Summary: Draco and Astoria will change the world together through medicine.
Rated: T
Genre: General
Competition/Challenge Block
Written For: Monthly Challenges for All (Year 5); Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition (Season 10)
Quidditch: Wigtown Wanderers - Keeper [Coworkers]
MC4A: Hunt (Sp Set [Busy]; Sp Consumable [Medicine; Cookie/Biscuit]; Sp Item [Mirror; Ceramic Mug]); Ship (Sp Big [Ceramic Mug; Mirror]; Sp Med2 [Coffee/Tea; Medical Appointment]; Sp Mic2 [Wet]); ShipB (5D [Conference/Seminar]); SpB (4A [Path/Trail]); TrB (5E [Absurdly Divided X])
Beta: starspangledpumpkin, StarrAngelofNarnia, brokenbottleaurora
Word Count: 1,997
Warning Tag: bigotry, sexism, transphobia, heavy medical related topics, references to various illnesses
Magic Isn't Everything
Becoming a Healer was never something Draco ever considered as a career path before; that was until he met the love of his life and she became his entire world. Astoria was soon the reason behind his new life, his second chance, his new purpose in the otherwise cruel, spiteful world. Because if Draco knew one thing that was right about society, it was that it does not forget easily.
The choice became so simple after meeting her, especially when the world was quite cruel. It just so happened to strike Astoria in the most vengeful manner, too. Illness was never a good thing to combat, but magic-based or not, it attacked just the same. That was something Draco knew he could do to help change, as did Astoria, and that was when their paths truly merged and became one. The journey through Healer studies and training brought them even closer together, and it was what led them to host a very important medical board meeting.
Today, they were to be coworkers and not significant others, but that was going to be difficult for Draco to compartmentalize. It was a necessity for him to think professionally rather than personally, especially with what Astoria was about to propose to the medical board. She was very insistent on running the show, and he wasn't going to stop her despite his concerns about it not resonating well with their peers.
What was going to be presented would help her, and their son…
Draco looked around the large, dull colored conference room. Its center was where the long oval oak table sat. A dozen or so Healers sat around it with their files and notepads neatly in front of them. Some had mugs of tea next to a small plate of biscuits that were provided against the back wall. A large circular mirror was mounted above the refreshments, reflecting the room back at them. Draco fidgeted with his own mug of fresh tea while he waited. He was nervous because he and Astoria were the youngest in the entire group; the others were as old as great grandparents. All but two were women, so the bout of nausea churning in Draco's stomach was not unreasonable for the cause. Astoria had a real fight ahead of her with the old oafs who have been settled with how things were for far too long.
"Good morning, everyone," Astoria said, glancing around with a soft smile. "I would like to start by saying that I am very appreciative of you all for taking your time from your busy schedules to meet with me in regards to proposing improvements to the infrastructure of how our medical system currently works.
"As you all know, our society has been going through a lot of positive changes the last several years within our government, and with these changes, so many people have been able to get back up on their feet and re-establish themselves in the world."
Draco, wanting something to do, wet his lips with a slow drink of tea, eyeing the seniors around him who were grumbling nonsense and picking at their biscuits.
"However, despite all of this," Astoria continued, taking a couple steps to one side to hold their attention, "one of the major setbacks that we are still facing is the lack of proper medical care and advancement in our studies to adapt to this ever-changing world."
"And what, pray tell, is the problem with the current system?" a gravelly-voiced wizard croaked out. "There have been no complaints about the way things have been."
Draco saw Astoria bite her bottom lip at the comment, and he himself wanted to snap back at the obvious judgment. But resistance was a part of change.
"There may not be any concerns from the medical staff or hospitals that we are aware of, but I do know there have been an increase of complaints from patients and families over the past few years in regards to general and advanced treatment and care."
This made the room's atmosphere shift, and not in a pleasant way.
"In order to help rectify these problems, I believe that if we introduce Muggle medicine into our society, we will not only be able to make our own methods more successful, but we could very likely have solutions and cures for several ailments we otherwise do not have," Astoria finished.
Everyone started to speak over one another, and Draco tensed at the pushback of something so simple and easy.
"Muggles know nothing—"
"What can they do that we can't—"
"Our medicine is far superior—"
He stood up to attempt to get the room calmed down, but Astoria beat him to it. The red sparks crackled in the air above their heads, bringing the room into a dead silence.
"I understand the theory that magic is a cure all," Astoria said with a tone that resonated to Draco's core. "But in truth, magic isn't everything. We have allowed this superiority to blind us to think we are doing our best with what we have, but we really aren't. We don't have all the answers, and we don't have a cure for everything. We can easily change this, yet we don't. Why? Isn't our purpose as Healers to help our fellow wixen to the best of our ability and to strive to find new ways to improve our practice in order to keep doing so?"
Grumbles from the elders emitted, but Draco couldn't make out anything actually being said.
