Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 44

Published: June 5th, 2022

Happy birthday to Draco Malfoy! The best character in the HP multiverse!

Harry was about to just Apparate away, but Ron eyed him. Don't, Ron was telling him. Harry lowered his eyes as Healer Trimdel came into the room, keeping her only in his peripheral. But he did notice that there was a different wizard with her, today. The man stayed unobtrusively at the door, watching them.

Healer Trimdel, however, went up to Ron and growled, "You! You're not supposed to be here! I don't care how powerful you and the rest of his friends are! Mr. Potter is in our custody! You have no authority to remove him!"

Ron snorted, unmoved by her tantrum. "Bitch, he hasn't left the ward."

The healer gasped as Harry's eyes widened at Ron's boldness. Clearly, Ron didn't care one knut about her. He looked utterly unperturbed as she shrieked, "You... can't talk to me that way! Why, I ought to...."

"Do shut up. I have no responsibility to be courteous to you. This is now an Auror matter. I must inform you that you are also under investigation," he stated plainly.

"I-what? Who do you think you are, you pillock! You can't threaten me! My authority goes all the way to the top!"

Ron scoffed, "As does mine, idiot. I'm not here on a bloody social call. Terence Higgs and every mind healer on his rotation have been arrested with charges of serious bodily assault, illegal use of potions and torture. So my question is... were you in on this conspiracy?"

She paled and shook her head in disbelief. "Now, listen here! That can't be true. It is simply preposterous! I've known Healer Higgs for years. What evidence do you have?"

"That information is privileged," Ron said, with a mischievous tone, and Harry felt the panic fade a little more. "But you, madam, need to explain your actions as part of my investigation. What was your rationale for starting your investigation?"

She puffed up, indignantly. "I responded to a legitimate complaint of dangerous, wild magic!"

"Huh... I see," Ron said, taking out a parchment pad and pretending to write it down. "Now, did you take any bribes or favors for investigating the complaint from Healer Higgs?"

Her mouth dropped and her face heated up. "Of course not! How dare you! I've been with the MMMB for over three decades!"

Ron sighed and then turned to give him an eye roll. "I don't think we'll be that lucky, Harry. She's just a prejudiced old hag."

Harry snickered, feeling a little more at ease as she spluttered indignantly, "I'll have your job!"

"Phhh, you got no power over me. You don't have authority over anyone, 'cept what the Wizengamot gives you. I work for the Minister, who is very interested in how you've been conducting your "investigations". He feels that your crass handling of this complaint... is going to prompt immediate changes in the MMMB as soon as the Wizengamot reconvenes. Perhaps another competent MMMB auditor can finish your investigation."

She went from red to white, but sneered, "I don't think you can...."

"Me? Not me. Kingsley and my wife are very politically connected in the Wizengamot. You're right... I don't have the authority to censor you, in the same way that you have no authority over me. But your actions in dealing with this case are shocking, to say the least. A simple complaint of wandless magic and you just bypassed all established procedures and forcibly detain the person? Care to elaborate on your reasons?"

"I don't have to justify my actions to you, Auror!"

"No, you don't, but I suggest you start coming up with something for the Wizengamot investigation."

"You can't scare me! I am well within my authority to take what actions I thought were justified to protect the Statute of Secrecy."

"Justified, huh? Did you verify the source's claim? Did you investigate the initiating incident? Did you interview witnesses? No, you didn't, but I did. You failed to do your due diligence. If I messed up my procedures as badly as you have, my wife would surely fire me," Ron said, and glanced at the wizard at the doorway, who crossed his arms. Harry thought he looked worried. He wasn't like the mindless meatheads that had come yesterday.

Healer Trimdel was shaking in fury. "I don't have to explain myself! I have a duty...."

"Come off your high hippogriff! You clearly are incompetent. You haven't even asked what happened, yet!" Ron growled. "Or asked why the whole floor is filled with Aurors? Or why you might be under investigation? Normal, intelligent people would ask those kinds of questions."

She was shaking with rage. "You're his friend! You are trying to hide this! You can lie all you want...."

"Lie? I don't need to lie... or let my prejudice override good judgement. I have a warrant and witnessed a crime happening. It's been verified."

The old healer was shaking, but the unidentified MMMB wizard at the door asked, "What happened?"

