AN: Hello everyone, this chapter took me a bit longer. I always knew that having Ron come back would be hard to plot out. I want it to be as realistic as possible while also having it work in my favor. I hope that it came out that way. If you are familiar with Deathly Hallows then you know the next few chapters are going to be picking up pace. To this date, this has been a re-telling of Deathly Hallows with a more Harmony-heavy plot. However, this story will eventually take its own course. I'm still working on just how I want certain things to happen but this is a long ride. I just hope you enjoy it. As always any helpful feedback and comments are strongly encouraged. I miss receiving review alerts. Have a great day!

This is not the end
Live unbruised, we are friends
And I'm sorry
I'm sorry

Sigh no more, no more
One foot in sea, one onshore
My heart was never pure
You know me

-Sigh No More" Mumford & Sons

Time progressed into the late afternoon. Hermione had taken it upon herself to make Ron feel as uncomfortable as possible. Every time he tried to talk to her she just ignored him or replied with a snide comment. It had made being around her slightly frustrating. On one hand, Harry could sympathize. He was sure if it hadn't been for the fact that Ron had saved his life and destroyed the Horcrux all within one night, he would have been as reluctant to forgive him as she seemed to be. However, all of that had in fact happened and those heroic acts alone deserved a pardon.

Harry considered himself lucky. He was well aware that Hermione had been angry at him many times in the past. The difference between him and Ron was that despite that Harry too could be just as stubborn as Hermione, he also couldn't go too long without talking to her. She was after all to date; the only one who supported him without question every time. The only times they had ever fought always came down to him being impulsive and reckless while she was rational and clever enough to see the red flags he would miss in certain situations.

They challenged one another, they didn't hurt each other or play childish games the way Ron and Hermione did. He had never been one to be on the opposite side of her wrath and he was grateful for it. Harry had no idea what it was like to have Hermione this upset and he sincerely hoped he never would experience it.

As the sky shifted from bright blue to blood orange, Harry and Ron stayed outside foraging for anything edible. The food Ron had brought along with him would be running out soon and they were unsure of where they would be heading next. They took turns catching each other up on their adventures. Harry learned that Ron had immediately apparated back to the Burrow, where he had briefly seen his family, narrowly avoiding some hidden snatchers by the pond they had all enjoyed in the summer. Ron's eyes sparkled when he spoke about running into Luna who had been visiting Ginny. He told Harry how Ginny had initially been furious at him when she learned he had left them and that if it hadn't been for Luna intervening, Ginny would have hit him with her famous bat bogey hex. He gave useful information of a radio station that gave real-time news, as all the other fountain of information had become biased or tainted by Death eater intimidation. Indeed, there were many changes in the outside world within the matter of weeks. It was getting much darker.

Harry gave him a detailed rundown of the trip to the muggle hotel and Godric's Hollow, minus some of the more intimate moments with Hermione that Ron didn't need to know. The image of Riddle-Harry and Riddle-Hermione was still branded fresh in his mind. He briefly mentioned the mixed emotions he had felt finally coming across the graves of his beloved parents and the statue that had been erected in their honor. Ron gasped in horror as he got to the part about the snake inside of dead Bathilda Bagshot's body and how he had heard Voldemort commanding her to keep him tied down. He told the story of how Hermione had been cool and collected and got them out with mere seconds to spare and how generally badass she had become when he failed miserably.

"I always did say she was scary." Ron joked. " Brilliant! But scary…"

They both looked back at the tent. Hermione's shadow could be seen pacing back and forth, no doubt plotting their next hideout…

"We owe her a lot though, you know?" Harry smirked. " We would've died a long time ago if it wasn't for her."

"I know." Ron nodded, his smile fading into a neutral state.

" Do you think she'll ever forgive me? I think I really fucked up this time." Ron winced.

" I really can't say". Harry shrugged. " I want to say she will because it's in her nature to be forgiving. She has a big heart."

Ron closed his eyes as the words that he spewed out of anger replayed in his head :

"Like hell you know what it feels like."

"Neither of you two have any family."

How he wished he could take it all back. He remembered the sacrifice Hermione had made for their journey. She had erased all memories of her in her family's minds to save them from harm. How much love did it take to do that? Would he be able to do something of that magnitude for someone he loved? Hermione was a better person than him in more ways than one. Her loyalty alone was a prized possession. The amount of loyalty she had demonstrated over the years for Harry was something he hoped he would have the opportunity to have even at half capacity. He couldn't fault her for choosing Harry over him anymore…why wouldn't she? All he had ever done was knock her down with petty fights, immature insults, and ungarnered accusations.

