"The world is such a small place, isn't it!" Ginny said, weakly offering her best smile.
Lavender and Parvati studied them both, sharing a whisper between them making Ginny feel increasingly nervous. Why did the most famous busybodies Hogwarts had ever known, have to be here of all places! She could just see her mother's disappointed look. How would her mum take it when she found out her daughter had been running around in public acting like a nymph! With a convicted Death Eater, no less. Ginny would be shunned, that's what. She may just as well ask Draco where she could get a Dark Mark since she would be branded for life.
Maybe it was for the best that Lavendar and Parvati had made their apperance when they did. For had they not showed, Ginny would have shagged him for sure. Once, twice, probably the whole night.
Why does that disappoint me?
She barely knew the man, and for the most part what she knew wasn't good. Yes he was great with patients, but he had also spent a great deal of his life following Voldemort. Ginny wanted to believe that he changed, for he seemed to truly be sincere in regretting his past. But surely the effects of being a Death Eater still had repercussions. Repercussions Ginny couldn't see.
Yes. She kept telling herself. Thank you Lav and Parvati for stopping me from making a horrendous mistake.
"Here's our card," Lavendar and Parvati said in unison handing over their business card, one to Ginny and the other to Draco who immediately crumpled it in his hand.
Brown and Patil
International Party and Concert Promoters
We can make your event MAGIKAL!
Parvati rolled her eyes at Draco turning her attention to Ginny, "We're concert promoters for the Weird Sisters. There's alot of interest in the nostalgic value for us wizards and the reunion tour has porduced quite a turnout. Introducing the band to the Muggles was our idea."
Ginny had to agree, "From the looks of the crowd, you two have been very successful." They both looked like the epitome of urban well to do witches. With their designer robes and sleek hair, they had a sense of sophistication Ginny almost envied. On the other hand, she was more than happy they were immersed in talking about themselves. Maybe they didn't care that her date happened to be Draco Malfoy. In the scheme of things, it was probably insignificant. What had she to be worried about if they didn't seem to notice? They seemed to act as if Draco wasn't there. Perhaps it was for the better.
Lavendar pattied her pocket, the sound of coins jangling inside. "Who knew two little girls from Hogwarts would end up owing millions of galleons. There's alot of money to be made from the muggles."
Ignoring Draco wouldn't last long. Ginny knew it would be too good of an opportunity for the two gossips to miss. She could only cringe when Lavendar uttered words to Draco that made Ginny want to sink into the ground, "Even your money is good here, Malfoy."
"Is it now?" Draco pressed his lips together, trying to contain the anger Ginny knew was welling within.
Lavender shot Draco a twisted smile, "So Malfoy, what have you been up to since the war?"
Ginny had enough of Lavender's small talk and from Draco's murderous expression, it looked like he felt the same. She wanted nothing more than to hex Lavendar all the way to Britain. No - she wanted to hex the woman all the way to Antartica and take away her wand for good measure.
Of course Lavander and Parvati knew exactly where Draco had been the year after the war. He was locked up in Azkaban, a fact all of Wizarding Britain knew. His reputation had already been dragged through the mud too many times to count. They were in America now. Would their past have to follow them even here? Hadn't Ginny wanted a fresh start. Didn't Draco deserve the same? Enough was enough.
"He's a healer. One of the top healer's here in Chicago."
With raised eyebrows of disbelief, Parvati and Lavender both erupted in laughter, "Oh really, Draco Malfoy a healer!"
"I've had enough of this." Draco trudged off but not before saying his goodbyes to Ginny, " Have a fun time with your, " he paused, almost growling out the words, "friends."
"Draco no...don't go!" Ginny wanted to run after him, wanted to apologize for her friends rude behavior but the temptation to first give Lavendar and Parvati a piece of her mind was far too strong.
Parvati wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, "Please Ginny, tell us another joke.That has to be the best one we've heard yet!"
"How dare you - you cackling nitwits!" Ginny felt her fists bunching at her sides. "Draco Malfoy is an excellent heal..."
The sound of tires squealing in the distance cut Ginny's words off. She turned in the direction of the sound, watching in horror as a very obvious drunk driver barreled from the road onto the grassy park and straight into the crowd of concert goers.
Ginny felt her arm being grabbed, her feet running with the rest of the audience trying to get away from the runaway vehicle.
"Good for nothing mudbloods!"
The voice brought Ginny out of her temporary shocked state, she slowed realizing who was holding her hand . "Draco!"
"Should've brought my bloody broom!" Draco said through gritted teeth, dragging Ginny behind him.
They were about to die a horrific muggle death,now was not the time to argue about his use of profanity. Ginny decided she would talk to him about that slip of the tongue later.
"I'm going to apparate us both out of here. Are you ready Ginny?"
Before Ginny could say yes, she stopped in her tracks at a mother's cry.
"My baby! Someone help my baby!"
Ginny tore her arm away from Draco's, running towards the voice.
"Help! My baby is dying!"
The car had come to a stop in the middle of what used to be the dance floor, a drunk driver staggering out the door. To her horror, a boy of about 4 or 5 was pinned underneath.
A hand stopped her, but it wasn't Draco's.
"We can't interefere in muggle matters Ginny." Parvati said solemnly. "The Ministry of Magic will fine us. It can't be done. The muggles will have to deal with this."
Draco pushed past Lavendar and Parvati, almost knocking them to the ground, "Pity it wasn't you both! And they call me evil? I've broken laws before. I'll break a few now."
"We can get a muggle doctor! We have one on staff." Lavendar offered as if that might change Draco's mind. One look at Draco, and Ginny knew it did just the opposite.
"He'll be dead before that incompetent mudblood gets here!" Draco hissed, levitating the car to the awe of hundreds of onlookers and the protests of Lavendar and Parvati.
