I woke up to a scowlding from Narcissa about the night before. Word had spread about how terribly our Group had treated Healer Phillips, and how Chase, William, and I were the three ring leaders. She lectured me all through breakfast, then sent me off to take a shower. When I came back out, she was waiting with her wand in one hand, and a brush in the other. Some day clothes were laid on the bed, neatly folded. I scruntched my eyebrows.
"Ive decided that you are going to appologize to Healer Phillips, and you are gong to look nice when you do it. And you are going to give him this." She handed me a coin purse. It felt heavy.
"Why?"
"It is to replace the wand you broken." She explained.
"I didn't break it! William did!"
"Even so, you are appologizing. What you did was terrible, and I'm embarrassed for you. You know better than that. You are appologizing."
"But I'm not sorry..."
"Eleanor, you are going to appologize, and you are going to make it sound sincere."
"But it won't be."
"Don't test me, Eleanor. Get dressed and I will fix your hair."
"Why?"
"I told you, you are going to look nice. get dressed." She said again, using a stern voice. I sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. I reluctantly changed into my day clothes. When I was dressed, she sat me down on the bed and began brushing out my hair.
She used her wand to dry my hair by blowing hot stream of air from the end, and silently brushing it through. I hated it, and flinched with every stroke. When she finished, tiw as warm and fluffy. I crossed my arms and looked down. She put the brush away.
"There, now I am going to go with you to make sure that you appologize." She pulled on my arm, making me stand up.'"But what about Will and chase? They did stuff, too!"
"I am not responsible for William and chase. I am responsible for you, and I am making sure that you behave. I know you can."
She began leading me down the hallway. I didn't resist physically, but I continued to verbally opose.
"You can't make me! I'm eightteen! I can do what ever I want! I'm an adult! I don't need you to tell me what to do!"
"Oh? You're an adult? If you don't need me, I guess I"ll just go home." She let go.. I turned to her.
"And send Lucius?" I questioned. I really didn't want to see him becaue I was still angry at him.
"No. You're right. You're an adult and can handle youself. I can't make you do anything." She stepped back from me. My jaw dropped.
"Are you being serious?"
"Of coruse I am. Would I lie to you?"
"Well, you have before..."
"I'm going home, Eleanor. You want me to leave, and I will." She shrugged, before stepping forward and kissing my forhead. "I'm going. Bye, dear." Then, she turned around and walked off. I didn't know what to think. I didn't snap out of it until I heard the sure pop of Apparation. I shook my head.
Well.... Good. Now I didn't have to appologize for something I wasn't sorry for. I didn't have to listen to her, because she wasn't there to make me do things I didn't want to do. But... something told me this wasn't a good thing. She had been gone for a minute, and my heart was already starting to ache. This was different from being in a different room with her. She wasn't here at all. As much as I hated to say it, I needed her to comfort me, even if I had to take the commands along with it...
Yeah... I needed her...
Before I noticed what I was doing, I started sprinting to my room. I had to Floo her and ask her to come back. I had to-
"Do you need something, Elle?" Narcissa asked. She was sitting on my bad, her legs crossed. A knowing smile was on her face.
"Narcissa? I thought you went home!" I threw my arms around her. She clicked her toungue.
"I lied."
"You said you wouldn't lie."
"I was making a point that I know what is best for you." She explained.
"That's mean."
"No. It's a way to teach you a lesson. Now." She pushed me into a standing position, and stood up herself. "Lets go appologize now.'
"But Narcissa, I really don't want to. I don't like him."
"Eleanor, listen. A lot of times you will meet people you don't like, but you have to be polite to them if you want to or not. That's the way it works. I can't make you like him, no one can, but you have to appologize. You don't have to like him, but you have to be nice. Will you please some now?"
"Fine." I crossed my arms and followed her down the hallway for the second time. I still didn't want to appoligize, and I didn't want to be nice to him, but I didn't want another lecture from Narcissa. So, I stayed quiet as she knocked on the door. It was quickily answered..
"Yes?"
"Goodmorning, Healer Phillips." Narcissa smiled. "Eleanor has somethng to tell you." She stepped aside so I could be seen. I glared at the Healer. "Elle..." Narcissa cleared her throat. I sighed.
"I'm sorry that I misbehaved yesterday." I half heartedly said, lputting a hand on my hip and looking off to the side.
"And?" Narcissa asked.
"And I'm sorry that we broke your wand."
"And?"
"And I have money for you to get a new one." I help out the coin purse. When he reached to get it, I simply droppeed it to the floor.
"Eleanor!" Narcissa exclaimed. Phillips bent down and picked it up.
"It's okay." He held the purse out to me. "And I do not need you to buy me a new wand."
"But we insist." Narcissa put a hand on my shoulder.
"I've told you, it's fine. But I think you for your offer. Thank you for appologizing, Eleanor."
"Yeah." I mumbled, looking down. Narcissa squeezed my shoulder as a signal for me to be more polite. "I mean, um... No problem..." I looked up and shot Narcissa a dirty look. Phillips nodded.
"Very well. Do the two of you need anything else?"
"No." I replied before Narcissa could.
"Alright. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do. If you thik of anything, don't hesitate to interupt." He nodded, then closed the door. I turned to Narcissa, who was wearing a disapointed look on her face.
