Chapter Text
Chapter 5
Giving himself a once over in the gilded pewter mirror, Draco did a quick glance of himself and then made his way into the halls of Malfoy Manor and towards the dining room. The sun shone brightly through the hallway windows as he walked past portraits containing past Malfoy ancestors. Their eyes followed him as he passed by and they nodded their heads in approval. He looked every part a Malfoy heir.
Entering the brightly lit dining room, he found his mother already seated at the table pouring tea into her cup.
“Good morning, darling,” she said brightly.
She was dressed in emerald robes and her white blonde hair was neatly pinned back in a French chignon. Besides her tea cup was a neatly folded Daily Prophet.
“Good Morning, Mother,” Draco said, bending down and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. He then took a seat across from her and unfolded his napkin into his lap.
“Tea?” Narcissa asked, holding up the tea pot.
“Yes, please.”
She gracefully poured the hot liquid into his tea cup and placed the pot back down on the table. A female house elf dressed in a black dress and white apron quickly appeared by the table.
“Would Lady and Master Malfoy like omelets for breakfast?” the elf squeaked out.
“Thank you, Pippy. That sounds wonderful. You may also bring out the fresh fruit while we wait,” Narcissa said pleasantly.
Pippy dipped into a little curtsey and then made her way into the kitchen. As she did, two fresh fruit cups appeared before Narcissa and Draco.
Draco sipped his tea and let the warm beverage start to wake him. He was never a true morning person and had to be coached into the day with caffeine.
“I see you are dressed up today,” Narcassia hummed, looking approvingly at her son. “Are you visiting the hospital today?”
He placed his tea cup back on the saucer and reached for his fork. “Yes, I am shadowing Granger today on the floors. It was suggested so I may get a better understanding of the work the hospital does,” he said stabbing a pineapple. Draco took a bite of his pineapple and then chuckled softly.
“Of course if I survive this it will be a miracle.”
“Why would you not survive?” Narcissa asked as she delicately spread her napkin on her lap.
Draco furrowed his brows and looked at his mother across the table. “Granger wasn’t exactly pleased with me last time. I sort of had an accident in her laboratory. Of course I offered to pay for what I damaged but she accused me of just throwing money at problems.”
“Well, darling, have you tried to talk to her? If I can recall, you both didn’t were never on friendly terms at Hogwarts,” Narcissa said, reaching for her fork. “Perhaps you need to find time to speak to her and create a fresh start. You’re both adults now.”
Draco huffed and shook his head. “You don’t understand, Mother. She hates me. I made her life unbearable when we were children. She was always uptight, always had to be the best at everything, and acted very haughty over it. I used to mock her and insult her every chance I got and I’m sure she still thinks about that. Not to mention after that night with Bellatrix,” Draco paused and took an uncomfortable breath. “I think she just finds me vile by association.”
He said nothing and poked at an orange slice in his bowl. “Something about her just always makes me want to challenge her. It’s like she knows how to stoke the flames.”
“Well,” Narcissa said as she patted her mouth gracefully with her napkin. “Perhaps we should invite Ms. Granger over to the Manor one night for dinner? I would love to hear more about her work and I’m sure you both would relax in a non-work environment.”
Draco felt his mouth gape open as he stared at his mother like she grew an extra head. “Absolutely not. It will be a disaster.”
“Oh Draco, you think too deep into things,” Lady Malfoy said, waving a graceful hand dismissively. “Having Ms. Granger over will allow you two to talk more and perhaps learn more about each other. It also allows her to see we are not like all our family. I shall extend her an invitation this week I think.”
Draco groaned loudly. “Why can’t you just leave well enough alone?”
“Nonsense,” she said, raising her tea up towards her rouge lips and beaming at her son. “Besides, I haven’t hosted a proper guest in quite some time.”
Draco sighed and cleared his fruit bowl aside as a plated omelet appeared in front of him.
At 10:30 am he was walking down the hallway of the Neurological Maladies ward of St. Mungo’s. The sound of magical medical equipment buzzed throughout the floor as various medical witches and wizards flitted in and out of patient rooms. Draco noticed how dingey the peach colored paint looked on the walls and the tiled floors looked worn with wear. He noticed the smell of antiseptic that waffed in the air. It wasn’t that hospitals weirded him out. It was just that this particular floor looked, well, depressing.
Draco stopped at a healer’s station where a wizard that appeared to be in his twenties was writing something on a scroll. He looked up as Draco approached him and put his quill to the side.
“How can I help you?” he asked.
“I’m looking for Healer Granger? I am supposed to meet with her at this time.”
The young man smiled warmly. “Ah yes. She should be coming out shortly. She just went into a patient room with the new group of residents. If you wait here you should see her walk out the room across the hall here in a few minutes.” He motioned to a room across from Draco that had a door shut.
“Cheers,” Draco said and leaned against the station as the young man went back to finishing his writings.
Within ten minutes Hermione appeared exiting her patient’s room surrounded by four resident healers. They all appeared no more than 22 and were busy hanging on every word she was saying. Draco laughed to himself taking in the sight. Typical. She was always teaching someone something.
