It was a busy night at the pediatrician. It was already an hour past midnight and I had stayed over the night shift so we wouldn't be short stuffed.
Some kids came in with Dragon pox, Spattergroit, or vomiting slugs from spells gone wrong. Others with more normal medical problems like acne, thinking it was something else, and a common cold.
I was working in the emergency floor of the hospital. I had just gotten done with a patient and I had just cleaned the room so it was ready for any new patients. Out of nowhere Theo bursts in saying, "you're the only one available in the floor and this can't wait." I didn't know what he meant by this. I would never deny a patient.
Behind him, a worried dad. His blond hair all messed up, still in pijamas looking a little sweaty, shaking a bit, the concerned expressions on his face. He carried a little boy, also with white-blond hair who was crying.
I put every thought in my head about him aside and quickly told him to lay the toddler on the gurney. This poor little kid's entire face and neck were swollen. I instantly knew what it was and it was the most horrid case I had ever seen.
"He has something called Mumblemumps. I'm sure you've heard of it." I said and he nodded but didn't look so sure. "It's an illness that causes mumbling and swelling in the face and neck."
"Does it hurt a lot? It that why he's crying so historically?"
"Yes, it does hurt. And seeing as this is the ugliest case of Mumblemumps I have seen and him being so young, he is hurting a lot more than others would. But I'm going to give him a potion to stop the pain. I want to keep him over night just in case but I am certain that he will be just fine." I excuse my way out to go get the medicine for the pain.
Around an hour or so later I went to check on my patient again. The little boy was asleep which meant he wasn't in pain anymore and the medicine had worked. The swelling had gone down but not enough.
"Thank you, Emily." I heard Draco's voice from behind me. I turned around and he was sitting in a chair. He looked like he hasn't slept a little and was stressed out. "My boy is my life."
"It's not a problem, Malfoy, it's my job. And I also know that feeling, I have a daughter." I said and gave him a smile. God I hadn't talked to him in years. He was changed. But was hadn't changed was the butterflies in my stomach.
"Oh, that's right. Arianell, isn't it?" I hesitated at first but nodded slowly. "When? How? With who? I can't get my head around it."
"I'm sorry, Malfoy, it's a story for another day and I have to go check on my other patients." I tried not to stutter and for my words out.
"So that means you're planning on seeing me another day, outside the hospital?" He smirked. It was like we were back at Hogwarts for a second, like we were does dumb teens again. The smirk went chills down my body and I felt my face hear up. "And stop calling me Malfoy. You know my name."
"That's not what I meant I just meant it's a long story with a lot of explanation behind it." I said pulling myself together.
"Exactly, over a date. So when are you free?" He genuinely smiled.
"Okay, Draco, I have to go now. I'll check on little Scurpius in a bit." I dodged his question and hurried away.