Promise You Won\'t Forget Me

~Chapter 4: Blood and Burglary~

Harry was still clutching the limp body of the maid in his arms when people started to come out of the dining hall.

"We need to get her inside," he hissed to Hermione. Her voice was caught in her throat and all she could do was nod, but she helped Harry carry the maid to her room which was closest. Once inside they dumped her unceremoniously on the bed. Hermione turned to Harry, her face white from shock. Harry didn´t look very well either; he looked like he could fall over at any moment

"Oh, Harry, do you think it could be true? That poor man, murdered? Who could do such a thing?"

Harry´s shock was replaced with grim determination. "I don´t know, but I intend to find out." He looked at the maid. "Do you think she knows anything?"

Hermione shook her head slowly. "No, I doubt it. She just found the body, the poor thing. So what do we do now, Harry?"

"I guess we have to tell the captain," Harry said, frowning. "But I´m worried about how he´ll take it. What can he do?"

Hermione sat heavily on the bed causing it to bounce a bit. "Harry, we have a murderer on board this ship! We are on a boat with a murderer! We´re trapped!"

Harry grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Hermione, you´re getting hysterical! We need to stay calm."

Her eyes had gone as wide as saucers. She stared at the maid and whispered, "How do you think he died?"

"Avada Kedavra, I suppose," Harry answered cooly. But Hermione wasn´t fooled; his hands were shaking badly. She took them in hers and stared into his eyes.

"Harry, we´ll get to the bottom of this. No one else will get hurt."

Harry smiled tremulously, but he shook his head. "No, Herm, I don´t want you involved. This is murder we´re talking about. It´s best you just pretend nothing has happened."

Hermione felt her temper rising. "Don´t you dare play that game with me, Harry. I will not just sit back and relax while you´re off chasing murderers!"

Harry clamped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet! Do you want to alarm the entire ship?"

Hermione removed the hand from her mouth. "Ennervate," she said, pointing her wand at the maid. She stirred and sat up slowly. Catching Harry´s eye, Hermione nodded.

"Miss, are you all right?"

The maid blinked dazedly. "What happened?"

"We need to ask you the same thing," Harry said, catching on. "I know this will be difficult for you, but you need to tell us--tell us about the body."

The maid shivered. "That horrible body! It was so terrible, so much blood!" She started to shake uncontrollably and let out a piercing shriek.

"Oh for heavens sake," Hermione muttered. "Petrificus Totalus."

The maid´s shrieks were silent, but tears were running down her cheeks and she stared at Harry and Hermione with a look of absolute horror.

"Let´s go talk to the Captain and then we´ll deal with this," Harry said.

Hermione performed the counter-spell and they left the maid where she was after a few reassuring words and headed for the Captain´s cabin. Hermione was really scared. The maid had mentioned blood, but what wizard would use a muggle weapon when he had a wand at his disposal? Avada Kedavra was cleaner and didn´t leave a trace. Harry was thinking the same thing.

"Why wouldn´t they use Avada Kedavra? Why use a weapon that leaves such a mess?"

The answer hit Hermione so suddenly that she was sure it was right. "Because he, or she, knew we would check wands. Priori Incantatem."

Harry understood. "Of course, we test everyone´s wands and it is clear which wand cast that spell. So instead someone uses a knife?"

"Or a gun," Hermione said. "Some sort of weapon that causes blood. We´re here."

Harry reached out and knocked on the door of the Captain´s cabin. It creaked open and the friendly face of the captain appeared. He looked wary until he recognized Harry and Hermione.

"Mr. Potter! Professor Granger! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Harry started to fidget. "May we come inside? There´s distressing news."

The captain smiled slyly. "Of course, of course, come in. Would you like something to drink?"

Harry was about to reply in the affirmative, but Hermione cut him off. "No, thank you. We have to talk to you, Mr., er--"

"Call me Jack," the captain said smoothly. "Anything for Mr. Potter and his lovely friend. What is the matter? Is your mini-bar missing something? Has the food been bad?"

