Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 55

Published: 2/15/2023

Draco knew he needed to tell Harry. His time for putting off the inevitable was vastly disappearing, but as Harry carefully kneaded the soreness out of his knees, Draco found it impossible to broach the subject. Their time was quickly coming to an end... and Draco felt that Harry knew it, too. His eyes avoided his a lot more lately, and Harry didn't mention his progress anymore. He was deliberately avoiding it, but Draco knew that if he had been any other patient... Harry would have cleared his release.

"How do they feel?" Harry asked.

"Great, thank you."

"What about the exercise?" he asked, nodding to the level three step that Draco had just done for ten minutes.

"Difficult but not impossible," he grunted, sourly.

"You're doing great. I think we can try some exercises from getting up from the floor, now."

Draco looked at him, uncertain.

"You don't want to be left floundering, and if your wand rolls out of reach, you'll be trapped."

"We just finished exercises," Draco whined, already looking forward to relaxing.

Harry nodded. "It was ten minutes...."

"We did the bed exercises first and then laps, too."

"Draco... come on. There are still twenty minutes, and you need to learn these techniques. I'll show you a few ways to get up, okay? And then you can try them."

"Fine," Draco grumbled, but he did need to learn this, again.

"Okay, watch," Harry said, lowering himself to the floor. "We'll do a controlled drop to the floor, first. The first way is using more of your hands and arms to lift yourself up. You'll need a chair or a step to help you up to a seated position to lift up from. You know how to stand up from a chair easily enough. So, this is how to get there, safely, without too much difficulty."

Harry maneuvered until he was seated on the floor, his legs extended out and his hands at his side, up against his step risers. He put the palms on his hands on the edge of the step, fingers curved around the sidewall, and then lifted his hips up to the step level. He used his feet to walk backward slightly, so his butt pushed onto the step.

"Followed that?" he asked, demonstrating it, again.

"Yeah," Draco said.

"That's our first exercise, which you should handle okay. From here, you can use a chair to go to the next height, using your legs and arms to lift up."

Harry summoned one of the table chairs over and maneuvered it behind him and the step. Then he repeated putting his hands behind him and lifting his hips onto the chair.

"Now, you're at chair height. You can kick or magic the steps out of the way, and you're in your normal seated chair-rise exercise. Got it? Here's the next one, which again, uses your arms more than your legs, but you'll have to move more of your body."

Draco nodded, and Harry got up and moved the steps out of the way. He sat on the floor and put his back into the chair seat. Instead of bracing his hands, he put his elbows on the chair seat and lifted his hips up. He then tilted his shoulders backward and brought his knees and butt up. Harry's back was straight and aligned with his upper legs.

"This is a reverse table position. Not too much stress on your muscles, you can use both your arms and legs to walk backward, sliding on the chair seat until your lower back is on and then slide your hips on it."

Harry demonstrated it a few times, and Draco watched dubiously.

"There's two more, and these will be harder on your legs. Having a chair is better, but I'll show you how to do it without."

Harry dropped to lie flat on the floor, turned onto his side, curled his legs up, put both hands on the floor in front of him, and then lifted his waist off the ground, so he was on all fours.

"Then you move over to the chair or something you can grab, like a table or your bed. Lift your hands one to grab whatever. See?" Harry said, grabbing the chair arms. "Then move one leg forward into this lunge position. Use your arms to lift upward and press up with your legs to get to the standing position."

Harry demonstrated it a few times and then showed him how to do it without grabbing something. He pressed his hands into his forward knee to lift upward. Draco grimaced as Harry guided him out of his wheelchair and then slowly dropped him to the floor. He hated wiggling around on the floor like a grindylow out of water. Harry guided him into rolling over and crawling into position. Harry did not make it easy, explaining that he could fall at any time.

Draco handled the first exercise okay and got up into the chair. The second exercise was more difficult as he had to use his stomach muscles to wiggle into position. When they got to the leg-using exercises, Draco had difficulty getting his legs into position and using them like that. Harry had to guide him through it each time, and he managed to get up on his own. Harry gave a nice long rub down after, and Draco just melted.

