Ron stirred at the sound of low muffled sobs, echoing through the tent. He shifted on the stiff matress of his cot, groaning restlessly at the tenderness of his arm. His eyes fluttered open a tad fraction, just enough to peer over at Hermione's bunk it was empty. Rubbing his eyes, groggily, Ron slipped his long legs off the matress and pulled his jumper over his head.
He could feel the air circling around his head, he was greeted by a flowed, cold breeze and the sound of wind rushing past his ears as he stepped closer to the entrance of the tent. Slowing to an immediate halt at the sight of Hermione.
Hermione was perched up on a rock, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, her cheek resting on her knee. She was taking in the view of the last sliver of daylight gleaming over the horizon, a low sob escaping her throat every so often. Taking those few last strides to get closer to her, he softly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hermione?" Ron's detached voice questioned. Taken aback, Hermione almost jumped out her skin, swiveling her head in his direction, she steadied her breathing, swollowing back the frantically building tears in the rims of her eyes and nodded her head with a sniffle.
"Sorry, Ron. You just startled me," Hermione glanced back up at him, her eyes gleaming with unspilt tears, as she directed her gaze back to the horizon.
"I'm Sorry," he said, sincerely.
"It's alright," she reassured, keeping her voice soft, as she patted the empty space beside her.
"What's the matter, 'Mione?" Ron questioned as he plopped down beside her, gingerly raising a hand to brush away the few tears that remained on her cheeks, lowering it again as he left his trance.
"Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she said in one flat syllable.
"Please be honest with me, Hermione."
Helapsing to silence, Hermione cuddled the cotton, cashmere duvet closer to her chest. Savouring the warmth. "I'm scared," she whispered, her voice wavering ever so slightly as she bowed her head, her long hazelnut curls curtaining her face.
"We all are Hermione." Ron countered with a barely noticeable shrug, he was staring off into the horizon, groggily, his eyes half lidded."I'm afraid of losing my family, losing all my friends." Hermione half smiled, feeling her heart give a little pang at the word 'family' choosing not to emerge from the protective curtain of her long curls. She remained silent.
"I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of losing you."
"I'm afraid of losing you too." Hermione said, still as slow and delicate a voice as earlier as she eased her head back, tracing a hand through the tousled curls cascading down her shoulders.
"Fact is, Hermione. You're probably the bravest girl i've ever met, if anyone could rise above all this it'd be you." Ron said, soothingly, shifting closer to her, and wrapping an arm around her, her legs curled up, as she rested against him. Her smile becoming genuine. There it was again, Ron thought, he didn't know why, but he felt this inexplicable connection towards her.
"Ron?"
"Mmm?"
"Thank you"
