"What do you think, Weasley?" Draco sardonically lifted his container. "Granger, I need to do some tests now that you are awake."
Hermione leaned around Ron to watch Draco. "More tests? The healers were already here, Malfoy," she said, frowning.
Draco lined the vials up along the side table. He shot her a look. "Did you take anything?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "No. Why-"
Harry interrupted in an irritated tone. "He thinks that the healers here are incompetent."
Draco snorted. "Not just think. I proved it. I need a sample to experiment on as well, Granger." He said that last bit as a statement, but looked questioningly at her.
Hermione paused for a beat before asking, "Like a tissue sample?"
He nodded.
She considered this as both Ron and Harry blustered. Finally, she interrupted. "You said it was because of Malfoy that I'm awake?"
Harry agreed sullenly.
"Then that will be fine," she said, straightening up. Then she looked around the room, taking in all of her friends. "How about we continue this once I'm discharged?" she asked with a smile.
Taking their cue, people began to say goodbye before trickling out of the room. There was talk about continuing things at a family dinner. Fairly quickly, it was decided that once Hermione was released from St. Mungo's there would be an especially large Sunday dinner at the Grimmauld House. Finally, the room emptied so it was just Harry, Teddy, Draco, and Hermione.
Hermione turned her attention to Draco again. "Have you been working with the werewolves?" she asked.
"Not much," Draco replied absently as he picked up one of his vials. "They have someone competent enough with potions. I checked." At this last bit he smirked in Harry's direction.
Teddy had forgotten that Draco had asked for a sample of the modified wolfsbane potion. He also hadn't realized his Uncle had been checking it for safety.
"Really?" Hermione asked, studying him and then flicking her gaze over to Teddy.
Draco nodded and explained the tests distractedly as he continued his work. Hermione continued to scrutinize him and Teddy in turn until he finished.
Draco didn't react except to give her a grim smile as he gave her a clean bill of health. "You'll have to do more follow-ups to keep an eye on side effects," he said. "Just choose someone that doesn't work at the hospital."
"What about following up with you?" Hermione asked.
Draco looked momentarily pleased before busying himself with cleaning up the vials. "I suppose I could make some time in my schedule. I do want to write up a paper on my findings."
"I think that would be great," Hermione said with a smile. "At least all this can improve our understanding of werewolves and magic."
Draco snorted. "Only you could turn this into a quest for knowledge, Granger."
I'm going to try to maintain an update schedule of Mondays and Fridays :)
