Tess knew that she was far from home. She was no longer in England, and she took her vacation from St. Mungo's in stride. While she had come to Germany on her own, she didn't tell anyone so she wouldn't be judged. She had been told that this locations was where bright minds met, conversed eloquently, as well as held centuries of brilliant books.

She knew that she couldn't really take anything with her, the ministry would suspect her being more than just a healer if she did. But as she grabbed another book, she could not help but think that this place was magnificent. It wouldn't be too hard to move there.

Dimitrius yawned to himself, his shoulder aching to be relieved of the bandage that covered it. Yes yes, he knew it got worse every time he covered it essentially, but he couldn't just go around showing it for anyone who had eyes. He considered a well earned battle scar. After all, Roxie didn't get hurt and that was the main thing. That being said, he had appeared in this book store to see if they had any books on the thing he had gotten stabbed with.

Knives that were essentially cursed. He had to see if he could figure out a way to get rid of the wound, or at least, relieve the ache that he had come to hold near and dear to him. He picked up a book on the highest shelf and flipped through it. Finding nothing interesting, he put it back with a sigh. "Excuse me," he murmured, moving past the woman who also stood looking at books. Finally on her other side, he once more picked out a book to flip through.

Tess was currently engrossed in the book she was reading. It was all about poisons and maladies of sorts that came with them. She found if fascinating, especially because this book was banned in England. She found herself memorizing the facts wanting to take it in before she was forced to put it back.

She jumped in surprise at the fact that someone had spoken to her. She covered her mouth and covered her mouth to prevent her from gasping in surprise. She lifted her head from the book and looked at him in surprise.

"Looking for something?" she asked softly, after all healing was her specialty.

Dimitrius had placed a hand on his bandaged wound subconsciously, hoping to be relieved of the pain it had brought him. He winced when a new succession of pain assaulted him, and he closed his eyes. He only opened them when he heard someone talking to him. He looked to the side, noting that this was the woman he had brushed past to get to the other side.

"Oh, no thank you," he grunted, removing his arm from his shoulder in an effort to appear normal. The pain was making more grumpy by the minute, but if he couldn't cure it, then he might as well get used to it. He gave her a little smile. "I'm just browsing really. I assume you're doing the same?"

Tess nodded and her eyes immediately trailed from his face to his shoulder. Something was wrong, from his arm she could tell that there was tension in his body, and by his pale complexion it might look a bit painful.

At his question though, she nodded looking at him curiously, trying not to look obvious as she began to wonder what could possibly be wrong. But his smile made him smile back automatically and reply.

"Yes I am, I have to, it's part of my profession" she commented offhandedly. "I'm a healer, are you one yourself?"

Dimitrius shifted his stance, automatically making himself appear a bit more normal. So she was a healer then, all the more reason to make her think that he was perfectly fine. He had never liked healers as a boy, though he grew to tolerate them. It wasn't a certain specific healer, it was just the fact that he had to sit in a room and have them do test after test on what they wanted to know. He wasn't fond of it.

"Not at all," he finally answered, chuckling and holding out his hand. "Dimitrius Skaia, Deputy Highmaster and Transfiguration Professor up at Durmstrang." He gave her another grin, hoping that he appeared relaxed where he had appear tense moments earlier.

Doing great, Dimitri. If she gets her healer claws in you, she'll never let you go. Not that you'd mind in one way old boy, but still.

Tess smiled politely, but honestly did he think that his whole posture wouldn't be so obvious. Honestly, his whole posture had changed as soon as his body language changed to appear perfectly fine. She tried to play it casual, merely picking up books and wondering exactly what she would do next.

But as he introduced himself, she smiled brightly and placed her hand over his.

"Lovely to meet you, my name is Tess Black, Head of pediatrics" she replied. "Are you alright?"

She inwardly winced at her bluntness, she forgot her manners for a second it seemed.

"The pleasure is mine Ms. Tess Black," he said with a smile. He liked the way her name just rolled off his tongue. It was easy to say, and he didn't stumble over it like some of the other outrageous names. Quirking his lips, he could tell she wasn't from Germany. It was just the way she spoke really, but he didn't mind.

With a small smirk on his face, he decided to throw her for a loop. "Ich bin ziemlich gut. Schmerz ist nichts, was ich nicht umgehen kann." He crossed his arms, wondering if she would be able to reply. I am quite well. Pain is nothing I can't handle.

Tess smiled brightly at Dimitrius, such an eccentric name compared to hers. He seemed friendly enough, and she was relieved his whole mood didn't change because of her name, in fact his expression hadn't really changed.

Still as he began to speak, her eyes widened and she wrinkled her nose, trying to figure out what to say. She flushed in embarrassment in what she was going to say, she wasn't even sure if she was going to say it correctly./

"Um...mein....deutsch...ist....ist..." she furrowed her brow trying to remember the word. "schrecklich....." she winced at her terrible pronunciation.

Looking at the book she added softly.

"Leid." she finished biting her lip.

For a moment her inquiries towards his being was forgotten at her embarrassment. My German is terrible sorry

Dimitrius laughed, wincing and clutching his shoulder when he jostled it too much. Growling lowly to himself, he resisted the urge to punch his shoulder, only because he wouldn't be able to help the howl of pain that would no doubt surface if he did.

"Nicht peinlich sein. Lächeln, dass schönes Lächeln." He said softly, lifting her chin up with his fingers. "Do not be embarrassed. Smile that beautiful smile. Yes? You have better German than most of the other British do, trust me. Most wouldn't have even known how to say they their German was bad."

He straightened and hid the spasm of pain that fluttered across his face. "Besides," he continued cheerily. "Feel free to hit me if you wish. I just spoke German to throw you for a loop. Little bit of a messing around if you will." He smiled at her gently.

