Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
TOUCH
Chapter THREE
Harry felt a sting of pain coming from his chest and back as he woke up. He slowly opened one eye, and then the other and sighed with relief, that he was in his own room and not in the hospital any more. Three days ago he had still been in hospital, until the tall, shrewd-looking doctor had told him to call his family and get him out of there. Ron and Sirius had come almost immediately and transported him back home. Sirius decided to temporarily move into the flat that he shared with Ron, at least until Harry was able to get back onto his own feet. So, all the while Harry had been resting in his room, his godfather and best friend were parading around the house in tiny aprons, helping him to be comfortable, and attempting to feed him the concoction they both came up with in the kitchen. One glimpse of what Ron called chicken soup was enough to make Harry hurl, but he saw the anxious look on his best friend's face, and kept all doubts to himself, and forced himself to take a sip, which, to his relief, actually tasted good.
Sirius gently knocked on the door and came in with a tray in his hands. He smiled at Harry, and carefully set the tray on top of Harry's nightstand. After pulling the curtains to allow sunlight into Harry's room, he pulled a chair up to Harry's bed and sat down.
"Thanks, Sirius," Harry said. "You didn't have to stay in from work for me."
Sirius shrugged. "It's no big deal. You're my godson. I'm supposed to do these kinds of things."
"Thanks, anyhow." Harry continued to eat.
"I've talked with Ginny last night. About your doctor."
Harry nodded as he continued sipping on soup.
"Ginny isn't too sure. She's only said that Dr. Granger isn't too keen on magic. Has a sort of, distaste for it, she said. She may be just a Muggle, Harry."
Harry placed his spoon back on the tray and pushed it back. "No, I'm telling you, Sirius. She's magical. I felt it that day."
"You were knocked out cold, Harry!" Sirius exclaimed. "You weren't supposed to feel anything."
Harry stared at his godfather, his eyes bright yet stubborn. "I felt it. That magical warmth was there, Sirius." He turned his head and focused his eyes on a picture that stood on top of his drawers. It was of his parents before they had died. "Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can feel them near me."
Sirius followed his gaze to the picture. His heart softened as he whispered, "James and Lily?"
Harry nodded. "Even though it's been almost thirty years, I could still recall Mum cradling me, rocking me to sleep. And Dad holding me while flying on a broomstick. Those feelings, they're innate now. You can't make them go away."
"And this has to do with the doctor?"
"She's a witch, Sirius. She just has to be. None of those other doctors could explain why my heart went into cardiac arrest, and five minutes later, it was resuscitated miraculously. I think I know enough Muggle medicine to know that that's impossible." Harry watched Sirius' eyes grow wide with shock. "And you know what the most incredible thing was?"
Sirius shook his head.
"It came from her. That touch. I heard her voice, and I felt her tears. That's why I'm alive."
**************************
"What? You discharged him from the hospital?"
Hermione's voice could be heard throughout the fifth floor of the Royal Hospital in London. The orderlies and nurses that walked passed Dr. Wright's office chose to ignore the heated conversation behind the closed doors and hurried to their next task.
Inside the office, Dr. Wright was playing with his Mont Blanc fountain pen nonchalantly as Hermione paced back and forth in front of his desk, her arms flinging about in frustration. One glimpse of her face showed that she was angered, no, incensed, ready to tear apart anything that came into her grasps.
"He was my patient, David. He nearly died from his wounds! How could you just let him leave without even notifying me, HIS PHYSICIAN?" Hermione glared at her superior.
Wright shrugged his shoulders. "He was fine. Jerry was in charge of him while you were on sabbatical. He woke up the day after you left. Jerry thought that he was well enough, he brought the case to me, and I agreed with him."
"I was on sabbatical. How amusing. Surely you remember that you forced a break on me!" she snarled at him. "This was an ER case, David, and I am Jerry's superior. Surely I have the final say on this decision."
"And let me remind you that ER or not, you are my subordinate, and your attitude is unbecoming, Dr. Granger." He uncapped his fountain pen and signed the papers in front of him. "You know, I do have other work to do, unlike some."
Hermione stopped her pacing and stared straight at him. He held the same annoyed look back at her. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead, she turned around and stormed out of his office.
Instead of returning to her office on the other side of the floor, she turned to the emergency exit. She ran down the flight of stairs to Ginny's office in the third floor. Ginny's secretary tried to stop her, but Hermione just ignored her and let herself into the office.
Ginny was sitting at her desk, typing up new orders. She was surprised to see Hermione storm into her office. She moved toward Hermione, who was crying, and wrapped her arms around her. Hermione finally broke down and let her tears flood her face.
"Herms, what's wrong?" Ginny asked, concerned.
