Title: Take My Hand
AuthorHarmmac
Rating:M – for violence
Reviews:Well, if you must, you must!
Updates:Fortnightly – I have a life too.
Disclaimer:Computer (check), Idea (check), J.K.Rowling…damn, I knew I forgot something!
Random A/Note: Interestingly, the title of this chapter, 'Primum non nocere' or 'First, do no harm' is a fundamental principal of both medicine and the ancient practice of Magyck. Additionally, althought it is widely believe that the term 'First, do no harm' comes from the Hippocratic Oath, it actually comes from another of Hypocrates works 'Epidemic'.
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Chapter Two: 'Primum Non Nocere' - First, Do No Harm
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It had been an hour since she had brought Malfoy upstairs to the small room adjoining her own and still Madam Pomfrey had not arrived.
Malfoy had remained unconscious and although he randomly made movements, he did not awaken. Unsure of what to do, Hermione had sought solace in the one place she had always found comfort, books.
Picking up a copy of Professor Maioribus Vigoratus' "Healing at Home- The Body Sacred" medical manual she moved over to read by the light of the fire and set about trying to help Malfoy as best she could in the meantime.
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Step 1: "First, if the patient is wearing robes, remove any outer garments to better assess the state of the patients injuries."
"OK, that makes sense" she muttered a blush creeping to her cheeks, "Aufero Vestis" she waved her wand and Malfoy's robes, shirt, shoes and pants disappeared, leaving him only in his boxer shorts.
Step 2: "Clean any wounds with warm water and a combination of the following herbs in an infusion steeped for ten minutes: Goldenseal, Comfrey, Marshmallow Root and Arnica, debride wound until all obvious dirt and pus is removed."
With a grimace she measured out the ingredients into the cauldron of hot water that she had set over the fire earlier on. Ignoring the pungent odor the infusion created as she poured it into a small bowl, she turned and examined the extent of Malfoy's injuries for the first time.
No longer hidden by his clothing, there could be no doubt that he had indeed been the victim of vicious and repeated torture.
The ethereally pale skin on his chest was marred by no less than seven deep incisions in various stages of healing, that Hermione surmised had been made by a knife, each wound was an angry red color, a sure sign that an infection had set in.
His shoulders and upper arms carried bruises in the shape of finger marks, and from his position lying on his side she could see that his back was a mess of shallow lacerations, most likely the effects of a whip - it was the marks on his neck, however, that she found the most sickening of all.
There, marring the pale blue white skin, were no less than three ligature marks in varying stages of bruising, indicating that someone had tried to strangle him, not once, but on three separate occasions, she wondered what information one could hold that would be so precious that someone would go to those sickening lengths to obtain it.
Never, had she thought that she would cry for Draco Malfoy – but as she stood there, staring down at his marred and mutilated body and remembering the prideful boy he had once been, the tears indeed came. Stifling another shuddering sob, she grabbed the soft muslin cloth she had found in the cupboard and dipping it into the infusion, she began to tend his wounds.
For nearly two hours she worked gently and thoroughly on Malfoy's wounds, re-preparing the infusion several times. In those times when she allowed herself to see him as a Malfoy instead of a patient, she found herself brushing tears from her cheeks. When the wounds were finally cleaned, she turned once again to the book.
Step 3: "Cast 'Censeo Skeletus' to heal any broken bones.
Hermione cast the spell and watched as a concave shape in Malfoy's chest filled out once again, his breathing, which had to that point been labored, settled and became regular. She surmised he had had several broken ribs and was pleased to see that she had at least made a different to his immediate health.
Step 4: "Wound-Healing Potion – patient must be conscious upon administration; this is best followed by the Dreamless Sleep Potion to aid recuperation. Do not administer the Dreamless Sleep Potion within 10 minutes of the Wound-Healing Potion"
Hermione realized that although she had some Dreamless Sleep Potion left over from her recent bout of nightmares, the Wound Healing Potion was something she would need to visit Snape's old store room downstairs for. Placing the muslin cloth down next to the bowl, she stoked the fire and walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind her.
Her feet made no sound on the heavily carpeted stairs as she headed down to Snape's storeroom. It took her only a moment to find what she was looking for amongst the many small bottles and vials in the massive potions store, with the wound healing potion and an extra bottle of Dreamless Sleep, she made her way back up the stairs.
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She met Harry on the first floor landing, tired and having returned from his nightly patrols he greeted her with a quick hug and a small smile that did not quite reach eyes that seemed far older than their mere twenty years.
"I saw Tonks is back." He said tiredly, running a hand through his hair. "Lupin couldn't be happier; he's almost like himself again."
Hermione nodded, fingering the small bottles uneasily.
"Tonks said it was Malfoy of all people that brought her back; she said she owed him her life." His voice was calm, but Hermione knew only too well how controlled Harry could be. "Moody said that you were looking after him."
