She hugged her knees despondently as she looked across the field. She wished they were getting closer, but even with one Horcrux down, they didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Perhaps she shouldn't still be so angry with Ron, especially seeing as she was seriously considering taking a leaf out of his book and yelling at Harry until he saw sense. Ron was trying to take charge now, and at least he sometimes managed to get Harry into the conversation, something Hermione failed to do. All she managed to do was make him angry.
Part of her refused to forgive Ron. She knew how he felt and why he'd done what he'd done, yet she couldn't bring herself to put it all behind her.
Hermione heard movement from the tent, the Ron came out and sat down beside her.
'Can't sleep?' she asked dully, flicking peebles around with her wand.
He shrugged, glancing at her, then said, 'You're still angry with me, aren't you?'
What? How had he know that that was what she was thinking about?
'No! No, I... I am a little,' she admitted, 'but I don't know why, exactly. You don't deserve it anymore, God knows you're going enough...'
He turned away, and she thought that would be the end of it, but Ron then said, almost to himself, 'I was an idiot.'
'What?'
'I was an idiot. I should have known it was never you and Harry. After last year, with Lavender...
'And Harry and Ginny,' she reminded him despite herself.
'And Harry and Ginny... I told him he didn't care about her, remember? I can't believe he didn't hit me when I said that, really, it was stupid, stupid...'
She wished he'd stop demeaning himself, but couldn't stop herself from adding, 'You were so determined to keep them apart over the summer, too.' He grunted in response.
They sat for a while, each thinking their own thoughts, then Ron spoke again.
'It's doubt, Hermione. I doubted you, I doubted Harry, I doubted myself... It's the only excuse I've got.'
She took his hand without thinking, and he stared at her in astonishment. But there was something else there, something more...
Then suddenly it hit her as a flash of understanding passed between then.
Now she had something else to survive for. That, alas, didn't make her feel any better.
'Ron...'
He put his arm around her. 'I know,' he said heavily, 'I know.'