Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 7

Published 10/4/3020

Harry stayed with Draco for nearly an hour trying to get him to calm down, before he called Natalie to bring him a Sleeping Draught. He was getting severely agitated in his bound state, and Harry didn't need him to panic and start thrashing. When his terrified eyes closed, Harry reluctantly left. Joel and Natalie were outside of his door, sitting on the floor. Both quickly got to their feet and were staring at him expectantly.

"Harry, are you alright?" she said.

"Of course, thank you. You didn't have to wait."

Natalie looked guilty. "I'm sorry... I didn't think that he was that bad."

"That's why you can't bring your own feelings to the table, you don't know. You don't have any idea what he's been through."

Joel nodded, though, over the past few weeks, he had been the least judgmental.

"I updated the wards. She won't be able to enter his room."

"Thank you," Harry said. "I do need to go yell at her boss and my friends."

"Just be careful, okay? People won't understand," Natalie warned.

"What won't they understand about harassing a bound and injured patient in the hospital? I don't give a flying shit about what he's done. He could be Lord-fucking-Voldemort and wouldn't care. He's in pain and deserves fair, proper and compassionate care."

Joel nodded and Natalie backtracked, "I just meant... people are stupid. I was stupid. I'm sorry."

"Do better then. It's all I ask."

"Is... Is what she said about you true?" Natalie asked, staring at him.

"You call me Auror Potter enough, I thought you knew."

"I... just thought you had a change of heart."

"You could call it that, but I wasn't going to risk other people's lives by trying to keep doing it," he said.

"I'm sorry... if it seemed like I was mocking you, Harry," she said.

"You said it with affection, I can tell the difference. Most people don't know exactly what happened. Percy probably told her."

"You don't even keep your wand on you?" Joel asked, quietly, but amazed.

"It's not necessary, Joel. I don't need a wand to cast spells."

Natalie shook her head. "You really are amazing, Harry. I won't tell anyone what she said."

"Me neither, sir."

"Call me, Harry, Joel. I'm nothing more than a healer."

They both looked at him, and Natalie shook her head. "You're more than that. What you can do... the war... you saved so many people...."

Harry cringed inwardly at the mention of the war. He could feel the numbness spreading as she continued. His whiskey was calling him. Joel reached out and put a hand on her to stop. He was a smart kid. He paid attention to the visual cues.

"I have people to yell at, okay?" he said and wandered to his fireplace.

Ernie went from white to red during his rant. Harry let him have it. From improper training to having emotionally and verbally abusive officers assigned to parolees still in the hospital. Ernie promised a better probation officer for Draco, and Harry snapped that they better know their fucking job this time. He left and wasn't willing to floo Hermione and Ron. He sent a letter to both of them, with a few choice words about what the fuck Percy was telling his girlfriend.

It was nearly eight by the time he was done. He wandered back to Draco's room. He was still sleeping. He, again, wondered how much sleep Draco was getting. He had given him Dreamless Sleep, for his own peace of mind. Harry sat in his chair, staring at Draco's delicate face. He still needed to put on some weight. Nutrient Potions only help so much. The pure muscle inactivity was devastating on his health. Draco had extremely weak muscles already... even from before he was admitted.

He dropped his head. He thought he had become so patient... but he just wanted to ask Draco... everything. It was too soon. Justice would have to wait. Draco needed saving, healing before Harry even considered asking those types of questions. Draco didn't know that he could read and feel each injury that Draco received. Harry continued his tome of the details of Draco's injuries, including his speculations and observations. He wrote nearly twenty more pages and slowly lost the fight on remaining awake.

***

Draco's eyes suddenly opened in a panic, and it took a second to realize where he was. The lights were dimmed, no doubt trying to be nice, but Draco hated it. He liked the bright white walls, nothing like the gray, cold cement of his windowless cell. It was almost pitch black at night... and cold, always cold. He hated the cold. Harry always kept the temperature warmer in his room. He loved him so much for that.

Harry (and he wasn't sure why he kept calling him that) must have given him a sleeping draught. Draco never slept that deeply and that long. Anyone could come in the night. He kept alive on the naps he took, never too deep that he dreamt. Hmmm... it must have been Dreamless Sleep. The bad things didn't come.

He suddenly heard a noise and froze, glancing around the room, terrified that he had missed someone entering, but someone, and he assumed, Harry had put his pillows down. He slowly felt around his neck, and the remote that Harry gave him was there. Draco fumbled with the buttons and the pillows slowly inflated. He checked the corners of the room and then heard the whimper at his side. He could just see the black, ruffed hair of his protector, half on his bed and half on a small table he had conjured.

