Ron's POV

Christmas

I woke to the sound of people in the hall outside of my room wishing each other a merry Christmas. Christmas already? Had I been away from Harry and Hermione so long? I sat up in my dirty makeshift bed and let out a long yawn with a nice stretch. On my way to the bathroom, I glanced through the torn curtains in the window and stared down the high street. Men, women and children hurried through the falling snow while wishing each other a merry Christmas. Some people were throwing snowballs, others were laughing.

This is how Christmas is meant to be I thought. Not hiding away in a dingy inn, all alone and cold. I should have been with Harry and Hermione right now, exchanging gifts and hugging. It had been so long. Every second away from Hermione felt like another painful day but realistically I hadn't thought it had been so long. I decided to get breakfast downstairs and come back to my room, spending the day alone sounded better than surrounded by a drunk of idiots who finally have an excuse to drink before twelve.

After getting breakfast and coffee and avoiding some snatchers who passed by the window, I hurried back to my room and locked the door. God was I starving. I sat in silence and shoved down the food, I didn't even bother to wipe my face until it was all gone.

It felt good to just sit and relax. Three attacks this week from snatchers and death eaters and I barely escaped with my life each time. They were getting closer. It'd only be a matter of time before they figure out where I am and come knocking down my door. There was something I was happy about tough, I'd done some snatching of my own while on the run. Got three wands that week alone. Different cores, strong, sturdy, good wands I could use if I'd need to. If we'd need to. If I ever found Hermione and Harry again, that was.

The moment I left them, I knew I'd fucked up. I'd argued with myself and convinced myself to give us all some distance, some space and time to think and whatever but I'd lost that fight with myself after only a few days. I'd given in and decided I'd spend all my time trying to track them both down. I'd gone back to where I'd left but of course they'd moved on. Every night since, my heart ached. All because I'd finally understood what I had put her through when I'd left her. I hated myself for it and I was praying the same price. I'd lost count of the number of dreams Hermione had been in since I'd left and every night I woke without her in my arms. My own personal torture.

After feeling my heart ache and the tears begin, I resorted to my only means necessary to calm myself down. I grabbed my wand, gave it a flick and locked the door. I then rolled onto my side and proceeded to try and sleep, hoping she'd visit my dreams that night.

"Ron..." My angel called, her voice dismissing the worries picking at my brain. The sound of her voice, like a lullaby, made me smile. "Ron..." she whispered again. How realistic her voice was, I could hear Hermione speaking as if she were laying right beside me. "Ron..." She whispered a third time, it was only then did I realize I was awake and there was no way I had been dreaming.

"Hermione?" I questioned, sitting up in bed and looking around the room. I didn't know how I did it but I had managed to sleep the entire day away, the moon was just beginning to rise in the twilight sky, bright enough I could clearly see I was alone in the bedroom. I hadn't been dreaming, I had heard her name clear as the day. "Ron..." It whispered again and my heartbeat picked up, recognizing the woman I loved. Her voice was much closer than I had realized. Hermione is in my rucksack?

No. Obviously not. Idiot. I reached down and yanked the zipper down and reached into the bag, listening to her sing my name. Suddenly my fingers wrapped around something cold and metal, the source of her voice. The Deluminator? Dumbledore had left this to me in his will, to take and give light. How in the blood hell is the put-offer whispering my name. How and why in Hermione's Voice?

Despite my worry, I knew that whatever was happening, that it was good. I knew, somehow I knew, this would help me find Hermione. Then, after a deep breath, I flicked the deluminator open. From the tip, a tiny jet of white light rocketed into the air, illuminating my room in white light. It spun in on itself until it became a small ball of light. Pure light. Magic. It was so bright, it fought away the shadows of the room, it made me squint so much I had to cover my eyes.

"Ron..." It whispered once more before the ball moved and shot straight through my chest. I panicked and threw myself backwards, banging by head against the headboard but I was frozen in fear. I couldn't move, all I could feel was that light inside of me. Moving into my heart, being consumed by it. Then I knew. It spoke in her voice. It would lead me to her. It had to. Without another minute to wait, I grabbed my bag and my wand and apparated out of there.

Instantly the cold winter air hit me the moment I reappeared. It was dark, too dark to see but the silhouettes cast by the moon hinted I was in the middle of a forest somewhere. I begun walking forward, ignoring my breath which I could see and the ice that crunched under my boots. I tucked my hands into my pockets and picked up the pace. She had to be close.

But in the end, Hermione didn't appear. Something else did. A silver dear...Harry's Patronus?

I begun running.

FanWriter's Note:

Hey guys! Next chapter is here. Sorry it's not a long one but I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think.

~FanWriter Harrison~