𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐒𝐎 𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐒

Chapter 34

Chapter Number/Total: 34/44
Chapter Title: Still Life

Harry wrapped Draco securely in a blanket before the odd group left for the hospital. He held Draco's limp body in his arms, his blond head against Harry's shoulder. Narcissa held one little baby boy, and Healer Sharpner held the other. Ron followed as well, sticking close to Harry as if it were his duty.

People didn't just stare when they arrived, they gawked. At the desk, there was a queue of those having suffered strange accidents and illnesses, but Harry passed all of them, and they were too busy watching with wide eyes to protest or say anything about it.

The witch at the desk stared with wide eyes as well, and Harry explained, as best as he could right at that moment, what had happened. Sharpner helped him, and medical staff was sent down to take Draco.

Harry was thinking well enough at that point to ask Narcissa to go with Sharpner and the twins. He could not, nor would he leave Draco. He accompanied the Mediwitches and wizards to a hospital room, and refused to leave as they checked his lover's vital signs. Ron remained outside the door, sitting in the hall, waiting.

That was really all there was to do. Wait.

They asked Harry to stand out of the way while they worked on Draco. They had got a detailed medical history from Sharpner before she'd left. Several of the Healers had even seemed to doubt her, especially with the only remaining evidence being two infants. Finally, an elderly wizard in Healer's robes came and sat down in a chair facing Harry. "Mr. Potter," he said, holding out his hand. "I am Healer Roderick. I know this has been a long and difficult day for you."

You don't know the half of it, Harry thought, but he nodded and shook the man's hand. His own hands had been cleaned earlier, but there was still dried blood beneath the fingernails.

"I have known Healer Sharpner for over fifty years," Roderick continued. "If it had been anyone less reliable than her, I doubt that I would have believed what I have heard today. What your ... young man ... has done is actually stunning, both for sheer brilliance and absolute stupidity."

Harry frowned at that, but didn't disagree. "Will he be all right?" he asked.

"His body is responding to treatment. Blood levels are better. But we can't know if it is enough," the Healer explained. "I know Healer Sharpner explained this to you."

Harry looked up hopefully at the words, and then looked down again when the old man had finished. "Yes," he said quietly. "And you'll know if it's ... serious ... in a day or two?"

"It's very serious and it isn't my nature to plant false hopes. There is a very high probability that Mr Malfoy will not regain consciousness. Even if he does regain it, he may have suffered such a catastrophic injury to his brain that he might no longer be the person you knew," Roderick continued, looking very sad.

Harry stared at the man, eyes unbelieving. "No," he whispered. "No, you're lying to me."

"I wish I were," Roderick said with a sigh. "If it were anyone but you, I would recommend you go home, take care of your children, and get on with your life."

Harry's hands began shaking again and he ran them through his hair and over his face. He probably looked like he'd gone crazy. Sharpner had said Draco might not wake up. She had not said that if he did, that he wouldn't be the same. He dropped his elbows to his knees and buried his face in his hands. "Why do you say that?" he asked finally, quietly.

"Because blood carries oxygen to the brain. Mr Malfoy's blood loss was severe enough that his brain may have suffered for it," Roderick explained gently, in the voice of a man who had said this to patients before but still didn't like it.