"A whole host of crimes yet to be fully compiled. But the main charge is torture."

"Lies!"

"Lies? Do you see the rash on Harry's arm? Auror Boot already took skin scrapings and sent them to the Auror lab along with a jar of Panic Potion. It's similar to the stuff they use in mind healing training. You can wait until the results come back, but I bet it'll say that Harry was poisoned with a concentrated Panic Potion... say about the time of your meeting yesterday with him and again last night."

The MMMB investigators stared at him, stunned. Healer Trimdel's mouth popped open like goldfish.

Ron continued, eyeing her intently, "Only a bit ago, I witnessed Higgs trying to dose Harry, again... where not only did Higgs admit that he did it to Harry before, but also his other patients!"

She paled and looked at her colleague in disbelief.

"I arrested him for it, and just so you know, rashes, like the one Harry has, are on several of his patients. We have an informant who has witnessed wild changes in the behavior of the patients on this ward. You can talk to him or wait for the Crime Potion Analysis Report to come back if you want to confirm that I am not making up things," Ron spat, and Harry wondered if Ron was talking about Harper.

The healer was speechless. She looked at his arm, again, and back to the wizard at the door. "If what you say is true...."

"Healer... I have been an Auror for five years with an outstanding record. Don't accuse me of anything. I followed policy and procedure. Evidence was maintained and collected by another Auror with an equally stellar record. Watch what you say, cause I won't hesitate to go your boss with a complaint, either."

Her face was red. "Fine, Auror. If Healer Higgs did this, it is appalling. However, the complaint won't just be ignored. It is still valid, despite this... situation."

Ron straightened up. "I am not done. The person who issued a complaint, Wortchuck, has been located and arrested, and he made a statement that Higgs actually paid him to assault Harry."

The healer was trembling. "I... still... his wandless magic! He did use it on him. It's not right!"

"Why?" Ron said, pointedly.

"Don't bother, Auror Weasley," a new voice said at the door.

Harry looked and saw it was Joel. Relief flooded through him, just like Ron showing up to save him from Higgs.

Joel gave him a smile, but he looked at Ron. "She's never going to accept your answer. I believe there was an evaluation scheduled for... now?" Joel looked at his watch, dramatically. "I need you to leave the room, Auror."

Ron smirked and told him that he'd be outside. He walked out, purposely bumping into the other MMMB wizard. Healer Trimdel just sputtered indignantly at his presence.

"Let's get started, then?" Joel said, and pulled out a vial from his robes and handed it to him.

Harry popped the cap and smelled the soothing waifs of the Calming Draught before swallowing it. The residue effects of the Panic Potion finally faded away. His chest opened up, and he could breathe normally, again. Harry hadn't even noticed how anxious and stressed he had been.

Healer Trimdel finally recovered and shrieked, "You can't just give him... what is going on? You're not staying here! You have to be a...."

"Mind healer?" Joel gleefully interrupted and pulled out some parchment. "Just passed my certification this morning. Madam Granger-Weasley has friends on the board and got my test moved up. I passed with flying colors. Here's my license, and I'm here as Harry's mind healer... if he consents to be my patient."

"I do," Harry said, shaking a little... now with hope.

"I..." she trailed off as she examined Joel's credentials. "Well... that doesn't mean... you can't just... wait! You gave him a Calming Draught! I can't allow...."

"Listen, Madam Trimdel, Healer Potter is my patient, and not even the MMMB can override my medical orders. My official healer orders are that Healer Potter is prescribed a daily dose of Calming Potion and cannot have legal meetings without me present."

She glared at him, trying to find a way around his decree, but Harry knew she had nothing. The MMMB was still governed by the Medical Directive 67-01, as it fell under the auspices of the Wizengamot. She looked to the wizard at the door, and he nodded back to her. She threw her arms up. "Fine! You want to have a meeting? We'll go to the interview room. Let's go!" she said, turning to leave.

Harry didn't want to go anywhere else. He tugged on Joel's robes. Joel said, "Here is fine. I can conjure chairs."

"You can't decide where...."

"No, you can't decide where he goes. You're here to investigate a claim, not dictate how you will do it! This room is fine. Can you stand, Harry?" Joel asked and helped him to his feet by taking his hand.

