A/N: In my defence I've had a very busy past couple of years: university, work, and a wedding. Although I'm winding up my third of my four university years and so getting to the really important assessments I find myself with a bit more time for writing. I'm planning on sticking with this story rather than bouncing between all of the uncompleted ones so expect another update in about a week or so. The chapters will probably be short, 2000-3000 words, but at least there will be something.
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Surviving St Mungo's
Chapter Three
In which Draco gets a reply to his note, Ginny meets her newest patient, and Rob wheels people around.
November 28th 2008
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It had been three days since Edward Amswitch had become Draco's patient and he had made no progress. The man was still alive, still in minor discomfort, and should still technically be dead. Draco wouldn't admit it to anyone else but this case gave him pause.
Between Hogwarts and entering the Healing profession Draco had explored the world with his father's money and thoroughly enjoyed himself – and others. His around the world gallivanting took him from chic Paris, sweltering Australian summers, and to the muggy forests of Borneo. As his interest in medical puzzles peaked his adventures led him to seeking out medical masters around the world willing to dispense their knowledge to the Malfoy heir…for a share of the Malfoy fortune. Thanks to his generosity Draco's name was emblazoned above many new wards in hospitals around the world and if pressed he would even admit to being the namesake for a new clinic or two.
Not that Draco was modest. Simply, if people knew you had given large sums in the past they were more inclined to ask for some themselves.
So Draco knew Nundu blood. He could describe the affects, the uses it had, and how long someone dosed with Nundu blood had to say goodbye to their loved ones. Yet. Yet he had a patient in the other room who was cracking jokes to the nurses and being more than nice to his wailing girlfriend who was driving Draco spare with her constant hysterics.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Wincing from the high pitched alert system for his Floo, Draco swivelled in his lounge chair to face the fireplace as a friend's head appeared.
"Malfoy," the voice whispered, "I've just got your message, is it urgent?"
Draco frowned for a moment before the lines on his face smoothed and the emotion was gone, replaced with curiosity. He lent forward.
"Nott," he began at his usual volume only to be shhed by the man. Even more intriguing. "Nott, where are you?" he hissed back, his whispers always coming across sharply.
Nott grinned. "Currently in a cupboard. I've silenced it but you can't be too careful. How can I help?"
Surprising himself Draco put his demands to the side for a moment in favour of hearing more about his friend's situation. "Are you working? Undercover?"
After Hogwarts Theodore Nott had disappeared. Despite being a good friend of the boy and family Draco could not get anything out of them, even his father hadn't known where his schoolboy companion was. Until three years ago when Nott had appeared, looking the same as the day he had left. Well, except for a few small scars here and there and a hard confidence about him which hadn't been there before he left. Not that Nott wouldn't have stood up for himself in Hogwarts, it was just now he possessed a quiet confidence that would ensure no one would give him a reason to need to stand up for himself.
After many attempts to wheedle the man's secret out of him – via drink, threats, and a couple promising to never reveal it. The latter half of the agreement didn't matter too much to Draco, he wanted to know for his curiosity but had no desire – or rather need – to go around telling other people. The asking nicely however, that had been a struggle.
Eventually Draco discovered where Nott had been: training for the family business as Draco himself had. Only whereas the two years Draco spent with his father were concerned with stocks, investments, and corporate takeovers the Nott family business was adept at corporate espionage…and every other kind. Quite simply put Nott had spent his time learning to become a spy. What he did with the information he couldn't say, only that his family were merely the tools. The most important thing for Draco however is that Nott was quite happy to freelance, though not for free.
"I'm technically undercover," Theodore cagily admitted, "though before my contact's husband came home I was deep undercover, if you catch my drift." His face broke into a wolfish grin. "I've spent the past ten minutes waiting for her to get rid of him."
"In the cupboard."
"Technically it's more of a wardrobe, but yes."
He couldn't help himself, a small smile of amusement graced Draco's face, before his mind was once again consumed by Edward Amswitch.
"I have a patient," he started, "he works with Nundu blood and his own blood is saturated with it. Given that he works with Nundu blood I think it would be an idea for you to go and see what you find."
"I'll be tied up here for another week, can you wait that long?"
"So far it looks as if we have all the time we need, but it wou-" Draco was cut off by a large bang followed by shrieks, shouting, and Nott's face visibly paling.
"Who the blazes are you?!" he heard as Nott's face was pulled away from his FlooPhone and the call dropped.
Not the slightest bit worried about the man who had been in worse situations, Draco relaxed back into the soft brown leather and closed his eyes debating the benefits of ordering a complete blood transfusion on his patient. With no adverse side effects so far he was hesitant to disrupt the unconventional state of Amswitch's blood. With no precedent it was quite possible the sudden loss of Nundu blood could cause negative consequences.
He sighed and resisted the urge to run his hand through his hair, regardless of his inner conflict he refused to let his external image be anything be composed.
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Rob wheeled old Mrs Radson down the geriatrics corridor to the paediatrics ward where she would spent the next couple of hours telling stories and playing with the contagious children currently staying at the hospital.
