Chapter 4: Sun In My Palm

4.1

The sounds made Draco unwound a little. All this time, he had held himself tight, curling into his own body, ready to spring at anyone and anything. The sounds seemed familiar, like something heard long ago and then not quite forgotten.. Should he take a peek outside, see where those notes were emanating from? Something pleasant, a kind of joy, knocked at his thoughts. Whatever it was, it had definitely filled him with happiness at one point of time.

He peeked out. Rays of light, hesitant, tremulous made their way inside the room. He looked at the window. Outside a pleasant glow, as the sunrays tried to disperse the night.

The birds twittering and chirping, heralding in a new day. Draco got up and softly padded towards the window. The rays caressed his face. They played with his hair, they kissed his lashes, they ran playfully across his lips, they tickled his chin, they whispered in his ears. Draco gulped. With infinite softness, they moved downwards towards his body. Draco shivered. It had been ages since someone had treated his body with such tenderness. Slowly, gently, the beams continued to explore his body, enveloping him in their warmth. The birds continued to sing.

Draco extended his arms outside the bars…. Only a little more… He extended his arms full-length…. Now just a little more. He stood on his toes…..Just within his grasp….the Sun in his palm…..

"MALFOY."

The birds stopped singing and the rays retreated, making him shiver in the sudden cold that descended.

"Malfoy what are you doing?"

Draco took a couple of deep breaths, trying to control the trembling that seemed to be traveling through his body. He turned around.

Potter was sitting up, his hair all tousled, staring at him from behind those glasses.

"Uncle Harry."

Draco looked towards the entrance. The tall boy was standing over there in his pajamas. Draco noted with a shock that his hair was grey.

"Teddy what are you doing over here?" Potter got up from the bed.

"I…I…could not sleep. I kept on worrying about Albus. Is…is he alright?" The boy's chin was trembling.

"He is fine, Teddy. Here have a look yourself." Potter reached the door and lowering the wards helped the boy in who immediately ran to the bed. Draco felt it a good time to slip into the bathroom.

He looked at his clenched up fist. The tremble seemed uncontrollable now. The Sun must be in his palm. He would open only a little of it and the rays will come out. And they will dispel the darkness and never would he have to live in the cold anymore. His nails were biting in his flesh. He will pry open only one finger at a time. The Sun will peek out and wink at him. And they will be friends forever.

Gingerly, he opened one of his finger…..Then another…..the Sun must be playing hide and seek with him….friends do that……he smiled…..he must be hiding and he would poke out his tongue at Draco….he laughed…..he wanted a playful friend…..then another……Sunny Boy please……then another….he was really naughty but never mind as long as he stood beside Draco, he would give him everything that he had…thumb at last…empty.

Icy hands twisted his insides. Long skeletal hands with no flesh. You wanted to flee away from us. A cackle of madness. Foolish, foolish boy. There is no escape. Palsy outside, hollowness inside. Draco looked at the mirror. A snake head stared back at him. Draco rammed his fist in the mirror and was happy to see the head turn bloody. He drove his fist again.

4.2

Albus screamed aloud. "Albus. Albus." Harry began to shake him. God what was the matter with him? "Teddy go call aunt Hermione." Teddy who had started screaming too, rushed out. Albus' body twisted in pain.

Hermione came rushing in followed by Ron, Ginny, and Teddy.

"What..what is the matter? Oh my God!" Albus' body convulsed.

"What is wrong with him?"

"DO SOMETHING HERMIONE!"

"I cannot find what is wrong…."

"WHAT?"

"Wait a minute where is Malfoy?"

"MALFOY! WHAT HAS HE TO DO…OH MERLIN."

"HARRY WHERE IS MALFOY?"

"THE BATHROOM."

"OPEN IT."

Albus suddenly opened his eyes. "Mumma." He said, trying to climb on to Ginny's lap.

Ginny clutched him tightly and broke into tears. Hermione hushed and comforted a disconsolate Teddy. Harry looked at Ron and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "What was all this?" He whispered.

