Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 9

Published: 10/16/2020

There was no point to stress Draco out with a question like that. He knew better he sent a Patronus and said, "Sorry, gonna need some Skele-Gro, there's a lot of damage."

Draco stared like he didn't believe him, but he wouldn't ask questions. Natalie came in with the potion, and Harry said that she can hand it to Draco.

"Oh... someone's got their arms fixed. That's really great. Here you go," she said, and Draco reluctantly took it. She left before he slowly took it.

"Why Pottah do you torture me with these foul potions?" Harry said, and Draco snorted. "Sorry. At least you can't feel the bones regrowing, huh?"

Draco shrugged and went back to his arm exercises. Harry healed his femur and thigh muscles, moving to his upper thigh without asking permission. Draco hadn't even responded. Harry finally finished with what he could do.

"Alright... everything feeling okay?"

Draco shrugged.

"That's not very enthusiastic. Do you need more pain potions?"

Draco shook his head.

"Anything sore?"

Draco held out his hand for him, and Harry smirked as he rolled over to his side.

"Massage my hand, peasant," he chuckled, and Draco smiled. "Anything for you, your majesty."

Draco straightened his head up, haughtily.

"Yeah, yeah. You want to hear about Dungeons and Wizards?" he asked, and without looking at Draco's reaction, he launched into the game that he played with the kids. "After they went to bed... Ron and Hermione were like... you're going to be a great father... nevermind that I'm a... and well... I can't..." he paused, taking a deep breath, avoiding Draco's eyes. "It was awkward... especially when they practically said 'you'll find someone'."

Harry tightened up and zoomed out. He didn't know how long he drifted out, but Draco's hand clenched his, and he came back with a jolt, his heart restarting.

"Sorry... thanks. But it was awkward. Especially when I know that I'll be alone forever," Harry said, as he worked on his hand.

Draco, however, grabbed his hand and held on. Harry finally looked at him into Draco's soft eyes. Draco shook his head and tightened his grip. Harry understood his meaning, and he looked back down.

"Thanks. I'm sorry... I shouldn't be unloading on you."

Draco tugged his hand and forced him to look. "It's okay, Harry."

He jerked his head up. Harry... Draco called him Harry. And he spoke to him voluntarily, without being forced. It was big for Draco. Important for Harry, too, and his eyes watered a little at the brief interaction they had.

"Thank you, Draco. I'm sure you figured out that I'm a wreck. It's nice to talk to someone."

Draco nodded and his thumb made small circles on Harry's wrist. They stayed that way for several minutes until Harry had to go to his appointments. Draco let go and gave him a reassuring nod. Harry was starting to wonder who was healing who.

He brought back the menu for the takeout place at lunch and gave it to Draco to pick. He just wanted soup, and Harry thought that it was good to start small. He had a feeling that Draco hadn't eaten real food in a long time. He placed the order with the messaging service, and it was delivered about twenty minutes later with Harry's sandwich. Draco struggled to make it to his mouth without spilling any, but slowly finished the bowl. Harry moved next to him when he was done. He got Draco's permission to slip his hand under the blanket and feel how his stomach was handling that.

"It's digesting okay. No signs of an ulcer or foreign objects. It's really small, though. We'll have to build it back up slowly. Not too much gas build-up. Can you burp?"

Draco looked at him like he was crazy.

Harry smirked and said, "Pottah, that is very uncouth, you heathen."

Draco rolled his eyes and rolled his chest open to let out a small burp.

"Impressive, Malfoy, but good, it's working fine. I'll be starting on your chest for the next few days. It's harder to get to the organs, but I'll be able to heal any damage. It just takes more effort. Luckily, there wasn't too much damage to them, and they healed most of them when you were first brought in. I'll just be getting the smaller issues."

Draco just nodded, and Harry slipped both hands under the blanket. He could feel all of Draco's ribs, without his magic. He checked each one and his sternum, repairing the microfractures and resetting them as needed, which Draco winced for. Then he moved on to Draco's lungs. Harry could almost taste the damp, moldy air that he had been forced to breathe for years. He scrubbed and cleaned all the alveoli receptors. Draco suddenly took a deep breath and stared at him, shocked and happy.

"Yeah, all that gunk is out, now."

Harry said, checking the stomach and digestive tract. The Purge and Sanitation Charms were working correctly, thankfully. Then he moved onto the liver, which wasn't in the best shape. Near starvation had damaged it and the influx of potions he was taking. But Harry noticed that there was a viscous fluid in it that wasn't from the potions. Harry conjured a vial and slowly pulled the fluid from the organ.

It was black, now, but that didn't mean much. He summoned Natalie, who came a few moments later as he inspected the vial.

"Healer Potter?"

"Not Auror Potter anymore?" he laughed. "Pulled this out. Will you take it to Potions to have it analyzed?"

