Draco Malfoy's Worst Fear

Nonverbal

For the first time in all of Hogwarts, Hermione was bested by someone in academics. Draco bested her in his potion making. When class was over, Draco left quickly, he did not want to have to deal with any questions or anything. He had always been amazing at potions, and really, everything, much better than Hermione, but he hid that fact. Besides, with him being forced to keep up an appearance, he wasn't able to study as much as he wanted, and therefore his grades suffered.

Blaise and Gregory soon followed after, as well as all the Gryffindors. Draco leaned against the wall by the DADA class. He was looking forward to this class, though he doubted there would be much that he had to learn. It was just a part of him that was doing what he wanted. His father may control every aspect of his life at home, and try to at Hogwarts, but he could not control all of which classes he took. That specific thing was his own freedom. 

Lupin showed up soon after, and he instructed the class to put their books away. Draco hoped it wasn't going to be another boggart disaster. That would be very bad, because Draco narrowly avoided it the first time. He doubted he would be that lucky a second time.
"Now, I am going to put you in pairs, and you will be dueling each other, with spells not designed to harm your opponent, only stun, or petrify. Now, the pairs..." Draco saw he was paired with Hermione Granger. Great.
"Alright, begin."

Draco faced Hermione, who quickly attacked and Draco easily blocked whispering the protego spell, so that Hermione would not realize that he could do silent spells. It wasn't something he particularly wanted well known. The duel went on for quiet a while. Hermione was getting frustrated. Everyone was now watching the furious battle going on between the two of them. Draco's voice was clearly heard using spells to block every single one of Hermione's spells. It was angering her. Then, something Hermione could never be ready for, and took her by surprise.
"Glacius!" Hermione muttered. Draco did not catch what the word was. A green light flashed from Hermione's wand. Taking Draco, for a split second, into his memories. 
You disrespect me! I cannot believe that you think you would get away with that! Now, time for punishment. A green light flashed.
Draco was brought from his reverie harshly, to see that the green light almost reached him. It was instinct. Really, he hadn't mean to do it. He waved his wand, a very, very powerful shield of silver light was cast around him, and the spell shattered into thousands of seemingly green pieces of glass, while the shield was not damaged. Draco flicked his wand, again silently, and lowered it, the shield disipatting. He had not meant to cast two nonverbal spells. That had never been his intention. He wasn't even tired from his effort, thanks to the continuous torture that he endured for years, he was much stronger than many full grown wizards. Everyone was staring at him. 
"Malfoy, how can you cast nonverbal spells?" Hermione asked. Blaise and Gregory, whose partners were Ron and Harry consecutively, smirked at Hermione. Draco closed his eyes, trying to keep the horrid memories from his mind. Blaise and Gregory realized what was happening, and their faces paled. They ran up to him. 
"Hay, Mate, just push it from your mind, like you always do." Blaise said trying to help
"Come on, don't let him get to you again." Gregory said. Draco started to tense. Blaise and Gregory looked at each other. This was not good. Everyone watched as Draco's eyes began to glaze over.
"I've got it!" Gregory said loudly all of a sudden. He looked at Blaise, whose eyes widened.
"It is very complicated spell. If you do it wrong..."
"I've done it before!" Gregory said. "Besides, if Draco slips again, I mean, it's already happened once today. There is only so much he can take, and he's already taken a lot. We've had to do it before!" Gregory argued. Draco tensely grabbed Blaise and Gregory's arms. 
"Just do it, I can't deal with this right now!" Draco whispered. He was so tense that his muscles started shaking.
"Fine, hurry!" They whispered. Gregory pushed his wand to Draco's temple, closed his eyes, whispering words really fast that nobody could catch what was being said.

