A/N: I'm sorry to keep you waiting long, but my internet has been acting up lately. So for those who reviewed and read or added to your favourites, Thank You. I am so sorry to disappoint.

Chapter Four

Hermione watched Harry, as he tried to figure something out. He looked to be in so much concentration she was starting to worry he was thinking about Voldemort again.

"It's okay Harry, you can tell us anything," she said trying to assure him. She took hold of his hand and he looked at her drawing strength from her.

"Remember, the prophecy in our fifth year?" he asked looking at Ron then at Hermione for confirmation. They both nodded their heads in confirmation and he went on. "You remember how it said I was the only one who could kill Voldemort and in the process maybe be killed by him," Ron flinched at the use of the Dark Lord's name and Hermione winced when he said he might be killed. She squeezed his hand once more trying to show him support.

"You can defeat him Harry, and we'll be right beside you," determination and conviction rang in her voice and he smiled though his seemed worn and weary. "We just have to find out what the prophecy meant by the power you know not, and we'll be ready."

"It's not that simple Mione," he said, then noticed he had used their secret nickname in front of Ron. He tried to make it seem like it was nothing but when he glanced at him from the corner of his eye, and noted how his body tensed before he quickly relaxed it. Ron's expression went on alert for a second then it was clear. "When I was in training with Dumbledore, he didn't teach me just Occlumency, but Leglimency as well. He even started teaching me the basic stuff about Wandless Magic and the whole nine yards but the-," he paused taking a moment to gather his thoughts together once more.

Hermione gave him a reassuring nod while Ron looked uncomfortable but wearily between him and Hermione.

"He wanted me to learn as much as possible in the little time we had. Of course because of the upcoming battle we had to research as much as possible. What we found was a little disconcerting considering Voldemort practically divided his soul into seven pieces," he stopped for a second for that to sink in as he heard Hermione's gasp at whit he had just said and Ron's shudder at the use of Voldemort's name.

Before Hermione could say anything Ron finally asked the question knew Harry knew he would ask. "What is a Hocrux?" his tone was relaxed and nonchalant.

Hermione stared at him for a second with a lost expression on her face. To say she was flabbergasted at his lack of knowledge for things that maybe responsible for killing him was an understatement. She was in a shocked silence and that was saying a lot because it wasn't everyday Hermione was at a loss of words.

Snapping out of her state before Ron could say anything more as he was plainly planning to do she was about to tell him what it was but Harry beat her to it because he knew if she started lecturing him it would be for a while. Not that he would complain as he would be watching her lips the whole time. Don't even go there Potter. He chastised himself.

"Ron, a Hocrux is a piece of somebody's soul that they take out of their body, so they can divide it up into however many pieces they want. In Voldemort's case it's seven different pieces," by now Ron's eyes were wider than they had been whenever Harry used Voldemort's name.

Hermione's hand had flown up to her mouth and her eyes were glued on that he started feeling uncomfortable. She had an expression that was a mixture of thoughtfulness, anger, sadness, sorrow and something he couldn't quite discern. He could see her mind working itself at a thousand miles a second. He could almost feel the question that was about to come out of her mouth before she asked it.

"We have three pieces destroyed. The night Dumbledore died he was trying to destroy Voldemort's ring. I finished it up a few seconds before I side apparated him to Hogsmeade to get back to Hogwarts. He had me force him to drink some potion that was protecting the ring from anyone who was Voldemort. He told me to give it to him no matter how much he resisted, because the ring had to be destroyed. If I hadn't forced him to drink the potion he might have had been strong enough to deflect the spell Snape sent him. He would have at least ducked out of the way of the spell and maybe survived. I couldn't help him because he had my body under his spell and I couldn't move until I was too late. When he died-," he was about to continue when Hermione cut him off.

"It's not your fault Harry. You couldn't have deflected Dumbledore's spell even if you had tried. Not without enough training," she said as she launched herself at him, with all her might and hugged him fiercely, protectively. The spaced look that had taken place in his once vibrant and beautiful emerald green eyes had worried her. So she did the one thing she knew she would want someone to do for her if she was going through what he was.

Harry went stiff for a moment before he realized what she was doming. The third hug he had ever gotten from anyone, she had been the first and second. What amazed him was the fact that it felt good to be in her arms. She felt soft and much like comfort. She felt safe and he wanted a safe place. Don't go there. We've been through this Potter.

