Aberforth focused on breathing in and out slowly, hoping it would eventually lull her to a calmer state. He didn't have much experience calming people down. Sometimes some of the soldiers in his unit needed it, but there was never enough time. They didn't teach such things in the army in his day. They were gruff and if you could not handle it, you were tried for cowardice. He did his best of course, but he was never sure if his best was enough. Even here he was unsure if what he was doing was correct, but she wasn't pulling away so he took that as a positive sign. He held his hand over hers, thumb brushing along the inside of her wrist as he carefully monitored the expression on her face for any subtle changes.
The next time she spoke she sounded better and Aberforth felt a wave of relief wash over him. His hand closed more fully over her own as she curled hers into his shirt. He even managed a smile when she sat up fully, relieved at her progress. The fact that she was daring to look around spoke to just how much better she was doing, though Aberforth was still prepared should something trigger her to panic once more. He knew well it was not unusual. He went through it quite a bit following the death of his sister.
At her question he nodded, only just realizing that he was still holding her hand. Gently releasing it he moved to take his bag from his back, gently unzipping it and pulling out one of the water bottles for her. He handed it over without a word, though that was his usual demeanor so it wasn't anything out of character. "Don't be. I feel quite similarly about such things." he admitted, though he thought it quite obvious given that he had written her early on regarding the other so called pranks being pulled. "I dislike being in the dark about things being done to my person, even if they are meant to be in jest." Though this clearly was not.
"I brought some food as well. And a jacket- though you appear to have that covered." he said with another smile, moving a hand to straighten her hair a bit. He had never had a close friend before though he did not know if Arabella could be considered close yet. Still, she existed in a category outside the usual ones and he wanted to help, straightening her hair seemed to be something that might just.