A/N: this chapter took me a little longer than I had anticipated but nevertheless it's finally here still dealing with the psychological issues of the Horcrux hunting but at least we start seeing those cute little moments between Harry and Hermione. The following chapters will be tenser in regards to the trio. Please review and enjoy!

Step, step right over the line

And onto borrowed time

When it's life, not waiting to die

Waiting to divide to divide

"Borrowed Time"—A Fine Frenzy

Harry opened his eyes to find his broken glasses shards stabbing into his skin. The smell of fresh earth made him feel relieved. It had been a really close call. He winced as he pushed himself with difficulty off the ground. He scanned his surroundings despite the fact that his blurred vision was not going to allow him to see anything. Clumsily, he crawled toward the lump that he assumed was either Ron or Hermione. As he got closer, he heard a sharp intake of breath and heaving.

"Hermione? Hermione wake up!" Harry urged as he got close enough to distinguish her face.

"Mmm." Hermione groaned in pain. "H-Harry? We made it?"

"Yeah are you okay?" Harry asked concernedly.

"Yeah I think so…" said Hermione uncertainly. "Where's Ron?"

"I hear him over there." Harry pointed behind her.

Hermione gasped in horror. Ron was shivering violently with shock; his left arm was outstretched away from his torso, bleeding profusely. Ron had been splinched.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked frantically squinting.

"Ron's been splinched." said Hermione shockingly.

Hermione crawled toward Ron, frightened as she saw the exact damage his arm had suffered.

"Harry get me some dittany. It's in my bag." Hermione ordered.

"It hurts so much!" Ron cried in pain.

It was the only phrase Ron could utter coherently, the pain caused him to heave and sob uncontrollably, shaking in fright of the uncertainty of what the splinching had done to him.

"Shh I know I'm so sorry." Hermione said unable to control herself as she saw her best friend writhing in pain.

"What happened ?" Harry asked.

"Yaxley, he had a hold of my ankle." Hermione explained as she urgently dropped the essence dittany unto Ron's wounds. "He wasn't letting go. It wasn't until we reached Grimmauld place that his grip slacked. I had to apparate us here; we're no longer the only secret keepers."

Harry and Hermione watched in somewhat relief at the dittany's fast work. Ron's muscles were no longer visible and the blood had disappeared.

"He's unconscious." Hermione explained.

Harry nodded in acknowledgment. He was still in shock at everything that had just happened.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said wretchedly. " I'm so sorry!"

"Whatever for?" Harry asked in shock.

"It's all my fault." She cried. "I should've planned this out more thoroughly. You were almost caught!"

"YOU were caught; you don't think that was terrifying for me?" Harry asked. "And besides, we knew this wasn't going to be easy. And despite all the mistakes, we got the Horcrux didn't we?"

Hermione reached into her small bag until she felt the cold chain of the locket. She pulled it out and handed it to him. Harry held it and put it on.

"We're one step closer." He said encouragingly.

Hermione was still not consoled. She looked back again at Ron who was blissfully out.

"This is horrible." She said sobbing into her hand.

"Hey," Harry said bracingly hugging her. "It's okay, we're okay."

"I'm so scared of losing either one of you." She confessed forlornly. "You're all I've got left."

"You won't lose us. I promise." said Harry genuinely.

Hermione nodded despite knowing it was a foolish promise. He couldn't see the future, how could he promise her with such certainty? It's not that she doubted his abilities; she knew he was an amazing wizard. The issue was that evil was greater, it was stronger. Evil didn't care about the damage it left behind. Evil was heartless and therefore had the upper hand.

"I think we should set up the tent." She said wiping her eyes dry.

She moved away again, in the same quick manner she had done back at the wedding.

"Tent?" Harry asked quizzically.

Harry watched as Hermione wrapped a torn fragment of her blouse around Ron's arm as a sling. There was something uncomfortable with the image before him. It was tender and intimate. He wasn't sure whether the thoughts in his head were the problem, or if it was the act itself. It bothered him to see her caress his forehead, the crinkle in her brow as she looked at him with concern. Wasn't that look specifically reserved for him?

