Blackbird

15 | All Your Life

Healer Gordon stood next to the bed and watched the two men for a moment, sleeping together on the small bed, arms wrapped around each other. The sight made her smile. She didn't understand what had happened to Harry, or why, but he'd clearly been through something awful. They both had. She didn't begrudge his fiancé for wanting to keep him close.

With a resigned sigh, she stepped forward and gently shook Harry's shoulder.

"Mr. Potter?"

He stirred, opening his eyes to blink up at her.

"Are you ready to try standing again?" The Healer said gently. "I brought a dose of Muscle Strengthening Potion that should help. Why don't I leave it here on the table for you and come back in ten minutes? Give you a moment to wake up?"

He nodded, yawning widely. "Thanks."

Healer Gordon smiled. "Of course. I'll be right back." She exited the room to quickly go check on another patient, closing the door behind her.

Harry kissed Draco's forehead. "Time to wake up, gorgeous."

Draco tightened his hold around him, burying his face in his shirt. He was still recovering from their separation the day before. "No. Warm. Sleepy."

"I have to take a potion and try walking again in a few minutes."

"No," Draco whined.

Harry chuckled softly. "We have a few minutes before I need to get up," he whispered, giving his forehead another kiss.

"Good."

When the Healer returned, Harry was sitting up, having taken his potion, with Draco's head in his lap.

"Well, I'm glad one of you is awake," Healer Gordon laughed.

"I'm awake," Draco groused, his eyes still closed, "I just don't want to be."

"Let me up, Drake."

"Ugh. Fine."

Draco rolled out of his lap and rubbed at his eyes. "Ruined a perfectly good nap," he muttered under his breath.

Healer Gordon's lips twitched as she fought a smile. Harry grinned and swung his legs over the side of the bed, cautiously pulling himself to his feet. Draco slid off the bed too, sitting beside him to watch. Harry was able to stand on his injured leg for several minutes this time, and even take a few tentative steps.

Before leaving for the afternoon, Healer Gordon paused at the door. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it be alright if... Um. Could I introduce you to Marie? She's never met another werewolf before, and sometimes that makes her feel very alone, so I was hoping..."

His eyes widened in surprise, but then he smiled kindly. "Of course, Healer Gordon. I'd be happy to meet your daughter."

"Christine. Call me Christine. And thank you so much, Harry. I'll see you boys tomorrow, alright?"

•••••

Hermione walked into the Magical Creatures Department of the Ministry of Magic and froze in confusion. The typically small and quiet department was in uproar. Harry and Ron's boss Gawain Robards was there, and so was Ron's Auror partner, Gregory McDougal.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Her boss, Fredrick Tobin, glared at her. "A new department, apparently—"

"Not a new department, just a new position overseeing your department, and a new name," Robards cut in smoothly.

"You can't do that!" Hermione gasped.