Burnt

Chapter 22

((A/N: TRIGGER WARNING!!! Description of a medical procedure; needles and anaesthetic.)) 

Harry was able to move the next day when he woke up, though he had to use his walking stick to fly around, unable to put any weight on his legs. Recovery Girl had tried to get him sent to the hospital, but Harry insisted he didn't need to. It wasn't very convincing, but he was old enough and of sound mind, so they couldn't force him. 

"How are you holding up after yesterday?" Killian placed a mug of tea Lexsaidh brewed in front of Harry. 

"Alright, I wasn't really involved, there was just a dementor." Though Harry diminished what he felt, his hands shook as he tried to drink the tea. 

"The others told us how the planned kidnapping went, even if you knew it was planned that doesn't mean it was done well. You're not trained." Killian would have had to take a while to get over what was described by the others. 

When they had found out about the fake kidnapping plan, they were expecting either for the three of them to be made to fall asleep at a time they were told, and then picked up, or that they would be told exactly how they would be taken, who would be taking them, and then given something to make them sleep. 

As it happened there was little difference for Harry, Luke, and Dudley than if they were actually kidnapped. They still had no control or knowledge about the situation. 

"Well," Killian sighed as Harry looked down at his mug. "Just mention it to your mind healer, okay?" 

Harry nodded, he was already planning on it. He had been through worse, he had talked about worse, but it caused an odd sense of discomfort in him. It was planned, he had agreed to it, but he had left him feeling more powerless than he did before. That was without him coming to barely able to move from the pain. 

"Um-" Harry looked up suddenly, trying to figure out the words he should use. "I remember you saying you aren't a man, what did you mean?" 

"Hm?" Killian was a little surprised at the sudden change in topic. "I'm a demiboy. I use he/him pronouns, but gender wise I'm more like the neighbour of 'man'. It's like I can wear the clothes, but they don't fit very well. If that makes any sense." 

Harry nodded, rubbing the handle of his mug. 

"How did you find out?" Harry looked at his distorted reflection. Nico's words having been replaying in his mind. 

"Oh, I don't really know. I was reading stuff online and when I read about demiboys it just felt like it clicked." Killian shuffled his chair closer to Harry. "I would recommend looking into it online, you'll get far more information than I can give you." 

"Thanks." Harry sounded a little down, but Killian had done his best. 

The two sat in silence, Killian pulling out his phone and typing something. Harry's mind was still whirling. He still didn't know what made him comfortable in things as simple as clothes, how could he figure out gender. He was pretty sure he understood his sexuality; as he had never felt any attraction like that towards anyone. 

"Here, this is all about different people's experiences with gender, of most of the spectrum. It might be helpful, it might not." Killian passed his phone to Harry, the screen full of text. It was clearly supposed to be helpful for the people reading. 

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Harry eventually gave in to having stronger painkillers, though he still refused to go to the hospital. It was a pain for the teachers, but Harry was once again reaching the point he could hardly move or touch his legs without excruciating pain. Even keeping his legs as still as he could they still ached like crazy.