Disclaimer: I do not own Draco, or the magical world created by JK Rowling. I also do not own Patsy Cline. I likewise do not own the island of O'ahu, though I do live here.

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CHAPTER 14

Draco woke to the usual disorientation. It had been half a year since he went blind and every morning for a split second he expected to open his eyes and be relieved of the unending blackness.

But he couldn't open his eyes, and even if he could it would do no good.

A wet cloth slid down his forehead and nose, settling on his lips. The fuzzy texture felt like terry cloth, and underneath him he felt a dense surface. Moving his fingers over it, he felt leather. He shifted upwards, and the pressure against his shoulders and side meant he was lying on a couch, a leather couch somewhere that smelled like medicine and cinnamon. He pulled the cloth off of his mouth, absently enjoying the moist sensation as he heard a door open.

"You're awake?"

It was Deacon's voice, and in a rush everything came back to Draco. He stretched out for his cane, but it was nowhere within reach.

"David? David, are you alright?"

Draco could feel the warmth of the man coming towards him and he waved him away.

"Stop it. Leave me alone! Don't touch me!"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Deacon's voice moved further away.

"How am I supposed to calm down? You attacked me." Draco could feel the panic rising, the way it had on the plane, but this time Charlie wasn't there to rescue him.

Deacon sat down, Draco could feel the couch shift with the added weight. "What are you talking about?"

Draco snorted, "Don't give me that innocent routine. I came into your office to talk to you about the boys and you grabbed me, kissed me."

"I can't say the idea hasn't crossed my mind, but I wouldn't act on it, we're co-workers."

Draco could hear the smile in Deacon's voice and gritted his teeth.

"Shut up! Don't laugh. You were here. I thought you had your headphones on, I reached out and you--," Draco rubbed his hand where it had been kissed. He could feel his hands shaking and the room seemed much colder than it had the right to be.

Deacon, sounding more serious, said, "I'm sorry, David. I was in the examining room with one of the girls. I heard banging on my door, and when I came something was blocking it so I couldn't get in. I heard you shouting, and the door opened. You were on the floor. You took a solid knock, by the way, but you have a hard head so you should be fine."

Draco heard Deacon take a deep breath, "I wasn't kidding when I said I've thought about kissing you, but I would never get involved with a co-worker and I would never use force. I'd like to think I'm handsome and charming enough not to need it."

Draco heard the sincerity and humor in Deacon's voice and accepted his words as the truth, allowing himself a weak laugh at the joke.

"You look better now. Your color's better, I was worried."

Draco heard the relief in the other man's voice and rubbed lightly at his head, "How long was I out?"

"Only a few minutes. I had Dr. James check on you and he said you were alright, just stunned. It's along the lines of a miracle, actually, considering how hard you must have fallen."

Draco knew he hit the desk as he fell and thanked all Merlin that the anti-collision charms kicked in or he might still be on the floor in a pool of his own brains.

Draco thought for a moment, calming down, "So, if it wasn't you. Did you see anyone in the room when you came in?"

"Only you, no one ran out. And the windows are intact."

Draco could hear a thread of doubt in his boss's voice, "There was someone here, Deacon. I couldn't do this to myself—"

"I know. I'm sorry if it sounded like I—"

Draco felt a rush of fear travel up his spine, "Deacon? Why did you hire me? I don't have any professional experience or training, and I'm sure there are hundreds of other people much more qualified than me."

There was a heavy pause. "Because you can understand the way they feel better than a professiona—"

"The real reason."

Another pause and then, "My uncle told me you were rich. Everything else I told you is true, he said you were good with children, and you are. They love you and you've really helped them. But I knew if you were financially solid you wouldn't mind working the hours I need for free. And there might be a possibility of a donation in the future."

Deacon's voice was pragmatic, though the words were rushed. Draco actually understood and respected his intentions; it was a very Slytherin plan.

Deacon went on, but Draco waved the other man into silence, his head hurt and he didn't want to hear anymore. Gingerly, he stood and, trailing one hand along the wall so he could find the door, walked out.

He took a moment to get his bearings, trying to orient himself in the hall. He felt warmer on his left side, where the sunlight came streaming in the big picture windows, and according to his watch it was late afternoon, so the front door was approximately sixteen steps ahead.

His head was throbbing, but he called out anyway, "Bogart? Come here, Bogart."

Draco left the dog in the playroom when he went to visit Deacon, so it only took a few seconds for Bogart to find him.

"Come on, love, we're going home," Draco muttered, kneeling down to buckle the harness around the dog's thick midsection. He felt eyes on him, as though someone was watching. Assuming it was Deacon, he said, "Tell the kids I'm sorry but I had to go. I'll come back for my things later."

Wrapping his dignity around him like the robes he no longer wore, Draco stood, letting Bogart guide him along the familiar route.

The nightmares would be terrible tonight.

&&

The phone rang late, after midnight . Draco held it a good distance from his head.

The only person he was expecting to hear from was Charlie and no matter how much time they spent in the muggle world, the Weasley had never gotten used to phones, still shouting down the line.

So it was a surprise when Draco had to press the phone close to his head, closer, to hear the muttered, "Sorry."

"I'm sorry, what? You'll have to speak up, Deacon."

"This is difficult. I don't apologize often. I think it's because I'm so rarely wrong, but you were right David and you're in trouble."

Draco collapsed into the recliner and shakily replied, "I'm in trouble?"

"Yes. My papers were disturbed and it looked like someone was going through employee files. Yours was on top of the stack."

Draco felt dizzy. After he got home, he had been in the shower for an hour, until the hot water ran out, trying to wash the memory of hands off of his skin. Afterwards he spent the rest of the evening fighting nightmares before he finally gave up.

Now he was hearing that one of his terrors was coming true.

"Do you know who it was? Did you call the police?"

Deacon's tinny voice came through the line, "I called the police, but they say there's no sign of forced entry, and your testimony can't help very much."

"Because I'm blind," not a question.

"Yes. They wanted to know if there was anyone you knew who might be looking for you?"

Draco laughed bitterly. "No one is looking for me, Deacon. I'd know."

"David? Are you alright? You don't sound good."

"I'm fine. Is it—is it alright if I take a few days off?"

"Sure. We'll keep an eye out. And I've spoken to Peter and Harry, one of the other children told me what happened, so don't worry about them. Just rest, and come back when you're ready, if you want to. And… be careful."

The phone clicked off and Draco set it on the table.

He'd laugh, if he wasn't crying. He swabbed at his face with the sleeve of his robe. The tears would ruin the silk, but he couldn't see it anyway, so what did it matter?

Someone was looking for him and a stupid, distant part of him wanted it to be Harry.

But Draco knew there was a better chance of it being Santa Claus than his Gryffindor boyfri—ex boyfriend.

Hauling his wand out of its box under the couch, he tightened the wards around the apartment and curled up with Bogart on the floor in front of the speakers.

Country music didn't make everything better, but it was a start.

Patsy Cline couldn't tell him what to do, but at least she could sympathize.

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Note: As I have stated before I try to write several chapters ahead so I can continue to update in the case of a writer's block. Unfortunately I have confronted the foul beast in Chapter 19 of this story. I will still update, but slowly, as I try to figure out what exactly I'm doing and where to go from there. Rest assured, the chapters already in the can are full of drama, angst, romance, and a few familiar faces.

I will still be updating 'MY ANGEL' and 'FRUIT' and I'm sure there will be more one shots as I cannot for the life of me resist an idea even when I have a lot on my hands already.

So enjoy and tell me what you think, good or bad as per usual, and I'll see you again next time, Chivalry.