Title: In the woods

Rating: G

Summary: When Harry struggles in the forest, she wonders about certain fair-haired git.

Girl Untamed

The forest is unusually cold, not that Harry didn't expect it, but expecting and experiencing are vastly different things she comes to learn.

The bed feels lumpy beneath her back and she is cold. The wind howls outside as she curls further into the mattress, even the wind doesn't completely block out the sounds of argument from outside.

She hates it all, the constant arguments, the bitter wind, the inevitability of war and the locket. The horrid locket that weighs down on her like a mountain, making everything seem so much worse.

"Harry Dinner" Hermione's words are sharp, snap her out of her revere.

In the beginning of their 'trip' Harry had mostly done the cooking, thanks to her upbringing by the Dursley's she could make her way around a stove, but as supplies dwindled and tempers flared, Harry was no longer willing to cook every meal.

Hermione's cooking is mostly awful, but by the end of their miserable trekking she is mostly ready to eat just about anything.

Ron is stone faced as he sits opposite to her, doesn't make eye contact as Hermione pour them some kind of broth. Harry pretends that she doesn't notice the prominent red rimmed eyes that Hermione spots, instead takes a spoonful of her broth.

"It's delicious 'Mione"

Hermione smiles weakly as she sits next to Harriet helping herself to the broth.

"How long have we been here" Ron's impatient voice ruins the momentary calm, Harry glares at him.

"What do you think Ron?"

"It's the necklace" Hermione cries out "It's what makes you so damn moody"

Harriet is surprised to see Hermione curse looks at her taken aback, Ron is pissed off enough to throw the necklace on the table as he storms away.

Hermione bursts into tears as Harry pats her back awkwardly.

It's alarmingly early when she crawls back into her lumpy bed, "Tomorrow we trek 500 miles east" Hermione announces to the room, she doesn't wait for a reply as she puts out the only lamp effectively plunging them into darkness.

It takes Harry a long time to realize that she can't sleep, her mind still tugging anxiously. She groans softly at its implications but doesn't make an throw off her blankets.

6th Year was one of the worst years by far, Dumbledore's murder was a shock, the fact that a 16 year old Theodore Nott performed it was even more horrifying. For a long time she had suspected Malfoy of foul play, it would just be like him to do something so despicable.

She sighs again, when had she spent so much of her thoughts on Malfoy. Instead of concentrating on things such as finding a boyfriend, she spent most of 6th year stalking Malfoy around the castle.

It was by the end of the year she had learned that the older Malfoy was currently out of prison. The embarrassing fact was that despie her suspicions towards Draco he had helped several younger highs hide in the Slytherin dungeons during the attack on the castle.

The bitter wind felt like a sharp slap on her face as she stepped outside. She rubbed her palms together hoping to generate some heat, she remembered Malfoy, walking around his head held high. That head of silver blonde really did stand out in a crowd.

She wondered if it was unusual to think so much about Draco, after all they did spend most of school year antagonising each other.

She unfolded the marauder's map in trepidation, tracing her fingers along the people she had left behind, thankful at the knowledge that Ginny was safe in her bed, so was Neville, Dean, Seamus and Luna.

Her eyes finally rested on the set of footprints that proclaimed 'Draco Malfoy', the pacing in his dorm room was nothing unusual. She wondered what kept him awake at night, wondered if he too was worrying about is parents.

She folded the marauders map and slowly crawled back into bed, it was a bad habit she knew. But she couldn't help but make sure that everyone she loved was alive and well.

The last treacherous thought that filled her mind was the fact whether Draco too had worried, had wondered about her sudden absence.