'Those boys!' thought Hermione with a small smile threatening to emerge on her face.

For what was probably the one hundredth time, she picked up the plates they had left behind and began to wash them along with her own. Of course Mrs. Weasley had taught her long ago the spell that would finish the chore without her needing to lift a finger, but she really didn't mind doing dishes, it gave her time to think. Lately all she could think about were those blasted Horcruxes. Hermione visible winced at the thought. She, Hermione Granger, was the smartest witch of her age, and yet she couldn't even find, let alone destroy, a Horcrux. The thought was infuriating and she couldn't bare it. She had tried everything she could think of, from books to spells, but nothing would work!

'I can't do it. It's impossible. I can't do it,'

Suddenly, she hated dishes, she hated living in a bloody tent, she hated playing mum to her best friends, and most of all she hated those retched Horcruxes, each and every one.

She was filled with a burning desire for her life back, the life she should of had. A life with no housework, no cooking, and no bloody dishes. All she wanted to do was take each of the awful plates she still held in her small hands and watch as they shattered on the floor. She lifted them and held them over her head, preparing for the heart satisfying crash, but she could only bring them down and hugged them to her chest as her tears of frustration finally fell on the floor of the tent.

XXXXXXX

That's how Ron found her, on the floor sobbing silently. He had been taking watch while Harry got the sleep he needed and was finally over come by his hunger and retreated into the tent for a snack. Impulsively, he dropped his wand and pulled the broken girl into his protective arms.

"What's wrong 'Mione?" he whispered into her mass of hair.

She only threw her arms around him, leaned into his chest and buried her face in his neck, sobbing harder. At that, he pulled her all further into his lap and stroked hair. He knew that this wasn't the time, but he couldn't help thinking about how soft she was, how perfectly she fit in his lap, or how beautiful she was when she cried. With the hand that wasn't buried in her hair, he dragged his fingers lightly up and down her side, taking in the essence of Hermione.

"I love you 'Mione," he thought, only to find he had whispered it, quietly enough that even he could hardly hear.

XXXXXXX

Ever so slowly, Hermione's sobs diminished and she waited for Ron to pull away. She was already beginning to miss his touch when she realized he hadn't moved. She waited, but his arms stayed still. Not wanting to question, she sank deeper into his embrace with a content sigh. She thought she felt him smile into her hair, but it must have been her imagination. That's where they stayed for what felt like forever, neither of them daring to move a muscle lest they break the trance they were in. Hermione lifted her eyes slightly when she heard soft footsteps, and they were met by Harry's. He winked with a smirk, making her blush, and took his wand out of his pocket and left to take her turn on watch, grabbing the blankets off his bed on the way out to try to stop the cold. He knew it would be awhile before either of his friends came to relieve him.

XXXXXXX

Ron could hardly breathe. He was holding Hermione Granger in his arms, and she was letting him. This was the girl he had been in love with since forth year but hadn't dared touch, and now she was in his lap.

"'Mione?" he mumbled with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Hmmmm…" she replied contently, looking up.

Without thinking about what he was doing, he softly pressed his mouth to hers. She responded, and he could feel her smiling against his lips. He pulled her closer, and for a minute forgot about his best mate that was freezing his arse off outside. The moment was perfect. It was as if he and Hermione were connected, as if they were one person. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss and looked into the eyes of the girl he loved.

"I love you," he whispered

"I love you too," she whispered back, once again become teary eyed.

Ron kissed her forehead and pulled her in close, smiling so big that you would think he made the Chudley Cannons.

"We'll find them Hermione, than it will be all over."

"But what if…"

"We'll find them."