Hermione sniffled as she tried to wipe her tears. "That intolerable, insufferable, domineering prat! He thinks he could step over my cases and take jurisdiction like he is lord over the place!"
"What did Wright do this time?" She pulled Hermione down to the sofa and pulled a sheet of tissue out of the box.
Hermione gratefully received the tissue that Ginny offered. "Well, I was off for a week. My patient woke up during my leave, and apparently, Wright told my resident staff that I was discharged of my cases as well. And without notifying me, he signed the discharge papers for my patient and I only just found out from Jerry today!"
Ginny patted Hermione's shoulder gently. "Oh, Hermione, you should know better than I do. Wright has been trying to make your life miserable ever since you came to this hospital. Oh, don't give me that look. Even though I've not been here as long as you have, the other staff physicians have told me. Besides, Harry's fine. I just saw him the other day."
Hermione blinked her eyes slowly. "Harry? So he really was Harry, your brother's friend Harry?"
Ginny nodded. "Yes, he was. My brother was relieved that it was him. I went over to see them. Harry's been sleeping much, but other than that, he looks fine."
Hermione sighed in relief. "I'm glad to hear that, but as his physician, I would still like to see for myself."
"You sure you just want to check his wounds? Or is there something that you're not telling me, Dr. Granger?" Ginny teased.
"Oh, bugger off, Ginny!" But Hermione's cheeks were flushed. "Well, since you know Mr. Potter, could you tell him to stop by my office sometime for a post check-up? Just to be sure that those stitches could be removed."
"Sure, no problem. I'll Floo over tonight to tell him."
"Floo?" Hermione eyed Ginny strangely.
Ginny's eyes widened in alarm. "Oops! I meant I'll drive over their flat. Silly me!"
Hermione still looked dubious, but she decided to shrug it off. "Good." She wiped her face dry with the tissue. "So, do I still look like I had just cried my eyes out?"
Ginny shook her head. "Yes, you do, but I'm sure no one would mind, especially not hunky Dr. Charles." She laughed as Hermione smacked her thigh. "He'll still think that Dr. Granger is undeniably the most gorgeous woman in a white coat, even though her eyes are bloody red and puffy."
Hermione smiled. "And to think that I finally found a male-repellant!" She stood up and smoothed her pants. "Thanks for the pep talk, Gin. I should get back to work."
"No problem! Just buy me dinner and we're even."
"Keep wishing!" Hermione turned her head back as she opened the door. "See you at seven. Same place."
Ginny chuckled softly as she turned her attention back to work.
***
Sirius couldn't help but look worried. He didn't know why he had agreed to this, but one pleading look from his godson was enough for him to cave in. After Ron had left for work, he covered himself with Harry's Invisibility Cloak, Apparated to the hospital, checked the rotational charts in the cardio-thoracic room, and Disapparated. Harry was pleased with Sirius' success, and had returned to his bed, parchment and quills in hand, formulating a plan.
"Sirius?" he heard his godson call him from his room.
Sirius walked over, sticking his head through the door. "Yes, Harry?"
"Did you say that she's on schedule this afternoon?"
Sirius nodded. "I think so. Surgery room three, a bypass, around two in the afternoon."
Harry chewed the nib of his quill, unaware of ink spilling over his lip. Sirius wanted to laugh and tell Harry, but he was so deep in thought that it probably wasn't a good idea.
"Okay. I'm going to go today then."
Sirius nearly tripped over. "What? But you're still…. You're still not completely healed!"
Harry snorted. "I've had worse, Sirius. Besides, it's just one trip only. I have to see for myself." He smirked at Sirius' concerned look. "Don't tell me you don't approve. You'd do it too if you were in my position."
Sirius suddenly grinned. "Yes, you are right. Your father would too. Okay, Harry. You go. But be sure to be back before Ron does. Otherwise he'll hang me on a short noose."
Harry laughed. "You're a marauder. Think of something then." He tossed the quill and parchments aside and grabbed the Invisibility Cloak that Sirius had left on his desk. "I'll see you in a few hours then."
Sirius nodded. "Be careful. And don't do anything stupid, Harry."
Harry nodded and slipped the cloak over his head.
***
Hermione allowed the nurse to dress her in surgical robes. She glanced around the room, where the rest of her staff were preparing for the bypass. The patient was a Caucasian male, mid-forties, suffered from heavy chest pains, and had been diagnosed with clogged arteries. She mentally reviewed the procedure as she scrubbed her hands down. Nurse Wheatley handed her a mask, and as she raised her arms behind her head to tie it, an odd sensation arose in her heart, as if something moved out of her arm's way. She turned around to check, but no one was standing behind her. Mentally scolding herself for being so jumpy, she took in a deep breath and walked over to the operating table.
