Chapter 2

                                        

                                              


                              
Chapter 2
                              
Published 9/15/2020
                              
Harry had been treating Malfoy for three days now, and he hadn't said another word. He refused to make direct eye contact or eat. His nutrient potions were fed to him with a wand. No force-feeding needed, thank Merlin. Malfoy did acquiesce to taking pain potions, thankfully. But other than that, he was practically non-responsive. Harry spent nearly every moment he had in Malfoy's room. Either doing his paperwork or actually healing his left arm. It was coming along. The damage in his wrist was extensive.
                              
Harry was read everything St. Mungo's had on him, but it wasn't much. Draco had been in the hospital for five days. Harry was surprised to find that he was the only one that Malfoy had spoken to in the hospital. He hadn't said anything about what happened. No one knew where all the damage came from. All they had was the report that he jumped off the roof at Malfoy Manor and was found by his parole officer. That was the answer to a lot of things. Malfoy had a parole officer, meaning he was imprisoned for at least a little while. Harry had spoken at his trial and his mum's. Narcissa hadn't used any Unforgivables, so she was just given probation. He didn't know where she was or what happened to her.
                              
Harry thought that Draco had been given a sentence of three to seven years for his crimes. Most of his charges were for when he was underage. But he helped the Death Eaters kill Dumbledore and Crucioed Rowle several times and a few others at the behest of Voldemort when he was of age. Harry had to fight hard to keep him from getting life or even the Kiss. He was marked and there was plenty of evidence against him. Harry hadn't thought much of Malfoy after he was taken to Azkaban. There wasn't much he could have done. A few years for using Imperius and torturing people didn't seem like that much.
                              
But Harry could only wonder if it was way too much. He could read the bones. Even if Malfoy only served the minimum, there was bone and spell damage during that time. It was more than just dementors and other prisoners tormenting him. He must have been tortured by the guards, too. Not only that, but they chained him for a long time. For months, if not years. If Harry read the scans right... it was more than just pain. It was systematic torture.
                              
He wanted to get answers, now, but he was Malfoy's healer. He was bound to withhold what he knew and, technically, if Malfoy didn't make the complaint himself, it would be hard to prove what happened in court. Patience, Harry told himself. He would wait. He would earn Malfoy-no- Draco's trust. He would, however, document every single injury that he found, painstakingly. He had nearly ten pages written out, and he was only on his left hand and wrist.
                              
He, Harry, would hunt them down the moment Draco gave him leave to. The cruelty and abuse that they did to him was beyond anything he had ever seen. Voldemort didn't stoop that low. He did send a very formalized letter to Ernie, Ron, Hermione and Kingsley about Parole Officer McGrath's conduct, his orders regarding potions and medical decisions, and his subsequent banning from the hospital.
                              
While confused about the formal letter, all four responded, stating that he was going to be removed from his position, and his decisions and cases would be reviewed for criminal negligence. Harry figured they would eventually learn that Malfoy was the reason, but he didn't immediately volunteer that information. He would be grilled on it soon, but Draco was his patient, and he would respect that line of privacy.
                              
He rubbed his eyes exhaustedly. Sleep was challenging for him. Hermione said he had PTSD and tried, at least once a week, to get him to go to a Mind Healer. He refused every time. He knew it wasn't just that. Besides, he never wanted another person in his head. He drank a cup of tea and followed it with an espresso shot for good measure.
                              
He always visited Mal-Draco first. He was resolved to call him Draco unless he got upset with it. "Good morning, Draco," he announced as he entered.