A/N: for some reason, I received longer reviews for the boring chapter than the last one lol. Hmm…. Anyway, I don't know if the end of the last chapter caused some confusion, but I'd like to clarify Hermione DIDN'T leave. She just left him standing alone outside. Also, I debated on whether to use 'O Children' just like in the movie but decided against it as the chapter's song is a lot more powerful in my mind. Our anthem ;) I hope you are enjoying the song selections so far, they play a big role in the writing process and the mood of the story. =)sorry for the short chapter. I promise to make it up with the next one.

When you're standing at the crossroads

And don't know which path to choose

Let me come along

Cause even if you're wrong

-"I'll Stand By You"-The Pretenders

Harry walked inside the tent around midnight. He had refused to see Hermione after her cold reaction to his touch. Also, he didn't want to see her crying wretchedly over Ron. Not after how he had left things. It wasn't the first time Ron made her cry, but this time it was different. Ron had ruined the last thing that had kept Hermione going through all the darkness they had endured. He had broken their unity.

Once Harry neared Hermione's bunk, he was relieved that he could no longer hear the heaving sobs that had been going on for hours. Instead, he was met with the steady rhythm of Hermione's breathing as she slept blissfully. As he got closer to study her face, he wasn't surprised to see that her brow was furrowed in misery, her cheeks were blotchy and damp and tear-stained. Even in sleep, her troubles stayed with her. Just as he was turning away, a silver glint caught his eye. Somehow in all the wretchedness, she had gotten a hold of the Horcrux and was sporting it around her neck once again. If it wasn't for the fact that it must've taken forever for Hermione to finally fall asleep, Harry would've attempted to remove the necklace. With one last glance, he went over to Ron's bunk and covered Hermione's curled form with the Chudley Canons blanket he had left behind.

Harry threw himself onto the lookout chair, with the wand stuffed in his trouser pocket. As much as he had forced his brain to shut down since the fight, Ron's words kept resonating in his head. The fact that Ron had said those hurtful words while under the influence of the Horcrux did very little to calm Harry. He knew Ron better than anyone and he was sure he meant every word he had uttered. He would've been able to forget it, even forgive him, had Hermione not also been involved. Yet he couldn't forget the face on her face when Ron had said they had no family. He would never forget that. Ron's departure wasn't all that surprising, in fact deep down, even though he despised himself for it; Harry had already been predicting it. Every friendship had a breaking point. Now his fear was when Hermione and his friendship would meet theirs.

"Harry?" Hermione asked gently the next morning.

Harry was fast asleep in an uncomfortable position in the lookout chair curled up under a light blanket.

"Oh…" He said groggily. "Morning Hermione."

"Yeah" she muttered meekly. "Go get some rest; you can't possibly have had a decent night's sleep on this."

"Actually, I was thinking it's better if we move now." He suggested.

"M-move?" she repeated in shock.

"There's been a lot of snatcher activity lately…and we're not doing anything by staying in one place." Harry explained.

"I know…"

"Look Hermione…he's not coming back." Harry said as softly as possible. "We need to keep going."

"I know and I understand." Hermione agreed. "I guess I'll….start packing…"

With the aid of magic, packing didn't take very long. Within thirty minutes, their knapsacks were full and the tent was folded and packed. There were no signs anywhere that they had been there. No trace left for anyone to find them. It was this more than anything that made Hermione's tears resurface once again. Once Harry saw that Hermione was not going to be the one to initiate apparation, he grabbed her limp hand, and with a resounding POP they were gone.

As soon as their feet touched the solid ground once again, Hermione let go of Harry's hand immediately and began to sob. Harry took charge and started chanting the protective charms Hermione had muttered what seemed like ages ago. When he finished setting up the tent and unpacking, he walked up to Hermione who had finally finished crying. Instead, she was slouching on some nearby rocks, staring off into the darkening sunset.

"Come inside Hermione, its cold." Harry urged her.

Hermione didn't listen and stayed rooted to the spot.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry sighed.

Hermione shook her head, biting her lip in an attempt to stop more tears from flooding down.

