In Too Deep

“But Draco, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s,” Granger said grimly.

“Yeah well it also doesn’t travel by attack or kill in under a week. We’re clearly dealing with some magical component.”

“You’re right. Goodness, I need different books!” She ran to the shelf and started pulling down more. Surprisingly, Draco followed her and started pulling down some for himself. They needed to break this down.

“Granger, what body of water are the merfolk from the attacks living in?”

“Loch Morar,” she answered without looking up.

Draco got up and walked to the apparition point, and popped to his house. He immediately stuck his head in the floo and began calling colleagues from neighboring hospitals and clinics. Satisfied, he backtracked his way to Granger.

“What was that all about?” She looked at him this time, confusion on her face.

“I was checking with some of my colleagues. We’re the only region with any attack victims or random deaths. I have a theory.”

He picked up the phone and sent a quick message to Theo. It wasn’t long before he replied. “I’m right. Loch Morar is the only body of water with merfolk experiencing this disease.”

“So what? Do you think it’s the water and not the merfolk?”

“That’s exactly what I think. Something in that water has to be causing it.” He started narrowing down his book collection.

“What if we just shut down the merfolk before they could start attacking from other locations?” She asked while taking notes on a piece of parchment.

“Could be, but this is the only theory I have right now, so I’m going to run with it.”

They researched through lunch, neither one of them looking up from their reading. It wasn’t until Granger’s stomach growled that Draco realized he was hungry too. He got up, stretched (definitely checked to see if Granger was watching- yep), and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Granger showed up when she smelled food. Her hair was a mess and she had bags under her eyes, but Draco still found her stunning. He made her a plate of eggplant ravioli and sat down across from her.

“This is delicious. You never told me where you learned to cook.” Her face showed her pleasure with the meal.

“From a house elf actually. House arrest was a long time, and I got bored. Discovered that I loved it. I didn’t care about knitting though. I found that tedious.”

She laughed at the idea of him knitting. They made polite conversation until Draco realized she was falling asleep at the table, and promptly sent her to bed. He washed the dishes and went to bed himself.

…………

He entered the kitchen the next morning to find Granger there already. She held a cup out to him, and found it full of coffee, prepared perfectly.

“Oh thank you,” he said, surprised. He took a sip and groaned with pleasure.

“Don’t mention it. I was already here and it saves you time. Let’s go hit the books.” She seemed a little embarrassed and wouldn’t make eye contact.

Before they could sit, the phone chimed. A message from Theo read “Watkins here bad”.

“Oh shit,” Draco exclaimed before running to the apparition point. He appeared at St Mungo's so fast he was worried he’d splinched himself. He ran to the clinic and then followed the sound of Theo’s voice. Bursting into that room, he discovered a pale Theo and a very sickly woman.

Amy looked terrible. Her skin was gray, and the whites of her eyes were yellow. Her hair was noticeably thinner, as was she. It had been a week since he’d last seen her, but it looked like she aged a decade.

“I told you not to call him,” she said feebly. “I just need a restock on my pain potion Healer Nott.”

“I called him because you need to be admitted. He’s going to agree with me.” Theo looked at Draco with fear on his face.

“He’s right Amy. I know I told you that you could ride this out at home, but it’s clear it’s progressing faster than we expected. You can still go home, but I need you to understand, I don’t think you’ll survive another week.”

She looked at him for a long time. “Have you made any progress on curing cancer?” Draco could tell in that moment she didn’t actually expect him to find a cure. She was just humoring him.

“I have actually. If I had more time I could probably help you.” He was pleading with her.

“If someone can come out to my house to help me, I’d be okay with that. But I’m not spending my last week of life away from my son.” Her sickly face was firm.

“Fine, Theo have it arranged that a mediwitch comes every day to her home and gives her fluids and nutrients. I’ll be damned if she dies before I can figure this out.” He nodded at Amy and walked to his office. He just needed a moment alone.

Theo knocked and came in. “I got Mrs. Watkins set up with home care and sent her home. I also refilled her pain potions.”

“Thanks mate. Sorry I blew my top in there. I shouldn’t have to cure the incurable in two weeks.” Draco put his head down on his desk.

“I couldn’t believe it was Alzheimer’s at first. But once I reviewed the labs and brain from my wizard patients, I couldn’t disagree. There’s no way around it.” Theo sighed. “How’s working with Hermione?”

“It’s fine,” Draco said quickly.

“Sure it is. I know how you avoid questions.”

“No, it’s really fine. I just have a hard time getting work done.”