"So, you think that you are soo strong, Hmm?" The Dark Lord said, smiling sickly. "Well, the next step in your training is being able to cast nonverbal spells." Voldermort said, looking down at Draco. Draco whispered to Gregory and Blaise. "Just do it, I can't deal with this right now!" Before he slipped back into the trance. "So your training will be with dear Auntie Bellatrix. I am sure she would be most willing to help!" 
"Of course, My Lord, I would be honored to help you in any way I can!" Voldermort smiled. 
"Good, go now." Draco was grabbed by his Aunt Bella, and he was dragged into the opposite room. 
"Now, try to cast this shielding spell, 'Tazilmegarla Fafzehn Lihera Mornalin'." Draco did so, and succeeded on his second try. "Now, let's see if you can do it nonverbaly. 
"Aunt Bella, I have never done nonverbals."
"Well you will now!" Bellatrix cackled. "Remember no speaking!" She said, laughing maniacly. A green light made its way towards him, and severe pain flashed throw his body for a mere second, but it was so intense. He knew that it was not the Cruciatus curse, it was something else. 
"Try again, Draco!"

Draco gasped, nearly falling. Blaise and Gregory caught him under his arms.
"Thank you," Draco whispered. They both nodded. 
"Least we could do." Gregory said, seriously. 
"Professor, is this class still going, or may I leave?" Draco asked, standing straight and tall, and, seeing that he no longer needed support, Blaise and Gregory let go of him.
"Uh, actually, Malfoy, I was wondering if I might talk to you during lunch, if that is fine with you." Draco narrowed his eyes. He knew that Lupin phrased the sentence as a suggestion, but normally it never was an actual suggestion.
"Very well, Professor. However, that does not answer my previous question."
"Oh, yes, of course you may leave. In fact, CLASS DISMISSED!" Draco rushed out the door, with Blaise and Gregory followed. 
Hermione was rooted to the spot. Soon, with a few jolting shakes from Harry, she shook out of her reverie. They all walked together to Herbology. 
"I can't believe it!" Ron said loudly. 
"Ron!" Ginny said disapprovingly. "Not so loud!" 
"I-I'm just wondering what the bloody hell is going on with Malfoy this year! First he beats Hermione, Hermione of all people, in potions, then in DADA, he manages to cast a powerful nonverbal spell! I thought those were supposed to be basically impossible to cast."
"Well, it is very difficult, and in fact, it is extremely rare for someone of Malfoy's age to be able to cast a nonverbal spell, and should be practically impossible for him to manage to produce a spell powerful enough to cast the Tazilmegarla Fafzehn Lihera Mornalin, shielding spell.  That...that's not the case. That is out loud too, but he blocked it nonverbally." 

"Yeah, I noticed something with Goyle too. We spent all these years believing that Goyle was a stupid idiot who can't do anything, but when I was dueling him, he actually was really good. Rivaled even me. In fact, he almost beat me, until we saw that you and Malfoy were dueling so heatedly."
"Yeah, and what was the whole 'don't let him get to you again', and 'we've done it before' and 'he can't slip again,' and all that crap? And the 'it's the least we could do' and 'we've done it before'?" Ron said quizzically.
"Well, I for sure have noticed Malfoy acting differently." Ginny said. "He has not insulted me once, or even called me 'Weaslette', or any name calling. In fact, I think that he is turning in on himself. I doubt he got much sleep last night. I woke up at five a clock and he was up, and we didn't even get into the common room until at least midnight. Then, it was like, one o clock before I even tried to get to sleep, and Malfoy was still up. And, he didn't eat dinner last night, or breakfast this morning. I think he is purposely depriving himself of things he knows he needs. I just don't get why!" Ginny said aggravated. 
"I defininetly believe that something has happened to the Slytherins, specifically those three, because, I mean, yeah, they were seen together before and stuff, but it's like, now they are with each other all the time. And Zabini and Goyle seem to know something about what happened with Malfoy that nobody else knows, and they seem to know how to help him, and they seem to have done it several times before, and they know when he's off." 
"We'll just keep very close eyes on them all." Hermione said. All four nodded.