Riddle and the Ancient Contract

Chapter 15, Recovery

Tom groaned and tightened his arms around the warm presence of his wife. He hurt. He hadn't hurt like this since his own maturity except maybe that one battle... That thought filtered into his slowly returning consciousness. His maturityher maturitytheir magical link

"Bloody hell," he whispered hoarsely as a smile crept across his face. The smile turned to a frown. If he had shared her maturity, he couldn't do magic today either.

Vulnerable.

Both of them.

"Trust," Hari murmured sleepily. "Sirius, Remus, Lucius, Sevkeep us safe."

"I took the ward down on our quarters," Tom rumbled back at her. "Anyone could"

"Get through those four? Plus Nagini and Retha."

"Crouch too. Lucius called him."

"See," Hari mumbled and snuggled deeper into him. "Sleepwaking hurts."

Tom's fingers stroked her belly. "You're in pain. I'll get a potion."

He started to move away, but she clutched at him. "No. Stay. Dobby!"

The house elf appeared silently. "Miss Hari is awake now," he asked softly.

"Yes. Hurts."

"Dobby be getting Healer. You is both to stay in bed." The elf disappeared just as silently as he arrived.

They were both drifting near sleep again when soft footsteps paused outside their room. A soft slithering noise came near and Nagini slid onto the bed.

:Healer is coming in:

:Healer better have good potions:

Nagini gave a hissy laugh and coiled at the end of the bed. She weaved her head at the healer then laid her head on the bed.

Retha cautiously entered the room. You never wanted to surprise the Dark Lord when he was in pain and vulnerable. "My lord and lady, I need to cast a diagnostic charm before I give you anything."

"I'm aware, Retha."

Retha relaxed. That was their code phrase meaning he was awake enough to be in control of his instinctive defensive reflexes and wouldn't hex her into next week without realizing who she was.

She cast the diagnostic on Hari with a softly murmured apology as the young woman shivered and whimpered at the caress of magic on her still raw channels.

Tom's arms tightened around her with a growl and Retha quickly ended the spell. "Everything looks like its progressing well. Your core appears to have nearly doubled." Retha couldn't hide the awe she was feeling. She had never seen someone with such a huge core. "You're in so much pain because Magic tripled your channels and expanded them to nearly twice the normal size."

She paused. "I'll need to tip her head to give her the potions, my lord."

Tom opened one ruby eye and nodded slightly. His watchful gaze never left his trusted healer as she slid her hand under Hari's head and tenderly tipped it back.

"Pain potion," Retha murmured tilting a vial to her mouth and making sure she swallowed.

"Numbing and regenerative potion," she tipped another one in.

Hari sighed and relaxed as the potions eased the fiery agony her body was in.

Retha straightened up. "Now for you, my lord."

Tom let his eye drift shut as the diagnostic was cast. He winced and ground his teeth against the sandpaper like feel of magic on his sensitive nerves. If he felt like this, Hari must feel twice as bad yet all that escaped her was a tiny whimper.