A week later, Harry steps out of the tent to join Hermione outside. His heart feels like it's growing weaker every day that he and Sam are distant from each other. He moves to sit down across from Hermione on the frost covered ground.
"Are you feeling better?" She asks him.
He shakes his head slightly, "I can feel her drifting away... I don't know what to do, Hermione."
She places her book down next to her, "She's lost so much, Harry. We all have, but try to look at it from her perspective. She lost both of her parents, she's away from the family that raised her and doesn't know where they are or if they're okay, Ron left, she's dealing with her magic, all while trying to find these Horcruxes. We're all suffering in different ways and we all cope differently."
He doesn't respond, instead he looks around the forest, "You've outdone yourself this time."
She gives a small smile, "The Forest of Dean. I came here once with Mum and Dad, years ago. It's just how I remember it. The trees, the river, everything. Like nothing's changed. Not true, of course. Everything's changed. If I brought my parents back here now, they probably wouldn't recognize any of it. Not the trees, not the river, not even me."
They let the silence pass over them as they get lost in their own thoughts until Hermione speaks up once more, "Maybe we should just stay here, Harry. Grow old."
They both look away at the forest, sadness piercing their hearts. Hermione pulls the book back into her lap, "You wanted to know who the boy in the photograph was. I know. Gellert Grindelwald," she states as she hands him the book.
He flips through the pages, "He's the thief I saw in Gregorovitch's Wand Shop," he pauses before handing it back to her, "Go inside. Get warm. I'll keep watch. I'll take the locket as well."
She listens and steps back into the tent. She steps into Sam's makeshift room and sees her practicing. A small green ball of light forms in the air as Sam wraps her hands around it.
"Practicing?" Hermione asks, Sam can see the exhaustion on her face.
She pats the bed, "Come sit, I know you're drained."
Hermione lays down on the bed as Sam takes the chair next to it. Hermione watches her for a few minutes as she practices little bits of control.
Hermione sits up slowly, catching Sam's attention, "We need to talk."
Sam furrows her brows slightly before giving a slight nod and Hermione continues, "I know that everything has been... a mess lately, but we still need you... Harry needs you... and I know you need him, as well."
Sam looks down in her lap, "Everything has changed, Hermione. We've changed. He's a different boy and I'm a different girl."
Hermione tilts her head, "Are you saying that you don't love him?"
Sam's face contorts as if smelling something vile, "I'll always love him. He's Harry, my Harry. I just don't understand what's wrong with me. How can he still...? I'm different now, I'm full of darkness."
Hermione shakes her head lightly as a sigh escapes her lips, "Are you seriously telling me that you haven't figured it out yet?"
Sam looks at her in confusion before she continues, "He's known darkness as well, he still feels it everyday. You both are one in the same, you always have been. After knowing you both all these years, I've noticed that you feed off of each other's emotions, your energy. You're stronger together, you need each other. Even without all of that, he loves you. He's always loved you. That hasn't changed."
After a few moments, Sam nods slightly, but Hermione goes on, "I know that he's said things in the past- but he's stubborn and a hothead. That doesn't mean he means it, you know what You-Know-Who does to his mind."
Sam stands up, "I think we both need sleep more than anything right now."
Hermione nods as she lays back down and Sam moves across the tent and over to Ron's old bed.
The next morning, they are both woken up by Harry calling their names. Sam and Hermione both run out of the tent.
"Is everything alright?" Hermione asks.
"It's fine," he answers, "Actually, you know, it's more than fine," he turns around to face something else and they follow his gaze.
Sam stands in complete and utter shock at the sight of Ron. Hermione is the first to react when he smiles, "Hey."
She storms up to him in rage and grabs his bag as she rips it off his shoulders, "You complete ass, Ronald Weasley!"
She hits him with his own bag and then proceeds to throw leaves at him in anger, "You show up here after weeks, and you say 'hey'?" She looks down at his hand as he's holding the locket, which is now charred and destroyed.
Sam notices the sword of Gryffindor in his other hand, Hermione looks at it and then at him, "What is that?"
He holds it up and she notes, "You destroyed it. And how exactly is it that you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?"
"It's a long story," Harry answers for him.
Sam stands still in disbelief, part of her wants to run into his arms and hold him tight, the other part of her wants to deck him in the face.
Hermione scoffs, "Don't think this changes anything."
"Oh, of course not," Ron retorts sarcastically, "I only just destroyed a bloody Horcrux. Why would that change anything?"
Hermione grabs onto Sam's hand as he continues, "Look, I wanted to come back as soon as I left. I just didn't know how to find you."
"Yeah, how did you find us?" Harry inquires curiously.
"With this," he pulls the deluminator out of his pocket, "It doesn't just turn off lights. I don't know how it works, but Christmas morning I was sleeping in this little pub, keeping away from some Snatchers, and I heard it."
"It?" Harry asks.
"A voice... your voice, Hermione, coming out of it."
"And what exactly did I say, may I ask?" She questions aggressively.
"My name. Just my name. Like a whisper. So I took it, clicked it, and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew. And sure enough, it floated toward me, the ball of light, went right to my chest, straight through me. Right here," he points to his heart, "And I knew it was gonna take me where I needed to go, so I Disapparated and came to this hillside. It was dark. I had no idea where I was. I just hoped that one of you would show yourself. And you did," he looks at Harry.
Harry nods and Hermione just stands there, not knowing how to feel. Ron looks at Sam and it's like a light flickers in his eyes. He had missed her, his sister, all that time away from someone who has been by your side nearly everyday for eleven years, it tears a whole in your chest. He steps closer to her and she takes one step back apprehensively. He stops in tracks and that familiar ache returns to his chest. She looks deep into his eyes and love fills her heart, she feels more complete now than she has in weeks. She steps forward, one step at a time, until she's directly in front of him.
She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in. He quickly wraps his arms around her and holds her tight, "I'm so sorry I left."
She shakes her head, "Don't you dare do it again."
He nods, "Never."