"Mumma, I am hungry." Albus said.

4.3

Draco knew the screams were not his. He had been screaming for so long now but the others had never heard them. Surely somebody else was screaming. He looked at his fist. Bloody hell. Whose blood was that? Suddenly, something caught in his throat. Was it Sunny boy? Could he have been hiding all this time and now been injured? He put his hand under the tap. The water turned red. Quickly, he cast the healing spells. They were not good but they would have to do now. Somewhere his brain registered that the screaming had stopped. But there was just the emptiness in his palm.

Somebody pounded on the door. Who was this ill-mannered brute who hadn't been taught how to knock? Draco yanked open the door. Predictably it was the weasel. And good that he almost fell through.

"What is it?" He snarled.

"Are you alright?"

This was new, so new that Draco was held speechless. Since when had Weasley been worried about him? He put his hands in his pockets.

"Albus suddenly started screaming, so we wondered whether you were alright."

Oh yes! Potter's prat! Salazar why had he ever used the vaatsalay?

The She-Weasel entered carrying a laden tray. Potter's child immediately picked up the biscuits and started eating them.

"Malfoy come and have tea."

He looked at the goodies on the tray and suddenly his heart beat so fast that he felt it would burst into a thousand pieces. The Madeleine.

"Draco how many times I have told you not to lick the marmalade like this?"

He put out his tongue and licked the marmalade all the more, making slurping noises.

"Draco!" Father now, strict and stern.

"As a punishment now, young fellow, I'll not bake these any longer."

"Ah mamma!" He gave her a sloppy kiss, smearing her cheeks with the marmalade. Mother melted, the way he knew she would.

Mum would never stop baking the Madeleine or coating them with that special marmalade that she made out of the rind of grape-fruit. Always for him. She did not even take the help of the elves. And she would always coat them not with jam or cream but with that special marmalade of hers. And always he would lick the marmalade in that slurppy manner. And Hermes would bring them over to Hogwarts. Mother never stopped making them for him.

"Malfoy. Here have it." The mudblood held a cup in her hand.

He looked at her and the tray and the Madeleine. In Azkaban, there had been only two slices of stone-hard bread and a watery tea for breakfast. But it was better than this. It did not evoke memories. Mother did not stand before him, her fingers full of marmalade for him to lick from. Father did not appear before him reading the Daily Prophet while sipping his tea. Hermes did not fly in to perch on his shoulder. Vince and Greg did not look at him with anticipation as he opened the packet from home.

"Malfoy."

He could not speak. He reentered the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. His face, broken and bloodied, stared at him from the mirror.

4.4

The slam of the door echoed loudly in the room.

"Merlin, he is still such a stuck up prat."

"I agree." Hermione replied to Ron as she placed the cup back in the tray. "Would not even accept a cup from the hands of a mudblood."

Teddy who had been dipping the biscuits in his tea looked up. "Mudblood what's that?"

The adults exchanged a wry glance before Hermione answered. "Mudblood is a derogatory term, I mean a bad word for a wizard or witch born of muggle parentage"

"Got it aunt Mione. A wizard or witch whose parents are muggles, not able to do magic, right." Teddy looked as though he wanted a pat on his back.

"Right." Harry said patting his back. Teddy beamed.

"And you are not to say this word to anyone." Ginny said, peering at Teddy closely. "It is a bad word."

"But aunt Mione just said it." Albus' voice piped in.

The four of them looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. Teddy and Albus looked at each other in bewilderment. Merlin elders were strange.

"Well," Ginny said, placing her cup, "I better get breakfast ready. Everybody would soon be here."

"So you informed everybody?" Harry asked.

"Yes. They might have a solution. I want this bond broken as soon as possible."

"Right. I'll also go and make a few enquiries." Hermione said getting up. "There might be a few wizards at Mungo's who know how to undo this bond."

"So lets get ready." Ron too stood up.

