The Path to Healing

Italics – Memories (in third person POV)

Chapter 2: Explaining the Past

Harry almost went to grab the closest thing to him to prevent his body from toppling over. But the closest objects were Malfoy’s calves and Harry was pretty sure the blond would appreciate that his bones wouldn’t be more smashed up than they already were. So all Harry did was grip his healer’s wand a bit tighter and went on as if he never shouted out.

“Healer, are you alright?” Natalie asked. “You said Malfoy… Is that the patient’s name?”

“It’s this bas… Yeah, it’s his family name.” Harry mumbled; he kept his head down, eyes trained on the shattered bones underneath the see-through skin. “His full name is Draco Malfoy. He was my… schoolmate at Hogwarts. Same year, Slytherin house.” Harry pointed his wand at a jagged piece of bone and slowly put it back into place.

“Oh… Were you two friends?” Natalie asked innocently; she never heard Healer Potter talk about his school years.

“No,” Harry snapped. “We were far from friends.” Harry spat out the last word.

A sure of anger rose within Harry’s chest and because of it, he pointed at another piece of bone and flicked it back to wherever, not caring if it was in the right place or not. Then Harry sighed and double checked; it was in the right place and he went to fix another piece.

Natalie and the other nurse watched nervously as Potter mend the fibula with jerky movements; they had never seen Harry so angry before. The healer would always treat his patients with kindness and whatever case he was working on, it was worked with care. Natalie tentatively placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, making the young healer look up, stopping him from mending bones.

“You two… weren’t on friendly terms?” Harry looked away from Natalie’s searching blue eyes and down at the not-so-shattered fibula.

“No… We were always fighting about the dumbest things,” Harry answered; he looked up and gave the nurse a small smile. “Enough about that… Can you get braces ready for Mr. Malfoy’s calves? I want you to put them on once I mend bone pieces perfectly together.”

Natalie nodded and took out her own wand. “I’m sorry for prying into your business…”

“It’s alright,” Harry smiled. “Now, I want you to get me two size three brace. The ones that are around fifteen inches long.”

Natalie smiled and flicked her wand at the floor. In a flash of white, a pair of metal braces appeared. Both looked like they were made to fit Malfoy’s calves perfectly.
Harry nodded in approval when Natalie held the one for the left leg up for him to see.

“Perfect. Let me just connect all the bone tissues and breakage. It shouldn’t take too long…”

Harry put his wand right under Malfoy’s left knee; he smoothly let it travel along the limb. A soft, white mist settled onto the shin as Harry’s wand moved. Natalie and the nurse, who had walked up to stand at the other side of the bed, watched in complete awe as the bones slowly melted together, the cracks disappearing right before their eyes. It was well known around St. Mungo’s that Harry Potter’s healing methods were scenes to behold. They were out of the ordinary but the effects were quick and to the point. If they had issued the Skele-Gro, it would take at least two days for all those broken pieces of bones to be mended together.

With Healer Potter’s method, it would only take an hour or less.

Colleagues had asked Harry how and where he had learned such skills. For one so young, it was as if Harry had many years of practice under his belt. But all Potter would say was that he studied, tested the healing spells on models and then perfected them. He told his colleagues he had combined spells together to create one new spell. Other healers, medi-wizards and witches still suspected there was more, but they stopped questioning.

Now, Harry stood, waiting, for the white mist to do its work. He smiled in satisfaction when the last break mended and the whole fibula looked good as new. Harry ended the spell by waving his hand over it; the white mist shimmered and then it was gone.

“Well, my kind nurses, do you see any breakage in the left fibula?” Harry asked. Both Natalie and the other nurse shook their heads.

“No, Healer Potter. Everything looks fine.” Natalie held up the left brace and placed it on the limb. “Healer, even though you mended his bones, there’s still the fact he won’t be able to walk properly?”

“I’m afraid so,” Harry answered; he watched as Natalie tightened the metal rods and the brace was securely in place. “Just because I connected his fibula doesn’t mean that the nerves were completely repaired; we’ll let his body do some natural healing. Also, I asked you to put on the braces because his bones are still very vulnerable to breaking… I say it would take a week until we can take them off. During the meantime, I want as little pressure as possible on those calves.” When Natalie stood back, Harry pressed the tip of his wand gently into the limb. The skin promptly returned to its normal color.

“His spinal cord damage… that one’s the worst is it not?” Natalie asked.

“Yes… But no matter, I’ll do the best I can. However, I can’t guarantee he’ll walk after treatment.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Harry shook his head and walked around the bed; he glanced at Draco’s serene expression before using the same spell to make the right calf see-through.

“Mr. Malfoy will hate me more, and possibly hate himself as well.”

HPDMHPDM

“Alright, that’s all for now.” Harry tucked his wand inside his robes; Natalie and the other nurse bustled around, putting things away.

