"So, we don't have to wear that awful necklace anymore?" Draco summarized. His spirits lifted the moment the news seeped in. No more arguments, no more depressing thoughts. They were freed from the Horcrux forever.
"Harry nearly died and that's what you got from the story?" demanded Hermione. Her voice echoed her frustration and anger. Unlike Harry and Draco, Hermione had not easily forgiven Ron for abandoning them. In fact, she had yet to hold any demeanor other than the glare she was currently sending Ron. Draco shuddered to think what Hermione would have done had Harry not currently been holding her wand.
"Love," Draco said, his voice rational in contrast to hers, "Harry's the Boy-Who-Can't-Die. See, not dead. If he's going to die, it'll be because the Dark Lord killed him, not because he can't swim."
"Thanks, Draco," murmured Harry, his tone slightly dry.
"Harry's not invincible!" exclaimed Hermione. "It's time we all start remembering that."
"'Course he's not," Draco returned, "that's why he needs us. Now, shall we discuss more important matters? Where might we find the remaining Horcruxes?"
Into the same conversation they had a million times before they went. This time, however, the little group spoke in optimism that would not vanish. The locket was a symbol of what they could accomplish, instead of a dreary reminder of the unattainable. And while they grew no closer to finding the answer, the despair had completely fled them.
-----
Hermione's anger toward Ron was almost completely abated by the time they went to see Mr. Lovegood. She was still angry with him for abandoning them, but she was growing closer and closer to forgiving him. Of course, Draco was helping in that. He answered her glares sent at Ron with logic and reminders of their friendship. "You forgave me, remember?" Draco said one night, "I turned against all of you to follow You-Know-Who. You stood by me. How can you forgive me for that, but not forgive Ron?"
"You didn't abandon Draco. And you were only following him to save your family!" Draco merely shrugged.
"I did something much worse than leave for a few months. And he's Ron. He's our friend."
While Hermione knew Draco was right, it was still hard to look at Ron and not feel a twinge of anger. He had a family he could return to when he argued with them. This was it for Harry, Hermione, and Draco. They had to defeat Voldemort. There was no other possibility for them.
It was Hermione's idea to go see Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father. Harry was less than enthused by the idea. For all his talk about Grindelwald and wands, he was pessimistic about the meeting. Perhaps, the events of Godric's Hollow were playing in the back of his mind. Or, perhaps, he was focused on the main issue of finding the remaining Horcruxes.
In the end, Hermione convinced him to see things her way and the four friends went to see Lovegood.
"It's weird, being this near, but not going to visit," Ron started, looking off in the direction of his home. The Lovegoods did live awfully close to the Weasleys, only a few miles away.
"Well, it's not like you haven't seen them," snapped Hermione, her voice cold. "You were there for Christmas."
"I wasn't at the Burrow," Ron answered, his tone holding an incredulous laugh, as though Hermione had mentioned something ludicrous. "Do you think I was going to go back there and tell them all I'd walked out on you? Yeah, Fred and George would've been great about it. And Ginny! She'd be really understanding."
"But then, where have you been?" Hermione inquired. For a moment, her anger disappeared, giving way to genuine surprise.
"Bill and Fleur's new place. Shell Cottage. Bill's always been decent to me. He wasn't...impressed when he heard what I'd done, but he didn't go on about it. He knew I was really sorry. None of the family knew I was there. Bill told Mum he and Fleur weren't going home for Christmas because they wanted to spend it alone. You know, first holiday after they got married. I don't think Fleur minded. You know how much she hates Celestina Warbeck."
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The Brave at Heart
Fanfiction"He could only imagine what his father was going to say when he heard. Oh, he had really done it this time. His father had once told him he was a disgrace to the Malfoy name and now he really was. It wasn't supposed to have gone this way. He was sup...
