From Wiltshire, With Love

Chapter 26

"Okay," she said, standing up. Ron glanced up at her combative tone. "We're having this out now. I'm tired of this passive aggressive shit."

"Having what out?" Ron asked, warily eyeing the fold of his parchment airplane.

"Do the two of you want me to step down?"

"What?" Harry lowered his newspaper.

"Do you want me to step down from leadership?" she repeated, putting her hands on her hips. "Is that what it would take for you both to stop throwing a tantrum every time I can't share something?"

Harry lowered his feet to the floor and set the paper on the footrest. "We don't-"

"You both resent me."

Harry clenched his jaw and Ron watched them silently. Ron didn't like Hermione knowing things they didn't, but it was harder for Harry. He hated being kept out of the loop in fifth year by Dumbledore, and sheltered from the Order's inner workings by the Weasleys.

"I don't see how I can win!" she continued, throwing her hands out. "If I stay in leadership, I can't share things with you and you get naffed off. So the only way to keep you two from getting angry is to step down. Is that what you want?"

She waited in silence while Harry glared at her. After a few moments his shoulders collapsed in defeat.

"I don't want you to step down," Harry said with a sigh, chastened.

"I don't either," Ron agreed.

"Well, good. Because I wasn't going to."

Harry's green eyes glittered at her from under the fringe of his messy black hair. "You shouldn't. You belong there," he sighed. "I'm sorry we were jerks." He flattened the paper down on the footrest. "It's hard being left in the dark. I always feel like my fate is being shaped by other people without me knowing."

Dammit, Harry.

She blinked, and tried to bury her feelings of how deeply she was betraying him.

"We still have the Horcruxes," Ron offered. Hermione felt a tug on her heart, and was grateful to him for bridging the gap between all of them, despite the topic.

"Yeah," Harry brightened. "The Horcruxes will always be our thing."

Ron groaned. "Please don't say 'always.' I'd like to be rid of them already."

Part of Hermione didn't. The quicker they found the Horcruxes, the closer Harry was to the end of his life. The Horcruxes bound them together and kept their friendship alive. But they could also tear them apart.

She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on what was happening now. Harry and Ron would probably appreciate the fact that they weren't the only ones that had to be kept in the dark.

"Remus found out," Hermione added, shifting her gaze to him. "That's why I destroyed my notebook."

Ron's face fell. "So leadership knows now?"

"Nope," Hermione said with a smile. "I Obliviated him."

"You Obliviated Remus?" Harry's jaw dropped, and then a smug smile formed as he closed his mouth.

"Yup," she said, pleased with herself. "Horcrux knowledge is only shared on a need-to-know basis and Remus doesn't need to know."

Harry sniggered and continued reading from the paper again.

"I just wish the Horcrux search wouldn't be so bloody boring," Ron complained. "We have no leads."

"Well," Hermione turned to leave, "Hopefully something will turn up soon."