Session Two

"I see. So you two have been rivals or a part of opposing forces for half the time you've known one another."

"I guess."

"You guess?"

"Well…" Hermione glanced over at Draco, who still looked like he had a hundred more places he'd rather be and was thinking of every one of them at that moment. "I never really viewed Draco as my enemy. Maybe in our first few years at Hogwarts. We knew he was dangerous-"

"Who is we?"

Draco made a tuh sound. "Let's not pretend any of us are stupid enough to not know." The therapist, Parry, kept looking at him in response. "Her, Potter, and Weasley."

"I see. So you and your two friends knew he was dangerous, Hermione?"

"We knew he could cause problems. He did cause problems. But Draco grew to be relatively harmless, in our view. He was rather unpredictable for what extent he would go to, but we found that out at the end of our sixth year."

"You said relatively harmless. In relation to?"

Draco muttered some choice words under his breath, and Hermione cleared her throat to cover up the majority of them. "To Voldemort. To other Death Eaters."

"So you didn't fear Draco?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. There were definitely a lot of things we had to overcome in regards to our past. Things we did, said. What he had believed. But we mostly overcame that through work."

Parry nodded, flipping another page in her notebook. "And how did you overcome it?"

"A lot of fighting." Hermione paused, remembering. "A lot. Just…accusations, anger. Explanations came later. Then talking." She inhaled deeply through her nose, raising her shoulders. "Eventually, we settled the past."

"Draco, do you agree with that?"

"Yes."

"And would you say that you use this method to handle your differences in opinion, wants, or needs now?"

Draco and Parry stared at one another, one annoyed and the other mildly intrigued. "We're both stubborn. Quick to cast, so to speak, when it comes to our anger with one another. We fight. It's what we do. Are we as bad as we had been those first two years we saw one another after the war? No. Do we sit and have a heart-to-heart every time one of us doesn't Scourgify the sink? That's not who we are."

Hermione hoped Parry wasn't going to ask if their fights involved only verbal abuse again. It had taken her two fights and a bit of luck to get Draco to come back after he stormed out of their first session. She didn't think she could get him to come back again if the therapist angered him enough again.

"That method for solving problems must be very taxing. How does it make you feel?"

"We don't fight all the time, you know," Hermione told her. "We bicker. We joke. But our actual fights, like that, happen maybe a few times a month. If that."

Parry hummed. "But how does it make you feel when they do happen?"

"Like we want to sing songs and dance in faerie lights. That question is completely superfluous in its-"

"Beyond anger, Drac-"

"I really don't know how many times I have to tell you to stop using my first name." His tone came like a warning, with his glare unsettling enough for Parry to drop her eyes.

"Mister Malfoy, then."

"It's the way we work," Hermione said, trying to ease the tension flaring in the room.

"I understand that, Hermione. But you're both here because there are some things that aren't working for you, despite how normal it might be in your relationship. Do you think the way you settle emotional matters is one of them?"

"No," they both answered.

Parry scribbled away in her notebook as Hermione glanced at Draco. As angry as they could get sometimes, she never thought it was one of the serious problems with them. Draco had a habit of shutting down emotionally when he was hurt or angry. The only time she dragged out the why and settled it with him was when he got angry enough to yell about it. Draco opened up about a lot more things now than he did in their beginning, but it would always be part of who he was. Their anger worked for them. It might not have been entirely healthy, but it did.

"The two of you overcame a great deal to be together. To fall in love. Your relationship has been difficult from the start, and you both accept that difficulty as part of your-"

"All relationships are difficult," Hermione said.

"But would you two agree that difficulty is part of what attracts you to this relationship?"

"We keep each other on our toes. We like to figure out puzzles and find a way past them. So, sure. No relationship is easy. Everyone encounters issues. I think if everything ran smoothly all the time, it's likely repressed unhappiness."

When she was little, she was sure that her grandparents never had a fight in their lives. Her parents got into rows in front of her, and though the bigger ones were usually reserved for other rooms, she still heard them. She had thought something was wrong with her parents until she got older and found out her grandparents were just a lot quieter about it. Hermione didn't know a single couple that didn't fight once in a while.

"And now that your relationship isn't as difficult as it was in the beginning, do you feel that it has lost some of its excitement or intrigue? Mister Malfoy?"

Draco sighed, bringing his leg up to rest his ankle above his knee. "Of course it's not as exciting as it was in the beginning, but it's not about the difficulty. Every single thing was new about the other person or what we did together. But it doesn't mean we were any less satisfied with doing and knowing those same things later."

