Dealing With The Pain

Chapter One: Journals and an Interesting Detail

"I ask you to remember Elizabeth's Scots, for her smile, her attitude, her," the preacher spoke out to the group of people in the church.

Hermione Granger sat in one of the cushioned rows of the church listening to the preacher as he continued to speak about Elizabeth Scots, Hermione's best muggle friend, but Hermione's mind was starting to ask Hermione question that she was finding harder, and harder, to ignore.

How could she? How could she choose such a thing?

Hermione glanced around the large church, at all the people who had come. The front three rows were full of Elizabeth's family, her mother, her father, her older brother, William, her grand parents, her aunts, her uncles, and her many cousins. In the rows behind Elizabeth's family was all other people Elizabeth had had an impact on within her short life. Her friends, and their families, even Elizabeth's teachers, principals, vice principals, and neighbors, had all come to Elizabeth's funeral.

How could she leave so many people behind, to carry on without her? Hermione's mind raced with these questions, and. for the first time in Hermione's life, she didn't have an answer.

"There will be a get together, of sorts, after the services, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Scots." The preacher informed the church, "And that concludes today's services."

Hermione slowly stood, along with the rest of the church, and continued out to parking lot with her parents. She, and her parents got into their car and drove, in silence, to Elizabeth's old house.

When they arrived at the house, Hermione got out, and then stopped, staring at the front door.

I'll never see Elizabeth coming through that door again. Tears sprang to Hermione's eyes before she could do anything to stop them.

"Hermione," Hermione heard her mother's voice say softly to her, "It's okay, Hermione, dear."

Hermione started to cry into her mother's shoulder, as her mother pulled her into a comforting hug.

Elizabeth's brother came through the front door and walked up to Hermione's father. He stopped beside him, and they shook hands and talked for a moment, then William Scots made his way toward Hermione and her mother.

"Hermione," he cooed softly, "please, don't be sad for Liz, she always enjoyed seeing you smile, besides she's in a better place, now."

"I know, but, I...I miss her," Hermione cried into her mother's shoulder shutting her eye as the tears leaked through.

Hermione then felt herself being transferred from her mothers shoulder to the encirclement of someone's arm, and felt it leading her into the house.

Hermione opened her teary eyes and saw it was William's arm that was leading her inside. When they stepped into the foyer, Hermione made to go into the living room where Mr. and Mrs. Scots were standing talking with there quest, but William pulled her, by the arm, off to the side.

"William?" Hermione asked, looking up at William in question.

"Look, Hermione, I want you to see something, something of Elizabeth's. Only if your up to it, of course," William explained, he glanced at Hermione, whose eyes were starting to water again.

"What," Hermione started, then gave a deep breath and continued, "What is it?"

"It's," William hesitated, "It's her journal."

"Her," Hermione breathed, "Her journal?"

"Yeah," William confirmed, nodding, "my mother doesn't want me to show you it, but I think you should if can, and want, too."

"I want to read it!" Hermione said, "Please, William, I want to read see it."

"Are you sure? Maybe wait a few days, when you're more emotionally strong." William suggested, but Hermione shook her head.

"No, I want to read it, now," Hermione urged with pleading eyes.

"Okay," William agreed, and he took Hermione's hand and led her up the stairs to Elizabeth's powder blue room.

Elizabeth's room was so peaceful, and happy, when Hermione, and William, walked in, there was a fairly large desk in the corner, and on top of it was a royal blue notebook. Hermione's eyes fell on it for a moment then they found William's face, he nodded and, so, Hermione slowly approached the desk and the royal blue notebook.

Hermione picked the book up, and looked at the cover, it had golden letter woven into it, and it read:

My Journal

Of 2005

Elizabeth Scots

Hermione opened the book and flipped through it. Hermione looked down at the page she opened to.

June16th

Elizabeth Scots, 3:00 pm

I can't wait for summer holiday. I hate it at school, I saw one of my friends today, she had a cut on her face, she said she got it in science class, but I know they were from those kids, they always hurt my friends to hurt me. I hate those kids; they are doing worst and worst stuff. I want summer to come, where they can't get my friends, or me! I wish Hermione were here to talk to.

Hermione stopped reading, and looked up at William, who gave her a solemn look. Hermione could feel her eyes starting to water, again. William noticed this, and walked over to her and gave her a hug.

After a few moments, Hermione pulled back and held out the book to William, but he shook his head and pushed it back towards her.

"Keep it, there is more you should read, but," William added, as Hermione made to open the book again, "not now, my mother might realize that your not downstairs with your family. So, take it home with you, read it there, keep it for as long as you need, too, all right?"

Hermione nodded, and gave a small "Okay."

"Alright then," William said, taking Hermione by the arm and leading her back downstairs.

When they reach the bottom of the stairs, William motion to Elizabeth's journal, and Hermione quickly stored it in her an inner pocket of her coat, so Mrs. Scots won't see it, and know that Hermione had read some of it. In all honesty, Hermione was glad that she did get to read it, though it was sad, it gave Hermione knowledge that she had been seeking ever since she was given the news of Elizabeth's death. She finally had some sort of answer as to why Elizabeth did this.