He pulled back a little and noted that tears were streaming down her face. He panicked for a nano-second thinking maybe he shouldn't have told her then, he felt his heart and body were feeling lighter than before he had told her and Ron about the Hocruxes. Instead of pulling away he pulled her closer and held her face into his shoulder. He smoothed her hair down, and then he realized Ron was still in the compartment. His emerald eyes connected with Ron's blue and Ron said nothing except for look suspiciously between him and Hermione. Harry chose to not ask about Ron's suspicious looks, and drew Hermione closer to his shoulder.

"It's okay Hermione; I have time to train before the big battle. Something tells me he won't attack me anytime soon as he is gathering his army, other people though I don't know which is why I've decided to start this summer," he left out what he was starting this summer on purpose because he knew how she would react.

Hermione sniffled then looked up from Harry's jacket and into his eyes, "Does that mean we have to have gym memberships?"

"Yes, only if they are close to your houses. You want to be able to be at a distance where you can run back home and be safe," he looked at Ron again waiting to see if he would confirm what he had said.

"I don't know if I will have enough time to go to the gym Harry, I will be working with Fred and George at their business this summer, he said then looked thoughtful for a second. "How are you going to go to the gym Harry if you have Aurors and members of the Order on your tail the whole time?"

"I'm sure Tonks and Remus will allow me, if not they'll escort me and if those two don't work, I have my Invisibility Cloak and I can sneak out." Harry answered in a tone that said he had it all planned. "If that doesn't work I can sneak to the Dursely home's basements were Dudley's gym equipment is, before anyone in the house wakes up. I would still need to go out because I still have to go outside once in a while to hunt for the Hocruxes though."

"So, when and where do I meet you?"

He played dumb for a minute trying to act as though he didn't know what she was talking about. "If you want to run with me I'd have to call you and tell what date it would be. I'll have to check with Remus and Tonks on whether it safe for you to come here."

"Harry," she said in a deadly serious, silent voice that meant business.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"I'm coming with you to look for the Hocruxes."

"So am I mate, forget Fred and George's shop."

"No you are not. Not either one of you, I need to do this on my own," he said looking between the two of them. Then his eyes focused on Hermione willing her to remember the Order of the Phoenix when she got hurt. "I'm not putting you in danger again," his eyes lingered on her a while longer then he looked at them both. "I can't lose you. I won't lose you," he emphasised.

"I'm not letting you do this on your own Harry," she looked determined and he knew that look was trouble. "If it means I won't go home this summer so I can stay with you at your, that way we can go together to hunt for them then I'll do just that. My Mom and Dad won't have a problem driving me to your house."

Harry knew he wouldn't win this fight, so he knew she was going to have to come with him for the search. He couldn't imagine his Hermione living in the same condition he did every summer he went to the Durselys. His Hermione? Where did those thoughts come from? He didn't want her purity to be tainted with that of the excuses of human beings who were his supposed family. His past was too dark for her pure and honest soul.

"Fine, Mione you win. I was planning on starting by doing research then going to the places I suspect he would hide his Hocruxes starting the second week of July. I think by then I would have mastered some of the things I actually need to know on Hocruxes and hopefully my body will be more of in shape," he told her reluctantly.

"Harry, Bill's wedding is on the sixteenth of July, which is the second week of July, so how are you going to manage to be there?" Ron asked speaking out for the first time in a while.

"I'm sure I can take a day off and come to the wedding," Harry stated the obvious.

"I'm in, I would not leave you hanging mate," Ron said clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder. Neither Harry nor Hermione missed the fact that his hands dropped onto Harry's shoulder with a little more force than necessary, and in the action causing Hermione's head that had found its place onto Harry's shoulder.

Hermione lifted her head off of Harry's shoulder and missed the contact immediately, making her wish she could put it back on his shoulder. She was afraid he wouldn't like it as much so she sat next to him instead her head on the back of the train sit trying to make her breath even again.

Something popped in her brain that she noticed Harry had been avoiding: School. She had to ask him about it.

"Harry, do you think we'll be able to destroy the last four Hocruxes before school starts again?"

He inhaled sharply and looked at her knowing his avoidance skim had been found out. He could not look into her eyes as he spoke so he just looked out the window.

"Actually Hermione, I was planning on not going back to Hogwarts. I don't think I will have enough essentials and sources to help me in my search. So I decided to not go back. Not only that but, everyone is way safer at Hogwarts without me there, to draw Voldemort to them. "

Though Hermione had been expecting an answer along the same line she fell into shock again a second time in one train ride. The boys should be proud of themselves. Her brain was still trying to process what he had just said when they heard the overhead announcement announcing they would be at 9 and ¾ in twenty minutes.

Again I am so sorry for not updating earlier. My internet has issues. Thanx to everyone who reviewed or added the story to their favourites anything.