Disclaimer and Warnings: Mild Swearing warning, Horcrux-induced behavior, based from DH 1.

It wasn't supposed to end this way. We were supposed to be together, fighting the evil that sought to destroy us. But it was that same evil that broke us apart. The Horcruxes, they were always an issue to deal with, and we were always strong, until tonight. I still can't believe what happened, but it is entirely believable. I think I lost one of my best friends today, and it was all done by the hand of Evil…

Two weeks earlier

I was looking at the Marauder's Map again. I didn't know why, but I felt that looking at it makes Ginny safe, especially with Snape as Headmaster now. It was silly, I couldn't do anything from out here; it wasn't like I could apparate there and back. I started to yawn as sleep was fighting for control when I saw a blur pass behind me. I glanced over and saw Hermione quickly leafing through a book.

"What's that, Hermione?"

Hermione answered without breaking her concentration. "The answer to our problems!"

I watched as she scanned the pages before she stopped and smiled. She grabbed the book and held it up so I could see what she was talking about.

"The Sword of Gryffindor is goblin-made, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Brilliant!" I responded, half confused and half excited.

Hermione sighed and smiled. She always had to explain these things to me, whether or not I understood them at all. Secretly I knew she enjoyed it. "You don't understand," she started, "the Sword doesn't rust. It takes it in, absorbs it, and it uses it to its advantage!"

"Ok, so what does that mean?" I asked, still confused.

Hermione took a deep breath. "The sword can destroy Horcruxes now."

I was going to say something but I was cut off by the lights being put out. A few seconds later, Ron appeared. He looked like he was worn out and angry. He had bags under his eyes, and the Horcrux around his neck gleamed ominously, as did his eyes.

"Ah, don't mind me. You two were only celebrating the fact that we have to find another damn thing now."

I stood up and looked at him. "You have something to say, mate? Spit it out. Don't keep me waiting."

"Yeah, I'll spit it out. We've had this Horcrux for weeks and now the only thing that can destroy them is somewhere where we have no idea of."

Ron paused, before looking at Hermione. "And you! Spending all your time reading! We never talk anymore! It's all about reading books and helping Harry!"

Hermione looked like she wanted to speak but Ron wouldn't let her. Then he stared back at me.

"You! You said Dumbledore knew what he was doing! And yet we have been camping for weeks with no progress! Neither if you have given me the light of day and you both are annoyed by what I do! I listen to the radio not because I want to, but because I worry about Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, the Twins, and Ginny! You scowl at me and-" he looked at Hermione, " you give me pity looks! You two care more about each other than me, for bloody sakes! So be it, I'll leave and let you two carry on your merry way without a direction or know-how of where to go."

Ron took off the Horcrux and threw it at my chest. He then grabbed his bag and turned to leave. I reached out to grab his arm but he brushed it away. He exited the tent and started walking away, and Hermione ran out to stop him. However, that is when things got scary, really fast. I heard a thump and I gathered that something had been thrown. I looked out the tent and what I saw was horrifying. Ron had his wand out, and pointed at Hermione. His face was murderous and his eyes were full of rage. That was when I felt scared. Scared for Ron, scared for Hermione, scared for me, scared for the mission we were on.

"Ron, calm down, put your wand down!" Hermione called out. Ron didn't speak and instead gripped his wand harder. He started sweating and it looked like he was going to cast a spell. Then I did something that, looking back now, was pretty stupid.

I pulled out my wand and aimed it at Ron.

"Ron, enough! Put your wand down now! This isn't the right way!"

My voice was shaking but I was doing my best to hide it. Ron with his wand out was scary, but aimed at Hermione was worse. Ron glared at me.

"Put your damn wand down, Potter! This doesn't concern you! Hermione here wanted me to stay, except me staying adds more tension. I don't want your pity looks or your disapproving glances! It makes me feel like I'm useless here and I hate it. So I'm leaving."

I steeled myself and retorted. Again, looking back now, I was pretty stupid. "Don't blame us for your troubles, Ron! We are all going through shit and we have to deal with it! This isn't an Easter Egg hunt, we're hunting You-Know-Who's Horcruxes! If you thought this would be easy then you are a coward, plain and simple."

"Coward? I'll show you coward, Potter! Stupefy!"

The spell came at me quickly because I wasn't expecting him to actually cast something at me. But my dueling practice over the years paid off as I deflected his spell and cast a silent Pietrificas Totalus at him, causing him to freeze up and fall on his back.

Immediately, I glanced over at Hermione and she was shaking like a leaf. I walked over to her and she fell into my arms, terrified. She started crying about how Ron ended up. I took several breaths too, everything coming back to me now. As my head was bombarded with Ron casting a spell at me, I helped Hermione back to the tent.

Once Hermione was settled maybe ten minutes later, I walked out of the tent to deal with Ron. I tied up his legs and arms in rope before canceling the spell. Ron and I stared for a solid ten seconds before I spoke.

"You are in deep shit with Hermione. And you can forget about going home. You want to complain about the mission? We'll just drag you along and then take all of the credit while you moan about not being home. Oh, and never, ever, ever point your wand with malicious intent towards Hermione ever, ever again."

I gave Ron a cold, hard stare before turning my back on him. He was still on the ground and didn't move as I walked away. When I turned to look at him before I went back in the tent, I saw the look of pure hatred from his face, and to this day, I never forgot the look on his face as I walked away.

House: Ravenclaw

Class: Ancient Runes

Category: Standard

Word Count: 1,166

Prompt/Prompts: [Emotion] Fear, [Last line] and to this day, I never forgot the look on his face as I walked away.

Thanks for reading!

BC5