He went to hand it to Natalie, but Draco lunged out and grabbed his arm. He shook his head and stared at Harry, pleading and frightened.

"Draco? You know what this is?" he asked, and Draco nodded. "Do you need an antidote?" He shook his head, tears in his eyes. "Draco... why is this still in you?" Harry asked, as Draco had been in the hospital for over two weeks.

Draco hadn't let go of his arm, and he mumbled, "L-Liver."

Harry nodded. "Right. It'll stay in the liver longer... but only if extensively used. You don't want me to know what this is?"

Draco shook his head.

"We can't tell the Ministry, anything, Mr. Malfoy, you know?" Natalie said, quietly.

Harry knew immediately she said the wrong thing as Draco sucked in a breath, and his eyes went wide. He started to panic, no doubt focusing on the part of his probation of no unauthorized potions. Draco began to thrash, and Harry had to put his full weight on him to keep him down. With his free hand, he grabbed the side of Draco's face and forced him to look at him.

"Draco! Calm down... we won't tell anyone! Draco? You're safe here...."

Draco was whimpering, from both the threat to his freedom and, most likely, Harry's sudden proximity. He wasn't calming down and he wasn't going to wait for a potion.

"Draco... I'm putting you to sleep, okay?" Harry said, though he didn't really expect his permission. He just concentrated, and Draco stopped moving. His limbs settled and his head drifted to the side. His breathing slowly returned to normal.

"Merlin... I'm sorry! I didn't mean...."

"It's alright, Natalie," he said and held up the vial. He smelled it. Even broken down, he could pick up the subtle smells of Amortentia. Fucking hell.

"What?"

"Nothing." He put a status spell on the liquid to preserve from breaking down and capped the vial.

"You don't want me to test it, then?"

"No, thank you, Natalie. I'm sorry for calling you."

"It's not a problem... is he... is he that scared of his probation officer?"

Harry shook his head. "Nat... look at his wrist."

She did and her eyes widened. "Azkaban? They did that?"

"They tortured him. He's terrified about going back."

"Oh... my... merlin..." she looked horrified.

"You can't tell anyone, Nat. Especially him. He's not ready to be confronted by what happened," Harry said and couldn't resist the urge to pat down his hair. He looked so peaceful sleeping.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Make sure no gets in here that isn't you or Joel."

"And don't bring up his past. I got it," she said and drifted out. Harry continued healing Draco's chest, and he slowly woke back up. Harry was ready to Immobilize his chest and shoulders if Draco wouldn't stay calm.

He was groggy and when his eyes fixed on Harry, he started to panic, again.

"Draco... please breathe... I'm sorry I put you under. It's right here," he said and put the vial into Draco's hand and wrapped his own hand around it. "I said that I would protect you. I keep my promises."

Draco stared at him and burst into tears. Harry gripped his hand, leaned over and snaked his arms under his back to hug him. Draco buried his face into his chest, and his hands gripped him, too. He stayed like that for over a half-hour. He even sent a Patronus to Joel to delay his appointments. Eventually, Harry pulled back to stare at Draco's face when his death-grip loosened. Harry cupped his face, and Draco stared into his eyes.

"Everything's going to be okay. You'll see."

Draco gave a weak nod, and Harry assumed that he wanted him to let go. He did and sat back in the chair. Harry picked up the vial off the bed, took off the cap and put it back on. Then he sealed it using magic and then tried to take off the cap. It wouldn't budge, nor would it break. Then he put it into Draco's hand.

"Only you can take the cap off. Try it."

Draco did and put it back on. Harry tried again, and he couldn't.

"It's locked to you. I can't destroy this, but I will keep it for you."

Draco looked at him a little confused, probably why he was bothering with keeping it.

"It could be evidence or, if it does have lasting consequences, then we may need a sample. I don't know if they brewed it right. That's why I'm not Vanishing it. But if it is not needed... it'll stay locked away forever. In my safe that only I can open, in a vial that only you can open. Okay?"

Draco nodded, and his fingers sought Harry's, interlocking with them. He waited and calling Natalie for a Calming Draught, and Draco looked at the corner when she came in. He drank it and Harry felt more at ease leaving him alone. Thankfully, his next appointment was late and wasn't waiting long. Joel had spent a good while chatting the elderly woman up. He passed Harry a note that said something is wrong but didn't clarify. Harry looked at her.

"He's such a nice healer," she wheezed in her old near-hundred-year-old voice. "I was so worried about coming. My son just told me to come here. And Joel explained it so well... I calmed down so much."

Joel blushed and looked at the floor.

"Yes, Joel is very easy to talk to. Did he explain what I'll be healing today?"

"My hip... I fell last year, you know? The healer said it was mended. Made me drink that awful potion."