"The Muggles have been able to do this without magic for centuries now, and their advancements only continue to grow and have even surpassed our own in several areas."
Astoria paused briefly to sip her tea. Draco knew she was ready to drive the point home.
"I am a prime example of this very situation. For generations my family has been plagued with the idea that we were cursed due to the sporadic short life expectancy coursing through our bloodline. But this is not true. In fact, due to Muggle medicine, it has been discovered that I am not cursed, but ill from a blood disease called leukemia, which is treated with a potion-like equivalent called chemotherapy."
"That is impossible," an ancient wizard snarled. "Our magic prevents us from contracting the Muggle sicknesses."
"Obviously this isn't completely true," Draco interrupted. "We clearly aren't as immune to them as we believed to be. We are all still human beings, magic or not, and some things we've once deemed as curses are in fact ailments we arrogantly thought we couldn't contract. This is why we need to be more open to other factors in order to better help our own."
Someone laughed. "You only say this because she is your wife. You shouldn't even be here due to a biased opinion."
"I would be saying the same thing even if Healer Greengrass wasn't," Draco said firmly. "I don't care if you and your great aunt are in attendance together, Healer Thorne; that is also biased, isn't it?"
Healer Thorne's smile faded and the only other female in the room shifted uncomfortably.
"Regardless, we are all still coworkers first and friends or family second. We are all still here for the same reasons and purpose, correct?"
"Only because the memo was so vague—"
"The fact of the matter is we do require change to our way of practicing medicine in order to improve the lives of our patients and their families," Astoria said, redirecting the conversation back to the point. "It is a feat that cannot be done alone, and we should do what we can now to set the path for future Healers and staff to be better at our jobs, just how the same standard is asked of the Aurors, lawmakers, and government.
"Because of my decision to seek Muggle medicine for my condition, my son will still have a mother to be there for him for years to come. Why should we deny others to keep their own loved ones around for many more years they deserve by not expanding our knowledge in order to do this?"
A wizard cut in. "Your family is notorious for having female offspring and to make it worse, you carry the woman's last name to boot, so you have no son."
Draco felt his hand ball into a fist and saw Astoria's jaw clench at the statement.
"You are bred from a strange bloodline already, why should we even listen to—much less follow—your unusual proposal? One anomaly that is yourself does not make up the rest of our society."
"It is because we've turned a blind eye to what we can't fix with magic, which is reckless on our part," Astoria all but snapped back. "We have lost a lot of good wixen because of something that we chose to overlook. Due to this, Healer Malfoy and I have been conducting private research and examinations on volunteers looking for answers to their conditions that have only been managed and never given a diagnosis."
Astoria started handing out pamphlets that very slowly circulated the room. "Our results are staggering. From simple things like arthritis and anemia to much bigger ailments like dementia and neurological diseases have been detected in our population. Of course you don't know what these are, but I assure you they are very real things, and can be treated and maintained."
She looked at Healer Thorne. "That tingling, burning sensation in your knee, for example Healer Thorne, could likely be signs of onset arthritis and can be managed with proper medicine. What about that nasty cough your great grandmother has had for a month despite it being managed with potions, Healer Workin, is likely bronchitis. There is a successful non-magic treatment for it, too."
Draco flipped through the pamphlet as if he'd never seen it before. It listed the illnesses they'd diagnosed, the symptoms of each, and how Muggle medicine offered treatments magical means couldn't. What he really enjoyed seeing was the called-out Healer's initial shock and outrage by the suggestion of such Muggle things, followed by the disbelief that washed over them as they read and related to information in front of them.
"With all that said, I believe it is something we all can agree on; that there needs to be improvement in all areas, and it needs to start now."
Draco watched as the group started speaking in haste among each other, hunching over the pamphlets and shaking their heads in disbelief. He couldn't help but look over at Astoria and smile triumphantly, raising his mug of tea in premature congratulations to her success.
Finally, Healer Thorne cleared his throat and gave Astoria his full attention. "Should this proposal be passed and enacted, and separate wards be added to our hospitals to offer this… alternative medicine, you very well know that there is no funding for such a thing behind it. And without funding, nothing ever happens."
"That has already been decided," Draco proudly stepped in, offering another pamphlet that showed what he was going to describe. "My family is personally going to invest in the project for three major facilities. There will also be plenty of opportunities for donations and sponsors to be accepted during this trial. And if you can see already by the charts, it is already providing a very positive response within the Games and Sports Department of the ministry."
No one could be against an entire government department to be favorable to the cause, nor the fact that such a rich family like Draco's to actively support and fund it to boot. This reality was rattling the old minds of the board, and both Draco and Astoria reveled in their success in knowing that the old world would finally be thrown out and allowing the new in.
Next step was to get more of the younger and eager Healers recruited to the medical board, as new ideas will always be welcome.