In The Water

Boxtruckle

The pain in my back woke me up and I stood up with a groan. She was curled up on the floor by the chair.Silly girl, bracing myself for the pain I scooped her up and placed her on the empty loveseat. I found a blanket and tucked her in kissing her head.

"You love her so much." Evie voice was barely audible over the raging storm.

"With all my heart." I walked over and kissed the old woman cheek."Do you need anything Evie?"

"No son, just couldn't sleep.Harry is going to read you the riot act for picking her up after hurting your leg and back." she said with a smile and a sigh.

"Couldn't leave her on the floor, she deserves more then that." I bring Evelyn a glass of water. Then make sure she's comfortable before going to the hall.  The floor was covered in water from a broken window.

"Her breathing is getting worst.The pool room is destroyed. We need to get her into the ocean." Potter said as he leaned against the wall. He handed me his pack of camels.

"What do you suggest?" I took a long drag and lean against the opposite wall. The storm still beating against the sides of the house.

"I don't know. How's the leg?" Harry was always a master of changing the subject.

"Hurts but it's fine. Stitches are holding up pretty good." I lied slightly, my leg was screaming in pain but nothing we can do about it so why complain.

"Mom says the storm should clear up by tomorrow. We'll need to get Mione into the water the moment it stops raining." He looked out though the planks at the pounding rain.

"Anything we can do till then? She's getting worse. Has she ever gone this long before?" I ask leaning back against the wall.

"Not since she first came to live with us." He messed with his glasses and put them back on with a sad inhale. "I don't know what to do Cedric."

"I saw some sea salt in your Mums kitchen. Let's fill a bathtub with water and the salt. Hopefully it will be enough." I suggested as I walked towards the dining room.

"That's a great idea except there's no running water." He said to me and I know I blinked at him a good ten times before taking a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Go get the salt and meet me in the bathroom." I commanded still in shock of his stupidity. When I got back into the dining room Evie was at Hermione side. The older woman stroked her back as she went though a series of small coughs and trying to catch her breath.

"It just started." Evie said to me as I rushed to them.

"Ced." Hermione couldn't even get my name out before another coughing fit hit her. I picked her up and held her close to my chest.

"Baby breathe with me." I inhaled deeply and she tried to mimic it. She followed my inhales and exhales til she was able to breath again. Her chest was starting to seize again, another coughing fit was coming. I carried her into the bathroom where Potter was standing there with two large containers of sea salt.

"Mate, I told you there's no running water." Oh for Merlin's sake, I grumbled and handed him his sister.

"Augamenti." I cast my wand towards the tub and rip open the containers pouring them into the clear water.

"Oh yeah." He said as he looked up from checking her pulse.I grumbled a string of obscenities at him as I took Hermione back into my arms. "Wait, take her shirt off, the sleeve will cause the fins to get stuck."

I hesitantly unbutton my shirt she was wear. It was weird undressing her in front of her brother and mother.Lily was standing in the door way with a couple more sea salt containers and a pitcher. Hermione still had her long skirt and bra on as I laid her into the water. The red slits on her arms open and the brown fins unfurled out.

"Here Ceddy." Lily handed me the pitcher and the salt. She found some towels and brought them near us. Hermione eyes were closed and her head was under the water. After what felt like an eternity a large stream of air bubbles escape from behind her ears. She opened her eyes and her chest expanded in what looked like a big breath and more air bubbles escape.

Potter sat on the edge of the tub and grabbed her wrist to check her pulse again.

"It's starting to slow down a little. I'll come check on her in an hour." He shook the water off his hand and sighed before putting his hand on my shoulder. Lily came and sat on the loo next to me and pats me back.

"She's going to be okay. The rain storm should be gone by morning." She looked at her daughter who had closed her eyes again. The tiny bubbles where coming at a steady pace now. "Thank you for taking care of her."

"Always." I reached into the tub and stroked her hand. Hermione rubbed her fingers against mine.

"I'll let you two be alone, if you need anything let me know." She got up and left the room closing the door behind her.

"Can you hear me sweetheart?" I asked as I sat on the edge of the tub. She opened her eyes and nodded. I smile at her and tilts her head as she reached her hand out towards me. I took it and bent down to kiss it. "Love you."

"I love you too." She said as she sat up. I sighed shaking my head as I pushed her back down. She fought me but compromised by keeping her gils submerged. Still having trouble processing that my love has gils.

"Relax Hermione." Using the water spell again I filled the pitcher with water. I hand it to her and she gulps down a large amount.

"Thank you." She says with a tired voice. "I don't feel good Cedric."

"Is the bath helping at all." I ask filling the pitcher again.

"A little, I need real saltwater. I need the ocean, to swim. I'm so tired." She was close to tears.I made her stay in the tub for two hours.

"How are you feeling my love." I ask and she sits up more and wraps her wet arms around me.

"I want out." She whined kissing my cheek.

"I think you should stay in the tub until we can get you to the ocean." I answer but her response was to stand up and climb out.

"I can't lay in your arms in the tub." She said as she began peeling off her wet skirt and under garments. I shake my head at her again and hand her a towel.

"You win my love." I say as she wraps herself in the towel. Without wasting another moment I hug her close to me. Catching her off guard I sweep her up so she doesn't have to stand while her fins dry out.

"Cedric." She yelled and hit my chest before kissing my cheek. With a tired sigh she nuzzled my neck as I carried her to her room to change into some dry clothes.

"Come on Baby let's go downstairs." She grabbed my hand and dragged me to her bed.

"No." She said in a grumpy voice as she pulls me down to her. I get comfortable and she snuggled into my arms laying on my chest.

"Sleep beautiful, Please." I whisper into her still wet hair. She made another whining sound and rubbed her feet against my calves.

I most have dozed off when Hermione began shaking in my arms. I look down and her eyes where still closed but she was struggling for breath.

"Merlin, baby come on stay with me.Come on Hermione wake up." I shake her as I sit up. Her eyelids briefly flutter open before they close again and her whole body goes slack.

"Shite, Potter." I scream as I get out of bed and hold her in my arms. He comes bursting in the door shirtless and without his glasses.

"Merlin, What happened?" He grabs her wrist then put his head to her chest. "Shite, shite, she's not breathing."

I begin running out her room down the stairs. Potter runs ahead of me opening all the doors in the way. He takes out his wand and blast the debris in the path as we rush to the shore. Her lips are starting to turn a blue shade as I stare at the open water. With a deep breath I walk into the ocean.