Chapter Text
"She's not getting better, you do know that, right?" Pansy spoke when Draco stopped to look up at a room that was dimly lit purple on the fourth floor of Saint Mungos. The street lights flickered as the warm autumn air brought Draco back to reality. "I don't know why they let her have lights like that; she can't see anymore." She seemed annoyed at the fact that Draco seemed to even worry about the girl who was locked away in her tower.
"Pan's, let the dying girl enjoy something." Draco finally spoke, retrieved a cigarette from his coat pocket, and placed it between his lips. "Sounds like you're a bit jealous."
"Whatever, ever since you became her Healer, you've changed. You used to complain that she got all this attention and that everyone doted on her. Now, you are doing the same thing. Even now, you're off for the next two days, and you are fixated on the hospital." Pansy folded her arms and stormed off towards the flat she shared with Draco.
Draco didn't bother chasing after her; a click of his metal lighter, and a light flickered to life. A few puffs and the cigarette was lit. He had spent many nights stopping to check if her light was on. Some nights he didn't. He would go into work and turn her lights on for her. He would see her sitting quietly in her room. Her wand scanned the pages of the book she had gotten her hands on, and her wand acted like a speaker, reading quietly back to her. Hermione was content.
Hermione spent most of her time alone. He noticed that he was finally assigned to her case after a couple of weeks. Draco had always assumed she was busy with friends and family, but he soon found that they stopped coming when they were told the curse was worsening and her life was going to be cut short. The best the hospital could do for her was to help prolong her life, even if it was just one more year.
Married, but her husband barely showed up for significant appointments about her health. A best friend who would send her flowers every couple of weeks, but couldn't find the time to stop by and visit with her. Hermione didn’t have much time left. Did they even care after everything she did to save them during their school days and the war?
When Draco would tend to her, he used a glamour charm to hide his face and voice. He didn't want to stress her more than she was. Sometimes it was easier to sound like her husband when they were just in the room together, but he didn't always use Ron's voice. At least it gave her hope that he was visiting her when he really wasn't.
0000000
"What took you so long? Checking on her again?" Pansy spoke as she placed a bowl of salad on the kitchen table.
Draco let out a heavy sigh. "You know I don't like smoking inside. I just walked a little slower back home." He pulled his seat out to see a plate of steak and a baked potato. Perhaps a bit too slow if she had already prepared dinner. "I would have helped you."
"I don't have time to wait, I have classes in the morning and would like to go to bed at a reasonable time." She huffed and took a seat at the table.
"Pans, you don't have to wait for me, you can do your own thing. It's not like we're dating."
"No, you are dating Astoria and the dying girl." Pansy took a large bite of the steak she had cut and pointed her fork towards him. "How's Astoria taking that part? You always at the hospital? Or is she ‘I understand you have a job to do and you are trying to get your time in at the hospital.’"
Draco slammed his hands down on the table, his face flushed with anger. "Pans, that's enough. You are acting like a spoiled brat. When you don't have someone's attention, you drag other people down. Have you ever thought of anyone besides yourself? Maybe, at least for five minutes, can you think of someone else?" Draco pushed his plate away. "Thanks for the meal, but I feel like this has been poisoned by how toxic you've been. I'm going to start staying at the hospital in one of the on-call rooms. You can start looking for another roommate or simply let your dad cover the entire cost. I'll get my things in the next couple of days."
Pansy pursed her lips. "It’s not like I wanted to share a place with you anyway!”
00000
Draco was very gentle as he took Hermione’s blood. Sunlight was barely creeping in. The warm golden glow illuminated the white hospital walls. “There we go.” He spoke softly, removed the needle, and placed a cotton swab on the small amount of blood and wrapped it tightly with a green bandage. “How are you feeling? You should be getting breakfast soon.”
Hermione nodded, “I just feel a bit tired this morning. The new medicine has made me a bit worn lately. I feel like I’m sleeping my days away.”
“That’s just your body telling you it’s fighting.” He responded and pulled a light blue quilt up further on her lap. “It’s going to rain today, you need to make sure you keep warm.”
“Do you know if my husband is coming today?” Hermione asked and rested her hands on the quilt. Her fingers traced along one of the edges of the fabric.
“The desk hasn’t mentioned anything about visitors. Do you want me to ask them to call and see if he can come visit with you?”
“No, it’s okay. I know Ron must be busy with Harry; they work as Aurors, and I know sometimes they get sent off on missions. I just…”
“Do you remember the last time he came to visit?”
“No, days seem to run together lately, it’s okay though.” She responded and sat back against the pillows behind her. “I don’t want to be a bother for a visit. It’s not like my health is getting any better.”
“You know you can always have the desk request to have a volunteer come and visit with you, or maybe an old friend. I’m sure you have friends who wouldn’t mind keeping you company.”
Hermione shook her head, “No, it’s okay. If you could do me a favor.”
“Yes,” Draco responded.
“Could you see if any new books came in the mail for me? I asked my husband in a letter a couple of weeks ago if he could send a few.”
