Healing the Heart (Dramione)

27|| Symptoms

"I can't figure it out." She stood in the middle of The Director's office with a deep frown on her face. "It doesn't matter what I give him, he just gets worse."

"Healer Granger, what happened to your arm?" The Director's keen eyes were focused on Hermione's right arm.

"Oh, that? It's nothing." A small cut could be seen just below the elbow. "The patient threw something and it scratched me. But I cannot figure out what to do about the patient. I thought this was a simple Ague but the usual remedies just make it worse."

The Director leaned back in his seat with a deep frown on his face. "Bring me any notes you have on this illness. I've got a friend in France who may be able to figure this out." He gave her a curt nod as she left the room.

"Healer Granger," Hannah Abbot was waiting for her when she left the office. "Healer Thomas wants to speak with you in the Main Hospital. He's on the Second Floor right now."

"Thank you." Hermione immediately started towards the the Main wing of St. Mungo's. She had always been rather fond of Dean Thomas when they were in school together. He was a good friend to she and Harry when they were at school. Ron never seemed to like him but that was probably on account of he and Ginny dating for a while. After passing through the connecting doors she entered the elevator and proceeded towards the Second Floor.

It didn't take her long to find him, sitting at the Healer's desk. His face grew warm when he saw her approach. "Hermione!" He wrapped her in a hug. "It's been too long. You know, you could come visit me more often."

She grinned. "You could do the same. I'm just a couple floors down and through a door."

He laughed good-naturedly. "You are correct."

"Healer Abbot said you wanted to speak with me?"

"Ah, yes." He nodded down the hall. "Follow me. We have a patient up here."

"I imagine you have many."

Dean let out a soft chuckle. "Why, yes we do. But this one is showing signs rather similar to the one you have in your wing." He passed over a clipboard and waited as she reviewed the information.

"Cold flashes, chills, high fever. These are the same symptoms but that doesn't mean it's related to my patient."

Dean nodded. "Yes, that is true, but he's been throwing up since yesterday morning. We can't keep anything in him." He stopped in front of a door. "I think you may want to take a look at him. Healer Granger, this is Josef. Josef, this is Healer Granger. She's had some experience with an illness that may have been similar to yours."

The man's lids were half closed from exhaustion and didn't respond when Dean spoke to him. Hermione immediately noticed the slightly grey pallor of his skin. She looked at Dean in alarm before looking back at the man.

"Josef has been sick for a few days. Four, to be exact." Dean gave her a pointed look. "Just like your friend in the Pediatric Wing."

Hermione took the sleeve of his robe and pulled him out of the room.

"I thought it was a simple Ague, but any treatment we give him-"

"Only makes him worse." Hermione nodded at the ground. "Yes, I've found the same. This may sound odd but I believe we should treat the two of them together." Two cases in a week was too odd to be a coincidence. "We need to find out where they've been, what they've eaten. We need to speak with their families and see if the two had anything in common."

Dean nodded slowly. "Of course. Should we move the boy up here? Alright, and I'll contact Josef's family and see what I can find out. Hermione," His worried tone made her look up. "I've a friend in France. She says they've had half a dozen cases like this already. I don't think this is normal, Hermione." He gave her shoulder a soft pat.

"Anything you have on Josef, bring it to my office. I'm gathering all the information we have on our patient downstairs to give to The Director. He said that he's also got a friend in France who may be able to shed some light on this illness." After waving goodbye, she headed back down to the Pediatric ward.

-

"It looks like the only similarity between the two is the fact that they traveled to Belgium, that could be where this originated."

The Director shook his head. "I've heard nothing about an illness in Belgium."

Dean Thomas shrugged. "My friend in France said they have had many patients with these same symptoms. What if it started in France and these two picked it up in Belgium from people visiting from France?"

"It's a long shot and doesn't really help us get any closer to curing it." She shook her head.

"But we can start screen people who come in, see if they traveled to France or Belgium and then watch them carefully for the symptoms."

"See if any act similar to these two when they started getting sick." Hermione scratched the back of her neck. "I still don't think we'll get very far."

The Director cleared his throat. "I've written my friend in France and sent all the information we have on these two. If  they know anything about this illness, we may get some answers. I think it best that we continue to monitor and work on treating our patients for now." He motioned towards the door.

"Of course." Hermione nodded.

"Healer Granger, I want you to take the lead on this Illness. Healer Thomas, you already have so much to do in the Main Ward, bring your patient to us and we will keep an eye on him. That is all."

Dean nodded and left the office but not before casting a curious glance at Draco, which of whom, had been standing silently in the corner of the office.

"Healer Malfoy, you'll be helping to cover some of Healer Granger's work while she focuses on the illness." The Director flicked his eyes towards the door, dismissing Draco.

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Sorry for not posting for a while! My computer killed itself and then my work scheduled me more than I wanted them to. But I am back!!