Heaven Through a Window • Drarry •

Chapter One: Just a Man

Twenty-one months earlier

It was a truth universally declared that Healers had terrible handwriting. However, Draco was not one to observe this tradition. He spared a thought for Penny's secretary, who held up a scroll to the light and squinted sideways.

"Good morning," he said to the office at large, putting Anne's hot chocolate on her desk.

"Ooh, lovely, thank you!" Anne inhaled the drink with divine bliss. "Busy day today."

He hurled his travelling cloak at the hat stand in the corner of his office, and Anne was at his heels, hot chocolate in one hand, and his in-tray in the other.

"Was just putting things in priority order," she said. "But since you're here..." She perched on the corner of his desk and leafed through. "Madam Jennings passed away. Her family are arriving in an hour."

"Oh no," he said as he frowned and checked his watch. "What happened? She was stable when I left last night."

"Not sure, but here are her Healing Records," Anne replied, then plonked down a great bundle of parchment. "Nothing else is too pressing, but there's a letter in there from the Circumstances and Complaints Committee about Bobby Smithson, but you might want to check the hospital-wide Avoidable Deaths Report to see if they brought up his case at that meeting."

Draco tutted. "Even in death he annoys me."

Anne chewed her lip, as though unsure if she should laugh, and said, "There are also fourteen repeat prescription requests for Extra-Strong Calming Draughts—"

"Fourteen?"

"Yep."

"Such heathens." He lit the fire and then his tobacco-free cigarette.

"Little Timmy wrote you a thank-you letter. He says you're his hero, and he wants to be a Healer when he grows up."

Draco looked dubious. "I wouldn't recommend it, not if he wants to live a long and happy life," he said. "Thank-you notes go with my annual appraisal documents."

"Your eleven o'clock has cancelled because their owl has died—"

"What?" he scoffed.

"—Don't ask." She peered at him over the top of her spectacles. "And there's a note from Mr Crocus chasing that audit report. I had to move your diary around for this afternoon because of an urgent multidisciplinary team meeting. Oh, and Penny wants to know if you can do her night shift tomorrow."

"Fine," he said with a wave of his hand. "I told you to approve them all if it's not Christmas or school holidays." The Hogwarts term dates were stuck on his noticeboard next to the photo of Scorpius and his friend Albus.

She nodded. "And finally, I know it's only the first day of October, but the deadline to pay our deposits for the Christmas Ball is the end of next week," she said. "Rozz will kill you if you try to join the group once the booking's gone through."

"We haven't even had Hallowe'en!" Draco said. He didn't know why he was surprised—work was constantly like this. "And I've no intention of attending the Christmas party. Who'll care for the patients if we're all off making merriment?"

"I'm sure someone else can cover this year. You've missed the last five, at least."

"Mmm."

She left and he fished out Madam Jennings's records and the Avoidable Deaths Report. It was best to do a Mortality Report whilst the case was still fresh in one's mind.