Heal Thy Blood

Chapter Three - Astoria Malfoy

Harry felt as though he had blinked from his time in the treatment room to the very moment he arrived on the ward where Astoria had been placed – the long-stay ward, the same place where two of his other patients were based. He checked his watch, which showed the time as nine-fifteen in the morning, leaving him with plenty of time before his lunch meeting with Teddy and Andi at twelve. He checked in with the healer in the ward's waiting room to ensure that Astoria was awake and that nothing had gone amiss overnight.

"I believe she is awake; she even requested the daily paper," the witch on duty confirmed, scribbling notes on some parchments in front of her. He thanked her and headed towards the women's ward, making sure to enter quietly so as not to disturb any resting patients. Privacy curtains could be drawn around the patient's space, providing charms that blocked external light and noise. Astoria was in bed two, the first bed on the left, and to his surprise, he found her sitting upright, leaning against her pillows, with a copy of the Daily Prophet covering her face.

"Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy," he greeted her softly, standing at the foot of her bed. Astoria slowly lowered the paper to reveal her dark hair and soft, pale features. She looked much healthier than she did the night before. "I am Har-"

"Harry Potter, even without the glasses and the faded scar, you would struggle to find a witch or wizard in Britain who doesn't recognize your face, Mr. Potter," she interrupted gently. Her accent had a stereotypically British upper-class quality, yet it lacked the stiffness and unwelcoming tone that sometimes accompanied it. He smiled at her.

"I often find it best to assume people don't recognize you than to assume they do. I don't want to come across as arrogant, after all. How are you feeling this morning?" he inquired.

She chuckled at his reply, folding her paper and setting it down on her lap.

"I very much doubt you could be labelled as arrogant. I saw you at school and in the aftermath of the war; I didn't see arrogance there," she replied, her eyes fixed on him gently. He felt as though she could see straight through him, which was somewhat unsettling. "I am sore and a little drained, but I am alive, and I have you to thank for that, I believe. The healer on duty informed me of what happened last night. I am in your debt."

"You are in no such debt. I was doing my job. If it weren't for your husband, you might not have made it either," he countered, not wanting his actions to be seen as something to be repaid.

"See, not arrogant. I wager my family's healer would've made a big song and dance about saving my life, like you did last night," her tone turned unfriendly when she mentioned her family's healer, a topic he intended to avoid. "I imagine Draco was not the person you expected to see, and I appreciate how you were with him."

"How do you know how I was with him? Visiting hours aren't for another thirty minutes," he questioned.

"Hospitals are like the Ministry; gossip runs riot. I overheard one of the administrators dropping off mail at the front desk, and they were discussing how Harry Potter did not hex Draco Malfoy into the next century," she explained.

He cursed under his breath at the power of gossip.

"Again, just my job. I hadn't spoken to Draco since his trial-" he corrected himself, "since school. It's been over three years since then, and you were dying."

"Still, he was an arsehole during school. A blood bigot. How he treated Miss Granger was appalling, and his slurs were unacceptable," she criticized her husband's past behaviour.

"Was?" he smirked, earning another chuckle from Astoria.

"He has had a humbling three years. His family name is ruined, so he has limited employment options. Truth be told, he has a relatively mundane desk job at the Ministry. It's not much, but then I am unlike those pureblood ladies who want a lavish lifestyle. I'd rather be happy and modest than miserable and rich," she explained.

"It was a poor joke; people change," Harry replied.

"They do. Truth be told, I would never have married him if I had a choice. But with my condition, I am not desirable to most men, and I want a child. I didn't have that luxury back then, so my father made a contract with Mrs. Malfoy. He has tried to better himself, and over the last year or so, I have fallen for him. I won't justify his former behaviour, but I won't keep holding him back for it," she concluded.

"A very mature position to take. I didn't know marriage contracts were still a thing in Britain?" Harry inquired.

"They aren't really, but I had limited choices, remember?" she smiled. "I believe I have just unloaded a bit on you there. You're not a mind healer, so sorry to chew your ear off, Mr. Potter."

"Call me Harry, and don't worry about it. It's better to talk than to be a prisoner in your own mind," he replied and picked up her charts from the foot of the bed to check for any overnight notes. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just a record of the amount of blood potion she had received.

"Do you know how long I'll be here?" she asked, a mix of hope and dread in her tone.

"My initial assessment was for two weeks, but you have responded remarkably well since last night. It could be sooner if you continue to improve. Believe me, I won't keep you here longer than necessary," he reassured her, returning her charts and noting that she was due for another replenishment potion shortly.