Draco felt his chest tighten, “Did he say he would?”
“I hadn’t heard back yet, but maybe he had time to get them while he’s out saving the world with Harry.” Hermione chuckled sadly.
Draco placed his left hand on hers and gave a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll take this to the lab so we can make sure everything is still good. After that, I will check the desk for the books. Deal?”
Hermione nodded, “It’s a deal.”
Draco removed his hand and headed out with her sample. He stopped by the reception desk. “Hey, do you know if patient 213 had any mail, maybe a book or two came in?”
Zacharias Smith looked up from his paperwork, “Umm, it would be addressed as Mrs. Weasley, right?”
“Yes.” He tried to use her patient number instead of her newly acquired last name. He despised referring to her by that name.
Zacharias scooted his chair across to the other side of the station and looked in her box. “No, doesn’t look like it. I can put in a request for a lost item if she likes.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I doubt it was lost. Thank you for checking for me.” Draco was livid. Ron wouldn’t even see her; the least he could do was send her books when she asked. He stepped away from the desk and hurried down to the labs.
000000
Hermione was fast asleep when he returned with five novels he thought she would be in love with. He had gone to a Muggle bookstore and purchased the newest novels. There went his lunch money for the week. Having to work for a living was a bit different from always getting what you wanted. Entry-level Healers didn’t earn as much until they reached the fourth year of their training. He placed the novels on her nightstand. “I told you, you would catch a cold.” The quilt was lying half on her and half on the floor. Mrs. Weasley must have made this for her when she married Ron. A quilt to celebrate the union of the two. He pulled the blanket back up and over her shoulders, tucking her in. She wasn’t lying about sleeping the day away. The medicine contained Valerian Sprigs.
Rain was pattering against the window; the storm had come in a little early. Earlier than he had expected. He had been caught in a downpour on his way back; luckily, the plastic bag kept Hermione’s new books dry and clean.
Her blood sample would take a few days to process and test. There wasn’t much left to do besides making his rounds with other Healers assisting them and coming back to check on her. A frown formed on his lips as he noticed the plate of food. She had barely even nibbled her turkey sandwich, her fruit bowl was untouched, and her milk was half drunk. This was something he would have to discuss with her as part of her treatment plan. He hoped that maybe the sandwich didn’t taste great, considering it was hospital food.
Hermione shifted in her bed before she opened her dull auburn eyes. “Hey, sleepy head, sorry it took me a while to get back, but they lost the mail, and I had to go on a hunt. It appears that your husband sent some books; hopefully, they are the ones you requested. Well, he was probably busy saving the world and got you books that you might be interested in.”
Hermione reached out to her nightstand and ran her hands down their spines. “This will keep me busy for a while.” A smile formed on her lips. “I’m sorry you had to go looking for them.”
“It’s no trouble, mail gets lost sometimes. Luckily, it was an easy fix. Is there anything you need? I’m going to go help the others for a little bit.”
“I’m good. I will start listening to a book when I wake up more.”
“You actually need to eat more before you read anything.”
“I ate earlier.”
“Two bites of a turkey sandwich is not enough. Did you not like your meal? We can go over your nutritional plan again, but we need you to eat a bit more protein with your meals.”
“Healer Petkov, I will eat a few more bites and then read.”
“No, the whole sandwich and half your fruit bowl.” Draco was stern as he spoke. “You need to keep your strength up.”
“Why? It’s not like there is a cure for this curse.” Her voice was soft. “I’m not getting any better, you know that more than anyone else. I’m coming to terms with this, you don’t have to make every visit to my room like it’s rainbows and sunshine around the corner. The fact is, I’m dying, my body is shutting down, and at this point, everyone is prolonging my sentence here on earth.” She took a deep breath. “Death doesn’t scare me as much as leaving the living behind who loved and cared about me. Who will comfort them when I’m finally gone?”
Draco was trying to keep his calm; at least she couldn’t see how red his face had gotten. The living? The living who couldn’t take five minutes out of their day to come by and check on her. The living husband, in sickness and in health? Who abandoned her in a hospital to be left in the hands of staff and a permanent Healer by her side. “You can always look at it this way. The more we try to help you, the more it could help someone in the future.”
“I was cursed by a Death Eater who took it upon herself to mark me and poison me. She was lucky and didn’t suffer when she was killed. I, on the other hand, carry her work that will never be performed on anyone else ever again. I’m a special case due to a mad witch. Why? Because I was a witch born to Muggle parents?” She wasn’t wrong. His Aunt Bellatrix had damaged her, and if she had known it was a curse, they might have been able to stop it from spreading. Years had passed before she started to feel the effects of the poison that sank into her mortal body. “Tomorrow, I want to go sit in the garden. Even if it’s for a few minutes.”
“If that’s what you wish, I can arrange that for you.” After everything, it’s one of the few things he could do for her. “Maybe you’ll be lucky and your husband might show up tomorrow.” The rain continued to patter against her window. A branch with barely any golden leaves wavered in the wind.