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Draco Malfoy sat in his room at his desk with a black leather notebook in front of him with bright green letters spelling out,

My Journal

Of Summer

And Seventh Year

Draco Malfoy

Draco opened the book to a blank page grab his quill. He dipped it into his inkpot and touched it to the page, and began to write.

August 19

Draco Malfoy, 12:36 pm

I can't wait to get back to school. I hate it here at home. I passed mother in the hall today, and I noticed she had red marks on her neck. I hate father, I know he had tried to strangle her. I want to go back to school, where he can't get me to me, but I'm worried about what would happen to mother.

"Boy! Get in here, now!" an angry males voice rang out, making Draco pause in his writing. He looked toward his door and groaned as his father's voice yelled out once more, "I said get in here, boy!"

Draco closed his journal, stood up, left his room and walked down the hall to his father's study.

Draco stopped in front of the pitch-black door to his father's study. Draco raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Enter," His father's voice came through the door, and so Draco opened the door and stepped inside.

When Draco was in, he shut the door behind him, and looked around to see his father standing behind his desk, his back to Draco, and was staring out the large window that was there. On the desk was a letter, and envelope, and as Draco approached the desk he noticed that it was his Hogwarts letter.

"It took you long enough boy!" Lucius snarled.

"Sorry, father," Draco apologized in a monotone voice.

"Then, next time," Lucius sneered evilly, he turned swiftly to face his son, drew his slick black wand and pointed it directly at his son while shouting that one painful word, "Crucio!"

Faster than a second, Draco's whole body surged with intense pain, but he stayed standing, he wasn't about to let his father bring him to his knees. He let out only one screamed, but he bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut.

Why doesn't he just kill me now? Please, father, KILL ME!

"Now," Lucius's voice broke into Draco's thoughts, as the pain subsided, "I received a letter from that disgusting school that you insist on going to, today."

"You I received a letter, and you took it." Draco said under his breath, as his father gestured to the letter on his desk.

"What did you say, boy?" Lucius snapped his eyes whipped around from the letter to his son.

"Nothing, father." Draco lied.

"Don't lie to me, boy!" Lucius advised as he drew his wand once more and repeated the spell, "Crucio!"

Again, the horrific pain of the Crucio curse enveloped Draco's body, and again Draco didn't give his father the satisfaction of knowing he was in so much pain, so he stood there, in that world of hurt. Draco, though, didn't know how long he could last under such horrible pain. Draco was sure has was about to pass out, but just as he felt himself slipping into darkness his father lifted the curse, and Draco was able to keep himself in reality.

"Now," Lucius said calmly, as though Draco wasn't only half conscious before him, "You have been made Head Boy at that pathetic disgrace for a school."

Draco's eyes widened, and he looked up at his father,"I have?"

"Yes," Draco's father said impatiently, while sitting down at his desk and picking up the letter, "But there's an interesting detail that has come with this information of you being Head Boy, Draco."

Draco shivered at the sound of his father calling him by his actually name, "And what might that be, father?"

"The Head Girl, or, should I say, Head Mudblood, is" Lucius corrected himself.

Draco's eyes widened at the sound of Mudblood, for he knew only one person, one girl, that was smart enough to become Head Girl, of his year, and only one that was also a 'mudblood'.

"Granger, Potter's filthy little friend," Lucius confirmed Draco's suspicions.

Lucius seemed to be waiting for Draco to respond to this peice of infromation, but Draco remained silent.

Lucius glared, darkly, at his son, then said, "I want you to keep a close eye on Granger, do you hear me, boy?"

"Yes, father," Draco answered, he looked his father in the eyes, but quickly looked away, for what he saw there made him feel sick.

Lucius eyed Draco suspiciously for a moment, but just pointed a threating finger at him, and snarled, "Do not disapoint me, boy!"

"Yes, father," Draco repeated.

"Then get the hell out of here!" Lucius shouted.

Draco didn't waste any time in turning around and making his way out of the room, but, just as he reached the door, he thought of something. So, deciding to take a risk, he turned back around to face his father, who was scanning Draco's Hogwarts letter with great dislike.

"I thought I told you to get the hell out of here boy!"Lucius snapped when he saw that Draco hadn't left, yet.

"Could I have my Hog-" Lucius's eyes darkened, so Draco choose to rephrase his last word,and make it two,"my letter?"

"Why would you want a letter from such a dispicable school?" Lucius asked with a sneer.

"For my school list," Draco replied, then, feeling that that had been a weak answer, added, "and my Head Boy badge, too."

Lucius was silght, studing Draco's face carefully, then answered, "Fine, take the disgusting letter."

"Thank you, father," Draco said, taking the letter, and envelope, that contained Draco's Head Boy badge,that his father had held out to him.

"Just get out of my sight!" Lucius barked.

"Yes, father." Draco said.

Draco quickly left the study and hurried down the hall to his bedroom. He closed his door and begun to pace his room, his Hogwarts letter, and envelope, crumpled in his hand.