Blood Vengeance

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

*TRIGGER WARNING* - References to sexual assault

Malfoy didn't wake up that night or the next morning, when Proudfoot finally showed up and demanded to know where Harry had been for the last twenty-four hours. Harry took the jerk into the hall.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I found a victim, alive," he hissed.

"We don't care about DEK's victims!" Proudfoot spat. "You let DEK get away and broke protocol Apparating into a scene without backup. The two of you could have put the wards up while the other subdued DEK!"

"Malfoy was almost dead when I got there!"

"You let DEK get away!"

Harry frowned. Proudfoot was right to a limited extent, but he was wrong. The life he saved was more important. "I didn't let him get away. Short of stunning a Muggle crowd, I wasn't going to catch him."

"Hello! That's what Anti-Apparation Wards are for! That's why you go as a team. One casts the spells, and one duels! You should know this!"

"I do. There wasn't time."

"Time? DEK was there. A few more minutes wouldn't have made a difference, Potter! I'm reporting you!" he growled. "We'll see what Robards says."

Harry snarled, "I thought he was called Head Auror Robards?"

Proudfoot glared and spat, "You are not to leave this ward until that Death Eater gives up who DEK is, understand?"

Normally, he'd have told him to fuck off, but it was what he wanted, so he nodded curtly. The senior Auror left in a huff, and he went into Malfoy's room. Man, that pompous jerk was an asshole. He walked over to Malfoy's bed. Unfortunately, Malfoy had been breathing shallowly for a long time as his lungs slowly filled. He had almost drowned in his own blood. The healers weren't sure he'd wake up, as there could be brain damage.

"Heal, Draco. You didn't let that bastard win. I know you didn't... and don't let him win now," Harry said, and he thought he saw Malfoy's eyes open slightly, but they closed. Maybe, he imagined it and watched him for a long time to make sure.

Malfoy's eyes didn't open again. He was breathing alright, now, but the healers kept draining blood out of his lungs all night. Harry could see that his hands shook, even when he was asleep. But he kept his questions to himself and returned to his seat. He waited and didn't sleep, though he was well into a 36-hour shift. Near dinner time, Malfoy's assigned healer came in for a checkup before she went home.

"Can you give me an update?" he asked.

"The... patient... is doing alright. The lungs are healing. His other organs are responded to potions and charms well. We sent his blood to the lab to check for potions. He just needs time."

"Any lasting damage?"

"Maybe to his brain. The Oxygenation Charms are helping to heal, but we won't know until he wakes up. As far as the other... damage... it was all healed, besides his hands and feet. But they will need a week to heal fully. Most of the external damage was caused by muggle implements, and we can heal all those wounds."

"Everything?"

"Yes... physically... if he wakes up. Mentally... is another question. I definitely won't release him until a mind healer comes. There were over a hundred wounds to his body and deep enough to cause internal injuries, that are still healing. We also had to remove a curse on his lungs. It was slowly filling with blood."

"Purposely?" Harry asked.

"Yes... he was slowly drowning. It would have been agonizing. Another few minutes and he would have died, Auror. It's amazing you made it in time, and he held out as long as he did."