One Night

At the beginning of one seemingly endless night at St Mungos lives will be altered in ways that no one dreamed would be possible. It all starts with an emergency, the kind of emergency that only Harry Potter could cause. Drarry.

Part One

Seven o'clock in the evening, Draco sighed, another emergency and just as he was settling down in his office to get some of his mountain of paper work out of the way. This was the third time this month. He couldn't help but feel a little frustrated by it despite the fact that it was his job as a healer. Head healer in fact, something he was extremely proud of. However whenever Harry James Potter was admitted to the wizarding hospital no one else would treat him, all of them apparently too nervous that they might accidently kill the boy-who-lived-twice that they wouldn't go anywhere near him.

This was the third time this month, it had been six the previous one and seven the month before that. Draco couldn't quite understand why Harry wouldn't get it through his thick head that he wasn't indestructible or invincible. He was currently feeling as if he might as well have taken up the job as Harry's personal healer. However it was still his job and he had been summoned to deal with an emergency.

Touching the pendant around his neck it port keyed him to the room where he was needed. The port key pendants had been his own invention and the very thing that had insured his promotion to his current position as Head Healer in the emergencies department of St Mungos. He was immensely proud of his invention, which enabled on call healers to reach their emergency patients quicker and therefore save more lives. However his seemed more like a collar, making him at Harry Potter's beck and call. He hadn't ever thought that the one who would need his service the most would be the golden boy of Gryffindor.

Appearing suddenly in the room he was shocked to see so many people gathered there. Usually it was just Harry on his own, occasionally accompanied by Ron, his best friend and partner in anything Auror related. Something was clearly very wrong here, worse than they had been on the many other occasions Harry had been admitted.

The patient was unconscious and bleeding from at least three major arteries. Several other healers, who before this evening had professed a fear of treating the famous wizard, were all trying to stem the heavy blood flow from the open wounds but struggling with it.

Draco, letting his instincts take over, dove in, shouting orders and barking fierce instructions determined that Harry James Potter was not going to die tonight.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he began to wave his wand around in some very complicated motions, muttering complex healing spells and incantations, his hands and white medical robes already covered in his patients' blood.

"New dark magic, a curse to sever the arteries causing the victim to bleed out in excruciating pain, there was something else to the spell but I couldn't decipher it," A familiar voice said from the corner of the room. It was only when this voice spoke that Draco realised that Ron Weasley was present. He was perhaps saturated with blood more than anyone else in the room and looked as white a sheet.

"Someone please escort Mr Weasley out of the room, he doesn't need to see this," Draco instructed, not wanting the red head to see his best friend die, because that was the way this was going to go if they couldn't stop the bleeding. There was so much blood.

Blood poured out of the saviour of the wizarding world with every weakened beat of his heart, the usual olive skin having turned pale white as four of the best, most skilled healers in the entire magical hospital worked tirelessly to save his life.

Five hours after Harry had been brought in, Draco was able to leave the room, undefeated and go in search of Ron who hadn't gone far when he had been sent away. He was sat alone on a bench just outside of the room where Harry lay unconscious but alive. He had had his head in his hands when Draco had found him and he had been crying.

"How is he?" Ron asked, jumping to his feet in a panic, clearly fearing the worst as the ashen faced healer approached him.

"Stable for the moment but he's still very weak," Draco said and watched as relief passed over Ron's face. "I've had to give him dreamless sleep, he'd only be in a great deal of pain if he were awake. It's best he sleeps through the worst of it, I'll monitor him hourly to check the levels of pain he's experiencing and wake him up when he's over the worst of it. What happened?"

"We were sent after a rogue Auror, it was very last minute, he had been our friend so I suppose we weren't as careful as we were supposed to be. He fired that curse at me but Harry saw it coming and jumped into its path, taking the hit for me," Ron said, clearly still in shock.

"The man that did this, did you catch him?" Draco asked trying to keep his calm demeanour, a specialty of his, especially in his line of work. Ron shook his head in response. "You'll need to contact your offices, a guard should be posted at his door just in case this man comes back to finish what he started."

