Routine Recovery

Summary of this story:

On a cool dark rainy day, the one that has despised her since day one shows up in her yard severely beaten. Given Hermione's compassion and forgiving nature she takes in and the last person that she'd ever give a chance to. That's right, Draco! She looks after him and they become good friends despite all their spats they've had over the past five years. A week later, she, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Draco have to get a physical. They go to a Muggle doctor obviously who is also is a Medi-Wizard or should I say Healer. Now most of Draco's injuries are healed. Anyway, since Harry, Hermione, and Ginny have already had one, Ron and Draco must as well. Everyone else is along for support considering that a wizard in a muggle environment would be quite creepy. Once there, Ron is first and of course in the story I'll go into details. But he is healthy. They find out his blood type is B-. Ginny's is B+. Harry is A-. Hermione's is O+. Draco's is O-. Anyway, it gets angsty, but not too much.

On a cool rainy day, Hermione is inside her house going about the muggle life she grew up in. She is basically picking up around the house and doing what her parents to tell her to do during the day while they are hard at work fixing people's teeth. She felt really productive that day considering when school got out a week ago she already had her summer homework done. She had been running around all morning doing her around-the-house-chores and had become too warm and needed some air. So she stepped outside on the porch in order to cool off. But what she saw in the grass nearby was the person she least expected. There was a figure wearing black robes sprawled out on the grass soaked not only from the rain, but his own blood. She got closer and lifted up the robes that covered his face and gasped as though she was breathless. It was such a shock that she stood there for a minute. Hermione then came to her senses and knelt down to help out her enemy, Draco Malfoy.

Even though seeing him there was quite a shock, she nevertheless gently shook him like you are supposed to do when checking for responsiveness on a supposedly unconscious person. Fortunately for her he was responsive and let out a painful lengthy moan. Then she asked him if he could get up. And refusing to show defeat not to mention weakness, he slowly got up. As he got up, she noticed it was a struggle for him just to be able to stand and walk. Even so she was pretty strong and could help him into her house to fix him up. As they walked in to Hermione's house, Draco looked at her and saw the concern in her eyes for him. As she was helping him inside he looked at her he asked "why are you being so nice to me after five years of crap I've given you?" Her answer was "I could never just turn away someone no matter who they are or what they've done. After all, everyone deserves a second chance because there might be things you don't know about them." At that he felt that he was redeemed for all the wrong he's done and that she was a friend not only to have but to keep. Her kindness towards him was so unexpected that he trusted her enough to call her by her first name with no insults attached. She felt the same way as he began to open up to her about his life. She felt comfortable as well by calling him by his first name too. Once they were inside, she helped him to the couch so that when her parents got home she'd also be there to explain what happened so they wouldn't jump to conclusions. So as he got settled on the couch, she helped him get out of his soaked and blood-stained robes. As soon as they were off, she put them in the laundry room to wash. She came back in the room and noticed many bloody gashes on his abdomen and the whip marks on his back. So at that she began to treat his injuries so they wouldn't get infected and did it gently so as not to hurt him. She then asked what happened and he hesitated at first but thought it best to tell her. So with a tone of fear and anguish explained what happened to him. "Well today I was to be initiated as a Death Eater against my will. I had no control over it; father put the Imperious Curse on me. The night before not to mention since last year I was reminded at every waking moment that I would become one of them. So being that I had point-blank refused to become one for over a year, I was taken down to the dungeons and not just beaten, but given the Cruciatus Curse too. Then this morning I had intended to run away and escape. Unfortunately I was caught, beaten once again, and put under the Imperious Curse. I thought the situation was hopeless as we went to the initiation, but I remembered from DADA in fourth year that you could fight it. And I did, no matter how hard it got for me not to give in. As soon as it was fought, I only pretended to still be controlled, but as soon as father was making me approach Voldemort, I waited until he got close, pulled out my wand, and stupefied him and father. Then I ran and took out a portkey that Mum gave me that morning because she could not bare me becoming an exact clone of father. In fact, she was the one that encouraged me to think for myself throughout my life. After these recent beatings she would somehow know and come to heal me up. Anyway I was thinking of some place safe and I don't get why it brought me here. Somehow she knew." After he finished telling her she felt really special that it was her place that was safe for him to come to. Then Hermione said in all empathy and compassion for Draco "it's good that you are here and I will be here for you whenever you need anything." Then he said "thank you so much for taking me in I didn't think you would!" "Well, like I said, everyone deserves a second chance, especially you!" By then Hermione had already finished tending to his injuries so he'd be comfortable and able to rest. As she did, Draco was gratefully looking at her and feeling her gentleness like that of his mother whenever he had gotten hurt as a child to his present age. Despite all his injuries, as he was being tended to, it didn't even hurt when she was cleaning them.

