Hallo, Dear Readers,

I see by the number of hits that people are reading this fic, and I thank you so much for your attention. I don't know about you, but I am feeling particularly isolated in these trying times. If anyone feels so inclined, I am curious to know your thoughts on the story, and so comments would be greatly appreciated.

stay safe,

tsuj

Chapter 33: Practice Makes Progress

Severus had come to collect Draco, so he could visit Harry, at last. Draco had been so worried about Harry, but Severus had assured him that he was, for the most part, alright – given the circumstances. That was Severus for you, thought Draco, Couching remarks in contingencies and qualifications. How Harry could be 'all right' after all he had been through, seemed impossible to Draco. Thinking really of all Harry had been through in his short life, let alone just the past few days, was overwhelming. But Severus said Harry 'showed a proclivity towards resiliency' more than most – whatever that meant. Draco himself felt… raw, after his encounter with his aunt. But Harry? He'd been literally made raw, by Bellatrix's elves scraping his skin and her dragging him across stone floors by the neck. And Draco was beyond livid when he learned from Severus of the cruel mind games his aunt had used to exploit Harry's innocence and good nature. She used his innate desire to protect those he cared about to make him hurt himself. She made him scrape his own skin raw in a vain attempt to remove 'bad blood'. Well, at least Harry'd stopped trying to do that.

Draco paused in his musings to find that he and Severus were just outside Harry's door, where an Auror was stationed as guard. And though he wasn't exactly sure how he'd come to be there – he didn't remember getting on the lift or walking down the corridors – Draco felt a certain relief in knowing that this was not because he'd faded out, but rather because he had been so lost in conscious thought over some truly stunning revelations.

Severus preceded Draco into the room, but as soon as Harry saw Draco, Draco noted , feeling rather pleased, Harry's face lit up.

"Dayco!" Harry was so excited to see his dear friend. But then he paused. His caregiver had told him again and again that no one was mad at him. But was she sure Draco wasn't mad. Harry waited, not daring to breathe, to see how Draco would react to his greeting. And Draco smiled!

"Hullo, Harry. It's so good to see you," Draco approached the cot where Harry sat, a small pile of carved wooden dragons spread about him on the bed. "Is that your hippogriff collection?" he asked, with a lopsided grin.

"You not a'member 'bout dagons, Dayc-" Harry started. But then, he saw the look on Draco's face. "Oh! You bein' siwwy wif me! You knows dese be my dagons, don't you?" he laughed.

"Yes, Harry. I know they're dragons. And you've got quite the collection. Is that a Chinese Fireball?" Draco pointed to the dragon in Harry's hand.

"Yup. Dey's my favrits. Da reaw ones is red an' gold, an' dey beaves fire shaped yike mushyooms," Harry recited. He had practically memorized all the dragon lore in his book, My First Book of Magical Creatures. He held up another carved dragon, this one with a horn protruding from its forehead. "Dis a Romanian Yonghorn. It apposed to be geen," and he held up another, explaining, "Dis a Ukanian Ionbewwy. It da biggest dagon. It gots red eyes and yong tawons."

"You really know your dragons, Harry. I'm impressed."

Harry positively glowed with pride at Draco's praise.

"Madam Pomfrey," interrupted Vanes. "May I have a word with you in private? Will you excuse us, Harry, Draco? We shall return momentarily."

At that, Harry's face changed instantly to one of panic. He dropped his dragon and grabbed onto to Poppy's sleeve with both hands. "Don' go, Pomfee! Don't yeave me!" he cried.

Both Vanes and Draco were taken aback, but only Draco was visibly so.

Poppy patted Harry's hands. "We'll just be right outside the door, Harry, and Draco will stay with you, won't you, Draco? I'll come right back, I promise."

"Of course I'll stay with you, Harry. Uh, you can tell me about the rest of your dragons."

But Harry was shaking his head and clinging to Poppy's arm now.

It had come to light to Madam Pomfrey that her need to 'hover' about Harry at all times, was met in equal measure by Harry's need to have her 'hover'. He couldn't bear to be parted from her, even for a moment. It had come up that morning, when she had to use the loo during their session with Healer Brookes. Harry cried the whole time she'd been gone, according to the Healer, who'd tried unsuccessfully to distract and console him.

Kaito Brookes was the psychic/psychology specialist assigned to Harry's case – a transfer from Crone Martha Ballard's Hospital for Midwifery and Maladies, both Magical and Muggle – and Poppy had to admit that she previously didn't see the point of his therapy sessions with Harry. All they did was play together with the myriad of toys the man had in his unconventional office. It was more like a playroom, with a plush rug and overstuffed furniture, pillows on the floor and baskets of toys, which delighted Harry no end. When she had returned from the lavatory, Brookes said that he believed he could help Harry get over his fear of being parted from Pomfrey – he called it, "separation anxiety" – but that it would take time to help Harry learn to trust again after the kidnapping. Though she still didn't fully understand what it was that Mr Brooks did exactly, Poppy couldn't deny that Harry always looked forward to visiting him, so she deemed it wise to continue.

