Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, and the licensed copyright holders including Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Warner Bros., Inc. No money has been exchanged and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: Standard warnings...Thanks for all your reviews and comments from last chapter, they made me quite happy. And speaking of happy this chapter is for Kaligirl05 because the end of last week was positively craptastic and she made me smile lots--Thanks Kali! I have no idea what to say about this chapter so I'm not gonna...I'll leave that to you...Review (grin)!
13.
Draco was treated immediately at St. Mungo's. Shortly after Harry and Evan arrived they were briefed about Draco's condition. They'd stopped the bleeding and healed the damage, but he was a long way from healthy still. He was restricted to monitored bed rest for the next week and would be dosed with nutrient potions, blood replenishing potions, cell stimulant potions to heal the ulcers further than spells were able to, calming draughts to ease his stress load and he a few scheduled sessions with a nutritionist to learn about the specialised diet he'd require on leaving hospital.
Harry transfigured a bedside chair into a cot and settled his son beside his father as he reviewed Draco's charts. They'd be keeping him at St. Mungo's for a week, but for such a young man Draco was in terrible shape internally. His organ function was far below what was normal for someone of his height and weight. The anaemia was expected if he'd had consistent problems with vomiting blood. His liver and kidney function worried Harry most. Draco was storing toxins at an alarming rate. His cardiovascular and respiratory systems were working extremely hard to keep him going. And it was apparent that he still wasn't eating enough. Harry smiled softly at the memory, both admonished the other to eat more; it had been a frequent argument between them. He finished the file, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could already feel the headache talking Draco into comprehensive treatment was going to be, coming on.
"I thought I was the only one who got sported that expression when dealing with Draco's health issues," came a soft warm voice from the doorway.
Harry looked up and scanned his memory, "M-Melody right?"
She nodded, and held out her hand, "Melody Martin. I think it might be nice to meet you Harry Potter."
He shook her extended hand and waved over another chair. "Thanks I think. I get the feeling I'm not too popular with Draco's friends. It'll be good to have someone who doesn't want my head on a platter when we talk about treatment."
Melody smirked at him, "First off, we're his family not just his friends. We'll do whatever we have to so that he's alright. And second I haven't decided whether I want your head on a platter yet." She sighed, "Whatever happened between you—and no he's never told us. It broke something inside him Harry. May I call you Harry?"
He nodded, his eyes begging her to continue, "It took a long time for him to open up to people. His music was really the only kind of expression he'd allow himself. He was always open and loving with Evan though," she smiled, "Merlin, the sun rises and sets by that boy to ask Draco about it. He loves his son more than his life."
She looked thoughtfully into the middle-distance, "I think that's why he didn't want Bad Faith to come to London. I think he was afraid you'd take Evan away. It would destroy him if you did." She looked at him hard, "If it weren't for Evan Draco would be dead now. Of that I have no doubt. He was barely surviving as it was and honestly I think his magic was keeping him going just to protect the baby. When Alistair found him he didn't even know he was pregnant."
Harry's eyes were squeezed shut. It was the truth and he owed it to Draco to hear it, but damn it was hard. He'd made such a terrible mistake and the man he loved had paid the price. When he felt he could open his eyes without crying for hours he asked Melody to tell him about Draco and Evan's life. "But I need the daily details first. I need to know what his schedule is like so I know what kinds of improvements should be made to reduce his stress levels and increase healthful activities."
Melody nodded, "We're a pretty average bunch and most everything we do together even when we're on tour. When we're home—in New York, that is, we live together in a large house. Usually the house is up by dawn, each family unit or single person has their own bedrooms and a bath. We have a yoga and meditation first thing in the morning. It helps centre us and it cuts down on the children's surges of uncontrolled magic. While whoever gets breakfast duty prepares the meal, the rest of us get cleaned up and dressed. We switch off on cooking, housekeeping duties and such so everybody has a turn at everything, even the children do chores that are age appropriate with adult supervision if need be.
After breakfast and clean-up the children have lessons. They're all home schooled. There are magical primary schools in New York but we prefer to have our children close by so we can monitor what they're learning and if they need help with certain things. They do activities at the youth centre to meet other children so you needn't worry that Evan is socially isolated or doesn't have friends outside of his family."