He inflated his pillows a little higher to get a good view of Harry. He smiled at the sleeping Gryffindor, but then heard him whimper, again. Harry was having a nightmare. He was twitching, and tears were coming out of his eyes. Draco watched, concerned as Harry grew worse, even murmuring a few pleas out. Harry was troubled. He knew that... deep down. Harry never looked fully rested and always sad. He didn't take care of himself: dirty clothes, thin and the slight whiff of firewhiskey. The git never seemed happy unless he was talking to him. It was very bizarre.

Draco first suspected that Harry was just incredibly lonely, but his probation officer's visit yesterday had brought more things to light. Harry had mental issues. He heard him just agree with her... that he couldn't handle the Aurors and that bit about his wand? Was he dangerous to himself? Draco didn't know. He had verified his sleeping problems, at least. As far as his wand, he didn't even bring it with him. Harry just used wandless magic (a feat that Draco had never seen before) to do everything.

He hated wands, now. His eyes rolled back as he fought with his mental guards. They pointed their wands at him. They wanted him to beg. The stupid, prideful part of him resisted... at first. They had had all the time in the world to break him, and break him they did. He took a deep breath, regaining control, again. Dwelling on the past would achieve nothing. He winced as another memory poked through.

"You're stubborn. The others didn't last nearly as long. I like that, Death Eater. We are going to have fun."

They did. They cursed him, broke his bones, and left him naked and open for anyone to take. But Draco still had his mind. He wouldn't lose control; he had that small victory. But they won the war. They wanted him to scream, he would scream. If he had to beg, he would beg. If he had to perform a task, he would. Of course, it took a long time to get to that point. Years, in fact, before he was broken in properly, much to their satisfaction. They had time on their side, and no one came to help him.

Harry whined and started begging. "Please... don't! Please don't do this...."

Draco snapped out of his thoughts and focused on Harry. What was Harry begging for? Who was hurting him?

"...please let me go. Please!" Harry cried as he fidgeted.

Draco was getting concerned, but suddenly, Harry jolted, slipping out of his chair and crashing to the floor. Draco had to inflate his pillows to the max to see him. Harry was awake, now, on his hands and knees, but shaking and breathing short, panicky breaths at the floor.

"It's a dream," Harry whispered and then slowly calmed down.

Harry eventually looked up and saw him looking. Draco didn't try to hide it. He had figured out that Harry didn't punish him for looking.

"Shit... I'm sorry... if I woke you," he said and slowly got back into his chair, pretending like nothing had happened. Harry looked at him. "You look awake, though." He cast a tempus and nodded to himself. "I haven't been sure that you've been sleeping, and I haven't given you a Sleeping Draught, yet. I didn't want you to wake up confused. I-I didn't mean to fell asleep."

Draco stared at him. Harry was clearly embarrassed that he had stayed just for him. Potter was a faithful guy, that was for sure. Draco still was concerned for him, though. That nightmare had hurt him, if his trembling was any clue. He arched an eyebrow, unwilling to use words.

"You're worried about me? That's not how this is supposed to work. I'm your healer... you don't need to see me like this," Harry said, looking at his trembling hands. "The firewhiskey usually helps dull the memories. It's not as bad as Sleeping Draughts. Hermione's been after me to get a mind healer since the war ended, you know? No... no one's getting in my head. No one."

Harry wouldn't look at him and started rocking back and forth. Draco shot a nervous glance at the door. If anyone saw him like this, he would be a patient, too. He thought about saying something, but Harry looked at him.

"I get it, you know? If someone tried to get into my mind... I'd do the same if I could. I'm a shitty Occlumens and even worse at Legilimency. You don't have to explain anything about... any of it. Fucking mind healers... I tried to see if they'd just talk to you... not go in? They laughed like I was crazy. Pretentious pricks."

Draco's eyebrows raised at the idea that Harry wanted to him help mentally, too, and Harry understood what he went through. Harry was nearly raving, but that didn't matter. Harry always knew what to do and say. He never insisted on eye contact, though enjoyed it immensely. He even turned the bed to the other side, so Draco could look away easier. Harry asked for permission every time he touched him. He didn't grab his arm. He fixed his painfully broken teeth, instead of force-feeding him.

Harry was the most careful person he had ever met, but he looked on the verge of a break. Draco didn't know what to do. He was bound to the bed, and even his arms couldn't reach.

Harry let out a sigh and pushed all the air out. "Alright, I better get out of here before I'm spotted. I don't need another lecture. But Draco," he said as he leaned toward him. "... I'm so sorry about Clearwater. She won't be back. I think I yelled at Ernie enough that he wouldn't dare send another one like that. I won't let them near you, again."

Draco nodded and shivered. He had already forgotten about her. Harry promised him that he'd be safe, and he believed him. If anyone could, Harry could. He stared back at Harry and gave him a small smile. Harry forgot his reserve and reached out and almost touched his cheek. Draco tightened up and Harry stopped.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling his hand back. "I didn't mean to."

