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"Why am I so tired?" he asked Hermione yawning again, "And weak?" |
"Ron hit you with a Sectumsempra curse," Hermione answered. |
"I figured that much. I don't remember it hurting this much the last time," Draco said. |
Hermione sighed and wiped away a tear, "Harry didn't know what he was hitting you with, and the curse wasn't as drastic. Professor Snape also knew the counter-curse the last time since he created the spell and you healed rather quickly afterward. It took us two days to find the counter-curse among his papers. Two days of them working to keep you alive since the wound wouldn't close," she choked out a sob as she said the last part. Her lip trembled, and tears leaked down her face, "You bled profusely, and the healers had to keep pumping you with blood replenishing potions and blood transfusions until we could find the counter-curse," Hermione finished, and her face crumpled as she let loose great hiccupping sobs. |
Tears threatened to overwhelm him as he listened to her cry, "Hey. Stop crying please," Draco pleaded desperately, "Widen the bed and come lay beside me." |
"I don't want to hurt you," she said, still sniffling into a handkerchief. |
"It doesn't hurt that much anymore," he said, only partially lying, "I need you. I need to feel you against me. I need to smell you around me. If I thought I could manage it, I would be begging you to let me make love to you," Draco said with a laugh. |
Hermione snorted, "You must be on the mend if you're thinking of sex." |
"Please," Draco pleaded again, "Widen the bed and come sleep beside me." |
She couldn't resist his desperate pleading, just like he knew she wouldn't be able to. He wasn't lying though. He did need to feel her around him. He needed the solidness of her presence to reassure him that she was real and alive. |
She widened his bed and pulled the blanket and pillow off the cot. She gingerly climbed into bed beside him, so very careful not to jostle him. He could feel himself drifting off to sleep again as she settled beside him. |
He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a soft kiss across her knuckles, "I'm sorry I'm so tired. I just want to stay up all night and talk to you, but I'm...so...sleepy," he yawned large enough to pop his jaw. |
She tucked the covers up around him, just below the bandage across his chest, "Go back to sleep. I love you." |
"Love you too," he murmured sleepily. |
He came wide-awake sometime the next morning. The healer, an unassuming man with a balding speckled pate and a friendly face covered by a scraggly red beard, in green robes, was bent over him removing the bandage on his chest. The healer seemed to realize he was awake and looked up smiling. "Good morning. I heard you were floating in and out of consciousness, but every time I checked on you, you were asleep. I'm Healer McNair by the way," the healer said in a soft Scottish brogue. |
"McNair?" Draco asked quietly. He knew the name McNair very well. This man obviously wasn't him because Draco new for a fact that Walden McNair was dead. |
The healer gave him a weary look. The man obviously had to deal with suspicion as a part of his everyday life. "Angus McNair. Yes, he was my cousin. No, I'm not a Death Eater, nor have I ever been. Now that all that's squared away, are you still comfortable with me being your healer?" the wizard said in a bored tone. |
Draco felt a little sorry for the man. The suspicion Draco dealt with on a regular basis was almost justifiable in his opinion. He'd made bad decisions in his youth and hurt people. His family had developed a reputation that would probably take generations of hard work to eradicate. |
Draco turned his forearm up to expose the faded Dark Mark. "I'm not in a position to judge. You didn't refuse to treat me, as others have in the past. Plus, you've managed to keep my sorry arse alive this long." |
The healer seemed to bristle at the knowledge that someone would refuse to treat him and started spluttering about oaths and their job being to heal, not act as judge, jury, and executioner. |
"Others will always judge me for the choices I made as a scared sixteen-year-old," Draco said in a matter-of-fact voice. |
Draco looked down and at the sleeping witch beside him, snuggled into his side, facing away from him with her arms wrapped around his arm that was wedged between her breasts. |
Healer McNair caught his look. If he disapproved of Hermione sleeping in his hospital bed with him, he wisely kept his mouth shut about it. Draco looked down at his exposed chest and saw his wound for the first time. A deep, red slash ran across his chest from armpit to armpit just below his collarbones. He realized then how lucky he was to have survived at all. |
The placement of the wound also made him tighten his hold on Hermione, and he realized how much he hadn't failed that day. All things considered, throwing himself into the line of fire wasn't the most idiotic thing to do. |