They were sheltered inside the same tent they had used for the Quidditch world cup which felt like more than just three years ago. It was one of the many things Hermione, being the ever clever witch had prepared during the summer. The same summer Harry had thought had her mind wrapped around something and one thing only: Ron. It was safe to say this was the first time he felt romantically jealous. Sure, once he had seen the possibility of Ron and Hermione's possible and then actual relationship, he felt lonely. However, for the first time, he was jealous that Hermione was caring for Ron. He felt horrible admitting it to himself but found comfort in knowing Hermione would never know. Or at least, he would make it his goal for her not to know. What if these next few days in hiding brought them back together? How could he handle it now that he could feel his platonic feelings for her changing every day?

"Harry?" Hermione asked loudly. "Are you okay?"

"Oh…" said Harry shaking his stupor. "Yeah…"

"Ron's going to be out for at least the rest of the night…maybe we should try and see how to destroy the locket?" she suggested.

"Yeah sounds good." He agreed.

Harry and Hermione walked out together, glancing around out of instinct despite the trust they had in Hermione's protective spells.

"We should be safe." Hermione reassured. "We will be able to see anyone, but they won't see us."

"I still don't feel safe here." Harry confessed. "I think we should move."

"We can't apparate, not until Ron's arm is healed." Hermione said.

"And what?" Harry asked angrily. "We just sit here like sitting ducks?"

"Harry—"

"No Hermione!" Harry interrupted. "We're on a mission here. We don't have time to waste. If you're just going to slow me down then I think you should just leave."

"Is that really how you feel?" Hermione asked tearfully.

"I….maybe…"

Hermione walked in front of him, looking down at his chest where the locket clung near his heart. It gleamed menacingly.

"Take it off." She asked as she held the locket in her hand.

Harry raised his hands to the back of the necklace to unclasp it. He took it off and handed it to Hermione, never once straying from her gaze. Their faces were close, very close.

"Do you still want me to go?" she asked him.

"No," he said simply but genuinely. "I don't know why I said that."

"Let's try to destroy it, the sooner the better." She said curtly.

She led the way deeper into the forest, holding the locket tightly in her hand. It wasn't until then that he was feeling the poison of his words. He never would have said it of his own accord. How could he possibly manage anything without his friends? He was useless without them. Especially Hermione. He needed them, for safety, for company, and most importantly; for sanity.

Hermione laid the locket on a rock and stepped away.

"I hardly think this will work. It can't be this easy." She said, almost as if to herself. "but it's worth a try."

"Incendio"

They looked on as the locket was engulfed in flames. The flame disappeared and the locket was just as pristine as it had been just moments before, not even a crack.

"Nothing can ever be bloody easy can it?" Harry growled.

"There's evil in that locket." Hermione said mindlessly. "It makes you say what you're thinking but don't really plan to ever say. It makes you think negatively…it's like a Dementor in a locket."

"We better take it in turns." She added. "Share the load."

"I really didn't mean—"

"I know." She nodded. "Just like you won't mean a lot of the things you've yet to say. I understand, it's the setting. It's only natural."

"We're okay." She said as he saw him about to speak. "It'll take a lot more to run me off."

Harry watched as she picked the locket off the floor and placed it around her neck. She gave him a small reassuring smile as a visible sign that they were in fact okay. It was then he felt it again. That pull, in his insides unlike anything before.

"I don't like being this way…not with you." He said genuinely. "You're helping me and all I do is upset you…I don't know why you put up with it."

"It's what friends do." She shrugged. "We should go back, it's getting dark."

The walk back to the tent was an unusually awkward one. Neither one spoke because neither knew what else to say. There was something else hanging in the air than the issue of mood swings. Something that apparently neither wanted to confront. At least not yet.

The next morning, Ron had finally woken up. Hermione had disappeared in search of food and Harry was left with Ron and the wizarding radio he had discovered inside Hermione's bag. Ron had spent most of the morning changing stations in search of news. Harry was in a miserable mood as he was now wearing the locket, the noise from the radio bothered him greatly.

"This is the only thing I could find." said Hermione's breathless voice as she reemerged. "I'm afraid it's the best I can do."

