Medical Magic (Drarry)

Chapter Fifteen: Shadows of the Past

            "What's wrong?" Dr. Peters asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Draco groaned internally and turned to face his mentor. "Why would you think something was wrong?"

Dr. Peters only raised an eyebrow.

Draco hated to admit it, but not having Harry shadowing him was throwing him off today, although he didn't know how to tell her that.

Luckily he didn't have to. "Maybe your missing friend has something to do with it?" she mused, her eyes holding good humor in their depths.

Draco straightened and held himself haughtily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dr. Peters laughed, and Draco deflated. He just didn't have the heart to pretend around her. "Yea, okay, maybe I feel off without him constantly in my way." Harry and Draco had cast confusion charms on anyone who asked by Harry was tailing Draco throughout his workday so that they could stay together.

"That's what I figured. Where is he?"

Draco rubbed the back of his neck. "Ron and Hermione surprised us by coming into town. He's with them at my apartment."

Dr. Peters' eyebrows rose until they were almost lost in her hair. "So you go from having no friends to having three staying with you in under a week?"

Draco nodded glumly.

"No need to look so upset about it."

"You don't understand," Draco muttered.

"Then make me understand. Come to my office." It was a direction, not a suggestion, and Draco knew better than to argue. He followed her into her cozy office and sat down in the armchair set up across from her desk. Dr. Peters sat in her chair and steepled her fingers. "Now, tell me what I don't understand."

Draco took a deep breath and said while looking at his hands, "I wasn't kind to him, any of them, growing up. I was awful to them, and at every turn, I made the wrong decisions, whereas they always made the right ones. I don't understand why they're so adamant about seeing me when I've done nothing to deserve their friendship or kindness."

Dr. Peters was silent for a long time. Finally, she asked, "Did you always want to be a doctor?"

Draco shook his head. "No."

"Then why are you one now?"

Draco lifted his head and stared at her, confused. "Because I want to help people."

"Did you always want to help people?"

Draco bit his lip. "No. Growing up, I just wanted to be on top, no matter who I had to step on to get there."

"What changed?"

Draco's thoughts flashed back to the war he couldn't mention. "You know I was in a gang," he started. He'd told her before that his tattoo was from a gang initiation, and he'd run around with the wrong crowd, so she could understand his background in muggle terms. "There was a... well a massacre, and I was there because I was part of it. And standing in the middle of the chaos, I knew I had made the wrong choice, and I didn't want to be there anymore."

"So... you changed?"

Draco nodded.

"If you could change from a person who wants to hurt others to one that wants to help, why can't you have changed to be someone others want in their lives? I'm not excusing your past behavior, but why can't everyone have grown past that?"

Draco stared at her, slightly ticked off that he'd walked right into that one. He couldn't even argue with her. He leaned back and crossed his arms, giving her his sternest Malfoy glower. She wasn't phased.

"Now, let's discuss what I'm actually interested in, Harry."

"What about him?"

"There's more going on between you two than a simple friendship, Draco."

Draco stared at her, unsure whether or not it was time to finally come out to her. He was pretty sure she would take it well, but after his father's reaction all those years ago, Draco was always nervous. "I... I'm gay," he forced out.

Dr. Peters' expression didn't change. "I see. But what does that have to do with Harry?"

Draco let out a small chuckle. "I come out to you, and you just brush it off? What the hell, woman."

She smiled warmly at him. "I don't care who you love, Draco, as long as you are in a healthy and happy relationship. Thank you for telling me, though. I know it must have been hard for you to do so."

Feeling slightly mollified, Draco nodded.

"Now, what does you being gay have to do with Harry?"

Draco colored. "I hated him in school – I made his life miserable every chance I got."

When he didn't continue, Dr. Peters said, "And?"

"And I was obsessed with hating him. But looking back, I have to wonder if I ever even hated him at all, or just hated what he stood for."

"And what did he stand for?"

"Everything I wanted but couldn't have. He was the Golden Boy, the hero, the most popular person in school. And he had these amazing friends. And he could date whoever he wanted, and I couldn't. I think I hated him because I couldn't have him. And now he's turned back up in my life without warning, and he's put our past behind us, and I don't know what to do because every time I look at him, all I see is the me that I used to be."

"But you aren't that person anymore. And I don't think Harry sees you that way, either."

"I'm sure he does," Draco hissed, the scorn dripping from his words.

"That's not how he looks at you, Draco."

Startled, Draco couldn't stop himself from asking, "How does he look at me?"

"Like you're the stars and the moon, Draco."

He stilled. "That can't be right."

Dr. Peters hummed and rose from her desk. "I can't convince you to believe what you're not prepared for, so we better get back to work, Draco."

"Alright." Draco rose.

Stopping at the door, Dr. Peters added, "You deserve to be happy, Draco. Don't forget that." She turned to leave, and Draco bit back his retort. He didn't believe her, but he didn't want to argue. Slowly, he followed her out.