Countless broken bodies and hearts littered the stone floor. Loud wails of pain filled the room with grief as the dead were gathered and wounded attended to. Harry Potter walked purposefully towards the fallen Dark Lord. Not bothering to lean forward he pushed the grotesque face to the side with the toe of his snicker. Dead. Thank Merlin. Sighing in relief Harry turned slowly on the spot, searching for his friends. Hermione had Ron pressed against the stonewall ravishing his mouth with one leg wrapped securely around his waist. He smirked, but not unkindly, the war had the most incredible effect on people. Harry was just happy for his two best friends; if anyone deserved to survive this war it was them; together. However the contrast on love was superlative against the dismal background of death. Just a few meters away from the 'happy couple' lay the lifeless bodies of Terry Boot and Justin Finch-Flechly as well as other unmistakable DA members some still twitching in the arms of friends and family, grasping on to fading minutes. A wail like the sound of a muggle fire siren rang across the hall. Harry turned towards its source and caught sight of Molly Weasely; holding Fred against her chest, rocking him piteously back and forth. Her face was pressed firmly into the crown of red locks, body heaving with sobs as her husband attentively stroked her back, face red and tear stricken. Just a few meters over to the left of them McGonagle was trying to manage a rowdy crowed of survivors, calling out names from a crumpled roll call in her shaking hands. Flitwick to her left was bend over a fallen student attempting a charm that was undoubtedly aimed to save his life, while Poppy worked on a 6th year Raven claw who lost an arm and was rapidly bleeding out. Harry watched the blonde girl's eyes fall shut as her head tipped forward; she was gone just like that and the old school nurse, composed as ever moved silently on to the next student. Turning further Harry noticed his godfather Sirius dragging the lifeless body of his childhood friend to lie beside Nymphadora Tonks. It was hard to imagine where the future of their son lay now that both parents had so untimely departed from his life. Harry winced as he imagined Teddy facing the same treatment as he did at the hands of the Dursleys. Luckily he was appointed godfather to the boy. Sirius looked up and their eyes briefly met exchanging volumes of shared sadness, but Harry forced himself to look away. He will not break down, not yet, not here where he was possibly the only remaining beacon of strength among his grieving comrades. Finally turning to look behind himself Harry noticed the Malfoy family sitting quietly to the side from everyone else. Gathered together in a silent communion of relief and gratitude they glanced at each other once every few minutes to verify the validity of what could be but a cruel figment of imagination. Harry watched Draco tear his gaze away from his mother's face to look across the hall at him, eyes gleaming with unshed tears; He felt compelled to approach them. Harry walked slowly but decisively allowing the family to acknowledge his arrival and giving them enough time to compose themselves. He knew they were shaping masks to hide their fears and hurts but frankly didn't care as he already knew they were remorseful for everything. Having made his way to Narcissa's side, he dropped on one knee to look at her face, which was covered by a veil of blonde hair.
"Mrs. Malfoy… thank you."
"For what Potter? I saved you out of gratitude for my sons safety."
"That I know; but I thank you for ending this. You had no obligation to do that what so over. Your bravery will not be forgotten; the Malfoy family will be pardoned. I will insist upon it personally"
At this she glanced up her face frozen in gratitude as her mask slipped away, her husband too watched Harry with widened eyes; only Draco continued intently watching the floor. Unfazed he stood up and walked away towards the main entrance and outside where he set on the top step. He faced the lakefront in the distance as it glistened, bloody with the light of the raising sun, so appropriate and bitter. Suddenly Draco looked up, stood and pressed a kiss to the top of his mother's head, ignoring her hand that reached to grab on to his robes. He too walked to the front of the hall and silently joined the-boy-who-lived, sitting close enough for their knees to brush against each other. A minute of pensive silence followed before Draco turned his head to face the side of Potter's face and after studying it for a few long moments pressed a brief kiss to the soft cheek. Pulling back almost instantly Draco turned back to face the sunrise, but a moment later a tanned, scarred hand reached over and grabbed hold of the pale one resting on Draco's knee, intertwining their fingers together. Neither boy noticed the three people watching them silently from the front of the castle. The Malfoys holding on to each other observed the scene with stoic expressions before turning and facing the rugged Sirius Black who only smiled.