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"Harry, move!"
Those were the last words that Harry had heard, and then, an explosion sounded off and everything had gone dark. He wasn't sure what had happened. One moment, he and Elaine had been working towards finding an artefact that would lead them closer to a fountain or grail meant to keep them young, and the next, he was out.
He hadn't died, apparently. Elaine wouldn't have let him, and he doubted that in death, he would still feel as much pain as he currently did. That wasn't the only fact that told him he was still among the world of the living. There were others, like the fact that he was confined in bed with all sorts of bandages on his body and potions by his side. He couldn't so much as move anything save for his head and neck to look around, and even then, that was as painful as it was hard to do.
"You're awake."
The voice belonged to Elaine, and in her tone, he could hear relief and other emotions that were very odd to be coming from her; the chief one amongst that list was sadness or something of that ilk, for she sounded close to tears when she spoke to him.
He tried to open his mouth, but he couldn't, and so he tried again only for her to shush him as her figure appeared at his right side.
"There's no need to speak, my love," Elaine said softly, her voice but a whisper on the wind as she looked down at him with a look of utmost care and affection; there were emotions behind her eyes too, such as unfiltered rage and a sadness that wasn't quite quenched… he wasn't sure if he was growing better at reading her, or if their link was acting to aid him. "I'm here with you. All is well. Whatsoever you need, I'll do."
Harry looked at the pitcher of water by his bed and hoped that the message was clear since he couldn't speak. When Elaine flicked her hand immediately and the pitcher as well as a glass began to move towards her, he figured his message had been conveyed well enough. He wasn't sure why she didn't pour it with magic and float it over to his face, but either way, as she moved towards him with a glass of water in her right hand whilst her left sought out his head to raise it, he couldn't do anything but let her do as she wished.
He was completely left to her. His body refused to heed his commands, and so, with a gentle grasp, Elaine raised his head and with her other hand, she put the glass to his lips so that he could drink, and drink he did. Harry took long, greedy gulps of water and before long, he began to couch.
Immediately, she pulled back the glass and levelled her wand at him, and in a second, his urge to cough was gone and the water that had made him do just that was no longer in his throat.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have given you as much as I did," Elaine said, her eyes a few inches from his own and for once in her life, there was no lust as she looked at his lips. "I'll be more careful, my love. I can't risk you. You're too precious to me… far too precious."
Harry wanted to speak up and say that it was fine. He wanted to tell her that he would be back to normal in a day or two, but there was nothing that he could do. He was left useless as she moved around the room. There was nothing he could do as she changed his clothing, her actions careful not to hurt him. Her touch was soft and cooling, gentle and loving, and as she fed him potions or changed his bandages, it remained, altogether, much the same.
When everything was finished, when his bandages were changed, his potions fed to him and his water drank, he half thought she would finally take her leave from him so as to see to the work that he knew she had to do; she didn't. Elaine pulled up a chair to the left side of his bed, and it was so close that her knees were pressed — forcefully and uncomfortably from his point of view — against the bed.
She stayed by his side all the same, and whenever he thought of a drink, she gave him one.
Whenever he needed to use the loo, she aided him however embarrassing it was; not once did she make a remark or say something that was lustful. Her focus was on him in the most loving, nurturing way… it made him see a different side of her. One that he wasn't sure had existed for years, and yet, one that was beautiful beyond belief to see.
Elaine had truly changed, he only hoped he wouldn't burden her for long.
Three days.
It had been three days since he had been injured so grievously, and yet, while he knew he had healed a fair bit, there was still much more healing to do before he was back to his typical, healthy shape. That much was clear based on the pain that he still felt and the potions and bandages that Elaine continued to fix him with. There was still no sign of anger or loathing for her having to take care of him despite all of that. She hadn't even tried to steal into his bed!
He couldn't believe any of it, and yet, at the same time in the back of his mind, it was so blindingly apparent. It had been for a year or so by now; she loved him, she had said as much and now, finally, he was able to witness that love first-hand.
"Good morning, my love," Elaine said to him despite the fact that he was unable to speak. She moved further into his room and to the side of the bed, where finally, she leaned down to press one chaste kiss against his lips before she repeated that action on either cheek, the tip of his nose, and his forehead. "Is there anything you need before we go about giving you your potions for the day?"