"No, nothing like that," Hermione reassured him. "But brace yourself, um, Jack, it seems that there has been a murder on board the ship."

Hermione wasn´t sure what she expected, hysterics possibly, but certainly not hysterical laughter.

"Oh, my dear Professor Granger," he said once he caught his breath. "Can I call you Hermione? I think that you must be mistaken."

"But one of your maids came running hysterically down the hallway, screaming at the top of her lungs about dead bodies," Harry said, clearly worried that Jack wasn´t taking this seriously.

Jack waved a hand. "I´ll bet it was Mitzi. She probably saw a mouse, or a spider. Who was it that is supposed to be dead?"

"Martin Franklin," Hermione replied promptly. Jack´s eyebrows raised questioningly.

"Indeed? Interesting." He sighed. "Very well, I can see you won´t rest until we check. Come on, we´ll look in his room."

Jack led the way to Martin´s compartment. As he passed people he smiled and tipped his hat but didn´t stop to chat. Once they reached the cabin, he knocked twice. There was no answer.

"Mr. Franklin?" he called in a low tone. Still no answer.

He pulled out a special key which looked enchanted. Hermione was going to point out that there wasn´t a keyhole when one appeared. Jack put the key in and turned it. The door creaked open ominously.

Hermione had to fight all impulses to scream. Harry blinked twice as though he was trying to clear his vision. Jack passed out.

The body, Hermione couldn´t think of it as Martin, was lying on the bed in a pool of blood. Some of it had dripped onto the floor creating a slick surface. A knife was buried in the chest up to the hilt. His eyes were closed, so Hermione assumed the attacker had struck while he was sleeping. She couldn´t take her eyes from the sight. Mitzi was right, Hermione thought irrelevantly. There was a lot of blood.

Harry snapped out of his trance and took control. He pulled Hermione and Jack from the cabin and locked it. Then he pocketed the key. Taking out his wand, he revived Jack. The captain sat up and started shaking.

"I know it´s a lot to take in, Jack," Harry said gently, "but we can´t stay out here. Let´s go to your cabin and we´ll discuss this, alright?"

The captain could barely nod. Together Harry and Hermione heaved him to his feet. Suddenly the rocking motion really hit Hermione and she rushed to the side of the boat to empty her stomach. Harry came up behind her, held her hair and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Good girl, Herm, get it all out," he murmured softly. Some passengers were wandering by, looking confused at the captain who was slumped against a railing and Hermione who was throwing up over the side of the boat. "No need for concern, folks, just a touch of sea-sickness." They passed by but not without a few strange looks.

They somehow made it to the captain´s cabin and Harry made Hermione and Jack each a whiskey. The alcohol had a numbing effect and eased her trembling, but Hermione was still deeply shaken. Jack was in worse shape. He was staring blankly at the wall and had drowned his whiskey in one gulp.

"I can´t believe it. How could we have a murderer on board?" Jack asked in disbelief. "And why him? Why murder the Ambassador? They´ll make an international incident of this!"

"Maybe that´s what they´re hoping for," Harry said with a sigh.

Jack sat up straight suddenly. "We´re supposed to dock at Nassau tomorrow! How will I explain there´s a dead man in one of the cabins?"

"We can´t dock," Hermione said flatly. Jack looked at her as if she had suddenly lost her mind, but Harry understood.

"It would give the murderer an easy chance to escape," Harry explained. "We can´t dock anywhere until we figure out who did it."

But Jack shook his head. "No good. We don´t just dock so the passengers can see the sights. We need to take on supplies and fuel up. This ship may be magical, but it was a muggle ship first which means it runs on fuel. And we can´t just zap in pizzas. Where do we get the food from? There are House Elves down below who create the meals, but--"

"House Elves!" Hermione cried, outraged. Jack looked at her.

"Yes, who did you think did the cooking?" Hermione was angry, but didn´t speak. Jack resumed. "At the very least we need to bring on fresh water."

Harry had been thinking while Jack talked. Now he spoke. "How far can we get with the fuel we have now? Do we have to dock at Nassau?"

