Damaged Goods by slytherin_after_dark

Chapter 25

- NOT MY STORY!! ALL CREDITS TO @slytherin_after_dark ON A03!!

"This isn't necessary," Hermione protested, feet dangling off the floor as she sat on the stretcher in the hospital room at the Manor while Malfoy changed the bandage on her arm.

He didn't stop what he was doing, eyes concentrated on her scar. "So you've said."

He had healed and bandaged her arm last night when she had the nightmare. That had already been embarrassing enough. She was perfectly capable of healing herself but he didn't seem to take no for an answer on this.

Meticulously he applied different salves, spells, and potions. It was ironic how someone who was so unyielding against his enemies had the capacity to be so gentle and caring.

Not only had he healed her skin but he had also applied spells that dealt with calming dark magic. When he was done, a fresh bandage around her scar, she felt a sudden calm wash over her.

"You're good at this," she said.

He cleaned up the desk, throwing her old, bloody bandage into the trash. "By necessity."

Instinctively her eyes went to his Dark Mark, which looked even darker against his pale skin.

"I don't feel the pull of dark magic as much anymore," she said.

"Good, I was hoping it would have that effect."

"Which one was it? The salve?"

He nodded, placing the ingredients back on their shelves. "Made it right after I got the Mark. The constant pulsating of dark magic almost drove me insane. I'll give you the recipe for it."

"Do you still use it?"

He paused. It was obvious that sharing anything about himself still didn't come easy to him. "Yes, most days."

Most days. She hadn't expected that. Apparently, it wasn't just the permanent imperius curse that pulled on his magic. The Mark itself bothered him as well. Just like her scar did. There was more she wanted to ask but a green light flashed on the wall.

"He's almost here," Malfoy said as he rolled down the sleeves of his white button-down shirt.

"Who?"

"Someone who can help us with the relic."

The relic was sitting on a desk in his study and her eyes darted to it ever so often, remembering what it felt like when power rushed through her. For a moment it had been as if she wasn't broken. But that had been terrifying in itself. Dark magic easily corrupted normal wizards but in her case, it had felt even more natural, attaching itself so effortlessly to her already existing wound, festering like a cancer.

Malfoy's eyes didn't leave her. He studied her like an experiment gone wrong. He knew as well as she did that the use of the relic had resulted in her vision in the alleyway and the terrifying nightmare. Damaged Mudblood.

"Are you at least giving me a hint of who we're meeting?" She asked somewhat annoyed by his secrecy.

"Haruto Tanaka. He is a dark arts collector."

Before she could query how exactly that person could help them, the Floo in the fireplace turned green and the elderly Japanese wizard appeared. She remembered when Malfoy had talked to him at the convention.

"Kon'nichiwa," Malfoy said in what appeared to be flawless Japanese as he bowed his head.

Tanaka did the same. "Thank you for inviting me."

Malfoy introduced Hermione to Tanaka and then they all pivoted their attention to the ancient relic on the desk. Tanaka's eyes widened.

"I have never seen it in person before. Is it still functioning?"