"Well, that's a relief. As grateful as I am, I do need to get back to work as soon as possible. Sick pay only lasts so long, and I have bills to pay, after all," she explained.

"I understand that. With our economy not in the best shape, everything costs that much more. Personally, I find having my affairs and life in the Muggle world much more practical," he admitted. His financial situation was relatively comfortable, but he didn't flaunt his wealth, preferring to maintain a low profile.

"From what I heard, being the heir to the Potter and Black fortunes wouldn't leave you short on money, Mr. Potter," Astoria commented with a slight smile.

"I thought one of the hallmarks of being British was that we didn't talk about money, that it was considered improper," he replied with amusement. "The magical world in this country is not financially advisable, especially for Muggleborns, for example."

"You've not been to many pureblood gatherings, have you? All they talk about is wealth. But do tell me about your point," she leaned back against her pillow, as if settling in for a story.

"Well, for one, there are all the costs that the Muggle world doesn't have. A magical property must be built on ley lines, which are limited in Britain. So, the cost to buy land on these lines is astronomical. Then, factoring in building materials, most magical contractors don't buy through the Muggle world, and they largely control access to logging and quarries for materials. Therefore, the costs to build a home are extreme. And that's all before you even start living," he explained.

"And Draco used to say you were overrated and stupid," Astoria chuckled. "You're not wrong, but most of the wizarding world couldn't function in the Muggle world."

"Why not? It's only different in the sense that you can't whip your wand out and use magic everywhere," he questioned. However, he noticed Astoria's lips purse slightly, and her shoulders shook. He was about to ask what was wrong when she started to giggle.

"Are you in the habit of whipping out your wand in public, Mr. Potter? The Prophet would pay for that scoop," she cackled. He put her chart back down and smiled to himself. At least she had some humor despite her situation.

"Behave yourself," he chuckled.

"Apologies. My sister would admonish me for such crude humour. Did you remember her? Daphne Greengrass?"

"I remembered her, but I'm ashamed to say I rather childishly assumed all of Slytherin was like... Well... your husband. So, I didn't really speak with anyone from that house," he admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed by his prejudice.

"I can't blame you. From what I heard, a lot of that house outright hated you. Your father put many of their families in prison or killed them during the First Wizarding War. But there were some more sympathetic voices, from what I heard," Astoria shared.

"You weren't in Slytherin?" he asked, curious about her perspective.

"No, I was in Ravenclaw. I knew that what Draco and the others were saying about your arrogance and the like weren't true. I saw how you befriended Luna Lovegood when others were cruel. I figured you couldn't be half the things they were saying if you were looking out for her," she explained.

"Luna is a unique and good friend, and that's what you do for friends, after all."

"Indeed it is. I'm glad I didn't end up in Slytherin. I know my sister had a hellish time from fourth year onwards. With our family being neutral, a lot of the... 'darker children' would try to sway her so that their parents would gain our support. I wish she had ended up in Ravenclaw or another house. Those times really affected her, I think, but at least those times are over," Astoria shared as she relaxed against her pillow.

"The only thing affecting me, dear sister, is you overexerting yourself," came a voice from Harry's left, near the ward entrance. He turned to see a woman he assumed was Astoria's sister. It was the first time he had taken in her appearance in full, as he hadn't noticed her during school, and the previous night, he had been focused on her parents. She was of average height, likely a head shorter than him, and had a slender, dancer's frame, in contrast to Astoria's notably thinner frame due to her condition. Unlike her sister, Daphne had bright, almost platinum blonde hair.

"Sister, is it visiting hours already?" Astoria greeted her sister with a raised eyebrow. Harry noted the slight twitch at the corner of her lips, a hint of a smile forming.

"How are you feeling?" the older sibling asked softly as she moved past Harry to sit beside her younger sister's bed.

"Never better" Astoria replied casually, something Daphne seemed less than impressed by. He knew better than to get involved with family disputes so made to excuse himself.

"Impressive, Daphne. Not even Voldemort managed to scare Harry here, and yet you've done it in less than three minutes," Astoria deadpanned, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Forgive my sister and her lack of tact, Healer Potter. She's well and truly taking advantage of her current situation," Daphne said to him before turning her attention to her sister.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll recover. I've become acquainted with Astoria's humour during her short time under my care. I'll leave you to your visit," Harry said, making to exit the ward. He didn't want to appear rude, but his visit had been intended to be brief, just to ensure Astoria's recovery was on track.

