The Healer- A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 3

I looked up from my notebook to see who could possibly be entering the common room at this hour. My grip around my wand tightened in case it was an intruder. But to my surprise, a rather flustered Draco Malfoy came rushing in. He was clutching his left hand.

He didn't seem to notice me as he made a beeline for a basin of water. He submerged his left hand, cursing under his breath. Ruby red droplets ran down his arm and splashed on the stone floor.

Unable, or perhaps unwilling to keep what I saw to myself, I blurted out, "Is that blood?"

Draco whipped around, eyes wild and wand pointed at the portion of my face that was peering over the couch. By the shifty way he reacted you would have thought I was a Dementor. But when he recognized me as a fellow Slytherin student, his wand lowered, and he returned to the basin.

"Go to bed," he ordered. "Tell no one you saw me."

My brain seemed to finally grasp the reality of this situation I was in. I was alone in the common room with an injured Draco Malfoy at 3 in the morning. It was an unusual situation that I never would have fathomed. What was even more strange was that he was alone. And the sleeves of his suit jacket were wet.

I rose from the couch and tucked my book under my arm, intending to go back to my dormitory. Walking past Draco on my way to the corridor, I paused. My eyes wandered down to the basin that was now colored with wisps of blood and the injured hand he was attempting to wash.

"...That's a Grindylow bite," I muttered, analyzing the haphazard tooth marks on his skin. He covered his hand defensively, but I was already piecing the puzzle together. "What were you doing at the Black Lake so late at night?"

Draco bared his wand at me once more. "If you don't go back to your bed this instant, I'll obliviate you," he threatened through shaky breaths.

I gulped, staring down the shaft of his silver-grip wand that was inches from my nose. I was so stupid to open my mouth like that, and even more stupid to do it again.

"Penny got bitten by a Grindylow in our second year," I spoke as calmly as I could. "I know how to mend it."

Draco's hard gaze shifted. I could tell he didn't know the first thing about healing a Grindylow bite; they were nasty and deep, filled with bacteria that lived on their jagged teeth. Putting more water on it wouldn't help. His silvery eyes flicked between the basin to my face as he contemplated his decision. This was not the cool and collected Draco I was so used to seeing. There was a madness in his eyes; a panic.

"You're likely in a lot of pain," I continued, "If you let me fix it, it won't even leave a scar. And no one will have to know."

After hearing my words, he lowered his wand slowly, resting it at his side. "Fine," he huffed. "But just so you know, I'm erasing your memory as soon as it's done."

I scoffed, entertained by the notion that he was so bent on erasing my memory of this random encounter. "If you want me to heal it first, you'll have to give me your hand."

Draco gave me a look like he hadn't realized he would have to relinquish his hand in order for me to heal it. Eyes fixed on me in a cold, suspicious stare, his left hand shakily rose towards me. I cupped it carefully in mine, analyzing the bite.

His hand was ice cold and twice the size of mine. Water droplets from his hand mixed with the blood oozing from the wound and leaked onto my palms and fingers. Nasty bite indeed- upon closer inspection, there was more than one, the other being on the backside of his wrist.

My fingers started towards the damp sleeve of his suit. "Can I see-"

Draco yanked his hand away. "What do you think you're doing?" he barked defensively.