When they arrived at Godric's hollow, Harry and Hermione were greeted by wind and snow.
Looking around at the cemetery, Hermione saw fairy lights strewn across one of the headstones, undoubtedly kept lighted by magic, and garlands of evergreen-and-roses arranged over the boughs of one tree.
"Harry, I think it's Christmas Eve."
OoOoO
"I'm not going in there." Said Harry.
"Oh yes you are, and you're taking him with you, before the spell wears off." Countered Hermione.
"But 'Mione I don't even know them, and they're gonna recognize me!"
"Go under the cloak!"
"You do it!"
Pinching the bridge of her nose now, Hermione asked "Harry. Honey. Why don't you want to go inside?"
After a breath, Harry looked down, rubbed at the back of his neck, and said "It's possible that I might have a slight phobia of churches."
"What."
"Petunia always made me go." He said in a small voice, quite unbefitting of someone Harry's age. "She's an evangelical; it was always brimstone and hellfire, and it scared the shit out of me. I was only a kid, and she had the nerve to look at me sideways whenever the priest, or whatever he was, talked about 'the devil's work.' I haven't been back since that day I blew up Marge in third year." He admitted, smiling sheepishly.
"Harry, I know you know it isn't true what they said, and that you're fine and remarkably well-adjusted given your situation, but I'm still going to tell you that it's okay for you to be afraid to go in to that church." Said Hermione, reaching out to fuss at his hair.
"Thanks, 'Mione." He said, looking up at her again. "You know I kinda love you, right?"
"Yeah, dumbass, I know." She said with a smirk, earning her a flick on the nose. "Now get that man into that church, pronto." She ordered.
"Yeah, alright, I'm a big boy. I can totally do this. Taking the man into the cathedral now."
Harry hoisted the man up, and tried to carry him in, which resulted in Hermione rolling her eyes, and casting a levitation charm on the man.
"Honestly, I don't know what you'd do without me." She said.
"Die, probably." Said Harry, simply.
OoOoO
On their way back out of Godric's Hollow, Harry slowed his walk a bit, and taking one of Hermione's wrists in both of his hands and tugging, he said "'Mione."
And Hermione said "Yes?"
"Uh. Um. Could we maybe have a look in the cemetery before we leave? Do you think?"
Smiling a bit, Hermione said "Yeah, Harry, I think we could."
Walking through the headstones found Harry wishing for something heavier than his wool coat. It was colder in there, and Harry didn't particularly fancy thinking about exactly why.
As though sensing his discomfort, Hermione came up behind Harry and did something with her wand that resulted in a warm sort of bubble enveloping him.
"Thanks, 'Mione."
"Hmm. You're welcome, dear." She said.
"Found anything interesting?" Harry asked
"Incidentally, yes, I have. I found your mum and dad."
"Take me there?"
"Sure."
OoOoO
They spent the better part of an hour sat in front of Lily and James Potter's headstone. Harry thought it was fitting that they were both under the same one. He thought that they shouldn't have liked to be separated in death, after having been together in life for such a short time.
By the time Harry came back to the world once again, the snow had fallen in a thick layer around their knees, and Hermione was starting to shiver.
"Looks like the charm's wearing off."
"Yeah." Said Harry. "Let's go home, okay?"
"Yes, lets." Agreed Hermione.
Actually, hang on just a second, Harry." Said Hermione, looking in the direction of a large, flat, headstone. "There's something I want to see."
Later, when Harry asked, Hermione would say that she had only felt some sort of pull toward the marble of Ignotus Peverell's headstone, and that she had no real Idea why it called to her in the first place.
"Magic." They had both decided. It could certainly do funny things, couldn't it.
OoOoO
After the snake incident, Harry and Hermione both swore never to follow animated corpses through the dark to their lairs ever again. Harry did make it out alive, but his glasses, and more importantly, his wand, were not so lucky.
"Hermione. Let me see it."
"No."
"Come on, it can't be that bad."
"It is, Harry, I don't think it can be fixed."
"Please, Hermione. Let me see it, honey, come on." Asked Harry, pulling at the fingers of her tightly-clenched left hand, and with a carefully calm, plaintive expression on his face.
Relenting, Hermione placed the broken wand in his hands, and set his newly-repaired glasses down on the snow beside him.
"I did everything I could, but wands are different-"
"It's okay, Hermione, really. It wasn't your fault."
"I'm sorry." Said Hermione.
"It's alright, we'll share yours. No worries, Hermione, we'll find another one in good time." Said Harry, making a gesture for Hermione to come sit with him.
Not quite looking like she felt absolved of her crime, Hermione scooted over to where Harry was sat beneath their favorite oak tree, and laid her head on his shoulder. Harry put his arm around her waist, and tugged her in closer.
After a moment, Harry said "We'll be alright Hermione. We'll make it out of this alive, just you wait and see."
They stayed like that, tucked closely together under their tree, for a while longer, and when the sun finally began to set, and their warming charm began to fade, they got up, brushed off the snow, and retreated to the safety of their tent.
OoOoO
The next day, Hermione tried to do a location spell on Ron.
"I just can't get it to work!" She exclaimed.
I don't know what's wrong, maybe it's the salvia hexia we've got around the tent, I know it can stop the flow of location magic to the inside, but I didn't think that it worked the same way going out! What use could that possibly be, why create a spell that inhibits the caster, when everyone knows perfectly well that to evade someone, you must know where they are- it would be a terrible mistake in terms of advanced tracking, and-"
Harry had put his hand squarely over Hermione's mouth.
"Hermione. Love. We'll find him." Said Harry, looking her straight in the eye. He took his hand off Hermione's mouth, just in time to see a tear well up in her eye.
When her mouth started to tremble, Harry knew it had gotten bad.
Taking the spellbook away from her, Harry set it on the coffee table, and used the sleeve of the sweater he was wearing-which happened to be Hermione's- and wiped away the beginning of her tears.
Sitting down beside her on the couch, Harry shifted them both so that Hermione could sit facing him, and he grabbed the throw-pillow from the loveseat beside them, and gave it to Hermione to curl around.
Hermione looked at Harry for confirmation, and getting a nod, she began to talk.
"I can't sleep, Harry." She said, crumpling a bit under the weight of her confession. "Not when I know he's out there, all by himself, probably looking for us, and we haven't gotten any closer to finding the next horcrux, and I can't sleep."
Just, damn him, Harry, for running away. And damn the fucking dark lord, and the god-damned Death Eaters and this stupid war, and everyone!"
Hermione was crying in earnest now, and she had to fight through the hiccups to get her words out.
I just- hic -can't understand- hic -why- hic- everything has to be so fucked up!" She said, waving her hands about.
I just can't anymore, Harry. I- hic -need a fucking break, is what I need." She said, laying her head heavily in both hands.
I just need a fucking break.
"'Mione," Harry said, taking her hand.
Hermione hung her head, and refused to look at him.
"Do you want to take a break from horcrux-hunting?" He asked.
"No." said Hermione, in a small, stuffy voice.
"Do you want to have a hug?"
"Yes." She said, in the same voice.
Hermione looked up at Harry, pressed her pillow to his chest, and turned around to sit in his criss-crossed legs.
"I have had it, Harry." She said, snuggling in to his negative space now, and closing her eyes.
"I know you have, love." Said Harry, setting his arms loosely about her waist.
"I have positively had it with this war." She said again, pulling them tighter around her.
"Yeah, that's about the size of it."
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to sleep now."
"Okay."