A/N: For the purposes of the story, Ron returns to the burrow instead of whatever he's supposed to do like sleep in a pub or whatever. Cuz I think he would have went home.


Draco sat in the window seat of his (Ron's) room. He watched the snow fall lightly over the Weasley's garden and the gnomes playing in the drifts.

He couldn't help but remember the conversation he had with Hermione in the same garden months ago.

"So Harry asked me to go with you guys. Did you make him ask me?" Draco focused on the grass beneath his feet.

"Well, I was going to, but he told me he was going to anyway. He thought it was only fair after you helped us find the locket." She smiled at him.

"I talked to Molly about it," He hesitated for a moment. "She agrees with me."

"About what?"

"I should stay here."

Hermione's eyes opened wide before she turned away from him.

"I won't be any help to you guys. Everything that happened at Grimmauld was sheer luck. Plus I'm not in any kind of shape to go traipsing across the country."

He was cut off by a loud smacking sound and pain blossoming against his cheek.

Hermione had tears in her eyes. "You can't keep using the evil death eater routine. It's getting old. Ad as for being in shape…"

Hermione grabbed Draco's hands and placed them to her stomach. It was awkward, and suddenly Draco couldn't breathe. But he understood the point she was making. She was very thin. She had been skipping meals as well.

"This is going to be difficult on everyone. This is just where you decide if you are brave enough to join us or if you are a coward."

Draco turned away from the harsh words. "I'm a coward."

When he finally turned back around, she was gone.

Harry wasn't as upset as Hermione when Draco told him he was staying.

"I understand."

Draco couldn't get the angry look on Hermione's face out of his head. Not just angry, it was disappointed, betrayed. He couldn't stand it.

He could still feel his cheek burning from the slap after so many months.

Draco hoped she was okay, that she was still alive. That she was happy wherever she was.

There was a sudden clatter from downstairs that had Draco jumping out of his seat and grabbing his wand. He swiftly went down the stairs as quietly as he could.

He entered the kitchen with his wand raised only to see Molly hugging a tall redhead, her son Ron.

Draco looked around excitedly for Hermione, but turned back to Ron and Molly in confusion when he could not find her.

The redhead was crying softly into his mother's shoulder. "I screwed up mum. I left them."

Draco knew he was interrupting something private, so he went into the living room to wait for answers.

Almost half an hour later, Ron entered the living room alone. His face was red and blotchy but dry. He nodded to Malfoy and sat on the couch facing the window.

Draco wasn't sure if he should speak or wait until Ron was ready. Finally he couldn't stand it.

"Where's Hermione? Is she okay?"

Ron turned his head away for a moment. "I don't know where she is, but she's fine."

Mixed emotions rushed through Draco's body. " What do you mean you don't know where she is?"

Ron heaved a huge sigh before answering.

"We have been traveling from place to place to avoid Death Eaters. We took turns wearing the locket, but when you wore it it made you feel awful. Terrible thoughts in your head all the time. We were camped in a forest one night and I got really mad. I was completely convinced that Hermione and Harry had been sneaking around behind my back. It wasn't until after I stormed off and left them that I realized I was barking. When I tried to find them, they had already left."

His face had gotten even redder and his eyes were wet again. He rubbed his hands hard over his face, but it only seemed to rub more guilt into his features. He hated himself for leaving.

"I guess that's not your fault then, if it was dark magic controlling your thoughts." Draco felt an odd urge to cheer up the redhead in front of him.

"It wasn't just the locket though. Those thoughts were already in my head. It only magnified them. It's scary to think…" Ron stopped and seemed to realize who he was talking to.

Draco understood how he felt. It was awkward to listen to the redhead's feelings. He could only imagine how much worse it was for Ron to tell him.

"Well, if the past six and a half years have taught me anything, it's that you three are really good friends and nothing can get in the way of that. They will both forgive you. You just have to find them. Somehow. But I know you can do it. Everything always works out for you bloody Gryffindors." He smiled at the end so Ron knew he was joking. The he turned to the floor, embarrassed about the cheesy advice he had just given.

He looked up to see Ron blushing at the floor as well.

"Thanks, maybe I'll figure something out."


A/N: Hope I made that cute enough. I wanted to incorporate a good relationship between the boys. I must say looking at my past I would've never expected myself to write this.