The Forbidden Ship

Additional code: ​NoSex. 

Prompt: Soy Sauce

He was like a shadow floating in the dark; a presence unseen yet so pervasive and powerful you couldn't miss it. Unnerved, Hermione looked around the Great Hall. Yet, she seemed to be the only one affected by this darkness—this black abyss that you couldn't see but slowly drew you in.

Laughing faces, chattering students were everywhere. Ginny and Harry had sneaked out mere moments ago. Across from her sat Ron, happily stuffing his face full with a Japanese fish and noodles dish, soy sauce leaking from the corner of his mouth. Disgusted, Hermione looked away. Why had she ever been upset that he'd dated Lavender? They deserved each other.

Like a cold wind, something brushed her frizzy curls at the back of her head. Shocked, her hand flashed there, feeling nothing but her risen hair and a reminiscence of ... energy? Magic?

Static electricity, she decided, telling herself to stop being crazy. Nobody was here. She was perfectly safe at Hogwarts.

A soft chuckle vibrated through her mind.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Ron.

"Mearwat?" he retorted with his mouth full.

"Oh never mind," she replied, irritated, flying to her feet and storming out.

As she walked up the deserted stairs, she slowly began to realise isolating herself might not have been a good idea, for that pervasive darkness she'd sensed before seemed to grow and solidify around her, cocooning her in.

Hermione began to run. Hard.

A high-pitched, cold laughter followed her.

Then, just as she was about to reach the top of the stairs, they started turning.

"No!" she shouted desperately, seeing the painting of the Fat Lady getting out of her reach.

Her wand out now, she held onto the railing tightly, until the stairs came to an abrupt stop in front of an ancient door carved with runes. She soooowasn't going in there; however, when she turned around to walk down the stairs, the door reappeared in front of her.

No matter where she turned to, it was there. She tried destroying it, vanishing it, blowing it up, but nothing worked. Well, someone would miss her. So, Hermione sat down, waiting. And then, she waited some more and more and more. She fell asleep on those steps; her stomach started growling in hunger; she had to pee, but she resisted. She'd be missed. They'd find her. Professor Dumbledore would find her. Harry would find her.

"Are you sure, little girl?" his quiet voice floated around her, sniggering ever so softly. "Your bones can decay here, and they'd never know."

Hermione didn't give up. She sat there, moved to the left side of the step to pee and slowly began losing track of time.

"I have food for you, stubborn, silly Gryffindor; perhaps you'd like some rice with soy sauce like your lover?" the voice mocked.

She ignored him, ignored her situation, ignored her hunger, her thirst, the needs of her bowels, until it became impossible. Her stomach cramps had become so pervasive; she couldn't keep it in anymore. Unlike peeing, she just couldn't see herself emptying her bowels in this narrow space as well. In a hurry, she stood up, feeling slightly dizzy for a moment before turning the doorknob and running inside in a panic.

He just calmly sat there in a luxurious arm chair; his black cloak flowing around him like a dark halo. His face was stark-white, eyes bright red, a nose as flat as a snake's with slits-for-nostrils and a lipless mouth that curved into a vicious smirk at seeing her distress.

"The loo is over there," he said quietly, his spidery finger pointing to a door on her right.

Hermione didn't need telling twice, she ran.

xxx