CHAPTER NINE

Ron shuffled uncomfortably on the leather sofa. The room was light and airy, painted an unflattering magnolia. He glanced at the pile of out of date Witch Weekly's on the table next to him but couldn't face actually picking one up. He played with a thread on a cushion trying to work it loose. A smart looking receptionist kept glancing his way typing slowly. Ron knew that look well, trying to work out where they'd seen him before. Molly had wanted him to smarten up before this meeting, cut his hair and beard but he'd refused, settling for having a shower when the nagging got too much.

The door opened to the waiting room and a frail looking man came in with his head down, he was on the arm of a pretty young women who helped him into a seat and kissed him gently on his forehead. Ron froze. There was something very familiar about that man. Slowly panic filled his chest as he saw the two lighting shaped scars on the man's forehead.

"Harry?!" Ron asked unable to look away.

"Who? Wait… Ron? Is that you?" Harry tightened his grip on Louise's hand

Ron nodded and looked him up and down again, "What you doing here?" Ron asked guardedly.

"He's not been well, we're here to see the doctor. You?" replied Louise, giving Harry's hand a squeeze.

"Me too, got into a bit of trouble and now they all think I'm some nutter." Ron looked away and picked up a magazine trying to make it look like he was reading it.

The minutes ticked by, the clock echoing loudly in the painful quietness of the room. The door opened again and in walked two witches. One was wearing a smart blouse and jeans, the other dressed in a pale blue track-suit and looking like she hadn't slept in months. Still for Harry and Ron there was no mistaking the bushy mane of hair on the latter women.

"Hermione?" They both asked at once. She looked up and nodded

"I didn't think I'd see either of you again. This is Sarah." Hermione sat down awkwardly on the last free sofa, "What are you doing here?"

Ron was just about to answer when the door to the doctors office opened.

"Come in." Said a cheery voice

"Umm which one?" Asked Sarah looking around.

"Why? Are you allergic to each other?" called the voice laughing

Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at each other and walked into the room. The office couldn't be more different that the waiting room. It was quiet dark inside, the walls painted a dark midnight blue with thick, red, velvet curtains on the window. The only light in the room came from dozens of small bulbs in the celling arranged to look like stars. Three big arm chairs sat on the floor in front of an old wooden desk. It should have been a very foreboding room but instead it felt cosy and safe.

Behind the desk was a witch, her long curly hair caught up into two long plaits giving her a very child like appearance with her round face and big grey-green eyes. She was wearing a black top with a kitten playing in a cauldron on it, the rest of her was hidden behind the big desk. She looked at them for a few minutes before digging out a box of sweets from under a pile of papers on her desk and handing them to Hermione.

"Mint Humbug anyone?" She asked smiling as Hermione slowly took the box from her, "My name is April Parker. Some people call me Dr April Parker actually but I'm not a real doctor yet and I always thought that was the name of some sort of super villain from a comic book, not that that is really a bad thing." April popped a sweet into her mouth and continued to stare at the three people before her with her abnormally big and beautiful eyes.

"So how are you feeling today? In fact how is life going in general?" April asked still not looking away, her staring eyes digging into them.

"Fine, fine," Said Harry, "I'm engaged." He began playing with his nails, not mentioning the fact he'd been engaged for years and couldn't leave the house to actually marry her.

"Yeah fine, I've got a good routine, it works for me." Said Ron, deciding it would be best to leave out the huge amounts of alcohol involved in his 'routine'.

"I've got a new book deal in the works so that's… good." Hermione said chewing her lip.

"Well isn't that nice? I'm OK as well, you know. Because I'm a UNICORN!" April tapped her head with her wand causing a unicorn horn to spring from her parting and made clip-clop noises on the desk with her hands. Hermione bust into laughed at the sight of her and Harry followed when April tried to pretend her hair was hay. Ron however just sat looking like she might explode.

After a few minutes April removed the horn and put her wand back in the draw.

"It's easy to pretend that everything is OK. You can give as many reasons as you like why things should be OK but you wouldn't be here if they were."

"I thought we would be having these sessions alone." Said Hermione trying to control her giggles.

"Some of them will be but today I wanted to meet you all together."

