People might have guessed that Hermione Granger could have seen it coming. She was, after all, the brightest witch in Hogwarts in her time there. They might have guessed that it was Harry Potter who hadn't seen it. People might have guessed that she just didn't do anything to stop it because of some mad reason they made up.
But they were wrong.
Yes, she had known that Ron had been irritable.
Yes, she had known that Ron was being a jerk.
Yes, she had known how Ron had felt about Harry's leadership skills.
But, never, in a million years, would she have guessed that he would leave. She knew that he could be rash (what Gryffindor wasn't sometimes?), but she had never guessed that he could just get up and leave them. Leave her.
Hermione thought that Ron knew what he was getting into, and she had brought that up before he left. But, he later admitted to her, he hadn't really grasped the concept and wasn't prepared for the turmoil and pain and ache.
The argument came, and Hermione wasn't worried, she had known that there would be a breaking point. The argument was anger-filled, and the words stung like knives. She hated seeing it. She hated her two best friends glaring at each other with a hating passion. And then Harry told Ron that maybe he should just go home.
Her body had felt like someone had just poured ice-cold water on it. This can't be happening, she thought wildly, her head spinning with the thoughts of Ron leaving. The fight between her two best friends in the whole world continued and more tears fell down her cheeks.
He asked her to come with him. Her heart lifted slightly. Ron had wanted her to come with him. And then she remembered, her stomach now falling like a boulder, that that mean leaving Harry alone to search for the Horcruxes. And she couldn't do that. Harry needed her. So she stayed.
And he left. She ran after him, but he had already gone.
Hermione fell to the ground, sobbing violently, wishing to wake up from her horrible nightmare. But she had to get back to the task at hand, she told herself, and tried to put on a brave face. Only when she was alone, in the dead of night, would she let her tears fall.
And all she could think was, He's gone…and I never even got to say good-bye.