Several hours later, at 7 p.m. Hermione's parents got home and found their daughter sitting on the couch next to Draco who was asleep. They asked who that was and she told them what all happened that afternoon and were supportive. By the time Hermione was done explaining to her parents the situation, Draco awoke. Her parents were still in the room and Hermione introduced them to Draco and they were just as compassionate as Hermione. So they asked Draco how he was feeling and he was all "A little sore, but I'll be fine." At that Hermione's mother being what moms are when it comes to a child's well-being went up to Draco and felt his forehead, he was a little warm, but there was nothing to worry about. Then her father helped him to the guest room and made him comfortable in some long T-shirts and of course boxers and what not. Once the guys were done getting comfy, Hermione came in and spent a lot of time with Draco. When it got late, she went to bed in the room across from it, which was hers. All the rest of that week, Draco had gotten better everyday, but had some abdominal pain that would fluctuate from being mild to severe.

She had kept up correspondence with her friends, mainly Harry, Ron, and Ginny. She informed them of what happened and had been going on all week. Harry and Ron at first had their doubts, but Ginny was all excited to hear about Draco being there and Hermione had even told her she was beginning to like him as more than a friend. Anyway, the next day Harry, Ginny, and Ron were going to go with Draco and Hermione to a muggle doctor for a physical who was also a Healer, that's right a wizard. Well basically they all needed one. The doctor's name was Frank Samuels.

The next morning, they all met up at the doctor's office and since Harry and Hermione knew what the routine was, they went first to show their wizard/ witch friends that there wasn't much to it. Only a few things made them nervous, but other than that they were relaxed, except for being poked. Harry and Hermione were of course healthy and ready to go. Ginny had gone after Hermione and also though nervous thought there was nothing to it. Their shots were up to date along with everything else, not to mention a blood sample along with their blood types. (This will be explained later in great detail)

Then the most apprehensive people, Draco and Ron were next. They were both equally nervous, but Ron went first. Ginny and Harry went in the room with him while Hermione and Draco were in another. Before Ron had gone, Harry went first and was as I said before mostly relaxed, but a bit nervous too. They were waiting since Ron was being seen first. His vitals were taken by a hot MA that looked a lot like Fleur in Ron's opinion which eased all his tension. His vitals were all normal even though he was nervous. They were still within the normal range, despite him being agitated. When it came time to lie on the table and be examined, he was really apprehensive and seemed to tense up when being touched, finally relaxing when it was done. In fact he tensed up the most when his lower abdomen was touched and winced. Dr. Samuels had finished the examining part and was going to give shots next. Ron again was apprehensive and when he felt the needles go in it pricked and he winced in pain and yelped. Overall Ron was healthy and but needed to have an appendectomy ASAP. Upon hearing that, he was even more frightened than ever, but was consoled by Harry and Ginny. The doctor had ordered blood tests for all of them for typing etc.

In another room, Hermione and Draco were waiting to get started on him and for Dr. Samuels to come in and get on with it. Even though Hermione had shown him there wasn't much to worry about, he still wasn't convinced. While waiting Draco became extremely anxious and hung onto Hermione for dear life. Then, Dr. Samuels came in and explained to Draco what he was going to do. He took vitals first. As the blood pressure cuff/Kevorkian scarf was inflating, Draco winced and tensed up. Hermione came up to him near the bench/ table he sat on and told him to relax. And his vitals were taken. His T was 99.8, P was 110, R was 20, and BP was 118/80. His Pulse and respiration was high considering at how tense he was. Then he was told to undress for examination. That only made him all the more anxious, but he complied and did it behind the curtain. He wanted Hermione to come hold his hand while being examined because he thought and knew it would hurt because of his injuries. So the doctor followed OSHA standards and began feeling all over Draco's body. He started with the abdomen because of suspected abuse. There were of course the scars of the deep bloody gashes there and cuts and such all the way if not most of the way down his legs. Also all over his abdomen were deep bruises that indicated internal bleeding, but not as of that moment fatal, that needed to be watched closely. The places in between were not injured or scarred at all. Then he lied on his stomach and his back was felt and the whip marks and bruises that were only a little sore. After that, Draco sat up, and put everything else on, except for his shirt. Now the doctor was going to listen to his heart and lungs. As he placed the stethoscope on his chest it was at first cold but he got use to it. Draco wasn't as tense now. Everything sounded clear and his heart was beating loudly. Hermione wanted to hear so she too listened and it reminded her of the heart of a lion. She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt how brave he was for all he went through. Then he sat up and Dr. Samuels drew up for injections and upon seeing the doctor draw up, he panicked. Hermione kept reassuring him he'd be alright and that it'd only hurt for a second. When it came time to get poked, he was really nervous, but was being reassured constantly by Hermione that he'd be all right. As the needle went in to his arm, he winced and yelped a little. Then when the physical was finished, the doctor told them that Draco was healthy except for some abdominal pain and that if the pain got any worse he'd have to be brought to the ER. Same with them, he ordered blood tests.

