Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own the characters, as they are the creation of JK Rowling, literary genius.
Chapter 1 - Guardians and Funerals
Harry, Ron and Hermione went to the Gryffindor common room, one last time. They arrived to find it seemingly completely abandoned as everyone had either left the castle, or were down in the Great Hall. Harry called to Kreacher, who arrived with a crack.
'Yes, Master Harry?' replied Kreacher.
'I'm very hungry, and very tired. Could you please bring us some sandwiches and then go and prepare Number 12 Grimauld Place.'
'Of course, Master Harry.'
Kreacher disappeared with a crack and reappeared several minutes later with a tray piled high with sandwiches and a jug of pumpkin juice along with three goblets and a bottle of Firewhiskey.
'Will that be all, Master Harry?'
'Yeah, thanks Kreacher,' said Harry, exhausted from the battle. 'I'll be home in a few days, after the…' Harry couldn't bring himself to say the word, 'funerals'.
'Yes, Master Harry,' said Kreacher, before disappearing with another loud crack.
'I can't believe it's finally over,' said Ron, after collapsing into an armchair, Hermione sitting in his lap.
'At least one good thing came from this year, I mean aside from Voldemort being gone,' expressed Harry, looking at Ron and Hermione and smiling.
'What do you mean?' asked Hermione, clearly oblivious to the fact that she and Ron were expected to be together ever since Ron and Lavender broke up.
"You two, it's about time you got together. It's been a long time coming, and if you didn't know that, then I guess you're not actually the brightest witch of your age.'
Ron cast a glance at his friend that clearly stated Leave it alone, mate. "I'm exhausted, I'm going up to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." Hermione stood up and gave Ron a kiss before heading up to the girls' dormitory.
Harry and Ron went up to the boys' dormitory to find all their former roommates in their beds, as if this year hadn't even happened. Ron fell on top of his own four poster bed and fell asleep, fully clothed, before his head even hit the pillow. Harry, on the other hand, though exhausted, felt as though he could use a nice long bath. He picked up his shower kit and went from the dormitory to the Prefect's Bath. The room opened to him without the password. He ran the tub, full of the different bubbles and climbed in. He lay in the shallow end of the pool, letting the water soak in and wash away the dirt, the blood, and the pain from every aching muscle in his body.
After a while, he got up and dried off. He went down to the Great Hall to see if there was anyone left in there or if everyone had found a place to sleep.
To his surprise, there was someone in the Great Hall. He walked in to see the ghost of Tonks, crying over Lupin's body. "Tonks?" Harry inquired. She turned to look at him with a sad look on her face. "Wocher, Harry. I know I should have gone on, but I just couldn't leave Teddy so soon. I know it's cowardly, but I can't help it. I want to get to know my son."
"It's okay, Tonks. I understand. After tomorrow we need to get together with your mum and figure out who will raise him. I think it should be her, seeing how I'm only seventeen."
"I was thinking about that, and you're right, Harry. I will help as much as I can but, considering the fact that I'm well…" she trailed off, looking at her and Remus' bodies sadly. "I won't be able to be much help," she finished. "How come you're not up in Gryffindor Tower sleeping like Ron, Hermione and the others?"
"I couldn't sleep. I'm still finding it hard to believe that it's finally over. Since I was eleven, this is all I've ever known; Voldemort trying to kill me, and being here at Hogwarts. And of course being treated like dung at the Dursley's. Now I don't have any of that. It's like I'm finally free, but I don't know what to do next, you know?"
"You'll get over that feeling, Harry. But you really should go up and get some sleep. I'll watch over the Great Hall and I promise I will go get you if anything else happens tonight."
"Thanks, Tonks. I will go to bed, but first I have to speak to Malfoy's mother. Do you know if they're still in the castle, or if they left?"
"I'm pretty sure they're in the Slytherin dormitories. But why would you need to talk to her? Their whole family are Death Eaters."
"They may have been Death Eaters, but she saved my life. I haven't told anyone what happened in the Forest tonight, but she was told to check if I was alive and said I was dead. I know it was for selfish reasons, but still… I want to thank her."
"Well, like I said, I think they're all in the Slytherin dormitories, but I don't know the password."
