The Key (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

Chapter 36: Ron's Departure

Amelia's P.O.V
I bet you're wondering what happened to me when my eyes changed, am I right? Well, I'm afraid I must disappoint you, because none of us know. Nothing as extreme as that has happened since then, but I do get angry sometimes, if I'm really frustrated, which rarely happens. We keep moving around a lot now, we don't stay in one place for more than three weeks or so, and we've been on the run for about three-four months. Ron hasn't really said much to us for a while, all he does is listen to that radio of his, but I can tell he's getting VERY fed up of all of this. Also, my theory of Ron fancying Hermione has been confirmed, everytime he see's her and Harry together he just starts glaring and scowling at them, he's defintely jealous. Other than that, not much has happened over the past few months, we're not any closer to destroying that Horcrux, there are snatchers lurking around every corner and I'm pretty sure we're all going to go insane if we have to put up with this much longer. But unforntunately, we do, and there's nothing any of us can do to stop it. The thought that pops up in my head everyday is whether Draco is okay, I haven't had anymore dreams that involve him dying, so that's reassured me a bit. I miss him so much it's unbelievable, I knew it would be really hard to be away from him this long, but this is killing me inside. I'll have to bare it though, which will be hard but I have to. This is probably the easy part, because when Harry and I return, there will be a war, good against evil. There is one thought that keeps me going though, after all this is over we'll finally be able to have a normal life, get married, have kids, do everything we can in life. At least the next generation of witches and wizards won't have to experience anything like this, they'll be safe and sound, but that's a long way away yet.

"Hold still." I said, holding Harry's shoulders as Hermione and I gave him a haircut. He didn't trust us to do it at first, but after a lot of persuasion we were finally given permission. The reason we asked in the first place was because his hair was growing out and it was bugging me.

"Head down a bit." Hermione mumbled, snipping off the ends of his jet black hair. I tipped his head forward and started cutting away at the sides, making it look a whole lot better than it did before.

"I can't believe I'm letting you do this." Harry muttered and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"It was annoying me, okay. Like you do when people eat with their mouth open, or like Hermione when we didn't do our homework in Hogwarts, or like Ron when Crookshanks sits on him." This earned me a flick in the head from Hermione which I guess I deserved. Harry chuckled and attempted to shake his head at me but I held it firmly in place, giving him a look that said 'stay-still-or-I-will-make-you-look-stupid' and from then on he kept it as still as a statue, not wanting me to shave all his hair off or something. We carried on silently snipping until Hermione stood up straight, her face lit up like she had a lightbulb moment.

"Oh my Godric." She gasped and a worried look grew on Harry's face.

"What've you done?" Harry asked, feeling the back of his head in case of a haircut mis-hap. Hermione ran over to the table and I glanced at Harry confused and quickly followed Hermione.

"I'll tell you in a bit." Hermione told us and I stood next to her.

"Maybe you can explain your sudden outburst now." I stated as Harry reached the other side of the table, Hermione grabbed her book and started flicking through the pages until she found one particular one she needed.

"The Sword of Gryffindor, it's goblin made." Hermione explained and Harry gave her a wierd look.

"Excellent." Harry and I said in sync, unsure of what she really meant.

"You don't get it. Dirt and rust have no effect on the blade. It only takes in that which makes it stronger." Hermione said, looking up at Harry hopefully but he still didn't get it. I however, caught on to what she meant, and shared her look of excitment.

"Alright, Harry. We've already destroyed one Horcrux haven't we? Tom Riddle's diary when you saved Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets whilst in your second year." I made it easier to understand but he still didn't have a clue.

"Yes, with a Basalisk fang! If you tell me you've got one of those in either of your bags..." He trailed off and I rolled my eyes, sitting myself down on one of the chairs near the table.

"In the Chamber of Secrets you killed the Basalisk with the Sword of Gryffindor. The blade is impregnated with the venom of the Basalisk." Hermione told him slowly and a look of understanding crossed his face.

"It only takes in that which makes it stronger!" Harry exclaimed and I threw my hands up in the air.

"We finally have a break through!" I said jokingly and he brushed my comment aside.

"And that is why it-" Harry and Hermione cut me off in mid-sentence.

"Can destroy Horcruxes."

"That is why Dumbledore left the sword to both of you in his will." Hermione smiled and I rested my feet on the table.

"You are truely brilliant Hermione, truely amazing." Harry laughed, looking at the ages in her book.

"Actually, I'm logical enough to look past extraneous detail and perceieve which others overlook." She corrected him and I looked at her blankly.