"You did great, Draco. We can try again after lunch."

"Sigh..." Draco said, audibly. "Fine. Are we going to eat outside, again?"

It had been a few days since the first time. The newspaper did, in fact, report on their outing, though the headline wasn't as dire as he predicted. "Malfoy heir emerges from hiding!" The paper included the photo that a healer took of them and a recap of what had been divulged at the Azkaban trials and McGrath's trial about his abuse. Someone, most likely the photo-taker, provided some new commentary about his progress, like he was walking and seeing a mind healer. Harry did not like that part at all, and said he reported that person to the hospital's Witch and Wizard Relations office.

"Are you sure?" Harry seemed apprehensive.

Draco nodded and said, "It's not necessary. Here is fine."

Harry relaxed a little. While Harry wasn't hauled over the coals in the article, it did talk about how long Harry had been his healer and that Harry had testified for him in McGrath's trial. Harry did not like the reminders... of both their pasts.

"We can go, if you want," he whispered, clearly anxious. Harry always put him first.

"No, maybe we can invite Hermione or Ron to lunch?"

Harry lifted his head and smiled. He liked that suggestion better. "I'll see if they are available. If not, I can see if Molly wants to stop by with the kids?"

Draco smiled, and Harry went to his office. He returned and said that Hermione and Ron were at an important luncheon with the French ambassador, but Molly said she could stop by for lunch. Harry went to his morning appointments, and Joel stopped by for their session.

"Did you tell him, yet?" Joel asked, point blank.

"No... I mean, how?"

"Draco... we talked about this...."

"I know."

"I still think that you shouldn't...."

"I know," he repeated.

"Do you? I don't think...."

"Joel," he snapped. "If you have a better suggestion, then I'm willing to hear it. We have to do this eventually."

The kid nodded. "You could wait until he's... better."

"When would that be, Joel? The quicker we start it, the quicker I can help him."

"Aye," Joel said. "But he won't like the plotting. You, me... and...."

"He'll understand. It must be done," Draco muttered, hoping it would be true.

"Let's see how you do today, kid," he said and opened up his mind.

***

Hugo was laughing hysterically on the floor as he latched on to Draco's foot. "Come on, pull me, Unca 'Raco!"

Harry considered interceding, but Draco did drag Hugo bodily across the floor. He had his walking frame for support and it was good exercise.

"Hey, where'd Hugo go?" Draco said, pretending to be confused as he slid the toddler on the smooth floor as he walked. "Rose, have you seen your brother?"

Rose giggled and played along. "No, I haven't! Maybe he's under the bed!"

Draco pulled Hugo along to the bed and pretended to look under it. "Nope, not there! Where could he be! Hugo!" he called.

Hugo laughed and said, "I'm right here!"

"Oh! There you are!" Draco gasped, fake relieved and Hugo got up and hugged his leg.

Harry could see that it gave a little, but Draco supported his weight on his other leg and arms. Molly had the same thought and held up her hand to intercede, but Harry shook his head. She pursed her lips and let the two kids run Draco ragged.

"Chase me, 'Raco!" Hugo said, and took off. Draco took off after him, walking faster than he had ever before. It was nice to see. Hugo wasn't going too fast either, but he wouldn't let Draco catch him.

Suddenly, Rose wrapped her arms around Hugo's waist and pulled him to a stop. "I got him! Get him Uncle Draco!"

"Wa ha ha ha... I got you now!" Draco laughed in a fake sinister voice and let go of one of his handles to tickle Hugo with one hand.

"Ahhh!" Hugo screeched and dropped to the floor, out of Draco's reach.

Rose was still holding him, but Draco dropped to one knee and continued to tickle-torture him.

"Ha... stop Unca!" Hugo said, giggling like crazy.

"Okay, little guy. I think we got him enough, Rose," he said, conspiratorially.

"Until next time," she whispered back and let go.

Hugo scrabbled to his feet and watched Draco struggle to rise from that position. Hugo then grabbed Draco's leg and helped push him up.