“And you will notice the slight fluctuation in the patient’s labs is a dead giveaway that the condition is not improving,” she said confidently to her audience. She looked up and saw Draco leaning against the healer’s station watching her with an amused look on his face. She felt her face grow warm. “Why don’t we break for coffee for a few and reconvene back here around 1:30?” she asked the group. “Review your notes from this case and we can discuss any questions you may have this afternoon.”
The group nodded in agreement and dispersed. She smoothed a loose curl back off her face and walked towards Draco.
“Hello, Malfoy,” she said politely.
“You’re like a natural with this stuff,” he replied. “Reminds me of when you were in the Great Hall studying with the other Gryffindors.”
She blushed slightly and shifted her eyes towards his feet. “Well yes, it’s my profession. I just feel a well educated healer is a good healer.”
“I would agree with that. Having someone as dull as Crabbe or Goyle would make me wonder what the hospital’s requirements are in hiring,” he laughed.
Hermione looked up and gave a little smile.
Draco cleared his throat and rubbed his forearm uncomfortably. “So, I am to shadow you for a little but, before we do, I do want to stress I am very sorry about last time. I didn’t intend to ruin your work and I do hope you received my apology.”
Hermione felt her grip on her paperwork tense up a bit and she hugged it closer to her chest as if to comfort herself. Did Draco Malfoy just apologize to my face, she wondered to herself.
“Er, yes I did,” she said softly. “Thank you for your apology. I am sorry I got…a bit too passionate about it.”
“Perhaps we could put it aside and just focus on other things for now?” Draco asked, extending his hand towards Hermione. “A truce perhaps?”
Hermione stared at his hand, hesitant and slightly confused. Draco smirked as she looked back up at him, raising a brow questioningly.
“I’m not asking you to marry me, Granger. I’m proposing we start fresh.”
Hermione rolled her eyes at his attempt to be funny and grabbed his hand. She noticed how warm and large his hand felt wrapped around her smaller hand. “Truce,” she said, feeling her skin start to tingle at his touch.
“Excellent,” he said and let go of her hand. “So what exactly are we doing today?”
She peered at her stack of papers and grabbed one to bring it on top of the others. “We are visiting one of my favorite patients today, Mr. Lester Ledger.”
“Ah,” Draco said, starting to follow her as she walked down the hallway. “What exactly makes him your favorite? Is he wildly handsome?”
Hermione shook her head as if the notion was preposterous. “You’ll see.”
She stopped at a room numbered 415 and knocked lightly on the cracked door.
“Come in,” called an aged female voice.
Hermione looked at Draco and tilted her head towards the inside of the room as she walked in. He followed after her. Inside sat a plump, elderly witch next to a hospital bed. She was dressed in maroon robes and her wiry gray hair was braided back into a single ponytail. Her half moon spectacles slid slightly down her rounded nose and she was looking at the two knitting needles magically knitting a scarf on her lap. She looked up from her knitting and smiled upon seeing Hermione.
“Why Healer Granger,” she smiled looking at Hermione. “It’s lovely to see you, love.” She noticed Draco standing behind Hermione and adjusted her glasses to get a better look. “Why who is this tall, handsome gent?”
Draco’s neck reddened and Hermione tried to suppress a slight laugh.
“Mrs. Leger, this is my friend, Draco Malfoy. He’s shadowing me to learn more about the work I do.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Draco replied.
“Pleasure is all mine,” Mrs. Ledger said, taking Draco in. “I will say, Healer Granger, don’t let this one wander too far. He’s bound to make a few ladies swoon. I dare say if I wasn’t married myself, I would be asking him on a date!”
Hermione laughed, noticing Draco’s face grew pink with embarrassment.
Draco cleared his throat and noticed a wizard snoring in a hospital bed next to Mrs. Ledger. “I assume that sleeping gentleman is Mr. Ledger?”
Mrs. Ledger nodded. “Yes, this is my husband Lester.” She reached a hand over and gently shook the sleeping man awake. “Lester dear, Healer Granger is here to see you!”
The sleeping wizard startled awake and adjusted his oversized glasses on his face. He was a thin man with no hair on his head with the exception of two or three strands refusing to let go. He smiled widely, displaying a toothless smile. His wife sighed and reached for a glass containing what appeared to be a set of dentures.
“Your teeth, dear.”
Lester looked at her and the teeth confused and then ran his tongue over his gums finally understanding. Taking the glass, he reached for his dentures and popped them in his mouth.
“Healer Granger!” he exclaimed.
Hermione walked over to his bedside and smiled kindly down at him.
“Hello Mr. Ledger. How are you feeling today?”
“Oh just fine I suppose. Am I still here for my tests?”
Hermione nodded. She produced a self inking quill from her robes and started scribbling some notes on a piece of parchment.
“Do you know who that woman next to you is yet?” Hermione asked, motioning to Mrs. Ledger.
Lester looked over to his wife and furrowed his brows.
“No not really but, she tells me all the time she’s my wife.”
