Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 8

Published 10/9/2020

"I'm just going to massage it, okay?"

Draco nodded, and literally, as soon as Harry pressed his thumb into the palm of Draco's hand, he let out a content groan.

"Okay? This is why I need to keep doing this. To make sure they heal right. I'm going to use my other hand... okay?"

Draco quickly nodded and relaxed as Harry worked his hand and then his arm. Draco hummed blissfully and didn't need encouragement to give him his other arm. Harry was glad that he managed this step. When he was done, he went to sit down and put a small cylinder in Draco's hand. Draco clenched it and looked at him.

"We need to build your muscles up, so you can take your potions and feed yourself. This weighs about the same as a galleon. You need to lift it, bending at your elbow, and bringing it to your chest. Can you try?"

Draco grimaced, but slowly did as he wanted and went back down.

"Good. Now do nine more."

Draco slowly did them, struggling slightly. When he did the last one, he told him to switch it to the other arm and do ten.

"Alright, you can do these exercises when I'm here, but I want you to do them throughout the day. Honestly, do them until you're too sore to do it anymore. I can relieve that pain. We need to get your strength up, because you'll need your arms to learn to walk, again."

Draco looked at Harry, hope in his eyes.

"What? Didn't think I can repair that, too? Your hands work, don't they? It just takes time, but we will get there. I'll finish up your right leg, today. Will you do these exercises on your own? Or do I have to stop by more often?"

Draco nodded and started doing them.

"We'll be able to do more by next week, and I'll increase the weight every day."

Draco continued doing the exercises, so Harry left and headed to his next appointment, early for once. However, he was stopped when Joel called his name.

"Sir... there's um... she's in your office."

"Who?"

"Madam Granger...er... Weasley."

Shit, Harry replied, mentally. If Hermione came to visit him at work, it was bad. "Thank you, Joel. Please advise Madam Hurkins that I'll be along shortly."

He slumped to his office and opened the door. Hermione was perusing the papers on his desk. He gulped when he realized that he hadn't locked up Malfoy's paperwork.

"I didn't read it, I promise," she said, and magicked the papers into the open filing cabinet, which then shut. "It'll only open at your touch."

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"Wrong? I don't know, Harry. You don't usually yell at me through the post."

"It happened, again. Another abusive probation officer."

"You don't need to recap. Ernie came to me, almost crying. Probation officers are supposed to be tough, but I agree that this harassment is excessive."

"Excessive? There's a word for it."

"I thought that you over-exaggerating what happened, but your... colleague repeated your claims. She really brought up... your past?"

Harry looked away. "Yes... in front of my trainee and floor warden, neither of which I told or wanted to tell that. They said that they wouldn't pass it on, but she knows... I'm sure it'll be on the front page soon."

"I'm sorry. Ron is talking to Percy, but they know who it's about, now."

"Just tell Percy that I'm doing my job to the letter like he used to, that should shut him up."

"And Ron?"

"What? Is he going to come down here to confront me, too?"

"No, I didn't come here to confront you, Harry."

"Feels like it."

"Harry, she attacked you personally. I know it hurt you, a lot. I just want you to know that you can talk to me. You never told us what happened."

And I never will, he thought and looked away. A tear fell down his face. Hermione hugged him, and he hugged her back, glad for the contact. He couldn't tell her or look her in the eye. He was too ashamed.

"It's okay, Harry. I'm sorry if I pushed you."

"S'okay. I know you care about me, but please don't poke at that."

"Okay... just... please take care of yourself."

He nodded.

"I also came to offer a solution to your... officer problem."

He looked at her, again. "What?"

"Well... it just has to be a member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement... so it could be me, and you can trust that I'll be fair and considerate."

Harry stared at her. "You can't see him."

She stared. "Ever?"

"Hermione... he needs to relax to heal. You read his file, you know one thing that happened. I will not have him agitated because you must "see" him. He's unarmed and bed-ridden, understand?"

She nodded. "I watched you through the window interacting with Malfoy before your trainee found me. Joel? He's very loyal to you, but you never had a problem getting people to love you, did you?"

Harry grimaced.

"But you were helping Malfoy use weights. He looked at you like you are the only person in the world he trusted."

"Maybe I am. You mind finding out what happened to his parents?"

"I already did. Lucius died in Azkaban... heart attack, according to the file. Narcissa committed suicide only a year after the trials. Self-brewed potion in her home," she said, quietly.

Harry nodded. "Will you promise to not see him without my okay?"

"I promise, Harry."

