How Are You, Really? (Drarry)

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Althea's Memories

Althea sat silently, looking at the door that had closed behind Draco and Harry. Sighing heavily, she touched her wand to her temple and pulled out a thick strand of white, placing it gently in the pensive. Without hesitating, she dove in.

Narcissa was sitting across from Althea in a beautifully appointed room. The Healer had a small note pad in her hands, although it was still blank.

"I just want to make it clear I am only here because I have to be - because of the parole requirements," a perfectly put together Narcissa sniffed. "I would never speak to someone with mixed blood otherwise."

"I understand," Althea said gently. "But you have to participate to graduate from the program. You're a smart woman, Narcissa; you know what's expected of you."

Narcissa stared at Althea and then nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Althea smiled serenely, calmly at Narcissa. "Let's get to it. Everyone now knows that you saved Harry Potter; he made sure of it. Why are you so ashamed by your actions?"

"I never said I was ashamed," Narcissa said stiffly.

"You didn't need to."

Silence stretched out between them before the blond woman sighed. "I just wanted to see Draco again. I needed to find my son."

"Why?"

"Because he is mine!"

Althea shook her head once before making a note. "Isn't Draco his own person?"

"Draco is a Malfoy! He will do what is expected of him. He must." Narcissa all but snarled.

"What does that mean? What is expected of a Malfoy?"

"He will behave as we direct him to behave, obey what his father and I say, and he will marry a pureblood witch and produce a male heir," Narcissa counted off on her fingers.

"And if he doesn't behave?" Althea asked.

"Then he is no son of mine," Narcissa growled.

The scene fizzled out, and another took its place. The two were sitting in exactly the same positions, but Narcissa seemed frazzled, tear tracks clearly evident on her cheeks.

"Lucius! My sweet husband!" She cried before bursting into tears again.

Althea sat still as a statue letting the other woman cry herself out before saying, "Would you like to talk about what's going on?"

"My husband will stay in Azkaban and receive the kiss! He's gone! I can't live without him, Althea. I just can't. There's nothing to live for anymore!"

"There's still Draco. Your son is still here," Althea pointed out.

Narcissa scoffed. "That little blood traitor means nothing to me. I would trade my husband for him in a heartbeat."

Althea visibly flinched despite her best efforts to remain indifferent. Narcissa was a nasty woman whose allegiance was always with her husband, no matter what. "What will you do when your husband is kissed? How will you go on?"

"I won't. I'll just die. There's nothing left in this world for me."

Althea made a note, a small frown on her face. "I see."

The pair sat in silence for the rest of the session, Narcissa crying silently.

The scene changed to one with Draco sitting across from Althea in a different room of the opulent house.

"My mother doesn't love me anymore. She saved Potter for nothing."

Althea sat still. For once, she didn't know what to say. "Harry survived, and that's a good thing. Isn't that enough for some kind of redemption for your mother?"

"Is doing something good for a selfish reason really a good deed?" Draco countered back.

"She did it out of love for you," Althea insisted.

"She may have done it for love then, but she doesn't love me now." Draco sounded so defeated Althea was fighting the urge to hug him.

"Do you truly believe that's true?"

"With all my heart," Draco whispered.

Althea rose out of the pensive and sat on her chair, thinking over what she'd seen. It was obvious Narcissa's rejection had deeply troubled the young man, more so than he was willing to admit. Althea didn't know what to do, especially since Narcissa was still lying unresponsive in St. Mungos.

A knock on the door startled the Healer.

"Come in." Harry Potter entered the room, hesitating as he stepped over the threshold. "Yes, Harry?" Althea asked, curious about why the young man had returned, and without his companion.

"May I speak with you?" Harry asked.

"Of course. Take a seat." Her mind whirred, trying to decide what Harry wanted to talk about.

"It's just, well, I'm scared," he admitted as he sat down.

"Scared about what?"

Harry took a deep breath before blurting out, "Am I really doing the right thing? By being with Draco?"

Althea sat back, stunned by the question. After a moment's pause, she asked, "Why would you think that you aren't? Do you love Draco?"

Harry nodded.

"Does he make you happy?"

"Extremely."

"Then what's the issue?"

Harry stared at his hands, intently. "What if he gets hurt because we're together? Because of me?"

Althea almost sighed. "I don't think that's a decision you get to make, Harry. That's Draco's choice."

Harry nodded. "I'm scared he's making the wrong choice."

The Healer paused before asking, "Do you trust Draco?"

Without hesitation, Harry replied, "With my life."

"Then trust Draco's choice in this matter."

Harry was silent for several minutes. Althea sat by, waiting for the boy to put into words what he was really here for.

"Do I deserve to be this happy?"

The question, no matter who asked it, always broke Althea's heart. "Of course you do, Harry," she assured him. "You deserve to feel this joy."

"How do you know?"

Althea paused to collect her thoughts. "You've lived your entire life selflessly because it was asked of you. You don't have to do that anymore. You deserve to be selfish in what makes you happy."

She could tell he didn't believe her entirely, but he said, "Okay. I better get going; otherwise, Draco will come looking for me. Thank you, Althea."

Althea nodded and smiled, but once the door was shut behind Harry, her smile faded. There was still so much Harry needed to work through. At least he'd have Draco by his side if he let him.