“I am, dear,” Mrs. Leger said, focusing back on her knitting. “Alice Ledger. Your wife.”
Mr. Ledger looked unsure at the woman and then motioned for Hermione to come closer.
“Between me and you, I think she’s a woman after my money,” he whispered.
“You never had any,” Alice replied nonchalantly examining the pattern her knitting needles made the scarf so far.
Draco chuckled to himself watching the exchange and Mrs. Ledger looked up at him smirking.
“Never a dull moment with this one,” she said to him, motioning towards her husband.
“Does he really not remember you?” Draco asked as he walked to stand next to Hermione.
“Lester used to be an Auror,” Hermione explained to him as she put her quill away and pulled her wand out. She cast a few diagnostic charms over Lester. “Unfortunately one day in the field the wizard he was after cast an oblivate over him and he hasn’t remembered anything about his past. We just made progress a few months ago to get him to remember his name but, we are not seeing much in terms of improvement.”
She studied the various symbols that appeared over Lester and then waved her wand to vanish them. As she did this, Lester looked over and studied Malfoy intensely.
“Have you come to steal my money?” he asked eying Draco seriously.
“Pardon?” Draco asked not sure if he heard right.
“I recognize you. You’re Cyril. You’re after my money aren’t you?”
“Uh, no,” Draco said confused. “My name is Malfoy.”
“Oh for goodness sake,” Alice said, shaking her head. “Lester, Cyril was the villain on the telly yesterday. We were watching The Young and Magical. The soap opera, dear!”
Lester still eyeballed Malfoy with caution till Hermione placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“It’s okay, Mr. Ledger,” she soothed. “He’s with me. He’s my colleague.”
Mr. Ledger smiled back at Hermione and relaxed back in the bed as she ran a few more charms over him. Draco noticed how much care she took with documenting her findings and chatting with the Ledgers. He started wondering how frustrating it must be to not only be married to someone who didn’t recognize you but to also try and care for them as well. He felt the background noise of the room vanish as he paid attention to the way Hermione discussed some possible exams with Mr. Ledger’s wife and gently placed a hand on her shoulder to offer her comfort and strength. Was she always this caring?
“I shall pop back in Monday morning and review the findings after his exam. I’ll order a consultation with the specialist and will let her know to order the test before the end of this week. Does that sound good?” she asked Alice.
“Lovely, dear. I’ll be here as always,” Mrs. Ledger said. “Will your handsome colleague be back as well?” She winked at Draco and smiled.
“Well, he-”
“I hope to be back,” Draco interjected, walking over to Mrs. Ledger and reaching for her hand. He placed his lips to her knuckles. “It’s always nice to be in the company of such beautiful witches.”
Mrs. Ledger giggled like a school girl and Hermione coughed trying to suppress a laugh.
“We must be off!” Hermione called ushering Draco out the door with her. “I will see you next time, Lester!”
She smiled at Lester and his wife and pushed Draco towards the door. Draco turned back and smiled at the confused old wizard and threw his wife a flirty wink which caused her to giggle again.
Hermione closed the room door and looked at Draco when they were in the halls shaking her head.
“Have you always been a flirt?” she asked him.
“Maybe,” he replied after thinking about it. “Pansy used to always accuse me of flirting with the other Slytherin girls.”
“I can see why.” Hermione smoothed her healer robes and started walking down the hall. Draco fell in stride with her.
“I must admit, Granger, you are bloody good at your job,” He said walking beside her with his hands in his pockets. “Have you been working with the Ledgers for a while?”
Hermione nodded. “For about a year now. They’re a sweet old couple and his wife has the patience of a saint. It saddens me that he has no memory of her.” She sighed and ran a hand over her hair to smooth it down. “I am still working on a few modifications and equations but I do feel I’m close to figuring out something to reverse oblivate.”
They stopped outside of the doorway to her office. She hugged her papers close to her chest and looked into Draco’s eyes. “This may sound silly,” she said hesitantly. “But, whenever I make progress on my work I think of the Ledgers and my parents. It keeps me going.” She bit her lip as if waiting for Malfoy to say something sarcastic or cruel at her but nothing came.
“St. Mungo’s is truly lucky to have you, Granger,” he said softly smiling down at her, his silver eyes meeting her brown ones. “If anyone will figure it out. It’s you.”
She smiled back and felt her body grow warm. “Thank you, Draco.”
They both stared a moment at each other until a small chime went off. Hermione looked at her wrist watch.
“I have to run,” she explained to Draco. “I need to review some results for one of my tests before my residents come back up.” She gave Draco a nod and started to open her office door but paused.
“Thank you for visiting today,” She said, reaching out for Draco’s arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It means a lot to our patients that you’re considering donating.” She blushed slightly realizing she was touching him, released his arm, and proceeded to enter her office and close the door behind her.
Draco stood there a moment, rubbing his other hand over his forearm where she held it, looking at the closed office door. He felt a slight flutter in his chest and his body grew warm. Was he getting sick? Why did he feel off? He started walking to the hospital entrance eager to get home. He would have to have a word with his mother regarding that dinner.