Disclaimer, see Chapter 1. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who reviews and has added the story to their alerts, as well as me. I'm flattered. I wouldn't be anywhere without all the support I get from you guys, so thanks! I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 8

Calm down, there's no need to get all jealous. It's just Harry and Ron. You're idiot brother and his idiot friend. Deeps breaths. Okay, I can do this. I can talk to them without ripping their heads off. I can do this. I can do this.

Bill sighed. "Bloody hell, get inside you two."

Ron smiled. "Great to see you too Bill. And Charlie! I'm glad you're both safe."

Charlie snorted. How could they be so daft.

Once inside, they all sat down at the table. Harry and Ron seemed their usual selves, which Charlie found odd since they were in the middle of a war.

"Mum's been going insane, I hope you two realize that." Bill began.

Ron frowned. "We never meant to hurt her Bill. It was just something that we needed to do."

Bill scoffed. "Regardless, you should have said goodbye, or given her a heads up, or something! You just disappeared in the middle of the night. She thought you were kidnapped, or killed. Her stress levels have been through the roof."

"But we're fine Bill!"

Bill growled, his wolf becoming more noticeable. "Ron, Mum doesn't know that! She thinks you're dead. No one has written to her saying otherwise. She's been worried sick."

Harry noticed Ron was about to cry, so he intervened. "Bill, it wasn't Ron's fault. If anything, the blame would be mine."

Bill turned to him. "Harry, you're being so daft. Every person in the Ministry is looking for you! If you were found, do you know what that would do? Everything the Order has ever done is being jeopardized by you two!"

Harry looked ashamed. "Sorry Bill, but Dumbledore left us a job, and it's something we need to do, or else this war will never end."

Bill put his hands on his head, rubbing his temples. "Well, Mum has been worried."

Harry nodded. "We're sorry, but it was for the best."

Charlie, who had been sitting quiet, decided it was time to ask the question he had been dying to ask. He wanted to see what they knew about Hermione.

"So, where's Hermione?"

Bill shot him a look, but he ignored it.

Harry and Ron's faces both darkened. "She left us." Ron said, hatred evident in his voice.

This surprised Charlie greatly.

Harry nodded. "She just left. And hasn't returned, or written, or anything."

Ron nodded once more. "She just couldn't handle it, I suppose. But to just leave us? How much more of a coward could she be? Smartest witch of our age, I don't think so."

Charlie's blood began to boil once more. This was why Hermione didn't want to write to Harry or Ron. Because she knew they were mad at her, and thought she was a traitor. He felt terrible for yelling at her the way that he did.

"What happened right before she left? Any clues?" Bill asked.

Ron's face darkened once more. "I kissed her. I thought she loved me, you know? We're meant to be together."

Charlie clutched his hands on the table.

"But she shoved me away," Ron continued. "She didn't want me. She doesn't think we're right for each other. So she just left. Apparently, I appall her."

Charlie felt his heart squeeze. Hermione didn't love Ron, or Harry. And he was so mean to her. He could have slapped himself in the face. He was so dense! How could he have been such an idiot.

Hermione was hurting, and he made all those accusations and then threw them in her face. He had taken everything she had said, and twisted it. Charlie felt like crying. He had pushed the witch that he loved away from him. And he had no one to blame but himself.

He was so cruel. He was everything he hated about anything. How could he have been so stupid? He was a downright git, and Hermione would never forgive him. He knew he had hurt her, badly too.

And now she was alone with Hemera, taking all the stress on by herself. She needed him, and he left.

He needed to make it up to her, but he had no idea how. Hell, he didn't even know where she was. This was a mess. A big one. One that he didn't even know if he could fix.

He zoned back in to listen to Ron and Harry. They were still going on about her leaving them.

Gripping the table, he turned to them. "Did the two of you ever think that she was doing something important?"

Harry frowned. He hadn't thought of that at all.

Ron wouldn't believe that. "I doubt that. I mean, what's more important that stopping Riddle?"

Charlie glared at his brother. "Well, maybe she's doing something to stop him? You don't know what's going through her mind, so don't put words or thoughts in her."

Ron laughed. "Yeah, how would you know? You've been away from the war, in your own little world."

Harry touched Ron's arm. "Ron, don't say such things."

Charlie stood. "Ron Weasley. You don't know anything about my life, so don't pretend you do."

Charlie stormed from the room. He needed to be alone. To figure out how to fix the mess he created.

Meanwhile Bill turned to the boys. "Is there a reason you're here?"

Harry nodded. "We need to break into the Lestrange vault and was wondering if you could help us, or offer any pointers?"

Bill frowned. "This is really serious work. You could die. In fact, there's a large possibility you'll die."

Harry shrugged, smiling. "I've been close to death before. We can handle it."

Bill groaned. "If anything happens to you two, Mum will be sure to blame me."

"We'll be extra careful," Ron said, grinning.

Bill knew he shouldn't help them, but it was better than them going in blind.

"Well, there's a door on the side, around back. It's hidden, but if you tap the third stone from the bottom, the door will appear. There are plenty of things hidden in Gringott's that are to prevent things like this from even happening. Dragons, enchantments, curses. You two will have to be very careful."

"We will. I've already figured out most of the plan." Harry spoke. He was very confident of himself. "Do you mind if we spend the night here? It's been ages since we've slept in a bed."

Bill nodded. "Make yourselves at home."

Harry and Ron went upstairs to mull over their plans. Bill gently kissed Fleur, and went outside to see if Charlie was all right. He had looked really upset.

Sure enough, he saw his brother sitting on the beach, his head in his hands. He sat down next to him. "Charlie, she'll forgive you."

Charlie looked at his brother, tears in his eyes. "I don't know. I was a git, and I said some really nasty things."

Bill shrugged. "Hermione is a caring person. If she cares for you, the way you do for her, she'll forgive you."

"I really hope so. I mean, I think I love her." Charlie admitted.

Hermione was currently sitting on the edge of a cliff, her feet dangling. The cold air whipped at her face, but she was numb.

Charlie thought she was in love with Ron, when in reality, she cared for him. It hurt.

She wondered where he was, if he was safe. She hoped that he was.

Hemera approached Hermione, nuzzling her with her snout.

Hermione looked up at her dragon, tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Hemera's neck, holding onto her tightly.

"What would you do if you knew how to find him?"

Hermione sniffled. "I would tell him he's an idiot, and then snog him senseless."

Hemera chuckled. "Well, Hermione, I think it's time we taught you scrying."

A slow smile worked it's way across her face.