Chapter 5

                                        

                                              
Chapter 5
Published: 2/24/2022
It was morning when his alarms woke him. Harry had woken up, but he was seemingly calm. He had just sat up in his bed, which had triggered his alarm.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Draco asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
Harry seemed puzzled. "I slept good."
"You slept well? No bad dreams?"
Harry nodded, uncertain and looked at him. "You slept."
Draco rubbed his eyes, exhausted. "I do need sleep, Harry. I was taking Stay Awake potions, but even they have their limits."
"You're always going to stay here?"
"For the time being. I want you to be comfortable, and I'm not sure that you should be alone right now."
Harry nodded. "I'm usually alone... when I'm here."
Draco had guessed that. 24-7 coverage was not easily done, as the hospital really didn't have enough healers to provide that service. Truthfully, he shouldn't be here, but he was determined to help Potter acclimate.
"If an emergency case comes in, I will have to step out. Will you be able to handle that?" he asked.
Potter nodded.
"I'm trusting you not to do anything if that happens, Harry."
He looked away. He definitely understood his meaning. "You'll tie me down if I do."
"No, I'll just have to find another person to sit with you, if something happens. I told you I wouldn't strap."
"Unless I'm bad."
"No, Harry. I will not unless you're attacking someone else, and I'll release you as soon as you're calm. I know the restraints are traumatizing to you, so I will only use them as a last resort."
"If I hurt someone."
"No, if you won't stop hurting someone. You attacked me, remember? I didn't restrain you then, did I?"
Harry shook his head and rubbed his wrist. There were still scars there from his father, as well as others from various suicide attempts. Merlin, his heart sank seeing them. Harry didn't deserve this. It had been five years of absolute torture for Harry. He was determined to do everything in his power to heal him.
"It's gone," Harry murmured, suddenly.
Draco blinked. "What's gone?"
"It."
Potter seemed to have an inability to carry a conversation. Draco had patience, though, and leaned forward. "What do you mean, Harry?"
Harry looked confused, as he couldn't articulate what he was trying to say. "It... the bad feeling. The draw."
Draco refrained from smiling. If Potter felt the spell was gone, it was a good sign. "Do you remember what I told you last night?"
Potter rocked back and forth and didn't answer.
"There was a Compulsion Spell on you, masked by other spells. I managed to remove them. You shouldn't have the urge to drink the potion, but it will still appear."
Tears came down Harry's face, and Draco stayed quiet to let Harry process it. "Will it... come back?" he whispered.
"No. Harry... you might feel some residue draw to drink the potion. It is because it's been... engrained into your thought process. It'll be almost an automatic response to drink the potion, so you'll still have to be on guard. I wasn't able to remove the curse that's making the potion appear."