The lake was a cool mirror surface, and the grounds were silent. It was a perfect mid-July day. Hogwarts had been returned to its former glory in a matter of weeks and now it was waiting for the students to return. Professor McGonagall was nervously awaiting all the students, the muggleborns, the halfbloods, the purebloods and the 8th year students. Who was returning no one knew, most of the 8th years had told friends and family they weren't going to decide until the very last minute. One such student was now wandering the halls. He came every few days to say goodbye, or sorry. Sometimes he said nothing at all. Minerva was never going to refuse him entry, while everyone else had been rebuilding the castle he had taken the time to building statues for every fallen hero. Most were in the Great Hall, as a constant reminder of the events that had taken place there. But Harry had chosen a few that would have a special place, and no one had argued with him. Minerva didn't know where Harry was at the moment, but she knew he would be at one of those special statues.
On the grounds near the greenhouses stood the Whooping Willow. A long time ago the tree had been placed to hide a werewolf, but even that hadn't stopped people in the end. All the statues in the Great Hall had been made out of silver, but Harry had made this one out of bronze. Even in memory Remus didn't deserve to be tortured. If he couldn't touch silver while alive he would never touch it in death. The statue stood by the Whooping Willow- the only thing that was never hit or broken, even the tree knew of its importance. Remus smiled down on Harry, with the self-depreciating smile Harry had created from memory. He had poured every detail into the statue, right down to the slightly shabby clothing, and the way his hair fell on his face. And finally a sleeping wolf lay at his feet. Standing proudly by him was Tonks. She too had been created from memory and looked happily at her husband with a sleeping babe in her arms. Years later Harry was going to bring Teddy to this site and tell him all the stories he knew, so that Teddy would never want for knowledge, and with a twinge of grief Harry looked up at the man who had once been his lifeline to his family, but now he would never know.
Harry normally wandered the grounds looking at all the statues he had created but today he went to the lake and sat on the edge letting the water slowly lap at his feet. He slowly did a mental check list, not wanting to forget anyone. Fred standing over the detention room grinning at anyone who was living up to his memory- check. Colin Creevy at the entrance to the Great Hall camera in hand- check. Snape in his potion lab breathing down everyone necks surrounded by the fumes and smells- check. Hell he had even made one of Dobby to sit by the entrance to the kitchen smiling at everyone who ever found their way there. Harry just didn't want for anyone to forget what had happened last May. Looking out over the lake he could see the final statue that he had demanded, and for this one he had had to agree to have one of himself by Dumbledore's tomb, but this one was more important. On the other side of the lake in a place that was only reachable if someone was willing to swim, or if you were on the first year boats, was a ragtag collection of people, who hadn't been seen in years- for some almost 17 years. The original Order of the Phoenix- taken directly from the photo Sirius had given Harry so long ago smiled out at the students. Even though many of them had other statues Harry wanted to see them together. This one had been helped along by just about everyone too. It moved slightly like a magical photo, and occasionally the figures moved around. Once when Harry had visited his parents had been kissing, and Harry had cried. They had been happy
The Order statues drew many people there as the older crowd went to look at their friends and for the rare few their younger selves. Neville had visited as well to look at his parents, but he never stayed long.
A shadow fell over Harry but he didn't move. The person crouched beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hello Harry," the girl whispered before settling by him.
"Hi Mione." Harry whispered back. He snuck a look over his shoulder and saw his two favourite Weasley's standing away waiting. Everyone was always waiting.
"Did you draw the short straw?" Harry tried to joke but it fell flat. Hermione frowned but didn't say anything.
"Why are you here?" He asked when she didn't break the silence.
"Thought I might look at the lake for two hours. Oh, wait. That was you." She tried to tease as well, but that too fell flat. Jokes never seemed funny anymore.
"We miss you Harry." She stared out at the lake smiling at the beautiful statues watching out for Hogwarts now.
"I saw you yesterday." He grumbled. This was true. The Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and many others dinned together almost every night.
"Yes, you saw us, but did you really see us." She snapped in her typical Hermione tone.
"What? Of course. What are you going on about?" Harry stumbled over his words. Ever since the war had ended everyone spoke in calm quiet tones out of respect to the pain most were feeling.
"Harry you can't block us out. If you do then you just might miss out on important things. Sitting here and looking at statues. This isn't what your parents would have wanted. They wanted you to live." She was pleading with him and Harry know knew that he had been right. She had drawn the short straw. He knew he had been slowly withdrawing, and had been waiting for someone to speak up for a few weeks now. He just wanted someone to reach out and stop him from sinking into nothingness.
"Ginny?" The name was almost foreign to Harry now. He had closed himself off, but he missed her. Hermione stood up startled but pleased and sunk into Ron's arms as Ginny took her place on the lakes edge.
"Long time no see stranger," She whispered to him as she took his hand in hers.
"I had to say goodbye." He spoke, voicing his feelings more than he had done in months.
"I know." Ginny's reply was simple but urged him on.
"I've been saying goodbye for a while now. I keep coming back."
"I know Harry." His name fell from her lips easily and he looked at her for the first time in a long time. Her face was memorized into his mind, but only now did he see the bloodshot eyes, and the hollow cheeks. Trapped in his bubble he had forgotten that everyone else was grieving as well. Until this point Harry hadn't thought of anyone's grief but his own. In a split second that changed.
He leaned forward and gently kissed Ginny on the lips. A moment of pleasure travelled up his body, and all the warm feelings he associated with Ginny came rushing back. Harry had been cold for a long time, and suddenly felt warm. He was about to break away when Ginny kissed him back, leaned forward and toppled over kissing him as he lay on his back with his hands running through her long hair that hid both their blushing faces.
"OI!" Ron broke the mood but was being held in place by Hermione's firm grip. The young couple broke apart happily for only a second before Harry engulfed Ginny into a bear hug, breathing in her flowery scent, and listening to the beat of her heart.
"Can we go home now?" He asked and she gently nodded tears welling up in her eyes. "Give me a minute?" He asked and stood up brushing off the grass that had collected on his pants. Ginny walked back to her brother and Hermione, as Harry looked at the statue of his parents. Today James had his arm wrapped out Lilly's waist while Sirius laughed at a joke, and Remus tried to hide behind Frank and Alice Longbottom. Harry mumbled a goodbye and committed this moment to memory and then turned. He would be back in September and until then he would be with his friends and family trying to live again. He had finally said goodbye.