She felt herself lurch violently out of sleep once again, she frantically searched her surroundings hand instantly wrapping around her wand, only to see both canopy beds beside hers empty and her legs twisted up in a blanket - one that she didn't recall having there before she dozed off, 'thanks, harry' she thought as she relaxed slightly and slumped back into her pillows in exhaust, holding back the emotion that threatened to fall from her eyes once more, it was silly to get upset over it but the fact that both the canopy bed's were empty disturbed her more then it probably should, it had been 5 days now since Ron had upped and left her and harry to search for horcuxes on there own.

How he could just up and leave her like that she never knew biting her lip she slipped out from under the covers and made her way out to where harry sat at the tents entrance he was warming himself over the ashes of an old fire, the life and lies of albus dumbledore forgotten in a pile next to him as he sat propped up against and old oak tree his eyes shut and features relaxed, Hermione couldn't help but smile at the sight of him like this, it had been such a long time since she had seen his face without stress and worry lines.

"Ginny.."

She heard him mumble and only then did she realise he was sleeping, feeling as though she had been intruding on something she turned to head back into the tent wanting to give her best friend the rest and privacy he needed, though to her dismay just happened to loose track of her footing and stumble kicking her toe on a near by stump, she swore rather loudly which was very much unlike her. (and a lot more ron-like if you ask me)

"Blimey, Hermione! Are you alright?"

Harry had awoken to find his best friend standing there in her blue cotton pyjama's hopping on one foot while gripping the other, he couldn't help but smile at her she looked rested and he had hoped that when she dozed off those many hours ago that she would get the rest she very well needed, she hadn't seem to have a soundless sleep for at least 5 days ago, He grimaced at the thought of Ron leaving and what it had done to her, he couldn't help but feel partly guilty for him leaving but then at the same time he felt irritated that his so called best mate could do that to him and even more so, her.

"Prat" he mumbled,

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you, If i'm annoying you uh- I'll just go shall I?" hermione stumbled over her words, turning red in the face with embarrassment after hearing the insult he mumbled, she felt terrible for waking him.

"No, no please, Hermione I didn't mean that to be aimed at you, was just voicing a thought, please come sit with me, I could use the company" he patted the ground next to him smiling up at her.

She took her place next to him in front of the fire, she picked up a stick and started busying herself with poking the last burning ambers, It had been a strange last couple of days with just Harry and herself she wasn't quiet used to spending so much time alone with him without other company being around but it wasn't an awkward situation it was comfortable like that feeling you have when you spend time with relatives or family friends, something about it was homey.

Harry watched Hermione closely now, eyeing her for any trace of raw emotions threating to spill over the cracks, He couldn't believe just how brave she was being and he had been meaning to share with her how thankful he was that she chose to stay with him when she was asked to leave 5 days ago, he couldn't really imagine how hard it must have been for her to say no to such a request especially since it was asked by the one person he very well knew she loved more then anything.

"Hermione, answer this honestly okay"

He was speaking at barely a whisper now as he gazed at his best friend, watching her brown eyes turn to look at him in wonder, "Why me? Why stay here with me when you could have easily gotten up and left my prat of a self out here alone to figure this out? Why not go with Ron? It was the perfect opportunity for you to go with him, for you two to finally have your moment" expecting her to get upset from the sudden outburst he was preparing to wrap his arms around her and then she smiled.

"Because Harry, this whole adventure, this whole quest as much as it is about me wanting to spend more time with Ron, it's also about being a friend to you, I promised myself at the beginning of all of this that if things were to get hard and I found myself in a situation where I had to choose between going or staying for whatever reason that may have arose I would always pick you, I would do whatever it is your doing because this isn't about little old me and what I want its about saving you, defeating voldemort and ending the chaos and I couldn't really imagine how hard it would have all been if I were to up and leave you with that" she said, smiling up at harry and lifting her hand to tuck a stray piece of hair off his face,

"And presides you are my best friend after all"

He grinned down at her, tears threatening at his eyes at her kind words, she truly was his best friend as well and even though he couldn't find the words to return to her kind ones, he just hoped that she knew he felt the same way, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her into a snug embrace.

He really did love the girl that was sitting wrapped in her arms and maybe it wasn't quiet the way he knew he loved Ginny and it wasn't quiet the way he loved Mrs weasley, but he imagined that if this feeling could be related to any feeling it would be one of Family, she was like the sister he never had.