A/N: uhm… Enjoy the chapter :D It's about time I start working on this story lol

Thank you for the reviews!! :D

Draco and Harry in St. Mungo's. This chapter will start with Harry starting Draco's treatment: re-growing the damaged spinal nerves. Of course, there will be problems…

Chapter 5

Giving Up… Not Quite

"Po—Harry, I feel like I've been lying around for ages! Can't I use the chair and move around the hospital? It would be nice if I can go out to the gardens…" Draco pleaded. "It's really boring, being prone on the bed… and not being able to move."

"I'll bring you out once I finish with the tests," Harry told his patient. "It's not going to take long, so just wait."

Draco growled, glared at his Healer, and flung his blanket to the side. His bottom half of his body might be useless, but his top half was functional. Harry sighed and pulled out the chair to sit down. He waved his hand at Draco's upper torso. A shirt materialized; Draco wasn't wearing anything on top. Malfoy rolled his eyes and tugged at the shirt.

"I'm sick of all these 'tests', Harry!" Draco cried. "You've given me at least… twelve different kinds of potions, but none of them worked! I'm starting to think… I'll be lame for life."

It had been two weeks. Two weeks of constant testing and taking bitter tasting potions. All of them were personally brewed by Harry. Draco knew the healer was just trying to cure him, but the blond was losing hope. Whenever Harry gave him a potion, he hoped and prayed that he would at least feel a small tingle traveling up his spine.

But that never happened.

Harry always tried to relief Draco's dampened spirits. He knew the silver-eyed man's hope was beginning to wane. Hell, if he was in Draco's place, he would feel the same way.

Also, during these two weeks, Harry realized that Draco had called him 'Harry', instead of 'Healer Potter' or just plain 'Potter'. The green-eyed man took that as good sign. It seems… a friendship could be formed between them.

"I'm really sorry, Draco… but you know we have to do this," Harry said softly.

He took out the white healer's wand and waved it around near Draco's legs. Harry muttered a spell; a light yellow mist wrapped around the limbs and his waist. It solidified, forming into something that looked like plastic wrap.

Draco looked down at his legs with round eyes. He had heard nurses saying that 'Healer Potter' always used spells that were extremely unique. Sure, he had seen Harry using the orange diagnostic shield spell and his wand waving that formed white orbs. It was a way to contact nurses, Harry had told him. Then there was the time when Harry was mending his broken fibulas. Harry had told him all about it. Draco made him. The blond had wondered how Harry had become a top Healer at such a young age. But now, seeing all the healing spells Potter had used, it really wasn't that big of a surprise.

"Why in the world did you wrap my legs and waist in plastic?" Draco asked; he almost laughed when Harry blushed.

"Well… Er… You said you hated the way my potions tasted so I spent the whole week trying to come up with a spell that can make your body absorb the potion directly, instead of drinking it." Harry did a one shoulder shrug and gave Draco a lopsided grin. "This is what I came up with. Give me some credit, Draco. At least now you won't have the bitter aftertaste in your mouth. All you need to do is stay still and let this plastic potion wrap do the work. Your body is taking it in and is being transferred to your spine as we speak."

Draco looked impressed. In his mind, he was thinking that Harry's spell was pretty smart. Not only did he not have to drink the potion, it was now more direct to the source of his problem. Of course, there was also the aftertaste thing…

"Why, thank you, Harry. It must've taken you quite a bit of time to come up with this spell. You're famous for doing stuff like this, aren't you?" Draco asked.

Harry looked at Draco and was relieved when he saw no trace of mockery on the blond's face. There was a small smile, however. But it was one of those rare smiles Draco would give him sometimes. Ones that were filled with kindness and maybe a bit of admiration; Harry liked seeing Draco smile. It made him more handsome.

"It took me a few days and nights," Harry smiled, "I was even thinking about while I slept." He chuckled when Draco rolled his eyes at him. "We'll just have to see if this works. I'll take off the plastic half an hour later. Don't worry about your skin not being able to breathe. There are microscopic holes on the wrap. You must tell me if you feel anything afterwards. If you do… Well, we're finally getting somewhere." Harry grinned at the blond, making him look younger than being twenty-six.

