Hermione had never thought of herself as a petty person. She could be annoyed, frustrated even, but she was never petty. Not even the boys or Malfoy could change that about her. Yet life had decided to prove her wrong. This year, she would meet someone who would give her every reason to lose her mind even over the smaller things in life.
Once she had left Hogwarts with all of her NEWTS, a couple of months after the Battle of Hogwarts, Hermione did not take a year off with Harry and Ron, like they had planned to. She instantly started her apprenticeship at the Ministry. She had been reluctant at first, considering everything that the Ministry had put her through over the past years. But Shacklebolt had insisted on showing her around himself to prove how much the Ministry had changed since he took over.
Shacklebolt was also the one who introduced her to the head of the Ministry of Magic research committee. Phoebe Penrose, granddaughter of Phoebus Penrose, had taken upon herself to change the research committee's orientation drastically. The Muggle research institute was still active, but it was now focusing on understanding Muggles to improve the Muggle studies' curriculum at Hogwarts and ultimately improve relationships between Muggles and wizards. Bethany O'Rourke, head of the Muggle research institute, was even working hand in hand with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to question the viability of a world in which wizards would not be hiding from Muggle any longer.
Though Hermione had been greatly interested by their work and had promised Bethany that she would read her most recent papers, she was not meant to join their institute. The apprenticeship that Hermione had signed up for was with the head of the Psychology institute. The institute had been cared about very little over the past two decades, but the scars that the War had left on the Wizarding World had rekindled the Ministry's interest in this research field. Anselma Bones, Amelia Bones' younger sister and the head of the Psychology institute, was an elderly witch with great, long, grey hair and very little patience. She was therefore very lucky to have Hermione Granger as her new apprentice; never, in the five years Hermione had now worked with her, did Hermione test her patience.
"Hermione, you should be the one leading the conference today" Anselma suddenly declared one morning, while Hermione and she were getting ready for their monthly meeting with the other research institutes.
"Really, are you sure? I mean, whether the Minister does or does not fund our clinic entirely depends on today's meeting."
"I would not have proposed if I did not believe that you were capable. Now, get ready and don't make me regret this" Anselma answered while shoving papers and folders into Hermione's arms. Hermione could only beam at her, already raking her brains for the best phrase to start her presentation with.
They could not have been prepared enough for their meeting, for it was the largest one Hermione had ever witnessed since she had joined the Ministry, five years earlier. Penrose and Bethany were there, of course, as well as the heads of the other research institutes, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, who was Harry and Ron's boss, the head of the Committee on Experimental Charms, the head of the Magical Education's Department and, obviously, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister himself. Hermione could feel her hands shaking as she thanked everyone for coming and announced the meeting's theme.
As soon as the presentation was over, Hermione searched Anselma's gaze. Only once she had nodded in silent approval could Hermione acknowledge the dozens of hands that were raised in her direction.
"Miss Granger" Bethany started, and Hermione was thankful that she was the first to speak. "Does this mean that the clinic that you would like to open will be inspired by a Muggle's therapist's office? Do you mean to use the same methods as them?"
"Yes and no. Of course, Anselma and I have read many great Muggle psychologists and psychiatrists, as I stated during my presentation. Yet our approach is different from the way Muggle's conceive psychology, since we believe that many psychological issues can be treated with more efficiency with the help of magical means, involving, for example, Potions or Transfiguration."
"And how would that be different from we work we do at St Mungo's?" an elderly wizard intervened. Hermione had not noticed him at first, for he was very little – barely bigger than a goblin – and was sitting on the furthest corner of the table. From the robes he was wearing, Hermione guessed that he was representing St Mungo's.
"We do know that you are doing great work in your Fourth-Floor department, regarding long-term maladies. But we believe that our method could actually heal such cases instead of stabilizing the patient's state."
The small wizard seemed a bit insulted by Hermione's explanation, for it sounded like that young witch thought herself to be a better healer than the ones at St Mungo's. He did not have any time to argue though, for Anselma had just given voice to the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Thank you, Anselma. My question will be very straight-forward: how do you stand concerning legilimency? Will it be a part of your treatment?"
"Thank you for your question; it is indeed a very important one. Having studied a little legilimency myself and Anselma being a great master, we did discuss the topic."
A couple outraged whispers ran across the room.
"However, ..." Hermione went on, raising her voice to cover the whispers "We came to the conclusion that accessing the patients' trauma through legilimency would neither benefit the patient, nor our research. Our patients will come to the clinic willingly and freely; they should therefore also be able to choose which parts of themselves they will discuss with us. Yet that is hardly possible when using legilimency, since very few wizards are capable of using occlumency."
Most of the assembly seemed reassured by Hermione's answer and she even thought that she had seen Anselma smiling a little. The meeting went on for another hour, during which most questions were asked by the Potions and Transfiguration research institutes, who were now very eager to learn in which ways their departments would be able to collaborate.
The next morning, Anselma greeted Hermione with the greatest smile the young witch had ever seen on her: Kingsley had granted them enough funds to build the clinic, invest in the necessary equipment and advertise their work. Her presentation had been a success!
The same evening, Hermione met Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Luna for drinks. Harry and Ron had just come back from their first mission in France, where they were to cooperate with the French Ministry of Magic on a possible trail concerning magical weaponry contraband over the English Channel.
"Yeah, Ron got his revenge on his Yule Ball disaster pretty well. How many French witches did you bring to our apartment in a single month? Three? Four?" Harry jested, elbowing his friend.
Ron's ears instantly turned crimson, and he hit Harry's shoulder. "Come on mate, you said you wouldn't tell anyone!" He threw Hermione a quick embarrassed look, but she merely shrugged. They only dated for a couple of months when Ron and Harry came back from their trip. If she had felt anything beyond friendship for Ron in the past, it was all gone now.
"What? That story is entirely to your advantage!" Harry retorted, rubbing his bruised shoulder.
"I, for one, do not want to imagine another one of my brothers getting it on with a French girl ..." Ginny butted in with a disgusted scowl, for she had sensed Hermione's slight embarrassment.
"You're one to talk about getting it on with a girl ..." Ron growled, and it was Ginny's turn to turn crimson. Harry seemed particularly perplexed, but Luna only beamed and nodded fervently.
"Anyway ..." Ginny resumed, while avoiding Harry's gaze "Enough girl-talk for tonight. This was supposed to be about Hermione's victory!"
Harry still seemed uncertain regarding Ron's latest comment, but he could not overpower the joy of having their brady and Luna's Daisyroot Draught brought to their table. They all toasted to Hermione's success and soon all veiled allegations were forgotten.
So, that's for setting the main frame. I'm pretty sure you can guess who will show up at the clinic soon ;)
R&R !