With great difficulty and inability to even stomach what he was about to say, he took a deep breath and softly murmured: "Go with him."

"W-what?" she asked tearfully.

"Look, I really admire and genuinely thank you for staying true to your promise to stay with me but…I can't do this Hermione." He said wretchedly. "I can't sit here and watch you be miserable. I know what he means to you and…I don't want to come between you two."

"No, you don't know." Hermione said defensively. "Merlin, why does everything have to be linked to romantic feelings?"

"Of course I'm miserable!" she yelled. "One of my best friends has walked out on me. Possibly even hates me for something I never intentionally did. He's out there alone surrounded by danger…and all you can think about is that I'm miserable because my ex-boyfriend left me again?"

"I'm sorry, I thought-"

"Yeah well, you thought wrong." Hermione retorted. "As upset as I am, I could never forgive him for what he did, much less ever fathom the thought of us being together again."

"And as for leaving you, I find it a personal insult that you would think I would put a boyfriend over my best friend." She continued. "When I promise something, I mean it. I'm standing by you."

"This means more to me than you'll ever know." Harry said ardently.

"Yeah, well you mean more to me than you'll ever know…" She said breathlessly. "I'm allowed to be upset, just give me a few days…"

As the night sky draped around them, Harry and Hermione were nestled inside. Trusting the protective charms, Harry sat on the lookout chair but inside the warmth of the tent. Hermione was at her bunk, fiddling with the wizarding radio looking for anything but news to diffuse the silence. Harry distracted himself by looking at her. Though the talk they had had hours before had relieved some of the pressure, their circumstance was still not a pleasant one. They were missing a vital part of their group, they were hungry and cold and still in obscurity about their future.

After a while of shrieking, unintelligible static, Hermione found a muggle radio station that was playing a slow melody.

'Oh why you look so sad

The tears are in your eyes

Come on and come to me now'

It couldn't have been more different from the last time she had stumbled upon muggle music. There was nothing cheerful about their situation or song, Ron would not be joining in, and they certainly were not going to do some off-key sing-along to the song like before. Harry watched intently as Hermione fiddled with a hole in her jumper. He could tell the Horcrux was having its effect once again and he cursed himself for not taking it from her before. He could see the corners of her mouth attempting to muffle the sob that was yearning to escape.

'Don't be ashamed to cry

Let me see you through

Cause I've seen the dark side too'

It baffled Harry how long it had taken for him to know how to comfort her when now it was one of the few things he was good at. All he wanted to do was to walk over to her and take her away from their misery if only for a little while. And he had an idea of just how to do it.

'When the night falls on you

You don't know what to do

Nothing you confess

Could make me love you less'

Hermione had been so lost in her thoughts that she had failed to see Harry's hand outstretched in front of her. She looked at him questionably, curious as to what he was asking of her. With little hesitation, she grabbed his hand and let him help her up. Locking their gaze the entire time, Harry reached around her neck and unclasped the locket, throwing it aside on the table. He grabbed her hands once again and pulled her away into a small clearing between the kitchen and bunks. With a small smile, Harry urged her to sway.

"Harry." Hermione protested. "It's not going to work this time."

"Just go with it." Harry insisted.

As he said that, his adrenaline pulsed through him and made his body act out of its own accord. Originally, he had planned to do a silly dance much as they had done many nights ago. Instead, his body was leading both of theirs into a soft and enclosed sway. It was the closest they had ever been. His left hand was intertwined with Hermione's right, while his right arm looped around her waist; she rested her chin on his shoulder in turn.

'I'll stand by you

I'll stand by you

Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you'

Harry pulled away to see her face, she was looking at him in a way she had never done before. There were tears in her eyes, but somehow, he knew they weren't tears of sadness. He brushed his thumb to wipe the delicate tears that had escaped. She stood still, giving him control of their situation. That was the amount of trust she had in him. Harry raised his hands to frame her face and he brought her in until their lips pressed against each other at last.

"I'm standing by you too." Harry breathed, resting his forehead against hers.

Hermione looked up at him and finally returned his smile.