The Healer II- The Patient (Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

Chapter 5- Comatose

I was paged back to the Chateau only six hours later, when I was in the middle of my workday. When I arrived in my white Healer robes, I found Astoria in her bed, drenched in cold sweat and unresponsive.

I set to work immediately with a multitude of diagnostic charms and infusions. I came more prepared this time, but unfortunately, nothing I did was able to wake her from her slumber.

An enchanted fountain pen scribbled diagnostic notes next to my head, marking that her vitals were low, her heartbeat was a little bit more than a faint tapping, and her magic levels were being slowly leached away by the dark magic that resided within her organic tissue.

I read the diagnostics, which affirmed the bad feeling in my gut. "Shit." I swore, not believing the results I was reading. Astoria was in an indefinite comatose state, likely caused by the physical strain of childbirth combined with the blood curse.

"Shit, shit, shit..." I swore again, getting ready to double check her vitals. She was my patient for less than 24 hours and her condition was already taking a bad turn.

"Is she going to wake up?"

My body jolted to attention, my blood pressure spiking when I saw Draco observing me stonily next to the bedroom door. He was dressed in the same black suede coat I saw him in the morning before, like he hadn't bathed or slept since then. He had likely been standing there the entire time and I had been too absorbed in my work to notice.

Quietly, I murmured, "I thought I told you to give me space."

"I have a right to observe. She's my wife."

Ah, yes, there they were again- those words. My wife. I didn't want Draco to observe me while I attended to Astoria, but I knew it would be unprofessional to order him to get out. He was right; Astoria was his wife, and I was just the Healer.

I shut my medical supplies bag swiftly and rose from the stool, approaching Draco with a stiff back to give him my official diagnosis.

"She's in a magical coma," I said to him. "It's her body's way of defending itself against the curse and saving her energy. It's not a good sign, but there is still hope for recovery. I have set her up with a plasma drip infused with hedera alba to keep her stable." I bit my lip.

"I....I'm afraid I don't know when she will wake up. It could be tomorrow, for all I know." I paused, waiting for Draco to respond.

He was silent.

"Do you have any questions?" I asked. My voice came out much more timid than I intended.

With a wave of his long, silver ring-laden fingers, a pouch of money appeared suspended in midair before me. Draco remained looking bored. "If there's nothing else you can do for her today, I assume you can see yourself out."

I was a bit taken aback by how impersonal he was. He didn't seem to care at all that his wife was in a coma without a clue as to when she'll wake up. Unless, he was actually a wreck, and he was just keeping it inside. The Draco I knew wouldn't have hidden his emotions from me. But, I bitterly reminded myself, I didn't know this man anymore.

I yanked the bag of coins out of the air and shoved it into my pocket.

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy."

---

Short chapter so I'm publishing two today.