"I can do-"

"No," Draco said, sharply cutting him off, "You look like you haven't slept in days, you're in shock. You aren't in any fit state to do anything other than rest right now. Contact your offices and then contact your wife, she's bound to be worried about you. There are people who need to be told about this," Draco said sternly and Ron nodded, only just processing what he was being told. "Don't worry about Harry, I'll stay with him, he won't be on his own."

"Thank you Draco," Ron said gratefully. The formality of using surnames had been thrown out of the window along with their animosity towards one another almost five years ago when harry had first started work as an Auror and his regular trips to St Mungos had begun. Draco didn't think that the Gryffindor was cut out for the life of an Auror, he was far too accident prone to be in that line of work but it had been exactly what the wizarding world had expected him to do.

As promised to Ron, Draco returned to Harry's room so that Harry wouldn't be alone. One of the less experienced healers had just finished clearing up the mess that they'd made trying to save his life. The room was now fit to receive visitors, which Draco was sure there would be many. The Gryffindor golden boy was lying in the hospital bed unmoving, a potion drip entering his left arm, supplying him with dreamless sleep, blood replenishing and pain relief potion, his skin ghostly pale with his blood loss.

With a wave of his wand Draco shed his blood soaked robes so that he wouldn't alarm any of Harry's visitors. No one needed to know exactly how close the saviour had come to death this time. Draco settled in the armchair by Harry's bedside feeling considerably underdressed in his grey slacks and white dress shirt. As he sat there, staring at the lifeless form of his former enemy he couldn't help but recall the very first time he had been admitted to St Mungos. Draco had only just qualified as a healer and it was his first week on the job.

He'd had three cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a hairline fracture to the skull with accompanying concussion. He had looked as if he had gone three rounds with a fully grown mountain troll and lost.

"What the fuck are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron hissed venomously as he carried his partner into the emergency department of St Mungos.

"My job Weasley," Draco responded stiffly as he helped Ron with the unconscious Harry, placing him on a vacant hospital bed.

"Get someone else then."

"I'm the healer on call today, if you want someone else then it'll be at least a two hour wait. Now I assure you I am fully qualified and can have Potter here fighting fit in no time. Now should I get to work or shall I leave him like this, as per your request?" Draco snapped testily.

"Fine, but I'm watching you Malfoy," Ron bit back with distrust, glaring at the blonde with hate and disgust. Draco only rolled his eyes and got to work.

Harry had recovered quickly on that occasion and had been released the following day without so much as a snide comment to him. He had however found himself being thanked. It wasn't until Harry's second visit that he insisted that he be called Harry and not Potter. Draco had extended the same courtesy. Ron had taken a little longer to persuade.

A heavily pregnant Hermione Weasley burst through the doors at that moment, her cheeks tear stained and her face panic stricken. Her sudden appearance had broken Draco from his musings, sending him into healer mode.

"How is he?" She asked, rushing to her fallen friend frantically as Draco got to his feet.

"He's stable, now sit down before you do yourself or the baby an injury," Draco scolded her lightly. He didn't particularly want her going into labour. He had enough on his plate with Harry without worrying about her too. It also wasn't exactly his area of expertise and he also didn't think that Ron would be able to cope with any more life shattering news right now.

"I'm fine," She said, brushing away his concern that actually touched her deeply, "He is going to be okay isn't he?"

"it's touch and go but I've managed to stabilise him for the moment. If he'd been brought in any later then he might not have been as fortunate. Your husband played a big part in saving his life."

"It was meant to be Ron," She sobbed, "Harry took the curse for him."

"Ron told me," Draco said sadly, Harry Potter, always the self-sacrificing hero, willing to die for his friends. "You really shouldn't be here Hermione. The man who did this hasn't been caught, he could come here to finish the job. I'm going to stay with Harry until a trusted Auror can be placed on guard but you should go home and rest. How far off your due date are you now?"

"Three days," Hermione muttered sheepishly, "But I had to see him, make sure that he was okay."