"Oh, thank you, Hugo," Draco said, resting his weight on his armrests. He was getting tired.

"Unca 'Raco... when are your legs going to be better?" the little guy asked.

"Maybe a few more months. They were asleep for a long time."

Hugo frowned and looked to Rose, who nodded to confirm it. He then quite astutely asked, "How come Sleeping Beauty's legs worked fine?"

Harry was wondering if he needed to interject. He wasn't sure Draco knew who Sleeping Beauty actually was.

"Hugo, your mum and dad told you the difference between real life and make-believe, right?" Draco asked.

"Kinda?" Hugo said.

"Yes, they did," Rose declared.

Draco nodded to show that he had heard her. He grimaced and then again, dropped to the floor, sitting next to Hugo, cross-legged. "Come here," he said, and Hugo climbed into his lap.

Harry smiled at the sight of him, as he calmly explained the difference to Hugo. Rose came and sat beside them to listen. It was one of the most loving sights he had ever seen. He wanted to be in it, too.

Hugo even hugged Draco after he finished explaining the difference and asked, "Unca 'Raco... can you really turn into a ferret? Is that make-believe?"

Draco laughed. "Actually, I can. Some things... are make-believe, but if you want to make a reality, you have to work for it. But I'm not awake enough for that."

"Aww... but you will be? One day?" Hugo asked, excitedly.

"One day... sure," Draco said, and Rose and Hugo both jumped up, celebrating and laughing.

"We get to see the ferret!" they chanted.

Harry's eyes widened, and he wondered if Draco was really willing to be turned back into a ferret for the kids' amusement.

Molly glanced at her sunwatch. "It's almost time to go back to the Burrow, kids! Uncle Harry needs to get back to work, too."

"Awww..." they both lamented.

"Come on. Uncle Bill, Aunt Fleur and Cousin Victoire are coming over for dinner."

Hugo pouted and hugged Draco, again. "I want to stay longer."

"I know, kiddo, but go with your grandmum. We'll see each other soon, okay?"

Hugo nodded. "Then you'll turn into a ferret?"

"Well... my magical powers might grow back by then. Now, go say goodbye to your uncle, okay?"

"Okay!" he said, and Rose hugged him goodbye, too, before they came over and tackled him to the floor.

Harry saw that Molly walked over and offered a hand to Draco, who took it. "Thanks," he said, and with her help, managed to get to his feet and support his weight on his frame.

"We'll see you tonight, Unca' Arry," Hugo said.

"I will. Have fun with your cousin, okay?"

"We will!" they said, hugging him.

Harry looked at Molly and Draco. He could barely hear her say, "If you ever need anything, a shoulder to cry on, a place to stay, or a mother to hug... please don't be afraid to stop by. I certainly can't replace your mother, but I'll do the best I can."

"Thank you," Draco whispered and hugged her.

"There, there, child. You're a sweet boy, and you're so good with my grandchildren," Molly replied.

Hugo and Rose looked over at where he was looking. Harry redirected them, "Maybe next time we can play Wizards and Dragons, okay?"

"Yay!"

"Grandmum wouldn't let us bring it!" Rose muttered.

"I did. That game takes too long," Molly chided. "Come on, little ones."

"Bye Unca' Arry and 'Raco!" Hugo said, and Rose waved as they left out the door.

"Cute little bludgers," Draco said as he limped over to his bed.

"I'm guessing you need a massage after that workout?"

"You assume correctly," he humphed and plopped down. Harry's hands were already on his legs. "Thank you."

Harry nodded and worked his tight muscles out. "Do you really want to turn into a ferret, again?"

Draco shrugged but had a coy smile. "Well, obviously you'd have to do it... or at least reverse it. It wasn't fun when that Moody impersonator did it. But I still had my wits and, after I understood what was happening, it was interesting to be an animal. Plus, I'm sure it will make the kids very happy."

"Wow... Ron's going to call you ferret even more, now," Harry chuckled for a second, but then he went quiet. "You really trust me not to mess it up?"