Draco turned a bit pink on his cheeks and hesitantly returned the smile. He cleared his throat and willed the blush off his face.

"You promised you'll take me out to the gardens, remember?"

"Oh… Well it's no problem. We can be outside and wait for the results. It's the same," Harry replied. "Do you want to go now?"

"No!" Draco snapped. "I don't want people to see the yellow wrap! Merlin, Harry… I look like a mummy that's not wrapped with cloth… but with plastic." Draco crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You could've at least used another color. White… Or perhaps green."

"Hey!" Harry laughed. "I didn't do it on purpose! You're just unlucky; yellow was the color of the potion."

"I've never seen a yellow potion before! You always come up with the weirdest colors!" Draco said, smirking. "Last week, it was the first time I drank a lavender colored potion."

"It's pretty to look at!"

"Then there was the orange one with gold sparkles… How you got the sparkles in there is anybody's guess."

"I was eating an orange when I made that one!"

"Let's not forget the one that was silver. I thought I was drinking liquid mercury."

"Why would I give you liquid mercury? I'm not going to kill my patient! Besides, I couldn't think of a color that time."

"How about the pink one, Healer Potter? Merlin, I remember asking you if you were giving me a fertility potion."

"You're a bloody male, Draco!" Harry threw his hands up, surrendering. Then, Harry frowned. "Wait. Oh… Males can conceive with the help of a potion… Heh. Oops? But I'm sure the real fertility potion isn't pink, if that makes you feel any better." Harry smiled at Draco sheepishly.

Draco sighed. "And then there was that brown sludge you gave me… It can give a patient ideas."

Harry arched his eyebrow at Draco. "What kind of… Oh, stop thinking nasty!" Harry shuddered.

"You can't blame me, Harry. It was brown and thick… and it smelled bad," Draco smirked.

"Only for you, Draco," Harry said, batting his eyelashes angelically.

Draco scoffed and punched Harry on his bicep.

"How dare you punch your healer?!" Harry cried out, laughing.

"Only for you, Harry," Draco returned, copying Harry's earlier words.

"Yeah, yeah… I'm just that special," Potter muttered.

Draco's floating 'wheelchair' was gliding alongside Harry as the healer led the way to the gardens. It was a beautiful and warm October afternoon, perfect was sitting outdoors and breathing in fresh air.

"So, do you feel anything?" Harry asked as they made their way outside.

"Uh… does feeling cold near my hips count? It's sort of prickly." Draco looked down and tried to pull up his pant legs. "I still can't feel shit on my legs though."

"Cold?" Harry stopped walking; they were standing by a wooden bench. The brunet bent low and wrapped one arm around Draco's back.

The blond automatically threw his own arms around Harry's shoulders and let the healer lift him out from his chair. Harry carried the slender man and set him onto the bench; he made Draco comfortable before sitting down next to him.

"Where does it feel prickly?" Harry asked. Draco frowned and used his left hand to lift up the hem of his shirt.

"Not sure… but it feels like it's near my hipbone," Draco answered. "I can't really pinpoint it. But it's something isn't it?" Silver eyes searched green. "We're getting somewhere aren't we?"

"I would say so," Harry smiled, "after two weeks we're finally getting some results."

Draco nodded, a small smile etched on his face. "It would be great… I don't want a nurse to help me when I need to go to the bathroom… It's embarrassing, you know? I can't tell if I need to go or not, until an accident happens. It was a good thing you put that spell on me…" Draco looked down at his lap.

"I should apologize, Draco. It was stupid of me not to think of it," Harry murmured. "But now, you'll know. That band around your wrist…"

"Yes, no more accidents," Draco said. "I was getting sick of letting nurses see me dirtying the bed."

Harry hummed and leaned back against the bench; he draped his arm behind Draco's head and stared up into the afternoon sky. White clouds floated by and Harry smiled when a few birds flew overhead.

