Chapter 4

The stunned silence in the tent was almost suffocating, both Hermione and Ron stood rigidly, staring at the spot where their best friend they just betrayed stood only a moment ago.

Hermione's eyes were wide open with shock as tears kept pouring down her cheeks, her face frozen in a disbelieving expression. Her shoulders started shaking again as she started muttering to herself over and over again.

"No this didn't happen, please tell me I'm dreaming. Please tell me this is a nightmare".

Hearing his female best friend's muttering shook Ron out of his own shock. He faintly blinked a few times, as if coming out of a deep sleep.

The red-hair turned to the young witch. He looked unsure if he should try to talk to her, when he considered her state.

But she chose me, a voice in his head argued, surely there was a reason for that, and now that Potter is not here...

Ron nodded to himself, he agreed with the reasoning of that voice that kept him company through a lot in this useless adventure.

"Hermione?" He flinched almost immediately after calling her name, as Hermione turned to face him in a dangerous speed, an angry snarl on her face as she advanced to him. Ron had the distinct feeling that he made a small mistake.

"You! You insufferable idiot! You stupid baboon! I hate you!" The witch spat at him while advancing towards him, her wand starting to dangerously glow as her tear-filled brown eyes sparkled with anger.

Ron back away in surprise and panic, stuttering. "Wha-? Hermione?" Looking at his friend in confusion that only enraged her even more.

"Shut up! You bastard, why did you make me choose? How can you be so selfish?! Now Harry is alone and he hates us!" She broke down as she said the last part, her grief finally overtaking her anger.

Only to be replaced with his own, Ron suddenly felt angry beyond belief, hearing her talking about their friend even when he was gone. Without thinking about her state, he started shouting back at her.

"Oh so now you're suddenly regretting it? Why did you choose me if you wanted to stay with him? You know he was leading us in a purposeless chase; Harry had no idea what he was doing! He was just endangering our lives! I saved us from certain death by getting away from him."

His proud expression for finally getting that off his chest was wiped clean by an angry slap from Hermione, who stood up when he started talking and lost her control from her disgust. Her eyes blazed as she digested what he said, she looked ready to kill him.

"I knew I made the wrong choice! You are selfish and immature! Because of your moaning and whining, Harry is most likely going to die, alone against Voldemort. Merlin, I can't believe I actually loved you." She covered her mouth with a gasp as the words came out, clearly mortified by the slip of tongue.

His face showed his surprise at her admission, his cheeks getting redder, and not only from her harsh slap.

"Y-You love me?" Ron asked hesitantly, his voice slightly shaking, his blue eyes looking tired yet hopeful.

She sighed tiredly, the fight and anger completely leaving her limbs. All that was left was an exhausted shell of a human, shoulders hunched and her head cast down.

"Your blindness still amazes me Ronald, even after six years." She stated, not even bothering to lift her head in his direction.

"Yes, I loved you for a long time Ron; I fell for your positive goofy personality. For your honourable and proud streak, willing to overlook your dense and jealous tendencies, ready to accept for whom you were." Ron smiled at her, feeling his hopes rising, yet she still refused to meet his gaze.

"Can you even imagine how hurtful it was for me when it took you so long to even realize I was a girl and try to ask me to the Yule Ball? The first time Viktor asked me, I refused, I wanted to wait for you to ask me, since that was what I wanted above anything else." Her voice didn't take a hostile tone; it just became weary, as if the anger disappeared after some time, as if it didn't matter anymore.

"But it never came, you preferred to gawk after a girl who was much older than you. It's funny that she married Bill in the end, must've been a joyful day for you, no?" The red-hair flinched from her accusing tone, his ears getting red since he knew it was the truth.

"Then when I finally thought that you were getting more mature, taking responsibility with DA and paying attention to something other than Quidditch or food. You just had to prove me wrong, didn't you? Turning your full attention on Lavender the moment she showed even the slightest interest in you, ignoring all the signs I was trying to give you."

She finally stood up, turning her back to him as she worked with her wand. All the objects in the tent flew around, settling themselves into neat piles that arranged themselves inside her hand-bag.

"And this journey, of course. Didn't we talk about how we'll stick with Harry no matter what? That the Horcruxes were too important and needed to be destroyed, that Harry needed our help? But no, of course once you were away from your comfortable bed and food, none of those promises mattered." Her voice contained enough venom to make his heart ache and lower his head in shame.

He tried to talk, to protest and argue that staying with their male best friend would've resulted in their death and that they were better without him, but even to him these arguments sounded hollow and pitiful. Ron wanted to apologize to Hermione, to beg her to give him another chance now that he knew about her feelings. But, when he opened his mouth she held out a hand to stop him, looking tired and impatient.

"Save it Ron, I chose you just because of the sudden moment of a desperate attempt to gain your affection, but the only thing I achieved from this is to insure Harry's hatred and resentment of me. Whatever love or relationship we could've had is not worth our best friend's death. I just thought it would be fair for you to know what you destroyed with your ignorant actions." She turned away from his again, not seeing the expression of misery on the teen's face.

They spent the next five minutes like that, Hermione gathering their belongings with a swish of her wand while Ron looked around cluelessly, unable to find anything he could help with.

With a final flick of her wand, the witch turned to her friend, not even trying to make eye contact so he won't see the tears in her brown exhausted eyes.

"Let's go then, the best place I could think of to go to is Bill and Fleur's house. It is isolated enough and I'm sure us apparating there will go unnoticed. I assume you can apparate us there?" She looked at his general direction, waiting for the already expected answer.

Ron nodded mutely, giving one last look to the interior of the tent where he spent his last months at, where he made a fatal mistake that will never be forgiven. He suddenly realized that he will need to face his family, his parents and siblings... Ginny. The red-hair gulped, knowing that he brought the rage of his whole family on himself.

As Hermione was working her magic on the tent, both of them standing in the chilly November night, Ron wondered what made him snap. Was it really them not including him in their conversation of the sudden revelation? Was it his jealousy of Harry-Bloody-Potter and his suspicion of his two best friends becoming something more than just that?

Of course not Ron, don't bring yourself down so much, you knew you were right to try to get away from Potter. It's her stupidity and naive trust that doesn't let her see what you see Ron, you can still get the witch that you desire.

'No, that's not true; she hates me enough and I will not risk whatever I've left with her after this. It was your advice that caused this, don't expect me to listen to you again you git.' Ron argued passionately with the voice that accompanied him since they found the locket, giving him advice to gain Hermione's trust and affection.

Suit yourself Ronald, you know that you'll be seeking me out soon enough. You need me.

"Ronald!" Hermione's snappish voice prevented him from answering back as he turned to her questionably, seeing her looking at him expectantly with a raised eyebrow. He tried to smile sheepishly but all his face could morph into was a grimace. He offered his hand and she took it unemotionally.

With a sad sigh, he concentrated on Bill's house and he felt the usual effects of apparition. Ron was wearily ready to face the music, or at least he hoped so.

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