Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Published: 09/25/2020

Harry showed up home to Hermione, waiting in his now clean living room.

"Hermione! What are you doing here?"

"I don't usually get calls from your boss... but she said that you were... off your game. Yelling at staff and patients even."

"It was one patient, who just happened to be a board member's side item. And what would you do if another healer refused to treat a patient? He deserved it."

"And your house? I haven't seen it this bad before," she said.

"That was before I got D-a patient." He almost slipped up, but Hermione looked at him knowingly.

"A patient? Hmm, well, I got this room. Let's clean the other rooms, and we can have dinner."

Harry sighed but with Hermione's help, and a cleaning charms that Harry hadn't seen before, the dishes and clothes were cleaned, the rubbish Vanished and all surfaces were cleaned with a lemon-scent that perforated the air. He didn't know how much better it felt having a clean house.

"Thank you... it was... I didn't know where to start."

"It's okay, Harry. You've been down... and I dare say depressed for a while."

"Are you going to suggest I go see a mind healer? Cause the head one just threw a curse at me today and reported me to head of St. Mungo's. I'm not likely going to go back to that department."

Hermione sighed. "You need help, Harry. I don't just mean a mind healer. You could take some time off. Spend it with us... Teddy or even Ginny."

"I can't, Hermione. Not for a few months."

"Months?"

"I have a permanent patient. I'm the only one who can fix them. There isn't anyone else who can treat him."

"And he will die if you miss one day of healing?" Hermione said, pointily.

Harry frowned. He felt that Draco had come to depend on him for that daily interaction. He had no one else. "Not die. He's in a lot of pain."

"Yeah... but months? You're going to work non-stop for months. That isn't healthy."

Harry wanted to tell her that he hadn't felt so clear and focused in months, years. That he didn't feel so alone and isolated. That he had managed to tell someone that wasn't her and Ron that he was gay, but he didn't. Harry just sat and buried his face in his hands. As soon as people knew it was Draco, they overreacted. He didn't want Hermione and Ron to get on him, too. He felt her hand on his back.

"Harry, we knew you were unhappy when you left the Aurors. You got a little better when you became a healer. We just want you to be happy. You've been practically alone for six years, Harry. I have to force you to come over half the time. You've never taken a vacation before... ever."

"I like working."

"You don't take any time for yourself."

"I'm the only one who can heal like this."

"Harry... they can wait a few days... a week for you to relax and take care of yourself. They've been in pain for a long time, yes, but they will live without your intervention. They will understand. You being healthy is more important. You could wind up having another breakdown and be put in a ward yourself with those healers you hate so much."

"Don't remind me. I won't, okay? I'm actually doing better. Really, I am."

"Really?" she said, skeptically and then sat next to him.