As they left Dumbledore's office Harry let Ron and Hermione walk on ahead he needed some space, time to think. He had defeated Riddle. His head and body were calling out for sleep the bed in his old dormitory calling to him but his heart, his heart was telling him different.
Ginny.
Walking slowly through the corridors looking at all the damage he wandered what he was going to say to her. When he saw her earlier he could see the devastation in her eyes. She had lost her brother. Would she blame him? Would she forgive him for breaking up with her? Would she have him back?
He remembered all those times they had together last year. He remembered everything about her when they were together. Harry had found out so much about Ginny he didn't know before, like her favourite colour was blue and she hated pink, that she loved the Weird Sisters and really wanted to go to one of their concerts, she was loyal to her family and friends and would do anything for them, that she was so passionate about Quidditch and wanted to play professional one day, he knew she hated being over protected by her brothers especially Ron as he was only a year older than her, she was extremely ticklish especially under her knees, her laugh he would never for as long as he lived forget her laugh it was infectious and how she chewed on her bottom lip when she was nervous.
Somewhere along the line he had fallen for this amazing girl and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It only just dawned on him. He had never thought about his future before because he never dared to believe he would have one but right now he knew he wanted a future with her, with Ginny. The question was did she?
...
Harry soon found himself outside the great hall. Looking in he could see people he recognised and people he didn't and these people had believed in him and stayed to fight.
He could see Luna sitting with a girl he vaguely recognised from Ginny's year, Neville still in the same seat he was when Harry had left the hall the sword still lying next to him and he was talking animatedly with Dean and Seamus. Looking around he could see his other classmates talking and laughing.
Looking further Harry found the group of people he was searching for. Bill and Fleur were sitting talking to each other quietly, Fleur's head was on his shoulder but he could see that she was holding his hand and that although devastated herself was mainly comforting him. Percy was sitting on his own a look of shock and grief on his face, Harry knew exactly what he was thinking he was feeling guilty. Percy had left the family for nearly 2 years and to finally be back in the family fold then have one of them torn away from it well... Harry sought out George. He was being comforted by Angelina and although he was far away Harry could see the tears streaming down both of their faces which ashen and stricken with grief. Mr Weasley was sitting next to his son his face conveying all the emotions of a parent who had lost a child. He had his arm around his wife who was staring with a far look on her face. These people were his family.
Then there was the two people who he owed so much too. The two that had stayed with him and remained loyal to him throughout it all. How would he ever be able to portray his gratitude to them? They were his best friends, his brother and sister the two people in the world who knew him best.
Then there she was the person who had got him through it all the person he was looking for through all the faces in the hall. Ginny. Her head was still on her mother's shoulder. She was no longer crying. She was just sitting silently.
He walked slowly into the hall looking directly at her ignoring the excited chatter that followed him. She had not noticed him until Hermione whispered something into her ear. That is when she lifted her head off her mum's shoulders and stared straight at him. Her face was expressionless and he really wanted to know what she was thinking but continued to walk towards her. She looked exhausted and drained but to him she was still beautiful.
He was soon standing right in front of her and the hall had fallen silent. Her family were looking at him but he only had eyes for her. She looked straight at him and he could see the questions in her eyes.
Taking her hand he pulled her to her feet and without thinking, without planning it and without worrying about the fact that about 100 people were watching he brought his lips to hers.