"Mum, I'll come with you." Albus said.

"Er..no Albus, you stay over here." Ginny cast a worried glance towards Harry.

"But why?" Albus whined. "I want to be with you."

"Albus stay over here. Teddy, you and I will play games."

"Which one? The Donkey and Holla?" Albus asked excitedly.

"Yes." Harry agreed resignedly.

Ginny smiled, kissed Albus and moved out of the room.

"I was thinking," said Hermione, "Malfoy would need robes. He does not seem to have any clothes, in fact anything with him."

"That's right." Ron said. "I think my robes will fit him."

"I think so. He seems almost your height."

"Well, I think I'll just give him my maroon coloured one." Ron said with a devious smile.

"Oh Ron grow up! We are not in school any longer."

"But Gryffindor still rules, doesn't it? So there."

"I want to be in Gryffindor too." Teddy who had been following the conversation, piped in.

"As no doubt you would be." Harry said affectionately, ruffling Teddy's hair, an electric blue now.

"Well better get things done." Hermione said, moving towards the door. Ron followed her out. He returned a few minutes later though, carrying a robe in his arms. He smirked at the sight of Harry on all four on the floor with Albus atop him.

"Good luck mate." He said, before making good his escape.

4.5

What the hell was taking Malfoy so long? How long did a person need for his morning ablution? Harry thought miserably as he scurried around the room with Albus perched on his back and Teddy saying holla holla at the rear. Which child had invented this game?

"Faster dad," Albus said and pulled his ears. Great dad and donkey both. In fact was there any difference between the two.

"Faster dad or Teddy will catch us."

Teddy gave a blood curling cry and almost launched himself on them. Albus squealed and pounded on Harry. Harry swirled and avoided Teddy's onslaught. Where was damn Malfoy? He had been acting strangely in the morning too. Come to think of it, he hadn't heard the shower being turned on. What was he doing mooning inside? Should he knock?

"Holla" Teddy screamed and pounced. This time there was no escaping and the three of them ended up in a tangled mass.

"Well. Well. Well. Potter at my feet."

Harry adjusted his spectacles and looked up. Malfoy smirked back at him. Damn the man to hell. He had to come out at this precise moment. Dusting his robe, Harry stood up.

"Took your time." He snarled.

"Yes." Malfoy said easily shaking his head a little. "You could do with a better shampoo though."

A thousand things were on Harry's tongue. However, before he could utter even one, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley entered the room accompanied by Ginny. The boys who had been staring at Malfoy rushed towards them and were immediately engulfed in their arms.

"Albus, Albus are you alright?" Molly Weasley's voice was full of anxiety.

"Ah granma, I am fine. Has uncle George…"

"Malfoy!" Arthur Weasley's voice cut short Albus' inquiry. He was looking at Malfoy with a look full of disgust and anger.

Draco felt a hot, burning surge of hatred. A hatred that he hadn't felt for a long long time now. Here was the man who had made his father suffer. His hands curled into fists. He wanted to bloody well pulp the man's face.

"Oh grandpa," Teddy, who too addressed Arthur and Molly like the other kids, exclaimed excitedly, "you know him. He saved Albus." Teddy looked reverentially at Malfoy, his hair turned a bubblegum pink and the nose became elongated as it quivered in excitement. It was so unexpected that it checked Draco as he was about to lunge at Arthur Weasley.

"That's strange," said Molly Weasley, dryly, "the Malfoys are the ones usually killing children."

The nails bit into Draco's flesh as he put his hands in the pockets, deep deep inside.

Albus gave a squeak and tried to hide behind Molly. Teddy looked as though he could not believe his ears. "Kill children!" He murmured incredulously, his hair all grey.

"Yes we kill them like pigs at the altar of the Dark Lord." Draco snarled, pulling his lips back.

Teddy took a step back, looking at Malfoy, horrified. "The Dark Lord. Isn't he the one whom you defeated uncle Harry?"

"Yes the same one." Ginny replied, coming forward. "Voldemort."