"Alright... I'm late for my appointment."

"Will you come over tonight?"

"So Ron can run me through this, too?"

"Better now than later, Harry," she said, and he agreed.

She left out the door, and Harry ran into Natalie as he made his way to room 2. She laughed and said, "Should I adjust the wards for her, too?"

Harry chuckled. "I think Hermione will be able to get through them if she wanted."

"I like seeing you with your friends, Harry," she said. "I've been here five years, and you've been friendly with nearly everyone, but are friends with no one. Have you ever gone out to lunch or dinner with anyone in this hospital?"

"I... no. I'm... not good at... friendships."

"I think you're great at making friends. You just are careful about opening up."

"Nat... I'm sorry if I haven't... I'm not...interested in dating or anything...."

"Relax, Harry. I'm happily married and not interested in your strange humor and work habits, but I might be suggesting that you should bend your no-friends rule and take Joel out to lunch or something. That boy stayed here all night waiting for you to leave. He slept in the patient room next door to you."

"He did?"

"Yep... left when you did. Must have set a Caterwauling Charm."

"And how do you know that?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Cass was on night shift on our floor, lucky for you. She watches your back, too. You have friends, Harry, and we do understand that you have problems trusting people."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, now get going."

He left and fixed Ms. Hurkin's sciatica and two mangled limbs before lunch. Draco was doing exercises when he came in. Draco quickly brought his arms to his chest, defensively.

"I see that you're doing your exercises. Can I check your arms?"

Draco nodded and Harry carefully picked them up and rubbed them out. When he deemed them satisfactory, he moved on to his legs. Harry worked under the blanket so Draco could neither feel nor see him. His knee was bad, very weak, and he had no muscles. His femur was dislocated, and Harry was glad that Draco was paralyzed so that he couldn't feel him put it back in. He opened his eyes to look at him.

"Draco... I know you can't feel it, but I'm getting close to your upper thigh area. Is it alright if I touch you there?"

Draco stared, but didn't nod.

"Here, I'll phrase it for you, again. Pottah? Are you asking to touch my fine ass? And I'd say... why yes, I am. It is a fine ass, but I'll be keeping my eyes closed."

Draco smiled and nodded, though he closed his eyes, too. Harry worked quickly, and soon the right leg was good as new... accept the muscle weakness.

"All done. I don't want to move it until I heal your back and hips."

Harry gave him his potions and ate his own lunch before heading off to his afternoon appointments. Draco was dozing when he came back as he had had a lot of physical activity today. Harry watched him and, slowly, his eyes opened. Draco blinked and smiled. Harry held out his hand, and Draco gave him his hand, again. He worked his muscles out, and then at the small suggestion to rub his shoulders and neck, Draco nodded enthusiastically and soon melted into the bed as Harry massaged him.

"Perhaps, I should do this more often," Harry chuckled, and when he was done, he ruffled his hair.

Draco jerked and glared at him.

Harry chuckled, "Pottah... don't touch my hair!"

Draco scowled.

"Don't worry. I'll fix it," Harry said and grabbed the brush on the table and brushed it out. "There perfect once again."

Harry watched Draco settle back down on his pillows, still sleepy, and he decided to wait until tomorrow to fix his other leg. Besides, Hermione was likely to send him a Patronus if he didn't leave soon. He left out of the hospital and Apparated to their house, not too far from Grandmum Molly.

"Arry!" shouted Hugo and hugged him. Rose came next, jumping on him at full force, and she wasn't light anymore.

"Kids, don't injure him!" Ron yelled and lifted Rose off him. "Sorry, they love their uncle."

"He's the only one who plays with us," Hugo cried,

"Yeh! Uncle Percy doesn't!"

"Let's not mention Uncle Percy," Ron muttered, putting Rose in her child seat at the table.

"Auntie Gin flies wit' us. Will you fly, too?" Hugo asked, as Harry picked him up and put him in his seat.

"Sure... when it's not dark and raining out," Harry said.

"Auntie Gin says that real quidditch players play in the rain," Rose said, haughtily.

"Well, no one here is a real quidditch player, Rose," Harry said.

Hermione came in with the roast. "You're actually on time, Harry."

"Sorry... or thanks," he mumbled, and they ate dinner, punctuated with thirty questions from the two kids.

Ron and Hermione seemed spent answering them, so Harry picked up the slack. After dinner, he played Dragons and Wizards with them, and Rose conquered the Dragon, but Hugo got eaten and sulked about it. Ron and Hermione relaxed and watched. Harry put Hugo to bed, while Rose waited for her goodnight hug. He smiled when they finally slipped off to sleep. Hermione and Ron were already cuddled up together, snogging when Harry came out.