Everyone else was waiting for them in the blood draw lab. It was big with a lot of phlebotomists ready to draw blood. But first Harry and Hermione were given a capillary poke with a small yet sharp lancet needle after running their hands under warm water. It hurt worse than a bee sting. Then Ginny followed by Ron and then Draco who all thought it hurt almost as bad as being scratched by a hippogriff; which was such an exaggeration. They were all told to dab their blood on a microscope slide three times so three different serums would be mixed with each blood drop. A, B, and O. If there was speckling on the one with the A serum, it would be A. Same thing for B. If the A and B speckled, it would be AB. If the O speckled it would be O. As mentioned in the summary, Harry's blood type is A- Ron's is B-, Ginny's is B, Hermione's is O, and Draco's is O-. Then they were all escorted to chairs where they were seated for a blood draw. Like I said before, Harry and Hermione were use to this sort of thing and yet were a little nervous. Both of them had very easy access veins. Ginny's were a somewhat deep. Ron's were deeper; therefore it pricked a little more. As for Draco, he too had easy access veins but was equally as apprehensive as Ron and Ginny. As he was being prepped, the tightness of the tourniquet made him really anxious. It being put on again after having the site cleaned with the weird smell of alcohol made him feel light-headed, but he tried not to show it. As the needle went in, he felt a biting pain and had seen the blood get sucked by a vacutainer into the vial and thought that was interesting. He also asked to feel its warmth and liked it too. As they told him to put pressure on the site, he felt not only light-headed but intense abdominal pain. It got so excruciating that he collapsed onto the floor and was writhing in pain. The phlebotomists in the room were trying to calm him down but to no avail. Hermione came rushing over to him and helped him up. She tried to get him to respond to her touch, but wouldn't and therefore she told Harry to go get Dr. Samuels and rush him to the ER. Not a minute later did Dr. Samuels show up with a bed to lay him on then Hermione ran with them to the ER. Once there, she had to step aside and let the ER doctors along with Dr. Samuels stabilize him and assess what's wrong. It didn't take long and Dr. Samuels had told them to prep him for emergency surgery to get the internal bleeding under control and transfuse him since there was a significant loss of blood. So Hermione asked to see him before they took him away and she was told to be quick. Noticing he was conscious and frightened told him what was to happen and reassured him in every way that he'd be alright. It was then she told him she loved him and so did he. They embraced and kissed before she left and wept uncontrollably.

Draco was taken away and prepped for surgery. As they were about to put him under, he was so scared that he thrashed around and had to be held down. A few minutes later, Dr. Samuels came to his side and told most of the nurses to leave and let him put Draco under. So the nurse that remained stuck him as gently as she could when starting an IV while Dr. Samuels being the compassionate man he is, soothingly got him to relax by stroking his head and talking softly. Draco began to drift off now that the anesthetic was taking effect. In that state he had peaceful pleasant dreams of Hermione. Dr. Samuels was in the OR watching over him as the anesthesiologist. The surgery took four hours to clear out all the internal bleeding and neatly make sure all the internal organs were in tact.

Hermione meanwhile with Harry, Ron, and Ginny were in a waiting room and they all in turn comforted her. Ron mostly being that Hermione is of course one of his best friends and couldn't stand for her to be upset. They were all worried about Draco and finally stopped worrying four hours later, when Dr. Samuels met up with them in the waiting room to tell how it went. He told them that Draco made it through the surgery with no complications and was awake asking for Hermione. She ran down to the recovery room at break-neck speed to see how he was doing. Draco was groggy from the anesthetics but responsive enough to be embraced by his girlfriend. She then accompanied him to the ICU where he was taken next to make sure of no further complications. He was there for twelve hours and Hermione stayed there with him the whole time holding his hand as he slept. Occasionally she'd go to the loo, but that was it. A few hours later, Harry, Ron, and Ginny came to see him. He was asleep but knew they were there and cared about him just the same. As soon as they left, Draco's mother was there at his side; reunited with her little dragon.

