I don't own Harry Potter. . . Sadly

*EB*

Elizabeth found it difficult to contain herself as she examined the ground. Of course she had imagined that Harry would be upset with her, but she didn't think that it would hurt as much as it did.

"I was just trying to ensure that you would never have to return to those horrid people you call relatives." Elizabeth heard herself say, she was ashamed of the way her voice cracked with emotion. It was an oddly foreign sound, one that was filled with with pain, sorrow, and misery.

Silence followed her comment, but it didn't matter as she kept her head down, observing the forest green grass as it moved softly in the slight autumn breeze. She wanted Harry to know that he hurt her; he should have known she was only trying to help; she was only trying to ensure he had a better life than he already had.

Time moved by slowly as Elizabeth tried to keep her tears and emotions in check. The sound of rustling grass carried to her ears as Harry's shoes moved into her field of sight.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Harry's voice was now soft and sweet as he apologized while tenderly gripping her arms to make sure she didn't escape. And by the time Elizabeth attempted to pull away, Harry was so close she couldn't get away.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Harry whispered as he lifted her head so her eyes met his. "It's just when adults find out I usually get in trouble."

"So did you yell at everyone else? " Elizabeth snapped as she looked deeply into her brother's captivating emerald eyes, noting the hurt that flashed in them as her words struck him deep.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." Harry stated as his voice broke and tears began to well in his eyes.

*HP*

Harry felt disappointed in the fact that he had hurt the one person that wanted to help him, and by the way the Slytherin responded, he had hurt her pretty badly. He had no intentions of raising his voice or screaming at Elizabeth, but he had been so worked up at the fact that she had told the man that had disliked him for the majority of his life his deepest secret. He just couldn't help it.

He could feel the tears that had begun to well up in his eyes fall, blurring his vision making Elizabeth look hazy and unfocused.

"Harry." Elizabeth's voice came softly from behind the blur. The harshness that once marred her voice was gone, leaving nothing but her usual loving tone behind. "Harry, Harry, please don't cry. I didn't mean to be so harsh. And as far as everything else goes, we'll work it out alright? Just please, please don't cry." No amount of Elizabeth's pleas could have stopped the sob that had built up in his throat and escaped when the Slytherin had completed her sentence. Harry could feel himself shake with every sob that wracked his frail body, and he was sure he would have fallen if he had not been holding on to his sister's arms.

"Oh Harry." Elizabeth's voice broke through the noise of his sobs and moments later he found himself being pulled toward the ground and the arms that he had been holding were being wrapped securely around him as he was pulled close, allowing him to rest his head on Elizabeth's shoulder.

Time passed by slowly as they sat there. Seconds seemed like hours and minutes like days though Elizabeth never let go. She remained as still as a statue with Harry's head on her shoulder, running her fingers soothingly through his hair while whispering words of comfort. After what seemed like a lifetime, Harry's tears had run dry, leaving him with nothing more than a headache and red, watery eyes.

Gradually the Gryffindor pulled himself away, drying his eyes on his sleeve as he went. He felt so weak for allowing himself to break down like that in front of the one person he was suppose to protect. Then again, how was he supposed to protect her if he couldn't even protect himself?

*EB*

An overwhelming sense of uselessness overtook Elizabeth as she sat there with Harry in her arms crying on her shoulder. There was nothing she could have done to stem the flow of hot tears that poured out of emerald eyes, down his face, and onto her sweatshirt. After awhile, Harry's tears stopped and he pulled away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve as he did so, his eyes now red and puffy.

"Your head hurt?" She asked as she smoothed back a strand of his messy black hair.

"Just a little." Harry responded as he looked into her face as if he was searching for some sort of resentment or disgust at his actions. By the way the look on his face changed to one of relief, he found none.

"Maybe we should head back to the castle." Harry voiced after several long beats of silence.

"If you want to." Elizabeth said as she played with the grass under her hand. She hadn't expected Harry's suggestion to return to the castle, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. If he wanted to go back then he could, but not without hearing her out first.

"I'm sorry this didn't work out Elizabeth." Harry said as he pushed himself to his feet. Making it apparent he no longer wished to talk to her.

"I thought we had made some progress, "she said as she too pushed herself up. " But if you want to go back to the castle and bottle everything up again. I guess that's fine. "

*HP*

It was apparent Elizabeth was not going to give up on the day so easily, despite the fact that it had been a decision they had both agreed on. He just didn't think learning more about one another was such a great plan anymore. Sure he wanted a new family, one with people that would love him, but that required telling secrets and telling secrets caused more harm than good. More pain than happiness. Besides, if he got too close to Elizabeth she would just be another person Voldemort could use against him.

With one final glance at Elizabeth he turned and began to make his way back to the castle. Sure it seemed wrong to leave her standing there alone, but he didn't know what else to do. He had ruined their plans by arguing with her over something that was going to be done sooner or later and he had only made the situation worse by breaking down at the moment she snapped at him.

Harry knew that running away from a problem was never a good idea, and neither was running out on the girl that was trying to help him, the one that saved his life, the one that was his sister. The one that also just so happened to be Professor Snape's little girl.

After a good five minutes he turned back to see Elizabeth sill standing where he had left her, she was standing so still that if he hadn't known any better he would have believed she was nothing more than a life like statue. After what seemed like hours of observing her and contemplating whether he should go back and sort things out, he turned on his heel and left.

Yes, he knew it was the chicken thing to do, but all his life he had been running from the pain, why should he stop now and face it? Harry continued to trek his way back to the castle alone, stopping occasionally to see if Elizabeth had followed suit, and by the lack of her presence, it was obvious she had not. He felt horrid for leaving her like that, but he couldn't face her, or his problems. He quickly made his way into the entrance hall and bounded up the stairs. He smiled somewhat despite himself, he was almost home free. That is, until someone called his name.

"What's the rush Potter?" The cold voice called from below, causing Harry's insides to clench together as he closed his eyes.