Bombarda from the past
Draco walked into work the next day, still frustrated from the day before. He made his way to the staff lounge and began making his coffee. The routine helped with his stress, but not much. He picked up his stethoscope and was about to head to the clinic when Theo ran in like he was being chased.
“Goodness! Could you believe I was almost late?” He asked as if this had never happened before. At least once a week Theo came to work flying by the seat of his pants. Draco smiled at his friend, watched his settle himself, and the two of them set off to the clinic together.
“At lunch you’re going to have to remind me to tell you about my breakfast date! It’s going to blow your mind who I had coffee with,” Theo was practically gushing. If Draco had to admit it, the only person that would surprise Draco to be Theo’s date would probably be Voldemort risen from the dead. Theo was such a social person. He could have a conversation (or relationship) with anyone walking down the street. As if to prove his point, Theo made eyes at the young wizard tech they passed outside the clinic door. Draco rolled his eyes, but inwardly he chuckled. He was glad that after all this time, Theo hadn’t changed a bit.
There was only 1 patient on Draco’s schedule this morning, while Theo had 4. So the two split up and set off to work. The young wizard in exam room 9 was complaining of throat pain, but he couldn’t think of anything he had done to injure his throat recently. One quick glance told Draco he had strep throat. An antibacterial spell had him on his way in no time. Since there was still quite a bit of time until lunch, Draco decided to make a run to his office and see if he had any letters or follow up orders.
To his surprise, he had two letters on his desk. The one on top was from his assistant, so he opened it first. Relief flooded him. The chemistry panel on Mrs. Watkins blood work wouldn’t go through due to the values being extremely unordinary. This suggested the blood specimen had been compromised. Draco felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The second letter was actually from Mrs. Watkins herself. She had expressed some confusion over his vague orders, but agreed to come in and get her blood taken again the coming Monday. That was, of course, she had no episodes before then. Draco jotted this down in his planner, and stood up to stretch. Having the problem he was so worried about be solved made him feel ten times lighter. He practically skipped to the cafeteria to meet Theo.
Sitting down with his sandwich, Draco remembered about Theo’s coffee date this morning. He had just begun to make a guess on who it was when Theo himself sat down.
“You would not believe my patients this morning. Usual run of the mill werewolf attack victim, same with vampire induced anemia, but I had 2 MORE merpeople attacks show up this morning! I still don’t know why they’re being sent to me, but I still helped them out and sent them on their way”. Theo had his rant while he opened his lunch. Looked like curry today.
“What are merpeople doing that is so bad they even need to come to the clinic?” Draco was genuinely confused. “Why can’t they just cast a simple healing charm for cuts and bruises?”
“That’s what I don’t get! They’re coming in with next to nothing to treat, and I still don’t understand any they’re being sent to me specifically. Ugh. I’m too pretty for this nonsense.”
“Agree to disagree on that. But anyway I’ve been dying to hear. Who did you have breakfast with this morning?”
“Oh thank you for reminding me! Hermione Granger!” Theo took another bite of his curry. “She works for the Department for the Regulations and Control of Magical Creatures now.”
Draco tried to keep his face neutral. He hadn’t thought about Granger in years. He thought he had quashed his school time crush on her, but the butterflies in his stomach told him otherwise. His brain was screaming at him to say something calm but cool.
“Oh yeah,” Draco choked out, “hair still bushy?” Nailed it.
Theo rolled his eyes. “Yes her hair is still huge, I know that was your favorite part about her.”
“It was not!”
“Oh, so you have a favorite part?” Theo waggled his eyebrows. “Her left hand had no ring on it. I’m sure you’re dying to know.”
Draco did want to know, but Theo didn’t need that information. “Why did you even have breakfast with her,” he asked while failing to keep the jealousy from his voice.
“We bumped into each other yesterday at the market. We didn’t have time to chat so we decided to get together this morning.” Theo shrugged his shoulders as he finished his lunch. “It’s no big deal. We were civil at Hogwarts, so there was no animosity between us.”
Draco thought on his conversation with Theo as he rounded the inpatient ward. He discharged one of his patients with pneumonia and the patient with burns. At this rate he wouldn’t have any work to do the rest of the week, he thought to himself. He charted in reverse per usual. Packed up, quick goodbye, and apparated home. He always looked forward to his afternoon routine. It grounded him.
He went about the rest of his afternoon as he would. House chores. Light dinner. Long shower, today with a wank. The only difference is today he fantasized about a mountain of curly hair and honey brown eyes.