Till The End | h.p

falling apart

Several days later, Ron is finally ready to travel. They don't apparate because he's still not healed enough to do that, so they set out on foot. Sam walks in the back with Ron, as Harry and Hermione lead the way. Today is his day to carry the locket and Sam sees the toll it takes on him. He notices how close Harry and Hermione have been the past few days and it weighs heavy on his heart.

"Doesn't it bother you?" He asks Sam with an aggressive tone.

"What?"

"Them two," he answers, "Getting all cozy with each other?"

Sam looks over at them and shrugs, "I mean, I hadn't really noticed. But don't go getting ideas in your head about it."

He rolls his eyes and they continue on their journey. That night they settle down under a bridge. Sam, Hermione and Ron sit outside as Harry stands off to the side, looking over the water.

"He doesn't know what he's doing, does he?" Ron questions.

"None of us do," Hermione defends.

That night, Sam, Hermione and Harry sit in the dining room of the tent. Hermione is cutting Harry's hair, Sam offered to do it, but considering her continuous exhaustion, they thought it wasn't a great idea. Hermione stops cutting and looks up.

"Oh my God," she gasps before walking away to grab a book.

"What?" Harry asks frantically.

"I'll tell you in a minute," as she places the book down.

"Maybe you could tell us now," Harry suggests as he sits across from them.

"The sword of Gryffindor, it's goblin-made."

"Brilliant," he gives her a small thumbs up.

"No, you don't understand," Hermione begins, but Sam widens her eyes.

"Oh," Sam exclaims and Hermione nods, "No way!"

"What?" Harry questions.

"Dirt and rust have no effect on the blade," Hermione states as she shows him the book, "It only takes in that which makes it stronger."

"Okay," he says, still not getting it.

"Harry," Sam starts, "You already destroyed one Horcrux, right? Tom Riddle's diary in the Chamber of Secrets."

"With a Basilisk fang. If you tell me you've got one of those in that bloody beaded bag of yours, Hermione," he begins.

"Don't you see? In the Chamber of Secrets, you stabbed the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor. It's blade is impregnated with Basilisk venom," Hermione explains.

An 'oh' forms on his lips, "It only takes in that which makes it stronger."

"Which is why-" Sam begins.

"It can destroy Horcruxes," Harry confirms.

He reaches his hand across the table and squeezes Hermione's, "You're brilliant, Hermione, truly."

Sam raises her eyebrows in confusion as she looks at their hands. She brushes it off realizing Hermione is the one who figured it out in the first place.

"There's only one problem," Harry begins.

Suddenly, all the lights go out and then return to the lamps.

"The sword was stolen. Yeah," Ron spits out venomously, "I'm still here. But you two carry on. Don't let me spoil the fun."

Harry closes the book and turns to him, "What's wrong?"