Author's note

Thank you for dropping by. I hope you enjoy the story. Your reviews are welcomed and cherished, always ;)

CHAPTER 36

HEALED

"Did you tuck Draco in?"

Ella takes a quick glance at Severus. He has just entered the room and is putting off his shirt.

"Yes. Why are you lying like that?"

"My limbs are exhausted," her eyes slowly fall close.

She is lying prone on her abdomen, arms extended along her torso. Severus sits down on the edge of the bed and gently strikes her hair.

"Do they hurt?"

"No. But kind of losing sensations."

"I told you not to move too much."

"Erius said moving would speed up the healing."

"He didn't mean that much."

"He didn't note anything about how much."

"Are you convinced now that it was too much?"

"Mmm…"

Severus chuckles:

"This potion matured just in time."

"What potion?," Ella moans, her eyes remaining close.

"Mage Grass Oil. To massage the pain out of your limbs."

Her eyes slide open. Severus crawls over her and settles in the middle of the bed. He shakes up the vial of green liquid in his hand.

"Will it hurt?," she asks.

"Oils generally don't hurt unless you use them to fry yourself."

"I don't mean the oil. I mean the massage."

"Would presumably be uneasy at your tense spots. But tell me when it hurts and I will be more gentle."

"Uh huh," her eyes fall close again.

Severus coats his palms in the oil and firmly rubs along her limbs. She frowns and groans when he presses at the unhealed parts of her muscles, but otherwise it is extremely comfortable. Her limbs eventually gain back their sensations.

"Turn around," says Severus.

Not bothering to open her eyes, she flips herself onto her back and murmurs:

"Have you got some sort of medical training?"

"No. Why?"

"'cause this is not the first time you've healed me."

"I just gave you what I happened to have. There. Better now?"

The massage has ceased. Greatly pleased, Ella smiles:

"Mmmmmm…"

"Try sitting up. There is another potion for you still."

"Hmm?," she opens one eye. "What is it?"

"Sit up."

"No," she groans and rolls over to hug her knees.

"You are impossible."

Chuckling, Severus slides his arms beneath her, picks her up and places her on his lap. She takes the chance to curl up tighter and sink into him.

"Come on. Just a quick sip."

"Of what?," she buries her face in his chest.

"A Millennium Ginseng shot. You will feel much, much better."

"Millennium Ginseng?," she lazily opens her eyes. "Where on earth did you find that thing?"

"Korea, ordered by owl post."

He unplugs another vial of clear, golden coloured liquid and puts it in her hand.

"Drink up. I have just extracted it fresh."

Ella quietly blinks at the vial.

"What are you waiting for?," asks Severus.

"I'm hesitating to consume an insane amount of money."

"If you don't drink it now, it will lose its properties and that insane amount of money will be wasted."

Without further delay, she swallows the liquid bottom up.

"It's a joke by the way. I've just tricked you into drinking it."

"Arg!," she punches his chest. "Mischievous you!"

"I'm a Slytherin," he wraps her tighter in his arms.

"How much did it cost?," Ella murmurs.

"Lots of love."

Smiling, Ella eases her head on his shoulder. He digs his nose into her hair. A short silence goes by. Suddenly, a drop of liquid falls on her cheek.

She opens her eyes and looks up. More drops are escaping the corner of his eye.

"What is it, love?," she whispers.

"I don't understand," he sniffles. "Why did you have to go through all that? You deserve much better."

"Oh, love," she wipes his tear with a finger. "That's life. Now I'm here with you again, isn't it great?"

"It is," he kisses her forehead. "But you have lost so much weight. You are too slim now."

"You have been feeding me like a pig. I will be chubby again soon. Might be even more so than before."

"You've got to eat a lot and sleep very well," he presses his lips on her forehead.

"Exactly what I'm doing isn't it?," she giggles.

It is so relaxing, so warm, so comfortable. Ella slowly falls asleep right on his lap. But before long, she is abruptly waken up by a deafening alarm sound.

"What is it?"

Without answering her, Severus immediately rises and rushes downstairs, followed suit by Tristan. Ella also rises and struggles on her way after them.

"Explain yourself!," Severus bellows.

Malfoy has fallen to the floor in the hallway, facing the front door. He stares at Severus over his shoulder, dumbstruck and trembling.

"Trying to run away again?," Severus props his arm on his waist.

"You are going to give me to the Aurors!," Malfoy cries. "I don't want to be in prison!"

"To bed. Now!"

"Ouch!"

Grabbing the boy by the ear, Severus drags him upstairs despite his protesting cries. Ella opens her mouth to stop him but they have disappeared. Shortly after, Severus comes back down to meet a displeased Ella and a sleepy Tristan.