"Draco… How would you feel if I told you that you'll be leaving the hospital next week?" Harry asked, his head still tilted heavenward.

"W-what do you mean?" Draco asked, his voice a bit shaken. What did Harry mean?! "I'm going back to my home? How am I going to cope? I can't do anything by myself, as much as I hate to admit it… I-I can't, Harry…"

Potter finally looked away from the peaceful sky and turned his head to look at Draco, who was staring back at him with worried eyes. Harry smiled softly and reached out to brush some blond hair away from Draco's face.

"I'm not leaving you alone," Harry said.

"But you just told me that I'm going to leave!" Draco cried. "I have nowhere else to go…"

"When I told you that I'm going to be your personal doctor… I meant it in every way. I already filled out forms to release you next week and from then on, you'll be staying with me. I'll take care of you until I find the cure," Harry said patiently. "If you have concerns, tell me now. If you don't want me to be your doctor anymore, tell me before you sign the release forms as well."

Draco almost thought he was dreaming. Did Harry really say that he would be living with him? Draco blinked at the brunet, his lips parted but no words were coming forth.

"Uh… I… Does that mean I'm going to live with you?" Draco stammered. He knew he was blushing, too.

"In a way, yeah, you are," Harry grinned. "My flat's not huge, per say, but I like it. Oh, I also have a little Labrador pup, just so you know."

Draco shook his head and let out a small chuckle. "A small pup, eh? Well, he or she will keep me company then when you're working."

"It's a he and his name is Storm," Harry said proudly. "Before you ask why I named him that, you'll see when you meet him. And as for the working part… I'm not coming back."

"What?! Are you insane, Potter?" Draco asked sharply. "You have a job here; you can't just up and leave!"

"When I said I'm not going to leave you alone, I meant it. Truly," Harry said solemnly. "There are other Healers that are in the same area of expertise as me. They already agreed to take my patients until I can come back."

"And when will that be, Harry?" Draco asked. "You don't know when I can walk again… What if it never happens…?"

Harry scowled and shook his head. "Let's not think of that. Positive thoughts, Draco."

The blond looked down at his useless legs and nodded.

"So… do you have any objections?"

"No… I should really be thanking you, Harry. I still don't really understand why… you're helping me."

Harry sighed, looked away from Draco, and stared straight ahead. There were other patients walking around the gardens. Some elderly and some young. There were those that were accompanied by a nurse, but some were alone.

"Maybe I'll tell you… later. But for now, I just want to help you. Besides—" Harry looked back at his patient with a smile on his face, "—I like talking with you. Have you realized that we've been talking in friendly terms for the past two weeks? I still haven't received a black eye or a broken nose. Yet."

Draco looked up and smirked at the green-eyed man, all uneasiness were gone. "It wouldn't be smart of me if I hurt my own healer. But yes, I noticed. I think… I think perhaps we finally put our pasts behind us."

Harry chuckled and stood up from the bench. "That's good, since you'll be staying with me. I would hate to fight with my houseguest all the time." Harry pulled back his robe sleeve and checked his watch. "It's time for us to go back."

Draco smiled crookedly and held out his arms. "Carry me, oh strong one."

Harry snorted. "Strong my arse… You're just unbelievably light for a man your size. But then, you weighed a bit more than when you first came into my care."

"Are you calling me fat now, Potter?" Draco drawled as he was being lifted from the bench. Harry chuckled very close to his ear, sending warm puffs of breath to caress his skin.

"I'm merely saying you're healthier now," Harry replied and placed the blond into the floating chair. "There's a healthy glow in your cheeks. You're not as pale as before."

"Are you calling me pretty now?" Draco asked cheekily; he chuckled when Harry sputtered. Oh how he loved to tease Harry Potter.

"Draco!"

Malfoy snickered. "It's so easy to ruffle your feathers. I love it."

"Jerk."

"Of course."

.: A week later :.

"Potter, is it safe?"

