Title/ What now?
Warnings/ None
Disclaimer/ Harry Potter, the world, characters, etc. Do not belong to me.
AN/ I'm not really sure where this came from. I just kind of thought of it last night. Anyways, i just imagine this as what would honestly happen. At least, with Harry leaving. Maybe not this dramatically, but leaving to go do his own thing for a while. Because up until the battle, he has never really ever had the chance to live his own life. He has been told what to do since he arrived on his Aunt & Uncles doorstep. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy.
AN2/ This applies to all stories I write: I appreciate critique, and pointing out flaws in my grammar and spelling. I realize I am not perfect in my writing. BUT I do not appreciate when all you have to say is negative, and one tiny thing saying "It's a good story" in a cloud of negative. If you truly MUST point everything out, could you at least tell me the good things of my story? If not I'm going to fucking ignore you. Thanks~

What Now?

The "golden trio" sat on the massive stone steps that lead to the entrance of the Hogwarts. It was only a few brief hours after the final battle. Everyone had more or less gotten organize. People were sent to St. Mungos; others were sent home; parents rushed to collect their children; teachers were attempting to reassure them, what little they could.

The three sat there, just silently watching the horizon beyond the school grounds. Hermione broke the silence first. "So, what now?" Ron blinked and looked at her with mild confusion on his face.

"What do you mean 'what now'? We go and live our lives."

Harry hadn't moved, he started at the horizon, in just a few short minutes the sun would rise to the start of a new day. A new life. A life Harry had no idea he what he wanted to do with. Hermione was right to ask, what now?

"Think about it, Ron... we have been fighting this war for years, its all we have thought about. Yes, we had ideas about what we wanted, but you know they have changed. We didn't even think we would live to see ourselves graduate half the time..." Hermione trailed off, looking to her battered sneakers. Ron looked away, thinking about it.

"You know, my mum always wanted a healer in the family... I've- I've thought about being a healer, a few times..." Ron admitted in a very soft voice. Hermione, who sat on the other side of Harry, reached around Harry to pat Ron's shoulder reassuringly.

Harry had still, not moved or spoken. He hadn't since the moment he actually killed Voldemort. Hermione looked to her friend and placed her hand on his shoulder now. "Harry?" Harry said not a word, as he watched the very top of the sun start to rise. Finally he exhaled and he removed his glasses to clean them, and placed them silently back on his face. His two friends watched, exchanging worried glances towards each other. Even now, with his enemy dead, he looked as if the world were still placed upon his shoulders.

The sun was almost completely up before Harry did anything else. Hermione and Ron looked back to see their transfiguration teacher walk out to see if they were alright. They all stopped, before anything could be said, as Harry stood. He stood, slowly, hands on his knees as he supported and pushed himself up. He breathed deeply, before stretching his arms up, and then lacing his fingers just behind his head. Breathing deeply still, a few more times, he lowered his arms and walked down a few of the steps. He shielded his eyes (as did the others) as the sun fully emerged from behind the horizon. The lake turned pure gold with the sun's color; and a warm feeling rushed over the land. One could almost see the sun's rays wash over the land as if giving it new life.

Harry turned and looked to his friends, then to his professor. "I'm leaving."

His friends stood immediately, gaping. Hermione spoke first. "What do you mean, leaving! Harry we have to finish school! We have our N.E.W.T's and our O.W.L's to finish and other things-"

Harry just smiled, sadly. "No Hermione. I'm leaving. My time here," he gestured to Hogwarts vast grounds, to the castle. "It's done. It's time for me to leave." The other three just stared, ogling at what they were seeing, what they were hearing. Harry was shaking, and a few stray tears fell down his dirty cheeks. He took a shaky breath, smiled warmly to his friends, and turned around. He slowly walked down the rest of the steps.

All anyone could do was watch, as Harry Potter walked away from the castle. He stopped, in the middle of the field, between the castle and lake. Tipping his head up to the sky and towards the sun. He turned and looked back to the castle, to his friends and to the others who had gathered behind them. Neville, Luna, and other members of the DA. He looked back to the still gold lake and inhaled.

At the top of the stairs, Hermione had to grab a suddenly angry Ronald. She pushed him back, as he started to yell. "He can't just leave! He can't just leave us!" He glared, pointing accusingly. Hermione shoved Ron's shoulder. "Ron! this is something he has to do... He needs it. He deserves to be alone for a while... Just, let him go..."

The others were focused on the couple, bickering. And because of this, none of them saw Harry James Potter disappear into thin air. Off to, for the first time in his life, live.

"Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear."
H. W. Longfellow