The Hidden One

hog's head

It was past midnight before Harry and Rose got back to the common room after their detention. They both had scarves wrapped around their hands to stop the bleeding, but they weren't helping much. Ron and Hermione were both waiting for them in the common room. Rose and Harry sat on the couch across from them.

"Here, soak your hand in this," Hermione said anxiously as she handed them each a bowl of a yellow liquid. "It's a solution of murtlap tenticles, it should help."

Harry was the first to put his hand in the liquid and he let out a relieved sigh. Crookshanks crawled into his lap and Tillie crawled into Rose's lap. Rose put her hand into the solution and immediately pulled it out when her hand felt like it was on fire. She let out a loud cry as tears started falling down her face. Tillie let out a small meow and jumped off the couch.

"What is it?!" Hermione cried out. Rose couldn't speak from how bad the pain was and Hermione had to pry Rose's hand away from her chest to look. Hermione let out a loud gasp.

"What is it?" Harry asked, his voice strained.

"It...it burned her," Hermione admitted. "Ron, go get water! Harry, go get towels!"

The two boys ran off quickly.

"It hurts," Rose sobbed. Her whole left arm felt like it was on fire and she snuck a glance at her hand. Her blood was black again and it was pouring out of her hand rapidly. Rose could see multiple blisters around and on the cuts from the quill, and her whole hand was a bright red.

"I know, but we're gonna help," Hermione tried to soothe Rose as Harry and Ron came stumbling down the steps. Hermione quickly started wiping Rose's hand, causing the girl to sob even more. Harry sat behind her and let Rose lean into his chest. He grabbed her right hand with his left, ignoring the pain it caused his cuts. Ron hovered anxiously over Hermione's shoulder.

"Hermione, please," Rose pleaded.

"I'm trying!" Hermione cried, tears exiting her eyes as well. Rose squeezed her eyes shut and squeezed Harry's hand even more when she felt one of the blisters pop.

"Rose said that Umbridge told her there was a poison in the quill that kept her skin from closing. Maybe this is a reaction," Harry suggested, his voice shaky with panic.

"Maybe," Hermione muttered. She dipped Rose's whole hand into the water and mumbled for Ron to get her more, which he quickly did.

"That feels better," Rose admitted, her voice small. Hermione had cleared away enough of the murtlap that the pain was decreasing, and Rose was becoming very tired. She had a feeling her healing powers were trying to fight against the poison. 

"Good...you go to sleep and we'll finish cleaning your hand," Hermione said, a motherly tone to her voice. Rose hiccuped and sat up, allowing Harry to lay down on the couch. Rose laid down in between him and the couch, her left hand splayed over his chest so Hermione could try to heal it some. Tillie jumped back onto the couch and laid down in between Rose and Harry's legs, using one of Rose's legs as a pillow. Ron grabbed a blanket that was draped over the back of a chair and offered it to them. When Rose nodded, Ron placed it over them gently.

"Thank you," Rose murmured.

"Anytime," Hermione whispered shakily. Rose nodded and closed her eyes, falling asleep to Hermione, Harry and Ron talking about DADA.

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"Ok, so Hermione wants you to teach us DADA...and you said no?" Rose asked as she walked around the grounds with Harry before classes started. They had slept on the couch all night and had woken up sore so they decided to walk around while they ate breakfast.