It was the casual way, the name was flung out that amazed Draco. So many years later, he still shuddered at the name. The skeletal hand and the snake like face were back. The hissing was everywhere. Draco tried desperately to shut out the voice, the commands, the pain, and the curses.

"Malfoy."

He kneeled down. "Yes my lord."

"Malfoy what the hell!"

"Command me, my lord."

"Malfoy what are you playing at?"

Draco realised with a shock that it was Potter who was addressing him. The Dark Lord was nowhere. He had to think fast.

"Well since your wife was singing praises of you, I thought you as the new lord would want your minions to declare their reverence to you." He got up but kept his head bowed. "Please tell me my lord how to serve you. Which child do you want?"

"MALFOY IT IS NOT FUNNY!"

"Do not be bashful my lord. I realise that in order to keep up your strength you need to drink the blood from a child's heart…."

There were squeals all around. Draco looked up. He hadn't noticed but now the other children had come in the room too along with the weasel and the mudblood. And the children were shrieking.

"Is..is it true?" "Does one need to drink blood?" "Does uncle do that?"

"Yes it is his special drink." Draco supplied the answer.

Shrieks and screams and cries filled the room. Draco contributed to the mayhem by cackling like mad.

"You have a knack of terrorising kids, isn't it?" Potter's breath was on him. "Just like your loser of a father."

Draco's fist came up fast and connected with Potter's face and Potter was lying on the ground. "Don't you ever.." He screamed. But whatever, he was going to say got lost as Weasley lunged at him and knocked him off the ground. And then there were just fists, and kicks, and screams and cries.

"ALBUS! MERLIN ALBUS!"

The whimpers of a small child filled the room. Weasley and Potter fell away from him and rushed towards the boy. Draco felt savagely triumphant. "That's it," he said, striding towards the door.

"No wait, Malfoy." Potter scrambled up and rushed toward him.

"Get out of my way."

"No..listen. I am really sorry. I should not have done this. I am really sorry."

"I too am sorry." The weasel too had come up.

"Have you had enough of behaving like schoolboys?" The mudblood's voice echoed in the room. "Fine example you three are setting before small kids. Taunts, fists, kicks….May I remind you gentlemen that we are no longer in school?"

"I am not going to listen to a lecture." Draco spat out.

"What do you think this is Malfoy? Some sort of a game. Do you realise that a young child's wellbeing depends on this? Does this give you some sort of a pleasure being so much in power?"

"Obviously it does." The she weasel glared at him as she cradled the child in her arms.

"And you two," the mudblood went on ignoring her sister-in-law and fixing her gaze on her husband and Potter, "can't you get over your school boy grudges? I think he made it very clear that he would not hear any word against his family. It was one of the conditions and you agreed to it Harry." She was now looking firmly at Potter who was squirming and looking at the ground.

"Professor McGonagall."

"What?"

" I have been wondering since yesterday." Draco said excitedly. "You you speak just like McGonagall. The way you purse your lips and put emphasis on certain words. That's just like her." He let out a small laugh. "It is pretty uncanny, you know."

A curious silence seemed to have descended on the room. Perhaps they had all forgotten.

"You remember McGonagall, don't you? Our transfiguration teacher. Come on, she was the head of your house! You cannot have forgotten her." He looked at them expectantly. Granted they were Gryffindorks but this was rich even for them.

"Thank you, Malfoy." The mudblood said, moving towards him. "I am flattered, she was my favourite teacher."

"Oh I thought it was that big, lumbering oaf."

"Don't talk about Hagrid that way!" She said but without much heat. "And now let me cast some healing spells."

Oh yes. He had forgotten about that.

4.6

It was strange, Harry mused sometime later. He was in the bathroom with Albus who seemed more interested in blowing bubbles in the water than taking his bath. Harry let him. It was strange to see Malfoy laughing like that. The sight of Malfoy with a black eye and split lip rose in front of his eyes. And yet Malfoy had laughed and Harry had realised with a start that he had never seen Malfoy laugh. Oh yes, he had seen him smirking or laughing in a taunting manner but this genuine laughter was a first.

