Hello. My account got deleted or something and I didn't get to finish this story so I'm reposting and adding.
This is taking place as if the epilogue didn't happen, and picks up right where the book ends. Ish. Review. Criticism is welcomed.
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Everything seemed to be so surreal after that May morning.
Everything in the lives of the three would never be the same.
Everything was going to change.
Everything.
* * *
Hermione sat on a small tree stump by the edge of the black lake. She had changed her clothes and showered since the battle, but she still could smell the blood and tears that had stained her earlier. She knew that everything was going to be different from now on, but the air around her seemed the same. The black lake was still the same frosty onyx color, while the trees still wiggled slightly around her due to the same old breeze. But the world was now unlike the past. It was a world without Voldemort. She knew she still wouldn't be able to say his name without flinching ever so slightly, even with him completely gone. The breeze blew through her tangled wet hair and gave the girl a slight chill. Sun beams that played upon her skin were warm but there was still a nippy gust.
Her mind told her to go back up to the castle to see those that those that had failed to survive the battle and to aid those who were wounded, but she couldn't move from her spot on that stump. It wasn't the faces of the dead and wounded that kept her from the castle, but the faces of the living. She had barely spoken to Harry since and Ron-
Ron.
Some yells from the castle snapped Hermione from her daze and she whipped her head around to see who the sound came from. It was Ginny. She must have just gotten out of the bath because her hair was wet and her clothes were damp.
"There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere," Ginny reached Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder. The two had really grown quite close in the past few years. It wasn't until now that Hermione realizes how much she had missed her dear friend. The past year had been spent in pursuit of Horcruxes so she didn't have a moment to think of those that she loved back at school. "Are you ok?" Ginny questioned. It took Hermione a moment to answer. How was she? Really?
"No."
Ginny did not look shocked by this answer. She held out her hand and smiled. "Come. They are serving dinner to those of us that are still here." The two girls hiked back towards the castle and were welcomed by many people who were either entering or leaving. Dean Thomas was walking out of the Great Hall and gave Ginny a small smile. The Great Hall had been cleared of the debris and the sick, as well as being returned to its usual appearance with the four long tables set up. Most had left. Only a few of the students, members of the Order, and teachers remained. The Weasleys all sat toward the staff table and were huddled close to one another. More than one of them was missing though. Hermione knew that she would never be able to think of Fred without George. The other that was missing from the table was the one that she wished to see most. Mrs. Weasley hadn't shed a tear since the fight ended, which was quite uncommon, especially since so many of her friends and one of her children had died. She grabbed the girls and hugged them a little too tightly. Hermione let out a tiny squeal and was thus released.
"I'm so proud of you girls. I-I don't know what we would have done without you," Mrs. Weasley began to say. The girls knew where this was going, and sat down before the mother could get any farther. Hermione had seen a side of Mrs. Weasley that she had never seen before in the fight. She made a mental note to never cross paths with her when her child was at stake. A gurgle coming from her stomach made Hermione realize that didn't realize how hungry she was.. It had been quite some time since she had eaten a decent meal, especially a decent Hogwarts meal. Ginny and Hermione sat down and piled their plates with Cornish pasties and mashed potatoes, quickly shoveling food into their mouths.
"Calm down, you are starting to look like Ron," Ginny jested before she herself began to attack her plate of food.
Hermione stopped mid chew. "You know, Ginny might be right," a voice came from behind Hermione. She whipped around to face the stomach of the one she no longer wanted to see most. Ron had not changed his clothes since the battle and his white t-shirt was covered in bloody stains. Hermione edged towards the table to get away from the memories that blood held.
"I'm just hungry that's all," she said before she returned to her food.
Ron took a seat besides her and mirrored her actions. Hermione didn't know what to say, let alone do. She remembered what happened before they went into battle with Ron, but she wasn't sure that he did. Was it an act of desperation? Did he even know that he did it? Or had there really been something that Ron had never actually told her. Sure there had been hints, but Hermione didn't think Ron was romantic enough, let alone smart enough to know HOW to lay hints for a girl to catch on to. She had asked herself these sorts of questions for the past four years. Ever since she first saw that dirty little red head on the Hogwarts Express she had felt something. But now things had changed. Everything was different.