It would be a miracle if they ever could return back to being friends after everything that had happened between them. Everything else he was sure would have been forgiven. Harry was right, it was in her nature. Still, he couldn't help but feel that maybe her good heart had a limit and that perhaps that fateful night he had crossed it.

"You're really lucky you get her, Harry." he sighed.

Harry looked back at Ron with a raised eyebrow, he found Ron's tone very odd.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

" I mean you get her". said Ron raising his hands forward as if what he was saying should be obvious. " You understand her…you can read her like a book and it goes both ways. You love her."

Ron and Harry were standing mere feet apart. The sky was now a dark cyan blue and Hermione was somewhere inside oblivious to what was happening outside. Three best friends and two different sets of lovers one past and one very current. The Elephant in the room that had been growing since Ron had arrived had finally engulfed them, suffocating them. There was no doubt now that Ron was fully aware of both Harry and Hermione's feelings for one another. There was no more hiding, no more locket to blame it on. It had to be addressed.

"I think I'm ready to tell her what I saw…back with the locket." Ron said after a deep gulp.

"Are you sure?" Harry questioned. "I'm sure she can already imagine what it is…She does know you just as well as she knows me, regardless of what you may think."

"I think it will help." Ron said earnestly. " She needs to know that I no longer think of the idea in that way."

Ron gave Harry a pleading look. He could read the desperation in his eyes, the dire need he had to make peace with Hermione.

Ron was a lot more aware than either of them had ever given them credit for. Despite the fact he knew he had said some horrible things to both of them, he couldn't help but shake the feeling of resentment he was getting from Hermione. Anger was something he had unfortunately gotten used to from her, but not resentment. It felt different this time. Like he was genuinely not welcomed. Deep down he knew he deserved it, He wouldn't be forgiving either had the shoe been on the other foot.

However, maybe learning that the person that stood in the way of her true happiness gave his blessing…maybe then they could all start to heal. After all, it was Ron's dream that they all made it out alive and if they didn't, he didn't want to be the one that caused Harry or Hermione any more suffering. War was a atrocious thing and it made you put things into perspective that would've otherwise taken years to do. Their friendship meant the world to him and he did not want another situation coming between them again.

Harry sighed.

"I'll go and check the tone." he said.

Harry walked toward the tent entrance, feeling nervous for whatever reason. I had just struck him that he had not had quality one-on-one time with her since Ron's sudden reappearance. For the small-time he had spent outside catching up with Ron, he had forgotten the change that had occurred between them. The crossing over, no longer between the lines. They both had set their feelings on the table. There was no turning back now.

He found Hermione at the makeshift dining table. She was sitting down, a book in hand and a half-eaten apple resting right next to it. She was wearing her hair to the side, most of it in a braid. He loved seeing her hair up. She usually hid behind her soft, messy curls and it was such a contrast to see her hair pulled away from her face, displaying her chiseled chin and light spray of freckles across her face. Her thick but shapely eyebrows were burrowed in thought as she read from 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' for the umpteenth time.

"Anything new?" Harry asked her.

"Oh…hello Harry." Hemione said simply. " No, trying to see if I've missed anything."

Harry pulled up to the bench across from her.

"Have you two any luck finding any more food?" she asked from behind the book.

"No." Harry replied. " We may have to risk going to another muggle town…We can't survive off of tea and berries forever."

"Well let's volunteer Ron." Hermione suggested coldly. "After all, he loves venturing on his own…"

"How long are you going to torture him for?" Harry asked curiously.

"Haven't decided yet." Hermione shrugged.

"Hermione…you can't be angry at him forever."

"Oh I can hold a grudge." Hermione challenged.

"Look, I know you're still hurting from what happened but…don't you think life is too short to get in the way of what really matters?" Harry reasoned as he put a hand on her wrist, finally forcing her to put down her book and look at him.

Hermione looked at him poignantly. He seemed to have finally struck a nerve in her indifference.

"Yes he left… but the important thing is that he's back, that's got to account for something." Harry said. "Plus we finally are making some progress, We are one more Horcux down,we don't have that wretched locket ruining our moods, and we have the sword… things are finally looking up."

"I suppose…" she agreed.

"He feels horrible Hermione." Harry continued as he saw the break in her haughty facade. "All he told you outside was true. I know there's a lot of hurt and resentment between you two but there's also years of love and friendship."

