the_debt_of_time

She slowly approached, taking small, deliberate steps toward it. The sword looked
heavy in her hands, but Sirius knew she could still lift it with ease. She was a Gryffindor,
after all, and the sword was meant to be wielded solely by the hands of true Gryffindors.
One step closer to the cup and the Horcrux began to shake as though anticipating the
oncoming attack. As she took yet another step forward, a cold, high voice rang out.
Hermione looked prepared for the attack.
But Sirius was not.
"Sirius Black.. ." the voice hissed, stopping both Hermione and Sirius in their
steps. "I can see your fears.. ."
Sirius's attention quickly fell on Hermione's form, silently willing her forward to
stab the bloody thing before it got a little too chatty.
"I can see your heart. The past is your weakness."
Sirius growled. "No shit."
"And so is the girl."
"It's doing something," Hermione said, staring down at the cup that appeared to be
filling with liquid and eventually overflowing onto the ground. "Please be water."
It was water. Rapidly flowing water. Before either of them knew it, they were
standing in a foot of it, the cup submerged beneath the surface.
Hermione moved toward the Horcrux, but the closer she brought the sword, the
faster the water rose, making it harder to move. Soon she found herself standing waist deep
in the swiftly filling room.
"Kill that fucking thing, Hermione!"
"Sirius, I can't reach it!"
Behind her, Sirius aimed spell after spell trying to dam the flow of the liquid that
was rising up the walls around them. Nothing was working.
"Shit!" he shouted, reaching for her, but as soon as his fingers touched her skin, the
water around them began sloshing about in a circular motion like a whirlpool.
Hermione screamed and slipped, the waves dragging her beneath the surface.
Sirius lunged for her but missed, losing his wand in the process. "Hermione!
The jar of bluebell flames floated beneath the surface, light bobbing through the
water and against the walls as it whirled around in the depths of the waves.
"Hermione!" he called again, but there was no answer.