Harry did the only thing that he could do without pain; he shook his head. He even managed to form a thumbs-up, and when Elaine saw that, she cooed happily. It didn't go without a remark either.
"You're doing far better, and very quickly at that," Elaine's smile was genuine and infectious, and her voice was free from the typical deep tone that it took when she worked or when there were others nearby. "I'll be happy to have you back to full health in the coming days — I think I'll miss being able to take care of you as I currently am. That's not an excuse to get injured again either. I'll have to keep you right beside me so that we avoid this happening ever again… mayhaps I'll kill whoever recommends such a journey to us before ever it reaches your ears."
Would that he could laugh. Instead, all that he could do was smile up at her; he hoped the meaning was understood.
Elaine's smile back down at him told him that it was, and a few seconds later, after she smiled down at him for a fair few seconds, she moved away so that she could manually grab the tray of potions. He wasn't sure if she enjoyed doing so or if there was a reason behind her actions, but all the same, whenever it came time to feed him or give him the potions that would see him better, she would do so by hand rather than floating them over to him.
"The first of many, as I'm sure you know by now," Elaine said to Harry nought but a second before she raised a vial to his lips; the way she cradled his head, that being with such care, as if he might break was heart-warming. It was with that same level of ease that she raised the vial to his lips so that he might drink from it, and he did; after that first evening, the way she lifted it was ever so slowly, so as to avoid making him cough as he'd done the first time he'd woken up.
She had been so very cross with herself for letting that happen despite the fault being his own. When he was better, he would make sure to hug her, kiss her and do far more to show her that all of this was deeply appreciated.
It was the least he could do; that thought raced through his mind as she began to strip him of his sweat-ridden clothing. In her hands was a cloth and soap, and by the bedside, three different buckets filled with hot water so that she could bathe him. He wasn't quite sure why there were three, but all the same, he didn't question it. He simply enjoyed her attention and the way it allowed her love to shine through.
It was another four days later, which meant it had been a week since he had been wounded. Recently, as in the past day or two, he had finally regained control of his upper body. He was able to sit up all on his own, and as much as Elaine cheered and clapped and kissed him — carefully — silly, he could see that there was a bit of a pout on her face.
She really had loved taking care of him. He could see it in her eyes and actions.
"Today might be the very last day that I'll have to fill you with potions and change the bandages on your back and legs," Elaine said as she lifted his shirt from his body and summoned forth the cart that was filled with everything that she needed. "Your wounds are nearly completely healed, and soon enough, you'll be able to do everything that you previously did, and all without my help. I don't suppose you'll allow me to bathe you every now and then, will you?"
Harry grinned even if she couldn't see it on account of her being behind him. "Maybe once… and a while."
To speak was laborious, and all the same, despite her scolding him not to do so, he did; he knew that she loved to hear him speak, it set her at ease and removed the worry from the depths of her being regardless of what she said. And Merlin, Harry had never seen her so worried, so stressed… he felt horrible beyond the wounds he had suffered.
"Fret not, my love," Elaine said as she finished his uppermost bandage. "I love you. It's the reason I was so worried, and it's the reason I'm no longer worried. You're better, far better, and before long, we'll see to it that you're never injured so horribly again."
"How will we do that?" Harry asked curiously.
Elaine smiled, he could hear it. "You'll see," she said before she came around to look at him from the foot of his bed. "I'll have breakfast brought up for you soon, your favourite, as per usual. Is there anything else that you'd like?"
"I can use the loo by myself, finally, but I do have a request," Harry said, the heat of his former most words making his cheeks colour with embarrassment once more.
"Speak it," Elaine said simply as she looked at him curiously.
He nodded towards the outfit she was wearing. It was a modified nurse's robe from Saint Mungo's. "Keep that, yeah? You look beautiful in it."
Elaine's eyes flashed, and immediately, she sought out his legs. "You'll have much to make up for when you're completely healed, lover."
"I plan on it," Harry fired back.
He didn't deserve her, but by Merlin, he loved her and after this care from her, he would do anything for Elaine. Nothing and nobody would ever be able to stop them.
