DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, do you think I would be writing this? I do own Elizabeth, though. Don't take her.

Thank you very, very much Poppycan and Theladyprimrose for the reviews. They really mean a lot to me. This is my first piece of work that has ever been released, and to know that you two like it enough to review is an honor.

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In class. Again. Elizabeth couldn't concentrate on anything the teacher was saying. All she was concentrating on was keeping herself awake. She didn't know what was wrong with her today. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so tired. And the pain in her stomach was only growing worse as the days went by.

But as far as she was concerned, she didn't have a problem. She needed to do this, or she would blow up like a balloon. She reasoned that she was already fat enough.

But that wasn't reality at all. It was how she saw things. In truth, she was far too thin. Thinner than most of the girls in her house. In Hogwarts, even. But she couldn't see that. All she could see was the last bit of fat clinging to her frail frame.

"Elizabeth! Are you paying attention?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply. Elizabeth's head shot up from looking at her lap. McGonagall took that as a no. "Five points from Gryffindor, then."

Elizabeth slumped down in her seat, trying to keep her emotions in check. The last thing she wanted to do was let her housemates know it bothered her so much. If she cried, it would give it all away. So she kept her face a mask, while appearing to pay attention.

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Nothing could make her more relieved than getting out of class that day. She sighed, gathering up her bag. She slung it over her shoulder, wincing as it hit her back. She realized only then that it would leave a bruise. i Ah Well, /i She thought. It wasn't really that strange for her to have bruises. She got them far too easily.

As she walked down the corridor, she lapsed into thought. She was trying to remember something she had forgotten. But it continued to elude her.

She was startled out of her pondering with a tap on her shoulder. She turned around quickly, coming face to face with Neville.

"Hello, Neville!" She said with false cheeriness. "How are you today?"

"I'm alright. I wanted to talk to you," He said, somewhat thrown off by her smile. He was glad the hall had emptied a bit. That way, they had a measure of privacy.

"About what?" She asked warily. After all, the last time someone had said that to her…

"I noticed you weren't eating much this morning. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I just had a stomach ache," She lied, hoping he wouldn't think it odd.

"Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey, then. I can go with you, if you want," He offered.

"No, it's alright. I feel better now. I've got to go, but I'll see you later!" She said, waving overly cheerfully as she walked away down the corridor.

Neville wasn't convinced. She wasn't the same as last year. She was thinner, she didn't eat as much, and her personality seemed completely changed. He wasn't going to give up. Not when he knew she needed someone to help.

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Elizabeth walked wearily to the Great Hall for dinner. Today had been very hard. Classes had dragged on. She wanted to go upstairs and go to bed, but Neville might notice if she didn't make an appearance.

i Wait, what? /i she mentally asked herself. i Why would someone be worried about me? /i

But it was already too late to change her mind, as she was already there. She glanced around the Gryffindor table before sitting. Satisfied to see Neville occupied in conversation, she settled herself at the end, as usual.

In a way, it made her feel better that noone cared enough to talk to her. Because then, she could continue on with this self destruction, until there was nothing left of her to whittle down to perfection.

But… that small voice, the one with sanity still, was screaming for her to stop, to tell someone. But she didn't listen to it. She tuned out her voice of reason.

After a bit, she got tired of pretending to eat. She got up and left, without even looking around to check this time. After all, she had tried very hard to seem as if she was eating tonight.

She listened as her footsteps echoed on the stone as she walked. It sounded very… pretty. Almost dream like. Echoing back and forth, like a waterfall. She let her legs carry her up the stairs and to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Butterscotch Ripple," She said quietly. She walked into the common room, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time.

Her trance like state was interrupted by a cough behind her. There stood Neville, for the second time that day.

"Elizabeth, I really need to ask you something," He said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"What is it, Neville?" She asked, trying to sound calm, even though it felt like her stomach was tied in a knot.

"I… I noticed…" He seemed a bit unsure of himself. But then, he took a deep breath, and let out his thoughts in a rush. "I've seen that you havn't been eating, and you've gotten thinner, and you always leave the table early, and… You're different. I want to know what's wrong. Please… tell me."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. A part of her mind was screaming at her to tell him what she had been doing. But she couldn't. She was afraid he wouldn't understand. She resolutely steeled her gaze, trying to hide the emotion his words had evoked. All she wanted to show was anger. Maybe he would not do this to her again. It was so hard for her.

"Longbottom," she began, praying that her using his last name would keep him from hearing the pain in her voice. "There is nothing wrong with me. I've not had much of an appetite lately, and that is b all /b . Furthermore, I fail to see how it is any of your business whether or not I'm eating what you consider to be enough. I do b not /b have a problem!"

With that, she turned quickly, trying to avoid seeing the hurt look on Neville's face. And so she ran up the stairs to the girl's side of the Gryffindor tower, knowing he couldn't follow her there. The castle wouldn't allow it. And for that, she was very thankful. She didn't want him to see the tears that it had caused her. She had meant to hurt him, keep him at a distance, but in truth, it hurt her just as much. He may her only hope for ever being happy again. But she was afraid.

She laid on her bed, curling up into a ball of misery. Tears ran down her face freely, but she tried not to even whimper. She couldn't let any of the other girls hear her. She didn't want to answer any more prying questions tonight.

i Why did I do that? /i she thought bitterly to herself. But no answer came.