"Berries?" Ron asked disbelievingly. "You're joking right?"

Ron had been in a foul mood all morning. The grateful feeling he had had of Hermione mending his arm vanished as the hours progressed and there was no feast to satiate his infamous voracious appetite.

"That's all I could find." Hermione shrugged.

"Why can't you just conjure up some food?" Ron asked reproachfully.

"I can't make something out of nothing Ron." Hermione sighed.

"Why don't you go search then if you're so smart." Harry said angrily at Ron.

Both Ron and Hermione stared at Harry.

"Maybe I will." Ron said defiantly.

"Boys." Hermione warned. "This really isn't necessary. Ron, stop complaining and be grateful you're even getting berries. If you absolutely need to have something else you can eat my mars bar. And Harry, I think it's time for me to carry the locket."

"No, I got it." Harry assured her. "I just need some space."

Hermione nodded as she saw him get up and walk away.

"What the bloody hell is his problem anyway?" Ron asked chewing on Hermione's chocolate bar.

"Well, he's carrying a bit of 'You-Know-Who's" soul in that locket." She said bitterly. "What's your excuse?"

With one last glare, she walked past him and into the tent. It was no surprise that he followed right behind her.

"If this is about the berries thing…"

"No Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's about you. None of us are happy about having to be in hiding, scavenging for food, and living with uncertainty. We have enough with that than to deal with your rotten attitude."

"I'm not the only one who's been moody!" Ron argued. "God why is it that Harry can get away with being a tosser and the minute I do anything wrong you're jumping down my throat?"

"It's because I know you Ron." Hermione answered. "Your anger always comes from a very real place. That's the problem. You lash out and never think of the consequences! That's why it never works between us!"

"I'm sorry." She continued boldly. "But you knew just as well as I did that this was going to be far from easy. I chose to come because I want to help Harry. I care, he's my best friend. I'd just like you to remember that the next time your privileged stomach sends you on an oral rampage."

Ron had seen Hermione angry many times. However this time, it was different. It wasn't the livid angry he had seen countless times before. It was fed-up and disappointed anger and he was starting to believe that that anger was far more terrifying.

"I'm sorry Hermione…and you're right." He said earnestly. "I'm acting like a spoiled little boy. There are more important things to think about."

"I…I want to thank you for what you did to my arm yesterday." He added. "You saved my life."

"Well, to be honest, it's not as life-threatening as it appeared." Hermione said smiling slightly. "And I'm sure you would've done the same for me."

"Of course I would." He said effortlessly.

"Let me see how your arm is doing." She asked.

She gently peeled back the sling to observe his arm closely. She was so invested in checking his arm's hearing that she had failed to notice the longing gaze Ron was giving her.

"Not bad." She said wrapping it up once again. "Just a few more days and we'll be able to apparate."

"Great." Ron muttered.

"I'm going to go back and read 'Beadle the bard" for more clues." She said patting his knee before walking away.

There was a crunching sound outside that signaled Harry's return. The flap opened and Harry walked inside looking slightly more relieved. He was honestly surprised not to see Ron as red as he usually got when he was angry. Even more surprising was the fact that Hermione had no telltale sign of crying. The lack of emotion Hermione was showing was bothering Harry, for he knew she was keeping a front. Again.

"Hey Harry, I'll take over the locket if you want." Ron suggested.

"Really?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Yes, we're in this together aren't we?" Ron asked, extending his hand.

Harry surveyed Ron and took it as a sign of an unspoken apology. He took off the locket and handed it to him. As the locket switched hands, he felt an enormous relief. It was comparable to the feeling of eating chocolate after an encounter with a Dementor. He watched as Ron easily slipped the necklace onto his neck.

The rest of the day was spent in annoying silence. Hermione was in her bed, alternatively reading "Beedle the bard" and many of her other books. Harry kept watch outside while Ron was inside listening for news once again. It would be a scene that would play itself over and over as the days passed on. Uncertainty was once again threatening to ruin their morale and their thirst for a way to destroy the Horcrux kept them isolated from each other. The nights passed as did the wearer of the locket. Each day ended with broken promises and the sands of their borrowed time hourglasses seeping faster and faster.