"We still need to send him to a hospital Draco. I'll have Parvati send for a muggle ambulance." She said applying pressure to the boys bleeding legs, trying to keep her tears in check. The boy was slipping in and out of consiousness and she had to portray the image of someone who knew for a matter of fact that this patient would survive. From the looks of the young boy, Ginny surmised he had only a few minutes left and it nearly broke her heart.
"It won't be here in time. His bleeding is much too profuse. You are going to have to help me keep this boy alive. And he will live. I've never lost a patient. I'm the best, Weasley, and you can quote me on that." She glanced at Draco, a newfound respect building for him. Only someone as arrogant as Draco would have that much confidence. In a life and death situation, such qualities in a healer were attributes.
Ginny glanced at a woman sitting a few feet away, rocking back and forth, apparently in shock. "Are you the boys mother?" Ginny asked, "We will need your consent to treat your son."
The woman could only wail louder.
"Is he your son or not, woman?" Draco yelled, "Answer or it will be your fault your son dies!"
Ginny was taken aback by the harshness of Draco's voice, but she could hardly dwell on it. They had a life to save.
"Yes," the woman sobbed, "Please save him!"
"Is he allergic to drugs?" Draco asked shining a light from the end of his wand towards the boy's pupils, "Is he muggle or wizard?"
The woman raised her head, confused, "What?"
"Never mind!" Draco snapped, "What's the boy's name."
"Derrick." The woman answered. "Derrick Jackson."
"Give me your scarf." Draco barked at the mother."
The woman moved quickly handing over her scarf to the young healer. Draco said a quick spell conjuring the scard into sterile pieces of gauze.
"Wrap this around his leg Weasley." he ordered
Ginny did as she was told, the bleeding still continuing, seeping through the bandages. "He's losing too much blood Draco. He needs fluids. He needs blood."
Since the war, Ginny was always prepared. How many times had an accident occured during a quidditch game? She felt a little foolish at fist, for bringing her first aid kit to the concert. What would she need it for? It only took up valuable space. But now she thanked the Gods that she had her mother's pack rat mentality.
She opened her jeweled purse reversing the shrinking spell on her first aid kit, revealing an assortment of magical and muggle nursing euipment."
"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Draco said as he opened his own first aid kit handing her a bottle of Skele-gro. "Add this to his IV. I have to hand it to you Weasley. Always prepared. I want you on my team, always."
Ginny shared a small smile with him, a moment of light heartedness in the middle of a situation most people would find inappropriate. Nevertheless, a laugh here and there was only meant to keep their heads on straight. Even during the war, Ginny would find the light through the darkness. The good hidden within the evil. Was this not one of those times?
She started the saline Iv, infusing it with Skele-gro and other magical healing properties unseen to the muggle eye. Draco chanted the anesthetic spell to keep the child from waking.
"I've got to clamp this artery, Ginny."
"I'm with you healer, you are doing great." More than great, Ginny wanted to say. He was wonderful. How did she ever doubt him?
"Same to you Nurse Weasley." Draco added, his hand gently searching within the boys leg for the artery. His wand guiding the way. "Oh, here it is." Draco waved his wand at the artery, the ends mending together.
When they were finally done, the sirens of the muggle ambulance announced it's arrival.
"Thank you! Thank you!" the mother of the boy said kissing the feet of Draco Malfoy."Thank you!"
"Told you I never lost a patient Weasley." Draco smirked. " That boys legs will be better than they ever were. He'll be quite the athlete -thanks to me."
"Thanks to us Healer Malfoy."
He was egging her on and enjoying every minute of it. His head was as big as ever. Then again, most healer's had a god complex. Why should Draco be any different? In fact, if fitted his personality perfectly. But watching the little boy walk to the gurney, Ginny had to admit, if anyone deserved praise right now, it was Malfoy.
"Sure this boy was pinned under a car?" the paramedic quizzed looking at what appeared to be no more than a scratch.
The comment to Ginny was but a compliment. Little Derrick Jackson had been in good hands and would pull through. Draco had believed the little boy would live. Now Ginny believed in Draco Malfoy.
As the ambulance sped off, Ginny and Draco found themselves surrounded by a crowd of applauding concertgoers and a very stunned and speechless Lavendar and Parvati.
"This is why I picked the healing arts Ginny." Draco said as he made his way through the crowd offering up his best smile. "Wizards and muggles love me. Just look at them. Voldemort was all wrong Ginny. Who knew that doing a good deed could cause people to worship at your feet. This is much easier than fighting people for their affections."
Ginny could only shake her head. "You are so in love with yourself!"
"Aren't you? Everyone else is." He wound a hand in her hair, and Ginny allowed herself to be pulled closer "Now what do you say about going to my flat for some quidditch?"
He was such an arse! And she was going to shag him good!
Sounds of police sirens seemed to break the magic between them.
Draco's eyes seemed to glaze over as he pulled away from Ginny. "I forgot something." Ginny followed Draco, who seemed to be moving almost as if he were in a trance towards the accident scene. The drunk driver was still sitting beside the blood stained car, begging for another drink.
Ginny pulled at Draco, a strong sense of foreboding overcoming her. "The police have been called, Draco. He'll be in prison soon."
"No. It won't be enough. It's never enough."Draco said drawing his wand and pointing it at the drunkard, " The police will take him and he'll do it again. This mudblood needs to be taught a lesson."
Ginny didn't like what she was hearing. Not one bit. "Draco don't. You're scaring me." Where was the caring healer that had been in her company but moments before? Who was this man standing before her? Had this been the real Draco Malfoy all along?
"Crucio!"
TBC
Ok readers, no yelling yet….I promise it will be lighthearted next chapter.
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