"Sometimes, I think I'm here, so you guys have makeout time."

"That's not true, Harry. We love you, and the kids do, too!"

"I was kidding."

"Oh... well... thanks. You're really great with the kids," Hermione said.

"You'll make a great father, too," Ron said.

Harry sighed. "That's not likely to happen, is it? Being gay n'all."

"You can still have kids when you are gay," Hermione said.

"Not really... especially I'm single and a mess."

"Harry... it's been five almost six years since you... kinda came out. You haven't dated at all. You only go out to our house, Molly's or Andy's."

"Hence being a mess."

"We can go to the pub more? If you don't want to go alone," Ron offered.

Harry glared at them suspiciously. Hermione didn't even bat an eye at that remark. She must have suggested it to him. Stupid, loving, helpful friends. But they didn't know why he didn't want to go out, especially to a pub, especially where there were strangers. He just shook his head.

"I got too much to do."

"Yeah," Ron sighed, nodding.

After a few long seconds, Harry said, "Well, are you going to let me have it?"

"Have what?" Ron said.

"You know whom I'm treating, right?"

"Oh... Malfoy. Look Harry, I'm so sorry that Percy ran his mouth off about you. I lit his butt up, and so did mum. Penelope said that she won't bring it up, again, or tell anyone else."

Harry looked at him. "You're not pissed?"

"At him, yeah?"

"No, about...."

"Malfoy? No, Harry. We're grown up, now, Harry. Bygones, mate. Bloody hell... I can't stay pissed at him forever, especially knowing he tried to top himself. It's bloody sobering. If anyone gives you shit about it or you need anything... just let me know."

Harry looked right at Ron and said, "I need his file."

Ron nodded immediately and said, "Okay, I'll have it here the next time your visit, okay?"

Hermione sighed, but didn't argue. "Harry... just be careful, okay? You've had a quiet five years, and this... this might rock the boat. If the Prophet catches wind of it...."

"I'll always do what is right, Hermione. Peace of mind, be damned."

But Ron leaned forward. "Tell me what is wrong, Harry."

Harry looked at him. Ron knew him just as much as Hermione did. "There's... nothi-"

"Don't deny it. You're on a trail. You smell evil like a fucking bloodhound."

"I can't tell you, Ron. He's my patient."

"Malfoy... something happened to him?" he stated.

"Ron... I'm bound."

"I'm not. I'll look into it. What happened at Azkaban and after. McGrath is still under scrutiny, too."

"Just... be careful, okay? Find out how Lucius died and any other Death Eaters, okay?"

"It has to do with Azkaban, then?" Hermione asked, and Harry did not affirm her suggestion.

"I should go," he said and bid them goodnight.

He Apparated home to his firewhiskey and guilt. He might have slightly betrayed Draco's privacy back there, but there was really no way he could have gotten out of that. He had two glasses for good measure and slipped off to sleep.

He still woke up early, eager to spend as long as possible with Draco. His patient looked to the door when it opened and flexed his arm for him.

"Stop showing off, Malfoy," Harry joked, and the potions were already inside, waiting.

He decided that Draco could try to drink them himself and got him to lift his pillows up. Draco struggled a bit with the coordination but was relieved to take them himself.

"Excellent. You want to drink your nutrient potion, too?"

Draco shook his head.

"It does taste like grass, doesn't it? How about some real food at lunch?"

Draco frowned and looked dubious.

"I'll let you pick anything off the menu? Soup, stew, fish'n'chips or even a filet. You could set me back quite a few galleons if you want."

He sighed and nodded.

"I'll bring a menu at lunchtime. Alright... let's work on the left leg."

Draco nodded as he still didn't feel anything down there and did more lifts with his cylinder, which Harry added some weight to. Harry healed his lower leg, dismayed to find that someone had at one point cut his Achilles tendon. His left knee was even in worse shape than the right, blunt force trauma. His kneecap was shattered, and he begrudgingly started healing and Vanishing the small bone chips.

He had just moved onto reattaching the tendons correctly when he felt the remodeling in his knee. It was over a year old. Harry stopped moving, and the pieces were clicking. He remembered the damage from his other leg: no muscles, weak knee and ankle broken. He felt Draco's thigh and there was no strength there. Draco hadn't walked in a few years. He turned to look at Draco, who looked alarmed at what Harry had stopped for.

How did Draco get to the roof of his house?