p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Draco couldn't believe the nerve of this hospital. It was obvious that he was ill. He tried not to think of precisely how ill or the faint memories of crying out for Potter before he was sedated. He was sure, though, that he did not have any sort of muggle condition. He was a pure-blood. It just wasn't possible. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"And this little Hufflepuff healer had the nerve to insist that he had a magic-resistant muggle disease that would require him to undergo muggle medical treatment. Impossible! Draco was so sure that he was still arguing with his healer when Pansy bounced into the room, Potter's messenger bag on her shoulder. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Someone left this for you, Draco. Probably got scared away by all the shouting. Oh, hello Justin. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Pansy chirped, surprising Draco. How did they know each other? She leaned in, kissing Draco's cheek before dropping the bag in his lap and plopping down in the reclining chair near his bed. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Both Draco and healer Finch-Fletchley flushed at her intrusion. Draco settled back against his pillows to go through the bag he was handed. Potter must have packed it for him. Clothes, his favorite book, toiletries, soft cotton pajamas that smelled faintly of wood smoke. Draco was so lost in his perusal of the bag's contents that he didn't realize Luna had spoken to him until her third try. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Don't worry, he'll be back soon." She smiled, a knowing little tilt of lips, and Draco wanted to scream. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""I should hope not. He's been nothing but a nuisance since I met him." He bit out. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Pansy only laughed. "Yes, I see why you'd think that, Draco darling. Saving you from doing horrible things you didn't even want to do, getting you out of prison, and sitting with you while you were ill. Bringing your favorite book. Going to his muggle-born friends for help when you've been nothing but awful I imagine?" /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"She turned back to Justin then, trying to figure out exactly what her friend was in for. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Draco didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That girl should have been infuriating, but he hadn't been this happy to see her in his life. He listened to her chatter animatedly, pulling out a bit of parchment and reading off a list of questions for his healer to answer. He was still more out of it that he wanted to admit, so he didn't manage to catch much of it, especially when a group of mediwitches came in to take blood and perform more tests. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"The gist of what he'd gathered was that his blood wasn't behaving properly, causing him to feel horrid and bleed easily. His magical signature was also weaker than it should be. The disease was overpowering and snuffing out his magic. There was proof for all of that. He'd seen the tests himself. If Finch was right about that, could he have been right about the other thing too?/p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Did he really have a Muggle disease eating away at his magic and destroying his body? Even being a pureblood? His thoughts were cut short by the approach of his mediwizard. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Alright, Mr. Malfoy. We're not sure how the muggle medications might interact with the charms and potions we've been using to help with the symptoms you've been having. Most of them will need to be stopped. However, you'll have to keep taking doses of the potion we've been using to keep your magic from being overpowered... if you wish to keep it. But it might change how the treatment works. Do you understand?" Finch said to him, speaking in a way that would have felt insulting if his head hadn't felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool./p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Draco's stomach rose to his throat and he had to fight the urge to vomit. This was really happening? He could really die? Or lose his magic for good? He didn't understand. He was a pureblood. He didn't understand./p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Those are my choices? There's nothing else?" His voice came out strained and he paused to take a breath. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Do you... know how this happened? A curse or something? Pureblood wizards aren't supposed to have these problems. I'm not supposed to have this problem." He said, sounding harsher than he meant./p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"From the door came an annoyingly familiar voice. "I think I can answer that, unless you were..." Hermione trailed off, gesturing to Finch-Fletchley from where she stood against the door jamb. Behind her, Harry was carefully not meeting Draco's eyes. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Hermione. Lovely to see you! And Harry. I told you he'd be back, Draco." Pansy called to them. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Harry gave her a hesitant wave and Draco tossed a basin, thankfully empty, in her direction. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""N-no, you can..." The wizard motioned for her to approach. "If that's alright with you, Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione met his gaze and held it. He had to admit, she was probably the most intelligent witch he'd ever met. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""If you must, Granger. Go ahead." He pushed himself up in the bed, and Pansy sat at the foot so that Hermione could take the chair. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, according to this, it is possible for a pureblood witch or wizard to develop various forms of cancer as well as other muggle conditions if their magic is suppressed for prolonged periods. Such as the time you spent in Azkaban. Some conditions reverse once your magic is back, but cancer in particular tends to mutate, attacking your magical core over time." She said leaning toward him with a rather large book. /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Draco scanned the page, the script echoing what she had said. This was it then. He'd do the stupid treatment and be rid of yet another reminder of his past sins. Turning to Healer Finch, his voice was steady and clear./p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, when are we doing this?" Then to Harry. "You can't be here."/p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"Harry stiffened and headed for the door. "I didn't want to be here anyway, Malfoy." /p
p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.119999885559082px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; caret-color: #2a2a2a; color: #2a2a2a;"And like that, he was gone./p