"I'm not going to let anything happen to him," Draco said to her reassuringly, "When you leave I'll set up wards to only those that mean Harry no harm can gain entry. I'll stay with him too so you won't have anything to worry about, okay?"

Hermione nodded, reaching over to Draco as best as she could with her swollen belly and hugged him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for saving him again Draco," She said tenderly.

"It's my job Hermione," He said but it wasn't only that and they both knew it. She gave him a knowing smile before taking his advice and leaving.

The next two hours passed in relative peace. Draco had erected several protective wards around Harry's room to keep him safe and of course Draco hadn't left his side. He did find it a little concerning that no Auror had come to stand guard. Something wasn't right and he'd put all of his staff on high alert for the rest of the night because of the nervous feeling that had sunk into his gut as a precaution. With the famous Harry Potter under their care and a rogue Auror on the run they couldn't be too over cautious.

News came at twenty past three in the morning that there had been an full blown attack on the Ministry of Magic. Draco had been alerted half an hour previously as his hospital ward had been inundated with casualties from the attack. All of them in varying states of disrepair. Most of them were fortunate not to be too seriously injured but three had died when they had been taken by surprise as a small group of their own had betrayed them.

Ron Weasley had been admitted with every bone in his body crushed. Draco had swiftly sedated him so that he didn't have to experience the agony of it and given him the potions he needed to mend the damage to his skeleton. Seamus and Dean, two more Auror's had come through it relatively unscathed, needing only a handful of minor wounds sealed.

Draco had turned to the two of them for answers when he was sure that everyone admitted was as stable as possible and being well taken care of by his well-trained members of staff.

"We can't disclose …" Dean began to say but Draco cut him off with a scathing stare.

"I have just over half of the Auror's in England in my ward right now. People we all count as friends, including Harry who almost lost his life tonight. I don't give a damn if you're not supposed to disclose information. I need to know what the hell happened."

Seamus and Dean exchanged looks of surprise, they'd of course known that they were now on good, if not friendly terms with the healer but they hadn't realised exactly how friendly they'd become.

"The Ministry was attacked, they had infiltrated the Auror office. We thought that it was just the one rogue agent but it turned out to be at least six, three teams of us. We managed to detain four of them but two, including the man that attacked Harry managed to get away. We discovered them before they were ready to face us which is why I don't think it's over yet."

Draco nodded as Seamus explained it to him. "Most of your injured will be ready to go back into the field within the next few hours," Draco informed them, knowing that they would need their best fighters available to them.

"And what about Harry and Ron, they're the best we have?" Dean asked and Draco sighed, tensing up, he had expected this.

"Ron needs at least twelve hours to repair the damage done, there wasn't a single bone in his body that was left intact but even after they're fully healed he'll been at least a day of bed rest until I will happily discharge him."

"And Harry?" Seamus pushed.

"I can't say," Draco said regretfully, "He lost a lot of blood. He could easily have died tonight. It'll take more than a couple of days, I'm currently monitoring the amount of pain he's in. I wouldn't wake him until it's at a manageable level. That all depends on Harry but it could take days and even then it'll be months before I'm able to sign him off to go back into the field and that's if everything goes smoothly."

"Make it happen sooner," Dean said, his voice neither demanding nor forceful but he was deadly serious.

"I can't …"

"Just do it Malfoy, we need him," Seamus snapped. It was in that moment that Draco realised something profound. Harry's so called friends still thought of him as the hero who could fix everything. He was their saviour, a true hero who would once again take up that mantel and save their arses. Draco couldn't believe how sorry he felt for Harry who would never be able to escape his past.

He watched as the two Auror's walked away, leaving their demands hanging in the air. Their boss had summoned them to him as he arrived, followed directly by Hermione again who looked as if she'd been crying again. Instead of going towards the Auror's she headed straight for Draco, wrapping her arms around him.

"You shouldn't be here!" He told her sternly, "It isn't safe!"

"I know but now that Ron's here too … he and Harry are the two people that I care about most. I have to be here with them. I can't just stay at home and worry."

