Who spilled Armortentia?
“Wait what? Who is Mrs. Watkins?” Hermione’s confused voice matched her face.
Theo sobered up momentarily. “She’s a patient Draco’s been treating for a week, but couldn’t figure out what was going on.”
“I don’t understand. When I did my diagnostic, nothing showed, but her labs were already altered.” Draco has his head down on the table, defeated. How was he going to cure cancer?
“Let me see her paperwork,” Hermione told him. She looked over it after he handed it over. “Is it possible her magic is suppressing the tumor? That could be the reason why she’s only sick sometimes, and it would track why her diagnostic only shows it sometimes.”
It was like someone cast Lumos in his brain. His face broke into a great smile. “Granger! You’re a genius! I could kiss you!”
Before Hermione’s blush had even reached her face, Draco’s fell. “Wait. Even if her magic is suppressing it, that’s not sustainable. Her magic is already depleted, and she’s getting worse. Her liver and kidneys are shutting down. Plus, based on her migraines, I’d bet it’s starting to affect her brain.”
“Well…let’s cure it then.” Hermione looked smug, like the cat who’d eaten a canary.
“There isn’t a treatment for muggle cancer, Granger,” Draco said glumly.
“Haven’t you been listening? Merfolk blood can make a treatment for some cancers! That’s literally the reason we’re having this conversation. Helloooooo, Earth to Malfoy,” she looked properly annoyed.
“Merlin! Well let’s go then!” Draco stood so fast that he almost fell out of the booth.
This is when Theo chimed in. After his intelligent comment earlier, he had gone back to drinking. “We can’t. The virus, remember? Even if we could find a hostile merperson to willingly give blood, I’m sure it’s no good infected.” He looked at Hermione, who nodded glumly. He burped into his hand.
“So…then we cure the virus then. Please tell me that's why you called us Granger?” Draco was so eager to get to work. Knowing there was something he could do to help a patient, he needed to start right away.
“You’re right. That is why I asked for help. I thought you were both hybrid or creature specialists, but I think you’ll still be able to help. You may have some insight on treatments that we don’t.” Hermione began to pack up her things. “Meet me at this location tomorrow, and I’ll apparate you to my lab. There’s a Fidelius Charm on it, so you won’t be able to get in until I take you there once myself.”
“Wait,” Draco said, looking at the coordinates Hermione had jotted down, “why can’t we go right now?”
“Um, because Theo is thoroughly pissed?” Hermione looked at theo, who was currently dozing in the booth. “Do you think you can get him back to his flat?”
“I’ll just take him to my place. It’s close by and then I can make sure he doesn’t choke on his own vomit.” Draco made a face that suggested he wasn’t pleased with his part of this plan.
“You don’t live at the manor,” Hermione asked.
“No, I never wanted to see it again after my house arrest. Being turned into a child soldier by a homicidal sociopath bent on genocide really sets a bad taste in your mouth. Father was killed there, Mother was imprisoned there, you were….. never mind. I couldn’t bear it anymore. I have a flat a few blocks down now. I like muggle London. I’m finally free.” He said it all in a rush, like he had been waiting years to get it off his chest. In some ways he had. The only person he had ever really spoken to about it was Theo, and there was nothing left to share between them.
Hermione stared at him for what became an awkwardly long time. Draco felt his face redden as he realized for a second time that night how beautiful she was. He wanted to blame it on the booze, but he realized he was stone cold sober.
“You really have changed,” she said more to herself.
They finally stood, and Hermione helped Draco get Theo out of the booth and throw one of his arms over Draco’s shoulder. Draco thought he might’ve imagined it, but he was pretty sure her hand lingered longer on his chest than it needed to.
They walked into the alley behind the pub to apparate home.
“Goodnight Malfoy. It was actually really good seeing you, and I’m glad to have you on my team.”
Draco tried to look as elegant as possible while toting a 150 pound sloshed man. “Same to you Granger.” Well done Draco, he thought.
He apparated the two of them to his flat and plopped Theo on the couch. He immediately started snoring. Draco had a quick shower and laid in bed for what he knew was going to be a sleepless night.
His brain was full of the idea of the fact he would be spending the foreseeable future with a witch he thinks he may be in love with.