Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Seventh Year // Chapter 1

The sun beamed in through my window on the morning of July 25th, 1997. I flipped off my covers and walked over to my vanity and began to brush out my hair. Ginny apparently had already been awake so it was no shock to see her bed made and her night clothes scattered all over the floor. After I placed my brush back down on the wooden surface, placed the necklace that Fred and George gave me when I turned seventeen around my neck and got dressed in a nice outfit of my Muggle clothes. 

"Morning, Lorrinda dear," said Mum as I walked down the stairs to grab a cup of water. 

"Mornin' Mum," I replied, barely even looking up from the floor. 

"Are you still heading off to Hermione's this afternoon?" Mum asked as she sat down with a cup of tea and a book from the den. 

"Yes, Mum. I was about to head over there now actually. Lord knows Hermione will need all the support she can get today." I commented as I grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water and drank it down as if it were the only drink I would have for the rest of the year. 

"I still don't see why Hermione's parents couldn't come with us after the wedding. It would just make everything a lot less traumatizing for her." Mum commented, flipping through the book mindlessly. 

"Mum, her parents have jobs in the Muggle world, bills to pay, they cannot just up and leave. Hermione is doing what is best for them." I said, trying to remain calm before placing the glass in the sink to be washed the next time Mum did the dishes. 

"I understand that but if Hermione could just take a look at the future this is not -"

"Oh just shut up!" I snapped looking at my Mum. "Hermione has made her choice and no matter how much you disapprove of it you cannot change her bloody mind! So just shut up, and do what you do best which is sit and worry about everyone else!" I stormed up the stairs and into my room, making sure to slam my door hard. 

Now, do not get me wrong, I love my Mum wholeheartedly and it makes my heart hurt when I yell at her or mouth off at her but lately, she has been so judgemental on not only her own kids but Hermione and Harry as well. I guess with all the threat of Voldemort coming after us all, and with Ron, Hermione, Harry, and myself all running off into the unknown after Bill and Fleur's wedding, it was just taking a huge toll on her. However, all of us were starting to get fed up with her, and Ron actually skipped lunch yesterday after she insulted Hermione's choices (and he still claims to not be head over heels for Hermione).

I heard the sound of Mum climbing the stairs so I clambered out the window of my room and shimmed down the side of the Burrow, to the ground. I walked in through the front door and into the living room where our wands were placed on a rack by the fireplace. Ginny was sitting on the sofa reading and sighed.

"Can I come with you?"

"Nope, it's my time to get away from her today," I said back, stepping into the fireplace. "Besides, Hermione thinks having more than one extra person there for tea would be unsuspicious to their neighbours." I grabbed a small handful of floor powder and smiled at Ginny one more time before I spoke the address to the Granger household and dropped the powder at my feet. Almost instantly I found myself standing in the fireplace of the Granger residence. 

As I stepped out into their charming living room, Hermione's mother came walking out of the kitchen. Scarlette had her gorgeous brown hair falling below her shoulders, wearing a beautiful blue blouse with flowers woven into the collar line, and khaki pants. 

"Lorrinda! It's so lovely to see you!" Scarlette said embracing me in a hug. Benjamin is out getting more biscuits for our tea that we will be served around noon."