She asked one of the residents to brief the case, and she nodded after each of his statements. The patient had already been administered anesthesia, and he was covered almost completely by surgical blankets Turning to her assistants, she held out her hand as they began handing her instruments to begin the procedure.
***
Harry stood by the electro-cardiogram monitor, behind the chief resident and in a position in which he could watch Dr. Granger work on the patient, with Invisibility Cloak over his head. Through the transparent silky folds of the cloak, he witnessed the entire scene, feeling a little nauseated a few times at the sight of blood. The room was mostly silent, except for the ECG monitor beeping at the patient's heart beat and Dr. Granger giving orders.
He had always wondered what surgery was like. For the better part of his life, he had never had to experience being under a knife, especially for the number of scrapes and accidents he had gotten himself into. Recalling his second year at Hogwarts, when he had broken his arm only to have been de-boned by Gilderoy Lockhart, he reminded himself how fortunate he was that Madam Pomfrey was a very capable Healer and had re-grown his bones without much trouble at all. Magical medicine was very convenient, he realized, and he felt a renewed appreciation for Muggle doctors.
Dr. Granger kept a poker face throughout the entire surgery. Harry could see the beads of sweat that were falling from her forehead, but she had paid no heed to them and continued working. Once in a while, she would look up to check the ECG monitor, and Harry found himself lost in those hazel brown orbs of hers, as if she was staring at him. Then she would look back down as her delicate fingers expertly maneuvered the tools. When she had removed a vessel from the patient's left leg, she ordered a resident to sew the incision on the thigh as she carefully cut through the skin on the patient's chest. Harry felt another spell of nausea once again but continued to hold his ground as he watched her work.
Hours had passed already, and Harry could feel his leg muscles ache and the pain in his back from standing for so long. He checked his watch for the time and was beginning to panic when he realized that Ron would be home in about an hour. The surgery took longer than he had thought it would, and as much as he was reluctant to go, he knew he had to slip out before the operating room became hectic with clean-up.
"Okay, on three for release. One, two, three," Dr. Granger spoke in a nervous voice. Harry turned back again to watch her face as she stared at the monitor once again. He could see her hold her breath, and a few seconds later, she let out a sigh and behind the green mask, he swore he could see a small grin of pride. The nurse chuckled as she turned on the radio and helped the doctor remove the soiled robes. Harry decided that this may be a good chance to leave.
However, he didn't. Suddenly, the steady beating from the ECG monitor began racing in a faster pace. An emergency alert went off and the nurse called Dr. Granger back into the surgery room. The look of pleasure on her face was wiped off and replaced with a worried look as she watched the peaks on the monitor become smaller and smaller. When the beeping sound went zero, she cried, "CPR!"
Harry felt the anxious air around him as he moved out of the residents' way. His heart tightened with terror as he watched Dr. Granger pushed the patient's chest. When manual resuscitation failed, she ordered paddles, which failed as well. The nurse had brought back the surgical tools and she began cutting through the stitches that had been sewn on after the bypass. Her eyes were fixed on him as she held the patient's heart in her hands and gently massaged it. From where he was standing, he could hear her whisper, "Come on, come on, mister. Please, beat for me. Come on. Fight for it."
Harry knew that she was actually seeing past him, but the fervor in her eyes shocked him. He was awestruck at the brightness of her eyes, the vivacity in them, and the pain that swept through her face as she continued to massage, only to fail to revive the patient's heart. One minute passed, two minutes were gone, and she continued to massage. He saw the chief resident place an arm on her shoulder, telling her to stop. She replaced the heart and turned to leave.
Harry glanced at his watch again. He should go home, but he couldn't leave her like this. Carefully stepping his way around the room, he followed her quietly out to the escape exit, slowly walking up the stairs behind her. When he found her, she was sitting on a step, hands covering her face, tears spilling around them.
"What could have gone wrong? I followed the books exactly. I should have massaged earlier and faster. The bypass was successful. What could have caused this? Why do I suddenly feel that I'm so powerless? I'm supposed to save lives not let them slip out of my hands. What am I going to do? I feel so alone now." she sobbed through her tears.
Harry wished that he could put his arms around her and hold her, but all he did was sit beside her, hoping that she could be comforted by his unknown presence.
Author's Notes:
I finished chapter three during a break from studying, and fortunately, my beta Anna was able to have it finished in a day. Just two more weeks of hell and I'll be going home and hopefully will have more time to devote to finishing up Touch.
Well, I'll just leave things like this. Hope you enjoy and please review. Thank you very much!
~merletto