HP&SB: The Deathly Hallows

Chapter 11

"Hermione! Hermione!"

Hermione's head peaked out from behind the tent opening, brows furrowed in worry. 

"Harry?" She asked, brown eyes darting to the side as if in search of trouble. "Everything all right?"

I nodded, barely able to contact the smile.

"Fine," I reassured her. "Actually...more than fine." 

When I stepped aside and revealed Ron, Hermione blinked. She didn't speak either, not sparing me a glance as she brushed past me and not saying a word as she came to stop in front of Ron. Ron raised a hand in greeting, smiling a little sheepishly.

"Hey."

I couldn't see Hermione's face, but I did when she cranked her arm back and hit Ron with a force that surprised me– and certainly Ron, from his expression.

"You- complete- arse - Ronald- Weasley! You crawl back here after all these weeks and all you get out is hey?" She hissed. When she turned on me, her expression was furious, her normally warm and kind brown eyes blazing. "Where's my wand, Harry? Give it to me!"

I could feel the wand in the pocket of my jeans. I frowned. "Um...I don't know?"

"Harry James Potter, you give me my wand!" She yelled, and Ron frowned from behind her.

"How come he's got you wand?"

"Never mind why he's got my wand- and what is that?" She asked, finally seeming to take notice of the blackened locket Ron clutched in his hand, and the sword he held in the other. She was always quick though, brows furrowed as she put the pieces together.

"You destroyed it?" Hermione asked, head turning to look at me. I nodded towards Ron. She looked back at Ron in surprise, and he nodded. She looked like she about to say something when she frowned, eyes darting back down to the sword.

"And how exactly did you come by the sword of Gryffindor?"

I grimaced. "It's a long story."

Hermione's frown deepened before she turned back to wand.

"Don't think this changes anything."

"No, no, of course not. I only destroyed a bloody horcruxe! Why would that change anything– do you know what it was like for me to hear those words coming from you! To see you doing those things-" He started before catching himself and becoming silent.

"See me doing what things?" Hermione asked suspicously, and when Ron failed to answer she turned to me. "What happened out there?"

"Ah.." I started slowly, trying best to come up with an explanation before giving up altogether. "It's a long story."

Ron nodded.  "Hermione, I wanted to come back the minute I'd left! I just... didn't know how to find you."

Now it was my turn to frown. "Ron, how exactly did you find us, though?"

Ron held up a hand for a moment, sticking the sword into the ground beside him so it stood upright before he reached back into his back pocket and pulled out the familiar shape of the Deluminator. At both Hermione and I's puzzled expressions, he shrugged.

"It doesn't just turn off lights. I don't know exactly how it works, but early Christmas morning. I- I was sleeping– in this little pub. I'd given some snatchers the slip the night before, with me being a blood traitor and all– anyways, I was was half-asleep when I heard it."

"It?"

"A voice," he said,  and when he looked to Hermione, his expression softened. "Your voice, Hermione. Coming out of it."