This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
House: Hufflepuff
Year: 4
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Illness] Headache
Word Count: 585
[Note: I am not a person that regularly gets headaches/ migraines, but I am writing as someone who once thought my head was going to explode.]
Pureblood Problems, Muggle Solution?
Draco Malfoy was a Pureblood, no illness was about to get him down, thank you very much. But he had never experienced anything quite like this before.
He heard Crabbe and Goyle chatting very loudly, debating about what Draco's secret task was for the Dark Lord.
His head was throbbing; he rubbed his temples, opening his eyes to tell his cronies to Bugger off. The light made him dizzy, making him lie back down.
"Shut it, you two," Malfoy barked at them. They were used to his moods, but left the dorm instead of facing his wrath.
His head was pounding, but he got up anyway,. Perhaps some food would help. He winced; Draco had never had a headache this bad before. In the Great Hall his eyes moved to Potter and his friends. He had overheard them once saying that Granger was prone to bad migraines and had a note to skip classes from Madam Pomrey herself.
He hated admitting this, but Granger could be his best bet for a quick solution. Perhaps she had a potion that could help him? He couldn't have everyone knowing and thinking he was weak. He rolled his eyes. Another wave of pain hit him, his head was bursting, then realised there was nothing else to be done but swallow his pride and ask for her help.
He caught the bushy-haired Gryffindor leaving the Great Hall. He wasn't expecting it to be this easy to get her alone. "Granger, a moment?" he asked.
Hermione paused and turned to Malfoy. She recognises the signs, the wincing at light, loud noises, she was all to familiar with this sort of thing. "Migraine huh? Not so funny when it happens to you, is it?" Hermione smirked. He knew he had it coming, and had no choice but to bite back a snarky response.
"Please, Granger," he said instead. Her mouth dropped open as he added, "I need your help."
She debated it for a while before deciding it was not worth letting him suffer. She handing him a plastic container with what looked like Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans inside. "What is this?" He asked suspiciously.
"A migraine bomb. Take the blue one first, the rest an hour later, and make sure you eat." She directed before turning and walking off to class.
He barely made it through his classes, and then decided it was worth the risk. If Granger poisoned him, at least his pain would be over.
He knocked back the tablets as directed and went to sleep. When he woke up the pounding was gone so he knew it had worked. He wondered where Hermione had gotten such a powerful indigestible micro potion vial and made a mental note to ask her about it. As much as he disliked her, he knew his upbringing required him to be polite and at least thank her.
"Hey, Granger," Draco started.
"Yes?" she asked, eyebrow raised. She had not expected him to actually thank her.
"Where did you get such a strong potion from?" he asked.
Granger cracked up laughing. "A potion? Oh, boy." She chuckled. "That's Muggle medicine. The only thing I found that works." The expression on Malfoy's face made her laugh even harder.
Draco looked disgusted. Muggle medicine? He shook his head; some things would never make sense, but thank goodness for Muggles. If his father could hear his thoughts now, he sniggered. Luckily Granger was noble and wouldn't spread rumours; he would never live this down otherwise.