"I have an engagement I'm expecting. I hope your family doesn't find it rude that I need to leave now," he added.

"I would never consider you rude, Healer Potter," a voice spoke up from the ward entrance. Thomas Greengrass stood there, alongside his wife, Isabella. Both looked more composed than the previous night. Isabella offered him a warm smile as she moved around him to greet Astoria, engaging her in conversation. Thomas approached Harry and extended his hand, a small smile on his lips. Harry wasted no time in shaking it, the gesture formal but welcoming.

"I won't keep you, but I wanted to extend our thanks again. As a token of our appreciation, we'd like to take you out for dinner in the next few weeks," Thomas said, his tone sincere. Harry began to protest, but Thomas held up a hand with a knowing smile.

"I know, you were just doing your job. But you've saved our family three times now. Please allow us to show our gratitude," Thomas insisted.

"Three times?" Harry was taken aback. Until the previous night, he hadn't interacted with the Greengrass family.

"Well, first, you killed the Dark Lord. I won't go into details here, but I suspect he intended to kill my wife and me for remaining neutral. Some of the inner circle had their eye on Daphne and Astoria as well. Your actions spared us from those fates," Thomas explained.

Harry nodded, silently thankful for those he had spared from terrible fates, yet still burdened by the guilt of those he hadn't been able to save.

"If you let me know where to contact you, I'll send you some available dates," Harry offered, earning a smile and a nod from Thomas.

…

Harry made his way through the hospital, his thoughts already drifting to the plans he had for the afternoon and evening with Teddy and Andi. However, before he reached the Floo network, a hand landed on his shoulder from behind. James Watson, his manager and the senior healer at St. Mungo's, stood there with a serious expression. Harry's brows furrowed in concern as he noted the urgency in James' demeanour.

"Harry, can we talk?" James' tone was measured but carried a weight of seriousness.

Harry nodded, curiosity piqued. "Here?"

James motioned for Harry to follow him into his office, tucked away from the hospital's bustling activity. Once inside, James closed the door behind them and took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Harry.

"I wanted to discuss the medical results that came in yesterday," James began, his voice steady but tinged with sympathy.

Harry's brows furrowed deeper. What medical results? He hadn't been expecting anything significant.

James hesitated, his expression a mix of empathy and sadness. "Harry, I'm afraid the results indicate that your exposure to the Unforgivable Curses has had a profound effect on your magical core. The damage is extensive, and I'm sorry to say, it's irreversible."

A wave of shock washed over Harry, and he felt as though the ground had been pulled out from under him. Irreversible damage. The words echoed in his mind, and he struggled to grasp the weight of what he was hearing. He had faced death and danger countless times, but this felt different—like an enemy he hadn't even seen coming.

"What does that mean?" Harry's voice was quiet, tinged with a mix of fear and uncertainty.

James sighed, his gaze never leaving Harry's. "It means that your magical core is deteriorating, Harry. Your life force is slowly being drained, and over time, it will affect your health and magical abilities. I'm truly sorry, but as of now, there's no known way to reverse the damage."

The room seemed to close in around Harry as he absorbed James' words. Dying. The reality of it hit him like a tidal wave crashing against the shore, a reality he wasn't prepared to face. His mind raced, thoughts of battles fought and victories won clashed against the realization that his own time might be running out.

"I'm dying?" Harry almost whispered, his voice barely audible. The word hung heavy in the air, a bitter truth he couldn't escape.

James reached out, his hand a comforting weight on Harry's shoulder. "I know this is an overwhelming revelation, Harry. But I want you to understand that we won't give up. We're going to explore every avenue, every possible solution to help you."

Tears welled in Harry's eyes, his vision blurred as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. He nodded, his voice choked, "Thank you, James."

James' expression softened, his own eyes reflecting a shared sense of sorrow. "You're not alone in this. We're here for you, every step of the way, my boy."

Despite James' assurances, a heavy silence hung in the room. Internally, Harry began to accept his cruel fate, to come to terms with the idea that he was facing an adversary he couldn't outwit or outfight. This was a battle against time itself, against the limits of magic and mortality.

As James continued to speak, his words a gentle stream of hope and comfort, Harry's thoughts turned inward. He would make the most of the time he had left, cherish every moment, and find a way to come to peace with the reality before him. The hero who had faced dark wizards and beasts was once again confronting his own vulnerability. He wanted to do so with the same courage and determination that had defined his life, yet all he could feel right now was a sense of injustice.

...

So thats the opening of the story done! Sorry for the delays I hit a wall!