“And why is that,” Theo asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“Oh stop. You’d have a hard time working locked in a room with a beautiful woman too.”

“A beautiful woman you say?” Theo was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

“I don’t have time for this. I need to go back to work.” Draco rose from his desk and walked to the hall before apparating back to the lab.

“What was wrong,” Granger asked. Her face was a picture of concern and Draco felt a little guilty not explaining before he ran away.

“It’s Amy. Her cancer is progressing faster than I predicted. I give her a week, tops. She pretty much halved our work time.”

Her face was grim. “Well while you were gone I found something that may help. Have you ever heard of tau protein?”

“No idea. Sounds like a type of tea. What is it?” He had no idea where she was going with this.

She smiled. “From what I understand it’s a protein involved in the make-up of neurons. Studies show that people with Alzheimer’s have an excess of tau, which causes tangles, which causes damage.”

“Ok so you’re thinking that something is causing the merfolk to have an excess of tau?”

“Precisely!”

Draco couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s funny?”

“You sound like such a swot right now,” he said as he kept laughing.

“Oh we don’t have time for this Malfoy! You said it yourself, our time limit got cut in half. We have to figure this out!”

He wiped his eyes. “Granger. We don’t even know if this is what’s causing their Alzheimer's. We don’t know why theirs progresses so fast. We don’t know why it’s transferable. There’s no way we’re going to get this done in time. It’s over.” He sat down and put his head on the desk.

“Hey don’t get discouraged. We have plenty of time. I mean you solved a decades old question in a single day. I’m sure you can figure this out too.” She walked over and patted his shoulder. Her touch shot lightning across his skin.

“Fine. I like your theory about the protein. Let’s start there.”

It was another day of them working through lunch, and by dinner they were no closer to finding an answer than they were that morning.

Draco went to the kitchen to cook dinner, as he realized it had become his new routine. Tonight they would have salmon. He started searing it and poured himself a large glass of white wine. He needed something to cut the edge.

Granger showed up before the dinner was finished cooking. The asparagus was almost tender enough to take off the heat and the rice pilaf was cooling. He had set the fish to the side under a stasis charm to keep it warm.

“Oh boy, we're drinking. Pour me one won’t you?”

Draco obliged, and poured Granger a glass. She drained half of it with one pull to his surprise. He finished setting the table and plating their food while she finished her glass and poured herself another one.

“Can you hold your liquor? That’s not the cheap stuff.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s just wine. Besides, we’re eating. I’ll be even better with some food on my stomach.”

Draco shrugged and poured himself another glass. She was an adult, and Draco had warned her.

“How was Theo when you saw him earlier?” She took a bite of the salmon and closed her eyes.

“He was fine. He agreed with our Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The wizards he autopsied matched the clinical signs. He just never considered it.”

“I’m glad he agrees. Now we just need to figure out why it’s contagious.”

“I’m still thinking it’s something in the water,” he sipped his wine. “Why else would it just be this one group of merfolk.”

“I totally agree. I think we would benefit from some research on the loch itself.” She finished her second glass and poured herself a third. Draco couldn’t help but notice her neck was very red.

“We can dedicate tomorrow to that, if you want.”

“Oh we’re doing what I want, are we?” The redness was starting to creep up her face.

Draco didn’t know how to reply. “I’m always happy to do what you want, Granger. You don’t have to worry about that.”

She leaned in. “What if I wanted you to kiss me?”

Draco felt his eyebrows shoot up. “I think you’ve had too much wine.” He picked up the bottle and walked it across the room.

When he turned around, he saw she had gotten up and was right behind him. “There’s nothing wrong with a little liquid courage.”

She leaned in and kissed him.

It was amazing. Better than he had dreamt it to be. Her lips tasted like wine and lemons and were so soft. He didn’t know if it could get any better but then she started to slip her tongue into his mouth. It was like his world exploded.

However, as soon as it started, he knew it needed to end. “Granger, if you still want to kiss me when you’re sober, I’d be more than happy to snog you senseless. But I won’t be doing anything to you while you’re pissed.”

“I’m not pissed,” she slurred. She pouted out her lips, and Draco couldn’t help but notice that they were swollen from the snogging. Merlin, he had to be the most in control man in the world.

“Either way Granger. If you still want to tomorrow, we will. But not tonight. I want it to be you when I dazzle you with my skills.”

“Oh you’re dazzling me now?” He could tell she was angry, but it was a price he was willing to pay.

“Why don’t you go to bed, I’ll do the dishes. Goodnight Granger.”

“Uh huh. Night Malfoy.”