Hermione shook her head, her eyes shined brightly with tears.

"I don't know….I'm torn!" Hermione cried. " I know he feels horrible, as he should! But I also feel like he said some things that should never be said no matter how angry you are!"

"I missed him, I was worried about him…but now that he's back all I feel is anger that made me go through all of that, and now he's here and we cant–" she cut off abruptly.

"We can't what? " Harry questioned.

"I wanted to run to you you know?" Hermione explained, her tears sliding freely down her face. "Earlier today…when you told me he saved your life."

"You did?" Harry smiled.

Hermione nodded her head, her tears splashing on Harry's hand who was firmly gripping her own.

"I can't believe you almost died and I would've had no idea."

Harry walked up to her and enveloped her in his arms. Finally feeling comfortable enough to console her in the way he had when Ron was gone.

"Hey it's okay," Harry soothed. "It's over."

"How are we going to do this Harry?" she asked looking up from his chest.

"What do you mean?" he asked skeptically.

"I guess the real reason I've been so awful is that I don't know how to act around you now that he's here." Hermione explained. "Am I horrible that I resent that he's back because we have to act differently?"

"No, you're not horrible Hermione." He told her. "I guess I can understand what you mean."

Harry's mind flashed back to mere moments ago when he had seen Ron break down at the tormenting image of him and Hermione kissing in front of him. Although Ron had directly spoken to him about what he had seen and how that is no longer something that would bother him. It occurred to Harry that he had also not contemplated exactly how they were going to break the news to Ron either. It was going to be an uncomfortable topic all around for everyone. Still, whatever had happened with the destruction of the locket, it would be Ron's story to tell, not his.

"But we don't have to act differently," Harry said as he continued to brush the top of her head with his hand. " I told you I'm not hiding my feelings any longer and that means in front of anyone… I don't see why anything should change. we're friends who fancy each other…"

"Do you remember that night at all?" Hermione asked looking up at him. " After he said the parent thing…he accused me of having some secret affair."

"Yeah, that I remember." Harry said heatedly.

"It was always him wasn't it?" he yelled.

"Ron please!" Hermione pleaded.

"Then make your choice right now." He demanded. "Is it me or him?"

"We promised we would stay." Hermione said trembling. "Why are you doing this?"

The memory of that night was still seared in his brain, and he feared it would be for a long time. Still, he had seen something she hadn't and that was the main reason he had come inside to talk to her. Harry knew that once she learned about what happened, the mood would shift considerably. Ron was willing to make himself vulnerable for her sake. Sure Harry knew the main motivation for Ron was for Hermione to inevitably forgive him for what he had said and done. The other reason Ron wanted to tell her what had happened with the locket was to formally extend an olive branch for something he was no longer angry about. Ultimately he was giving his blessing.

"Then you should know why this is going to take some time." she vented.

After a few more minutes of loud silence, Hermione shot up from her seat. Taking Harry by surprise.

"I have to go wash my face." Hermione said abruptly. " I don't want him thinking I've cried anymore because of him."

Harry watched as she disappeared back to her room. Feeling a lot heavier at the forced flashback Hermione had made him experience, he walked back outside.

Ron was sitting on the ground a few feet farther than where Harry had left him. He had taken one of Hermione's jars with him, the blue embers changing from dim to enlarged flames at the flick of his wand.

"I think now is as good as a chance is it's going to get for you." Harry sighed.

Ron looked up at him from the ground. He tried to read Harry's face for any encouragement but was met with nothing.

"Well…" he said grunting as he got up from the floor. "I guess it's time to pull off the plaster."

"You know what a plaster is?" Harry mused

Ron shrugged.

"No, I just heard Hermione say it one time and it stuck."

Hermione was sitting cross-legged in her room re-reading 'Tales of Beedle the Bard' when she saw her curtain part open. Her smile fell when she saw that it was Ron that had parted the curtain and not Harry.

Ron gave her a small unconvincing smile.

"Hey, I was wondering if we could…talk?" Ron said shyly.

"Sure." Hermione said pursing her lips as she placed her book on the side table carefully.

Hermione slid up on her cot, giving Ron some room to sit down next to her. It was evident that he was nervous, whatever he wanted to talk to her about was taking its toll on him mentally.

"Thank you." He muttered.

They sat apart from each other for several more awkward moments before he spoke. She could tell that he was rehearsing what he wanted to say, clearly eager to avoid setting himself back with her any more than he had.