He was still thinking about it as he dressed Albus and led him out. Molly and Ginny were laying down the breakfast on the table. "Here," said Molly to Albus, "I've prepared cinnamon roles for you." Albus gave a happy squeal and ran towards the table.

"We thought it would be better if you have breakfast in this room." Ginny said to Harry slanting her eyes towards Malfoy who was standing beside the window.

"Right." Harry said, his stomach suddenly grumbling. Molly was such a fantastic cook. The rolls looked divine.

"Malfoy, come have your breakfast." Harry called out. Malfoy turned and took a step forward. And then, he seemed to freeze. Only for an instant. And had Harry not watching him intently, he would have missed it.

"Not hungry." Malfoy said, shrugging and turning away.

There was a sudden commotion outside the door, and the next moment Fleur came rushing in. "Where ees that Malfoy?" She hissed. Then one thing followed another. There were red scratches on Malfoy's face; Albus started shrieking; Molly dropped the plate that she was holding; Bill picked up Fleur and took her kicking and screaming from the room; Ginny turned towards Malfoy, "You did this to my brother." She screamed. Molly put her head in her hands: "And he was such a good looking boy." Albus rushed towards her and hugged her. Harry moved towards Ginny and held her tight.

Draco turned towards the window. The red lines on his face sparkled in the sun.

4.7

"Merlin, where is that Hermione?" Ginny was pacing in her room. "I have already sent five owls. How many more should I send? Doesn't she understand?"

"I am sure she will be home any minute now." Molly said soothingly.

"You have been saying that for the past so many hours."

"Ginny why don't you sit down?"

"Sit down. I sit down! While my son continues to suffer so much."

"Ginny! Albus is not suffering. He is busy playing with the other children."

"Confined to that room with that abominable man."

"Well you cannot expect Malfoy to rush with him all over the house. It is good that they are just in one room."

"Nothing good can happen while he is tied to that man."

"That's true. I hope Hermione has a solution when she returns."

"If she returns."

"Ginny what is the meaning of that?"

"Well Albus is not her child, is he?"

"Ginny!" Molly choked. "How can you even think something like this? Has Hermione ever differentiated between Rose and the other children?"

"Wouldn't she have rushed back had it been Rose who had been tied in this infernal bond?"

"You must understand, Ginny. She explained it in the last owl. There has been an outbreak of Dragon pox. After all, she is one of the head healers at Mungo."

"Yes. I understand, of course. Everything is more urgent, more important than my son."

"Ginny! Really!"

"Oh mom! Why do you always take the side of your daughters in law?" Ginny said crossly, flopping down on the bed. "First that Phlegm. I explained the situation to her. But the first thing she does is to scratch Malfoy's eyes out. What happens? It hurts Albus. And now Hermione. Here I'm going out of my mind and she…."Tears sprang in her eyes.

"There, there." Molly said, sitting down beside Ginny and putting an arm round her shoulders. "I'm sure everything will be alright."

"Oh Mom. If only you were here." Ginny said, tiredly. "James, Albus, Lily needing my constant attention and now Teddy. Merlin. I'm so exhausted at times."

"Ginny do you think I do not wish it so? Sometimes it is so lonely and far off from England. I want to see my grandchildren grow I front of my eyes. But then I look at George. Lee and Angelina do their best but George needs somebody from the family with him."

"It has been a decade mother!"

"They were twins Ginny. When Fred died, a part of George died too. You saw how he tried to kill himself."

"And he hasn't still kicked his habit, has he?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence which had fallen.

"No." Molly said, tiredly. "Thank Merlin though that the bouts do not last very long now."

"Doesn't he think of getting married?"

"Arthur and I have broached up the matter quite a few times. Angelina keeps introducing him to nice Canadian witches but he simply does not budge." Molly let out a sigh.