"Don't worry about that. I don't think the school is using passwords," Harry replied. "I got into the prefects' bath without one, and Ron, Hermione and I got into the Headmaster's office without one too."
"Oh, then you should be fine. You do know where their dorms are, right? I think I remember hearing about an event in your second year involving some Polyjuice Potion?"
Harry grinned, and thanked the ghost. He left the Great Hall and headed for the Slytherin Common Room. When he got there, just as before, the door opened without a password. Harry entered the room cautiously, looking around. There was no one around and Harry realised that he didn't actually know where the dormitories were, just the common room. As he was about to give up and return to Gryffindor Tower, Draco Malfoy came down the stairs. Upon seeing Harry, he turned to go back up the stairs when Harry called out to him.
"Malfoy," Harry started, "I need to talk to your mum, where is she?"
"She's upstairs, but what the hell would you need to talk to her about?" Malfoy asked, suspicious.
"I need to thank her, if it wasn't for her, this would have ended a lot differently, and she also saved my life. Sure, she only did it so she could see you and so you three were pretty much guaranteed survival, but she still did it…"
As Harry was explaining this to Malfoy, Narcissa came down the stairs and listened, just out of sight.
"… I just wanted to say thank you to her for saving my life, and possibly the entire wizarding world."
"I don't think I'd go so far as saying I saved the world, Potter." Harry and Draco jumped at the sound of Narcissa's voice. Draco ran to the comfort of his mother's arms, as if he was just a little boy again. "I just did what I had to do to be able to see my son again. I don't deserve your thanks, but I will accept it. You may think me cruel and selfish, but I am also a mother. I knew I wouldn't have been able to see my son if the Dark Lord knew you were alive."
"Well I still wanted to say thank you, if it had been any other Death Eater, Riddle would have been told, and this war would have ended with him as the winner. Anyway, I'm exhausted, I'm going up to the Gryffindor Tower to get some sleep. I hope the three of you will go to the funerals tomorrow. As far as I know, everyone who died will be listed, even the Death Eaters. There's going to be one mass funeral, and then people can have private funerals for their dead loved ones."
Both mother and son hung their heads as Harry said 'the three of them'. Unbeknownst to Harry, a Death Eater by the name of Jason Zabini had caught Lucius trying to escape and cast a killing curse at him, after the death of Voldemort and before the arrest of the remaining Death Eaters.
Harry left them and returned to Gryffindor Tower and fell asleep before his head hit the pillow. And for the first time in what felt like forever, he had a completely dreamless sleep.
The next day there was a mass funeral for all who had fallen in the war, Death Eaters included. It was decided by Harry and Kingsley Shaklebolt, the temporary Minister for Magic, that the names of everyone who had died would be read, anyone who had fallen during either of the Dark Lord's reigns of terror would be listed, and there was a monument to be place at Hogwarts, near Dumbledore's tomb.
It was a beautiful service, with pretty much the entire wizarding world present. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in silence, just glad the whole ordeal was over and they could finally live their lives free of fear.
Later that day, Harry met with the ghost of Tonks and Andromeda in the Great Hall to discuss Teddy's future. Harry finally got to meet his godson and immediately fell in love with the tiny baby.
"He's so adorable, Tonks," he said, staring at the baby boy, who's hair changed colour as he woke up. "And he has your taste in hair colour." The boy's hair was indeed a bright pink. "Thank you, Harry. He has his father's eyes though. Anyway, I would like to discuss with the two of you the issue of Teddy's guardian. Mum, last night Harry and I were talking, and as he is only seventeen years old, we think that you should care for Teddy, with Harry being available for baby-sitting when needed."
"I think you're quite right, Dora. I love this little boy, and as he's the only thing person I have left…" she trailed off, looking away so her daughter wouldn't see her tears. "Don't worry Mrs. Tonks, at least there is no more threat of Voldemort." Both mother and daughter flinched at the sound of the name, as Tonks added, "And the Aurors have already rounded up most of the Death Eaters."
"So it's settled then," said Harry as he noticed Ginny leaving the Great Hall. "If you'll excuse me ladies, I have to go talk to Ginny."
With that, Harry left the Great Hall to follow Ginny up to the Gryffindor Common Room.