Harry woke up screaming. He'd just experienced a vivid dream about Ginny and Dean becoming Death Eaters and trying to kill him. It was ridiculous of course, but it still scared him. Two of the people Harry had previously trusted with his life and heart, had turned their backs on him. Ginny's family would be on her side, and Hermione would be obligated to stick to Ron's way of thinking. Harry had been left alone, and stuck in St Mungo's, with no-one but his ex-enemy to comfort him.
As he clung onto the sweat-dampened sheets, Draco rushed over to his side. "Are you in pain?" He asked, probably because of work, but with a tone of slight concept. Harry's breathing started to calm. "I'm fine" he breathed. "Would you mind attempting to move your injured arm a little?" Harry stared suspiciously, but moved his arm outwards all the same. He winced a bit at the aching feeling he experienced, but there was no sharp pain. Draco smiled "it looks like you'll be able to leave very soon, perhaps tomorrow. I'll consult my superior, but I'm sure they'll agree." "Can... can I still stay at yours for a while before I find myself a new place?" Harry asked uncertainly. "Of course! Stay here until the end of my shift, and I'll take you there by floo" he grinned, before leaving the ward, presumably to talk about Harry being let go.
Harry smiled to himself. Despite all that had gone wrong, at least he had a place to stay and perhaps a new friend. He wondered idly if Draco still lived at Malfoy Manor.
When Draco got home, he felt obliged to prepare a room for Harry. It would be best to give him the room next to his own, so if Harry needed anything he didn't have far to go. Also, that room was built with an en suit, so he wouldn't have to remember where all the bathrooms are in the large mansion.
After sorting out the room, Draco also thought he should buy in some food other than apples, but... he didn't know where to start. As he ate a juicy green apple, he thought about how every Friday he'd force himself to go out for dinner, and what he ate there. That was food too complicated to even contemplate, so the man decided to leave the food store how it was.
Accepting defeat, he lay in bed and braced for the nightmares.
-the next morning-
Draco dressed himself in his Healer's robes, and for the first time in his life, felt self-conscious about the now almost black circles under his eyes. Without even bothering to think why, he brushed away his concerns, and reached for one of his beloved apples. For reasons unknown to him (similar to the self-consciousness), Draco felt too weak for apparation this morning, so he used the floo network for arrival at St Mungo's.
As he started to walk towards his ward, the man was stopped by a young woman in smart robes, holding a quill and parchment. "Healer Malfoy?" She asked. "Um... yes..." he gave her an uncertain look. "Is it true," she continued as if he hadn't been so rude "that you've been treating Harry Potter in your ward for the past week?" "Yes..." 'oh' he thought 'so that's why she wants to talk to me' "Marvelous! Would you mind coming with me for a quick interview?" "Yes, actually, I have a job here that I intend to fulfill" he pushed passed her towards his ward again, but she followed. "Oh but it won't take any longer than a few minutes!" The woman persisted onwards "I'd just like to talk with you about how he's dealing with the injury and what he-" Draco whipped around to face her "are you really that desperate?" "What? I-I don't know what you mean!" "Yes you do. Potter's an Auror, he must get injured all the time, and do you really think people will be interested to read about him all these years after the war? And I doubt anyone would believe what you say about him after the many lies told during his school years" "Well... Ah! But Mr Malfoy, it's interesting how you're sticking up for him, were you not once sworn enemies?!" "Wow, you really are desperate" he gave her a sarcastic smile. "I don't have the time or the energy for this, I need to go tend to my patients" and with that, he walked off once again, leaving the woman stunned to the spot.
Harry was eating breakfast, when Draco rushed in, looking a little out of breath, and got straight to work with treating patients. He was shortly followed by a young woman, who quickly noticed Harry and ran over to him. "My, my, it's Harry Potter!" The woman exclaimed. "How lovely to see you, my name is Romilda Vane, you might recognise me from back at school!" She added enthusiastically. Harry groaned; he remembered her. She was one of his crazy fangirls who tried to give him a love potion - it ended up with Ron in the end. "I'm a reporter now, I was sent here to find an interesting story, and I found you!" She beamed. "How convenient..." Harry sarcastically murmured, but she ignored him. "So, how did you get here?" Romilda positioned a pen to paper, ready for his answer. Knowing that even silence would give reporters like her an answer, Harry didn't hold back. "By apparation" he replied. "You're so funny!" Romilda giggled, and her dark hair bounced fully. "Why are you here?" "I was injured" "Of course you were silly," she cooed annoyingly "but I want to know how you were injured and it's effects on your life" she batted her eye-lids at him. He sighed "I was injured doing my job and it's caused mild inconvenience to my daily routine and I'm sorry but I'm going to ask you to leave now" Harry finished. Romilda stared at him for a moment, then without warning, started kissing him on the lips roughly, licking at his lips.
Harry was unable to move under her force, until, mercifully, she was pulled away from him. He wasn't surprised to see Draco grabbing her by the arm with a murderous glare. Romilda looked terrified that the ex-Death Eater might kill her. "This is a hospital," he hissed, not wanting to attract attention "not your bedroom, the local pub, or wherever else you set your sad little fantasies. Mr Potter is my patient, and I absolutely will NOT accept fangirls - no matter how professional their reason is - coming in and crushing him under their idol-driven desires. Now I suggest you get out of this hospital right away, and find yourself another story" he dragged her out of the room with a very authoritive walk.
Ron walked in, staring a little behind him at the scene, and then sat awkwardly next to Harry. "Mate..." Harry sighed. This was going to be about Ginny. "I don't know what got into her. I thought..." Harry refused eye-contact. "Harry, mate, I'm on your side! So is mum! The whole family in fact! She did this behind all our backs, and... well..." Harry turned and smiled at the man who was blushing as red as his hair "thank-you. I thought I was going to be so alone..." "It's ok. No-one can believe what she did to you, and when I get my hands on that Dean..." he growled, and Harry chuckled. "It's ok. Don't get me wrong; I'm heart-broken! I thought Ginny loved me, and Dean... I trusted him with my life. But it could be worse. I can visit the kids, and I have somewhere to stay while I look for my own place. And I'm especially happy now that I know I've got people on my side" he grinned at his best friend, and Ron grinned back. "Glad she didn't do too much damage. I have to go now, I'm happy to have cleared that up." "Bye then" "Bye! Oh, and mum says you're welcome to visit her whenever you like, and she's going to have some stern words with Ginny as soon she can track her down" he added as his friend waved him off.