Hermione looked Harry dead in the eye and nodded.
"Anything I should know?" He asked "I mean, are we sure that this is not some elaborate Death Eater trap?"
Hermione knew that no words could adequately explain the situation to Harry, so instead, she took his hand simply said "Come with me."
She pushed open the door to the room where Malfoy lay unconscious, Harry following no farther than a pace behind her. While she walked to the fireplace to measure out more of the infusion to clean Malfoy's wounds, Harry walked across the room to where his old rival lay.
Harry and Malfoy had been rivals since the first day they had met at Hogwarts, in every way they had despised each other, 'The Boy Who Lived' and 'Malfoy, Son of a Death Eater' were as different on the outside from each other as night was to day. But to Harry, Malfoy was still a human being and deserved to be treated as such, no words could adequately describe the revulsion he felt as he looked down at the wanton destruction that had been meted out on Malfoy's body.
"Who did this to him?" He choked out.
"Death Eaters." Hermione said softly as she moved the muslin cloth across his forehead, wiping dried blood from his hairline.
"But Lucius…" Harry whispered. "How could he let them…"
"I don't know. All I know is that he has been tortured Harry, for a long time – maybe even longer than Tonks was. He was the one that rescued Tonks, he got her out and he brought her home to us. For the moment, that's all I need to know." Hermione's said, her hands shaking slightly as she measured out the Wound Healing Potion into a small glass.
Putting the glass down, she walked to the cupboard and took out a blanket, placing it over Malfoy's legs and waist. "I need to wake him up to give him this potion, perhaps you could ask him some questions then? He needs to be awake for 10 minutes before I can give him a sleeping draught. Just take it easy, I'm sure he's exhausted and in pain."
Harry merely nodded and pulled two of the arm chairs closer to the bed for them both.
Hermione brought out her wand and said softly "Rennervate"
Once again Malfoy's eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks, and again, his first instinct was to bring his arms up to protect himself against attack.
Harry thought it was perhaps the saddest thing he had ever seen.
"Draco, it's OK – you're safe." Hermione touched his arm and pulled it from its position in front of his face.
"Hermione?" He asked brokenly as he leaned back against the pillow "How is Tonks?"
"Tonks is going to be fine, I just went and saw her downstairs and Madame Pomfrey said she needs rest and nutrition for a few weeks but is otherwise going to make a full recovery. Thanks to you it seems." Harry said.
Draco's eyes flew to meet Harry's, and he could not conceal the fear in them, it was clear that he expected Harry to show him no quarter.
"Potter!"
"Relax Malfoy I'm not here to attack you or interrogate you. Tonks told us that you got her out of there. You risked your own life to save hers. As far as I'm concerned, that means you're among friends here." Harry said softy, but earnestly.
Hermione nodded and smiled at Malfoy.
"Draco, I need you to drink this – it will help heal your wounds."
For the first time, Malfoy noticed that he was not wearing his clothing, and that his wounds had been cleaned. He took the proffered cup and swallowed the bitter tasting draught within, coughing slightly as it took his breath away.
"Ugh, what was that I just drank?"
"Wound Healing Potion" Hermione said smiling "It should start working on the shallower wounds quite quickly, the deeper ones will take time and more potion to heal. I've healed your ribs as best I could."
"Thank you." Malfoy said softly.
"You're welcome Draco; you desperately need to rest, so I'm going to give you a sleeping draft in about 10 minutes so your body has time to heal itself without you feeling the pain."
However, in the end, Draco had not been able to stay awake even to accept the sleeping draught. Harry had asked him a question, but mid-sentence he noticed that Malfoy had once again, lost consciousness.
"I guess my questions can wait til the morning." Harry said softly as he watched Hermione preparing another batch of the infusion for Malfoy's wounds. "Are you going to stay here?"
Hermione nodded, "He'll need more potion in a few hours, and I want to make sure that his wounds aren't infected."
Harry smiled at his friend and with a wave of his wand, transfigured the small armchairs they had been seated in, into two large down filled day beds.
"You're staying too?"
Harry nodded, "As much as I trust Malfoy in his condition, I can't trust you to get some sleep instead of tending him all night - so you're stuck with me!"
Hermione tried to look indignant, but it was very difficult when Harry's eyes were glinting with mischief and unbridled amusement. It was funnier, simply because it was true, she would stay up all night 'rescuing' Malfoy and they both knew it.
"Well then, if you're going to stay here you can help me move him so that I can clean the blood and gunk out of his hair." She said with a smile.
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When healer Madam Poppy Pomfrey finally made her way into the small room to see Draco Malfoy, she found herself with very little left to do.
Indeed, apart from administering another dose of the Wound Healing Potion, the only thing left to do was to pull a blanket over the sleeping forms of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter as they dozed on the daybeds by the fire.
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