But the problem was at hand, and Poppy didn't feel comfortable leaving a crying Harry in young Draco's care. If a fully trained Healer couldn't console him, how was a troubled teen to do so? She realized Vanes was speaking. She hadn't been paying attention.

"You'll do it for Madam Pomfrey, won't you Harry?" he was saying.

And at that, Harry reluctantly let go of her arm, and Poppy, with equal reluctance stood up and went to the door. Then she realized, "We can just stand here, by the door, and I can cast a privacy spell." That had Harry start to smile again, and Poppy felt the tightness in her chest loosen.

Once the Privacy ward had been cast, and Vanes cast his own over the one Poppy had put up – much to her chagrin – Vanes began. "It was actually Draco I wanted to talk to you about," he said, somewhat disgruntled.

"Oh?" Poppy was surprised. She had just assumed this would be about Harry. For her, everything was about Harry. She realized that, though of course he needed her and was her number one priority, she needed to 'widen her scope'.

"Yes. I understand you and Harry are to return to Hogwarts this afternoon."

"We are, Healer Vanes, and that is thanks in part to you. I don't think I have fully expressed my gratitude for what you did for Harry."

"It is not necessary, Madam Pomfrey–" he began.

"Oh, but it it. It is most necessary. Healer Vanes, without you, we wouldn't fully understand what happened to Harry. What he's been through at the hands of that- that- of Bellatrix LeStrange."

"I was merely fulfilling my duties, Madam Pomfrey. Now on to the matter at hand: Mr Malfoy."

"Merely fulfilling? Because of you, there is an Auror watch stationed at LeStrange Manor twenty-four hours a day. Because of you, Harry-"

"Stop. Please, Madam Pomfrey. I wish to discuss Mr Malfoy, at present."

The word, 'perfunctory' popped into Pomfrey's head just then, and she was reminded that he was not exactly a paragon of manners or etiquette.

"I am informed that Harry will be returning to St Mungo's on a regular basis to continue with his complementary therapies. I am proposing to include a 'session' of sorts with Mr Malfoy."

"A session? With Draco?"

"Yes, Draco."

"What kind of 'session'?"

"It is actually for the benefit of Mr Malfoy – Draco, that I am requesting these sessions, Madam Pomfrey."

"'Sessions'?"

"Yes. Sessions," he emphasized the 's' at the end of the word. "I believe it would be of benefit for Draco to spend time with Harry. You see how the boy looks up to him. I believe, after having a consultation with Healer Brookes, that it would help give Draco a sense of purpose to be a role model to Harry. Something positive for Draco to focus on, rather than his rather chequered past."

"I see," said the Nurse. To say that Harry liked spending time with Draco, was an understatement, at best. "I think Harry would like that very much, Healer Vanes."

"And, it is my hope, that as Draco improves, he and I could come visit you at Hogwarts. It would be something, a goal of sorts, for Draco to work towards, if you see my meaning."

"I do, Healer Vanes. Draco saved Harry's life. Harry is physically the age of majority, but mentally a child, so I don't know if a Life Debt has been incurred. But we do owe Draco a debt that can never really be repaid. I will do anything I can to help that boy to heal. You both are most welcome to come to our home, whenever you deem it appropriate." Well, thought Poppy, There's something I never thought I'd hear myself say. And she thought of how far they'd come in such a short time, from when she viewed the man as an insufferable pill. No longer. He had helped Harry beyond measure, and she was happy to be able to return the favour in kind with Draco.

~o~

It was so good to be home again. At St Mungo's, Poppy had had to Transfigure the visitor's chair into a cot, so that she could stay right by Harry through the nights. And she was, as some of the Hogwarts students might call it, 'pants' at Transfiguration. She was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed at last. They had stayed at St Mungo's for two nights. Though Harry's infection had been cured after the first, the Healers had wanted to keep him there for observation, as it was initially a Curse wound. They used their time there wisely, having sessions with both Healer Brookes and Madam Nesbit, who officially discharged Harry from her care. She said he was on par physically and no longer required her services. As a squib, Madam Nesbit confided in Madam Pomfrey that she was frequently stunned by the speed with which magical children recovered.

Now that they were back home, Harry seemed more amenable to Poppy leaving the room to go to the lavatory. But at night, she had to move his bed into her room, because he kept coming in there every few minutes. Initially, Poppy had stayed with Harry in his room, until he fell asleep. But after she'd gone to bed herself, Harry had woken up and come in her room, eventually refusing to go back to his, even if she said she'd go with him. It just seemed to make sense to move his bed, so that is what she did, and it made the nights much easier.

~o~

Over the next few weeks Madam Pomfrey and Harry fell into a mostly comfortable routine, which consisted of multiple visits to St Mungo's to see Healer Brookes – they saw him three times each week – and Draco Malfoy, whom they saw at each visit to the hospital, as well. There was a steady stream of visitors at Hogwarts from Hagrid and Hermione to Ron, Ginny and a cadre of other Weasleys. Harry regularly asked Poppy who was going to visit him each day, but no one was asked about more than "Dayco." Harry asked when they were going to see Draco multiple times every day.