Harry nodded, "I heard Draco say good night to some people at the concert I assume those are the other children you live with?"
"Yes, all but two, Kevin and Saundra are at Hogwarts. And the rest can't wait to go," she smiled.
"Some of us like me and Alistair didn't go to magical schools at all; we were home-schooled and took NEWTS through the Ministry.
Joy and Diane went to Beaubaton. Avery went to Durmstrang. Jonathan's father was an ambassador to the Chinese Ministry so he and Dai went to Shansi. We all come from very different backgrounds Harry, but we balance each other really well."
Melody shrugged, "As for the rest of the day, usually we kind of do our own things, the designated shopper goes to the market, someone's assigned lunch duty; we have a garden so on an average day you'll find some of us pottering around out there or in the house tidying things. Band members take time to practice individually and together a few hours each day. Draco and Avery like to spend time in the weight room every day. And I know that he goes running with Jonathan every afternoon.
Adults catch lunch when we're hungry. But the children have lunch together in the kitchen as a break from classes. They have languages and classes that are typical of Muggle schools in the mornings and after lunch they have magical classes. Mostly they're learning the "whys" of their magic, very basic potionsand some Wizarding history. Late afternoon is playtime and either the children are at the Rec centre or their out with their parents or we're on a family outing to one of the museums or a show or something. It's our play and bonding time. We have supper, then we usually play 'chase the children 'round the house until they can be cornered near a bathroom' for a bath before bedtime."
Harry smiled; somehow the image of Draco chasing a squirming Evan was one that healed something in his heart he hadn't known was wounded.
Melody grinned, "Yes Evan is one of the worst. Draco usually chases him the longest, now though Aidan is giving Joy and Diane a run for the galleons. Aidan and Evan are almost the same age. Aidan is two months older," she said quickly answering the unasked question. "After baths, they have a collective bedtime story in the lounge, and the children are bundled off to bed for more bedtime stories and cuddles. Once they're asleep we usually tend to band business, work out new songs, talk about tour dates, what worked with the last concert what didn't, that sort of thing. Usually we're at it 'til about midnight or 1 in the morning. Everyone goes to bed and we get up and do it all again."
Harry nodded thoughtfully, "You lead very active lives. How does your hospital cope with you being gone so often?"
Melody shook her head, "When Bad Faith signed with a major label I quit. I'm the band's official medi-witch. I love it. I spend all my time with my family and I still put my skills to use. On tour especially we'll have accidents with crew members who need medical attention. And while we play only Muggle venues, most of the crews we hire are magical, either wizards or squibs. We've sort of made our own niche in and between our worlds."
Harry looked to the still man in the hospital bed, "Draco's always been a trailblazer."
Melody smiled, "Rhi too, it's one reason they get along so well."
Harry paled, "Uh…Melody. Do you mean… Evan calls her Mama Rhi…Are they…?"
For the first time all night Melody's laugh was giddy, "Oh Merlin no! Gods! They're both so bent that…" she wiped the mirthful tears from her eyes, "Well you know what I mean. Rhi hasn't had a steady lover in an age and Draco…well he certainly plays up the Bad Faith's bad boy image for the press, but his heart's already taken."
She looked at Harry sadly, "He'll never let you go, no matter how much it hurts him."
She shook her head, "I hated you for a long time because of that."
She sighed softly, "My brother—Alistair—he's been holding a torch for Draco for a long time. Oh he's no monk. He's dated quite a few men and women over the years, but he never lets anyone get too serious. It's like he's just waiting for his chance. And they would be good together, I know they would. And Alistair loves Evan so much, he'd be a wonderful father, but it's never going to happen. It took me a while, but I finally let that little fantasy go. As far as Draco is concerned Alistair is the older brother he never had.
Even if he could get past feeling only brotherly affection for Alistair it's obvious that there's no room in his heart for anyone that isn't you."
Harry listened to Melody talk and ran the emotional gamut from raging jealousy and gut-clenching fear to tentative relief and finally firm resolve.
"I know you don't know me or what happened Melody, but thank you for telling me all that."
She nodded, "You're welcome. It's pretty obvious there's no room in your heart for any one else either is there?"
He shook his head, "It's always been Draco. Even when we were kids sniping and spatting with each other, he was the only one."
Tbc...
