Inside - The Problem

Inside

Jin Bennett (aiko@cephiro.com)

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

(Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Scholastic)

The Problem

There was blood in the boat.

Ron hadn't noticed it at first—or he had, but he hadn't seen it for what is was in the black night. He looked closely at the dark liquid collecting in the bottom of the boat, and it could no longer be mistaken as water. It was fresh, still moving from side to side with the sickening roll of the boat in the waves.

He knew it wasn't his.

"Hermione!" he snapped, pulling the oars from the dark water and putting them in his lap. There was no response from the figure reclined in front of him, not even a twitch. He learned over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

His hands were almost numb from the cold, and he felt not even the slightest heat coming from her body. His stomach turned, and it had nothing to do with the inconsistent push of the waves. Ron shook her shoulder once, gently, then hard enough to cause her head to roll down to her chest.

The blood was still in the boat, and Ron was certain that over the lapping of the waves he heard a dripping sound. He tossed the oars to his side and leaned over to examine Hermione, checking her shoulders, arms, legs, chest… As his hand brushed past her stomach, it came in contact with something unbearably hot and wet. His breath caught and he brought his hand back towards his face, examining his wet fingertips in the moonlight.

People died from stomach wounds, didn't they?

He hadn't even noticed—granted, they had no time to spare while making their escape, but… She had talked to him when the had jumped into the old boat, quietly and urgently giving him instructions to best put them out of harm's way. He paddled like mad, putting the dock and the Death Eaters as far behind as he could… How long ago had it been since she fell silent?

Ron cursed. Why the hell hadn't she said anything?

He pulled out his wand to prepare a healing spell then bit his lip to prevent another outburst, the knot in his stomach clenching even tighter. He couldn't afford to use magic, even though he knew that they were miles away from the shore and from the Death Eaters. They were probably scanning the ocean at that very moment, looking for any traces of magic. If Ron were to cast even a simple light spell, it was unlikely that either of them would survive the night.

He tried to stop the flow of blood with his hand, but that only seemed to make it worse. She still had a pulse, at least—but for how long would that last at the rate of her blood loss? The boat had been their temporary salvation, their only way out—but Ron wanted nothing more than to burn the damned useless thing to ashes. Hogwarts was as infinitely far away as help was. What was he supposed to do?

The blood coated his hand now, and realizing this Ron withdrew his hand from Hermione's stomach. It's warmth almost burned in contrast to the bitter cold. He regarded the wand in his unstained hand. If he used magic, they would surely be caught—but if he didn't use magic…

That was it, then. He raised his wand, muttered the incantation, and directed the spell at Hermione's stomach.

A bright light overtook them both and he ceased to think.

It was a simple mission, but like always, they had managed to get into the worst of trouble.

End The Problem.

To be continued in The Root.