Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 24

Published: 4/18/2021

A few days had passed since Draco came out of his altered mental state, and Harry had spent the time getting Draco back to where he was before, strength and pain-wise. He insisted on putting him into a Dreamless Sleep while he finished his healing on his hips and flexor muscles. Draco didn't fight him too much, as though sensing Harry wouldn't be able to handle touching him there for a while.

It healed nicely, though, and Harry was able to start leg exercises and bends that Draco hated, but consented to do as they were necessary. Despite missing the three weeks in recovery, Harry doubled his effort. He wanted Draco to regain his mobility. He had gotten him to sit up on his own and stay there for a few minutes, though he was extremely sore afterward. He was getting there.

Harry couldn't wait until Draco's feet touched the floor. He never thought about the end consequences. Draco might leave and their interactions would cease... or slow down. Or the bad ones... the fact that Draco was still under the hospital's care. Harry didn't have the heart to tell Draco that he might not ever leave. He was set to go to the permanent ward, not too far from Alice and Frank Longbottom, Gilderoy Lockhart and Xenophilus Lovegood.

Harry was still trying to stop it. Maybe, he could prove that Draco didn't try to kill himself, which might negate a Mental Health check. He could appeal to the hospital board, too, but he knew that they rarely contradicted the Mental Health Department's opinion as that wasn't something that they could easily brush aside. They weren't mind healers. But Harry didn't want to panic over that right, now. They would deal with that when they came to it. Besides, Draco could easily defend himself against their intrusion.

Harry managed to go to Ron and Hermione's last night for the first time in weeks. He had to use a glamour to not scare the kids, who were ecstatic to see him. He spent the whole night playing with them, and after they went to bed, they talked briefly about the case. Hermione said that everything was going well, but did hint that she needed to talk to Draco, in the near future. Harry wouldn't give the okay. He had to make sure Draco would allow it.

She didn't press too hard. She told him that Ernie had just written off his checks of the place and had never gone to Azkaban at all. His underlings did. They condoned and participated in the abuse. They had recommended Draco's sentence extensions, and Ernie signed off on it. Ernie was looking at fines and probation, as well as a new job, but the others were getting prison time. Hermione had no issues keeping her post. Kingsley praised her for her courage in stamping out corruption rather than sweeping it under the rug.

Twenty-five people were getting stiff sentences so far. Harry nodded. He still couldn't believe that many people had destroyed their lives and the souls of their victims. Harry felt such disappointment in humanity. Death Eaters were almost better than them, almost. Hermione said that it was their unmonitored control that prompted them to such horrific acts.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," she explained.

"They're just weaklings who liked hurting someone weaker and more vulnerable than them," Ron suggested.

Harry remembered his own attacker's words. How he preened for his surrender... the control he had. That was what it was about... control. At the prison, it probably started small: mental abuse, denying food and sleep, and then physical abuse... until one crossed the line. Then convinced the others to do it, one at a time. Harry didn't care. The Death Eaters couldn't use the excuse that everyone was doing it, and that muggleborns weren't really human... wizards. They sure as fuck shouldn't get away with doing it.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked before he left.

"No," he admitted. "But I'm getting better. Give me a little bit, okay?"

"We worry. I can tell you have a glamour on."

"I didn't want to scare the kids. It was a rough few weeks."

"I'm sure, but... once Draco is healed... we will be talking about you, Harry," she warned.

He nodded. Those were terms he could agree to. Draco had priority. His problems didn't matter. Some part of him knew that it was wrong to think like that, but he promised Draco that he would help him... heal him. Another part believed that if Draco could get better, he could too. He left them with a hug and a promise to come more often.

Today, he had just finished a whole-body massage on Draco and was now doing the leg exercises that Draco hated so much.

"Salazar... why... do... I... have... to... do... this?" Draco breathed each word, as Harry bent his leg at the knee and then rotated it up to his chest several times.

Harry smirked. "You know why. You need mobility and to build your muscles back up. They have atrophied. You do want to walk, again, right?"

"Maybe," he grunted and hissed as Harry bent his leg, again.

"It's going to get better, real soon. I'll heal the ache after we are done."

"You just love hearing me complain and groan," he muttered, after Harry set his leg down.

"I love hearing you say and do anything, Draco," Harry said, going to the other side.

"Fuck!" Draco exclaimed, as Harry slowly bent it and rolled it up. "I don't really need to walk, do I?"

Harry laughed. "Yes... you do. Come on. Nine more and we'll massage it out, again.

Draco sighed. "Fine."

He grunted through the pain, and they got through the exercises. Draco was shaking by the end, and Harry apologized and used his magic to heal the tears and aches out.

"There... you got it, thank you," Draco breathed, finally relaxing.