Draco eyed him, skeptically. "Harry, you wandlessly conjure perfectly detailed figurines out of the ether. I'm never going to doubt your abilities. You do realize that you're a powerful wizard, right?"

Harry froze and looked at him. He couldn't say anything to that. That sounded so familiar to what that guy said.

Draco's eyes widened as he realized that he had been triggered by that. "I'm sorry, Harry. I should have remembered... but you are... you know? Strong... powerful...."

"Nervous... and broken," Harry muttered.

Draco met his eyes. "One day... we'll both be better, Harry. But you need to have faith in your powers. You brought me back to life, remember? You can do anything."

Harry's eyes watered and he nodded. "Maybe. Some days... I think I can't do anything."

Draco sat up in his bed and took Harry's hand. "You can, Harry. You fixed me... healed me. My bones, my muscles, and my soul. Harry... Connors is gone."

Harry looked at Draco, confused. Draco hadn't said anything about that. "What?"

"You... banished him out of my mind. I mean, I remember what happened... but he's... a figureless shadow, now. I can't even remember what he looks like... even when I look at his newspaper photo. He's... gone and so is my fear of him. You did that, Harry."

Harry blinked. He didn't know how he did it. He had just wanted Connors gone... to help Draco. That's all he wanted. He looked at the bed. "I didn't know what I was doing."

"Yeah, you did. You wanted him to stop hurting me."

Harry nodded and continued massaging. "You're... okay, now?" He needed to know that.

Draco laid back down. "I've never been better, Harry. Really. Even when I was a snot-nosed brat kid... I have never been so... at ease. And it's all because of you, Harry."

"I'm sure Joel helped," Harry said, hating the praise and looking down.

"He made it easier, sure. But you're the master healer, Harry. There's no one better than you."

Harry blushed and focused on his muscles and, thankfully, Draco didn't push him any further. He finished up his massage, and Draco was humming and could only mumble his appreciation. Draco was getting stronger. Really, Harry could have discharged him a week ago... maybe two. But he couldn't do it. Draco needed to heal, and he, Harry, would not kick him out.

Mercifully, no one was pushing it, though Harry knew the end was coming. Draco could walk fine. He could step, sit up and get up from the floor. He still needed physical therapy sessions and healing sessions, but that could be done as outpatient visits, like all of his other patients. No one had said anything to him directly, but the expenses were rising. Any other patient would have been kicked out a long time ago, but after what happened to both him and Draco... no one was going to push him on it.

"Harry?" Draco said, his eyes opening wider, as though he sensed his distress.

"It's nothing... I'll see you after my afternoon sessions, okay?"

"Sounds good. Nap time for me... cause whoosh... they ran me down," he breathed, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, I was getting exhausted looking at you," Harry laughed.

He left Draco and met Harper, who was in his office, sorting his paperwork. "Just need you to sign off on these patient records, here. And Madam Bones wants a... review of my... umm... assistance, and this is a letter from your... barristers. I didn't open it," Harper said, laying the three piles out on his desk, when Harry sat in his chair.

"Thanks, Harper. I'll sign the records and read the Patels' letter later. This your eval? Let's go over it, together."

He gave Harper some working points and praise where needed and wrote nothing but exemplary bullets in the eval report.

"Thank you," Harper said, a little misty-eyed.

Harry felt for him. Harry had been in the same position more times than he could count. His magic and fame had saved him from obscurity in the hospital's unfair and demeaning class system that had developed. There should always be room to improve one's status.

"It's not a problem. I'm sorry that you had to deal with Higgs for five years. Would they not let you transfer?"

"I probably could have. I... I didn't want to leave...you know... the patients alone with them. I'm not saying another warden wouldn't have cared for them, but I couldn't know that. I just tried to make them as comfortable as possible."

Harry looked at him. "That's... admirable, Harper. You might have saved their lives... if Higgs had been any crueler."

"I... I wanted to help them... the ones that no one cares about. But I couldn't."

