The sword was at the bottom of the pool. Bloody figures.

Harry took out his wand to summon the sword, already knowing it wasn't going to work.

"Accio."

The sword remained motionless as he frowned and put his wand away.

His next idea seemed to be his only option, even though he knew it was the stupidest thing he could do.

Moments later, Harry was standing over the pool in nothing but his underwear, the locket still around his neck and the frosty air stinging his skin. He took a deep breath, thinking he must have gone mad, and dived into the icy water.

Every nerve in his body was on fire. He felt like screaming, but he had to focus on the task at hand. The sword was directly below him, and as he reached for it, the locket around his neck suddenly began to move.

The chain tightened around his throat, closing off his windpipe. His fingers fumbled around it as he struggled against it, and he was slightly aware of the water that was filling up his lungs.

He closed his eyes and the sword escaped his sight. He felt himself slipping into unconsciousness as the pain of the chain around his neck strengthened…he just hoped some ally would find his body eventually…

He was only half-conscious when he distantly felt some kind of force wrap itself around him and pull him up to the surface…

The next thing he knew, he was coughing violently on the edge of the pool, the feel of the frozen ground on his hands and knees. The pain of the strangling locket around him was gone, and without his glasses, he could vaguely see a figure moving beside him out of the corner of his eye…

"For Merlin's sake, Harry, you're bloody lucky you weren't killed!"

He turned his head and fumbled for his glasses on the ground, his hand finally finding them as he jammed them onto his face to see Hermione stripping off her jacket, the locket in one hand and her wand in the other. At her feet, Gryffindor's sword lay in the snow, gleaming in the early morning's light.

He stared at her as he struggled to pull on the clothes he had stripped only moments ago. She took pity on him as she wrapped her own jacket around him, grabbing his arm and gently pulling him to his feet.

"You alright?" she asked quietly, her voice shaking with deadly anger. He could barely pluck up the courage to look into her brown eyes, which were full of both worry and fury. He nodded silently as she glared daggers at him and grabbed the sword off the ground. She held the locket in front of his face and her eyes were now even brighter with anger than before.

"Why didn't you take this off before jumping in?" she asked, her voice full of deadly rage. "You could've killed yourself! And then where would I be?"

He looked at Hermione's distressed expression, and realized she had been extremely worried moments ago. She had already been to hell and back after Ron had left. She didn't deserve to lose another person she cared about. Why had he acted so rashly?

"Bloody hell," he murmured under his breath. "I'm sorry. Merlin, Hermione, I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I had to get the sword. I'll explain everything later, but I just need you to know I didn't mean to put you through all that."

Hermione's eyes suddenly changed from being filled with fume and fury to anguish and sorrow. Silent tears filled her eyes and began to pour down her face. She squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to stop them from falling, but they only fell faster.

Harry frowned as he gently rested his hand on her shoulder, afraid she may lash out. However, at the feel of him, she quickly fell against him and wrapped her arms around his waist as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Harry sighed and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her gently to his own body. He realized this wasn't about him, or the sword, or even Hermione being alone. It was about Ron.

He bent his head down so his lips were close to her ear. "We'll going to find him, Hermione. I promise you, he'll come back." He didn't completely believe his own words, but he hoped Hermione would. However, she shook her head against his body.

"No," she said softly, her voice cracking with tears. "He's not. He's given up. I know Ron, and I know he gives up easily. He's made up his mind, and he's never coming back."

Harry could hardly argue with this, but he had to try. He couldn't allow himself to lose both of his best friends, even if it was just emotionally. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away so he could look into her face.

"Listen, Hermione," he said seriously. "I have to tell you something that I think you already know. Ron cares about us. Merlin, he's mad about you. He loves you so much, Hermione, and that's why he left. He was under the impression that we, you and me, have a relationship that he wants to have with you. Now, both you and I know that that's not true. But the locket, that damn locket in your hands, has torn us apart. It made Ron's fears real, and in turn, heightened his irritation level.

"We can't let the locket tear us apart, Hermione. The locket already took Ron away from us, but we can't give into it."

Harry watched Hermione carefully, hoping to see her expression change. But she only shook her head frantically, denying everything Harry had said. "He doesn't love me, Harry. The way I understand it, a person wouldn't leave another person they love, no matter what. He doesn't care about me."

Harry wanted to shake her to make her understand, but there was no way to convince her that the man who had left her was gone out of jealousy.

"Alright, Hermione," he said, rubbing his temples. "Just let me ask you this: if Ron didn't care about you, why was it that he would watch you fall asleep at night for the last few months? Why did he bring you a blanket and tea when you were on watch in the dead of night? Why was it that the first thing he did in the diner a few months ago when he knew we were under attack, was push you out of the way?"

Hermione was silent, seemingly having no explanations for any of these questions. She wiped her hand across her face and sniffed, avoiding his eyes. Harry leaned in toward her and whispered, "That doesn't sound like someone who's given up, or who doesn't care about you."

Harry squeezed her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I can tell you right now that Ron loves you more than anything else. You're his world, he just has a hard time showing it sometimes. I think you and I both know that."

Hermione rubbed her eyes and said nothing. She let out a heavy breath as she began to fumble with the buttons on her jacket that was now stretched across Harry's shoulders. "We have to get back to the tent. You're going to catch a cold, and I'll be damned if I have to deal with another sick person –"

"Hermione –"

"Come on, Harry."

She turned her back and began to shuffle back in the direction of the tent, the locket and sword both in hand. Harry sighed as he followed, reluctantly dropping the conversation.

They walked in silence side by side before Harry turned his head and saw Hermione's broken face. Her eyes had filled with tears once again that were threatening to fall.

"I miss him so much." Her voice was meek and small, like she had been afraid to say such a meaningful set of words. Harry furrowed his brow and wrapped his arm around her once more.

"I know."

They continued back to the tent in silence, the only sound in the forest being the crunching of the snow beneath their feet.