"I think I'm ready to….I-I wanted to tell you about what I saw when I destroyed the locket." he said, bending his head down and avoiding her gaze.

Hermione let out a heavy sigh. As angry as she was at him, she wasn't as cruel to expect him to fill her in on what had happened when he had destroyed the locket. She knew Ron well enough and had an inkling of exactly what he had seen.

"You don't have to tell me". she said lightly. "I can tell it's something that really upset you."

"No, I have to!" Ron said dismissively. "because I'm not in the same state of mind as I was when the locket fed off my fears and insecurities."

Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably in her spot, she sensed all too well what the conversation was going to be about. She noticed Ron was surveying his shoes as if they were suddenly the most interesting thing in the room. This was going to get unpleasant, and fast.

"I saw you and Harry….together." he explained after several minutes of silence.

She looked at Ron carefully, trying to get a feel of what he was thinking as he said that phrase out loud. She was fully aware of everyone's belief that she and Harry were more than friends. She dealt with the situation before with Viktor Krum. Rita Skeeter had managed to convince a bunch of Harry's girl fans to send her hate mail on pure speculation alone. Even Ginny had on more than one occasion confronted her on just how exactly close their friendship was and if anything had ever happened between them. Ron surely would be no exception to the ever-growing list of people that believed there were more than platonic feelings going on. Ultimately despite both of their best efforts, it appeared that what everyone had been thinking was true and they had been the last ones to really see it.

"You said things…" Ron continued. "cruel things….words I know deep down that no matter how hurt or angry you or Harry could've been; you would never say to me."

"I'm not going to go into explicit detail because honestly, it's one of those moments I really don't want to keep re-visiting."

"Then don't. You don't have to tell me anything," Hermione said softly. "I know the locket affected you in a different way than it did us. I can only imagine what twisted thing it did to prevent you from destroying -–"

"I'm okay with it!" Ron blurted.

"Okay with what?" Hermione asked baffled.

"You and Harry…I'm okay with it." Ron said nodding his head. " It'll be weird not going to lie but…the whole time I've been apart I could actually breathe, I could think…and I realized you two really have something special. It sucks sometimes being the odd one out but…I could never be that person for you and I'm glad Harry is."

Hermione could not believe her ears. The conversation had taken a wild turn. The moment Ron voiced what she had suspected had been the locket's final defense, she was certain she was going to be defensive. That was the role she was used to playing when it came to arguing with Ron. it was her default mode. However, he pulled a wild card by actually being calm and mature. The time apart had done not only her and Harry some good, but Ron as well. Being on his own had finally let him reflect on things he normally would've been combative about. She felt a wave of pride at his growth.

"I'm not an idiot, you know." Ron mused. "You two have been weird since the summer and frankly we all saw it coming. For someone so bright you took forever to see what we all did."

"But we are friends!" she answered defensively. "We never lied about that."

"No, not lying exactly," Ron agreed. "but you were both thick."

"But like I said…" he continued. "I'm fine with it. I understand…there's a war going on, you two are bloody telepathic with each other…life is short. We tried it, it didn't work but at the end of the day we're still friends and I want you to be happy."

"Both of you." Ron said as he finally looked Hermione in the eye.

"It's not like it's not something that never crossed my mind," he added. "It just hurt to think it would happen behind my back and that it would come between our friendship. It wasn't until after I left that I realized how much I didn't care about the idea of you two possibly together, I just wanted us to be together like we always were."

"Wow…" said Hermione in astonishment. "I can't believe this is the same Ron."

"I may have had some conversations with Fleur when I was away." Ron joked sheepishly. " She's very insightful."

"Aha." Hermione mocked.

She playfully bumped her shoulder into his, having moved closer to him in his speech.

"Well…I'm all for this new thoughtful Ron." she said in jest. "I can almost forget that I'm cross with you."

"Really?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Almost." She reminded him.

Once the playful banter died away, they sat in silence once again. Maybe it was the fact that the elephant in the room had finally been vanquished or that Ron had literally voiced approval of her and Harry being more than friends, she couldn't find any more reasons to keep being angry at him. She would never forget the things he said to her but at the same time something he had just said minutes prior resonated in her head. Life is short. Sure they had the sword now and were one more Horcrux down, but they were still just as clueless as they had been about the location of the next one. It was like looking for a needle in the haystack. The war would continue and they would undoubtedly have many more run-ins with death. What mattered now more than ever is that they were finally reunited and Ron was okay with Harry and Hermione being together. They could have each other and their friend back all at once.