"Fine," Draco said with a resigned sigh, realising that he wasn't going to be getting rid of her any time soon. "Just please go into Harry's room, I'll make sure that Ron is in there as well. This place isn't safe right now. If you insist on being here then I don't want to take the chance that you could be hurt."

Hermione smiled at him gratefully, "Thank you, I didn't realise you cared so much."

"You three have been in and out of here so often in the last five years I've worked here that it's hard not to care about you, all of you. I must of fixed Harry up a thousand times since he became an Auror. I'd swear he had some sort of death wish if I didn't know him." Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"That's our Harry, stupidly reckless and heroic to the end."

"Let's just make sure that end isn't any time soon," Draco said and Hermione nodded in agreement. "You go to Harry's room, the wards are already in place. I'll go and transfer Ron. They're both asleep right now but they're doing alright."

Before she left she gave him another kiss to the cheek before waddling off. Draco sighed, he really was fond of the golden trio. Maybe more than he wanted to admit to himself. With Hermione the only one of them conscious he had to protect her as he knew she wouldn't willingly leave, not while her husband and best friend were here and suffering as much as they were. Both of them could have easily been killed this evening and he couldn't blame her for wanting to be close to them.

"Malfoy," A male voice called out to him as he finished transferring Ron over to Harry's room. He turned to see the head Auror striding toward him, his chest puffed out in importance but looked harassed. It was nearing four in the morning by this point, everyone was tired and under unbelievable amounts of stress.

"Gatesby," Draco greeted, feeling as if he should go and check on his patients rather than continue to stand around chatting about them.

"How is everybody getting on?" He asked, clearly full of concern. Nearly all of his staff were either dead, traitors or in St Mungos with injuries. There hadn't been such a blatant attack on the Ministry since Voldemort's reign of terror. He had every reason to be concerned.

"Healing Sir, everyone brought in alive will make it through," Draco said to him truthfully. He was very good at his job.

"What precautions are you taking in regards to Mr Potter?" Malcolm Gatesby asked.

"He and Mr Weasley are in a well warded room together. As you are no doubt aware, Ron's heavily pregnant wife is here. I thought it best if all three of them be protected as they are all so often targets. It is no secret how much Harry cares for the two of them."

"Agreed, but I must also warn you that it has been well documented how close you and he have become over the past few years. The Prophet has credited you as his personal healer and friend. You know how the Prophet likes to exaggerate things."

Draco nodded, he understood perfectly, which was exactly why he had stopped reading that particular wizarding newspaper years ago. "Are you suggesting that I might also be in danger Sir?" Draco asked.

"I'm suggesting that anyone who would wish harm on Harry Potter would do well to take you out of the equation. I've been told that if it wasn't for you and your actions this evening then he'd be dead. You have done us all a great service the last five years, however I don't believe that everyone would see it in the same light."

Draco nodded his understanding, "My staff have my uttermost trust and belief in their abilities, they will attend to your Auror's, most were not too seriously injured. I will take personal care of Ron and Harry myself."

"Good man, just make sure that those wards of yours are up to scratch. There are many people who would be glad to take advantage of Potter's weakened state." Again Draco nodded, "I'm placing his well being in your hands Malfoy, I'm trusting you. I don't think I need to tell you the repercussions should anything happen to him while he is under your care."

"Yes Sir," Draco said through gritted teeth, not appreciating the threat. Swiftly Draco made his rounds, being a little sterner that usual with his staff, seething at the threat that Malcolm Gatesby had issued to him. Like he would ever let anything happen to Harry.

After ensuring that his staff were well briefed and doing everything they were supposed to be doing, Draco returned to Harry and Ron. Hermione had fallen asleep in the armchair in his absence, one hand over her swollen stomach protectively. Conjuring an extra blanket Draco covered her over before replenishing the pain and dreamless sleep potions for the injured men.

Looking at the three of them it was hard to think that they were all only twenty-three years old. War had aged all four of them beyond their years. None of them had escaped untarnished mentally or physically. The work that harry and Ron now did as Auror's had only added to the scars that they carried. Draco found himself stood next to Harry's bed, looking down at him fondly.

