adored by him | *under editing*

seventh year × 92

Hermione, Harry and Nadia packed up their things and the tent before preparing to apparate to their new home for the next few days.

Hermione, eyes red and puffy, stood by the river bank for a minute, composing herself.

Nadia and Harry emerged from the tent, watching as she tied a red scarf to the tree for a signal if Ron tried to find them.

"Do you think he'll come back." Nadia frowned, turning to Harry.

He glanced at her, slight regret in his pale green eyes. "I hope so."

With that, Hermione joined the pair and Harry took both their hands. A crack sounded and they landed on a rocky cliff.

Hermione immediately broke, letting out a small sob as tears started streaming. Nadia pulled her in for a hug and whispered comforting things through her hair as she rubbed calming circles on her back.

Harry watched the girls for a minute before walking ahead and starting the protective enchantments. "Salvio Hexia...Protego Totalum..."

•••

Night had fallen quite quickly and soon, the only thing they could see was the illuminated tent on the rocky surface.

Hermione was curled up on the step, still taking Ron's exit hard, whilst Harry watched her sympathetically, getting annoyed when the radio static cracked or squeaked.

Nadia lay on her cot, staring up at the canvas of the tent. Sometimes she'd just forget that she was in the middle of the woods or on a stony cliff top. The war was anything but fun. She just wanted it to be over.

No more getting chased by Death Eaters. No more muggles going missing or being murdered. No more Voldemort. That's all she wished for.

At the sound of a song and soft laughter, Nadia furrowed her eyebrows, pushed herself up from the cot and entered the main compartment of the tent.

She watched in glee as Harry and Hermione twirled round the tent like idiots, embracing each other with warm smiles.

However, Hermione's smile soon dropped as the song came to an end and the static grew louder. She pulled away from Harry and skulked away.

Nadia looked as Harry sighed defeatedly at his failed plan to cheer her up. Nadia approached him and squeezed his shoulder, giving him a small grin. "She'll come around. Give her time."

Harry nodded, placing his hand over Nadia's. "We just have to stick together."

"Always."

•••

Hermione and Nadia sat just outside the tent, huddled together underneath a warm blanket.

Hermione's eyes trailed over the pages of Tales of Beedle the Bard whilst Nadia's flitted over a Spellman's Syllabary.

Before, they had been briefly discussing how, eventually, they may have to go to Godric's Hollow in order to help with their task. They weren't happy about it but it was inevitable when they really thought about it.

Hermione had also found a strange symbol inked into the first page of her book. A symbol which they'd never seen before but they thought it must be significant to something.