"He gave you Skele-Gro for a hip injury?" Harry said, trying to keep the anger from his voice.

"Said it'd heal faster, why?"

"Was this a St. Mungo's healer?" Harry asked.

The old lady wavered. "No... my son didn't want a scene... he called a family healer in."

"I see. Did Joel explain that I'll have to touch your hips?"

"Yes... he said that you have to have physical contact, and you would do it under a sheet. He says that like I'm a blushing teen. I've had eight children, you know? And I have thirteen grandchildren."

"That's great. But I still apologize if it is uncomfortable, I will be very professional. But first, I didn't see a recent magical scan in your file. Would you mind if we did one?"

"Oh, really? Well, I guess that will be fine. I didn't bring any galleons."

"That won't be necessary. Everything is free of charge. Joel? Give it a go?"

Joel practically leapt up in his haste to perform his task. He correctly did the scan and then subscribed it to paper.

"Very good, Joel, and let's see." Harry saw at least twenty recent injuries in the last year and he turned to the lady. "Well, it looks like I can take care of a few more aches and pains you have. Can I see your right wrist?"

She held it up to Harry, and he healed several microfractures at the top of her wrist. Classic crush injuries from a hand.

"Oh, that feels so much better! Thank you!"

Harry treated nearly fifteen injuries, bruises and sprains, before the end. He got her talking, and she explained that she lived with her eldest son, who managed the financial manners. When he asked her about her house, it was a large manor house. She had to sleep in an upper floor and had to cook her meals herself. The house elves had been freed a few years before, and her son always ate out. She never had any visitors. When asked about the wrist and her fall, she said that she had gotten in her son's way.

"Elsa... is there anyone else besides your son that you are close with? Your other children?"

"They... they don't visit much. A few passed on over the years... but my oldest grandson... he's such a nice boy. Visits me every holiday, even if his father doesn't like him coming. He works at the Ministry and lives in London."

"Alright, would you stay for a few minutes? I want to recheck your injuries."

"Of course, young man. Thank you so much!"

Harry nodded and went out the door. "Is the son here?"

"Yeah, Natalie sent him out."

"Go get the name of her grandson, get permission for us to talk to him about her medical situation, then go firecall him and say to come here immediately. I'll call MCAPS and security."

"Yes, sir!"

"And Joel... good catch."

He nodded and went back into the room. Harry just heard as he left. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Humphrey... we couldn't find your son... what is your grandson's name?"

He stormed down the hall, after sending a Patronus to security. "Natalie? Where is Mrs. Humphrey's son."

"That brute? He went to get a coffee, after yelling at me some more."

"We have an MCAPS protocol. Ward the room. I already called for security, but I need to firecall MCAPS."

"You think they'll help?"

"They better."

Harry gave them a firecall, and as soon as he listed her injuries, the welfare agent came through the floo and read the scan. Harry issued his statement and escorted her out to the hallway where security and Joel were arguing with the burly man, that Harry faintly recognized.

"I'll have all your jobs! She just needed her hip healed!"

"Sorry, I can help clear this all up. How did she break her hip?" the agent asked.

"She's clumsy! She fell down the steps!"

"She has to go up steps at her age and condition?" she asked.

"I don't have to explain anything to you! Give me my mother, and we are going!"

"You're coming with me to the security office," the agent said and, after some more yelling, the son carted off in restraints after trying to curse them.

"Was that my dad?" a voice said that came into the hallway. He recognized him: Zacharias Smith, the Hufflepuff prick. He looked a little like his father.

"Smith?"

"Potter," he said, flatly.

"Your grandmother remarried, so that's why she has a different name. Well, come into my office. Joel... please stay with her."

"What's going on with my grandmum!" Zach growled.

"I'll discuss that in my office. Joel? She gave permission?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Come on, Smith," Harry ordered, and Smith reluctantly followed him in and sat down. "Your grandmother came in for a hip healing, when I did a scan, I found almost twenty injuries on her, many serious and almost life-threatening."

Smith buried his face in his hands. "He did it, didn't he?"

"You don't seem surprised."

"I had no proof... she said that she just fell. I didn't think he'd hurt his own mother, but he's always hated that she married, again." Smith pulled back his sleeve and revealed a scar of a severe break. "Didn't want his son to play quidditch. Never healed, right. Hack healer didn't know what he was doing."

Harry came around his desk and placed his hands on his arm. Zach squirmed, but stopped when the pain disappeared.

"How?"

"That's what I do. Now, let's talk about your grandmum," he said and explained her injuries and finally, if Zach was willing to take her. He agreed. Harry also suggested getting a barrister. His dad was probably stealing her money, too. Zach thanked him for everything, and went to take his grandmum home, after Harry got the name of the healer out of him.