What I Wouldn't Give

The wind blew across the sand, sweeping it up in a feeble whirlwind and dropping it to the ground. The sun shone brightly across the beach, its rays warming the sand and the surrounding water. There were almost no clouds in the sky as she lay there, her eyes half closed as she looked to the heavens. She let out a soft breath, her hand laying across her face to stop the sun. Suddenly there was a yell causing her to shoot into a sitting position. Someone was coming. Her heart was beating fast as she made her way to the surf, her tail dragging uselessly in the sand. She was panting by the time she had submerged herself in the waves, her bushy brown hair straightening in the surf.

There was laughing from the shore. A boy and a girl were frolicking across the sand, arms wrapped around each other. I don't think they saw me. Phew. The boy was tall, his blond curl hair was waving in the wind. Hermione watched as he smiled, and something twisted in the pit of her stomach. His eyes were focused on the girl, a beautiful brown like the bark of the large oaks of the stories her mother told her. Hermione laid a hand on her chest, a steady, racing beat was coming from it. The girl said something, her black hair shimming in the sun. He laughed, titling his head back.

There was a noise off the beach, and the girl turned to look. She said something again to the boy and walked back in the direction they had come, leaving him alone on the sand. He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes falling closed as he sighed and almost fell to the ground. The smile had vanished from his face and his mouth was twisting down sadly. She wanted to know what was wrong, she wanted to help – she needed to. Swimming forward, her tail flicking through the salty water, she swam to the shore. She was close enough to hear his voice as he said, in an almost curse to the skies:
"Damn it."

The leaves behind him rustled, and a sound came from the place the girl had just retreated to. Hermione, who was seconds from revealing herself, paused; waiting for the movement to stop. Suddenly another man burst from the trees and run down the beach to where the boy sat, his head now resting against his knees.
"Justin!" The man called, stopping a few meters short of the boy. "Justin, we need you back there. Everyone is going crazy and Padma is freaking out." His breathing was coming short as he looked down at the boy, who he called Justin.
"And, why do you need me?" His voice was deep and somewhat entrancing. Hermione let it roll over her. It was beautiful, like the pearl of an oyster or a whales song. The man looked down at him, his brow furrowed slightly. With a deep breath, the man took the last few steps and sat down next to the boy, staring out into the waves.
"What is the matter, brother?" He asked softly, his hand twitching, as if considering the journey to rest on his shoulder but deciding against it. There was a crash from behind them, and the newcomer winced. Justin just looked up to the sky.
"Do you ever wish that you were somewhere else," Justin breathed quietly, almost too quietly for Hermione to hear, "... that you were... someone else?" The other man looked to Justin with a small frown.
"I wouldn't mind having your life, my friend!" He joked, but saw that it wasn't the time.
"Ernie, I -" He paused, shaking his head. "All I have been doing is what my father tells me. 'Learn this... fight that' it's exhausting. Trust me, you would not love my life." The other man, Ernie, sighed. But Justin continued:
"My father expects me to stay here and learn everything he knows. I am being forced to marry someone I despise and I've known her for two days?!" He looked out to the water, his eyes hovering on the waves just over Hermione's head, making it look like he was staring straight at her. "I want to read, Ernie, but not just that. I want to have adventures, to explore. I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my existence dealing with a whiny rich princess. I want to travel across seas!" He ran his hand through his hair again, a habit that Hermione had come to adore. She wondered if he knew at all, that those wishes were ones they both shared.

"Come now, my Prince," Ernie smiled, getting to his feet with great effort, "we must go and fix this." He said, as there were more screams from, what Hermione assumed was the camp. "And then tomorrow we will plan our escape to the sea." Justin looked up to his friend, sadness sweeping his features. Then a smile graced his face and he rose.
"Tomorrow," He agreed.

Hermione watched as the two men walked from the beach. She lifted herself up, to get one last look at him before he disappeared forever. Suddenly he stopped, turned quickly and looked out into the waves. Their eyes connected for just a moment, and her heart stopped. She dove back into the surf and took a deep breath. When she surfaced, meters to the right, she saw him watching the place she vanished. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were sharp as he searched the sea. There was a call of his name from the trees, and he answered with a "One second!" before one final glance to the blue expanse. He shook head and head turned away.

To this day Hermione wished she had the nerves to let him see her. The next day, the Prince and a few trusted advisers sailed from the dock and were shipwrecked a thousand miles from their kingdom. Another little mermaid was there and managed to rescue the prince – but that, I'm afraid, is a different story.

The End

A/N: Words – 1,027

Choc Frog – (Bronze) Justin Finch-Fletchley

Getting Around - Hermione/Justin Finch-Fletchley

March Birthstone - "Write a story set near, on or within the sea..." (600)