"But now you're not?" He raised an eyebrow and then gestured for her to elaborate after a pause. "You said were any less, not are-"

He gave her a condescending smile. "If we were satisfied with everything now, we wouldn't be paying you to annoy me, would we?"

Impatience flashed across Parry's face before it was replaced by casual interest. "I'm here to help you, Mister Malfoy. Now, why don't you tell me about your families and friends. Through school and the war, you both have a history. Were the people close to you during those times supportive of your relationship?"

A lag of silence filled the room until Hermione decided he wasn't going to answer. "My family was very supportive." She hesitated, glancing over at her husband. "It took Draco a while to understand the Muggle world when we visited, but he eventually opened up to it a bit."

"And Mister Malfoy - what about your parents?"

"They've grown comparatively accepting," he drawled.

"Compared to…?"

"The beginning."

"But they aren't supportive towards your marriage?"

Hermione huffed a laugh. "They would probably be quite pleased if we ever split up. Bes-"

"Bollocks," Draco snapped, finally looking at her for longer than a second. "My mother likes you."

Hermione gave him an incredulous look. "Last time I was there, she told me my taste was unfortunate, that I was gaining too much weight, even though-"

"It's just her way. How many times-"

"Her way? To constantly pick apart everything I say, do-"

"Yes! You see her with me-"

"And let's not even get into your father."

His head dropped back before he looked at her maliciously. "Oh, for fuck sake, Hermione."

"That man could see me dead and then laugh about-"

"You've been hanging out with the she-Weasley too much with all your over-dramatics-"

"It's not ove-"

"Yes, it-"

"Your dad-"

"Will never love you." He threw up his hands. "Will never fully accept that you're my wife. But he knows that I love you, and that's become enough for him. My father would kill someone who tried to kill you, if only because he knows what it would do to me." A dash of red across his cheekbones, and she slowly closed her mouth. Draco turned his eyes to the therapist, raising a long finger. "That was figuratively speaking."

"Of course." Parry brought her quill to the notebook and paused. "Hermione, why don't you tell Draco how what he said makes you feel?"

Hermione picked at a fold in her jeans before smoothing it with her thumb. "I understand. I've never asked for Lucius to love that I'm his daughter-in-law, as I could never love him as a person either. But it hurts." She took a deep breath, staring at her hands. "That your father doesn't think I'm good enough for you. Thinks that I could never make you happy. I know how much you love him, and it's just hard sometimes. Because I know that his acceptance is something that would make you happy, too. And I guess…"

She shrugged, choking over the thickness in her throat. Lucius had been right to some extent. At least, for the past year he had been. Draco hadn't been happy, and neither had she. Then her actions had made them both completely miserable. She tried to blink at the tears that washed over her eyes, the silence of the room suffocating her more.

"Weasley thinks I'm shit for you," Draco said quietly.

Parry picked the tissue box off the table in front of them, holding it out to Hermione. She took two of them, dabbing her eyes quickly. "You get on with Ron."

She looked at him and he glanced at her, making a sound in his throat. "Barely. And he'll always think I'm shit for you. Do you care that he does? Does that in any way change your feelings for me?"

"No."

"Then there you go. You can't change Weasley, and I can't change my father. You knew that when you married me."

2003

"The root splits and grows. And you know, that's where it stays. Right there

where it planted itself."

She finally dug the matching shoe out from the back of the closet, scrutinizing it with smug victory. It was the same expression her face would take on any time she finished, won, or obtained something that was slightly challenging. All that effort for that? I win, I win, I win!

She stood up, pulling the shoe onto her foot. She had been searching for it long enough that she fully expected the downward slant of her body to the left, and nearly tripped over herself when it didn't come. Pushing loose strands of hair back, she blew out heavily and waved at her heated face.

It wasn't until she reached the living room that she heard the raised voices outside of her door. She blindly reached for her bag, nearly knocking over a lamp before she grabbed it, her eyes concentrated on the door. Malfoy, in low, icy tones, and…Ron, definitely. Angry, stumbling with surprise, and loud enough to get her elderly neighbours peeking through their doors.

Hermione made a whining sound in her throat - the one her vocal chords usually decided upon in ugly situations when she wasn't sure how to solve them. She muttered under her breath, tucking her bag under her arm, and jogged towards the noise. She snatched the keys off the corner table as she flung open the door, wincing at the sight of Malfoy and Ron. Both of them were a bit red, Ron's fists clenched, and Malfoy's sneer countering that weird gaping thing Ron did when he was pissed off.

"-your concern in-"

"Hermione." Ron looked at her for a moment before his eyes flashed between her and Malfoy. "Hermione."

"There you are, Weasley. Sound it out."