"You aren't a mind healer and some people... maybe can't be saved."

"You woke up, Draco," Harper said, looking at him.

"Draco's different. He's an Occlumens. He can protect his mind, where those poor people in the Mental Health ward... couldn't."

Harper was quiet for a minute. "He's... almost better."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, he is, but let's get to our appointments, okay?"

They went to each session. Harry fixed a shattered toe, mended a splinched arm and healed an old potion burn. His last appointment was the eighty-plus, Madam Griselda Marchbanks, who came by for a checkup. She raved about how young she felt after his in-court healing session, and said that she would tell everyone she could about his amazing healing abilities. He thanked her, but she then asked if there was anything she could help him with, as she'd be more than willing to help.

"Thanks... I think everything is quiet now."

"Lord Merlin, I hope so. You poor lad... I so wanted to throw my shoe at Runcorn... pompous jerk."

"Thanks."

"You were so brave, dear Harry. Your parents would have been proud," she said, holding his hand.

His eyes watered and he looked down. "Thanks... I... doubt that... sometimes."

"Don't... you can't judge yourself for every single act you have done. Look at the whole picture, young man. You spend your days relieving decades-old pain from people. You give life and hope when there is only pain and misery... and let's not forget the war. Everyone has faults and no one is perfect. Not you, nor I, nor your parents. I remember quite a few reports from your father's shenanigans during my time in the WEA and the Improper Use of Magic Office."

Harry swallowed hard. "I tried to bury it... what happened."

She nodded. "It's never pleasant when someone drags up the past, but you persevered. You stood tall and walked out of that courtroom with your head high, though... I know you were breaking. I was... so proud."

Harry blinked a few tears away. "Thank you."

"Well, thank you for your time, Healer Potter. I hope you are recovering from your ordeal."

"Kinda," he muttered.

"Just take care of yourself, young man."

"I'll try," he said and she left.

Harper didn't move, as though trying not to startle him.

"Well, that's all for today. I only have Draco left... and Joel. You can leave when you're done doing... whatever you do."

"Okay... do you need anything?" Harper asked, quietly.

"No, I'm okay," he said, and he did feel a little better.

He went to Draco's room, and he was just waking up from his nap. "How was healing?"

"Unusually gut-wrenching."

Draco gave him a look, but Harry waved it off and got him up to stretch before step and floor exercises. Draco handled them all well. He got up into his wheelchair and rolled to his table, instead of his bed. He set his hands on the table, and Harry reached out and took them.

"Thank you," Draco murmured as Harry rubbed his hands out. He was looking fondly at their hands... almost wistful.

"Draco?" Harry asked, concerned.

"It's... almost the end of the month."

Harry nodded, unsure what that meant. "Yeah?"

"I... Blaise... he said that... his house is ready."

Harry tensed, but kept his eyes on Draco's hands. "Okay."

"I think... I think... it's time."

Harry took a deep breath. Draco had brought it up... and all the emotions he had been putting off, hit him at once.

Draco saw his change in emotion and quietly, said, "I don't want to leave, Harry, I swear. I just... it needs to happen. You understand?"

"You need to be free," he mumbled.

"Yes... we both do. You focus so much on me... you need some time to think."

"Think..." Harry repeated and let go.

Draco flinched and quickly said, "No, Harry... I meant... you should recover. Focus on you rather than me. Spend some time with the kids, Ron and Hermione. Your family. I've been your first and only priority since I came here."

Harry nodded and still couldn't look at him.

"Harry, I'm sorry," Draco said, tearfully. "I'm so sorry."

He looked up, and Draco was barely able to compose himself. "No, it's okay. I'm not mad."

"Of course, you're not. You're hurting."

He mulled on that. "I'll miss you."

"As I you... but we are... too codependent on each other, Harry. You do see that, right?"

Harry just nodded, again. He was trying to beat down the rising tide of his emotions.

"Harry... you know how much you mean to me, right? I'll do anything for you... if you want me to stay longer... I will," Draco said, earnestly.