Jack slowly shook his head. "No," he said uncertainly. "But we certainly have to dock at San Juan. Otherwise we´ll end up drifting aimlessly through the Atlantic."

"What if we drop anchor for two days? That won´t waste fuel will it?" Hermione asked. "We were going to be at Nassau for two days anyway, so we just won´t dock. Then we´ll head for San Juan."

Jack seemed skeptical. "How do we explain that we aren´t stopping at Nassau without causing a panic on the ship?"

"Tell them there´s something wrong with the water level," Harry said with a shrug. "I don´t know. But their safety is more important than if they get to walk on the beach." He yawned.

"I suppose you´re right. Now go get some sleep, it´s very important. I´ll make an announcement at breakfast, and for the time being, Mr. Franklin will remain where he is." Jack sighed.

Harry helped Hermione back to her room and then left. She got into her dressing gown and lay down on her bed. But she was restless. The night´s events had driven away her desire to sleep, so she decided to walk around the deck. At that hour it wasn´t likely she´d run into anyone. And even if she did, so what? She just wanted to clear her head.

As she stepped out under the stars, her first thought was, why Martin? Was it really to cause international problems? A British ambassador on an American cruise? But America and Great Britain were on good terms, there would be no reason for that. But then something came back to her.

"It survives mostly off of tourism, but they have an embassy. I´ve been sent to alert them about the new threat."

Hermione nearly fell off her chair. "What threat? Last I heard everyone was safe. Even the Death Eaters are lying low."

Martin peered at her. "You are Hermione Granger, are you not?"

She nodded. "I am. So?"

Martin was clearly taken aback. "I thought you of all people would know! It´s about," he lowered his voice, "You-Know-Who´s resurrection."

What if there were people who didn´t want the Bahamas alerted to Voldemort´s resurrection? The more she thought about it, the more likely that seemed. But thinking about Voldemort only made her think about Ron, and about the man she knew inside was Ron.

A light breeze wafted around her, sweeping through her hair and blowing her skirts around her legs. She looked out at the sky. It was so beautiful at night, out on the ship away from civilization. The breeze refreshed her and calmed her. But she couldn´t stop the tears from dripping down her cheeks as she remembered...

"Damn it, Hermione, will you stop nagging for five minutes!" Ron bellowed.

"I don´t nag!" Hermione shouted back.

Everyone in the Gryffindor Common room stopped what they were doing to watch Ron and Hermione´s latest row. It was bound to be good.

"Then stop telling me what to do!" Ron shouted. "Bloody hell, I can´t have an opinion of my own! It always has to agree with yours!"

"It only does if you want to be right," Hermione said haughtily, narrowing her eyes.

"You aren´t always right, Hermione," Ron said viciously. "And just because I disagree with you, doesn´t make me wrong!"

Everyone was listening with rapt attention. They hadn´t had an argument this explosive since fourth year.

"It certainly doesn´t make you right," Hermione retorted, her face flushed with anger. "Why can´t you just understand that I´m trying to do what´s best for you?"

Ron scoffed. "For me? Hardly. It´s always what´s best for you!"

Hermione was furious. "Damn you, Ron Weasley, I am not a self-serving narcissist."

"No, you´re just a--" He said something that made Harry say, "Ron!"

Ron at least had the decency to blush. "Okay, sorry, that was out of line."

Hermione calmed down. "I apologize, too. Er, what were we arguing about again?"

Hermione laughed through her tears. She was remembering Ron and the first thing that came to mind was a fight. A song came to mind and she could almost hear Ron whispering the words in her ear.

