Welcome to my new Fanfiction, it will be updating sporadically in this crazy time, with shorter chapters than some of my previous Fanfictions. (for those of you who have been following my work my arm is still not back up to snuff but I really want to write so I am going to take it easy on myself and update when I can instead of pushing it.) I hope you enjoy.

Cannon books until after Deathly Hollows chapter 15: "the Goblins Revenge" (this chapter is a partial re-telling of the tail-end of the aforementioned chapter but from overhead of Hermione"

Warning: This story is rated M for a reason it will contain scenes of violence, sex, abuse and torture. Reader Discretion is advised.

Prologue

Hermione felt her hopes rise along with the expression on Harry's face. They were in the tent discussing where the true sword of Gryffindor might be and finally...finally things had started making sense.

"So he would have hidden the sword well away from Hogsmeade, then? What'd you reckon Ron? Ron?"

Harry looked around and Hermione realized that Ron hadn't really been participating in their conversation at all. At some point he must have slipped away without either of them really noticing.

"Oh, Remembered me have you?" said Ron in a voice that made Hermione frown. Her eyes followed the sound of his voice to where he was laying on the bottom bunk.

"What?" asked Harry making a face.

Ron Snorted as he stared up at the underside of the upper bunk.

"You two carry on," said Ron. "Don't let me spoil your fun."

Hermione blinked at Ron's tone. She looked over at Harry who was looking at her as if she might have the answer to why Ron was suddenly being so snarky. Hermione shook her head.

"What's the problem?" asked Harry.

Yeah, Ron, what is your problem? Hermione asked silently. This wasn't the time for...well whatever it was Ron was trying to pull.

"Problem? there's no problem" said Ron without looking up at Harry. "Not according to you anyway."

The crease between Hermione's eyebrows deepened.

A sound caught Hermione's attention for a brief moment, distracting her from the conversation. It took her a moment to notice that the sound was rain. It had started raining outside.

"Well you've obviously got a problem," said Harry. "Spit it out will you?"

Inwardly Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry's temper had a habit of escalating situations like this-not that Ron was much better for it.

Ron swung his long legs off the bed and sat up. Hermione took in his face.

He looks..mean, she thought.

Something was wrong and Hermione felt her stomach tightening.

Ron was not acting like himself. There was clearly something bigger going on.

"Alright I'll spit it out. Don't expect me to skip to and down the tent because there's some other damn thing we have to find. Just add it to the list of stuff you don't know."

"I don't know?" repeated Harry. "I don't know?"

"Its not like I'm not having the time of my life out here," said Ron his voice dripping with an angry sarcasm that had the little hairs on Hermione's arms standing to attention. "You know, with my arm mangled and nothing to eat and freezing my backside off every night. I just hopes, you know, after we had been running around a few weeks we'd have achieved something."

Hermione swallowed her throat feeling dry.

He's right, a part of her mind answered.

You need to say something to diffuse the situation, she told herself.

"Ron," her voice came out so much smaller than she had intended. She could barely even hear herself over the sound of the rain striking the canvas overhead.

"I thought you knew what you'd signed up for," said Harry plowing on ahead as if he hadn't heard her.

"Yeah, I thought I did too," said Ron.

"So what part of it isn't living up to your expectations," demanded Harry.

Hermione felt a buzzing in her ears as Harry kept talking.

Why is he acting this way? Hermione asked herself and her eyes went to the locket around his neck.

Its the Horcrux...

"Ron!" she said his name loud enough to be heard this time.

Neither of the boys listened, they just kept talking as if she hadn't spoken.

Hermione could hear the blood rushing in her ears and a feeling of desperation kicked in.

"Take off the locket Ron," her voice sounded high even to her own ears. "Please take it off. You wouldn't be talking like this if you hadn't been wearing it all day."

"Yeah he would," said Harry and then he turned towards Hermione. "D'you think I didn't guess you were thinking this stuff?"

"We weren't," Hermione shaking her head.

"Don't lie!" Ron hurled the words at her. His voice felt like knives against her skin. She didn't need this now, not from Ron, not in the middle of all this. They were supposed to be a team. They were supposed to be on the same side.

"So why are you still here?" Harry asked Ron.

"Search me," answered Ron and Hermione felt her back stiffen.

"Go home then," said Harry.

Go home? Time slowed for Hermione. A part of her became aware of the continuing fight between her two friends-arguing about Ginny and whether or not Harry cared for her or any of the Weasely family, which was stupid because everyone knew they loved each other. They all loved each other.

"My parents are dead!" Harry Bellowed bringing Hermione back to the conversation at hand.

"And mine could be going the same way!" yelled Ron.

"Then GO!" roared Harry. "Go back to them, pretend you've gotten over your spattergroit and Mummy'll be able to feed you up and-"

Ron made a sudden movement reaching for his wand and Harry did the same.

Hermione moved before she could think

"Protego!" she cried and an invisible shield expanded between her and Harry putting Ron on the other side and forcing everyone backward several steps.

She looked between the two of them and saw...

Hate.

"Leave the Horcrux," Harry said, breaking the fine silence.

Ron wrenched the chain from over his head and cast the locket into a nearby chair.

He turned to Hermione.

"What are you doing?" he asked looking at her. His eyes were still so full of anger and yet they were looking at her with a strange twisted desperation. Like he was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"What do you mean?" Hermione managed.

"Are you staying or what?"

Its not that simple, she wanted to shout back. You should be staying too.

"I..." Hermione looked between her two friends. She wanted to go with Ron. She wanted to be with Ron...there was something between them, something special that had been growing and she wanted to keep that, wanted to preserve what they had-whatever it was...but she had to do what was right.

Ron looked at her expectantly.

"Yes-" she swallowed. "Yes, I'm staying," she needed to explain...needed to make him see. "Ron we said we'd go with Harry, we said we'd help-"

"I get it," he said nodding angrily. "You chose him."

He turned to walk away.

"Ron no-please- come back," Hermione immediately started after him, but the charm she had cast to stop the fight stood in her way. "Come back!" she cried through it, feeling the desperation inside rising and threatening to spill out through her eyes.

How could he do this?

How could he just leave?

He's not leaving, he's just mad. I have to stop him, Hermione told herself.

Hermione cast the spell to dissolve her charm as quickly as she could. By the time she had managed it though Ron had already stormed out into the night.

He can't go.

Hermione ran out after him.

It was dark and the pouring rain made it hard to see.

"Ron!" she saw the outline of his silhouette through the deluge.

Hermione's heart felt like it was tearing in two.

Why wouldn't be just listen to her?

"Ron please!"

He didn't answer and he didn't stop.

"Ron!"

There was a sudden pop

And suddenly Hermione was standing out in the rain-Alone.

So there you go, the scene is now set for our little "what if" scenario. What if this was the moment where Ron left...and did NOT come back. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this scene done with Hermione's view and take on things. Stay safe and healthy everyone. Cheers.