Hey everyone!

So it appears that this month I am late on both batches of updates. Work has been so hectic and then Father's Day drained me as well so I haven't felt much like writing. Hopefully that will change now. I also had my first COVID vaccination today so the next few days are going to be interesting.

Stay safe.

Lots of love,

LSH xxx

Love Strikes Twice- Part 13:

"So what happens now?" Draco asked, "I mean where do we go from here?" he said after Astoria had helped him to sit up.

"Well first of all I want to get the Dragon Pox and burns under control and then we will see about getting you up and about. I cannot deny that won't be easy because of the fact that your ankle is 90% metal currently but we need to get you up and about to get your legs working again. It's been 2 days…ish since you were rushed in. I've lost track of the days now. The main thing is to get the burns and Pox under control first."

"Mother was here… I remember waking up and she spoke to me and that was when I first saw you… I thought it was a dream when I saw you but it wasn't…" Draco said as he looked at her, "I just don't understand how the accident happened. I had everything right. It shouldn't have happened. This was also not the way that I wish you'd have found out about me keeping tabs on you," he sighed running a hand through his hair.

"Do not remind me of that. Ever. You had no rights to do that and yet I can understand why you did it at the same time," Astoria said as she looked at Draco, "really I shouldn't be treating you because of our history…"

"Then why are you?" Draco asked as he looked at her.

"Because I'm probably the only Healer who can handle the Malfoy heir other than Matt," Astoria replied with a smirk as she looked at him, "I still remember how you work Draco Malfoy and you will do well to remember that," she said as she looked at him.

Draco looked at her and bit his lip causing her to look at him and she watched his eyes begin to darken and she swore before hurrying to his medicine cabinet.

"I can't sedate you as your mother will be coming soon but I need to make sure that you aren't in any pain," Astoria said before putting the pain relief into Draco's IV, "I can't stand seeing you in pain… it broke me," she said before disposing of the syringe correctly and sitting back down in the chair next to his bed.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Draco asked as he looked at her, "I mean having the upper hand on me for once…" he said as he bit his lip.

"How can I not?" Astoria smirked as she looked at Draco, "it's actually kind of fun to have the upper on you. Matt is also looking forwards to getting to know you as well," she said innocently, "and maybe wind you up about the fact you used to play Quidditch…"

"You told him?" Draco asked as he looked at her and groaned softly as he looked at her, "what are they like?"

"What are who like?" came the question in reply.

"Matt and Seraphina…" Draco said, "I want to know."

"Matt and I met at Beauxbatons and he married me so my father wouldn't marry me off to one of his Death Eater friends. He also said he did it even though he knew that you would forever have my heart. He married me to save me from my father," Astoria said as she looked at him and then sighed softly, "Seraphina came along pretty soon after we got married but that was when all the problems started with Matt and I. We'd also started working here together and things began to get messy as we were working together and living together and raising our daughter together."

"So the most sensible option was to separate and Seraphina go between you and Matt," Draco said as he looked at her and reached for his drink.

"It was the best solution all round really and Matt and I work better as friends and colleagues and parents," Astoria said as she nodded, "I'll be honest and say that I was to hate you but I can't and this is frustrating but I am learning to live with it," she said as she looked at him.

"What's Seraphina like?" Draco asked as he had some of his drink and looked at her.

"Matt says she's a mini-me but I don't really see it," Astoria said, "she won't go anywhere without Mr. Hoppers, her bunny teddy and she's so kind and caring," she said as she smiled speaking about her daughter, "I know that she wants everyone to be her friend so she will want you to be her friend as well," she added with a chuckle before she looked at him, "pain dying down?" she asked suddenly remembering the pain he'd started to feel.

"I'm fine now," Draco said softly as he looked at her, "do you have a picture of her?" he asked causing Astoria to chuckle softly.

"What kind of mother would I be if I didn't have any photos on my phone," she said before she grabbed her phone and found a photo of Seraphina and showed it to Draco.

"She does look just like you," Draco said as he looked at her and smiled at the photo, "I'm glad you managed to find Matt and have a child," he said before watching Astoria slip her phone into her pocket.

"What about you? Did you find anyone?" Astoria asked before watching as Draco shook his head,

"No I didn't. I couldn't. I couldn't marry someone because it would have been a lie and I couldn't do that. I lost the love of my life so I just worked. The Apothecary became my life and that is the way it has been," he said before Astoria looked at him.

"Did you even date at all?" she asked before Draco began to hit his thigh.

"No I couldn't, not after losing the girl who is still my first love. I couldn't do it. I couldn't betray you," he said and Astoria had to grab his hands as he suddenly to spiral.

"Draco! Stop!" Astoria said as she gripped his hands tightly and began to calm him down, worried about the signs of depression and his mental state that she'd just seen.