Come stop your crying

It will be all right

Just take my hand hold it tight

I will protect you

from all around you

I will be here

Don't you cry

For one so small,

you seem so strong

My arms will hold you,

keep you safe and warm

This bond between us

Can't be broken

I will be here

Don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart

Yes, you'll be in my heart

From this day on

Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You'll be here in my heart, always

Why can't they understand

the way we feel

They just don't trust

what they can't explain

I know we're different but,

deep inside us

We're not that different at all

And you'll be in my heart

Yes, you'll be in my heart

From this day on

Now and forever more

Don't listen to them

'Cause what do they know

We need each other,

to have, to hold

They'll see in time

I know

When destiny calls you

You must be strong

I may not be with you

But you've got to hold on

They'll see in time

I know

We'll show them together

'Cause you'll be in my heart

Yes, you'll be in my heart

From this day on,

Now and forever more

She heard footsteps approach and turned. Ron was standing there. She gasped, one moment thinking she was seeing a ghost. But as he came closer, hands in his pockets, Hermione remembered that he wasn´t Ron Weasley. Not at the moment anyway. It was time she confirmed her theory.

"Sorry if I´m disturbing you," he said softly. The wind gently stirred his hair and he leaned on the railing, staring out at the water. "I´ll leave if you like."

"No need," Hermione replied, collecting herself. "I was just admiring the stars." She wasn´t sure what came over her, but she suddenly blurted out, "Ron, do you dream?"

Ron looked at her strangely. "Doesn´t everyone?" he replied good-naturedly.

"Well, I meant about anything specific. A reoccurring dream."

Ron was silent for a while, he just stared out at the ocean. The sounds were quite soothing. After a few moments, Hermione was afraid she had offended him, but then his lips parted and he spoke.

"You´re going to think this is silly," he began, obviously hesitant, "but I sometimes dream of a family."

"A family?" Hermione repeated.

"Yeah, a large one. My family. Everyone loves me and we´re all very close." Ron´s shoulder´s raised in a shrug. "I told you it was stupid."

"It´s not stupid to want a family," Hermione said gently. "What do they look like?"

"Like me. Red hair, freckles, mostly brothers, I always wanted brothers, but I have a sister too." He took a deep breath. "And as of last night, you and Harry were in my dream."

Hermione hadn´t been expecting that. "Really? But, we didn´t meet until this morning."

Ron shrugged again. "But now I recognize you. You were in my dream, you and Harry. I can´t explain it."

"I can," Hermione said softly. But Ron didn´t hear her. She wasn´t sure she wanted him to. A sharp breeze blew past and Hermione shivered. Ron inspected her critically.

"You shouldn´t be out here in that." When he realized what `that´ was, his ears turned red. Good old Ron, Hermione thought. Except, he wasn´t good old Ron. He was whatever they made him. She didn´t know if there was any loyalty to her left in him.

Because by now she was certain that Ron Carmichael was Ron Weasley. And yet they weren´t the same person. This Ron was quieter, more thoughtful, and sensible. And while those were all qualities she admired in a person like Harry, they weren´t what she loved about Ron. What if whomever did this to him, made him Harry in all but physical appearances? What if the real Ron was lost forever?

She hadn´t noticed it, but she was starting to cry again. Ron noticed and felt terrible.

"I´m making you think of him, aren´t I?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "Don´t blame yourself. I was thinking about him before I saw you." She tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and pulled her robe tighter around her body.

"I like you, Hermione. I find you easy to talk to, but I don´t want to see you cry every time you look at me. If I could be your Ron, I would. But I can´t."

That´s not true, Hermione thought. I just have to figure out how to free the Ron within you. Suddenly she had an idea.

"Ron, will you grant me a favor? I want to try something."

He nodded solemnly and followed her back to her room.

"I´ll just be a minute, I have to get my wand." Hermione opened her door and entered. She stopped short just inside the doorway.

"Whoa," Ron said behind her. "What happened?"

Hermione wanted to know the same thing. Her room was a mess. The table was overturned, her bed was ripped apart, bottles were on the floor, her clothes had been pulled out of the closet and strewn about, and her safe had been broken into. She rushed over to it and discovered that everything had been taken--including the book necklace from Ron. That hurt most of all.

"What could they be looking for?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "My jewelry wasn´t anything special. I think it was only taken to cover the real reason for the break in."

"But what could that be?" Ron asked, surveying the destroyed room.

