Bulletproof Heart | A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction | Sequel to Desolation Row

Chapter 9

I hadn't moved for days. Draco brought me food, dragged me to the toilet, forced conversation out of me but if I didn't have to I didn't leave Elisa's side. She had slept through most of the days I had been here, the situation clearly taking it out of her completely. Draco had been home to check on the cats and run other errands, however I hadn't left the hospital complex since I arrived. Dove had been in and out since she knew that I would be right by her sister's side the whole time. It had taken a lot of persuading from Elisa to get Dove to go back to the flat but she had eventually agreed, Elisa's persistence that she needed to get back into her normal routine the final push. However, I hadn't seen Dove for a few days now, the stress obviously catching up to her too. Draco and I sat, hand in hand, in silence as Elisa slept on in her bed beside us. A few doctors had been in and out, checking muggle equipment hooked up to Elisa for Merlin knows what but they all seemed satisfied with how she was, not at all concerned for her or the baby. That at least was some respite. I often found myself wondering how the situation might have differed had she been taken to St Mungo's... would she have been forced to stay there for so long? Would she have had all of this strange equipment poked and prodded into her? Would she be okay? I let out a heavy sigh as I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the white walls of the hospital room. Draco had tried his hardest to get me to go home at least to just get a few hours of sleep but I was having none of it. Elisa had given up telling me to go home a few days ago, knowing the fight was futile - I wasn't going anywhere. I would be lying if I said that at moments I wasn't craving the comfort of my bed or the security of my own four walls but I would also be lying if I said that the safety and welfare of my best friend didn't come above all of that. It was the 17th of November, a week and a half since Elisa had been admitted and for these eleven days I had gone nowhere. Something at the back of my mind told me that at some point I should go home. I needed to really. To shower, to get clean clothes and to have a rest. I knew Elisa would understand, be grateful even that I was thinking a little more about myself rather than fretting painfully over her. I would go tomorrow. Or... well... the thought of a shower and clean clothes was extremely appealing. I checked the clock. 1pm. Elisa would be asleep for the rest of the day and I hoped Dove would be back soon anyway, she tended to drop in around 2pm everyday. I turned to look at Draco.
"Dray, I-I'm go-go-going to go home an-and shower-er, will you s-stay here with El?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper though I knew nothing would wake Elisa up while she was in this state.
Draco nodded. I knew there was no way he was going to fight that, he had been pushing me to go home for days.
"Take as long as you need, Lia."
I nodded and gathered up my stuff before kissing Elisa on the cheek, smiling when she stirred slightly but didn't wake.

When I got home I immediately ran up the stairs and into the bathroom, ignoring the Daily Prophet that lay folded on the floor in the hallway. Peeling off my clothes and jumping into the shower, I revelled in the warm water that ran over me, closing my eyes as I felt the sterile feel of the hospital wash off of me. Hastily, I ran my fingers through my wet hair and washed it thoroughly, needing this warm shower after spending so long sat in uncomfortable, plastic hospital chairs. Reluctantly stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a warm towel around myself and just sat down on the floor, reveling in its warmth. I knew that at some point I would have to move but I didn't really want to. I felt my eyelids flutter shut and I shook my head to keep myself awake, springing up when I realised I was falling asleep. I hastily pulled my underwear on and sat down on my bed, dropping my towel to the floor. I tried to keep my eyes open, I really did but the oppressive pull of quiet slumber meant I found myself leaning back into the cushions of my bed, not bothering to fight it when I felt my eyelids flutter shut.

She looked tired, bags under her usually bright eyes, exhaustion clinging to the planes of her face but at the same time... at the same time she looked so overwhelmingly happy. Elisa's baby had been born, happy and healthy, a perfect depiction of its mother but with subtle hints of its father. This baby was going to be so loved by everyone around it, by Elisa, by Ron, by me, Draco, Dove, everybody. I felt the corners of my mouth turn up in a smile as Elisa offered me the tiny life in her arms, a gesture of trust, of love. Taking the small figure into my arms I began to rock it side to side, hushing the burbling cries that were building and instead smiling down at the little thing - the tiny hands, tiny fingers, tiny nose but those big staring eyes. Elisa's eyes without a doubt. Draco stirred beside me and I passed him the small Stevenson, smiling when his eyes lit up as he looked down at the tiny figure in his arms. It made me think about what it would be like to start my own family with Draco. Our own little clan. I would love it and by the peaceful look on Draco's face as he clutched Elisa's baby, so would he. Handing the tiny bundle of fabric back to our best friend, Draco clutched my hand with his, affirming what I had been thinking. There was a heartbeat of silence in the room as we all watched the baby breathing before it opened its small mouth and breathed in a deep breath. And then it began to scream.

My eyes flew open and I swiftly sat up, glancing around room as I got my bearings. Elisa had not had her baby yet, she was still in the hospital and... and... and I wasn't there with her. For Merlin's Sake, how could I let myself spend so long away from her? I shouldn't have left her, even for an hour. I hoped Dove would have gone over to the hospital today, just so that Elisa would have someone other than me and Draco to spend a little stime with. I'm sure she was missing her sister already.

Pushing the doors to Elisa's ward open I saw a middle-aged man swiftly leaving. He looked slightly familiar however I just assumed that he was a doctor I had seen this morning as I hurried into Elisa's room. Neither Draco nor Dove were in there but Elisa was more awake than she had been earlier.
"H-hey El," I said, crossing the room to hug my best friend.
Wrapping my arms around her, I felt Elisa weakly hug me back before she fell backwards and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I smiled softly before reclaiming my seat beside her bed and waiting for my boyfriend to return from wherever he had gone. Smiling contentedly, I watched my best friend as she stirred a little in the fitful sleep she had drifted back into, just as Draco pushed open the door to the room.
"Lia! You're back!" he exclaimed with a grin and I nodded. "Did you have a nice shower? And a nap I hope?"
I nodded my answer and sat up slightly in my seat to kiss Draco. Collapsing into the chair beside me, Draco offered me a packet of crisps and I took them gratefully, realising I hadn't eaten anything in my adventure home. Now that I had freshened up I was feeling much better and was actually feeling hungry. Ripping open the bag, Draco and I ate in silence, only speaking when I had a sudden realisation.
"Draco, w-we miss-issed our six mo-mon-month anniv-ver-versay!"
Draco's jaw dropped as he stared at me.
"How did we manage that?" he asked in disbelief and I shook my head. "We somehow did it with out third month too!"
"It's o-o-okay we c-can cel-el-el-elerbrate next m-month. We'll cel-celeber-br-brate seven months in-instead, j-just like we d-di-did with f-four,"
Draco laughed and nodded, kissing the top of my head as Dove pushed open the door.
"Hi," she smiled and I grinned at her.
Draco and I had got much closer to Elisa's younger sister since Elisa had been admitted to the hospital and I was beginning to treat her as if she was my own sibling. As she came over to hug me, Dove also pressed a swift kiss to Elisa's forehead before dropping down into the chair beside Draco. The three of us sat in comfortable silence, the only sound audible Elisa's slightly irregular breathing. Despite everything the war had cleaved from us, in some ways it had brought everybody so much closer, so much closer to those who I would never have dreamed of being friends with but now I was prepared to kill for. But I hoped it wouldn't ever come to that.

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Hey guys!!

I hope you like this chapter, I love protective Ophelia so much!! Anyway, thank you so much for reading this and I can't wait to post the next chapter!

- Izzy