Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 15

Published: 12/11/2020

Harry woke up to pounding on the door. He nearly fell out of bed and looked at Draco, mortified.

"Calm down... just say you fell asleep in the chair, again," Draco said, smirking.

Harry nodded, now red as he stood up. "Right... I...."

"And I suggest you fix me and make yourself presentable," he joked, and Harry was feeling the panic coming. What if anyone found out?

"Potter, come here," Draco ordered.

Harry complied and Draco grabbed his hand. "Breathe... in and out slowly." He did. "Now, move me back." Harry did. "Now, fix that rat's nest on your head."

Harry scowled and just ran his fingers through it. He straightened his robes and glamoured his eyes and his blush for good measure. Draco turned the telly on, and Harry walked over to the door.

"Joel?" he said, when he opened it to reveal his trainee.

"I... I didn't know... is everything alright?" he asked, a slightly wonderous look in his eye.

"Yeah... I just fell asleep, again. We were watching the telly, and I was still tired from yesterday."

Joel stared at him like he didn't believe him. "Why was the door locked?"

Fuck. "Oh... that was last night. I didn't want Natalie to come in and yell at me."

"Why were the curtains drawn?"

He glared at Joel, who had a smirk on his face. "I was examining the patient. It's customary to close the curtains."

He heard Draco snort as he stared at the telly.

"Well, you've never done it before. It's almost time for your appointments."

Harry checked the time. He hadn't slept that long in over five years. He did feel better. "I'll be out soon. Thank you."

Joel nodded and shut the door. Harry walked back over to the chair and buried his face in his hands. "I'm so fucked."

"It's just Joel. Breathe."

"Every healer in this building hates me... if they found out... they'd take you away," Harry said, between panicky breaths.

"Away to where? You seem to be the only one who knows how to heal anything."

"It doesn't matter. Healers can't have relationships with patients..." Harry said, and the glamour didn't hide how awkward he was. "Or-Or a p-perceived one."

He couldn't meet Draco's eyes. Did he just make allusions to them having a... relationship?

"You're too moral for your own good, Pottah," Draco sneered, and Harry smiled faintly.

"I just... worry," he said.

"Too much. It'll be alright. Breathe," Draco's smooth voice commanded and he did. He felt so much better.

"Alright... I'll go... everything okay?"

Draco nodded and looked at the telly to watch football. Harry smiled. "I'll be working on your spine after lunch. It shouldn't be as painful, but tomorrow... I'll have to fix your shoulder blades. That might hurt a bit."

Draco shrugged. Harry felt like he was going back to being noncommunicative. He really only responded when one of them was in distress. Harry walked to the appointment rooms and, thankfully, all were short and easy. After Joel followed him into his office, and Harry felt a discussion was coming.

"So...."

Harry sighed. "Nothing happened. We just talked. Both of us."

"He was talking to you? That's great, Harry."

"Yeah... he wanted to calm me down," Harry said, not meeting Joel's eyes.

"Harry... there's nothing wrong with wanting companionship, and you did nothing wrong."

"Not sure if the hospital and medical board will look at it the same. I have to be careful."

"Harry... there are rarely healers on this floor, much less this hallway. It's just the observation wing and labs here."

"People talk."

"Maybe... just... don't stay over, again, then. No one saw or said anything. He's not on observation. It's just Nat and me watching you two."

Harry nodded, and Joel came over and knelt next to him.

"Do you want to talk about it more? It'll be between us. Healer-trainee confidentiality?" he offered.

Harry smiled weakly and didn't look up at him when he shook his head.

"Harry... you... seem... what happened?" Joel said, softly. He was worried.

"I... we... he asked... me what... about... it..." Harry whispered and didn't really think he would follow along.

"And you felt better?"

Harry nodded. "He... was so nice."

"Yeah... Draco seems like a charmer."

Harry finally met his eyes. "I wasn't trying to...."

"Harry... Harry... calm down. I wasn't implying anything untoward. You need to talk to someone. If Draco is willing to listen, then that is very good... for both of you. Don't feel like you're going over any lines with talking."

"I... he said... I... slept in his bed... next to him," Harry confessed.

Joel smirked. "Well, then...."

Harry buried his face in his hands and said, "I'm a horrible person."

Joel laughed weakly. "No, you're not. You didn't hurt anyone."

"He's a vulnerable patient, who can't move or defend himself!"

"Harry... you didn't do anything wrong. You sought out human comfort to help ease your pain. It's a natural, biological need, and he was just comforting you. You were not exploiting him for your benefit. In fact, you were helping each other heal. He needs emotional support, too, and he connected to you... to share your pain. There was nothing sexual about it."

Harry looked up at him and bit his lip. "I... just... needed..." he broke off, unwilling to say it. "...to be held."

