This is just a very short, fluffy fic that floated into my head out of nowhere. I hope you enjoy it!

He's a complete mess.

His hair is singed, his face is covered in blood and ash, his clothes are torn and he looks more exhausted than she has ever seen him.

She's not going to gush and say he's never looked more beautiful, because that would be a lie. The fact is he looks completely destroyed, and no one could interpret that as beautiful.

But she realises, now, that being in love with someone doesn't mean you have to see them as beautiful all of the time. Being in love with someone means you can see all of the mess, the horror and the pain, and admit to it, and still want them so badly it hurts, still want them with every fibre of your being.

Of course, there have been times when she has seen him as beautiful. When he held her after she arrived at the Burrow just after wiping her parent's memories, when he danced with her at Bill and Fleur's wedding, when she opened her eyes at Shell Cottage and saw his face looking down on her with such a tender expression she wanted to kiss him right there and then. And there have been other times when she has seen him as hideous. When he was splinched after Disapparating from the Ministry, when he walked out of the tent on that agonizing evening, when he turned up out of the blue with Harry dragging a sword and a mangled Horcrux. But throughout all of these times, she has loved him more than most people ever love anyone. In fact, ever since third year when he promised to help her with Buckbeak's appeal, she has secretly wanted him, and she has tried so hard to keep it bottled up inside, but this evening when the war was everywhere and people were dying and screaming and he mentioned house elves of all things, she couldn't keep it in any longer.

So now, she takes his hand and leads him away from the crowds surrounding Harry to a step at the bottom of the Grand Staircase, where they can sit and talk after what seems like forever. Grief will come, and pain, but also that bittersweet emotion she only feels when she looks at him. On this step, away from the yelling and cheering and celebrating, she they will be able to love each other properly for the first time. And that, she thinks, is beautiful.

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Iliketotastetherainbow x