Draco Malfoy Gets a Life Coach

Foolish

Michelle's door was closed, so I just had to hope she wasn't in there with anyone.

I knocked.

Her initial reaction upon opening the door was surprise, which quickly turned to confusion, and then something like... mischief?

"Hi," she said, with a small smile flickering at the corner of her lips.

"Hi," I replied.

Then she stood back and motioned for me to enter the office.

I did, but not before glancing around the hall. I heard her let out a low laugh.

"You afraid someone's gonna see you coming in on a day when you don't have to?"

I shrugged. Honestly, I wasn't even sure what I'd been on the lookout for. She shut the door and we took our usual seats.

"So, this is unusual. But I guess this week isn't usual?"

My turn to laugh. "Understatement of the bloody century," I grumbled. She shot me a grimace and tilted her head in that way that meant she was about to ask some annoying question.

It's why I'd come - to be asked annoying questions - yet I still found them annoying.

"So, are you gonna fill me in on what happened after I left the hospital yesterday, or should I start making guesses? I'm assuming that's why you're here?"

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, leaning forward in my chair rather than slumping back. I quickly recounted the events that had taken place following her exit from Theo's hospital room. I mentioned the kiss, but said it all to the floor to avoid seeing whatever reaction she might have. I went too fast, glossing over the time in the Manor. Entirely skipping our time in the library.

"So, we had dinner with Theo and my mother. Theo was on his best behavior, the bastard. Mother must have threatened him. I've never seen him so civilized."

She raised her eyebrows at this and looked to be pondering the mystery herself.

"Granger and my mother got on famously, and then I walked her out at the end of the night and she kissed me again and I told her I'd owl her about seeing her again and that's it."

More eyebrow raising. I stared at the floor.

The silence went on so long that eventually I looked up to see an amused expression.

"What?" I growled.

She shook her head and smiled in earnest, "Oh, nothing, just marveling at your storytelling skills. So much detail, it feels like I was there."

I felt my fists clench as I glared at her. She continued to smile at me.

"So, are you going to tell me why you're here now?"

I began cracking my knuckles one at a time, considering how to answer. Finally, I settled on the truth.

"Because something Catherine said to me this morning... it..."

"Wait, you had therapy already today?" she said, surprised.

"It's my regularly scheduled meeting," I said, feeling rather defensive all of a sudden.

She stilled, giving me a penetrating stare before slowly nodding and motioning for me to go on.

"Anyway... she said I'm so used to things being shite that... all of this going so well is... unsettling."

"And...?"

"And I don't want to bollocks it up! Alright?"

I wasn't sure why I was getting angry, but I was.