Throughout it all, Harry's separation anxiety tended to play a part, sometimes in most inconvenient ways. Yet, Healer Brookes felt certain that Harry would make progress. On a recent visit, Brookes began a new protocol that he had gotten Madam Pomfrey to agree to. After Harry had settled into some play, Brookes would send Madam Pomfrey out of the office on the pretext of needing her to get something in another room, which Brookes had forgotten, but really wanted to show to Harry. They held all new books about dragons in reserve for this purpose.

The first time they tried this, Harry was reluctant to stay without Poppy. And though he balked at her leaving, he didn't cry the whole time she was gone – all of three minutes. As directed, Poppy stayed away for longer increments of time at each visit. After two weeks of this, Harry seemed more at ease spending time alone with the Healer. Although he still was wary whenever Poppy had to leave him, eventually, Poppy was just dropping Harry off at the Healer's office and then going out on 'errands'. For her part, Poppy was not going to go anywhere. She merely waited nervously in the tea lounge, until the sessions were over. But each time she returned to Brookes office, Harry seemed fine.

~o~

Draco hadn't had a fadeout in over six days. In one more day, if he could manage to hold it together, he would get to leave bloody St Mungo's and visit Harry at Hogwarts. He had mixed feelings about going to his old school. While he desperately wanted to get off the hospital grounds – though it had been markedly better there since Nurse Ackerly had been put on suspension – and he knew it would please Harry to have Draco visit him at home, Draco was worried about running into other students and his professors. From perusing issues of The Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly and even The Quibbler, he saw that his 'notorious' life had been plastered all over its pages. There was one article in The Quibbler lauding him as 'Harry's Hero', but most of the news about him was just plain bad. What would his classmates – the ones who hadn't been Death Eaters – think of him? Despite being nervous, Draco really did want to go. He just had to get through the rest of the day. How hard could that be?

When he returned to his room after getting a snack in the Tea Room on level five, Draco found out. There was a scroll waiting for him, with an official St Mungo's seal on it. Curious, he pulled off the ribbon and broke the seal on the scroll to open it. It was an invitation to present an account of his grievance with Nurse Ackerly to the Board. And Draco felt himself start to fade… "No!" he said aloud, gritting his teeth. He was not going to let that son of a bludger, Ackerly, ruin his chance to get out of the hospital. He realized he had crumpled the paper in his fist. He knew he should probably straighten it out, but he was too angry. He wanted to talk to Severus about it, but he had already had his session with him for the day, and he knew that on Fridays, the Healer had a full schedule. He knew there were other patients on his ward at the hospital who had no love for Ackerly, so he decided to go to the community lounge and see if there was anyone there who could commiserate with him. He also wondered if any other patients had been sent the same notice as he had. Surely he wasn't the only child of Death Eaters whom Ackerly had treated unfairly.

~o~

Poppy Pomfrey sat back in the plush, pouffy chair in Healer Brookes' play-parlour (as she had come to think of the office in her head). She had been primly perched on the edge of her seat, as she awaited the results of Harry's three month evaluation. She had felt he was doing well, but hadn't expected such astounding news.

"He's making amazing progress, Madam Pomfrey. I would place him currently at almost a four year old level, cognitively speaking," enthused Brookes. "You do understand what this means?" he continued.

"The ramifications are not necessarily what one might think?" asked Poppy tentatively, barely daring to hope.

"Well, if he were to continue to mature at this rate of development, he could be nearly back to his chronological age – developmentally – sometime after the start of the new year."

"I- I didn't realize… I didn't– well, I wasn't sure he would continue to mature."

"Based on what we're seeing so far, I have every reason to believe that he will. But I cannot promise that."

Poppy's face fell.

"You have to understand, Madam Pomfrey, that we really don't know what we're dealing with here. It may be just as likely that he will not progress at such an even pace. As we have seen in other cases – though none quite like Harry's – there will likely be more 'fits and starts'. Don't lose hope, Madam Pomfrey. While there really is no way to predict how long this process will take, we do believe there is a high likelihood that he will eventually 'catch up' to his physical age of maturity."

Poppy was overwhelmed with emotion. She blinked in rapid succession to stave off the unexpected tears. She simply hadn't let herself think about whether Harry would 'grow up'. And now she was being told, not just that it was a possibility, but that it was a rapidly approaching probability. She didn't quite know how to 'feel' about that or rather, how she felt about that. Flurries of relief and guilt – because she loved this young Harry, as he was – warred for her attention, and she felt an urgency to get back home to him.

Sensing the Hogwarts Nurse's discomfort, Brookes rose, and retrieved a thick scroll from his little corner desk. "Here is my full report, Madam Pomfrey," he said, handing her the rolled sheafs. When she looked surprised at its thickness, Brookes added, "I have included the three relative case studies from America, for your perusal. Why don't you take it all home for review at your leisure. I am happy to meet with you again and, of course, please feel free to owl me with any questions you have."

"Yes. Uh, thank you, Healer Brookes. Thank you so much. Yes," she said, standing up and gathering her robes.

"I understand, it's a lot for anyone to process, Madam Pomfrey," Brookes soothed.

"Yes,"repeated Poppy, still rather stunned. And with that, she left to return to Harry.