Joel shrunk the bed to toy size and conjured a fluffy two-seater couch and two stiff wooden chairs for the MMMB goons. He then decorated the walls and changed the floor to an artsy mosaic. Even the ceiling was now a calm, blue sky. The white was gone. Joel humphed in approval of his handiwork, as Harry stared at him in appreciation. He really hated white, now.

Joel smiled at him, and then guided him into the seat. Joel sat next to him and offered his hand, which Harry took. Then Joel said, "We are ready."

Healer Trimdel looked at him, disgusted. "What is this?"

Joel rolled his eyes. "I am making my patient comfortable after he was just assaulted, drugged, bound and tortured for a day. So sit down and ask your questions."

"I don't approve. How are we supposed to know if Mr. Potter is in control of his magic if...."

"You can't perform psychological experiments on a sentient being," Joel growled. "This is merely an interview, madam. You have to collect evidence and make a determination. What evidence do you have that Healer Potter is a danger to others? Surely, you can't hold the words of an arrested man, who confessed to assaulting his victim as evidence?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she sat down in the uncomfortable chair. The wizard shut the door and remained standing. She cleared her throat and said, "I have more. Mr. Potter admitted to practicing wandless magic during a full-court Wizengamot trial!"

"So?" Joel sneered.

"It is dangerous! Magic should only be conducted through wands! That is the way of things!" she shrieked.

Joel scoffed and laughed, darkly. "What do you say to house elves, goblins and centaurs then? They are dangerous?"

"Their magic is restricted, and they are not allowed to use wands!"

Harry's eyes narrowed at her prejudice. Bitch.

"Your beliefs, madam, are quite offensive!" Joel snapped.

"The law is the law," she repeated.

Joel rolled his eyes. "But magical creatures still use magic without a wand. So, if a goblin used magic to defend themselves against a wizard who was assaulting them... you'd show up to arrest them for wandless magic?"

"No, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures would! They would arrest the creature who attacked a human. Goblins can't...."

"Can't what? I'd love to hear a statement against goblin rights," Joel hissed, and the MMMB wizard looked at his associate worriedly.

"The point is mute! We aren't discussing goblins or other magical creatures! We are discussing Mr. Potter's case!"

"Perhaps, but there are wizards and witches worldwide who freely practice wandless magic... Tibet, Tenochtitlan or the Uagadou in Africa? Wandless magic isn't to be afraid of. It's a mark of skilled and powerful wizard! And if you would stop being so prejudiced against it, you'd see that!" Joel growled.

"Lashing out spontaneously with magic, could reveal our existence!" she shrieked.

"First, it's not as though Harry spends all day living amongst muggles. He doesn't have any contact with them. Second, there has been no proof that he has spontaneously or even accidentally used magic, past the age of maturity!"

"The incident in the complaint was...."

"Madam, he told Wortchuck to stop! He warned him, and then, only after Wortchuck pressed forward, did Harry use his magic merely to push his assailant away. It didn't just spark out of him! Harry didn't hex or hurt him even after the man deliberately reached for him! Are you really saying that there wouldn't be a problem with what Harry did, if he had a wand in his hand when he did it?"

"Well, yeah! Then Mr. Potter would be using magic properly. It-It's not..." she rambled. The other MMMB wizard cleared his throat, but Trimdel ignored him.

"You're wrong, madam."

"Stop calling me madam!" she hissed.

"Then address Harry by his title, madam! He's not Mr. Potter. Call him Healer Potter or Harry. He is a department head here at St. Mungo's and the best healer in this hospital! He deserves the recognition. You have an unearned healer title that you probably bought."

She jerked like she'd been slapped. "How dare you! I've been a healer for forty years!"

Joel snorted. "But not practicing. But no matter... we are talking about Harry."

"Yes, and Mister... Healer Potter uses magic in a way that could break the Statute if he loses control!"

"But he doesn't! Yesterday, you did everything you could to rattle Harry. Outed him out in front of his colleagues and his patient, refused to allow him to have prescribed potions, threatened to imprison him and his friends, and forcibly dragged him into an interrogation with someone who had been harassing him. And if all that wasn't enough to "make him lose control", Terence Higgs dosed him with a Panic Potion! And tell me, healer, did Harry use magic against you, your colleagues or Higgs? Huh!?" Joel was practically shouting.

Harry took his hand and squeezed it.