"Eleanor..." She started. I interupted her.
"I appoligzed. I did just want you said."
"You know you were rude."
"Oh, well. I did what you asked me to do, and that's all that matters." I crossed my arms. She sighed.
"I don't know what we're going to do with you, Eleanor."
........................................................................
Narcissa wasn't as naggy the rest of the day. I guess she thought it was a useless argument. We ate lunch and dinner, with out any disasters. Then it was time for Therapy. needless to say, I really didn't want to go. I hated him, but I knew Narcissa was going to make me go, so I didn't even try to fight it.
"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked. I shook my head.
"No. "
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." I started towards the door.
"Very well. Please behave." She added. I rolled mt eyes and went into the hallway.
When I got to Phillip's office, I went in without knocking. Phillips was at his desk, his chair turned to the fire place. He was Flooing someone, I just couldn't tell who it was from the door. He turned to look at me, a smile on his face.
"Eleanor, nice to see you. Thank you for coming. There's someone who would like to tlak to you." He moved his chair as I approached. I could now see who it was, and my eyes lit up.
"Healer Green!" I exclaimed, plopping down infront of the fireplace. The flaming form of his face grinned.
"Yes, Hello Eleanor. It's so lovely to see you!"
"Healer Green! How are you?!"
"I am doing very well, thank you. But I need to talk to you. I have been told that you have not been being behaving the say you should be." He raised an eyebrown. I bit my lip.
"Oh... what do you mean?"
"I know you know what I mean, Eleanor. You are disrespecting Healer Phillips very much, and there is no reason for it. He is there to try to help you."
"No."
"Stop lying, Eleanor. I know you can behave. You have vegaved for me. I know something is going on, and I would say it would have something to do with your liking of Healer Phillips."
"No, I don't like him." I shrugged. He thought for a moment.
"And why is that?"
"Because."
"Because why?" He questiioned .I thought for a moment.
"Because." I said again. He half smiled.
"Are you sure you aren't just angry at me for leaving?" I didn't answer. "And you are just taking that anger out on him?"
"I don't know..." I trailed off, but the truth was there may have been some truth to his statement, although I did hate Phiillips. We fell into silence for a few moments.
"Eleanor." Healer Green finally said. "I would like to talk to you alone. Will you step out for a moment, Healer Phillips?" He questioned. Phillips nodded in understanding and slide out of the door. I looked back at Healer Green. "Elle," He started, "I want you to tell me how you feel about me leaving. It's just you and me now, so you can tell me the truth."
"Well..." I looked down and swollowed. "I am really upset. I thought I could trust you. You told me that you would always be here. But you're not. You left me. I trusted you. I trusted you to stay with me and be here when I needed you, and you left. You left, just like everyone else..." I bit my lip as tears began watering in my eyes. He shook his head.
"I know I hurt you. I hurt all of my patients. I know it is hard for you to understand, but this is where I need to be. Something I cant really explain, a nagging voice in the back of my head, keeps telling me I need to be here. I am so sorry for hurting you, and I know that isn't enought. I am always here to talk to you, though. You can Floo me any time you feel nessisary. Now... I want you to tell me why you do not like Healer Phillips."
"I just don't." I tilted my head down, making a curtain of hair fall into my face.
"But why don't you like him? What has he done to you?"
"He..." I thought hard for an excuse. "I don't like him. He doesn't care. And He's wierd. He's not from here. And you should see what he has done to your office. The couch it gone; now he has this uncomforitble leather one, and pictures off all of this wierd stuff on the walls and-"
"Eleanor." He interupted. "I think you are just angry at me, and making yourself think that you do not like him. You do not know him. Do you remember when you first woke up and had to go to therapy? You didn't trust me, either. But you eventually became used to me, and then it became easier for us to talk. If you would just try to get to know Healer Phillips, then maybe you would start to get along."
"I don't think so." I wiped my cheek with my sleeve.
"Please, Eleanor. You are stronger than this. It saddens me that you are regressing, and it also saddens me that I can't physically be there to help, but I am trying my best. Please promise me that you will attempt to get to know Healer Phillips. If you learn to trust him, things will be much easier."
"Why can't you just come back?"
"I've told you; My place is here. Just, promise me you will try your best." His voice was full of so much hopefullness that I had to agree.
"Okay..." I finally said, if only half-heartidly.
"Thank you." He weakily smiled. "You should let Healer Phillips back in now. I have to go, anyway. It has been nice talking with you, Elle. Remember, you are a strong girl. The progress you have made is remarkible. You will be able to do anything if you just let us help you a bit. Please stay strong. And remember you can always talk to me when ever you need to. Goodnight, Elle."
"Goodnight." I wiped at my eyes again, then his face disolved. The fireplace filled with normal, flickering, orange fire. I stood up, my mind a milliion places at once.
Should I listen to him? Should I continue doing what I was? Should I talk the others into doing the same? Should I forgive Lucius? Should I try to tlak to Draco? Should I just Floo Healer Green back and ask him these questions? Should I-
I choked on a sob. I hadn't realised my tears had intensified that much. I shook my head and slowly made my way to the unfamiliar black, leather couch, instead of going to the door to let Phillips in. I laid down on it, and put my hands over my eyes before closing them.
I was confused. I was hurt. I was so many things, and I couldn't control them.
I needed to think about what to do.