When Draco awoke, it had been two hours since he was taken out of the ICU and brought up to the ward. He was making a quick recovery. He saw Hermione at his side sleeping and having enough strength, shook her awake. She was a bit startled, but realized who woke her and happily embraced Draco with tears rolling down her cheeks. He said "Oh Mione, it's alright, I'm going to be fine see!" She nodded her head, and embraced him tighter. Then she said "I know, but I was so worried about you, thank goodness you're alright!"

Later that day, Hermione and Draco had gotten word that Ron had collapsed last night on his way out in severe right abdominal pain. Luna had gotten there as soon as she could and was joined by Ron's parents. He was rushed to the ER and had a high fever. They decided to take him into surgery for an emergency appendectomy seeing as how it had ruptured and had to be removed. No one had much of a chance to see him off and he was really scared. Dr. Samuels had to calm him preoperatively too and had also watched over him as the anesthesiologist. Everyone in the waiting room was relieved to hear that Ron was doing really well and was asking for Luna, his parents, and Ginny in the recovery room seeing as how he had just regained consciousness. He was taken to the ICU and in there for like ten hours.

He awoke twelve hours later and was up in the ward in the bed next to Draco's. They both shared experiences of their circumstances. They over that next week recovered nicely. Two days until discharge, Draco would have nightmares every time he went to sleep about his tough life being controlled and beaten by his father. In fact he'd be so terrified that Hermione would be by his side along with his mom comforting him to lessen his anxiousness and thrashing around in bed. The last night there, he was given a dreamless sleep potion by Dr. Samuels so that he'd be able to rest peacefully and comfortably.

The next morning Ron and Draco could be discharged. So they were and stayed at Grimmauld Place in a huge guest room where Hermione, Draco, Ron, and Luna would be while the guys healed the rest of the way. In that room all four of them slept on separate four-poster beds opposite the other two. During the day mostly both the guy's mums would be there watching over them to give their girlfriends a break. They'd also be there to console their sons as they got better each day. Both Molly and Narcissa became great friends the whole time. During the early evening and into the night Hermione and Luna would watch over their boyfriends and keep them comfortable. Many nights on end Draco would keep having nightmares of either painful memories or what he subconsciously thought would happen. He'd yell and scream in the dead of night, with his mother rushing to his side to console him. Hermione for the most part slept through anything except Draco's nightly screams of terror. He had, however not that much to worry about considering that his father got busted after beating his mother both magical and muggle ways. Yep, he got sent to Azkaban under a life-sentence. Even so, those traumatic memories were enough to drive him mad. Ron on the other hand was doing really well and didn't have anything major to contend with except his newly acquired fear of brains, not to mention spiders. He too was healing really well. Luna hardly ever left his side as well. Within a couple weeks they were completely recovered, and Draco's nightmares ceased. Psychologically he was getting better and was less fearful. The more contact he had with people, especially his mum and Hermione, the better he got with each passing day. It wasn't easy; there was a lot of reassurance he had to get from everyone.

Once they were fully recovered and off of bed-rest, they were able to hang out with everyone in the house and also go outside and play Quidditch games. When everyone would be at dinner or else hanging out in a sitting room talking, Molly and Narcissa would talk about what the kids did when they were little and embarrassed the crap out of them. It was done light-heartedly of course. Those whose parents weren't there, like with Harry, Dumbledore would drop by along with Lupin telling about all he did that was so cute when he was little. For Harry, Lupin would tell stories at how Harry would keep howling for attention whenever Lupin was over at his house. As for Hermione, Molly told her what she heard from Hermione's parents from second year in Flourish and Blotts. The stories about Hermione were a riot, it was said that she threw a fit every time her parents told her to put down a book and stop reading and off-the-wall things would happen. Molly could go on forever with embarrassing stories about Ron and Ginny. Luna along with everyone else was laughing so hard it hurt. She told about the time Ron's teddy bear got turned into a spider that to this day spiders scare the crap out of him. There was also a time where Ron was dared by Fred and George to use their father's razor and shave. He did, but had cuts all over his face and never did that again.