"I did not understand over half of the words you used then." I stated and Hermione pushed my legs off the table making me poke my tongue out at her. Then everything randomly went dark, causing me to jump and almost fall from my chair. The three of us turned to where the lights went and looked at Ron expectantly as he gave them back to us.

"However, the sword was stolen. Yeah... I'm still here. Forget me did you? But you two carry on, don't let me spoil the fun." Ron growled, totally ignoring my presence in the room, making me frown slightly.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Harry asked, swinging his legs over the other side of the bench so he could see him.

"Nothing, nothing at all. Not to you anyway."

"If you've got something to tell us, spill it out."

"Alright, I'll spit it out. Don't you dare expect me to be grateful just because there's another damned thing we have to go look for." Ron hissed through clenched teeth making Harry look taken aback a bit.

"Well, we presumed you knew what you were in for, coming with us." Harry defended, starting to get annoyed with our red-haired friend.

"I thought I did. But not anymore."

"I'm sorry then, but I don't understand. What part of all this isn't living up to your expectations? Did you think we were going to be staying in a five star hotel, that you'd be able to see your family by christmas, that we'd find a Horcrux every day?" By now Harry was stood up, facing Ron who was getting angrier and angrier by the second.

"I just assumed after all these months that we would have acctually found or achieved something! I thought you two knew what you were doing! That Dumbledore must've told you something!" Ron exclaimed, oh, so now he decides to notice me, huh? When he blames us. I thought irritably. Hermione and I too stood up and walked either side of the boys, knowing that this wouldn't end well.

"We told you everything he told us! And if you didn't notice we have actually found a Horcrux." Harry glared at Ron for a moment.

"Yeah, and we're about as close to destroying it as we are to getting the rest of them!" Hermione then decided to take action and began begging Ron to take the necklace of, saying he wouldn't act that way if he didn't have it on, and all he did was push her away.

"Do you know why I listen to that old radio every night? To make sure Ginny's name comes up,or Fred, or George, or Mum!"

"You think we're not listening to?! You think we don't know how it feels?!" Harry's voice then started to raise louder and louder.

"NO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS! Your parents are dead! You and Amelia have no family!" Ouch, that one stung. Just because we're not related to the Weasley's doesn't mean we don't think of them as family. Ginny has become the younger sister I never had, Fred and George those annoying older brothers that you love to pieces and Mr and Mrs Weasley have become the parent figures in my life, so that really hurt, so much so that I even winced. Harry then lunged at Ron and they both started fighting, nothing too violent, but it wasn't good for them at all. I grabbed Harry around the torso like Hermione did with Ron and we attempted to pull them away from each other.

"Stop! Stop it! Please!" We cried out, pleading for them to quit it, as they would only end up getting hurt.

"Fine then go! Go then!" Harry screeched, still raging with anger. Ron ripped the locket from his neck at threw it at me, I caught it expertly and placed it on the table. He then grabbed all of his stuff and turned to Hermione, half out of the tent door.

"You? Are you coming or staying?" He growled and tears began developing in Hermione's eyes. She looked between Harry and I and Ron but didn't say a word, making Ron send her the dirtiest glare ever.

"Fine, I know how it is, I saw you both the other night." Ron cast me one last glance before storming out the tent and into the wilderness, followed hot on his heels by Hermione who was screaming for him to come back. I watched the spot where the two were only seconds before and sighed sadly, laying my head on Harry's shoulder who wrapped his arm around mine, kissing my forehead lightly. Hermione then ran back in, the tears streaming down her face, I released Harry's grip on me and rushed over to her, bringing her shaking body into a hug, whispering calming words to her. I lead her over to her bed and she slid inside, I pulled the covers over her and gave her one kiss on the forehead as a last comfortng method. I then said goodnight to Harry and climbed into my own bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

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The Next Morning

My eyes fluttered open and a massive yawn escaped my mouth, my ears were immediately met by the pleasant sound of music being played. I sat up and looked over to the source of the noise to find Harry and Hermione dancing. I smiled and slid down the ladder, wrapping one of Draco's oversized jackets -which I had nabbed from him- around me. The two noticed me and I put my hands on my hips.

"Well, don't I feel like a third wheel." I pouted jokingly making them both laugh and drag me over, letting me join in on the dancing, spinning and twirling each other around until we were dizzy. We were like we were before Ron left yesterday, happy. We laughed and joked around, singing along to the jolly song on the radio until the music stopped completely. Hermione's grin then faded quickly into a frown as she sighed and walked away, sitting down on one of the steps. I frowned along with her but didn;t bring up the subject for the rest of the day. We just had to get on with it like nothing had happened, that was the way to keep Hermione from crying again.

(A/N: Sorry if that last bit came later, I don't have the film or the book at the moment so I have to make do wit youtube clips.)