You have to talk or we will make you

Ginny and Hermione were still worried about both Molly and Minerva. Neither of the girls was really comfortable with the silence emitting from the older women. Ginny really wanted to know what had happened to her mother ... even if it meant nightmares for her. In her eyes Molly was the strongest woman ever alive. Who else could go through ... whatever had happened, and she was sure it had been horrible, and still be sane and strong enough for friends and family?

Both girls were very quiet, seldom talking to the boys, withdrawing into their shells and staying as close together as they could outside their classes. Of course the other students noticed and began to rumour ... but only if no Weasley boy or Harry was in ear-shot. The girls, though, were not at all hurt by the comments. They knew why they stuck their heads together.

Ginny couldn't get the picture of her mother out of her head. She had seen the injuries inflicted by those horrible men. She just had to know what had happened to her mother and how she could help her. Eyeing Hermione out of the corner of her eye, she took her hand and towed her off towards the nearest bathroom.

"Could you please contact your friend again? I would love mother to see him and talk to him ... you know to work through her anger and her fears", asked Ginny hurriedly.

Hermione nodded eagerly. For a moment she had forgotten about him and that he had offered his help.

While the two girls where trying to control their emotions, Minerva and Molly were talking about names for the baby while sitting near Albus in the hospital wing. Albus was sleeping soundly in his bed, slowly but surely recovering from his injuries. His face was still paler than his natural colouring and his forehead was glistening slightly from perspiration.

"Tara?" asked Molly.

Minerva screwed up her face and shook her head slightly. Then she made a suggestion of her own.

"Samantha, Jodie, Joyce?"

Molly seemed thoughtful but then slowly shook her head.

"Doesn't stir any immediately liking", she said slowly and furrowed her brows again in concentration. "Hmmm ... I rather like the name Claire. What do you think?"

"Claire? It sounds nice. Want to keep it at that?"

"I don't know. Perhaps some other ideas ... you know, just in case Arthur doesn't like Claire."

"Well, what about Anne or Mary? Old-fashioned names, I know, but timeless."

Molly laughed heartily at Minerva pulling a face in spite of it being her idea. She hated those names because she pictured the only women she know by these names and they were really old and conservative. Nothing for a Weasley.

"Rosalie?" asked Molly, ridiculing Minerva now by choosing a name she hated and pulling a face

"Isabella?"

"Actually I like that name. Hmmm and Hope."

"What about Elizabeth? In honour of our queen."

"Victoria?"

"Oh no, I prefer Elizabeth."

"Rebecca or Kate or Kristina?"

"I really love Virginia ... Ginger for short. She will undoubtedly have red hair like all my children."

Molly smiled fondly down upon her growing belly. Softly stroking over it, she relished in the knowledge of the new life growing in her for the first time since she found out. Minerva watched her closely and smiled, seeing the obvious change in attitude in her friend. Leaning over slightly, she placed her hand over Molly's and squeezed lightly.

"I would love to have you as the child's godmother", whispered Molly.

Minerva felt her heart beat faster and leap up into her throat. This offer meant the world for her ... especially coming from Molly because she knew about her children.

"Of course, Molly. I'm deeply honoured", she nearly choked on the words while she tried simultaneously to fight down her tears.

----

Arthur was very nervous. More so than before his wedding night or the first time he held his son. Meeting his children after more or less ignoring them for weeks now was harder than he would have thought possible. Slowly he walked up to Gryffindor Tower and prepared his speech in his mind. He really wanted to show his children that he would be there for them.

Suddenly though he was hit in the chest by two shortly followed hard objects. He coughed for air and stumbled back. Immediately he felt four hands grasping him and steadying him.

"Mr. Weasley, are you ok? I'm so sorry I rushed and didn't see you", said a female voice right in front of him.

"DAD!?! What are you doing here anyway? Is something wrong with Mum?" asked another voice which he immediately recognized as his daughter's.

"I'm fine", he huffed and collected himself again.

Smiling at the girls he saw their somewhat guilty faces and worried expressions. Years of fatherhood let his ears prick up. These two were up to something.

"Where were you off to?" he asked shrewdly.

Both girls scoffed their feet and looked to the ground. He had known it! They were up to something.

"Spill!" he ordered softly but firmly.

Ginny looked up into her father's eyes and squared her shoulders.

"Just sending an owl", she tried to talk herself out of trouble.

"Ah, I see. To whom?"

Hermione turned red and handed over the letter. Arthur read the name as Dr. Thornton and was immediately reminded of the man who had stormed into the headmaster's office a few days ago. It was now Arthur's turn to be ashamed and look to the floor.

"Hermione, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I had no right to lose it like that with you. You meant well and I was just angry ... but not at you."

"It's ok, Mr. Weasley. Never mind now. We want to help your wife and Professor McGonagall."

----

Hermione eyed Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall cautiously. She wasn't at all sure if it really was the right decision she and Ginny had made. Suddenly her worries and her nervousness seemed to drown her and she leaned closer to Harry. Ginny on her other side stuck out her chin defiantly. She knew her mother's temper and could hold her on against it.

Before either girl could say something, Dr. Thornton entered the room with Professor Dumbledore.