Draco maintained eye contact and nodded to reassure him that he was alright. He didn't want to think about why it was hard to talk to him. The guards hated that he wouldn't speak and did all kinds of things to make him. They wanted to hear his surrender, and he hated it. He started to close up, again. Harry's eyes watched him, concerned.

"Hmmm... could I... bring a brush? Fix your hair?" Harry asked and Draco came out of his spiral. He lifted his head up and couldn't believe it. He smiled and nodded as he hated how bad his hair had gotten. The guards didn't even unchain him, much less let him shower.

"Okay... it'll take a bit, but I'll get it back to its shiny poofyness."

Draco glared.

Harry smiled. "What? It's very pretty... bouncy even."

Draco glared harder.

"I'm sorry. Can't resist riling you up. I'll be back in a couple hours for your morning potions."

Draco didn't want him to leave, but he nodded. The golden boy needed a break.

"The hospital has rules about sleeping in patient's rooms, too," Harry said and glanced at the door. "I'll be back soon."

Harry grabbed his papers and gave him a smile as he left.

***

Harry returned near eight after banging on a salon's doors in Diagon Alley before it opened to get some super-quality hair potions. While grumpy about opening early, the receptionist smiled when she saw it was Harry Potter. It helped that he wanted hundreds of galleons of potions and tipped her generously for them.

Harry set the bag down on the table as he slid into his chair. "Ready?" he said, bouncing and Draco smiled at either his giddiness or the act of fixing his hair. "I'm going to be behind you again, and you'll have to inflate the pillows, okay?"

Draco nodded. Harry lowered the bed and got Draco sitting up. Then Harry ran his fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp. He first used his magic to untangle the big knots, remove the grime and dirt, and Vanish the dead hair. Then he pulled out the brush. It took a while to get the smaller tangles out, but Harry managed it. His hair was a hundred times better. He pulled out a mirror for Draco to check.

Draco looked at him with a big smile and almost opened his mouth.

"Oh... that's not all! Stopped at a salon, but I had no idea what to buy." He then pulled out every styling and hair potions they had.

Draco's jaw dropped, and he stared at him.

"What? Which one do you want? I guess I could use them all?" Harry said uncertainly.

Draco shook his head.

"Okay, which ones?" he said, pointing to each one. Draco nodded to three. Harry figured out the order and read the bottles. "Apply to lightly damp hair? Umm. Does it matter if it's dry?"

Draco shook his head. Harry poured a large amount in his palm and Draco rolled his eyes at his clumsiness. Harry laughed and rubbed it in his hair and the split ends magically repaired. The next one restored its color and the third protected it. Harry even smiled when he was done.

"See! Pretty!" he said, fingering through it.

Draco snorted and glared at him like he really wanted to say something.

"What? I can say anything I want... can't I?" Harry taunted and Draco's eyes narrowed. "I could fill in the parts for you, if you want?"

Draco's expression turned to confusion.

"Let's see..." Harry said and then dropped his voice into a decent imitation of Draco's drawl. "I am not pretty, Pottah. Remove your grimy hands from my awesome hair, now! You can't even take care of your own hair!"

Draco snickered loudly.

"Well, was that about right?" Harry asked and Draco nodded. Then he added, "Do you always need my constant approval, Pottah?"

"Yes, I'm hopeless without an audience."

Draco was trying to keep from laughing, but lost it when Harry added, "Famous Pottah, can't even brush someone's hair without getting a medal." Draco's laughter was loud and strong, and Harry loved it.

Even Joel knocking and entering the room couldn't bring down Draco's mood completely, though he stopped laughing and looked at the wall.

"Just bringing in the morning potions, sir."

"It's just Harry, Joel."

Joel gave him a smile and then noticed the hair potions and then Malfoy's hair. "Your hair looks very nice, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes, but made eye contact with Harry.

"Thanks, I'll take care of them."

Joel left with a smile, and Draco's smile came back when he left. Harry checked all the potions, and Draco drank them without issue. The nutrient potion was last, and Harry administered that. He then realized if he got his arms moving, Draco could feed himself, so he might be willing to eat real food, too.

"Alright... any chance I can massage your hand, today?"

Draco's smile disappeared and clenched his arms tighter.

"It's up to you... I just want to take the pain out," Harry said, quietly. He put his hand on the bed open.

Draco stared at it and back up to him. He was figuring it out, slowly deciding if it was safe. Harry understood. He had a hard time trusting people, too. Draco's hand twitched a few times and inched closer. It was shaking. Harry knew they tortured him in the cruelest ways to make him so skittish, but he kept his expression hopeful. He wanted Draco to trust him. Inch by inch, his hand got closer. Until it was right next to his.

"You can do it, Draco. Believe in me," Harry said.

Draco met his eyes and slowly put his hand into his.