"You're healing very well now," McNair said, leaning close to inspect the area, "Are you in any pain?" he asked, palpitating the area. |
Draco winced and hissed in pain, "A little." |
"Sorry," he said matter-of-factly, still examining the area, "I can give you a pain potion if you like." |
"No thanks," Draco said. He didn't want to be asleep or woozy when the kids came by, maybe after they left if he felt he needed it. |
The healer looked at him curiously, "Are you sure?" |
"Yeah. My kids are coming over for the first time today, and I don't want to be out of it," Draco explained. |
McNair reached into his pocket and took out a tin with a blue-tinged paste in it, "Ah. I'll check with you after they leave then," McNair said, nodding in understanding, rubbing his chest with the cream, and replacing the bandage with a new one. At Draco's curious look, he explained, "Healing cream. It helps the skin and muscle repair itself and relieves the pain. You'll have a scar, but I think it will be very similar to the one you already have." He gestured over his shoulder to a bag in the corner, "Your mum brought you some clothes last night. Your wound is closed, but the skin and tissues under are still tender. The cream will help with the pain if you get jostled a little." |
"Thanks," Draco said sincerely, "When can I go home?" |
"In a couple of days, I think. I want to monitor you for a little while before I send you home," the healer answered seriously. |
Draco considered arguing with the man. He opened his mouth with the intention of arguing with him. He didn't want to be stuck here any longer than he had to but the healer was giving him a look that meant the battle would be fruitless and he would call in reinforcements if necessary. He closed his mouth and decided to pick his battles. |
McNair, realizing that he wasn't going to have to fight Draco on his decision, relaxed a little, "Why don't you try to get some more sleep before she wakes up? I know she hasn't been sleeping that much the last several days, so more rest is in order for both of you." |
"How bad was it?" Draco asked, looking down at Hermione again, really noticing for the first time the bags under her eyes. |
"I threatened to dose her tea with Dreamless Sleep potion if she didn't stop pestering me and lay down on the cot and try to sleep," McNair answered with a chuckle. |
"They must have all had a rough time of it," Draco mused, looking down at Hermione and remembering his mother's haggard appearance and finding Harry sleeping in his room. |
The healer looked speculatively at him, "The first two days were the worst," he looked over Draco at Hermione and whispered almost inaudibly, "Don't tell her I said this. If they hadn't found the counter-curse when they did, you wouldn't have made it. Your heart was failing from the strain," he took a deep breath and continued at a louder whisper, "Once we administered the countercurse, you fell into a coma. We administered potions and monitored you. You started healing, and I recommended not forcing you from the coma, thinking that you would wake up when your body was sufficiently healed." |
Draco couldn't take it all in. He just nodded dumbly at the healer and choked out, "Thanks...for everything." |
McNair squeezed his shoulder, "Get some rest." |
Draco decided to take the healer's advice and sunk back into sleep. His dreams were troubled by thoughts of all the stress and worry his friends and family had gone through during this ordeal. He could feel himself burning with anger at Weasley. Draco had promised Weasley that he would make him pay if Weasley ever did anything to hurt Hermione or the girls. Weasley would pay, and Draco would ensure that they never worried about that bastard ever again. |
Hermione had just finished helping him into his green flannel pajama shirt and buttoning it up for him when a knock sounded at the door. She smoothed back his hair and helped him sit back against the pillows of the bed before rushing over to open the door. |
She swung the door open wide, and Draco couldn't help but break out into a happy grin to see his mother standing in the doorway behind Scorpius, Minerva, and Rose. |
Rose answered his grin with a radiant smile of her own and ran into the room, curls bouncing, and shouting "Daddy!" |
She crawled up onto the bed and threw her arms around his neck. He was incredibly grateful for Healer McNair's foresight in putting the healing cream on him. He saw Scorpius and Minerva still standing in the doorway, holding each other's hands for support, and looking apprehensive. |
Draco tried to keep the reassuring smile on his face as he motioned for the two to come in. He felt so guilty seeing the worry on their faces. What must they have gone through over the last several days? No happy Christmas like he'd planned. No New Year's festivities like Hermione had planned. |
"Come on, guys," Hermione said, urging them into the room. |