There was a knock at the door. "Molly. Ginny." Hermione said greeting them.

"Oh! So you finally decided to return?" Ginny's voice was venom.

Hermione looked taken aback before she shrugged and said. "I am sorry but didn't you receive my owl. There was an outbreak of…."

"We do not want to hear excuses Hermione."

Hermione flushed. "Ginny, I am not making up excuses. There really was…."

"Please. We do not want to hear how many patients you saved with your expertise. I want to know whether you found a cure."

"Hermione." Molly Weasley spoke up, glaring at her daughter. "Excuse Ginny. She is over wrought."

"I understand." Hermione said.

There was a knock at the door and Ron poked his head in. "Come on Healer Khan is most anxious to have a look at Albus."

"Healer Khan?" Ginny and Molly looked surprised.

"He is a healer at Mungo's." Hermione explained as they hurried out. "He is from the University of Takshila and understands this charm well.

4.8

Salazar! What a cacophony of noises. The noise was driving him mad. He had half a mind to tell Potter to ask his brood to shut up. The children were one thing but the Weasley twin was another. He was making more noise than the children put together. Apparently, he was their favourite uncle. Thankfully, he hadn't done more than snarled at him and told him that he shouldn't try to harm Albus in any way. Otherwise….Draco was amused at this threat. Had he not been in that state of shock after watching the eldest Weasley brother's face, he would have thrown the threat back at the man's face. But he was still thinking of the scars on Weasley's face. He had never realised. Never realised that the opening of that cabinet would lead to all that. He had been thinking of his father in Azkaban and his mother at the mercy of the Dark Lord. He had whooped with joy when he had finally got it right and the Death Eaters had entered Hogwarts. He had shattered the impenetrability of that hallowed institution. But all it had led to was….

Professor Snape! Draco's heart lurched painfully. What the hell! But then the man approached and he realised that it was not the professor at all. The black robes and the deportment had fooled him.

"Healer Khan, this is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, the man I was talking about. And Malfoy, this is Inayat Ali Khan, a healer at St. Mungo's and an authority on the Vaatsalay charm." The mudblood made the introductions as the others crowded round them.

"Salaam Alekum, janab." The man greeted him in an oriental manner.

"Walekum Aslaam." He said, returning the greeting likewise. He felt rather than saw the mudblood's surprise. He smirked inwardly. What did she think he was? Some uncultured lout. He was a Malfoy, a Pureblood. Of course, he was well versed in the etiquettes of other cultures.

"So you are the man who cast the vaatsalay and saved this young boy's life? Remarkable. Can I see your hands please?"

Draco was so disoriented by this rapid fire that he held out his hands. It was when the other held them in his hands that he realised with a hot flush at what he had done. It was too late to withdraw now and so he held himself high waiting for that inevitable narrowing of eyes, that the letter A seemed to draw from almost everybody.

But the other man's face remained impassive. If he was surprised at that sign of Draco's incarceration, he did not show it. Instead he continued to examine his hands with almost a professional detachment. "Of course." He muttered nodding sagely.

"What Healer Khan?" the mudblood said, coming forward.

"It is remarkable Healer Granger-Weasley. When you told me of the vaatsalay being cast by a man who wasn't even related, let alone the parent of the kid, I was most surprised. But now that I've seen the hands, I am mystified no longer. These hands know how to heal."

"How can you tell?" The She-Weasel's voice was little short of insulting.

"If you had my experience, mohtarrma, you will know." The man replied gravely, bowing towards her. Then he turned back and said, "You should have been a healer janab." But Draco neither heard him nor the snort that echoed in the room. Professor Snape was sitting in his chair and looked up as Draco entered his office.

"So Draco have you given any thought to what you want to be?"

"Yes sir." He replied promptly. "I have always wanted to be a Healer."

"Healer." If Professor Snape was surprised, his voice did not reflect it. His eyes were appraising.

"Yes." Draco nodded his head.

