The Healer II- The Patient (Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

Chapter 13- Biopsy

I didn't like that Draco and I were becoming gradually more comfortable around each other. It was just last week that he comforted me in wake of the news of my uncle's death, and before that, he confided in me about his fear of fatherhood. As these intimate heart to hearts continued to get out of my control, I couldn't help but feel like we were just teasing each other with how far we could go before one of us pulled away. So, naturally, to prevent any more of these friendly moments, I found myself engaging in arguments I otherwise would have avoided. And Draco, as usual, never backed down from an argument.

"I can't believe you don't use Wolfsbane in your practice," Draco said to me, his tone dripping with superiority. "It's extremely useful in tranquilizing werewolves."

"I refuse to use it because it's inhumane. To werewolves it feels like fire on their skin," I replied with a frown.

Draco tilted his head, his rigid jaw flexing. "I would say that it's more humane than shooting them with a silver bullet." He took note of my disgusted expression. "Come on, now. What other options are there when you're facing off with a violent werewolf?"

"Then wolfsbane should only be used in the most dire of circumstances."

"If you saw what I've seen, you would agree that those are some pretty damned dire circumstances."

"A-hem."

Draco and I ceased our conversation. Astoria was looking at us both from her bed, arms crossed in her pretty chiffon nightgown, looking bored.

"Hell-oooo," she said to both of us. "Mind including me in the conversation? I'm not dead yet."

My face flushed. I had been so involved with my argument with Draco that I had completely forgotten I was there to tend to Astoria. "...Please excuse me, Astoria." In all honesty, her interruption was a welcome one- Draco knew exactly how to get me pissed off.

Draco's face was stiff as he calmly spoke to his wife. "We weren't purposely excluding you. I didn't know you had an opinion on wolfsbane."

"I might have an opinion if you asked me," She griped.

I sat beside Astoria and readied a glass vial and gauze as she bickered with Draco. Today I was going to perform a biopsy on Astoria in order to get an accurate reading of the health in her tissue. I'd have to make an incision just above her hip bone and extract a small sample of cells. It wasn't a big procedure at all- but unfortunately, Astoria was very distracted at the moment.

"I went to the same school you did, Draco," Astoria said, completely ignoring the fact that I was trying to begin the procedure, "I'm just as knowledgeable as you. Which means I have opinions!"

Draco exhaled. "It's not just knowledge. It's expertise. Something you don't have, because you've never worked a day in your life."

Astoria rolled her eyes. "I'm chronically ill, in case you hadn't noticed."

I sat beside Astoria quietly biting my lip. I didn't have the guts to interrupt their very heated personal quarrel. I knew this side of Draco all too well. It seemed that condescension was something he hadn't outgrown.

"You use your illness as an excuse for everything. There's plenty you could do if you wanted to."

"Like what, Draco? I'm too weak to cast magic. I can't even get out of bed!"

"Uhm, Astoria?" I murmured. "Should we reschedule the biopsy?"

"No," Astoria snapped. "Just get on with it." She looked back at Draco to resume their argument as I began to sanitize the skin around her hip. "See what I mean? My life is constant medical procedures and bedrest. How can anyone possibly maintain a profession like this?"