Tess winced as she finished, but hearing him laugh, she figured it must have been as terrible as she had thought. But there was a small hiccup in his laugh, her flushing cooled off for a bit, but felt it return as she felt him lift her chin upwards. His comment was a bit comforting and she looked away shyly.

"I'm not that great, but thank you, that's comforting" she replied smiling.

Looking back, she noticed his his body posture change and she remembered what she was thinking about. Chastising herself for being so easily distracted she tilted her head to check on his shoulder.

"I would think if I did that you would be in even more pain than you already are" she said and put the book back in it's place. "How long ago were you injured?"

Dimitrius cursed inwardly. Damn him if he ever thought he could get anything by a healer's eyes. "Not too long ago," he finally said, shrugging and closing his eyes when he did so. Note to self: No goddamn shrugging. "The days kind of blurred together after my injury so, I'd say no more than a month at least."

He reached up to place a hand on his wound before he stilled it and lowered it again. "I really shouldn't have it covered," he murmured. "But the bandage at least helps a bit. You can't help me, not really. The last healer I talked to healed it to the best of her ability, but it can't ever be fully healed. Black magic tends to do that to you."

He spoke lightly, as if it didn't bother him, but in reality it did. But if he didn't take the knife, then his Highmistress would be in pain. And he couldn't have that, not while he had a gentleman-like bone in his body. "Trust me, it's...I can deal. Es ist nicht so schlecht. It's not so bad."

Tess frowned as he explained it to her. She had dealt with something similar before in books, but she wouldn't help but feel a bit sad that he had to be one of the people that had to deal with this. Biting her lip she knew that there wasn't much do to, but she felt that she couldn't help but try.

"Have you tried salves? Any form of Muggle drugs to reduce the pain?" she asked curiously.

She had never really expected someone to still use barbaric methods of torture, it disgusted her. And while he was a stranger, he seemed kind enough, and she felt that he obviously didn't deserve it.

He shook his head, his hand itching to cover his shoulder. "I haven't thought about that actually," he murmured quietly. "I was actually here, seeing if I could find a book or two on dealing with the different black magic. It was a pain well-earned, trust me on that one."

And it was, at least, in his eyes. It wasn't like he had anybody left in his life. Nobody except his co-workers and his students at least. Rox needed to remain strong since she was the Highmistress of the school. He was behind the scenes and her right hand. He could keep up a facade of being strong; it was what he did most of the time anyway.

"I'll take a look when I can," he promised, smiling at her. "I'm sure I can manage putting different salves and chemicals on my wound, and eventually I'll just go without the bandage. It makes it worse in the long run I suppose."

Tess wondered what he had done, or who he had protected to earn the injury. Whoever he protected, he seemed to handle the pain with pride. He was a hero she figured and she nodded. A smile appeared on her face as she heard him admit that he hadn't figured it out, she felt a sense of her own pride.

Looking at the books, she trailed her hands down the bookshelves and picked up a book.

"Use the salve made of green tea, trust me it doesn't sting, well shouldn't" she said smiling. "And use pain relievers, you can go to muggle Germany and I bet they can find a bit of pain relievers"

Dimitri ducked his head, semi-relieved that she had given him information on something that should help his wound. And not hurt him in the process. Merlin knew he was taking it in stride, but sometimes his pain because unbearable. Most nights he lied away and just...stared up at the ceiling, willing his pain to go away. He hadn't told Rox because well, that knife had been meant for her and...he didn't want to burden anyone with it.

"Dass du so viel, Tess. Es wird schön, um ohne große Schmerzen für eine Weile zu leben." He said quickly, before coughing to himself. "Sorry. I mean, thank you. I guess I was just a bit too excited at the prospect of different medicines to try." That you so much, Tess. It'll be nice to live without immense pain for a bit.

Tess smiled as she understood the thank you. She tilted her head though and wrinkled her nose as she tried to understand it. She made a memo to herself to learn German better so this wouldn't happen again.

"No problem Dimitrius" she said flushing at his thank you.

She was still not used to dealing with patients. She was still a bit new, but she knew that it'd always be a good feeling to help someone. She moved a strand of hair behind her ear and grinned.

"Well that's what healer's do, you hopefully won't have to deal with pain as much"

He grinned and knew that his name was a mouthful. Sometimes he really wondered at what his parents were thinking when they named his as such. "Dimitri please," he said with a nod. "It's much easier to say in the long run, and even I usually go by it most days. I'm used to both ways though, so if you prefer Dimitrius then by all means, keep calling me that."

He rolling his shoulder, wincing when he did so. It was really starting to ache. Much more than he was used to. Anymore and he'd just rip the bandage off, possibly taking his shirt with it. Anything to get it uncovered and to ease a little bit of the pain that he was causing himself.

"Ich sollte loslegen, he murmured to himself before looking over at her and nodding. "It was wonderful to meet you, Ms. Black. Look me up if you have anymore tips for me on my wound? It was truly a pleasure to meet you." He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it with a smile. "Immer Lächeln, kleine Schönheit. Until next time." He gave her a last fleeting grin before disappearing out of the building. I should get going. Always smile, little beauty.

Tess hoped that her solutions would work, a hero like him (whatever he had done) deserved no pain, in fact no one deserved any pain. She smiled brightly.

"Right Dimitri" she said shyly.

But as he greeted her goodbye, she caught a few words in German and she flushed slightly. Honestly this man was too smooth for his own good. She nodded not being able to really say anything. She placed her free hand over her chest surprised and was left wide-eyed as he left.

Shaking her head, she grabbed the book she was looking for and rushed off knowing that perhaps she needed to return to England.