She watches as the Dark Lord falls to the stone-covered battlefield. Cheers erupt across the remains of the castle, and she frowns, confused
It takes a few moments for her to realise that they won. They won.
The Dark Lord is dead. Harry is alive. The Light Side is victorious. The words are in the shouts, screams, and even sobs that surround her, but she stands motionless. The feeling doesn't sink in.
"It is all over," she whispers to herself, hoping it will convince herself. She should feel happy; this is what she has fought for, for so long she has forgotten what it was like to not be fighting, she thinks. Instead, she simply feels...nothing.
She looks around at the ruins of the school she spent so much of her childhood in. The school where she has learnt she finally found others like her. The school which has taught her so much, more than just what she read in her books. The school which is now little more than a broken-down pile of stones, all because one madman wanted the power he couldn't have.
The castle of Hogwarts isn't the only casualty in this war, she finds, as she stumbles across the rocks. There are witches and wizards strewn on the grounds, some injured, and some...worse. A war has no victors, after all, she thinks, as she walks past the ashen faces of Remus and Tonks, who are lying hand in hand, meters away from the wild tresses of Bellatrix, which mingle with the dirt.
"Ashes to ashes..." she mutters, without realising it. Then, she catches herself, and smiles. A sad little smile, accompanied by the tears tat well up in her eye.
Ron comes running up to her in that moment, beaming with joy. Immediately, he envelopes her in a hug. She stands still, unable to share his enthusiasm. After all, how can she? He is speaking to her, cheerfully, about the victory they have achieved and how brilliant their life will be. She hears what he says, but she doesn't understand a word.
Her mind is drifting away, replaying the events of the past few hours. the fights, the blood, the spells, the deaths, oh Merlin, the deaths...
Ron finally seems to notice she isn't paying attention and shakes her lightly. She blinks confusedly, coming back to the present, and finds his eyes looking worried into hers. She stares back blankly for a few seconds and then asks a quiet question.
"Are you happy?"
The question takes him aback, she notices. Doubtless, he thinks it's obvious.
"Of course, Mione! We won! Harry won!" Ron replies, after an uncomfortable pause. She shakes her head sadly confusing him further. She then gently brushes his hand off, walks some distance away, wanting to be alone.
Ron is wrong, she knows. She looks around the rubble of her childhood, her home, and that of many others, one more time.
They didn't win.
Notes: For my dearest Jenny! (via the SInging a SOng Along Challenge. Prompt: Hermione Granger)
For the Star Wars Event at The Golden Snitch. Prompt: Write about a battleground.
Also for the Through the Universe Challenge. Prompt: drifting