Minerva started sniffling as she got closer to the bed. Then he saw Scorpius start too. Draco shot a worried glance at Hermione. He could see the guilt creeping up into her eyes at the children's tears. |
Draco set Rose beside him on the still widened bed. He kissed her forehead and smoothed away the frown that was starting to cloud her face at her sister's crying. "Will you go hug Nana Cissa for me while I give a hug to Scorpy and Minnie?" |
Rose nodded and started to climb off the bed, "They need hugs. They've been scared even though I told them not to be. Auntie Luna said you would be fine once you got done talking to Scorpy's mum. I told them everything would be fine cause Auntie Luna is never wrong." |
"Auntie Luna is an unusually perceptive lady," Draco agreed seriously. |
Draco turned back to Scorpius and Minerva; both were standing just inside the room as Rose climbed down and bounced over to his mother to deliver a hug. |
Scorpius looked at him with his slate gray eyes filled with tears, "Is she right Dad? Did you talk to mum? Does that mean you were dead since she's dead?" |
Minerva started crying harder now, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Scorpius" chin began to wobble as he tried to keep from breaking down again. Draco saw his mother quietly guide Rose out of the room with a promise to find some hot chocolate. Hermione had an arm wrapped around both kids, making soothing, shushing sounds to both of them. |
"Come up here on the bed with me, guys," Draco said to them. |
Scorpius was the first to comply. He shucked his jacket as he walked around the bed, dropped it carelessly on the floor, and climbed in on the side Rose had vacated. Draco kissed his son's forehead and brushed away the tears. He drew him down and cuddled him close in a way they hadn't done since Scorpius was little. |
Draco looked over at Minerva who was still crying and hadn't moved to get on the bed. "Come on, angel. You too," he said, grasping her hand and pulling her closer to him. |
Hermione slid Minerva's jacket off her and helped her climb up onto the bed. He pulled her down to his side, and she curled up with her head on his shoulder, matching Scorpius. Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed. He felt her run a comforting hand down his leg, then it drifted away, and she was touching Minerva, then Scorpius. |
"I want you both to try to stop crying and worrying. Everything is going to be okay now," Draco reassured them, "I didn't die, so stop thinking that. I did talk to your mum though, Scorp." |
Scorpius looked up at him with a curious frown, "Really? You saw mum?" |
Draco smiled and nodded, running his hand through his son's hair and down his back, "She came to talk to me for a little bit. She wanted me to tell you that she loves you and she's proud of you. She said you were a handsome, smart, and kind boy." |
Scorpius buried his head in Draco's shoulder again. He could hear his son's muffled hiccups as he started crying again. Draco rubbed soothing circles on his son's back. Hermione got up off the bed, walked around to the other side, and sat down beside Scorpius. She rested a hand on his shoulder and then leaned down and kissed his cheek, whispering words Draco couldn't hear to Scorpius. Minerva reached across Draco's waist and grasped Scorpius" hand. |
Minerva started sobbing again, just as Scorpius quieted. It was starting to seem like one stopped crying and then the other would start up. He felt Scorpius" hand tighten on Minerva across his waist. |
"Shh...everything is okay, angel. Stop crying. No more tears," Draco soothed. |
Hermione reached across him and touched her daughter. Minerva still cried and hiccupped into his shoulder. Draco looked helplessly at Hermione, looking for some guidance on how to fix this situation. Hermione looked just as helpless as him. |
"It's all my fault," Minerva finally mumbled, with her face still buried into him, refusing to look at anyone. |
"No, angel, it's not your fault at all," Draco protested immediately. |
"Sweetie, look at me," Hermione said to her daughter and waited until Minerva moved her head out of his shoulder and met her mother's eyes, "There is no way that any of this is your fault." |
Minerva shook her head in denial of Hermione's words, "I provoked him. He made some comment about Draco teaching Rose and I how to fly, saying it was his job as our father to teach us. I couldn't help it. I got mad. It was his fault that I was afraid to fly in the first place. I told him he was a shitty father and a shitty flyer and Draco was better than him at both." |
Draco chose not to say anything to this, preferring to let Hermione take the lead. Knowing how he felt about Weasley right now, he'd probably make some caustic remark about her father that wouldn't help the situation. |
"You are still not at fault for this," Hermione maintained, and Draco nodded his agreement, "Your father..." |
"He's not my father," Minerva cut in vehemently, "He should rot in jail for the rest of his life for what he's done, and I'm not going to have anything to do with him no matter what you decide, and you can't make me." |
