In The Water

Centuar

It was particularly hard to get Meri to go to sleep that night, when she finally surrendered to sleep I went downstairs. James and Lily were talking with Luna over a cup of tea. Rolf was back at the guest house with their children. I sat in the chair across from them and they all looked at me like I had a plan.

"Luna, dear. Hermione has been gone for almost four years, is it possible Meri is Cedrics'? Draco could have just not wanted her, you said Jengu abandon their young." Lily asked and Luna gave me a smile.

"From what we've read they do abandon them, but Rolf said Draco told her to call for him if she needed him. So he didnt truly abandon her. You said that Hermione didn't age in the water, that a cut she had didnt heal until she stayed out of the water?" Luna question was directed towards James.

"Yes, you're saying she carried Meri for almost two years?" Lily asked looking shocked. I was too, I would have love to have seen her carrying our child. Seeing Meri come into the world. I quickly shook the thoughts from my head before I became angry.

" Most likely, I also think she kept Meri on dry land for the most part. She seems to have age normally. I've noticed she can't hold her breath that long and that her fins are significantly smaller then Dracos." Luna made some points, Meri didn't like to stay under for very long. Ten minutes is the longest she's stay under for.

"Well she's a child so of course they would be smaller, Hermiones were smaller too." Lily said and Luna nodded as she sipped her tea. "

"Yes, but the proportion seem smaller, a lot smaller. She is only a quarter sea nymph." She said as she put her cup down. " I have to get back to the babies, try to get some sleep."

James and Lily went to their room but I couldn't sleep. I went into Meri room and sat in a chair reading some muggle poetry. Meri began stirring in her sleep, I closed the book and sat at the foot of the bed.

"Da." She cries out and opened her eyes. I pull her into my arms and rock her.

"What is it little one?" I ask trying to calm her down.

"Took mama." She whimpered still crying from her nightmare. "Shark hurt mama."

"It's okay, I got you little one. It's okay." I kept rocking her trying to help her get out of her dream.

"He took mama." She said again. The shark took her? Meri was trying so hard to tell me something but didn't know how to.

"The shark took mama?" I ask her and she shook her head. She tugged at my chain pulling out the rings.

"Mama gave me. Man took mama." She was holding the ring we found Meri with.

"Draco took mama?" I ask but Draco was looking for her. Meri shook her head no.

"No?" I ask so it was someone else in the water with them. "Was he like you?"

She nodded her head quickly. Her small hand was still holding the rings on my neck. Her tears had stopped and she seemed to be calming down.

"Like papa." She added. Like James? I tried to think of what she meant.

"Little one, he was older like papa?" She nodded again as she sleepy rested her head on my shoulder.

"Scared shark, took mama. Found Da." She hugged me and closed her eyes. I was able to finally see what had happened that day. Rolf was right someone took her, someone strong enough to scare sharks away.

"That's right, we found each other little one. I won't let anything happen to you." I kissed the top of her head and laid her back in bed.

"Love you da." She said with closed eyes as she snuggled into her bed.

"Love you too, little one." I whisper leaving the room to let her sleep. I found Lily and James still talking over the now cold tea.

"Meri had a nightmare." I said as I sat in my chair, running my hand across my face with a groan.

"Oh poor baby, is she okay?" Lily asked looking up the stairs.

"Yeah, she's already asleep again." I answered and took a deep breath.They're going to think I'm crazy. "She said a man took Hermione, I think she's still alive."

They both gasped and looked at with their jaw hanging open. You could almost read their minds, they think I've finally lost it.

"Cedric dear, do you think Meri just dreamed it up." James said in a serious tone while holding Lily hand.

"It's possible but I don't think so. She seemed so sure of it. Plus Draco said we would have felt it if she died." I explained and I couldn't help but see the hope in Lily eyes.

They seemed to be thinking about what I said for what felt like for hours. It had only been second.

"You can't leave Meri behind while you look for a lost cause based on a what could be a toddler dream."  James finally said. I shook my head with a smile.

"I'm taking her with me, I'll never leave my daughter." They looked at me with pride and a hint of sadness. 

"Harry is coming in a week, he wants to meet Meri and let us spend time with Evie before the season starts." Lily said and I nodded.

"Good,good. I want to talk to him about this." Not to mention I wanted to see his family. Part of me hopes Evie and Meri will bond. I want Meri to know her family.

"I can't say that I'm thrilled with the idea of you taking my granddaughter on a disastrous venture,but if you really think Hermione is alive." James paused and gave me a sad smile. "I want you to bring her home."