Even though Draco hadn't informed his mother about having a longer lunch than usual, he was surprised to meet her down in St Mungo's lobby. She wore a black coat, high heels and didn't quite seem to fit into the environment.
"You thought you could avoid lunch with me when you were having a longer one now didn't you?" she said as he embraced her.
"I was going to owl you mum, but I do have a patient now, came in forty five minutes ago with all sorts of symptoms," Draco explained as they left the hospital building and started strolling down the pavement to the lunch place they always shared.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know, but never mind it, we can still enjoy a short lunch," Narcissa assured with a smile.
...
Disregarding the fact that Narcissa had questioned Draco about his thoughts on his father's letter and had subsequently drilled him for all the details regarding why he actually broke up with "that Greengrass girl", the lunch was actually pretty satisfying. That he now was heading into Hermione Grangers room again concerned him. She hated him, and for justifiable reasons too. He didn't criticize her, and what truly concerned him was that he might fail at being professional just because she wouldn't cooperate. So far, so good though, so maybe he was just being silly. He shoved the door open again like he had done the other times and walked in, a bit mad about the fact that this woman whom he had not been very fond of – ever, was taking up his "free" time.
"Is it better?" he asked as she sat up.
"Yes, very, do you think I'll be able to go home today then?" she demanded to know.
"No, you should be feeling better but there will be side-effects later, I'll have to stay past my working hours so that I can see to your needs and medical care," Draco explained and Hermione raised and eyebrow questioningly at him.
"Oh for Merlin's sake, I'm doing my job! Don't glare at me like I'm fourteen, please."
"I can't help it, you just don't seem like the Malfoy I've had the unfortunate luck to run into in my younger years," she said with a nasty undertone.
"I grew up," Draco replied and plucked up the file regarding Hermione, just to add a few details concerning her health and information about what potions she had gotten.
"Clearly. So, about my cat? I kind of panicked this morning so he has no food, would you mind getting me a owl or something so I could write Ginny?" Hermione snapped, obviously unhappy about the situation.
"I could apparate there now and do it if you'd allow me, just so you will stop complaining about it." Draco had reached his limit. Could she stop acting like such a know-it-all?
"You don't know where I live."
"I have your address right here in your file you know."
"Oh."
"But if it feels strange I can arrange a nurse to help you owl your friend," he assured her.
"I would prefer that," she responded offensively.
"We're going to do some tests now, please pull your left sleeve up," he said calmly but with an edge to his voice, telling her he was getting tired of her rudeness. Act professional, he thought.
"Are you serious, my left arm? Are you trying to mock me?" she questioned harshly.
"It's the closest to the heart, I'm afraid, why are you being so hostile?" But she didn't have to respond when he closed up on her lying on the bed, left arm visible. He didn't notice at first as he searched her arm for a good vein to take the blood test from.
"Oh," his movement had stopped and he was staring down on her arm, the word 'mudblood' carved into her arm.
"I'm sorry about that," he said.
"It wasn't you who carved it into me."
"No but I called you those names many years ago, so I'm sorry."
She glared at him but looked away as he had now pulled forth a needle and some vials to store the blood in. A minute later he declared it done. He soared his wand over the arm and it stopped bleeding on command.
"Is it done?" she asked.
"Yes, but I'll have to see if the potions damaged your body in any other way," he said and waited a few moments.
"Well are you going to?"
"Yes, could I ask you to remove your clothing?" he requested. "I could have a nurse do it but I don't really trust anyone on doing that spell except for one of the healers."
"No it's okay I guess," she said, unmistakably not liking the idea of being in her underwear while being examined by Draco Malfoy.
"I could leave the room if it would make it easier," he told her.
"No it's… It's okay, you'll see me just the same anyway."
Probably not, he thought but kept his mouth shut. Moments later she lay down on her back again in a darkened room while Draco slowly started hovering his wand over her foot, slowly taking it upwards her body, examining what he saw through the spell's blue light. Nothing had happened to her left side with the exception of her stomach that was filled with now dying infections and inflammations caused by some sort of potion. When he hovered the wand over the right side of her body though, he found something just above her right leg that concerned him, a large inflammation that certainly wasn't caused by anything magical.
"Miss Granger, I think we should do some more tests," was all he said. Hermione gave him a worried look but nodded.
...
Draco sent for a nurse to do the ovarian tests as he didn't want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was, being her school bully's patient and all. Draco took care of the rest of his patients for the day and went to check on Hermione again when he was going to end his working day, as it seemed she had been moved to the common room for guests at the potion department.
He casually walked through the corridors and past his office door until he arrived where the residents were enjoying their afternoon together. Hermione was talking to one of his patients and it seemed rather intense so he left it to the nurses to look after the woman. A woman who had grown up to be quite beautiful. She might despise him but at least she knew that he was another man now. He smiled at the view, changed the direction of his feet and went home.
I hope you enjoy reading my story, it has been beta-read by TheresMusicInMyEars which I appreciate so much, all the previous chapters have been replaced by proof-read ones thanks to my beta-reader! If you enjoy it, make sure to leave a review! Also I'd like to thanks for the follows and favourites, it means a lot!
Love /Trezzan