Hermione and Draco sat looking at each other for a stunned moment. Minerva just burrowed herself back into Draco's side. |
Hermione finally cleared her throat, "You and your sister won't be seeing him anymore." |
She turned away from them then. With his arms full of kids, Draco couldn't stop her as she slid off the bed and walked over to where Scorpius had dropped his jacket on the floor. She picked it up and cradled it against her chest. |
A knock on the door startled them all. Healer McNair poked his head in and then opened the door. Both kids sat up and tried to look like they hadn't been cuddling and crying. Draco hid a smile as he caught their overly serious looks directed at the healer. Hermione turned from her corner with Scorpius" jacket still in her hand. The look on her face was one of such incandescent rage that Draco wondered if he should ask the healer to leave for his safety. Hermione seemed to take a deep shuddering breath and draped the jacket over a chair. By the time she turned back to face them, her expression had settled into a calm smile that Draco had recognized as being just a little too forced. |
"Good morning," Healer McNair greeted the room. |
Both Scorpius and Minerva murmured a polite "Good morning" to the healer. Rose bounced into the room with a noticeable hot chocolate mustache. His mother hurried to keep up with her. |
"Who're you?" Rose inquired to the healer, tugging on his robe to get his attention. |
The healer crouched down to Rose's height and introduced himself, "I'm Healer McNair." |
"Can my daddy come home today?" Rose asked, looking hopeful. |
The healer shook his head with a smile, "Your daddy needs to stay tonight and tomorrow night." |
"Is he still hurt?" Minerva asked, looking like she might start crying again. |
Healer McNair straightened and looked at Minerva and Scorpius kindly, "No. Your dad is still sore, but he is healing just fine. This is just standard protocol." |
"See Minnie," Rose said smugly, "I told you Daddy's ouchy would be just fine. Auntie Luna said so." |
Rose jumped up on the bed and Draco had to hide his wince of pain. The healer looked at him sharply, and Draco thought he must have caught the tightening of his mouth. The cream that the healer put on early in the morning must have worn off by now. |
"Alright. I really must insist that your daddy rest," Healer McNair said, looking kindly at the children and then at Hermione and his mother. |
Rose pouted, "But I barely got to see my daddy." |
Draco forestalled a full-on tantrum by suggesting, "Why don't you all come back and we can have dinner together tonight?" |
"That sounds like an excellent idea," his mother said enthusiastically. She threw a concerned looked at him as well. She had probably caught the pain he was trying to hide. "Let's listen to the healer and let your father rest," she said to the children. His mother came up and kissed his cheek, "Listen to the healer. Get some rest," she whispered into his ear. |
The children all gave him hugs. He had to clench his jaw to keep from hissing in pain as they each jostled and bumped against his chest when they hugged him hard. His mother had them don their jackets and ushered them out the door. |
The affable healer said goodbye to all of them as his mother closed the door behind them. He turned to look at Hermione, "You too, missy," he said with a no-nonsense tone, "I want you to go home, take a shower, eat something decent, and take a nap." |
Hermione placed her hands on her hips and leveled a glare over Draco's bed at the healer, "I am not your patient, Angus, and I would not suggest you try to force me from Draco's side." |
Healer McNair glared back at Hermione, "I'm not your healer, but I know you've barely slept at all since he's been here. You are exhausted and will wind up here in the hospital if you don't get some rest," the healer stated firmly and then directed his attention to Draco, "I'm going to go get you a pain potion. Reason with her while I'm gone." The healer left the room at that and closed the door quietly behind him. |
Draco looked at Hermione. Even though she had gotten some sleep last night, it wasn't nearly enough to make up for all the sleep she'd lost while they'd been trying to save his life and when he'd been in a coma healing. She had bags under her eyes still and a tense set of her shoulders that meant she was barely holding it together. |
"Don't look at me that way, Draco Malfoy," she warned. |
Draco held his hands up in surrender, "I didn't say anything." |
"I know I look like shit right now but I just got you back, and I don't want to leave you here by yourself," she said, looking down and picking at his Quidditch jersey. |
He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm and then her wrist, "You're beautiful and I kind of like seeing you in my old Quidditch jersey." |
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