Draco's Rotten Day
AN: Draco is having a bad day and Harry makes it better. I've been sick for three days now myself, so that's what inspired this. I'm still working on some other longer things, but until it's complete I won't post it. I thought about working on them today, but as I feel a bit delirious I decided that wasn't a good idea. If you spot any mistakes let me know, thanks. HP/DM slash
AN: I don't own the characters, just what I do them.
Draco was having a rotten day. It certainly wasn't the worst day of his life. Living through a war could be considered the worst years, but no, today was rotten for entirely mundane reasons. Draco was a Malfoy, he couldn't be having an ordinary rotten day, that was for plebeians.
First off he woke up naked and alone in bed. He'd had Harry in his bed last night and guessed he must have been called away in an emergency. Draco had no idea how he slept through that unless Harry spelled him to sleep through it. Harry was a healer now, he could do that without a potion if he wanted to, but was rarely recommended. Now Draco knew why.
Harry was going to suffer when he got home because Draco was late. He didn't hear his alarm and kept on sleeping through it. When he finally awoke he was at least two hours late to work. Irritated, he skipped breakfast and his morning coffee and rushed in to work. His boss berated him for being late. The only excuse Draco could give was sleeping through his alarm. It was the truth and he couldn't be arsed to find a better one at the moment.
Draco shuffled off to his office and breathed a sigh of relief once he was seated. He knew he could have been fired and not merely told off for today's transgression. Being a Death Eater it was hard for him to find any work anywhere. This job of boring paperwork, while not his dream, at least paid him. If he had what he wanted he'd be a potions master, but no one would take someone like him on as an apprentice. Perhaps if they knew he was in a relationship with Harry Potter they might, but that would only open up a can of worms that neither of them were ready for yet. Their relationship was entirely too new to take that kind of risk. They wanted to see where it went before anyone interfered and fucked things up for them.
After a while of looking over some papers his eyes began to burn and water. Great, I don't really need to be slacking off now. Not when I was over two hours late and have to have these done today, Draco thought. A headache began to form behind his eyes and he rubbed them and thought maybe he needed to wear glasses like Harry. He was too vain to even admit that though. If he was going blind he was certainly going to fix them before the need for glasses became a must.
A little while later one of the interns in the office stopped by and brought him lunch. He didn't know what he did to deserve this, she'd never done so before. When he just went on staring at her, she shrugged and claimed, "You were so late this morning and heard you overslept. I doubted you had time to eat breakfast and you're so far behind I didn't think you'd leave for your lunch hour." Draco nodded and politely thanked her. She was right. Eating helped him feel a bit better. At least the gnawing hunger pangs had abated. The headache was still ever present though. Stubbornly, he set about getting his work done as quick as could be managed. He would not be accused of shirking his duties.
About three hours before his end of shift he was rethinking the wisdom of eating lunch. His stomach rumbled and gurgled and he felt saliva pool in his mouth. Draco just barely got to the trash bin in time before violently vomiting. Just seeing it made him wretch all the more. He cleaned up the mess and went to the bathroom to clean his mouth out and make sure he didn't get any on his clothes.
In the bathroom he saw his face, pale, sweaty, drawn, and his eyes were still watery. Draco wondered if he was getting sick. He held a hand to his forehead and swore. He was definitely rapidly on his way to becoming ill. There was no way he could go home now, not after coming in late.
Doggedly, he worked diligently through the rest of his files so he could leave as soon as possible. When his boss came in and saw him, he inquired, "What's wrong with you? You look like shite."
"I feel like shite, actually. I think I'm getting sick, but I didn't want to leave this here," Draco claimed, waving his hand to encompass the papers.
His boss nodded and added, "Maybe that's why you overslept. Go home, get the potions you need and the rest." Draco knew he must look even worse than he did before because his boss was never that kind to him, ever.
"All right, hopefully I'll be put back together soon," Draco decided. At least it was Friday and he had the weekend to get better, but he'd rather not be sick at all, thank you very much.
Going home Draco rummaged through the cabinets for Pepper-Up potion and something for nausea and headaches. He wasn't sure he should get Dreamless Sleep or not as he wanted to be awake when Harry got home.
Draco decided against food and just laid on the couch with all the lights off and a cold, wet flannel over his eyes and forehead. He could start to feel other aches begin to set in, his muscles, his throat. Fuck, he didn't want to be sick.
Harry finally got in late and found him still on the couch like that, unable to move. "What's wrong, love?" he whispered. Draco was grateful as everything seemed too loud to him.
"Hmm... let's see. I woke up two hours late to work, got my ass reamed by my boss for being late, vomited the only food I've eaten today, my head and throat hurt and my body aches all over. I have you to thank for making me late. Why did you use that spell on me?" Draco accused his lover, in as loud a voice he could manage.
"Draco, I didn't use any spell on you. I kissed you goodbye and you didn't budge. Maybe your body knew you needed rest more than you did," Harry explained. Draco grunted in acknowledgment. Perhaps that was true.
"You've taken some potions?" Harry asked. Draco tried to nod and his head nearly exploded. Instead, he quietly and painstakingly told Harry what he took. "Okay, then. I've got a few more things that might help you. I'll be back." Draco didn't even bother replying to that. It hurt too much.
Harry came back a few minutes later and warned Draco, "I'm going to pick you up now." Draco wondered what he thought he was doing, but no longer had the energy to ask, even after the potions. They were in the bathroom Draco thought, but he never bothered to open his eyes. Harry removed his clothing for him and his own and led them to the bathtub. He must have put something in the warm water because he inhaled eucalyptus, and camphor. Draco's muscles relaxed even more and let go of some of the soreness he wasn't aware he had. "This is a muggle remedy for sore muscles and colds, so you can breathe better," Harry explained. Draco only moaned. He was grateful, even if it was a muggle idea.
Slowly, Harry bathed him with the flannel and his favorite soap. Draco had never had someone else wash his hair for him, but it felt wonderful. Harry massaged his scalp, neck, and temples, so more of the tension was let go. He was very careful not to get any water in his ears.
Draco relaxed back against Harry, ready to fall asleep against his chest. He hadn't felt taken care of or loved this way by anyone. When the water cooled Harry stood and drained the water. He toweled off and picked Draco up out of the bath and did the same to him. Harry led Draco to their bedroom this time and asked him to lie on the bed. Draco was all for that as his legs felt like spaghetti noodles.
Harry left the room and came back with a few more potions that he was urged to down. Draco thought it was a good thing he'd done the nausea one already or he would have thrown them back up. They tasted vile. Harry settled next to him and began lightly massaging a cream all over his body that he said would help him heal faster.
Draco liked the attention, he just wished he didn't feel too awful to take advantage of it. When Harry was done Draco felt weightless. Draco snuggled into Harry and breathed, "Thank you for taking care of me."
Harry vowed, "I'll always take care of you, if you'll let me." Draco smiled and turned so Harry was spooning him. He knew now he wanted Harry forever, even if they hadn't been together but a couple of months. He still knew and couldn't wait to tell Harry when he felt better. Draco had no idea his horrible day would end up being one of love and revelation.