"Wait- we have to come back to this nonsense?" Asked Ron kicking the leg of his chair, Harry flinched away from the noise, pinching the skin on his arm. April ignored the question and looked down at a pile of papers.

"Why don't we start with why we're here? I'm here because the evil government wont pay me to sit at home to write stories and fan-fiction but I actually love helping people and therefore enjoy my job a lot more than most which I'm grateful for." Said April looking pointedly at Hermione who shuffled forward in her seat.

"I'm here because a friend said you could help. I've been in control until now but it's getting worse and she said, and she was right, that I couldn't really go on like I was."

"So what do you want to change?" Asked April making a few notes

"I… I don't actually know." Hermione buried her head in her hands, she felt so stupid. How could anyone help her if she didn't even know what would make it better?

"Perfect. Thank you." smiled April handing her another sweet, "What about you Harry?"

Harry shuffled in his chair trying to get his thoughts in order. He could hear the clock ticking away but April didn't rush him.

"I didn't lie when I said I was engaged. I am, to Louise, she's helped me more than I can ever thank her for. We've been engaged for nearly 7 years. We were planning the wedding when… it was like my brain exploded over night. I can't do anything now. I had a letter from the ministry and I can't even remember what happen but I am told I was hit by a car and Louise rushed me to St Mungo's."

April gave another reassuring smile and looked over at Ron.

"I'm here because I was told to be. There's nothing wrong with me just stupid interfering busy-bodies." snapped Ron angrily, kicking the edge of the chair even harder.

April gave a sigh and made a few more notes. She looked at each of them again, they were still avoiding her eye contact. This wasn't going to be easy.

"What's proved useful in the past is working on the little things first." Said April pulling out three note books, "Things that affect you but aren't anything to do with the battle of Hogwarts."

All three of them visibly flinched away at the mention of the battle of Hogwarts.

"Which we'll call… rose garden for now." Smiled April, "So before next week I want you to find just a few little things that worry you. It's been a great help for other victims of the 'rose garden'" April handed them the note books and folded her arms.

"You've helped others? From the… 'rose garden'?" Asked Hermione sitting forward slightly, some how it hadn't occurred to her that other people might have needed help as well.

"Yes, the list of people who haven't been through this office is a lot shorter than those who have."

"Like who? Malfoy?" snorted Ron.

"Don't be silly, no one's heard from the Malfoy's in nearly a decade, you must know that. I'm sorry but I really can't tell you who I have treated. Confidentiality and all that."

April gave them a few minutes to let this information sink in. She glanced at the clock, the hour was almost up. There was a knock on the door and a short women poked her head through. She looked a lot like April but shorter and more curvy. Her hair was straight although easily just as long and her eyes were deep blue rather than grey.

"Sorry to interrupt it's just you are going to be late sweetie."

April waved her in.

"Everybody this is my sister, Lillian, sorry to let her barge in I just need the help. It's been bad at the moment." April raised herself slowly to her feet and took the crutches Lillian was holding out for her. April walked slowly with the crutches towards the door. They could see now the knee length black lace skirt and tall new rocks that she wore but Harry, Hermione and Ron's eyes were drawn to the long red scar on her left knee. It ran down for at least five inches and ended in a messy circle. There were a few other smaller scars down the length of it. It looked painful.

"Don't worry it's not as bad as it looks." April laughed

"No it's worse." Said Lillian rolling her eyes, "Come along, Cripple, you're going to be late."

Lillian and April left the room leaving Ron, Hermione and Harry sitting alone together.

"I guess we can go now?" Asked Hermione standing up slowly.

"At bloody last." said Ron jumping up and heading straight out the door. Harry and Hermione slowly followed. Sarah and Louise stood up when they came back into the waiting room. They all looked awkwardly at one another before heading slowly towards the door.

"So where are you guys off to now then?" Asked Sarah.

"We have a few more things to pick up from the ward and then we're going to head home, right?" Harry looked to Louise for confirmation. She nodded and gave his hand a squeeze.

Hermione made for the door giving Harry a small, awkward smile and wave. Sarah followed her out the door to the diapparation point. They held hands and went back to Hermione's house.