"I've had enough trouble for a lifetime
"I've had enough trouble for a lifetime." Harry sighed.
Dumbledore smiled, "I couldn't agree more Harry," he replied.
There was a pregnant pause.
"Well," Hermione yawned, "I'm exhausted, so I'll see you all later." She stood up and turned to the door.
"Yes Hermione," Dumbledore politely replied, "You should all go up to your dormitories and get some well deserved rest. Goodnight, well should I say good morning?"
Harry, welcoming the chance to finally sleep, bid Dumbledore goodbye, and started on the way to his dormitory.
Upon opening the Gryffindor portrait hole, Harry, Ron and Hermione found themselves surrounded by house elves. He looked around the tiny bobbing creatures, and with a wave of guilt, remembered Dobby. Shaking this thought from his mind, he knelt down to look at the elf standing in front. He thought he had seen this one before, but where?
"Winky! Hello! How are you?" Hermione exclaimed rushing up to the miniscule elf and hugging it.
Winky just stood still and waited for Hermione to finish before squealing, "Harry Potter!", and then bowing so low that her long, pointed nose brushed the carpeted floor.
The other elves followed Winky's lead and did the same.
After a few silent moments, Winky continued on to say, "Would Masters like anything?"
"No Winky, really, we're fine. We just want to go up to our dormitories." Harry responded politely.
Hermione gave him a sharp nudge with her elbow.
"But thank you any way," Harry quickly added.
"Are you sure yous don't need anything?" squeaked a bluish elf wearing a tattered argyle sweater.
"That's really very kind of you, but-" Hermione started, but Ron cut her off.
"Actually, we'd like some sandwiches," and acknowledging Hermione's death glare he added, "if it's not too much trouble?"
Another elf yelped "No trouble, no troubles at all!" and all of the elves but Winky disapparated, leaving the room full of echoing loud cracks.
Harry didn't want to seem rude, so he looked pleadingly at Hermione who caught his gaze and said sweetly, "Winky, when the sandwiches are ready just send them up to the seventh year boys' dormitory. We should all really get some rest."
"Of course Masters, of course!" Winky squeaked, and then she too disapparated with a loud crack.
Not knowing if he could stay awake even long enough to climb the spiral stairs up to his old dormitory, Harry doubted that he would be able to stay awake long enough to eat something. He'd just tell Ron to save him a sandwich for later; he contemplated as he climbed the stairs leading to his warm, comfy bed.
Harry awoke one morning to find himself in a four-poster bed in his old dormitory. He should have of expected it, but with things as crazy as they were the night before, how could he have? His joints ached and were sore from the battle. It felt like every part of his body was screaming in protest as he tried to get up. But thinking about that right now was almost impossible. How could he when the triumph from the epic battle was shouting louder than any worry in his mind?
Propping his head up on his oh-so-familiar pillow, he continued to stare expressionlessly into space, thinking about all of the events the night before had held. Throwing off his covers at last, grabbing his glasses from the nightstand and stretching, Harry began to dress.
When he was finished, even though he was dreading the results of his actions he decided to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast. But maybe he'd look around a bit first…
Harry met no one as he descended the dormitory steps, and dashed through the portrait hole. The first thing he noticed was the all the destruction that had been dealt upon Hogwarts. The second thing he noticed was that there were no people around. Either they had all left, or everyone was down eating breakfast. He hoped for the first.
The wreckage done to the school seemed more and more severe as Harry examined it, but it defiantly could have been worse. There were classrooms blown to pieces, furniture demolished, and hallways torn apart. The Teacher's Lounge had no door; the trophy room had lost most of its awards, and the hospital wing was mangled except for one tiny corner with a few beds still partially intact.
Harry made sure to stop and look at each scene individually; he was in no hurry to get down to breakfast. But when he had seen everything there was to see, he finally headed towards his original destination.
Hesitating for a little while, Harry finally worked up the courage to enter the Great Hall.
He pushed open the doors.
