In The Fight To Survive (Golden Trio Era) {4}

The Nexus Resolve

Harry couldn't wait to wake Hermione up and share the great news of Ron's return, knowing just how much she missed him. It was considerably warmer inside the tent than the wintery forest, but not much brighter as the only light was the dull illumination from the bluebell flames shimmering in a bowl on the floor. Hermione was fast asleep, curled up in a ball beneath the blanket Ron left behind, and she didn't move until Harry called out to her several times. "For Merlin's sake, Hermione! Wake up!" Hermione sprung awake, sitting up and pulling her hair out of her face in a panic.

"Harry? What's wrong? Are you alright?" She rasped as she rubbed away the blur of sleep from her eyes, Harry assured her that everything was okay and that they weren't in any pressing danger. "More than okay really, look who's here." Harry beamed as Hermione turned to him in confusion, before her eyes widened in disbelief as she spotted Ron. There he stood behind Harry, soaking wet with the sword of Gryffindor gripped tightly in his hand, looking very sheepish under Hermione stare. Harry moved to the side into a shadowy corner to put Ron's bag on the ground and to blend in with the background to watch Hermione and Ron reconnect.

Hermione rose to her feet at a snail's pace, as if she feared that Ron was merely a mirage from the isolation. She paused in front of him, her lips parted but in her shock, her words fell short, Ron gave a weak smile, hope swimming in his eyes as he half raised his arms to welcome Hermione into a hug. Hermione launched herself forward, sending the pair tumbling to the ground as she punched every inch of Ron she could reach, his arms shielding his head from the blows. "Ow, Hermione! Get off me!" Ron protested as she pinned him to the group with the intention to beat him up.

"You're a complete arse, Ronald Weasley! You come back here after weeks! Harry, give me my wand now." Hermione held her hand out towards the dark-haired boy, who feigned ignorance of what she was talking about. Harry asked Hermione to calm down, "I will not calm down!" She screamed while getting back on her feet, to walk towards Harry to retrieve her wand to cause Ron even more harm. Ron rushed to his feet when Hermione's back was to him, clutching his ribs as he backed away to create a greater distance between him and the fuming girl.

"No, Hermione. Will you just-" Hermione cut Harry off before he could finish, warning him not to try and tell her what to do do or how to feel, Harry shut his mouth and silently wished he wasn't the common ground between the arguing pair. He now knew how Mikayla and Hermione felt during their fourth year when him and Ron were at each other's throats, and how Mikayla must've felt after Ron left. Ron made the mistake of reminding Hermione of his presence by speaking, asking why Harry had Hermione's wand before stating that he remembered that Mikayla had told him about their trip to Godric's Hollow.

"You..." Hermione muttered, turning around to glare at Ron, who took a few steps backwards when she pointed her finger at him accusingly. "I came running after you! I called you! I begged you to come back, I asked you to stay." Hermione's voice cracked as she uttered the word stay, tears beginning to swim behind her waterline. "I wanted to come back as soon as I left, but when Mikayla came to visit me at Bill's, I knew it wasn't the right thing to do. The Horcrux fucked with my head so much that I lost sight of myself, and I needed to take a step back to figure my shit out. I am sorry that I-"

Hermione stopped Ron's apology in it's tracks, her face red with fury, "oh, you're sorry!" Hermione cut in, letting off an uncharacteristic high-pitched laugh that sounded unsettlingly maniacal. Ron looked to Harry for help, but Harry grimaced at the sound that left Hermione's mouth, and shrugged at Ron to show that he had no idea how to save him. A small part of Harry relishing in the discomfort Ron was feeling, the part that wanted some vengeance for his temporary abandonment. "You've been gone for weeks! Weeks, Ronald. And you think you can just waltz back in here, and everything will be just fine because you're sorry."