Enticing
“are you kidding me?!” she says in a bitter tone to ron who is sitting across the table clueless.
“what?”
“we have group therapy”
“what are you talking about mione we don’t have group therapy” he says looking at her like she’s gone crazy.
“yes we do Ronald, look” she hands over the letter from the ministry addressed to all returning hogwarts students.
Dear Ms. Granger,
The ministry has decided that all returning Hogwarts students that partook in the battle of Hogwarts on may 2nd, 1998, shall now be required to attend group therapy. It will be in addition to the already required one on one sessions. Each student will have two groups, and there is a possibility that you will share one or more members in both groups. Each group will convene once a week until the end of the school year.
group 1: Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy, Ronald Weasley, and Blaise Zabini
group 2: Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, and Harry Potter
Thank you for your time,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Ministry of Magic
“no, no way” he sounds shocked and understandably so.
“I know I am just as shocked as you, how could they require that we do that” she starts
“No, we have malfoy in group” he looks as though he is going to burst from anger
“what” she breaths. This can’t be right, there is no way they would stick malfoy with them
“let me see that again” she grabs it from him and stairs at the names
group 1: Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy, Ronald Weasley, and Blaise Zabini
group 2: Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, and Harry Potter
“no this can’t be right, there is no way they put me with him twice” her head is swarming with images of how this will go.
“twice?!? that is absurd”
“twice what?” harry walks up and puts his bag down on the table
“harry, hermione has group therapy with malfoy, twice” ron sounds like he’s talking about a fever dream
“you’re doing group therapy mione?” he questions
“mate, we all are forced into it” he says with a bit more tone than she thinks he meant to.
“that’s strange, but I guess it’s for the better”
ever since the war ended harry just goes with whatever is thrown at him. he doesn’t question it, he just lets it happen. it’s hard to see him like that compared to who he used to be. But she guesses that’s just what war does to people.
——————
he reads through it twice before whispering to himself “oh sod off”
“what are you mopping about malfoy” zabini says while knocking draco’s arm with his elbow.
“the ministry had the brightest idea to force us into group therapy” he snaps, obviously quite angry at the situation
“well that doesn’t sound too bad mate” theo quips from the other side of the table
“really, that doesn’t sound so bad? listen to my groups” as he lists them off blaise, pansy, and theo all look pleased.
“why do you all look so happy with yourselves?”
pansy grins “for two reasons, one all of us have at least one friend in the groups and two you are stuck with a certain someone” her smile grows even more at his reaction.
he glares at her “I do not like her.”
“oh come on mate everyone know you fancied her a little in 4th year” theo chimes
“and 6th” pansy adds
he drags his hands over his face “no i did not” his groan is muffled from his hands
“so you do now?” theo states as though it’s not a question
“no!”
“whatever you say draco” pansy ends the conversation.
draco noticed that pansy doesn’t talk as much as she used to, he think it has to do with the war and what she went through. But it not just her that he notices the change in, its everyone. He guesses that it’s just what war does to people.
Tuesday, September 14th, 1999
”ginny I can’t go,” she starts when the red headed girl cuts her off
”oh yes you can! You are the Hermione Granger, a little group therapy won’t kill you”
”but Malfoy’s in it along with Ron so it’s going to be unbearable” she whines
”Hermione you’re fine. now go you are going to be late” ginny states as she looks down at the imaginary watch on her wrist.
“ugh fine! I hate you by the way” she yells over her shoulder as she walks away
”I love you too mione!” ginny yells back
————
“that pathetic twat is going to make it unbearable, along with his little know it all girlfriend”
“you know Draco you’ve been doing a lot of complaining since we got the letter, I think you would do well to shut up every once in a while” Blaise says as Theo swing his arm over Draco’s shoulder
”oh thank you for your kind words Blaise, very encouraging” Draco bites back
“I wish I could be there today to see Draco share his feelings, I’m quite sad that I’m missing such a monumental moment” pansy adds as they stop outside the infirmary office door.
theo choosing to swing his arm over pansy’s shoulder instead yells to Blaise and Draco as they go in “have a fun time at therapy kids!”
————
she tries to be very punctual with timing, not wanting to be early or late. But as she walks in she is greeted by a particularly happy looking luna.
”oh hello there Hermione!” luna always sounds so airy and peaceful
“hello luna, do you know who is in charge of our sessions?”
“oh I’m not certain but I think they are sending in someone from the ministry” as she says that the floo lights up and out walks a gorgeous young woman with all dark features.
”Hello! I’m Angelica Cole and I’m here to be your group therapist, you guys can take a seat.” she starts. As they sit down an unpleasant looking Ron storms in followed by a pleased looking Malfoy and Zabini.
“I can’t believe that we have to do this with them” whispers to hermione as he sits down.
”just calm down and don’t do anything stupid” she whispers sharply while trying to not draw any attention to them.
”Alright so to start I think we should go around with a blank slate and introduce yourselves and say one thing that you want to accomplish during your time here” it doesn’t seem like angelica knows the groups history yet. she is sure to find out shortly.
“well this is quite awkward” luna broke the tense silence “I can go first”
“good to know Lovegood’s enjoying herself” Draco said to Blaise loud enough for everyone to hear, earning himself a glare from Ron.
“Hello everyone I’m Luna Lovegood and I want to become friends with more people during my time here!”
“now after the person states their name and what they want to accomplish we will all say hello back to them!”
”oh for salazar’s sake” draco mutters under his breath
”hello luna” everyone but draco say in unison.
”okay hi i’m ron and I want to accomplish not wanting to knock dracos front teeth out” he says nonchalantly
Hermione gasps and looks over at draco who looks like he is about to cause a lot of damage to Ron’s face.
”Hey Hey Hey!! what you want to accomplish must be nice or this session will be a lot harder than it needs to be” Angelica yells over all of the chaos “now everyone say hello and move on”
”hi Ron” all but Draco and Ron drone
oh godric it’s Hermione’s turn and she hasn’t thought of what she was going to say do she just says the first thing that comes to mind “okay hello I’m Hermione and I want the Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalry to end”
there was more tense silence before
“hello Hermione”
it comes from one person. one unsuspected person. Draco. her eyes snap to that side of the room. she finds him trying his best to hide a smirk, and then the room continues like it never happened.
”hi I’m Draco Malfoy and i’d have to agree Lovegood, friendship sounds….” he looks back over to Hermione “enticing” Blaise scoffs as though he can read Malfoy’s thoughts.
“Hello Draco” all but Ron says but Draco acts as if it was only her. he tries to not react at hearing her say his first name but there is just something about it. Blaise breaks his thoughts by giving his introduction.
”Hey I’m Blaise Zabini and I too think lovegood’s got the right idea” he smirks at luna “friendship” he says with such charm, although it was only directed at the blonde girl.
Everything is about this so bizarre and she never thought in a million years that interacting with the slytherins could be pleasant. But, she guesses that just what war does to people.