Joel's shoulders dropped, but he smiled. "Oh, Harry. It's understandable. Do you want... a hug?" Joel asked, and Harry gave him a look. "I was offering. If you want support, I'm here, too, for you."

Harry nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you, Joel. We can save it for when I have another panic attack."

Joel grimaced and stood back up. "Okay. Want me to ask Natalie to bring you some tea?"

"No! No more. I have enough anxiety... I don't need to think about her getting in trouble for it, or me getting caught with it in my system. Fucking Terence and the head both spoke to me yesterday while I was under it."

"Okay... I just don't want you to keep suffering, Harry."

Harry nodded and leaned back in his chair. "That doesn't seem like a possibility, Joel."

His trainee stared at him, unsure of what to say in response to that.

"I need a coffee. Want to come?" Harry asked, almost needing the escort.

"Sure, Harry."

Natalie decided to come too so that she could grab lunch. They went to the tearoom and paid, before starting back. He waited for her to ambush him, too, as she would have had to deliver Draco's potions at seven before Joel had knocked. He wouldn't meet her eyes, and the anxiety started to build rapidly. He wasn't even paying attention to where they were going. He got back in the lift and off, just following Joel, and realized he was outside. He looked, and it was the roof veranda.

"Come on, Harry. There is a table and some chairs over here."

Harry followed. The roof was just an open space where patients and healers could walk outside. The roof had glamours and charms, preventing muggles from seeing it and people from jumping. Most people that came out here were just having a muggle cig.

"Less crowded, huh?" Joel said, and Harry nodded, enjoying the nice late autumn day.

He sipped the coffee that Joel had ordered for him. "Yeah, thanks."

Natalie was across from him, and she said that Dennis got a krup, the day before, without telling her. It ate half her socks and two trainers. She said that she hit Dennis with the torn-up shoe instead of the krup, who was starting to grow on her. Harry figured out that she wasn't going to bring it up. Joel and Natalie must have secret ways of communicating.

When he calmed down, they headed back down, and he just went straight to his appointments. He hoped Natalie would take Draco his potions. He wasn't ready to deal with the Slytherin, yet. He dragged out his other appointments as long as he could and then took Joel back to the office to sit down, go over the cases. Joel answered all of his questions very well.

"Harry?" Joel asked.

"Yes?"

"I had... a... theory... about Draco's shoulder blade injuries?" Joel started, and Harry waved him to proceed. "You said it wasn't the same weight, but the scan shows that it happened about the same time period?"

"I did. The scan also shows there are multiple reinjuries to them, too, and that they weren't healed correctly."

Joel nodded, with this information. "I think... it was from the forward-leaning weight of a full-grown man. Because the weight would vary depending on how much the person shifts their weight from side to side."

Harry just nodded. "Course, it would also make sense if there was more than one person involved, who weighs differently than the other."

Joel looked at him and took a deep breath, taking it in.

"I also wanted you to see that there were no corresponding injuries to his front, so that he wasn't on his back with someone pressing him into the ground. The ribs will also break a lot easier than the shoulder blade. There are stress fractures on the front of the rib cage, but not to the extent that it should be if someone were to apply full weight. What does that mean?"

Joel thought about it. "He was on a bed... or something soft."

"Very good," Harry said, somberly. "What overall conclusions have you drawn so far about what he went through?"

Joel swallowed and he breathed hard. "He was chained down to a bed... for years. Bound hand and foot on his stomach. The bone density and muscle mass indication that he was starved periodically, or feed too little. He was given basic healing charms, but they weren't properly done... most likely not a healer, but someone with a basic education. The stress fractures on his back, neck, face and shoulders indicate that he was forced downward into the mattress by someone behind him."

Joel stopped for a second and said, "The damage to his knees and hips... the old damage... shows they were overextended and damage to his wrists and ankles showed pulling... stretching. T-There's damage to his... anal cavity. A lot. He was r-raped many times... maybe every day." Joel had some tears in his eyes, and Harry took his hands.

"The world is full of people, Joel. Most are good, some are indifferent and the worst are bad. You will see bad stuff like this, again, if you work in this field."

He nodded, fully crying, now. "He's... how could anyone...."

Harry nodded. "Joel... it's not too late to find another profession, either. I did."

"No... we can help people, right? We can help him get better?" Joel said, wiping his eyes.

"I like to think so. I mean... he seems better than me at this point."

Joel looked at him. "I don't think that, Harry. Remember how scared he was when his parole officer is here? He only responds to you. He only trusts you. He won't look at Natalie or me, and he hasn't talked about it. And after seeing what he did to that mind healer, I'm guessing he knows how to ignore his memories. It's never a good thing."

