Uncomfortable Truths

Chapter Eighty-Three - The Hospital

Draco wakes up in the infirmary surrounded by filled beds. Harry is asleep leaning against Kyle, both looking uncomfortable in the chairs Pomfrey has for guests. Theo, Greg and Pansy are in the beds next to him.

He has never been so glad to see one of his friends in the hospital before. It means Theo didn't die last night. Harry's vision was partially correct, Theo's throat was slit, but he and Greg were able to save him. They saved him. After everything else came true from that horrid day Harry almost died, he and Greg decided to be prepared. They found an old spell in one of the books Ernie gave Greg, and they had studied it. It will help Greg regardless with his healer's training; and him, well, he's married to Harry Potter. The man's a walking disaster, he attracts ill-wanted attention everywhere he goes. Learning this type of healing could never hurt their situation.

The other beds are taken up with just as many visitors asleep next to them. It's weird to think about. For example, Joseph Meadley is asleep in his bed, is head wrapped in bandages. In any sane realm his mother and father should be asleep in the chairs next to him, but they aren't. Meadley has Dennis Creevey and Phillip Gathers at his side.

The only reason he has familiar relations asleep next to him is because his situation is peculiar. Most students aren't wed with school aged children. His situation is completely mental now that he thinks about it.

Anthony Goldstein is in bed, Draco didn't even see what happened to him during the fight, but Mandy Brocklehurst and Mike Corner are asleep next to him. There was so much chaos, so many spells being cast in all directions. It reminded him of the Battle of Hogwarts, the crying, the screaming, it's all going to come back again. Those who survived, those who were there, they're reliving that horrible day.

Draco watches as Seamus twitches in his sleep, he's remembering. He survived only to fight again last night. At least Dean Thomas is there to smooth his hair, to give the sleeping Gryffindor comfort as he battles it all over again in his dreams. Dean with his own horrors to contend with and being conflicted during the battle. Help his love or help his family? He chose to help his cousin; it was the right thing to do. You can always count on Gryffindors to do the 'right thing', but Marcus Sloot and Franklin Arens would be in these beds right now if it wasn't for Dean. He seen that part of the fight; and Seamus, for as nice as he is, he is hell in battle. Besides Harry, Seamus would be one of the last people he'd want to fight from his year. The man is ruthless. He watches Dean lean against Neville now that Seamus is sleeping quietly again.

Blaise is asleep next to Theo's bed with little Simon Wadsmore in the chair next to him. That poor kid, if he had only listened when Harry told him to stay in the school. Holding him while he wept was perhaps the hardest part of the night. He's carrying too much guilt for what happened to Theo. He tried, he really did try to explain that none of it was his fault. That the fault lays solely with that bitch who cast the curse. He'd have none of it, nor would he leave Theo's side.

This last bit though, this last bit he can't get out of his head. This is the bit that's tearing him up inside. It's the gratitude. He shouldn't feel anything positive, and yet he does. He is beyond grateful that Harry and Kyle weren't there. That they didn't know anything until they were called to the Great Hall to be counted. He is grateful that Weasley let them know he was ok, exhausted, sure, but he was fine. Bruised from where his father kicked him, but that was the worst he suffered. The rest is the magical drain from saving Nott.

His father was there. That's not really a surprise; he won't give up trying to cleanse the wizarding world. He won't stop until the muggleborns are eradicated, until he can preserve our culture and our way of life. The problem is, is that he wasn't there to stop the muggleborns. He was there for Kyle, his grandson, the heir apparent. He was going to take his son. His adopted son. Adopted from a cruel house, from an extremist family.