𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 [𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

DRACO was paralyzed.

He couldn't move any part of his body, no matter how hard he tried to. He focused even on the littlest movements such as a tap of his finger or a curl of his toe, to no avail. 

The only part of him that still functioned the way it was supposed to was his brain. 

It still told him to try and move, it still told him to go on a walk, and it told him many more things that he couldn't quite gather up. There was a lot his brain couldn't gather up. One that stuck by him throughout his condition; He had no memory of how he came to be like this.

He was unsure of why he simply couldn't remember, but every single attempt caused his head to ache terribly, and anyone else would have just treated it, he couldn't even move to soothe his pain.

He should've given up a while ago, a small part of him often told him that; he believed he was wasting his time in trying when he knew that he wasn't going anywhere.

Draco had no idea how long he'd been stuck like this. He reckoned it may have been about a week or two, he doubted it would've been any longer than that. 

His hearing flared up every once in a while, only sometimes being able to catch a hold of a few conversations surrounding him. Though as time went on, the sounds grew quieter and the corridors became barer. He was being forgotten about.

He held onto the hope that someone would notice him, and help him. He needed it terribly. But no one ever did.

Constant clattering suddenly began to echo through his ears. Clitter, clatter, clitter, clatter. It was unmistakably the sound of footsteps. Someone was passing by.

No, he corrected himself, multiple people were passing by.

Maybe they were going to see him. Maybe they were going to help him. Maybe they had a cure for his lost memory and would bring him to his feet. Maybe even allow him to leave if they could. Maybe they could at least tell him his name.

He listened carefully as the faint sounds drew closer to him, in the hope of catching onto where he was and what time it was. 

"We are so proud of you," A strange female voice spoke, one that Draco didn't recognize, how could he? He listened on as the voice continued, though the tone was nothing more than a mere whisper. "After all your hard work, you've finally earned your way here."

A little laugh then escaped, "I'm just a healer, Mum, nothing special."

A healer? If she's a healer then I must be in a hospital, right?

"It's really cool, Cho." Cho, he had never heard that name before. This was a younger girl, most likely a younger sibling, or cousin of the healers. "I told all my friends about it at Hogwarts, and they agree with me."

Hogwarts, it didn't sound familiar. Perhaps he attended somewhere else growing up. Or even if he had grown up, for all he knew he could've still been attending school when he ended up like this. 

"I only got the job last week; how could you have possibly told them?" The new healer asked.

"Doesn't matter." said the younger girl. "The point is, it's cool that you're here." 

The footsteps seemed to be drawing closer to Draco, the thought itself causing something to tighten, though he couldn't tell exactly what. Whether it was excitement or anxiousness, he didn't really know; he couldn't remember what those emotions felt like.

He waited for them to notice him, he waited and waited and waited but—nothing. Their trails seemed to be gradually disappearing as they walked right passed him.