Joel regulated his tone. "No, he didn't. Harry didn't lose control. And if he didn't lose control after all that, he isn't going to! You and Higgs experimented on him enough. What exactly is your evidence that he, in any way, used "accidental" magic? That he lost control? That he did anything wrong or something any witch or wizard would have done with a wand?"

"That is not the point! He's using magic just by using his mind! It's dangerous!"

"No, it isn't! It's just different. You're probably one of those people who hate women who like women and witches and wizards dating muggles."

She mumbled, "It's not how things should be done."

Harry's eyebrows rose. If her attitude toward magical creatures wasn't bad enough, she was flippantly making her offensive beliefs known.

"I think we are done, Healer Trimdel," the wizard at the door said, looking grave. "Healer Potter is cleared to return to duty, and the complaint will be dismissed."

Healer Trimdel jerked her head to look at him. "You can't...."

"No, I'm taking over this complaint. You have overstated the critical nature of the complaint, circumvented procedures and dragged this healer through hell and back on a whim. You'll be lucky to have a job after this. Good day, Healer Potter. My apologies for what you have gone through. We'll be investigating our processes and this incident. Please feel free to send a complaint of your own in for the egregious handling of this case."

"What?" she gasped. "You surely can see that...."

"Healer Trimdel, another word and I'll ask the Aurors to escort you out. You are no longer assigned to this case and most likely will never be assigned to another."

She paled, stood up and left the room, cowed.

The wizard turned to leave, but looked back, grimacing. "Again, my sincere apologies. I was briefed on an entirely different scenario than what you have explained. She obviously took this too far. I will send your boss the official recommendation to dismiss when I have a chance. I believe I'm needed at the Ministry."

"Yes... have fun stripping Higgs and his buddies of their licenses," Joel said, as the MMMB investigator nodded.

"Yes, quite a fiasco, all-n-all. Good day, Healer Potter. I expect you'll get an official apology from the head of MMMB shortly," he said, and left out the door.

Joel turned to look at him. "They're gone, Harry. You're safe."

Harry hugged him tightly and cried into his chest. "T-Thank you."

"Anything for you, Harry. I'm so sorry this all happened," Joel whispered.

Harry nodded, wiping his eyes. It took several minutes for Harry to calm down enough to let go. "Can we go see Draco? He's probably worried."

"I think we're done. I can take you there, when you're ready," he said, quietly.

Harry nodded. "I just want to be off this floor."

"Alright," Joel said, standing up.

Harry's legs were weak as he stood, and he took Joel's hand. He didn't care if it made him look weak. He needed to leave, but stared at the door with misgivings. Ron probably had the whole Auror department out there. He glanced helplessly at Joel, as he started to shake. The anxiety was coming back. He gave him a pleading look.

"I got it," Joel said, and opened the door. Ron was waiting on the other side and stepped in the doorway.

"Everything, okay?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, the complaint has been dismissed. Harry doesn't want the spectators to stare. Can you clear the hallway?" Joel said, and Harry looked at him. He didn't know how he knew that that was the issue. So he gave Joel an appreciative squeeze.

"Of course, gimme ten seconds, alright?" Ron said and went back out, barking orders to his team to retrieve evidence or go check a different area of the hospital. He didn't out him. "Alright... they're gone for a few."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said, quietly.

"Yeah. You're welcome. Go on, get out of here. I'll see you soon, okay?"

Harry nodded and let Joel lead him out of the ward and back to his floor. Joel took him straight to Draco's door. Harry stopped outside it and looked at Joel, who gave him a smile.

"Go on. He's waiting for you," Joel said.

Harry opened the door with his free hand, not willing to let go until he knew it was safe. Draco was sitting in his wheelchair, staring straight ahead. Nat stood up and walked to the door, offering her hand to him, which he took. She said that she'd be at her desk, if he needed her, and Harry mumbled thanks, keeping his eyes on Draco. He didn't know if he was hurt, and that was his only priority. He looked at Joel one last time before he let go and walked over to the table.

Every fiber of his being was screaming to touch Draco, to hug him close, but he had to find out if Draco was okay first. He was doing his thousand-yard stare thing. He pulled out a chair and sat next to Draco at the head of the table.

"Draco?" he whispered.