Ron shot him a glare before turning his attention back to her. "Is he stalking you? Harassing? Blackmail? Because I know it's not work when he comes to your door at seven-" He looked her up and down. Again. Again. "Oh, Merlin, Hermione. Why are you wearing a bloody dress? Is it laundry day?"

"Ron, you know perfectly well that I don't wait to do laundry until I use up all my clothes. I'm-"

"Having some of those heat things? Cooling Charms are brilliant for-"

"Ron-"

"Maybe…" He slowly looked over her expression, leaning forward as he narrowed his eyes. "Are you thinking clearly? We should-"

"My thinking is as clear as it's always been. I-"

Ron laughed hollowly, leaning back as he nodded his head twice towards Malfoy. "Are you really," another nod, "really," another, "sure about that? Malfoy is standing at your door - Malfoy. And you don't seem bothered."

Hermione sighed, glancing over at the blond who was staring back at her. "Ron-"

"What the hell, Hermione. Tell me you need me to kick his arse for being creepy. Tell me you need a date to one of those stuffy things you go to. Tell me-"

"I have a date."

"Mm-mm." Ron shook his head.

"Y-"

"No."

"R-"

He snapped his fingers. "I got it. Working with some weird plants and chemicals - that it? Sure it is. Breathed in something a little-"

"God, don't-"

"-Mungo's, really. Come on. We'll Floo right over-"

"You won a war with that?" Draco muttered, the remark snapping Ron's head towards him.

Hermione stepped out of the doorway quickly, wedging herself between the two as Ron took a threatening step forward. She grabbed his arm, squeezing lightly as she looked up at him. "I'm going to dinner with Malfoy."

Ron pressed his lips together, tilting his head to the side as he turned it to his left. He did the same thing during Quidditch games when someone scored against the Cannons. "Buggering hell."

"If you want to-"

"Hermione, have you- Do you- Do you know what you're doing?" She sighed, giving him a look. "I really don't think you do. Listen, I know he might have…changed." Ron paused, glaring at Malfoy over her head in a way that suggested the blond better not be taking that seriously because they both knew better. "He hasn't been in any legal trouble, anyway, and I know you work with him on a lot, but… Draco Malfoy. Malfoy" "And perhaps if you spent some time with him, you would know-"

"Not. Bloody. Likely," he laughed out.

"-as it once might have. And if I have moved on from the past-"

"He doesn't deserve you." Ron stepped back from, shrugging, shaking his head.

"He isn't worth a look from you, let alone a date. Let alone a single second of caring, or…or… anything. He isn't worth anything, and he especially doesn't deserve it from you. Unless it's a kick to the-"

"You wouldn't know the worth of-"

"Malfoy," she said quickly, looking over her shoulder. "Please, not-"

"Please? You-" Ron started, pushing into her as he pointed a finger at Malfoy over her shoulder.

She pushed back, digging her heels in to get him to step away. "Just think about this-"

"No! I don't want to think about it! You're going on a date with Malfoy! The same bloke who-"

"Did a lot of things in the past that-"

"Are you out of your mind?" He turned wide eyes on her.

"Ron"

"Fine. You know…" He shook his head, his look accusing. "Fine. You're mental. Whatever he's up to, it's not anything good. And even if he- He hasn't earned a second of your time. He's not even worth it. I don't- Fine. I can't stop you, but…make sure you keep your wand on you. And owl me when you stop acting like such a nutter."

He pushed passed her, his shoulder slamming into Malfoy's as he barreled down the hall. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner, dropping her arms. She pressed back into her door, inhaling deep before sighing loudly. It could have gone a lot worse. It could have gone barbaric, disastrous, brutal. A lot worse. Ron was no doubt on his way to tell Harry, but she wasn't likely to have to deal with the two of them until tomorrow morning.

She looked over at Draco, her eyes roaming up from the black trousers, the dark grey jumper, and to the tired look in his eyes. It was gone a second later, his expression going blank as he pushed up from the wall.

"Dinner?" she asked weakly.

His lips twitched as he pushed his hair back, sweeping his other arm out towards the end of the hall. "Let's give the world a heart attack, Granger."

Present

"Yes, I'm going to keep talking, no matter how many times you interrupt me. Now, the seed starts to stand up."

She walked out of the kitchen, through the dining room, and into the hallway. She wouldn't have known Draco was standing at the other end in his silence, until she heard the squeak of the floorboard beneath his foot. He paused as their eyes met but then brought them past her, continuing down the hall.

She opened the door to the guest bedroom that had become hers over the past month, closing it to the silence behind her and breathing out slowly.