Ron was gone. Just like that, he was gone. It shouldn't have even happened. Things weren't supposed to go this way. Harry and Ron were best friends. They shouldn't have argued like that. Neither of them was in their right mind. It had been a tense past couple of weeks. Then again, things had always been tense since they'd retrieved the Slytherin Horcrux from Umbridge at the Ministry. Ever since then, Ron hadn't been quite right; Harry had his moments, but they were nowhere near as bad.
If only he wasn't wearing that stupid locket! Hermione cursed silently.
The Horcrux weighed heavily upon her chest, the icy cold of the metal seeming to reach into her broken and bleeding heart, splitting the fissures wide open. She sat beside Ron's empty bunk, barely listening to the radio he had left behind, thinking of the last words they had shared. Being here, so close to where he was, it made the memories so much clearer and more painful.
"And what about you? You coming?" Ron had asked her. His voice had been so cold.
"I—" she had tried to answer him.
"Never mind. I see how it is. I saw you two the other night. I hope you have a nice life together."
"Ron! Ron, wait!"
She could remember the distinct sound of someone Disapparating and in that moment she knew Ron was never going to come back.
"RON!"
Hermione sighed, her shoulders slumping. It was time to accept the fact that she would probably never see Ron again, as much as it hurt to admit it. There was no way he could find them again, not with all the protective enchantments she had cast. She laughed humorlessly to herself. For all her talent with spells, there wasn't one she could use to bring Ron back. And even more ironic, it would be those same spells keeping Ron away, even if he did want to come back.
(O.o.O.o.O)
Harry stood outside, watching the flickering light of the lanterns inside the tent. His best friend was gone. There were so many things that shouldn't have been said, so many things that shouldn't have been done. He should've known better. Should've, could've, would've…it was too late now. What was done was done. There was nothing he could do to change it.
Damn it, Ron. Harry sighed. If only you knew what's happened…
Harry knew that Hermione had been crying, crying for weeks, sobbing quietly into her pillows at night, whispering his best friend's name over and over again. He had guessed that Hermione didn't want him to know the extent of the pain she was in. He knew she loved Ron. His two best friends had been denying that one inevitable truth for so many years. Harry could only imagine how she felt. He figured it was probably something comparable to having to leave Ginny behind, abandoning her at the wedding as the Death Eaters arrived.
How painful it must be, to be ripped from the one you loved.
Ron…wherever you are, I hope you can find your way back. We need you. Hermione needs you.
He heaved another sigh and slowly walked back over to the tent, spotting Hermione at her now-usual perch beside Ron's bunk. She barely glanced at him as he walked in. The distance and emptiness in Hermione's eyes was unsettling. He glanced at her neck, seeing the familiar chain of the Horcrux locket around her neck. It certainly explained a lot. No doubt the damned thing was making her feel even more miserable than she normally would be.
The radio was on, like it usually was when Ron was there. But instead of lists of names of the confirmed dead or missing witches, wizards, or Muggles, there was music playing. Harry crossed the room, collapsing into a chair, listening to it in silence.
