the difference between obsession and the truth
[ooc: set to some point during Deathly Hallows, ch. 22]
Harry has been worrying her for quite a number of days now.
It isn't that his health is depleting (though there is that, too - but they're all exhausted, the three of them), or that he's begun to isolate himself from her and Ron.
It's the Deathly Hallows.
('But don't you see? It all fits ( Read more... )
Harry has been worrying her for quite a number of days now.
It isn't that his health is depleting (though there is that, too - but they're all exhausted, the three of them), or that he's begun to isolate himself from her and Ron.
It's the Deathly Hallows.
('But don't you see? It all fits ( Read more... )
It isn't that he made for a truly terrible guard - for more than a good portion of his time on watch he had been perfectly vigilant and even wielding one of Hermione's burnt mushrooms in hand as though it had been the sword of Gryffindor - but as the night wore on, boredom had taken over and sleepiness had sunk in.
As it is, half-dozing with cheek in hand and blankly staring at the fire in front of him, he starts when Hermione touches his arm.
And nearly pelts her in the eye with the mushroom.
"Bloody hell, Hermione," he gasps. "Make a bit more noise next time, would you?"
Reply
But she quells it.
After all, now is really not the time for things like that.
Instead, she simply blinks at the mushroom, rolls her eyes a little, and lets out a vaguely indignant breath to make up for the lack of rebuke.
"I thought you'd finished your dinner," she says instead, gesturing.
Reply
His rumbling stomach agrees too. But they've had this conversation before, haven't they?
"What're you doing awake anyway? It's not time to switch yet, is it?"
Reply
"No," she answers, shrugging a little.
(She suddenly wishes she'd thought to put on her jumper or something before stepping out.)
Then: "I couldn't sleep."
(Which is clearly not a problem for the boys.)
Reply
For all it might have looked like, Ron would adamantly insist that he was not resting comfortably. He's half numb from sitting on the fallen log and the chill of the morning and the noises of a dark forest are hardly comforting.
But, that said, he scoots half an inch to his left, giving Hermione room to sit.
Reply
"No, I suppose not," she agrees.
The log doesn't even try to deny this fact, instead only confirming how uncomfortable it is.
"I think I've managed all the sleep I could get for the night anyway."
Reply
What with the cold - which Ron sniffles at, scrubbing at his nose with the sleeve of his jumper - and the noises - the crack of a twig, the crunch of leaves, the call of some creature lurking in the night.
His hand strays toward the pocket he keeps his wand in, only to snatch up the forgotten mushroom and fiddle with it instead, scraping at the burnt edges and trying not to seem too ill at ease.
And he's not just ill at ease because of the night.
(So much has happened and she still hasn't fully forgiven him and he knows that, but - )
He breaks off a bad chunk of mushroom to toss into the fire.
Reply
"Well, we can only hope the weather won't think to play any nasty tricks on us," she remarks, watching him for a moment.
Of course, now that she's gone and said that, who knows what they can expect?
With a small sigh, she adds: "That's honestly the last thing we need right now."
Reply
Ron knows that if Harry was awake he'd be getting a certain sort of look about now.
"You only agreed to try and get back in her good books."
"All's fair love and war, and this is a bit of both."
He almost expects to see Harry standing near when he glances at the tent. But he's not, and Ron manages a small smile to go along with the compliment.
A smile that all to soon fades as he adds:
"You got us out of that mess at the Lovegood's."
He's clearly been having some of the same worries as Hermione has, his unnaturally solemn tone betraying him.
Reply
Xenophilius, for all his betrayal, didn't deserve whatever he was going to get from the visiting Death Eaters.
"Yes, well. Just barely," she says, shaking her head. "And ... and I still wish we'd never gone at all. It was a foolish idea. If we didn't go, then Harry wouldn't -"
Oh, it's no good.
Reply
He's been very aware of what she thinks about the Hallows and what they should be doing. She hasn't been quiet about her stance and he certainly has his doubts too. Still, he wonders...
"What if he's right?" he asks, whisper-quiet so that his voice won't carry to the tent in case Harry had woken up. "I'm not saying he is, but if he is?"
Reply
"Don't you think, if Harry was right, Dumbledore would have given us instructions to find them?" she asks, her own voice hushed to a whisper for the same reason.
She wouldn't want Harry to be encouraged to join their discussion, particularly with how strongly he felt about it.
She turns back to Ron.
(And it's hard to stay angry with him, even if she wants to.
Even if she believes she has good reason to.
Harry needs both of them right now, and staying upset wouldn't help matters at all.)
"It feels wrong, anyway. To be a 'Master of Death' ... if these Hallows are real, and I'm very doubtful that they are, they sound far too dangerous. Even without them, they're already having an effect on Harry."
Reply
"Dumbledore usually let me find out stuff for myself. He let me try my strength, take risks. This feels like the kind of thing he'd do."
Though he argues as much, Ron shakes his head in doubt. It all sounds so far fetched. And plausible. He wishes he shared Hermione's or Harry's conviction.
"I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe even if they are real, they'd be too dangerous. They are effecting Harry," he concedes, tiredly.
Reply
"They are," she repeats. "Something as crucial as this, as crucial as You-Know-Who, well - I don't think Dumbledore would have left out a detail like that."
'... this isn't a game, this isn't practice!
This is the real thing, and Dumbledore left you very clear instructions ...'
She shakes her head.
"I think we just have to keep doing what he told us to do. The Horcruxes are important. We know for a fact they're real."
Reply
"Yeah, all right," he says, after another moment and another nod. "We need to keep looking then. I mean it. We can't be sitting around and thinking about it. We'll revisit places if we have to."
Especially if the search would mean motivating Harry again.
Reply
Without the three of them in agreement, Hermione is well aware that they won't get very far. After all, without Ron, all they'd managed to do was nearly get themselves killed. (Not to mention: she'd accidentally destroyed Harry's wand.)
(She's still guilty over it.)
"Thank you, Ron," she says suddenly.
It's not exactly 'I forgive you' yet, but his support - his being there again - is important to her.
(It's very important to her.)
Reply
Leave a comment