He had three bandages covering up his wounds, one on his left wrist, another around his neck and the third around his right thigh. His injured leg having been placed outside of the blankets to allow it easier for the healers to check the wound. He had been stripped down to just wearing baggy boxers, the hospital blanket covering up the majority of his torso.

The blonde found his hand resting by and almost stroking Harry's hair. The messy raven locks that seemed so soft to the touch. He had grown so fond of him over the years, He couldn't imagine not seeing him on an almost weekly basis as he came into St Mungos with his various ailments.

He knew the exact moment that his fondness for the saviour of the wizarding world had escalated into something much more, something that he'd never divulged to anyone and probably never would.

"Mr Potter is wairing for you Mr Malfoy," A young girl whom Draco had employeed the week before said, sounding a little nervous.

"Thank you Melanie, I'll see to him now," He said with a sigh, three years Potter had been coming here and he was still the only one brave enough to treat him.

"What is it this time Harry?" Draco asked as he walked into Harry's room. This was the room that he was always taken to, ever since someone had used a permanent sticking charm, thinking they were being funny, and stuck a plaque to the wall above the bed. It read 'Official hospital bed of harry Potter, the boy-who-lived.' Draco had always suspected that it had been Ron Weasley who was behind the not so hilarious prank. No one else dared use the room now, they all thought it was cursed.

"Broken wrist," Harry said with a smile. Draco sighed again as he stood before Harry, inspecting the break with a wave of his wand.

"It's a clean break," He commented, "Easily fixed. I'm surprised that your Auror training didn't cover how to mend such minor injuries like this," He said as he began the incantation required to mend the break. He had never known another patient to be so cheerful while also having a broken bone.

Harry watched him work with a smile, "Maybe I just like to see you," Harry said as Draco finished. Grey eyes looked down into green with surprise. Draco was looking for any sign that Harry might have been joking but all he saw was a genuine smile.

"All better," Draco said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Thanks," harry replied, their closeness suddenly all they could think of. Draco still holding Harry's hand within his own.

"I should go …" Draco said as Harry had leant forward a fraction.

"yeah," Harry had replied sounding dejected as he slumped back, removing his hand from Draco's grip. Since that day it hadn't been the same between them, the tension extreme but neither of them willing to make the first move.

"You really care for him don't you," Hermione said breaking Draco from his musings. He hadn't even realised that she was awake/

"It's my job," Draco said, quickly moving his hand from where it had been caressing Harry's hair.

"I think it's more than that," Hermione said softly, looking at the healer fondly, "I can see it in the way you look at him."

Draco look a deep breath, scolding himself for not concealing it better. "It doesn't matter," He said as he checked the potions going into harry through the drip.

"Have you ever wondered why he never dated after he and Ginny broke up?" Hermione questioned.

"I always just thought his job got in the way," Draco said, "He does seem to be a bit of a workaholic. He's always in here for some injury or another."

"Maybe he just wanted to see you," Hermione said, speaking to Draco as if he were blind.

"He wouldn't hurt himself on purpose just to see me," Draco said dismissively.

Hermione smiled at how clueless the blonde was. "His job puts him in danger," She said, "I just think that it's funny that you're the only one he ever let treat him when he got sent here. The smallest of injuries and he would always come and see you here, even when he could have easily mended half of them himself." She explained and Draco just stood shaking his head, "Harry has never been very good at expressing his feelings Draco. He'd never tell you to your face because he'd be too scared of getting hurt but even Ron could see how he feels about you."

"I never thought, I didn't think he could ever want me like that. Not with our past history."

Hermione smiled affectionately at the healer, happy that he had finally realised. She was becoming rather emotional in the ninth month of her pregnancy and playing match maker brought a tear to her eye.

A bright flash and a loud bang out in the hallway caught their attention instantly, Hermione getting to her feet too quickly, her wand drawn. However before Draco could investigate what was happening she screamed in agony. Turning to see the Gryffindor girl clutching at her swollen stomach, pain written across her face as her waters broke.