Healing Draco Malfoy

Chapter 38

"Really messy muggle-food that you eat with your hands," Harry said, raising his eyebrows up and down.

"How uncouth," Draco scoffed, but Harry noted that he didn't say no. "But I don't care if I'm sore. I hate eating in bed."

"Noted. I suppose we can get you out for breakfast in the mornings, then. Might need to do your leg exercises first, though. We'll definitely need a new routine, so think about how you prefer it to go. I'm not sure I want you the chair the whole day, yet. Your legs might swell, so after lunch... it's back to the bed for a rest, but for dinner, you can do another round before I leave."

Draco nodded. "Then I'll have to get back in bed."

"Yes. As I said, your body and mind need breaks, and I want someone here with you. Just for a while, until your arms are stronger."

"Okay," Draco agreed with a sigh.

"Sorry, Draco."

Joel knocked on the door and came in. "Hey, Harry. How's it going?"

"He did great today. Watch he doesn't overexert himself, and I have to spend all of lunch repairing muscle tears."

Draco snorted. "Like it would take more than three seconds for you to heal."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well, you've taken a great step, today, Draco, but you need to be careful, too."

"Yes, mother."

Joel laughed, but they needed to get on with Joel's lesson. Joel was going to take his licensing exam next week. Harry left them and handled his morning appointments easily. Joel and Draco were sitting at the table when he got back, talking. Harry could tell they were tense. He knew Joel was getting deeper into his mind healing training, and it wasn't about Occlumency anymore. Draco was letting Joel in.

Draco acknowledged him, but finished his sentence, "...but by the end, I just did whatever they wanted me to do."

Joel glanced worriedly at him, but nodded. "You did what you had to do, Draco, to survive."

Draco nodded, somberly, but looked at Harry and motioned him to sit down, across from him and next to Joel. Harry wasn't sure what to say.

"Harry," Draco said, looking up at him. "Joel's been doing some mind healing sessions with me."

Harry grimaced. "I guessed that. Do you want me to come back?"

Draco looked a little surprised. "No, I want you here."

"I didn't know if you wanted it to be private."

"I don't want that. I'd rather you be here. It's easier, and I also didn't want you to think that I'm... choosing to talk to Joel over you," Draco said, looking at the table, hesitant.

Harry's heart stuttered a bit. "I wouldn't think that. Ever. Joel's probably better to talk to anyway."

Draco didn't say anything, so Joel leaned forward and said, "Draco is also trying to ask if it is alright, because you might come up, too. You're a big part of his recovery and his support network."

Harry looked at Draco, who nodded. "It's completely fine. I want you to get better."

Draco nodded and looked a little relieved. "I don't want to... betray what you told me in confidence."

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll always trust you... both of you. You-me... need to talk about what happened."

Joel quirked his head at that, but tried to stay calm. "Harry... I think it would be great if the three of us talked during our lunches. Nothing too... intense, I promise."