Mystery

Ron cradled Hermione's head in his lap and whispered something in her ear. Harry, trying not to listen, felt her wrist. There was a steady pulse, so she was only sleeping. He remembered all the times he and Ron had worried for Hermione. Or, all the times mostly Ron had worried for Hermione.

"What do you want to do?" Ron's voice broke Harry out of his reverie.

"Oh, what? Um…St. Mungo's probably."

Ron shook his head.

"For Merlin's sake, why not!" Harry demanded.

"This isn't a magical injury, she's just bruised up. Help me bring her home, okay?"

Harry sighed. Those two were the stubbornest people he had ever met.

Ron slid his arms under Hermione's back and knees and Harry helped push her limp body into his friend's arms. Ron grunted as he lifted her, her slight baby bump adding to her weight. "C'mon, let's get her to your place, okay?"

Hermione stirred in his arms, her eyes flickering open again. "Wha..What's going on?" She mumbled almost incoherently.

"We're going home, 'Mione, and we're going to need to Apparate. I need you to hold on really tight, okay?"

Her head bobbed up and down and she squeezed herself closer to her husband's body.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, then wordlessly, but with a loud pop, Disapparated.

They reappeared right outside Ron and Hermione's house. They both let out a sigh of relief at making it there all right, before the night's silence was shattered with a scream.

Hermione had bolted upright, her eyes wide, filled with terror, her mouth open with a horrible, endless scream that faded back into silence though the pain remained in her face.

"What's happening?" Harry yelled in shock. "Did she Splinch?"

"No, no I don't think so!" Ron said frantically, running his hand down her body. "I don't think so! What's going on?" He hated to see Hermione in pain. She looked like she was under a torture spell and it was hurting him just as much. He gripped her tighter. "Hermione, Hermione, shhh, it's going to be okay, you're going to be okay." He didn't even know what was going to be okay. Whatwashappeningtoher?

"Ron!" Harry yelled then, pointing at her chest.

Ron looked down. The faint pink letters carved into her skin weren't exactly faint and pink any more. It looked as though they were slowly being retraced, each letter getting redder and rougher, as though an actual knife was cutting into her. And it seemed like one was, as Hermione's scream became desperate sobs, tears running down her face.

"Ron, make it stop, make it stop!" She pleaded desperately, clutching Ron's arms so hard her fingernails left marks.

Ron wanted to make it stop. "I'm going to, 'Mione, I'm going to." He said desperately, wiping sweat from her forehead. Another wave of pain coursed through her body as whatever was cutting her started the word 'OFF'.

"Why is this happening? Howis this happening?" Harry demanded of thin air, pacing frantically.

"I. Don't. Know." Ron said through clenched teeth, still holding Hermione close as tears cascaded from her eyes, her face contorted in pain. Ron ran his thumb over the cuts, but all it did was smear the fresh blood.

Then, as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. Not only did the cutting stop, the letters disappeared as if they had never been there. Hermione's wordless screams became ragged breaths, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she clung to Ron, who rocked her as he lowered himself onto the doorstep.

"I just don't understand!" said Harry, sitting beside them. "How are they-?"

Ron shook his head silently, trying to shut him up. He just wanted to hold Hermione as she cried silently, he didn't want to speculate—just yet.

Hermione hiccupped. "W-what h-h-happened?" She stammered, trying to contain a fresh wave of tears.

"I don't know, but—"

Then the screams began anew as Hermione's nails dug into his bicep. The clear skin that had just recently been restored was being slashed again, but the first letter wasn't a B.

"What's happening? What are they writing?" Harry had no idea to whom he referred to when he said 'they', but figured it was the right word.

N-U-M-B-E-R7-4.That was the phrase carved into her skin as Hermione, numb from pain and devoid of more tears, slipped into unconsciousness.

"Number 74? What does that mean?" Ron demanded.

"I don't know, Ron, but let's get her inside; we've been outside too long." Harry was getting nervous.

"Yeah, yeah..you're right." Securing Hermione more firmly against him, he lifted them both up from the doorstep and carried her inside, laying her on the couch.

She wasn't in a peaceful, sleepy state. Her face was twisted in agony, her eyes clenched shut. Ron stroked her face, smearing the drying tear tracks before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Harry could see Ron was holding back most of his emotions, too. Anyone who knew Ron knew that Hermione was his weakest point, and that all it took to hurt Ron was to shoot even the shortest of glares at Hermione.

The two men sat there in silence for ten minutes, Harry on the floor, his back pressed to the sofa and his arms loosely around his knees; and Ron, curled with Hermione.

"How did that happen?" Ron was the one to break the silence, albeit with only a whisper. Harry, not sure if he was talking to himself or legitimately asking him a question, took a moment before whispering back, "I…I don't know."

They were both clueless. Whatever it was, it had to be Dark Magic. How did a faraway knife tear open healed cuts?

Hermione took another ten minutes to wake up. Ron was too wrapped up in his own thoughts, his glazed eyes staring into the distance for a few moments before Hermione's raspy voice shook him out of his reverie. "Ron?" She coughed.

"Yeah?" Both Ron and Harry bolted upright, Harry kneeling next to her and Ron supporting her.

Her mouth contorted and tears sprung to her eyes. "I love you." She whispered before wrapping her arms around him.

A/N: Sorry, sorry, short I know! But Aidan planned an "Emergency labor drill" at midnight, just for practice in case I go into labor in the middle of the night in two months. And I REALLY wanted to get this out before then! Despite the shortness, I would GREATLY appreciate ANY AND ALL reviews on this! Like, this sounds REALLY desperate, but PLEASE? You have no idea how bored I am at home. I think I've watched every season of every existing tv show up this point in time, and nearly every rom-com. Opening my email to reviews makes me the happiest person alive!

Aidan and I had a minor spat over a baby name the other night, so even though the end of this chapter was lovey-dovey, who are we kidding? It's Ron and Hermione! It won't last too long! Mwahahaha. Ok, freak moment over. Reviews? :)

XOXO, Love always.

Elena