Harry arched his eyebrow at the blond. "Of course it is! I've done this for five years." He rolled his eyes when Draco stared at him with doubt written all over his face. "You have to get in or else you can't get to my flat." Harry opened his car door wide enough so that he could put Draco inside. "Come on, let me help you in."

"I've never sat in someone else's car before. I… I used to drive myself around a lot but never ride in my friends' cars," Draco muttered; he lifted his arms and let Harry move him to the inside of the car.

"Don't worry. I drive really, really safe. I don't speed… usually." Harry cleared his throat when Draco glared at him. "Only when there's an emergency or something," Harry assured.

"You know… We could've just Apparated or taken the Floo," Draco said lightly with an 'I told you that a thousand times' tone.

"I don't like using the Floo because I can never land properly. I would either fall on my back or land on my face. Since I would have to carry you with me, you might be the one that cushions my fall… and I don't think you'll like that.

"As for Apparating… I might splinch both of us. Enough said."

Draco huffed and strapped on the seatbelt by himself. "This coming from the wizard that defeated the Dark Lord… unbelievable."

"Hey… I'm good at using spells doesn't mean that I can travel properly," Harry said, grinning. He walked around his car and got into the driver's seat. "Well, hold on tight, Draco. Next stop, my flat!"

HPDMHPDM

"That totally messed up my hair, Potter," Draco growled. "You could've at least closed the damn windows! And I thought you don't speed!"

"I like it when the wind blows through my hair," Harry said; he was helping Draco into the wheelchair.

"I'm not the one that has hair looking like a bird's nest!" Draco sniped; he patted down his messed up blond hair, but to no fruition. He gave Potter one last snarl before looking away… and then Draco smiled. "Not a bad place, Harry… It's really quiet… Do you own the whole place?"

"Of course not!" Harry laughed and began walking up the steps; Draco's chair was floating behind him. "I just live with people that aren't loud."

"Ah, it's a good thing this chair doesn't have wheels. I don't even want to think about how to get up these steps if it had wheels," Draco said, patting the armrest.

Harry took out his keys and opened the front door. He held the door for Draco, letting the blond go in first.

"Storm? Storm, I'm home!" Harry called and whistled; Draco tilted his head and leaned forward in his chair.

A moment later, a faint scuffling was heard, followed by a small yip. Then there was the click-clack sounds of nails on hardwood floor. Finally, a flurry of black shot out from the living room and bounced all the way to Harry's opened arms. The brunet laughed merrily and held the small bundle of fur tight. Draco chuckled and finally understood why Harry named the pup Storm.

"He's a fast one, isn't he?"

Storm, who was busy licking Harry's chin, stopped and turned its head to see the newcomer. He whined and Harry stood up, holding the small puppy near Draco. Storm craned its head and sniffed around; he then let out a small bark and started panting, its tail wagging at a furious pace.

"I think Storm wants you to pet him. He approved," Harry whispered.

He gently placed the trembling pup onto Draco's lap. Storm wasted no time and put its front paws on Draco's chest, looking up at Draco with its tongue hanging. Draco smiled and patted the dark head. He scratched behind Storm's ear, making the puppy close its eyes in content.

"That's good. I wouldn't want your dog to chase me around and bite me," Draco said. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Storm. Harry told me about you."

Storm let out a yip before jumping off and ran to the living room. Harry rolled his eyes and walked beside Draco.

"Now you know why I named him Storm."

"Yes, he's one excited little thing. How old is he?"

"Just five months… He was practically a newborn when I got him," Harry replied. "I love him. He's my baby so you better treat him like one."

"That makes you Storm's mother," Draco crowed. He laughed when Harry stuck out his tongue.

"I am not!"

"Oh, very mature, Harry… Sticking your tongue out at me."

"I am very mature, Draco."

"Whatever you say."

"You're such an arse, Malfoy."

Draco chuckled and gave Harry one of those smiles.

"I know and I love teasing you."

"Is that all you love about me?" Harry asked jokingly.

Draco shrugged. "Maybe…"

… And maybe more.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Ah… sorry that this chapter took so long :X