Harry Potter One Shots

balancing on breaking branches // r.w.

summary: Y/N joins the trio on their horocrux hunt and finds herself almost losing her bestfriend under the influence of the horocrux locket.

word count: 2.6k

warnings: ... none? 

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Blistering cold. That's all she felt, agonizing, blistering cold, infiltrating the flannel that hugged her back. Godric, it felt like it was seeping through her clothes and freezing her body from the inside out. She huffed and quickly bunched the ends of her sleeves in her fists, tucking them close to her body as she crossed her arms.

Ron paused his steps at the ruckus behind him, and turned to look back at her.

"You alright, love?"

Y/N huffed, a cloud of her breath forming in front of her, and trudged past him, "Fine."

One week. It had been one week since Harry, Hermione, Ron and Y/N stole Umbridge's horocrux necklace. They traded off once they noticed the effect it held over them. It was terrifying, the magic within a seemingly harmless locket was able to completely alter a lovable friend. All the stories, all the encounters the four had with Voldemort, it was like the dust was settling and their worst nightmares were coming true. It wasn't a scary story, or a myth told to scare children and introduce the Chosen One, it was bone crushing, heart wrenching, breathtakingly real.

Hermione, the brightest witch, led the pack of them. They trudged through a vast field, forming in a line before the worn in path. She held a muggle map in her hands, uncharmed in case a death eater picked up on their magic and tracked them. Harry followed closely behind Hermione, peering over her shoulder every few steps to look at the map.

Ron and Y/N were a few paces back, she could tell he was slowing his pace to be with her. Under any normal circumstances, her heart would have swelled. Ron Weasley was her best friend, her rock, he was it for her. The back of her mind tried to persuade her to let in the memories of the blushes that crept up her cheeks when he held her hand, or the flutters in her stomach when he kissed her forehead.

However, she didn't revel in the close proximity or the memories of him setting her skin on fire with his touch. It was like there was a veil within her as soon as she put on the locket, the veil locked away the part of her that was warm and soft and kind, tucked it behind glass as it silently wailed, pounding on the walls to be let out.

Ron was so worried about her, he offered to take the necklace in place for her that day, remembering how down she was the first day she wore it. Of course, Y/N declined, after her heart swarmed at the risk he was willing to take for her. But all the warmth from earlier that day was long gone, as the compartment she kept in her heart reserved for Ron Weasley was now filled with patronizing hatred.

"D'you need something?" She snapped.

She caught the pause of Harry and Hermione in her peripheral vision, they stared back at the pair cautiously before slowly turning back to face the map in their hands.

Ron gulped, his brows furrowing. He glanced down to the locket that hung from her neck and paused, feeling a wave of heartache wash over him. He composed himself, and took a healthy step back from the girl, pursing his lips apologetically.

"My bad." He mumbled.

Y/N's once soft, glorious eyes were now daggers digging into Ron's chest. She scoffed at him, shaking her head sarcastically and stomped off towards the pair before them. She reached Hermione and ripped the map from her fingertips, continuing on the path with a quick pace.