FFn/A03 name: StarrAngelofNarnia
House: Ravenclaw (Stand-In)
Class: DADA (Stand-In)
Category: Drabble; Round 8
Word Count: 948
Prompt/Prompts: [POV] Hermione Granger, [Dialogue] "Why do you keep lying to me?" (THC); [Color] Crimson (QL Bingo)
Warnings/Disclaimers: Mentions of Blood and medical procedures
Author's Note: Established relationship between Hermione and Draco and established friendship between Draco and Harry
Beta: Bea Weasley and Ikuni Hattori
–
There's a popular muggle phrase, 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb'; it's always bothered me when people misquote it as 'blood is thicker than water,' because shortening the phrase gives it the complete opposite meaning. It should have come as no surprise to me that there was a potion that could bring the phrase to reality.
Ever since discovering I was a witch, I found that blood was even more important to the magical world than it was to muggles. The entire hierarchy of the world I'd been thrust into since my eleventh birthday had been built on blood. Pureblood witches and wizards, those families who had supposedly never crossed their bloodlines with muggles, were at the top; people such as myself, who were born into a non-magical family, were at the bottom.
I knew why Harry had brought me to St. Mungo's. He had told me he wanted to make me his sister. We'd discussed the reasons behind it: if anything were to happen to him, I'd inherit his family's estate and it would offer me the protections and benefits of being from an ancient family. There was also the less important reason of having companionship, since each of us were only children.
While I knew why Harry had brought me to St. Mungo's, I did not know what was going to happen once we were here. But his weird insistence that the process would be easy was getting a bit unnerving. Nothing in the magical world was ever easy.
"Why do you keep lying to me?" I asked. "You've just told me we're brewing a potion. Potions are never easy."
"Because what he's trying to hide from you, lest you panic and change your mind, is that this potion is administered as an infusion," Draco Malfoy explained, as he set to work drawing blood from Harry's arm in the chair across from me. If anyone would have told me 10 years ago that Harry and Draco would be constantly scheming together, I would have laughed in their face. And yet, here we are.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Harry, I did work that bit out myself. It's a potion that involves blood. Blood runs through veins."
Draco left Harry to hold a piece of gauze over the wound and began adding the crimson liquid he'd drawn into the cauldron. "See, Potter? I told you she'd be smart enough to work it out."
"Well, I know medical procedures make you uncomfortable. I didn't want you worrying about it," Harry shrugged.
I smiled fondly. Hadn't he learned in our ten years of friendship that I am more than capable of caring for myself? "Only because I know I have to take additional precautions to avoid passing out."
It hadn't always been a problem, but as an adult, I had started passing out or feeling faint with certain types of pain. Draco had called it vasovagal syncope. But regardless of the reason, I felt safe with him in the room.
"Potion is ready. And you?" he asked, turning to face me. He continued to swirl the potion vial, which had turned as bright crimson as the blood that had been added to it.
"Ready for a life changing procedure? Sure, no big deal."
Draco smirked. "Should I be offended that you're altering your blood to be Potter's sibling before you're exchanging vows with me?" he asked as he lowered the exam table I was on to a flat bed.
"Then your parents can't complain that I don't come from a magical family," I pointed out, as he adjusted a pillow under my head and a blanket over my legs.
He chuckled. "Fair point." Draco brought his tray of supplies over and organized it just how he liked before turning back to me.
"When I insert the IV needle, I'm first going to draw up just enough to introduce your blood to the potion before I begin the infusion. After that, it's just like any other infusion and it'll take about half an hour. And then you'll officially be a Potter."
I felt the cool wetness of the antiseptic potion on my inner arm.
"Try to focus on your breathing," Draco instructed.
I felt the pinch of the needle and had to close my eyes when spots appeared in my vision. It was a good thing I was laying down. I opened my eyes for a second or two, long enough to see that the IV had been successfully inserted and my own crimson blood was flowing through the catheter before closing my eyes and fighting the blackout once more.
"I've got a pumpkin juice for you as soon as Malfoy's finished setting up," I heard Harry chime in from across the exam room.
I couldn't answer. I felt too nauseous.
"Infusion has started. When you're ready, I can raise your bed a bit so you can drink something," Draco explained, casting a fanning charm over my face.
I opened my eyes, assessing my feelings. The nausea was still there, but the spots in my vision were gone. "Okay, I'm ready to try it."
Slowly, my head and torso were raised just enough that I could safely sip on the juice Harry had brought.
Harry's eyes gave away his concern. "And why do you keep lying to me? Obviously, medical procedures make you uncomfortable."
"That depends on how you define uncomfortable, Harry," I smiled softly. "Something I avoid, no." I closed my eyes again. "But something that makes life difficult, yes."
"If you really want the attention she gets, I can knock you unconscious next time, Potter," Draco joked.
For the next half hour, I rested, entertained by the bantering of my fiancé and my best friend. Or actually, my new brother.