"I really did miss you." she whispered.

She looked down as tears escaped her eyes.

"I was so worried something had happened to you," she confessed. " I felt so guilty. I never would do anything to hurt you. What happened with Harry was…it just happened. I guess we both tried to deny it or ignore it because we knew how much it would hurt other people and we never wanted that for anyone."

Ron grabbed her hand gingerly, giving her a reassuring grip at the same time.

"You can't control how you feel, that much I have come to learn." He reassured her. "life is too short to deny who you love…that being said I must say just be ready for a long list of people feeling vindicated and saying 'I knew it!'"

Hermione laughed despite herself. It was a testament to the enormous pressure they were under that she could now finally appreciate something she had come to take for granted: Ron's incredible sense of humor. Even in the worst circumstances, she could always depend on him to make her laugh. It was something she hadn't honestly done since he had left.

Once things had settled, Hermione felt compelled to finally ask Ron about his side of the journey and what he had learned. He filled her in on just how horrid the conditions in the outside world had gotten in a matter of months. No place was safe, not even Hogwarts. Death eaters were openly controlling and disciplining the students, they had infiltrated the Ministry even more severely. Her heat broke as Ron explained just how many Muggle-borns Umbridge had incarcerated. It reminded her of her own narrow escape from being sent to Azkaban when she had unwittingly been caught trying to steal Slytherin's locket. Muggles were still being hunted down indiscriminately, and their neighborhoods burnt to the ground. The only thing that had been a silver lining to Ron, was his brief visit to the Burrow and Shell Cottage in which ironically, he had also felt his lowest.

" I honestly have to thank Luna." Ron admitted. " She listened to me without judging me or making me feel like a prick for leaving. I already had enough of that from myself….She's unlike anyone I swear. She's so genuine."

"Sounds to me like you fancy her." Hermione mused.

"I'm sorry." Ron said sheepishly. "I guess I probably shouldn't talk about this..."

"It's okay." Hermione reassured him. "I like Luna. she seems good for you."

"Yeah she's great…" Ron smiled. " Her dad takes some getting used to. You think she's odd…her dad is even worse. I've only met him a few times myself-"

"Hold on…I just remembered something." she interrupted. "At the wedding, he got into a heated argument with Viktor over his necklace…"

Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Okay…and?"

"You don't understand!" she exclaimed.

She stretched over to the floor where her beaded bag lay. Plunging in her arm and rummaging through, she finally pulled it out once she found what she needed. A book. Typical. Hermione flipped through the pages in her book fervently. She now knew why the image she had seen at the cemetery in Godric's hollow seemed so familiar. Luna's father; Xenophilius Lovegood, had been sporting that necklace at the wedding. She was sure of it. She had had to calm down Viktor after a heated spat about its meaning. One saw it as a lucky symbol while the other recoiled at its offensive history. She finally found the image she had been looking for. The triangle with a circle and a line through it had been drawn into 'A' of Albus Dumbledore's signature in the letter to Grindelwald 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore'

"See!" she exclaimed pointing at the drawing with her finger. "I have a feeling this symbol is important. It's in a book that Dumbledore inherited to me specifically, I saw it on a grave at Godric's Hollow, there are mixed opinions about it…this must mean something!"

"Great, we'll pay the Lovegoods a visit." Ron declared. "I'm sure he'd love some friendly faces around now that Luna is back at school. My dad says the poor bloke really keeps to himself…"

"There's only one problem." Hermione realized.

"What?" Ron queried.

"I doubt Harry will be on board". She said anxiously. "He still thinks going to Godric's was a bad idea…what if he's right?"

"If you think it's something we should do, then I'm on board and I'll help you convince Harry if I need to." Ron grinned.

"You really want to make it hard for me to keep being mad at you don't you." Hermione laughed.

"It's all right." Ron Shrugged. "I'm sure I'll find a way to say something stupid sooner or later. Never fails."

Together, the newly reconciled pair walked back outside into the dark to convince Harry of their dangerous plan. Visiting anyone's house at this point was risky, especially that of the editor of the only wizarding magazine that still openly supported Harry Potter. Surely the fact that Xenophilius had been so outspoken in his support, had to have attracted attention from the Deatheaters and even possibly Voldemort himself. Still, If they were missing a key piece to the unsolved puzzle that Dumbledore had left them, the Horcux hunt would've turned out to be pointless. At this point in their journey, not every move could be strategized. Hermione just hoped it wasn't a decision she would end up regretting later.