Three seconds passed before Draco flinched and then blinked rapidly before unfreezing. His grey eyes turned to meet his and he smiled.

"Harry," Draco breathed.

Harry could see the bags under his eyes, ones like he probably had. "I'm here. I'm okay."

"Okay is open to debate. Did the plan all work?"

Joel came in, closed the door and said, "Yes, they all were arrested. I got my license, and the MMMB closed the complaint."

Draco let out a breath of relief. "You're safe now, Harry."

Harry nodded. "Thanks to you, Draco. If you hadn't told them... Higgs would have put that stuff on, again. So, thank you so much."

"I wish I could have done more... like turned Higgs into a flobberwurm," Draco growled.

Harry smiled. "Me, too, but it's better this way. He's being grilled at Auror HQ, now. Ron made it so you shouldn't have to testify. No one knows it was you who...."

"Is that why you wanted him?" Draco asked, suddenly.

"Kinda. Hermione tends to do things the... procedural way. I mean... it's the right way, but Ron... he'll take shortcuts and risks. He beat the crap out of Higgs and told the MMMB to screw themselves."

As Draco processed that, Harry felt Joel's presence behind him, but the kid let them talk. He was their chaperone and made sure they behaved.

Draco nodded and then smirked. "Maybe there's hope for Weasley, after all."

Harry's eyes watered a little. The thought of Draco and Ron coming to an amicable friendship was something he had unconsciously been desiring. "He said that you were still scared of him."

"I... hurt him, Harry. I was a total bastard to him for years."

"Ron doesn't care about that."

"I do. Plus... he was in his Auror robes. That did help."

Harry's stomach dropped. Fuck. It was so simple. Ron was wearing a uniform, and it was a color not so different than the kind Azkaban and probation/parole officers wear. How could he not have noticed?

"I'm so sorry, Draco. I didn't realize."

"It's fine, Harry. It's not on you."

"I asked you to get Ron's help."

Draco locked eyes with him, and Harry tensed up from the intensity in his eyes. "Harry, you are more important than my discomfort. Weasley... Ron saved you, and that is all that matters."

"It isn't all that matters. I can see how tense you still are."

Draco frowned and finally let his muscles relax. He sagged back into his chair. "Sorry... it's hard to... let go of fear."

"You don't have to explain it to me. I'm afraid all the time."

Draco nodded and glanced at the door. "Joel... tried to help. I mean, he did. It's just... even holding my hand was unbearable... when I knew you... might be gone."

Harry recognized the invitation to take his hand to comfort him and slowly clasped it.

Draco let out a breath of relief. "I told you before... I'm not getting through this without you. I nearly... went inside, again."

Harry grimaced. "We are going to have to work on that. But you're exhausted, Draco. I can tell... and I'm sure that people will come looking for me eventually. As much as I want to stay here...."

"I understand."

"Let's get you to bed. You've been in that chair all night, and I can tell there are sores forming."

Draco muttered and smirked. "Yeah, my ass cheeks hurt."

Harry chuckled and healed him as he rolled him over to the bed. Draco let him lift him up and set him on the bed, instead of doing it himself. Draco was very quiet, and it definitely was unsettling to him. Harry had to assure Draco that everything was fine. He massaged out his hands, shoulders and neck and said he'd do a full one tomorrow.

"I'll survive, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Draco... you're still very tense. I-I want to give you Dreamless Sleep for tonight."

Draco looked away. Harry knew he didn't like sleeping potions, but Draco was bad emotionally right now.

"Please, Draco?"

He turned back. "On two conditions."

Harry looked at him warily. "Yeah?"

"You don't go home by yourself. Have Joel, Granger or Weasley come over or go to their place... or Luna's. Don't be alone, Harry."

Harry couldn't help but let a few tears fall. The walls were too close, but he slowly realized that Draco probably had a good idea. "Okay."

"The second... is don't drink. Process what happened, Harry, even if it hurts."

Joel moved slightly, but again, didn't intercede. Harry wouldn't be lying if he said that he had been subconsciously wanting to go home and drown himself in firewhiskey, again. He looked into Draco's eyes and knew that he knew that, too.

"Process it. Higgs is gone... McGrath is gone. All the people that hurt us are gone... locked up where they belong. Don't... bury it."

Harry took a deep breath and whispered, "Okay, Draco. I won't. I promise."