"Are you sure, Draco?" Professor Snape got up and came to stand near him. "Have you discussed it with your father?"

"Yes, I have. Father was happy to hear it."

"He doesn't want you to manage his estates?"

"No. He was very good about it. He said I should make my own way in this world."

"So Lucius does not want you to follow in his footsteps?"

"No. In fact, he was very happy that I had thought of this profession."

"Good." Professor Snape was silent for a few minutes then he said in a voice that was just a little tight. Draco had a feeling that the Professor was holding himself. "I really want you to make your own way in the world, Draco, not simply follow your father." For a moment, Draco felt that he was about to pat his head. But then the hand dropped and the moment passed.

His voice became professional once again as he listed the subjects that Draco would have to study. Then just as Draco was about to leave, he said, "And there is another thing. One thing that you must learn Draco. All the subjects above will make you a good healer but to be a great healer you need to learn something else. And it cannot even be taught." Professor Snape gave a mirthless laugh as he moved towards the shelves and stood with his back to him.

Intrigued, Draco waited for him to speak.

"Mr.Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy!"

Professor Snape was looking at him in a peculiar manner. When had he started wearing glasses? And what had happened to his eyes? When had they turned brown?

"Mr.Malfoy are you alright?" Healer Khan's voice was concerned.

"I..."

Healer Khan suddenly held his arm and led him to the bed. "I think you should sit down."

"No I am fine," he said, yanking his arm away. The last thing he wanted was to appear weak.

The man appraised him for a moment and Draco was again reminded of the Professor. He had looked at Draco in the same manner, as though trying to look at something that was invisible.

"Fine." The man said. "Come here." He gestured to Albus who was led to the bed by his father.

"Do not worry beta," the man smiled. "Now I want you to put your hand in that of uncle's." Albus looked at Draco fearfully, his eyes large. With great effort, Draco restrained himself from sneering at him.

"Come on," Healer Khan coaxed, his voice soft. With a gentleness that surprised Draco, he put their hands together. Draco felt a strange tingling in his body. "Now relax." Healer Khan continued and then his voice was a smooth murmur. The icy hands that had been twisting Draco's insides all day long seemed to melt…..

"I think you both should rest now." Healer Khan seemed to be exhausted as he put his hands on Draco's shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "As I explained, tomorrow Healer Vasundhra will be here and she will undo this bond."

4.9

"You know I am worried about this." Hermione was sitting in front of the mirror, brushing her hair.

"About what?" Ron asked, already snuggled in the sheets.

"The undoing of the bond. It is going to cause a lot of pain to the one who is going to undo it."

"You mean the woman, he mentioned. Vasundhra?"

"Yes."

"Come on Mione. She is pretty experienced. You heard him say it."

"Yes, I know. But still I am a little uncomfortable. It might even damage her magical abilities."

"Surely she wouldn't have assented if she feared that."

"Guess you are right." Hermione spoke, hesitantly.

"Don't worry too much about it." Ron assured her. "Now come to bed. It has been a taxing day. And you really shouldn't work this hard in your condition."

"Oh Ron I am fine." She said, coming to bed and kissing him on the forehead.

"You know," she said after a few moments of silence. "I'd really like to learn this charm. Harry is right. All parents need to know this. I really feel there should be more interaction between wizards of various countries. There is so much that we have no idea about. I am sure it would be most enriching. You know, just today Healer Khan told me of this wonderful spell. It is so amazing…

A snore from her husband cut her short. Smiling ruefully, she settled in the sheets.

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A/N: Sorry it took so long. Was busy with too many things, including a new fanfic that I've posted. It is titled, "The Weasleys' New Servant" and is again Draco-centric. It is rated M and it would be wonderful if you all would read it too.

Thanx Daedul, debzzz, excessivelyperky, azurerose, darkshadowarchfiend, kaillinne arami, and random-laughter for your reviews. Hope you continue to encourage me thus.

Waiting for your views regarding this chapter.