"Why did you have to do that to him?!," Ella snaps.

"He's a child. He needs a firm hand sometimes," Severus answers blankly.

"A firm hand?! He was disowned, Sev!"

Ella storms into the kitchen and puts the kettle on the stove.

"What are you doing?," asks Severus.

"I'm making him some calming tea and going up there to talk to him," she insists.

She hears a loud sigh and footsteps going upstairs. Some other footsteps approach the kitchen's door and stops there.

"After you've made that tea please let me bring it to him," Tristan sighs.

Ella glances at him over her shoulder.

"I talked to him a bit about the possible outcome of his case. And that scared him, apparently. I caused the problem; let me solve it."

"Do you need some coffee too?," Ella asks.

"Yes, thank you," he rubs his eyes and hides a yawn.

As they expected, Malfoy is not sleeping. Far from that. He is sitting on his bed like a heap of trouble. Tristan knocks on the ajar door:

"Can we come in, Draco?"

The boy gives a glare in reply. The two adults walk in. Ella puts the tray on the nightstand:

"I've made you some tea."

She pulls out a chair from the room's corner and sits down facing the boy.

"You are scared, aren't you?," she asks gently.

No answer.

"Running away won't solve any problem. It will only get you deeper into trouble. Isn't that what did happen the last time you ran away?"

More silence.

"There are a lot of dangers out there if you run away. And it won't get you out of trouble. The Aurors will catch you sooner or later. It's just a matter of time before they find you. Meanwhile if you stay with us, at least you'll be fed and safe and get the help you need. I assure you, reporting to the authorities with a lawyer representing you is much, much better than being arrested when in hiding."

The boy fiddles.

"Did you hear me, Mr Malfoy?"

"Yes," he murmurs.

"Now look at me," she grips his chin and drives him to meeting her gaze. "Promise me you won't run away, will you, Mf Malfoy?"

He blinks at her several times in silence. At last, he says:

"Can you call me 'Draco'?"

A smile slowly grows on Ella's face.

"Of course, Draco."

His features relaxes.

"Promise me you won't run away, will you?," Ella repeats.

"Yes, Professor," he murmurs.

Ella releases her grip:

"Does your ear still hurt?"

He flushes:

"No."

Ella softens her voice:

"You know he only did that because he cares so much about you, don't you?"

The boy nods and curls up, hugging his knees. Ella rises.

"Mr Flandin would like to talk to you a bit more about you legal matters. As for other matters, whenever you need help, please don't run to the front door. Run to my door instead."

He opens his eyes wide and gaze at her. She smiles:

"Good night. See you tomorrow. Good night, Tristan."

"Oui, bonne nuit," replies Tristan. [in French: Oui, bonne nuit. = Yes, good night.]

"Drink your coffee and speak English," Ella chuckles.

As soon as she closes the door behind her, she gets startled:

"Sweet Merlin! What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you?," Severus grins and pulls her into a hug. Laying a kiss on her cheek, he whispers: "You are an angel."

"Why this sudden flattery?," she whispers back, worried that they might be heard.

"Am I not allowed to compliment my wife sometimes?"

"What?"

Dumbstruck, they stare at each other. Flushing to the top of his ears, Severus rolls his eyes away from her gaze:

"Sorry. I mean my loved one."

"But that day will come, won't it?," Ella throws her arms around his neck.

"It will," he holds her close and walks her back to their bedroom.

As soon as Severus hits the mattress, Ella rolls into him.

"My limbs hardly hurt any more. Your hands are golden," she grins.

"I can tell from the way you are rolling," he chuckles. "They might be stiff again tomorrow. But I will give you the massage every night and it'll improve fast."

"Thank you, sweetheart," she kisses his cheek.

He rights her in his arm and uses his other arm to pull up the blanket and tuck them both in before turning off the light.

"Sev?," Ella whispers.

"Hmm?"

"Rub my back."

"Huh?"

"Rub my back. Like you did before."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Cautiously, Severus places his hand on the back of her neck and traces it down her spine. She shrinks.

"Are you okay, love?," his hands stops instantly.

"Yes," she gasps.

"You seem uneasy."

"I don't want to live with this fear forever."

A long silence endures.

"I understand," he gently tightens his embrace. "We can get you a psychotherapist."

"Not now. I will try to work on it myself first."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, Sev. As long as you are here, I can cope with anything."

His hand continues on its way down her spine. She gasps and shrinks. The sensation of the rough pole where she was roped to near death fills her entire being. Shutting her eyes and taking a deep inhale, she throws her arm around his waist and squeezes it.

"It's me, love," he whispers. "You are safe. You are not there any more."