Irresistible Fate

Code Shakespeare Explained

Harry groaned lightly but didn't open his eyes. He felt so groggy, so tired. But sweet Merlin! The pain from his abdomen.

'It hurts!'

'I know, but it will pass.' Draco leant over him to close his fingers over a small box. 'If you need pain killers there's a button here. If you press it, it will release a dose of morphine into your system.'

'Morphine?'

'Yes, it's a muggle system.'

'Muggle?' befuddled, Harry pressed the button and felt a mix of lightness and drowsiness glide through his body. The pain eased as he drifted back to sleep and he wondered if he was imagining that Draco was holding his hand.

*****

When Harry woke again, he didn't need to open his eyes to know that Draco was still there. He felt so attuned to his presence, even after all this time. He could sense him sitting on the chair close to the bed. He could sense those cold grey eyes watching him. Draco was definitely not holding his hand and he wondered if he had imagined it in the haze of the moment. Harry gingerly moved his left hand but he was hooked up to an IV drip, it held two catheter bags of clear liquid which were attached to one cannula in the back of his hand and another in the crook of his elbow. He tentatively felt his left side. His chest was bandaged around his lower ribs but he could feel how tender his side felt through the material. His abdomen and right side felt severely bruised.

'Why does it hurt so much?' his voice hoarse.

'We had to operate. You had a ruptured spleen. You must have taken quite a beating?'

'Nothing I can't handle.' The words sounded hollow. Memories of yesterday came flooding back, he was drowning in darkness.

'Obviously!' there was a hint of sarcasm in Draco's voice. Harry turned towards him, trying to gauge how much of that voice belonged to the old Draco from school. 'Fortunately, Potter, Jacob didn't need to remove your spleen, he's patched you up – you're going to live.'

'At what fucking cost?'

The reticence of saying the answer sat heavily between them.

'My glasses?'

'Here,' Draco carefully opened them before handing them to Harry.

'Thanks.' Harry paused, uncertain where to look now that he had them on.

'Do you need a drink? There's some water...'

Harry suddenly realised how dry his throat was. 'Yes. Please.'

Draco stood and filled the glass from the plastic jug on the bedside table, then pushed a hand under Harry's shoulders to help him sit up. Harry's skin tingled at the touch of Draco's hand against his bare back where the hospital gown had come open. He wanted to recoil but didn't have the strength. The water was cold and welcome. He took small sips which sank pleasurably like an icy waterfall through his body.

The doors to the bay were carefully pushed open and Harry saw Ron and Hermione peek cautiously into the room. Draco was still supporting his shoulders and Harry felt like he'd been caught in the act of doing something illicit.

'Harry?' Ron had a look of concern written all over his face, but it turned instantly into an expression of suspicion. 'Malfoy! What the fuck's going on?'

Draco lowered Harry gently and sat back down, obviously intent on not going anywhere. The veneer of forced calm masked emotions that Harry intuitively felt radiating beneath the surface: Draco was angry at the interruption. Harry felt the pain creeping back but held off searching for the device which released the morphine. He wasn't sure he could trust taking an opiate to manage the agony. It made him feel so different, so detached. But then maybe that was a miracle.