Midnight on the Janus Thickey Ward
Chapters: 8/8 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Explicit Language, Sexual Content Summary:
After the war Draco Malfoy has been assigned community service to help atone for his ‘crimes’ He is well used to the graveyard shift at St Mungo’s, but his life is about to change forever after a new patient is brought in for treatment.
Excerpt:
Draco still hadn’t decided what to say, but he abandoned his mop and bucket and headed over to Potter’s bed, as directed. The man wasn’t looking at him. Instead, he was staring at the far corner of the ward and muttering to himself, and every so often he would rock a little and clasp his knees tight against his chest.
“Potter?” Draco said, and he was surprised that he actually felt quite distressed to see the other man start violently.
Potter shivered a little and stared hard in his direction, green eyes squinting. Draco couldn’t quite believe it was fear, however, not from this man – the hero of the Wizarding world, who’d never shown fear in his life as far as Draco could remember. Then Draco realised Potter wasn’t wearing his glasses and probably couldn’t see him; his eyes were really bad, weren’t they? And Draco was standing in the gloom of the ward, beyond the warm light of the candles. He moved closer, so that he was illuminated.
“It’s me, Malfoy,” he said, and then, just in case Potter mistook him for his father, he continued. “Draco Malfoy.”
“Malfoy?” Potter’s eyes actually seemed to focus on him for the first time.
“Yeah,” Draco answered.
“Quick,” urged Potter, shifting over on the bed. He patted the covers beside himself. “Come here.” And when Draco didn’t move, Harry said, “Quick, Malfoy, they’re here, in the shadows; hurry or they’ll get you. Quickly!”
“Okay,” Draco replied, moving to sit beside the other man on the bed. Potter was trembling and he grabbed Draco’s wrist with hands as cold as ice.
“You’re safe here, but you mustn’t go into the darkness, Malfoy. Do you understand?”
Draco found that his eyes were stinging with tears. Potter…no, Harry…looked ravaged. His jewel green eyes wore dark circles beneath them and they sparkled with a feverish madness. Harry’s hands were like claws, his fingers digging into Draco’s wrist, his own wrists wrapped in bandages stark white, even against his pale skin, his throat circled in bruises. Draco nodded. “I’ll stay, Harry, don’t worry.”
“Good,” Harry said, licking his lips and staring around them, eyes as wide as ever. “Good, you’ll be safe here, safe. I can’t lose…can’t lose anyone else.”
“You won’t lose me, Harry.”
“I might, if you go into the darkness. They say it’s not safe. But I can’t watch much longer. I’m so very, very tired.”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to stay here with you, all night if I have to.”
“You will?” Green eyes shone with hope and gratitude.
“I will, Harry. “
Excerpt:
“Hi,” Harry’s lips said, his sweet breath huffing on Draco’s cheek.
“Hi, yourself,” Draco whispered in awe.
And then they were kissing. Harry was flavoured with the custard they’d had for dinner, but on his lips the taste was sublime. The custard itself had been rather watery and had pooled with the rhubarb in a sludgy mess, although he’d hardly noticed. Draco had long become inured to St. Mungo’s culinary offerings and often wondered if the house-elves who produced it were ruined for service elsewhere. He was certain hospital management wanted patients to return home as rapidly as possible and had decided on serving crap food as the most expedient way of achieving their goals.