A/N: Thank you all for your reviews!

~Severus Addicted

Chapter Five: The Butterfly Project

Hermione was sitting in the group room coloring with Ariel when Maria came in and said, "You have a visitor, Hermione."

Dropping her crayon, Hermione jumped to her feet and followed Maria to the front desk.

There standing in all of her glory was Minerva McGonagall.

Smiling, Hermione waited patiently as a nurse gave Minerva a visitors pass and she clipped it on her emerald dress.

Walking over to her, Minerva laid her hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave her a gentle smile, "How do you like it here?"

Hermione bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders, "It's alright."

Maria left them alone in a sitting room.

"Have you made any friends?"

Hermione slowly nodded her head, "My roommate is really kind."

Minerva smiled gratefully at the news, "I am glad you are getting along with her. How is the food?"

Hermione scrunched her nose, "I guess it's not too bad but I've had better."

Minerva chuckled then asked, "Have you had any Group Therapy sessions yet?"

This brought a smile to Hermione's face, "We had one earlier and I made a mood jar!"

Hermione then proceeded to explain to her what a mood jar is and how it is used.

After they were finished talking about the mood jar Minerva asked, "I found a coping skill I would like you to try."

Curious, Hermione asked, "What is it?"

Minerva pulled out a set of permanent markers and laid them on the coffee stand in the middle of the room, "Come here." Pulling her chair closer to the coffee table she waited for Hermione to do the same.

Once Hermione was seated closer to the coffee table, Minerva continued, "The coping skill is called the Butterfly Project. When you feel the urge to hurt yourself you take a permanent marker and draw a butterfly on your arm. Then, you can name your butterfly after someone who loves you and wants you to get better."

Smiling, Hermione grabbed a purple marker, "I really like that idea!"

Minerva smiled proudly, "So you are willing to try it?"

Hermione nodded her head in response.

Minerva gently took the purple marker from Hermione's hand and pulled Hermione's arm closer to her, "Someone who loves you and cares about you can also draw the butterfly on your arm. The butterflies that other people draw on you are especially special and you have to take very good care of them." With that said, Minerva pulled the cap off the purple marker and proceeded to draw a butterfly. Then, below the butterfly, she wrote 'Minerva.'

Tears rimmed Hermione's eyes as she stared at the beautiful butterfly, "Thanks."

Minerva nodded her head, "Now, there are rules for the Butterfly Project. You may not scrub the butterfly off. You have to let the butterfly fade naturally. Also, if you hurt yourself while a butterfly is on your arm then the butterfly dies."

Hermione stared at the purple butterfly with hope, "I won't kill the butterfly."

Minerva smiled, "I'm proud of you for giving this a chance, Hermione."

"Butterflies struggle and go through so much to become a butterfly but in the end all the struggle they go through is worth it. Someday, you're going to become a butterfly but you cannot give up before then. Your life is going to be worth it in the end."

Standing, Hermione threw her arms around Minerva's neck, "Thank you."

Pulling her an arm's length away, Minerva said, "You're welcome."

Changing the subject, Minerva asked, "At the moment I am having a second bedroom installed into my private quarters. Do you have a preference for the color of the walls?"

Hermione smiled in excitement, "I get to live with you?"

Minerva nodded her head, "Yes until you get tired of me," Minerva told her with a wink.

Laughing, Hermione shook her head, "I like the color purple."

Minerva nodded her head, "I can arrange that. Now, when you come home we need to discuss the house rules and what I expect of you, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan." Suddenly Hermione gave a pained look.

Concerned, Minerva asked, "What's wrong?"

"Sure I can stay with you during the school year but you have your own life during the summer. My parents don't want me to come home. A-am I going to be put in foster care?"

Minerva sighed, "How about we worry about that when it comes closer to time, okay? Let us see how it is with you living with me. If you hate the rules and the consequences of breaking rules, and you just do not want to stay with me then we will find another alternative. I do not want to see you be put into the system."

"What kind of consequences are you talking about?" Hermione asked nervously.

Minerva shook her head, "We will talk about that when you come home."

The rest of Minerva's visit went smoothly until it was time for her to leave.

Maria entered the sitting room and smiled at them kindly, "Alright, Professor, the visiting hours are coming to a close."

Hermione's heart dropped, She's going to leave me here again.

Minerva stood from the seat and took off the visitor's pass.

Looking at the suddenly very sad pre-teen, Minerva's heart clenched, "I will be back tomorrow, sweetie."

A tear trickled down Hermione's cheek, "I don't want you to go."

Maria sighed, "She has to, dear. We have another Group Therapy session in five minutes."

Hermione shook her head, "Take me home with you! I don't want to be here."

"You have one more full day here and then I will come and bring you home," Minerva reminded her softly.

Hermione shuddered as tears rolled down her face, "Please take me with you!"

Minerva found it hard to keep her composure, she had to show Hermione how to be brave. "I will be back tomorrow and I will bring you a surprise. I need you to take a deep breath with me." Once Hermione took a deep breath, Minerva said, "Everything is going to be alright. I will see you tomorrow and then the next day I will bring you home. Just be brave, learn some coping skills, and try to relax."

Hermione found it hard to compose herself.

Minerva pulled her close to her and whispered in her ear, "I promise. Be brave little butterfly. Everything will work out." Then she dropped her arms and followed Maria back to the front desk to sign out.

Hermione took in a shuddering breath and slowly went to the group room.

Sitting down beside Ariel, she traced the purple butterfly.

"What's that, Hermione?" Ariel asked when she noticed the drawing.

"It's called the Butterfly Project." She then proceeded to tell the rest of the patients all about the project.

When Cindy entered the group room every patient had a colorful butterfly drawn on their arm.

A/N: Thanks for reading!

Please leave a review they are very much appreciated and they pretty much make my day :)

~Severus Addicted

800-SUICIDE: 800-784-2433

Yellow Ribbon Project: 303-429-3530, 3531, 3532

Youth Crisis Line: 800-843-520