"And you, are you coming?" he asked, brimming with anger but also with hope. Hope that she'd choose him over the Boy-who-Lived.
"Ron, I can't leave. A-and neither c-can you!" she pleaded, close to tears.
"Fine, I get it. You choose him." And with that, he stormed off.
Cold dread flooded her veins like blood as the flap of the tent fluttered behind him. She knew she had to do whatever it took to make him stay. She ran out after him.
"Ron!" she yelled. He looked back at her, expectantly, as if he was waiting for her to come with him. "Ron, come back here!" she yelled. He scoffed and turned around, taking long strides towards the protective shield.
"R-Ron!" she called again, crying this time. He didn't even turn around.
This won't do at all. Hermione thought, her sadness dying down, turning into anger and determination. She wiped the tears from her face and broke into a run. She got faster and faster and when she finally reached him, about 6 feet away from the edge of the protected camp site, she jumped on his back, successfully tackling him to the ground. She turned him onto his back and glared angrily down at him.
Ron's anger subsided into fear as he lay on his back, Hermione on top of him, in the dirt. She looked like she was going to kill him. She was so pretty. She was so on top of him. She was so angry.
"Ronald Billius Weasley!" she screeched at him. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!"
Ron was startled at her use of inappropriate language. He had definitely pissed her off worse than ever before. He couldn't even come up with an answer to her very un-Hermione like question. All he could manage was "Ummm"
"There is absolutely no way in hell that you are leaving me or Harry so I suggest you get that arse of yours right back inside that tent right now, Dammit! Do you hear me Ronald?"
"Yes Hermio-"
"Go!" she spat, getting up off him, taking his backpack, and heading inside. He stood there for a few seconds, realizing how close he came to making a huge mistake, and followed after her.
When he entered the tent, she was waiting expectantly with Harry at her side. Seeing him, Ron's anger returned a little, but Hermione's angry glare scared it out of him.
"Apologize, both of you!" she yelled.
Harry looked at her in surprise. "What! I didn't even-"
"NOW!" She screamed.
"Sorry." They both mumbled, not meeting each other's eyes.
"Like. You. Mean. It." Hermione ordered. Her voice had gotten quieter, but her tone was scarier than ever.
Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry I made that comment about you not having a family. And I'm sorry about being pissed at you about the damn horcruxes." All three knew that was the best they'd get from Ron. Now it was Harry's turn.
"I'm sorry I told you to leave." Harry said.
"And…" Hermione prompted.
"Bloody hell, Hermione, what else did I do?"
"Are you sorry for being insensitive towards Ronald's feelings?"
"Hermione, that's not really necessary…" Ron started, feeling that this talk about his feelings took away a bit of his macho-ness.
"Are you sorry or not, Harry Potter!" She yelled.
"Fine! I'm sorry I was insensitive to your feelings, Ron!"
The whole tent was quiet as the three stared at each other, not knowing what to say next. Then Ron and Harry simultaneously broke into fits of laughter, followed soon after by Hermione.
"Can't we just carry that bloody thing around in that bag of yours?" Ron asked, pointing to the locket.
"It's too risky." Hermione replied. "We'll figure it out eventually."
Ron picked up the locket and went to put it around his neck. Harry stopped him, putting the locket around his neck instead.
"I'll take it for a while."
"Thank you."
They were quiet again. Harry went to take watch while Ron lied down on his cot and Hermione cleaned the tent, preparing to apparate to Merlin knows where. After a good ten minutes she looked over at Ron, he was staring at her.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I really am. I…" he looked down at his feet, his face turning the color of his hair. Hermione sat next to him on his cot.
"It's okay, Ron. I know it was just the locket." They were quiet again. "I didn't choose him, you know." Ron's face went even redder at this. "I couldn't ever choose him over you. I just want you to know that." And with that, she kissed him on the top of the head and continued with her preparations.
Ron watched her the entire time. He loved her, he knew it. Her bushy hair, her know-it-all, bossy attitude. Everything. He was extremely thankful that she tackled him like she did.