As for Ginny, it was said that she would constantly annoy her brothers by not only farting in front of their friends, but also go around taking their stuff and hiding it somewhere to get their attention. As for Narcissa there were so many funny childhood antics Draco had done that just cracked her up. He would run around outside and try to throw the gnomes as far as he could, but would accidentally hit house-elves that were gardening around his huge estate in the head.

Two weeks later, Draco and Ron were due in for a post-op follow –up visit with Dr. Samuels. So the following morning they were to go, but were apprehensive considering what happened last time when they were suppose to just be going in for a physical. It had turned out to be an emergency and they were scared out of their wits-end with all the events that had transpired. Actually they were terrified. This time Luna came along with Ron and they were inseparable. She was there to console him and help him to relax. She was also convincing him that this was a routine visit and that nothing bad was going to happen. Harry and Ginny went too to keep their friends company and for support if anyone needed it. As for Draco, he was really apprehensive and worried about the same thing. Hermione kept reassuring him that she wouldn't let anything bad happen to him and that no one was intent on hurting him. Once there they all sat in the waiting room feeling scared. Twenty minutes later, Ron accompanied by Luna were called Ginny too went in for support. They were ushered into a room. Ron's vitals were taken and were normal. A few minutes later, Dr. Samuels came in and asked him how he was. And he stuttered and nervously said that he was fine. Then he was told to take off his shirt while sitting on the table. He did and lay down. Dr. Samuels checked the scar where the incision was made that had healed nicely. No stitches were removed since they dissolved into the skin. Then the exam was continued by listening to his heart, lungs, and GI tract. He was allergy tested for a reaction to spiders and it turned out positive. Yes, Ron had every right to be afraid of spiders since he is allergic to them and if he was bitten he'd go into anaphylactic shock and die. So he was provided with an Epi-Pen, which was a shot that if it happened he was not looking forward to getting poked with. But what matters more his aversion to being poked, or his fatal allergy that could end his life? He looked good though and had recovered quickly as expected for those with healthy immune systems, minus his newly-discovered allergy.

Half an hour after Ron had been called with Luna and Ginny by his side, Draco was called with Hermione and Harry in tow. They were ushered into another room and Draco's vitals were taken. He was a total nervous wreck. But with his girlfriend and new friend there, it eased some of his tension. He would dodge the nurses hand when she was trying to take his pulse, but Hermione reassured him he had nothing to fear. So his vitals were taken and were normal too. A few minutes later, Dr. Samuels came in and told Draco to take off his shirt and lay down on the table. He did and began to get agitated, but Hermione and Harry were holding one of his hands. So he was checked over and the scars where the incisions were made were healing nicely, but were still a little sore. It was to be expected b/c his surgery was more invasive. Then he was told b/c of what was noted on the last visit that he had gashes and scars of abuse all over his body. So he was told to once again undress all the way. This was done to make for sure that there wasn't another curse upon him. He was again really agitated, but those had as well healed completely. Since Harry didn't want to make him more self-conscious, he waited outside the door until it was done. So Hermione came behind the curtain to console him. He didn't like being touched all over and tensed up more than he did last time. He just couldn't take it and began to panic just as it was all finished. It was a panic-attack he just had that was induced by the anxiousness he was feeling that in turn he associated with how he was mercilessly beaten by the one who was suppose to love him. Harry had come back in and said that he heard the commotion and was concerned about Draco and sat near him and Hermione to give support. Draco was still trying to calm down from his internal agitation ordeal even after getting decent. So Hermione put her arms around him in a gentle and comforting embrace while Harry rubbed his back. Dr. Samuels had assured all of them that his father will not get away from abusing his son and that everything will be okay and that Draco will be safe. Overall, Draco was healthy, but emotionally he was unstable and frightened, but felt loved and accepted. Dr. Samuels had given them both a clean bill of health.

As they were leaving, they met up with Ginny, Ron, and Luna telling of what happened with each of them. While they were walking, Hermione and Draco were silent. He was still shaken up from his panic-attack. A few blocks later, they all sat down on a long bench in a park to reassure him. At first Hermione was just sitting there with him. He still looked frightened. Hermione didn't hesitate to hold him close. He held on tight to her as she rubbed his back and stroked his hair. It was as though he was a timid and scared child in need of compassion and human contact that had really lacked in his life, except for his mother. Then everyone else joined them and reassured him too saying it was time to do something entertaining. He still needed a little bit longer and they respected that and patiently waited for him to fully calm down. It took him a while to compose himself, but they were all patient with him.