"No... it is time. I've been... putting it off. You could have been discharged weeks ago. I was just... I wanted you here. I wanted you to stay."

"I'm glad you did. You healed me so much more. Thank you."

"I didn't want you to go."

"I know," Draco acknowledged. "I don't want to leave, either, but... we need some time apart. To separate our emotions, Harry."

Harry raised his head, catching on to what Draco was saying. "You're not going to come back?"

"No, not for a few weeks, okay? I'll do my exercises and walk, but we need to live independently for a bit, okay?"

"You need someone to heal you," he said, worried that Draco would have a setback in his progress.

"Blaise found another healer. Definitely won't be as good as you, but she does home visits."

Harry took a deep breath. Draco had planned this... planned for another healer to come... to replace him. Draco was effectively cutting him out of his life. He didn't expect to go cold turkey. He still thought that they could have daily appointments for... forever. Not like this. Not from this to nothing. He looked down and resisted the urge to shake.

"Harry? Please... I just think... it'd be better if you weren't my healer anymore. Rules."

Harry finally looked at him. He was about to say fuck the rules and just... what? Kiss Draco? He didn't think that he could even handle that. His stomach dropped, and he looked away, again. Draco figured it out. He knew that he would never be ready for... anything. He was broken, and Draco... Draco was healed. He had done his job. Fixed him. And he understood that someone who isn't broken, could never be with someone who is.

"Harry..." Draco whispered, almost afraid. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing... so... tonight?"

"Tomorrow... if that's alright," Draco murmured, still staring at him.

Harry stuck with silence and nodded.

"I don't want to do this, Harry. I would love to stay here with you, but we need this. It's hard to believe that, but we do. Clear separation. Then maybe...."

"Yeah," Harry muttered, not really listening.

"Harry, I owe you everything... if you want anything... you just have to ask."

Ask what? He could handle the status quo. He couldn't handle anything else, at least... he thought he couldn't.

"I hate this, Harry. I've been putting it off and off. I hate seeing you in pain. Please... I'm sorry. We can just forget about it, and I'll just stay here, okay?" Draco gasped, shaking.

Harry shook his head. "You're right. It's time... past time. I'm discharging you tomorrow."

"Harry? No... I think th-"

"People are talking about... that you should be gone." Pure guess, but likely.

Draco blinked. "Oh... well, still... I could...."

"No, separation will be good."

"Harry...."

"No. You need to see the sun, again. See other people. Get your life back. Keeping you here is selfish on my part."

Draco leaned forward. "There's nothing selfish about you, Harry."

Harry snorted. His denial was selfish. He cut off everyone and only focused on himself for so long. He drowned himself in firewhiskey for years. Selfish.

"Harry... you're everything to me. I'm sorry that we have to do this, but... it's necessary."

"Okay... do you want a massage?" he asked, not meeting his eyes.

"No. I should get used to the pain, again."

Harry looked at him. "What?"

"No one can heal me like you, Harry. Besides, I feel like shit. The pain should help remind me of what I'm doing."

He grimaced. "Draco...."

"No, I need this. But I'm worried about you. Please... please... take it easy tonight, Harry. Don't...."

"Drink?" Harry growled, eyeing him, and Draco had the decency to blush.

"Yeah, that too. But please go talk to Joel, first, and then spend some time with Granger and Weasley tonight? You're... upset and I'm worried," Draco admitted.

"Fine... I'll see you in the morning," Harry said, abruptly and left the room. He couldn't handle anything else right then.

He walked in a daze to his office. Joel was already there.

"Harry?"

"Draco wants to leave."

Joel nodded somberly. Harry looked at him, accusingly, and said, "You knew."

"I can't tell you what we talk about, Harry. Like I couldn't tell him about what you and I speak about."

Harry dropped into his chair, despondently. "I... I don't know what to feel, Joel."

"I know. I had reservations about it, but Draco... he... has his reasons. But I'm worried about you, Harry. What's going on... how are you feeling?" Joel asked.

"Lost... I'm so lost," Harry whispered and rubbed some tears from his eyes.