Visit 37
“Welcome back, Hermione. It’s been a few weeks, how are you feeling?”
His hair is a bit more salt and peppery compared to the first session, his smile lines are a bit deeper. The walls are still the same beige, the carpet a soft mauve, the books have moved a bit from being read but the overall look of the office hasn’t changed.
“I feel great. Violetta is sitting up already, it feels so weird.”
The moment Pansy announced she was pregnant, I felt it in my soul that it was a girl. I think it was my healer senses but they chose to wait until the birth to know the gender. They asked me to do the check ups throughout the pregnancy so I was elated to find out the gender and hold it as a secret.
“That’s wonderful to hear. Are you and Draco doing well?”
“Yes,” my cheeks flush, “Ever since I got the promotion and the papers caught wind of the relationship, it’s been a whirlwind.”
“That’s good. Have the papers been difficult?”
“Not really, we let Theo get the breaking story so that we could control the narrative. We thought that the most recent issue would be the best time to make the announcement.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you are both ready for that step.”
“I think we could’ve done it sooner but I know that it was better for us to give it more time.”
“It’s hard to believe it's been almost a year since I helped you send that letter.”
“I know it feels like it's been two weeks and five years at the same time.”
“You’ve come so far in the past year, Hermione.”
“I feel like a completely new person. I don’t want to say anything different because that girl from those first sessions is still very much here and I don’t want her to go anywhere. I feel like my personal growth over the last year has been so amazing. I want to keep that girl in me every step of the way though because she gives me strength.”
“That’s a wonderful point of view. How do you feel that she gives you strength?”
“That girl left a horrible situation after being part of several horrible events. She’s stronger than she ever knew, she just needed some help getting to that conclusion. I never want to lose her so I can always remember how far I’ve come while also maintaining the strength that she had through a war.”
“That’s amazing. I’m looking forward to the new self-growth that you’ll find.”
“Me too.”
“So, tell me about how the job is going.”
“I recently got four healer students that are in their residency period. They are on rotation with me in the curse decoding unit for the next six weeks. I forget who I am sometimes and was shocked to know that they learned about me in school. I guess it’s been long enough now for the war to be recent history.”
“We’re coming up on the eleventh anniversary, I’m sure that’s going to bring up everyone’s memories.”
“It’s already begun, we’ve had several of our recovered curse survivors return with anxiety attacks or phantom pain. It hasn’t been easy but my tools have come in handy a lot lately.”
“I’m sad that that’s happening but happy the tools have worked.”
“I haven’t had any attacks but the tools have curbed some of my own anxieties as well. These next two weeks aren’t going to be easy.”
“No they aren’t. It’s going to be the first anniversary since the incident, are you feeling alright about that? I heard you’re set to give a speech?”
“I am. This year it's going to focus on some topics I’ve selected. The Ministry no longer has any say, they just proofread it for me.”
“That’s good news. What are your focuses this year?”
“My focus is going to actually be on mental health and the role it plays in everyday life. I’m providing options for those who want help, anonymous systems for them to access help, and nonprofits that are both muggle and magical for anyone who doesn’t feel safe or wants additional help.”
“That’s amazing.”
“I’m listing your office in the muggle options for help if that’s okay with you. You’re the only therapist with permission from the Ministry that doesn’t violate the Statute of Secrecy.”
“I’d love to help in any way I can.”
“Except come to the ceremony, I’m guessing?”
“That would be correct.”
“I wish you could go, I think you’d find it to be quite amazing.”
“I have no doubt I would but it’s a safety concern.”
“I know.”
“I think there’ll be a time in the near future where I could, just unfortunately, that isn’t right now.”
“I agree.”
“Do you want to do a quick check in before we finish up today?”
“Yep, let’s do it.”
“Wonderful, any attacks lately?”
“Thankfully not, only some close calls as we get closer to the anniversary. There was another close call back when the article in Witch Weekly dropped, Ron tried to send us a letter.”
“How did that go?”
“I didn’t read it, I thought it best to leave it be. The anxiety was more of the fact that it came when I was staying at Draco’s.”
“That’s slightly concerning. Do you know how he would’ve gotten that address?”
“My guess is someone in Azkaban told him since Draco doesn’t live at the Manor anymore.”
“That’s a fair assessment. What did you do to counteract this behaviour?”
“Simple. I sent a strongly-worded letter to Kingsley that basically said that if Azkaban allowed this to happen again, I would be making a personal visit to the auror department. That cleared it up rather quickly.”
“Sounds like it was very strongly-worded.”
“Oh, it was.”
“Good for you. Any nightmares?”
“Not any I couldn’t steer. It also helps that Draco wakes me up sometimes if he wakes up to me stirring.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah, taking care of Violetta also helps. I’m so focused on her that my mind can’t imagine going there.”
“That’s good too.”
“No thoughts of self-harm or suicide either. I feel like I’m in a great mental state going into this week.”
“That’s really great news, Hermione. I’m looking forward to hearing about the speech.”
“I’m looking forward to telling you about it.”
“I’ll see you next time, Dr. Stone.”
“See you soon, Hermione.”