It was like everybody he had ever seen, known, or heard of, was there... rushing towards him. Everyone was there for a reason, whether it was to shake his hand, get his autograph, or simply be able to say they had been in the same room as him.
Harry ignored all requests; he was too busy searching for a certain flaming red haired family. Finally he spotted them. They were across the hall sitting at a small table together. Carefully looking them over he thought, "Okay," as he counted them, "There should be nine, but..." The thought hit him like icy water, "Uh, right... eight. Wait, there's only six?" Harry looked to see who was missing- George and Ginny. "Huh, that's odd." he thought but approached the table any way.
Before any of them spotted him, Harry got the chance to look over all of the Weasleys. They had scratches on their faces and their robes were torn and a little bloody. There were probably far worse injuries that Harry didn't even want to begin to think about. He mentally thanked Mrs. Weasley for choosing this moment to interrupt his thoughts.
"Harry dear!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed when she spotted him. Then examining him she added, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thanks. Uh, where's-" Harry started, but was cut off by Hermione.
"Harry, you look awful! Are you sure you had enough sleep?" She was sitting just a little too close to Ron at the table, holding his hand.
"Yeah, uh ... do you know where George and Ginny went to, I need a word with them." Harry asked her, a little mortified, but still happy that his two best friends were together.
"Oh, yes. George is upstairs in his dormitory, and Ginny went for a walk." answered Hermione with a knowing smile.
"Thanks." Harry said quickly, as he headed for the door, still dodging people, and attempting to ignore them. Getting away from all of his so-called "admirers" was not easy, but could be done. When the Great Hall doors were closed tightly behind him, only then did he relax.
Harry couldn't take it any longer so he decided to go after Ginny first. He was just getting outside when he heard a dreamy voice from behind him say, "Hello Harry."
Startled by the sudden sound, Harry turned around to see exactly whom he thought he would see.
"Oh, uh, hi Luna. How are you?" The only sign of injury that clearly showed on Lund was a shallow gash on her cheek.
She ignored this and replied, "Are you trying to find Ginny? I've just been down to see her. She's been oddly quiet lately, like she's missing something important…"
"Yeah, I was. Do you know where she is?" Harry replied.
"Oh yes." Luna nodded her head, "She's down by the Black Lake."
"Thanks," Harry said awkwardly, "Yeah, umm… I should probably, uh, head down there then…"
Luna nodded her head again dreamily, and then skipped back inside the castle.
Smiling to himself, Harry turned around once more.
Looking straight a head he could make out a large figure emerging from the gamekeepers hut.
"Hagrid!" Harry whispered. He had forgotten how much he had missed him.
Sprinting at full speed, Harry ran down the big hill to Hagrid's hut.
"Hagrid!" he called.
Hagrid's head snapped up from the load of firewood he was hauling inside, "Oy! Harry!" he exclaimed as he dropped the firewood out of surprise.
Harry ran straight to Hagrid and gave him a hug. It made him feel like he was in his first year again, he'd always felt so little compared to Hagrid.
When they broke apart, Hagrid cried, "I'm so proud of yeh!"
Just like Luna and all the Weasleys, Hagrid also showed signs of the battle on his face and arms.
Harry responded with a big grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"I saw Ginny earlier," Hagrid said, "she told me to tell yeh to go an' see her."
Harry blushed, and Hagrid raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Well… I better, er… I better go see what she wanted." Harry stuttered awkwardly.
Hagrid nodded his head, and Harry took this moment to walk stiffly off, and utter a faint goodbye.
He took Luna's advice and decided to look for Ginny by the Black Lake. He had to strain himself to walk, barely able to hold in his anticipation. But he finally reached that one lone tree by the lake. Sure enough, Ginny sat under it facing away from him. She had her legs pulled up to her chest and was resting her chin on her knees. Her robes were ripped and singed and her hair was tangled. To Harry, she had never looked more beautiful. He just stood and watched her but Ginny must have heard him coming because she spoke first.
"I wondered when you'd get up. I've been waiting all morn-"
But Harry didn't let her finish.
He couldn't let her finish.
He'd waited - she'd waited, long enough…