The bespectacled, red-headed man shuffled his feet heavily as he approached the small cottage, trudging across the lawn. He rapped his knuckles on the tattered door. It opened slowly, and an anxious woman stared at him, clutching a blue-haired baby.
"I'm Arthur Weasley, member of the Order of Phoenix, know you as the Andromeda Black, mother of Nymphadora Tonks…" He paused.
"What happened?" she said, opening the door widely. He stepped in, his face grim.
"There was a war at Hogwarts. Voldemort and Death Eaters versus the students and staff. Many died…Nymphadora and Remus included."
The woman narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"You-Know-Who is gone also."
"What?"
"Harry dueled with him, and his death spell backfired. He is dead."
"Who else?" she whispered hoarsely.
His eyes were sad. "Fred, my son."
She wrapped her free arm around him, tears falling down her cheeks, "Teddy! He's an…orphan!"
Arthur patted her back.
"Ted, Dora, Remus, Teddy…all of them." she continued, her voice now with a hysterical edge.
"You need rest, Andromeda," he said heavily, "Take a sleeping draught."
She shook even more at these words, shaking her head. Arthur scooped the baby, whose hair was now lime green, into his arms.
"The rest are outside. I'll…tell them to come in."
Andromeda nodded, putting her hands to her pale face.
"Molly," Arthur called out the door, "Come in."
Molly, George, Ginny, and Ron Weasley shuffled in, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger with them.
"Oh, Andromeda." Molly said opening her arms to hug her.
Arthur said, "Go. Find a room and settle down."
The teenagers followed his instructions. George meandered off into another room, separate from the four. He hadn't spoken since seeing his brother's dead body.
"Harry," Hermione said. "We'll leave you and…Ginny." She blushed at the last words, grabbing Ron's hands and vanishing from the room.
Ginny gazed at Harry. "You were really brave."
"You were too." Harry couldn't help but notice that they were finally alone; they hadn't been since the Burrow, which seemed like a million years ago.
"I wanted to fight. You saw, Mum wouldn't let me. But, finally," Ginny closed her eyes, "it's all over. Voldemort, Death Eaters…but Fred, Tonks, and Professor Lupin…". She was crying silently now.
"I know." Harry said. "They were heroes."
Harry didn't know what to do. Here he was, the grand battle past, his friends dead, with a crying Ginny. He wanted to comfort her, but was unsure how to. His arms felt limp and helpless as he watched her.
"It'll be okay now," Harry said quietly.
"Oh, Harry." Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, bringing her lips to his her slender body pressing against his.
He was blissful. His head whirled numbly, in this perfect slice of forever.