Chapter 1: No Return on White Horse

"Hermione? Hermione!"

Inside the tent, Hermione Granger's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her best friend's voice. Exiting their humble abode in the middle of a snowy forest, her instincts immediately went into sisterly-concerned mode.

"What is it, Harry? Is everything all right?"

"It's fine. Actually, it's more than fine…. there's someone here." He chanced a glance back at someone behind him. Hermione followed his gaze…. and about fell over.

And there he was. Standing before her like a ghost. In fact (and the thought almost made Hermione cry), she had nearly forgotten what Ron Weasley looked like. Her secret crush gave her a goofy, almost stupid smile.

"Hey."

Nothing. Nothing at all spoken beyond that. Hermione felt herself boiling over, and she did not even try to control herself as she flew at Ron in a rage.

"You…. complete…. ARSE, Ronald Weasley!" She punctuated the last by whacking him on the arm with a pile of leaves she desperately seized from the forest floor, as no other, more suitable, weapons were to be had. "You crawl back here after weeks - and you say 'Hey'?" Her outrage was more than fair. That was it? No 'I missed you', no falling to his knees at her feet and begging for forgiveness? No promises to remain faithful to her, and only her, from now on? …..

Wait a minute. She was getting off-topic. Her mind whirled as she fought to return to the task at hand. A sudden flash of inspiration.

"Where's my wand, Harry?" Her sudden demand must have unnerved her friend, for Harry said "I don't know" a little too quickly.

He was lying, bullshitting - she knew it. She distinctly remembered giving it to him; after all, his own was broken.

"Harry Potter, you give me my wand!" Hermione spat, advancing on Harry until she had literally backed him into a tree.

"I don't have it!" and Harry held up his hands in placating surrender.

Ron chose this opportune time to open his stupid mouth again, if nothing else to save his best mate from also being ripped limb from limb. "Where's he got your wand?"

"Never mind where he's got my wand!" Hermione batted away, as she switched her sights back on Ron again. Slowly, she began to calm, but not calm enough, as her thoughts whirled on to the next stimulus. She noticed the blade hanging at Ron's side. "And how is it that you just happened to find the sword of Gryffindor?" she prissily inquired.

"Hermione," Harry prodded timidly. "Ron just saved my life -"

"I don't care!" she screeched. "I don't care what he's done! What I really want to know is - " and she now eyed Ron the way a wife might eye her wayward husband. "- how he managed to get back to us?"

A moment of silence. Ron seemed relieved that he could finally say his piece. "With this." And he held up an object that Hermione recognized: Dumbledore's Deluminator. "Christmas morning, I was in a pub not far from Bill and Fleur's place, keeping away from some Snatchers. And I heard it. A voice. Your voice, Hermione."

Hermione did not look amused, her gaze of stone refusing to abate as she crossed her arms. "And what exactly did I say, may I ask?" she indulged him, with bare politeness.

"My name. Just my name," and Ron smiled, as though proud that Hermione had even thought of him during his absence. "Ron. And then, suddenly, this floating ball of light appeared. It floated toward me, the ball of light. Went into my chest - straight through me. And I knew it was going to take me where I needed to go. I turned on the spot, and Disapparated, right to this hillside. It was dark, I had no idea where I was. I just hoped one of you would show yourselves…. and you did." He sighed with relief, still smiling, grateful eyes drifting towards Harry.

Well. That had to be the trippiest, most ridiculous story Hermione had ever heard from Ron. She should have laughed at him, mocked him. No one would have blamed her, least of all herself. But maintaing anger can leave you tired, so she merely snorted, "Don't think this changes anything." And she marched into the tent.

She would keep that promise, she knew. As far as she was concerned, she would continue with Ron as if he still wasn't there. That would teach him. That would teach him for leaving her.