either. He's been pushing away all of his friends, not paying attention to any of them, and focusing all his attention to the little cabinet to the Room of Requirement, trying to find some way for his plan to work.
He knows his friends know something is wrong. He can see it in their eyes when he shows up for dinner, the passing glances they give each other over him, as if he wouldn't be able to see them.
He does.
Draco stops showing up for dinner.
Classes, though, are unavoidable. If he misses classes, he gets more people worried than just his friends. He can ignore his friends. He can't ignore his professors.
"Draco," Daphne says to him, right in the middle of Charms class. Draco stays silent and focuses on the bird summoning charm they're supposed to be working on. "Draco," she repeats, and Draco, as much as he doesn't want to, makes himself look over at her.
"What?" he snaps, trying to have their conversation be over as soon as possible.
"I'm worried about you," Daphne says finally, frowning over at him. Draco's heart clenches up. "I think you need help."
Draco's not sure what to reply to that. He knows that she's right, of course, but it's not like he can admit that. Daphne doesn't even know the half of it.
Slowly, Daphne takes Draco's hand in her own.
And then, right there, in the middle of Charms class, Draco starts to cry.