Healing the Heart (Dramione)

13|| In Trouble

"You have to stop spitting it out." Draco kindly scolded the young witch before him. "Your finger bones will never grow back if you don't drink it."

"But it tastes so bad!" Her one arm was folded over her chest in defiance while the other hung in a brace awkwardly at her side.

"Do you like having fingers?" He asked while pouring another glass of Skele-Grow.

"Yes." She grumbled.

"Then it looks like you'll have to drink it."

Sarah took the glass from him. "Fine, but I won't like it." She plugged her nose and drank it with a grimace. Sarah was a regular patient at St. Mungo's. Her younger brother was newly discovering his magic and it usually resulted in one or both of them making a visit to the hospital. She herself was only ten and had landed herself in the hospital many times before. Draco, though he'd never admit it, had grown rather fond of the girl over the course of her visits.

"So," He capped the bottle at placed it on the table next to her bed. "you'll be starting school next fall. Which house are you wanting to be sorted into?"

Sarah bounced on her bed. "Hufflepuff!"

Draco's face twisted in pain. "No, no, no. You're saying it wrong. It's pronounced Slytherin. Also, Slytherin starts with an 'S', not an 'H'. Try again."

She grinned and poked his arm. "You're funny, Healer Malfoy. I want be in Hufflepuff. My mom was in Hufflepuff. My dad was in Ravenclaw. I have to be sorted into one of those two houses. But I really want Hufflepuff."

"I might die if I'm friends with a Hufflepuff child. You have a year before you start school, rethink your life choices. I might be able to continue healing you if you were sorted into Ravenclaw."

She giggled and took hold of his sleeve. "I have a friend who was sorted into Ravenclaw and she said, she said that all the students in that house are really smart and kind of stuck up. If I get sorted into Hufflepuff, then I'll have lots of friends!" Sarah fell back onto her bed. "Why are there house rivalries? Why can't we all get along and be friends? I think that would be nice."

Draco groaned dramatically. "You're a Hufflepuff, no question about it. You will be sorted into Hufflepuff."

She squealed in delight and jumped up and down on her mattress. "You really think so? Oh, I'd be so happy!"

"Sarah, stop jumping on your bed. Healer Malfoy, come to my office when you're finished here. We need to have a talk." Hermione called from the hallway.

"Of course. I'll be right out."

"Oh. You're in trouble." Sarah giggled.

Draco turned to face the girl with a raised eyebrow. "Why would you say that?"

"She had the same look my mom has whenever my brother and I do something wrong. What did you do?" She asked eagerly.

He scoffed and gave the girl a soft flick on the forehead. "I'm sure I've done nothing wrong." He ruffled her dark blonde hair and rose from his seat.

"Hey!" Sarah rubbed her head in mock pain and stuck her tongue out. "Let me know if you get grounded!" She called as he left the room.

Grim anticipation started to knot in Draco's stomach as he walked to Hermione's office. He thought back over the past few days and tried to recall if anything he'd said or done would have gotten him into trouble. "You wanted to speak with me?"

"Close the door behind you." She didn't look up from her papers as he walked in and sat down in front of her. After a few minutes of silence, she dropped the papers and looked up at him. "Do you have any plans after work tonight?"

As his mind drew a blank, he asked, "Come again?"

"Tonight, after you get off of work. Do you have any plans? With Blaise, or Pansy, or someone else?" She repeated patiently.

Draco visibly relaxed. "I thought you were calling me in here to scold me for something! Calling me Healer Malfoy so sternly and telling me to come to your office after I was finished. Sarah was positive I was in trouble and I more than half believed her."

Hermionie's brows knit together in confusion. "No... I just... didn't think we should talk about personal matters in front of patients and... " Her cheeks flushed red. "I thought that we should keep calling each other by our professional titles at work to separate work from... Um... are you busy, tonight? If not, maybe we could..." She trailed off as he grinned at her. "What?"

Draco stood up, placed his hands on the desk, and leaned towards her. "Healer Granger, are you asking me on a date?"

Her cheeks flushed beet red at his comment. "What? No!" She responded a little too quickly. "I mean," she tried backtracking. "I just was thinking that maybe you'd need something to do after work and I'm not doing anything. We could grab something to eat. Isn't that what friends do?" His close proximity was a little unsettling. "We've done this before, just not so formally..." She muttered.

"Pick me up at eight." He told her with a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a git."

He leaned back and frowned. "I'm offended. That's no way to talk to the man you're asking out."

"I'm not asking you out. We go to dinner all the time I just thought I'd actually ask tonight rather than assume. Hold up," She slumped in her seat and sent him a withering look. "You're just joking with me."

"'Course I am." He shot her a finger gun and grinned. "Let's say eight? I'd like to go home and change before going out again."

"Right, yes. I'll be at your flat by eight." She shuffled her papers about. "You are dismissed or, um... Is Sarah alright?"

"She's fine." He waved off her concern. "A few missing finger bones, nothing serious."

"Right, okay. I'm going to, um."

Draco shook his head in pity. "You're so flustered. I'm sure trying to form coherent thoughts while I'm standing here being gorgeous is difficult so I'll take my leave." He sent her a wink before disappearing dow the hall.