Despite her age Mrs Radson was quite robust and healthy, only being wheeled around as it was policy not because of need, and luckily was old enough to have at some point in her lifetime come into contact with almost every contagious disease the hospital had thrown at her. Laughing gaily she recounted every experience of her various times ill until the hospital agreed with her: she was the perfect visitor for the children who would otherwise have no one but the attention the nurses and Healers' could afford to spare.
Every other day therefore, Rob would wheel her down to the children and she would be able to offer comfort to children whose parents' lack of immunity forced them to stay outside of the infectious area.
"And that's when I said to him, I said 'Minister if you think that will get you elected you are sorely mistaken!' The man was so embarrassed he did he barely did his trousers up before he ran from the room!"
"I hope you're not planning on telling that story to the children this afternoon," Rob replied after chuckling.
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Ginny wasn't napping at work. She would never nap at work, even when mis-scheduling had her working two shifts straight at the end of November. Mid-November to the end of the month was one of the busiest times.
Mid-November…nine months after mid-February.
So no, Ginny wasn't napping she was just somewhat reclined in her office chair with her eyes closed. Not napping, instead she was reflecting and was trying to remember the last time she had a romantic evening with a man. She wouldn't admit it to her mother but it had been a while, the life of Healer was not one with a lot of down time for socialising. Ginny's nose scrunched up and she pondered the great question: where do adults meet other available adults?
Most of the couples Ginny knew met at Hogwarts or through friends of friends. That would be an option if Ginny had the energy after work to attend a party or get together with her friends.
Hobbies? Her housemate Sam met lots of guys at her poetry club. True they were all rather too pretentious and, well, ponderously intellectual for Ginny to deal with on a day-to-day basis but maybe if she took up a hobby she could meet someone? After she illegally bought a time turner of course, so she would have time for one.
She knew the nurse called Marie who worked with Draco met lots of guys at the gym but going to the gym didn't rate highly on Ginny's list of enjoyable things to do. In fact it didn't rank at all.
Ginny considered her colleagues but they all would have the same schedule as her and she didn't really fancy only seeing a potential boyfriend once a week or in the canteen at work. She wanted some semblance of life outside of the hospital.
Patients were a no go too, especially when one worked in the maternity department. Most men who walked through her doors were understandably taken.
Someone coughed.
Ginny's eyes sprung open and she whirled around, pulling herself upright as she did so, only to wish she had stayed reclined.
"Director Parkinson!" she greeted weakly and plastered a false, and fearful, smile on her face which wilted under the Director's cool gaze. The Director never glared, her emotional level seemed permanently stuck at neutral disinterest but she still managed to convey her disappoint with Ginny in one smooth look.
It wasn't as if Ginny was a bad Healer, the opposite. Although her training proceeded quite averagely once set loose on the maternity department Ginny fell into her element and could quite confidently say she was one of the best. Maybe Molly's mothering instincts had been inherited by her daughter after all, though not quite in the same manner. Ginny – and her flat(ish) stomach – was quite happily childless.
"Healer Weasley I come bearing good news," the Director said without betraying any emotion in her face. "My great-niece is expecting and I believe you will be quite capable of seeing her to term. Yes?"
Ginny luckily froze before a 'no' could slip from her lips. The Director wanted her to be in charge of bring her great-great-niece or nephew into the world? Ginny was more than capable, just not exactly excited about the prospect of spending the next nine months with Pansy Parkinson.
She swallowed and cleared her throat. "If you think that's best Director then I would be happy to be Pansy's Healer during this time."
Ginny didn't know how bad it was to blatantly lie to her boss but at least this way she was keeping the Director happy, even if it was at the expensive of her own.
Director Parkinson studied her for a moment, faint furrows forming on her brow before fading away. "I acknowledge that you are young and consider your vocation differently to how I do mine, in spite of that you are a more than capable Healer otherwise I would not be handing over the care of my great-niece to you."
Ginny was gobsmacked. Not by the compliment, though it was nice to have one's skills acknowledged, but by Malfrida's not so subtly dispensed barbed comment.
"My vocation is quite literally the centre of my world," Ginny quietly replied. "Although I'm not willing to put my career before my personal dreams of a family that does not diminish me."
Director Parkinson didn't say anything, Ginny hoped she was stunned by Ginny responding to her insult and not just planning on how to fire her.
"I'm striving for more than one dream Director. Have Pansy contact me about her availability." With that Ginny dismissed the Director and left the room.
It was only after she was halfway down the hallway did she realise she had left her office where all of her to be completed paperwork was.
Ducking into a supply room Ginny decided to wait for the Director to leave the floor before returning to her office.
She was standing up to the Director certainly, just in baby steps.
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A/N: Please review! Let me know if the bouncing between different characters is working, I don't want to write with a large ensemble cast but would like to flesh out the hospital a bit more and not just focus on Draco and Ginny. Unless that's the only reason you're here? Let me know! -Sarah