"Has anyone seen Harry?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence between them. Ron finished his sausage before replying, "He's in Dumbledore's office. Been there ever since-". Ron didn't even finish his statement. None of them had actually talked about the fight between Harry and Voldemort. Ron cleared his throat and placed his utensils down upon the table. "Should we go see if he's, you know, ok?"
The three rose from the table and made their way to the stone gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office. He didn't even ask them for a password but moved aside for the stairway to be revealed. Hermione knocked softly on the door, but no response came. She pushed lightly and it opened with ease giving their eyes access to its contents. It still had Dumbledore's gadgets and gizmos swirling and twirling around the room with portraits of past headmasters. Not one of them was sleeping this time they were in the office. They were bouncing back and forth between pictures drinking ale and giving fellow headmasters and mistresses pats on the backs and hugs. It seems as if everyone of every age was in high spirits since Voldemort's defeat. The three looked for Dumbledore's picture, but they didn't see it amongst the others. Ginny looked towards the desk to see it propped up against some books. Harry Potter stood before the painting with a pensive look upon his brow. He, like Ron, still stood in his battle worn clothes. Tears did not fall from his eyes, nor did he appear to be in any sort of devastation. But he did not appear to be celebrating either.
"Ah, Harry, it appears you have some visitors," the portrait of Dumbledore spoke. The three visitors were all quite shocked to hear their late headmaster's voice. Harry turned his head and gave the three a smile. "Oh-ho! It seems they are all a little surprised by my presence." Dumbledore let out a slight laugh and smiled at the sight of the four. Harry put an arm around Ginny and she gladly accepted it.
"So this is what you've been doing for the past few hours? Talking with good ol' Dumbledore?! Why didn't you come and get us?" Ron pestered through a large grin.
"It's a pleasure to see you as well Ronald. How is everyone holding up?"
Ron's smile faded for a moment. Hermione saw this and piped in," Time will heal the wounds of those that lost, but for now I think all is well in the world now that there is peace again."
"Time heals all. And so does candy. Well, not stomach aches, but it certainly makes me feel better. That is one prop to being dead and in my own portrait, I can wonder over to Beezlbum and snaffle some of him lemon drops. Those have always been my favorites. Oh! But here I go boring you with my favorite sweets when you all should be celebrating. Harry you can finally have a normal life. Remember what we spoke about earlier and never think otherwise my dear boy. Well then! I'm off to do just as I said: steal some lemon drops from Beezlbum! Farewell." Dumbledore gave the four a wink and wandered off to another painting somewhere in the castle.
Harry laughed, surprising all of his friends. "That's Dumbledore for you," he said before he kissed Ginny on the cheek. "Well, I have yet to eat so I'm going to make my way down to the Great Hall if any of you would care to join me."
Hermione knew that they could talk to Harry later. Harry and Ginny hadn't seen each other in a long time and they had some catching up to do. Which she hoped would be moved to some place other than Dumbledore's office.
"I didn't get dessert so that sounds like a brilliant idea," Ron replied before the four made their way to the door. Harry stopped and turned back to give the office a final look before heading down the stairs. He knew it would not be last time he visited Dumbledore's office.
* * *
Harry and Ginny sat in the middle of the quidditch pitch with brooms at their feet. The night sky was clear, with gleaming stars flooding its indigo plane. It had felt like years since Harry had ridden upon the pitch and it brought back thousands of memories. It hit him then that he had lost his Firebolt, along with Hedwig in his flight away from Privet Drive. But he was content with this broom he borrowed from the school. Getting to fly again was all that mattered. Getting to be with Ginny again was all that mattered.
"What are you thinking of?" Ginny broke the silence, startling Harry a bit.
"Everything."
"Everything? How is that even possible? I thought boys were single-minded. If you know what I mean…" Harry laughed at Ginny's response and pulled her in close to him.
"I'm not sure what to do with myself now that Voldemort is gone. At times it felt as if I was only alive to kill him, and otherwise my life was rather meaningless. I'm not saying that I feel like what I'm doing now is meaningless, just that, I'm not sure there is anything else I can do with my life that will have any sort of significance." Harry paused. "But if doesn't matter. I don't need anything else in my life other than you, a broomstick, and some butterbeer. Which sounds excellent right about now. What do you say we head down to The Three Broomsticks and grab us some?"
Harry tried to switch topics quickly to keep from talking about Voldemort. His conversation with Dumbledore made his mind tick. Was Voldemort completely gone? Was his life to gain normalcy like everyone else in the world? But it didn't matter now.
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