"Sorry, I know you haven't been able to move them like that in years. The muscles not only atrophied, but they healed and grew wrong. It's going to take a lot of pulling, torquing, tearing and healing to get the hip flexors back to normal, but... I think the big pain will disappear after a few more days of this."

"Yeah... fuck. I can handle it."

"I'm sorry, I'm hurting you."

"You're healing me, Harry. It might cause me pain, but you never have the intent to hurt me," Draco explained.

"I never would," Harry said, lowering his eyes.

Draco sighed. "Oh, Salazar... what now? Was there a setback in the case? Or do you need to confess something to me?"

Harry glowered, annoyed.

"You worry too much, Pottah... tell me, so I can ease your conscience," Draco insisted.

"There's a lot of things... but... Hermione... wants to come to talk to you... about what happened."

Draco sighed. "I see. That's okay. You don't have to be afraid to ask me things, Harry. I'm assuming Granger hasn't become a ruthless harlot since I last saw her."

Harry laughed. "No... but... if she says something or pokes you wrong... well... you only just recovered."

"I'm not that fragile."

"I worry...."

"I know. Ask her to come tomorrow. We can talk after your appointments today, alright?"

Harry nodded. "I'll set you up to do your arm exercises. You've been doing curls, but we need to work your shoulders more. So, try doing front lateral raises, too. We might get to overhead presses by the end of the week."

"If you say so," Draco muttered, unconvinced as Harry guided him through the exercises.

Suddenly, the door burst open, making them both jump. Nat rushed in. "Harry! It's Joel! Hurry!"

Harry took a deep breath, his heart restarting after the sudden arrival, but Draco pushed him toward the door. He followed Nat quickly out to the stairs, his adrenaline kicking in. "What happened?" he gasped.

"He just punched Higgs in the face and is about to get kicked out of the program, if Higgs calls Pratt. He's chewing him out right now in the Mental Health ward. Harper sent word."

"Fuck. Why?" Harry said, following her down the stairwell.

"Don't know, but the board doesn't look fondly on trainees decking senior department members," she said, as she opened the door.

Harry could hear the raised voices from there. His flight or fight response was stirring.

"Harry... only you can get him out of this," Nat said, and Harper came over.

"Hurry... before Pratt comes," he urged. "He already sent for him."

Harry took a deep breath. Joel needed him. He charged towards the raised voices.

"You cocky little shit! Nothing is going to save you now! You were doomed the moment you started kissing Potter's ass. You should have found a better sponsor!" Higgs roared, blood coming out of his nose.

"You have no right to be talking about his mental health to anybody!" Joel shot back. "You think that I'm just going to stand by and let you get away with it? That was your plan, right? You knew I could hear you!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. You attacked me for no good reason."

"Liar!" Joel shrieked. Harry had never seen him so unhinged.

"Joel!" Harry yelled, and the ward went quiet.

Higgs grimaced when he saw him but hid it. "You're too late. I already sent someone to get Pratt."

Harry gave Nat a look, and she left. He hoped she got the message. Delay him.

"You're not saving him. You can't save anybody... you can't even save yourself!" Higgs hissed.

Harry tensed up but didn't let him see that his words were affecting him. "What happened?" he asked Joel.

"Whatever he says is a lie!" Higgs spat. Three of his mind healers were nearby and nodding like the sycophants they were. Harper and three other wardens were still in the hall, too. Higgs didn't have the whole floor, judging by their expressions.

"Harry, I'm sorry," Joel said, looking ashamed. "He was talking about you... your... file... to them. He was... making fun of you. I just lost it and clocked him for it."

Harry grimaced. The wardens were shifting uncomfortably.

"I was not. I was talking about another patient," Higgs sneered.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Oh? Really? It's rare that four mind healers are assigned to one patient."

"Excuse me?"

"Well... unless that patient signed off on your... consultation... in an open hallway where others not involved in the case could hear...."

"Hey, look here. I can't discuss what my patients have or have not agreed to, bugger off! You have no right to ask!"

"I didn't ask. But the board will."

"I have friends on the hospital board, Potter."

"Not-that-board-Higgs!" he spat, hatred churning in him. "The MMMB? Magical Medical Malpractice Board?" Higgs froze, but Harry went on, walking closer to his rival. "Revealing private healer-patient information to unauthorized parties... is... very frowned upon. They might insist on a full investigation. Maybe pull memories... private interrogations... maybe even Veritaserum to confirm?"

He was in front of Higgs, who was shaking. The bastard's reach didn't go that high. Those old codgers were the strictest dicks that the magical community had. There was even a centaur on the board, and she was very rule-abiding.

"What was that? I know I heard you just admit you were talking about a patient... and that you were talking about it openly. But perhaps I was mistaken?" Harry said, pointedly, inches from him. "Was I, Higgs?"

