Twenty-Four: Panic Attack

                                    

                                          
**
Friday, 17th May, 1996
I'd barely said a word to Draco all morning. It wasn't on purpose; I just didn't know what to say to him. The only thing swirling around inside my mind was the information Patrick had told me last night, and the words on his father's owl. For once, my thoughts weren't filled with Draco directly.
All I could manage was one- or two-words answers, a small smile here, a gentle nod there. I wanted to speak to him, I wanted to tell him everything I knew, but I just didn't know how. But then there was a side of me that still wasn't sure whether I should betray Patrick's trust...
I hated that I was the reason we weren't talking, Draco kept trying to make conversation, which made it even harder, because he wasn't a brilliant communicator at the best of times. I wanted to tell him I appreciated his effort more than anything, but for some reason, my stupid head, and my stupid mouth wouldn't let me. I could tell Draco knew something was up, but he didn't press me on it.
I had the strangest sensation in the pit of my stomach. I barely slept the night before, I was constantly tossing and turning, my mind refused to settle or quieten. So, not only did I feel weirdly nervous today, but I was also sleep deprived.
**
As I was about to dip my quill into my ink pot to answer the questions after the chapter read through we'd been set by Professor Burbage, I felt a faint nudge at my elbow.
"Parsons, could you um-" Draco cleared his throat, "Could you help me with these? You know more about Muggle shit. If that's alright, of course,"
"Yeah, I'll help you, Draco," I nodded my head.
I'm sure he only asked me for help so we could be in contact in one way or another. Perhaps it could be the thing I needed to get over this pathetic funk I was in.
"I'll help you out in Charms later or something, if you want me to," Draco twitched his lips upwards slightly,
"Thank you," I said to him simply.
**
"So, the final question. What are three forms of Muggle transport that aren't often used in the wizarding world?" I said to Draco,
"I don't know," Draco shrugged his shoulders,
"It says one in that paragraph right there," I pointed to our Muggle Studies textbook with the feather of my quill.
Draco started skimming the piece of text, and as I watched him, I couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt coursing through me. He looked so oblivious to what had happened in the Ministry of Magic, and knowing the information I did, made me feel awful.
"Car?" Draco arched an eyebrow at me,
"That's right, well done. Can you think of any others?" I asked him,
"Aren't trains a Muggle thing?" he cocked his head at me,
"They are, as well as buses, but we do use them, don't we? How about aeroplanes? Would you say they're a Muggle or magical mode of transport?" I said to him,
"I'm assuming Muggle, as I've never heard of an aero... plane," Draco chuckled,
"You'd assume correctly," I smiled at him, "There are two types of train that are primarily used by Muggles, do you know what they are?"
"Nope," Draco shook his head, "How can there be different types of train? How can they be that different to the Hogwarts Express?"
"Well, there's loads of different models and types of train, Draco. But the two specific ones I'm thinking of are the Underground, used in London, and the tram," I said,