Harry bent low and pulled the blanket over Malfoy’s body; his green eyes scanned from top to bottom. The blond was so thin… and looked so fragile. Harry sighed and took a step back from the bed. For the past two hours, he had mended both of Malfoy’s previously crushed fibulas; Harry then, with the help of Natalie, flipped Malfoy to his stomach and started working on the blonde’s spinal injury. Using the same spell to make the pale skin see-through, Harry clearly saw the misalignment of the lumbar. The sections L2 to L4 were unmistakably out of place; both were also fractured. Working on the spinal cord took great care; Potter asked Natalie to carefully insert a needle into the vertebrae, draining the spinal fluids. If they did not do so, the fluid would only serve to press against the damaged nerves, thus giving Malfoy pain if the man was awake.

Although Harry had aligned the spinal sections, it didn’t mean that Malfoy would be able to get up and walk when he wakes up from his coma. Nerve damage required time to heal. Sure, Harry had connected them, but the damage was done. Nerve cells don’t regenerate like all other body cells do. That was why once a nerve was damaged patients will need potions to grow new cells.

That is, if the body itself would accept the new grown nerves. If the body rejected them, the patient would be lame for life. This was why Harry was worried; Malfoy would be the first patient to have to re-grow new nerve cells in the spinal column.

“Natalie, I want full observation on Mr. Malfoy. If anything happens, contact me,” Harry ordered. “Monitor him. Any changes in his heart rate, body temperature, or maybe something as minor as fluttering eyelids, I want to know.”

“Yes, Healer,” Natalie said softly; she went up to the bed and pulled out her wand. She mumbled a spell and in a moment, Malfoy was enveloped in a blue shell. Natalie turned to face Harry, only find the healer rubbing his face tiredly. “Healer Potter… you must be drained. You’ve been healing Mr. Malfoy for the past two hours without stopping. Maybe you should go home; I promise to contact you if anything happens here.”

Harry let out a weary sigh; he smiled lightly at the young woman. “Thank you… and how many times have I said you can call me Harry?” The brunet chuckled when Natalie blushed. “You’ve been working under me for the past two years… and besides, I’m not that much older.”

“Well… it’s just that… You’re my superior,” Natalie mumbled. She looked up and rolled her eyes when she found Harry looking at her with an arched eyebrow. “Very well. Alright, Harry, I’ll be here. Estella and I have late night shifts. We’ll be here till the crack of dawn.”

Harry nodded. “Guess I’ll head home and sleep… I didn’t actually have night shift today.”

Natalie bit her bottom lip. “We’re sorry… but Mr. Malfoy here…” She waved her hand at Draco.

“Yes, I know. I wouldn’t ignore the case anyway,” Harry shrugged, “he would be under my care from now on. It would be for the best. None of the other healers was ever in the same room with Draco Malfoy before. Well, they were but he was unconscious.” Harry smirked when Natalie looked at him, confused. “Trust me, Natalie… he’s as cold as ice from the Arctic.”

“At any rate, you’re good to leave now.” She walked out from Malfoy’s room; Harry followed behind.

“You’ll see me soon. I’ll be back in—” Harry pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch, “—five hours.”

“Oh that’s right… You have the early shift tomorrow.”

Harry nodded glumly; he turned left while Natalie stood watching Harry’s retreating back from the doorway of Malfoy’s room.

“Goodnight, Harry!” the young nurse called; she smiled when Harry waved without turning back to look at her.

HPDMHPDM

Harry apparated straight to the front door of his flat; he plunged his hand into his trouser pocket and fished out his keys. When Harry had just barely started his Healer training, he had decided against living anywhere with only Muggles. After spending a good ten years in the magical world, it was home to him and Harry didn’t feel too comfortable living with just non-magical folks.

Potter jiggled his key and put it into the front door lock. Before he even had the chance to turn the knob, soft scratches were heard along with a small whine. Harry chuckled and carefully opened the door wide enough so he squeezed through. A joyous bark greeted him, making Harry smile.

“Hey Storm… Did ya miss me?” Harry asked the now sitting Labrador puppy; he bent down and picked Storm up. “Were you lonely without me?”

Storm let out a yip and licked the tip of Harry’s nose, its tail wagging back and forth in happiness. Harry ruffled Storm’s sleek black coat of fur, making the pup tremble in contentment.

“Well, I missed you too, boy.” Harry patted the dog’s small head. “I have loads to tell you… You won’t believe who I saw tonight…”

Storm let out a bark and started wriggling in Harry’s arms. The brunet chuckled and gently placed the black puppy down. Living up to its name, Storm shot down the hallway and bounced into the living room in a flurry of black. Harry shook his head at the young pup’s antics and followed the black ball of fur.

“What would I do without you, Storm?” Harry mused and went to his living room. “The flat would be very quiet that’s for sure.”

Harry stood near the couches; his green eyes watching his pup run around in circles in the middle of the carpeted floor. After about five circles, Storm finally settled down and lay in front of the couch, its dark brown eyes staring at its owner. Potter walked over to the panting pup and sat down on the floor, cross-legged. With his back against the sofa, Harry patted his lap and the puppy scrambled over and made itself comfortable within the folds of Harry’s legs.

“I had plenty of excitement today, Storm,” Harry whispered. “I saw someone I never thought of seeing again.”

