Hermione hadn't realised that her tears had turned cold upon her cheek. She can't be certain how long she stood; she was only certain that she hadn't moved an inch. He was really gone.

The last few weeks had been very difficult on all three of them. They had rotated the locket between them once they noticed how it affected their actions. Especially Ron. He became more paranoid and self-conscious. She became passive and snarky. Harry became dark and dangerous.

On top of that setting up shop every week felt repetitive and never ending. The hunt for the horcruxes was not moving along at all. She poured over books from dust till dawn and kept watch most nights. The books provided her no answers, and the nights no sense of safety.

They used to talk. Her and Ron would stay up when Harry was on watch-dreaming of the world that they would live in. They made plans on going back to school without living in fear. Training for jobs and making a home for themselves. Each night they spoke less. Then they didn't speak at all.

"Hermione? Do you mind if tomorrow we- Hermione? What's wrong?"

She turned her face away and braced against the table.

"I'm fine Harry."

She felt his hand on hers. His fingers were cold from the winter's night.

"What's happened?!"

"He's gone Harry. We fought and he left. I don't think he wants to come back."

"What? What did he say?"

"It doesn't matter. He can't fight with us anymore and he doesn't want to stay here with us. So that's it. I can't talk about this anymore."

Harry wrapped both arms around her. She couldn't bear to turn to see his pity or his anger.

"Ok, no more talking about Ron. That's a problem for tomorrow. Let me take another shift. Get some rest."

"No Harry, I can't let you take another shift. You've been up for hours."

"It's ok. Really."

Hermione pushed past him, grabbing her wand on her way out of the tent. She slumped down onto a nearby fallen tree they had used as a perch the last three nights.

She held in her tears, and bit back the anger. She was getting aggressively used to feeling more alone. She had lost her home for Hogwarts. Then she lost her muggle life for her friends. Now she had lost her parents for the war. She would probably lose her life for the war in all truth.

When Hermione was a child, she thought she was very grown up and independent. Other children didn't have to ask for help on their homework. The teachers asked her take paperwork to the reception desk. She was asked to read for the class. Clearly, she didn't need anyone. It all seemed so simple. She wondered if all children felt like they have it all sussed and that being a big kid would be equally as easy.

She never expected being a teenager to be fraught with so many choices and decisions. What classes should she pick. Who should she talk to. Where should she sit at breakfast. If she changed her hair; did that make her empowered or embarrassed of how she was made. What would the other girls say if she used muggle sanitary products. These stupid thoughts dominated her six years at Hogwarts.

Every day she would feel that little bit smaller. A little less like that confident girl. She could have spent the whole morning hating herself for wanting to be prettier, but Flitwick would still compliment her wandwork and the boys would still clamour for her advise on homework. But then she'd see Ron drag himself after girl after girl and it fell away. She didn't feel grown up anymore.

She certainly didn't feel grown up slipping into shops ten minutes before closing to take food that was being thrown out. Setting up camp constantly made her feel like a child playing adventure. She would pin her Gryffindor badge onto her under shirt to remind her to have courage, but it all felt like dress up. No amount of study, casting practice, or experience was going to make her feel like that little girl who knew it all and was going to take on the war. She still believed in their cause. But she didn't think she believed in much else anymore.

"I thought you might like a drink "Harry said in soft tones.

Hermione shook the thoughts from her head. She was being silly. These thoughts drifted through like comforting ghosts, still that was not her life anymore.

"Thank you, Harry. I'm sorry for before. I'm just stressed. I thought if nothing else it was always going to be the three of us. If non-one else at least we would keep fighting, you know?"

"I know. I'm not actually surprised. Ron has been criticising me the last few days more than normal. He's right, I don't have this big masterplan. Do you think we're doing the right thing?"

"Even stumbling in the dark, we are doing what we can. No progress is linear. If Ron is too impatient for that then we don't need him."

Harry opened his mouth as if to say something before thinking better of it. He knew Hermione had a fierce heart. Nothing could be gained by goading the lion.

"Everything aside, no-one can take this away from you." Harry's lips tucked into a cheeky smile. From behind his back he revealed a hot chocolate to Hermione's delight.

"Where did you get hot chocolate from?!"

"I may have been saving it for a special occasion" he winked.

"You shouldn't have wasted it on me!"

Harry scoffed at her. "There is nothing more special than two best friends enjoying a night under the stars together.

Hermione's face softened. Harry could be sweet when he let his guard down. He was a dreamer deep down. She patted the trunk to invite him to sit. He passed her drink and placed his arm around her shoulders. The first sip was like heaven. They had few luxuries on the road and something she felt selfish for missing was hot chocolate. Harry knew it was her favourite comfort.

"No matter what happens, I'm going to stick by you," Harry whispered into her hair. "You are amazing, and I couldn't do it without you. Tomorrow is a new day."

Some of the pain ebbed. Maybe the morning was going to be better.

Author's Note: Hello! I was not expecting this to have as many views and follows as it has in less than a day. So thanks 😊 I've placed this in hurt/comfort for the initial feelings of the plot I but wanted to say that it's not getting to get too dark and twisty. I personally don't enjoy very dark stories that can be upsetting so that's not what this is. I've also placed this story in romance which is more of where we're heading. That being said, I hope that you enjoyed this longer chapter.