He was going to explode. "Yeah-you-were," he spat at him.

"I suppose that Joel here... accidentally bumped into you... and he's sorry for it, aren't you, Joel?"

"I'm sorry, Healer Higgs," Joel said, quietly, without mirth. He knew he fucked up.

Higgs growled something that Harry couldn't understand.

"I think that was adequate punishment... for an accident? Don't you agree?"

"What about my nose!" he spat.

Harry reached up and placed his fingers on the bridge of his snoozer. He leapt back, but it was healed. "All better. No harm, no foul?"

"He hit me!"

"Oh..." Harry said... acting confused. "...but I thought it was an accident... and that I had misunderstood that you broke healer-patient confidentiality?"

Higgs was shaking in rage.

"What was it? An accident and maybe a mistaken admission... or was it something else... that might say... prompt an MMMB investigation?" Harry heard a ding. The lift was here. "Your choice, Terence."

The department head looked ready to hex him as the Head Trainee Coordinator arrived and said, "Healer Higgs... why... what is going on?"

Harry crossed his arms, expectantly, and Higgs moved away. "Your trainee's clumsiness caused me to break my nose! Luckily, Potter came to save his ass. Please discipline him."

"Of course," he said, confused, taking Joel to the side to lecture him.

Higgs, however, rounded back to him, speaking low. "Listen here, cum-stain. You might have saved him, today, but I'll never pass him."

"He doesn't need to clear Mental Health to be certified as a Healer. I didn't pass either, remember," Harry spat.

"We only made that exception for you, Chosen One. He's a runt, who doesn't have stellar marks... and he has to pass board review. He never will. You won today, but you won't win the war."

"We'll see. I see no reason for Joel to continue on your service then. I'll take him for the remaining time, and don't you dare report him to Pratt for it, got it?"

"Take him. I don't want him on my ward. I'll just say that he failed."

Pratt left, shaking his head, and Joel came back toward him.

"Fine," Harry spat.

"Get out of my ward, Potter... unless you want to return to your old room?" Higgs inserted, getting in another dig at him.

Everyone in hearing distance froze. Joel was shaking, but Harry straightened up and leveled with him. "Higgs... you ever and I mean ever... speak of my medical hi온라인카지노게임 to anyone, again, the MMMB will be the least of your worries."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Threatening you with torts? Yeah, absolutely. I'll take every fucking cent you have. That goes for the rest of your... friends, too. You call yourself healers. You're a hack, Terence. You can't even heal your own nose."

The wardens sniggered and Higgs bristled, "I just hadn't gotten to it! I'm a mind healer, Potter!"

"And that makes you better than me somehow? Fuck you, Terence. Just keep your mouth shut."

Higgs sneered with a hint of maniacal laughter. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Potter... this isn't over. You belong in my ward, and I will get you back here, in a nice, padded, magic-proof cell. The MMMB can work in my favor, too."

"Fuck you, Higgs!" he spat, but Joel put his hand out.

"Let's go, Harry," he whispered.

Harry gave one last glare to Higgs and turned, walking toward the lift. Nat and Joel followed behind him silently. They got on, and Harry just faced the wall as they went up to his floor and tried to keep from crying.

Nat said, "Come on, Harry."

"Okay," he breathed, following her out of the lift.

"Harry... I'm sorry," Joel said, anguish in his voice.

"It's okay, Joel. You were defending me. He was trying to bait you. You don't have to go back down there. He's not going to write anything good in your review, though."

"I figured, but he...."

"Joel?" Harry said, stopping and making deliberate eye contact. "It's not your fault."

"But he...."

"Would have done all that anyway. You have to prep for your boards and review. Nat and I will help you."

"They probably won't let him fail any section, Harry. That means Mind Healing, too," she said.

He nodded. "Maybe we can find someone, but concentrate on your other subjects. You need to excel. You will stay in my office and study until your boards are here, got it?"

Joel nodded. "But Harry, are you...."

"I'm going to see Draco," he said and left them in the hallway. "Tell my appointments I will be there shortly, Nat."

"Sure, Harry."

He slowly entered Draco's room and sat down, breathing slowly. He sat there a few minutes, Higgs's threat repeating in his head.

"Harry... please look at me," Draco whispered, and he did. "What's wrong?"

"Higgs... I got Joel out of that mess... but he's gunning for me, now. Hard. We need to be careful, Draco. Very careful, understand?"

He nodded. "We will be, Harry. Calm down. Lock the door and cry it out."

Harry did, though not in that order. "I'll put extra wards up, so he can't get to you or my office. No one knows anything, but Joel and Nat and I trust them. I just... don't want to be stuck... in that room, again."

He took a deep, shaky breath and looked at his hands. He didn't want anyone to take away his magic. He broke down, again, and found comfort in Draco's arms.