Storm looked up at Harry and whined, tilting its little head to the side. Harry chuckled and smoothed Storm’s fur. The living room was quiet except for the ‘thump-thump-thump’ of the puppy’s tail on Harry’s trousers.

“Last time I saw Malfoy was… It was when the battle had just ended.” Harry played with Storm’s floppy ears, making the dog grin. “I was injured, Storm; my left leg had been cut with a slashing hex combined with a spell that made my flesh slowly rot away. It was horrible and painful…” Harry shuddered as he remembered the way his leg had looked.

“I couldn’t do anything… it hurt so much,” Harry closed his eyes, “I thought I was going to die by blood lost. Nobody could help me; there were so many bodies that night.”

Storm let out a sad whimper and nuzzled Harry’s belly; it was as if the pup could sense his owner’s sadness and pain. Harry opened his eyes and looked down at the Labrador.

“I really didn’t expect anybody to heal me… But then…”

.:0:..:0:..:0:.

‘Oh Merlin… Just let me die. I don’t want any more pain…’

Harry was lying face up on the dirt ground; blood was pooling underneath his legs as the cut continuously bled. He propped himself up by his elbows and winced; tears of pain trickled down his face. Harry was deathly pale but nobody was there to notice. The skin next to the cut was turning black and rotting. Whatever the spell was, it was doing its job without trouble. Harry cried as more blood pulsed out; the liquid was black and thick. Just as he was to pass out, a pair of hands pushed him back onto the ground. Harry’s vision was becoming blurry but he still made out who was hovering above him.

“… Ma-Malfoy?” Harry whispered; he was starting to slur.

Draco sent the brunet one of his famous smirks and pointed his wand at Harry. The first thought that came to mind was that Malfoy was going to kill him right there. It would’ve been easy; Harry was in no shape to fight back, even though he was clutching his wand in his right hand.

“Are you going to kill me now?” Harry asked; he closed his eyes. “Do it… Everybody’s dead and I’m going to die sooner or later…” Harry moved his left leg. “At this rate, all my blood would be spilled onto the ground within five minutes.”

“Shut up, Potter, I’m not going to kill you,” Draco drawled.

Harry opened his eyes slowly; he blinked a few times to focus on the blond-haired teen above him.

“Then why are you here?” Harry whispered painfully; he tensed when a throb of pain shot through his torso. “Leave before the remaining Death Eaters come back…”

Draco scoffed. “There are none left; they’re all dead and gone. Aurors had arrived…” Draco sat on his calves and placed his hand over Harry’s eyes. “Go to sleep, Potter.”

“What… NO!”

Draco sneered and removed his hand; his eyes went to the very horrible cut on Harry’s leg. “That’s a nasty piece of work.”

Harry let out a choked laugh. “Yes, quite. I don’t know what hit me… A Death Eater mumbled something and shot the spell at my leg…”

Malfoy sighed. “Stop talking, Potter, I know what the spell is.”

“You do?”

“It’s dark magic… My father made me study them when I was young… I know what the curse is.”

Harry struggled to sit up but Draco pushed him down again. “Can you…?”

For the first time in the seven years he’d known Malfoy, Harry saw a small smile on Draco’s pinched face.

“I can… But now, you shall sleep, Potter.” Once more, Draco placed his hand over Harry’s eyes.

The brunet tried to pull it off but was too weak. The blood loss and the magic drain were taking their toll. The last thing he heard was Draco mumbling a spell and then Harry knew no more.

.:0:..:0:..:0:.

Storm let out a soft bark when Harry stopped stroking its fur. Potter frowned; he picked up the puppy and held it close; Storm started nuzzling Harry’s neck, sniffing at the skin.

“I woke up, maybe hours later, to find it was still dark. Nothing changed except that I felt no more pain…” Harry began again. “I sat up and was shocked to find my leg good as new; there wasn’t even a scar.” Potter set Storm down in front of him and let the puppy sit on the floor. “I searched the battleground after I was strong enough to stand and walk; I wanted to find Malfoy and thank him for healing my leg, but Malfoy was nowhere to be found… The last time I saw and heard him was before I blacked out… Until now.”

Storm whined and butted Harry’s legs before putting its head on his shins.

“It’s been eight years, Storm. Eight years… And that’s a long time.” Harry placed one hand on top of the black pup’s head. “You can say it was Malfoy that inspired me to become a Healer. I wanted to help people in need… Just like how Malfoy helped me, even though he was my supposed enemy.”

Storm barked to agree with Harry.

“Now, I have the chance to repay him… By healing him and make him walk again.”

HPDMHPDM

At another place, far away from Harry’s flat, in a room numbered four fifty-two, a blond-haired patient moved his right index finger, like a spasm. Heart rate went up to a stable condition; a loud ringing sounded, alerting nearby nurses.

Natalie rushed into room four fifty-two and just in time saw another jerky movement from Draco’s finger. She ran back out again, going to contact the patient’s doctor.

Draco let out a small sigh, his breath fogging up the oxygen mask.

Then, Malfoy was in a deep sleep once more.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: The second chapter is here!! I have a good feeling about this story ;) Well now you know why Harry became a healer ;P