Harry nodded. "Maybe. I got two months with him still."

"If there's anyone who can help him, it's you. I have to tell you that you've helped me so much... not just as a healer, but... I feel like I belong here, like I can help, now."

Harry smiled. "You're going to do great, Joel. I'm happy for you, and you helped me, too. I haven't been able to go out in years. So... we helped out each other."

"Just like you are doing with Draco?" Joel said.

Harry frowned.

"Look... stop avoiding him. You can't put this off forever."

Harry scowled, but nodded. "Fine... but I'll give you one last homework assignment." He got up and pointed to the scan results for Draco's stomach muscles. "See this... it is most prominent here, but all the muscles and bones have it. You need to tell me what this damage is from. It's very subtle to tell, but you must learn to recognize it."

"Muscle atrophy?" Joel guessed, squinting at the scan.

"Not going to get much atrophy in the stomach. Draco still had to breathe. But compare it to his other areas and even to patients that have come in."

"Okay."

"Alright. Go on home early after you drop the potions off."

"Thanks, Harry."

Harry nodded and made his way down to Draco's room. This was going to be awkward. He opened the door and smiled, as Draco looked at him. Draco's eyes watched him carefully, but the fleeting looks Harry spared in his direction didn't give Harry insight as to what was going to happen. He waited until Joel brought the evening potions and started.

"Let's check that back, okay? There won't be a need for the full Immoblius, but I'm going to use magic to lift you," Harry said, reverting back to his professionalism.

Draco only nodded, but his gray eyes were watching him.

Harry just closed his eyes, though, and felt his muscles along his spine, working out the smaller kinks and breaks. He adjusted the tightness of the reattached muscles as Draco had been moving his body more. Harry was relieved that Draco might be free of the Immoblius Charm in a week, but really healing the injuries was just the first step. The whole next month would be rebuilding Draco's muscles and massaging out the kinks. It would take that long, just to get his muscles up to handling his weight, much less training them to maneuver them.

After an hour of healing, he gently laid Draco on his back and started checking his chest for signs of distress. Harry was drawing this out as long as possible to stave off the conversation. He didn't open his eyes, but was feeling Draco staring at him.

"I'm reinforcing your stomach muscles. Next week we will be using them more, once I finish healing your hips."

Draco didn't say anything. Harry just checked out everything and then finally stopped. He opened his eyes, but keep them on Draco's blanket.

"Alright... it looks good. Everything feel fine?"

Draco didn't answer. Harry wouldn't turn to see his expression.

"O-Okay... I'll get your potions."

"Harry...."

Harry took a shaky breath.

"Harry, look at me," Draco ordered.

Harry shivered and finally did so. Draco's sharp grey eyes stared at him.

"You don't have to feel embarrassed or ashamed, Harry," Draco whispered. "Not around me. I'm glad that you told me what happened. You shouldn't have had to bear that pain alone for so long."

"I'm your healer. I shouldn't have...."

"Harry, you are more than just my healer. We've always been more. We both know that. I especially knew it the moment I came to your ward."

"You asked for someone else," Harry whispered, looking away.

"Because I didn't want to be laughed at... or scorned... or worse hear you ask about how everything happened. Feel your fake sympathy and apathy. But you were kind. You were patient and you understood... everything. You didn't make me talk. You didn't force me to eat. You didn't pry. I can't thank you enough... not for just healing me, but showing me more dignity than I deserve."

"Everyone deserves it, Draco. I treat everyone that way."

"You didn't have to call me Draco. You didn't have to talk to me willing. Bring me magazines and telly. You didn't have to threaten my parole officer on my behalf. And you definitely don't treat everyone that way. You don't call your other patients by their first name. And you regularly tell Higgs to fuck off."

He glowered. "He's an asshole."

"I'm an asshole, remember?" Draco snapped, and Harry stared, uncertain of how to respond. "I broke your nose, called your friends names, almost killed your best mate... on his birthday nonetheless, and set up your mentor to die. Did you forget all that?"

Harry tightened up, and tears filled his eyes. "I didn't."

Draco took his hand. "Harry... my point is... you shouldn't have helped me, and if you want me to apologize... for everything, I will. Even to... Weasley. But you didn't know or care if I did have any remorse. You could have left me to die, but instead... you brought me back to life. I'll never be able to repay your kindness, so that small service, of hearing your pain and holding you through that bad memory... meant so much to me."

Harry's lip trembled and he nodded. "It meant a lot to me, Draco. I felt... safe that I could trust you. It's been so hard to trust anyone... even myself. I lost my confidence, everything that day."

Draco took his hand. "You didn't lose your heart, Harry. This, right here, shows that he didn't take that from you. You're still a hero, a fighter and bravest git I know."