Suddenly Professor McGonagall scowled at her students. She remembered her previous conversation with Hermione.

"Who is this?" she asked with her guard up.

"A friend of my family", explained Hermione quietly, not looking up and meeting her angry glare. "We thought he could help you."

"With what?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"He is a psychiatrist", explained Harry further.

"You have to talk or we will make you", added Ginny almost challengingly.

Molly eyed her daughter even more challenging, and with a bit of anger.

"Ginerva, you've no idea exactly what we had to go through and on Mina's behalf and mine being your mother, I'm telling you to shut it before you're in more trouble than you've ever been in!" Molly warned and Ginny stared at her hard and long.

"Mum, you need this ... You need to talk to someone."

"I've your father to talk to..."

"You need someone other than him, Mum! You know for a fact that with Dad there's at least an inkling of a trust issue right now and you need to let out all of you fears! ... And, well, it's easier to do that ... sometimes ... with someone you don't know."

Minerva too seemed angrier than Hermione had ever seen her. Her mentor looked ready to kill. Hermione slowly backed away from her.

"This was all your idea, wasn't it?" she asked menacingly.

Hermione was only able to nod numbly. She felt more uncomfortable than ever before in her life. Suddenly all this didn't seem like a good idea anymore. But Harry stepped swiftly in front of her and faced his Professor.

"Just talk to him ..."

"NO!"

One word and all their hopes were crushed. Minerva McGonagall was definitely not ready to talk about what had happened with a professional. She refused to let anybody help her. Molly was still stared down by her daughter.

But before either one could say anything, Ron rushed into the middle of the room and grabbed both Molly and Minerva by their wrists, pushing them towards the two chairs near the headmaster's desk.

"MUM, JUST STOP THAT NONESENSE!!! YOU NEED TO TALK TO US! IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU CAN'T, SO WE SET UP THIS SESSION!" he yelled before taking one massive breath and calming himself down a bit. "Please, Mum, Professor McGonagall, you can't go on like that."

It was almost a whisper now. Harry came over to his friend and nodded.

"It is self-destructive to stay silent", he said wisely. "Whatever I went through Professor Dumbledore made me talk about it. It helps. Please, just trust us."

Besieging both women with his eyes, he held their gaze. Minerva closed her eyes slowly.

"Damn you for having your mother's eyes", she muttered under her breath and sat down.

Molly fared no better. This boy had become like a son over the years and she couldn't refuse him anything when he looked at her like that. Large puppy-dog eyes with innocence and love shining in them. Sighing deeply she sat down.

Dr. Thornton talked softly to Minerva and Molly about their feelings ... at least he tried to. Neither woman was opening up to him. The psychiatrist wasn't sure if it had to do with the fact that their husbands sat in the back of the room or that the children were sitting on the floor in front of the men.

"Please talk to me ... either one of you", he almost begged the two women.

Molly looked to the floor and refused to answer. Minerva hesitated before finally raising her chin and answering.

"It is so ... personal", she whispered miserably.

"Why is talking about what happened to you more personal than talking about a life-threatening disease and the fear of dying like some of my patients?" he asked back, happy that finally one of them responded.

"Because a r-r-rape is a ... sexual act and as thus is ... something very intimate."

"The intimate part of those rapes", said Molly, entering the conversation but still refusing to look at anyone, "has nothing to do with my vagina."

Anger swung in her voice and she balled her hands into tight fists. She was pale as a sheet. Minerva rounded on Molly with confusion and disbelief in her face and posture. But Molly wasn't finished yet.

"Why is it more personal to talk about rape than talk about an attack by death-eaters or robbery or other things?" she rambled on, finally understanding what her children had meant when they called the psychiatrist in the first place. "People talk all the time about attacks, especially in these times. They are not ashamed. This is apparently not too personal. Why should rape be different?"

"But rape is different", said Minerva, eying Molly more closely than ever. "I'm surprised at you?"

"I told you before we had to talk", Molly finally looked up. "And I have to disagree ..." But then she stopped and thought about it. "You're right." Minerva was now more confused than ever but patiently waited for her to continue. "They are different ... but they shouldn't be."

She was now remorseful that she had vented her anger on Minerva. She was after all her friend and she had gone through the same. Now she just said that it made her uncomfortable and embarrassed to remember the violation of her body and mind through those horrible men. Molly had reacted without thinking, without checking if her anger was a rational reaction or an over-reaction.

Molly realised that rape and sex were thrown together. She wanted a strict separation. After all rapes were violations. Sex was no violence. Thus rapes were no sex. She said as much to Minerva and Dr. Thornton. Her hand reached over and took Minerva's subconsciously, squeezing it softly and scooting slightly closer. Minerva understood her and nodded reassuringly. Finally she saw the difference. Then a thought hit her.

"What about sadomasochistic sex?" asked Minerva quietly.

She had never ventured there with Albus ... and never intended to ... but had heard of it. In fact a friend of hers was into this. Now she was curious how Molly would explain it.

"I think the difference is that both partners agreed to that", offered Molly, unsure herself since she too had never dared to go there with her husband.

Minerva nodded. It made all sense. And finally she felt the last dam break in her. Now it seemed that she would be able to talk about it.