"I have no idea," Hermione said, exhausted. "Thanks for our talk, Ron. I´m going to go to bed."

"What about that thing you wanted to try?" Ron asked.

"Oh, I´ll do it tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night, Hermione."

She closed the door behind him and got into her bed. She´d clean up in the morning. She was really upset by the theft of that necklace, but there was nothing she could do at the moment. She needed to sleep.

Her dreams were nightmares, unsurprisingly. Blood flooded everywhere and instead of Martin, the dead body was Ron´s. She was reaching out to him when a torrent of blood came from no where and swept him into the red sea. Then he morphed into Harry and he stood up and walked toward her. She went to him. His arms were outstretched and his fingers oozed the same red blood, but she still went to him. Just as she placed a hand on his shoulder, he melted.

She woke up sweating just as dawn broke over the horizon. She pulled herself up out of bed and stumbled over to the shower. She needed a coffee. Badly. Once she got out of the shower, she threw on a cotton dress, brushed through her hair once and went for breakfast.

Hardly anyone was there, including Harry. Ron was, though, and Hermione sat down next to him. Hermione glanced towards the small stage where Jack would be making his announcement, but he wasn´t there yet. If Ron noticed her agitation, he wisely said nothing about it.

Claudia sauntered in a half hour after Hermione and took a chair next to Ron. She grabbed a muffin and a cup of coffee before giggling.

"What´s so funny?" Hermione asked, momentarily distracted.

"I just saw Harry. He had been cornered by that Rita Skeeter woman."

Hermione froze. "Did you hear what they were discussing?"

Claudia frowned in thought. "You and me, I think. She was trying to find out which of us was Harry´s current girlfriend." She laughed again.

Hermione relaxed. Rita didn´t know about the dead body yet. Her quill would explode when she did, though. What a scoop.

Ron leaned over. "Is this Skeeter woman dangerous?" he asked.

Hermione laughed. "You know, once I would have said no, but she can be perilous."

Ron glanced across the room and waved. "Do you mind if my friends sit with us?"

"Not at all," Hermione replied. Two people their age came over and Hermione´s first thought was: Slytherin. She did that all the time. When she met new people she sorted them into one of the four Houses. Usually her first impressions were right. They had the look of Slytherins and that way of turning up their nose in a snub.

The woman was quite attractive. Her hair was a bright copper color and she had pale blue eyes. Her nose turned up slightly, as if it were made for snobbery. No freckles; her ivory skin was perfectly clear. Her husband would have been attractive if his face wasn´t set in a permanent scowl. His physical appearance could be summed up in one word: dark. Eyes, hair, complexion, all were very dark in a surprising contrast to his wife.

Ron was introducing them. "This is Blaine and Charles O´Malley. Blaine, Charlie, meet Hermione Granger and Claudia Rampart."

They all shook hands. Blaine gracefully took a seat and smiled up at her husband.

"Charlie, will you get me a mimosa? Thank you, Darling." She smiled directly at Hermione and her lips twitched. "How do I know that name?"

"You probably read it in the paper," Hermione replied. She had taken an instant dislike to these people, but for Ron´s sake she put on her `polite´ face.

"Oh, of course," Blaine replied with a wave of her hand. That was the end of that.

Jack took the stage. He looked terrible. He was green around the mouth, sweating, with a five o´clock shadow, and dark circles under his eyes. He cleared his throat and twitched nervously.

"Ahem, may I have everyone´s attention?" The diners looked up at him and he swayed. Hermione suddenly realized he was hung over. "I´m afraid that we are unable to stop at Nassau. There´s a problem with the water level and we will have to continue straight to San Juan. However," he added as an angry buzz filled the room, "most likely we will stop at Nassau on the return to Port Canaveral."

Hermione could tell that Rita was itching to investigate the real reason they weren´t stopping at Nassau because her fingers were crooked as if she was holding a quill. Rita´s curiosity didn´t surprise her at all.

What did surprise her was that Ron didn´t seem surprised at all.

~*~