Bloodlust

Chapter II

The morning hustle woke Hermione from her brief rest. Her eyes were foggy as she looked around. She rubbed her eyes as she straightened her back. Only then did she realise how uncomfortable her position was.

She scanned her surroundings, seeing the older couple huddled up in the wall opposite her. The older woman was still in a deep sleep, resting her head on her husband.

Hermione sighed, switching her sight to the husband as he began to hum a tune, caressing the grey locks of his wife.

"Good morning," the old man greeted with a faint smile.

Hermione's lips quirked up. A bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"Likewise," she replied, her voice sounding adenoidal from the crying and the exposure to cold.

"Are you okay, love?" The old man asked, noticing the change in Hermione's voice.

Nobody was okay. They were imprisoned and soon to be sold. No one was okay.

Hermione nodded faintly, her eyes dropping back to the wife. Her heart constricted with shock, and panic immediately followed, a selfish greeting of the morning.

"She's not breathing," Hermione said as she stood quickly.

"Sir, she's not breathing!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Ma'am? Ma'am? Can you hear me?"

Her voice was shaking and her hands were cold with worry as she shook the old woman, trying her best to wake her.

"Luna, help me. Wake up, Romilda! Help me!" Hermione shrieked, waking everyone inside the cell.

"Help me lay her down. I'll do the chest compressions – "

"Sir, you have to trust us. Hermione knows what she's doing," Luna explained, holding the husband away from the rescue attempt.

The old man resisted Luna and Romilda Vane's hold, successfully reaching his wife and Hermione.

The sound of ribs cracking filled Hermione's ears. The sensation of the bones breaking was uneasy to her, but that was the only way to bring the woman back to life.

"Luna, take him – Sir, you have to let me do this," Hermione pleaded, trying to focus on reviving the unbreathing body beneath her hands.

The scene was immediately packed with curious people, towering over the panic happening on the floor.

Zacharias Smith took over the old man, holding him in a distance as Hermione increased her effort. The old man fought off Smith's tight grip, begging to let him go.

"Stop it! Stop it!" The old man screamed between his sobs.

"Sir, it's normal – Granger's not hurting your wife," Smith tried putting sense to the man.

"She died almost an hour ago! You won't do any help!" The old man announced, causing a brief stillness inside the cell.

Hermione paused, turning abruptly to the old man.

"W-what?" She asked in disbelief.

"You can't save her. Just stop it!"

The old man freed himself from Smith. He dashed towards his lifeless wife, shoving Hermione out of the way.

A hand grasped Hermione's shoulders, gently pulling her away from the couple.

"I don't understand... Why- why didn't you ask for help? You could've woken us up!" Hermione blurted out, for some reason, feeling enraged.

"Hermione – " Romilda called.

"No, I don't understand – "

"It's not your place to decide, Mione... I know you want to help, but..." Romilda Vane ran out of words.