Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; it was all J.K Rowling's idea.
AN: So to everyone who has clicked on this story, I'm giving you advance warning. This will be a very slow updating story. I'm lazy. I apologize. Also, I have no interest in making this a well written story. I'm a teenage girl writing a story for my amusement, there will be no depth to the characters. Take it at face value. We're pretending that nobody has any emotional problems, very few people died in the battle and Fred is alive. And Harry has scars from almost every adventure. Also Harry's not in love with Ginny and didn't date her, simply because I didn't feel like it. He dated a girl who I will mention later. Pretend the map part didn't happen; he left it to Neville instead. He saw his parents, the Weasleys, Hermione, Sirius, Remus and the girl when he died. This story is mostly canon with AU aspects. If I don't mention it differently, assume it's canon.
"And quite honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime." Harry sighed. "If it's all the same to you professor, I want to go sleep for a week." Professor McGonagall smiled at the trio
"Of course Harry. The dormitories are open to students." Ron and Hermione glanced at Harry and turned to leave, Harry following when McGonagall called him back. "Thank you." Harry's mouth quirked up as he replied
"My pleasure, professor." Harry walked out the door to where Ron and Hermione were waiting at the top of the staircase. Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione waist and Ron grabbed her hand as they started down the spiralling stairs.
"I'm bloody exhausted." Yawned Ron as he squeezed Hermione's hand. She blushed lightly and Harry smirked at her. "Straight to sleep for a week, then food, then visit Fred in the hospital wing." Harry jerked to a stop
"Fred's in the hospital wing? " Ron glanced at him, confused
"Where else would he be? A wall fell on him…" Ron trailed off as he realized the problem. "No, no Harry, Fred's fine. A healer from St. Mungo's healed him when they realised he was still breathing. His magic was keeping him alive. He gets out soon." Harry slumped in relief
"I thought he was dead. I'm glad that magic burst I gave him helped." Hermione gaped
"That was you?! Why did you give him magic?"
"Because there was a slight chance he was still alive and I wanted to help." Hermione sighed and squeezed his waist as he straightened up. They were walking through the debris filled halls at this point "Who did we lose?"
"Harry…" Hermione started
"I need to know 'Mione." She sighed
"We lost 8 order members, 3 teachers, 9 students and 10 people who had come to help. With Snape included that's 30 people. A lot of people looked worse than they actually were and they were healed easily once Madam Pomfrey. There are about 20 people in the hospital wing." Harry gazed forward, lost in his thoughts for a moment before speaking again
"I know about Remus, Tonks and Colin but anyone else I know?"
"Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle… Amos Diggory…Lavender Brown"
"Professor Vector and Professor Grubbly-Plank." Ron continued.
"Lavender and Colin were the only DA members we lost." Hermione smiled tiredly. Harry grinned crookedly back at her. They walked the rest of the way to the common room in silence, contemplating the price they had paid for peace. Still linked, they stepped through the open portrait hole for the first time in almost a year. Unwilling to let go of each other they walked up the boy's staircase to the 7th year dormitory where Neville, Dean and Seamus were already asleep. Ron fell into the bed closest to the door pulling Harry and Hermione with him.
"Thanks Merlin your okay." Hermione sniffled curling in to Harry's chest. "We thought you were dead. It was like we'd lost a brother." Harry kissed her forehead
"You are my family. And it will never be necessary again. It's over."
"It really is." Ron smiled sleepily. "We've done it." Harry laughed quietly, tucking Hermione's head into his chest. Ron wrapped an arm around her waist and they fell asleep wrapped together. Harry slept without nightmares, finally free of the burden upon him.
Harry woke to the end of an argument
"Ginny! Get over yourself! It's not all about you. Harry didn't sacrifice himself for you, he did it for everyone. He's not in love with you." Hermione snapped.
"He is! I know it! Ron tell her!" Ron looked at her incredulously
"Ginny, first; what are you talking about? Secondly, Harry thinks of you like a sister. I'm sorry but it's true. You haven't even shown an interest in him since fourth year. You even had a boyfriend last year!" Ginny huffed in annoyance
"That's not important Ron! I want Harry now and he obviously wants me." Harry groaned, he did not want to deal with this now. He sat up and looked around. Hermione and Ron were sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed and clean. Ginny was standing beside them in a revealing shirt and short skirt. She looked ridiculous. Harry could see Neville laughing behind Ginny.
"Ginny" Harry sighed " I'm sorry but I'm not attracted to you. You look like my mum and I think of you as a sister." Ginny looked shocked
"But I have red hair. All Potters fall in love with red-headed girls."
"Ginny, that was only my dad. My grandmother had black hair. I just don't like you like that."
"Fine! I'll find someone better" she sniffed, stomping out of the dormitory. Neville, Ron and Hermione burst out laughing. Harry just looked confused.
"Did she really think I would just drop everything when she showed an interest in me? I thought she didn't like me anymore!" Hermione glanced at him
"She liked the idea of the 'boy who lived' since she was a kid. She's never really thought of you as Harry. You reinforced the hero image when you rescued her in 2nd year " Harry groaned again
"Is your family going to be okay with this Ron?"
"Oh yah, it's fine. Everyone except mum, maybe, knew that it wasn't going to happen. Once Fed and George met you, they pranked anyone who called you the boy who lived and not Harry. Even Ginny. Nobody even thought it was a possibility." Harry relaxed back into the bed.
"Come on Harry. You need to get up." Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled "We've been asleep for 2 days. Mrs. Weasley wants everyone in the hospital wing for when Fred gets out." Harry stood up stretching beside the now standing Ron.
"Mate, when did you grow?" Harry glanced over at Ron noticing he was only an inch or two shorter,
"I have no idea. Late growth spurt I guess."
"No kidding" Ron snorted "We thought you were going to be a scrawny git forever." Harry slapped him upside the head as he walked to the bathroom. There was a pile of fresh towels beside the shower stalls. He grabbed one and started stripping of his dusty and ripped clothing, not really noticing the cuts and bruises until he stepped under the hot shower spray.
"Merlin's balls." He yelped as hot water sprayed into fresh cuts. He quickly turned the heat down to a manageable level, revelling in his first real shower in ages. When he finally felt clean, he towelled off and stepped out of the stall. Realizing he had no clothing he walked back out into the dormitory with the towel wrapped around his hips.
"'Mione, do you have any clothes-"Harry was cut off by Neville exclamation
"Harry, what happened to you!?" Harry glanced down at his chest where a long straight gash stretched from his left shoulder to almost his belly button.
"Must have been where Tom hit me with the AK." Harry mused as Hermione bustled over to look at it. "Hermione it's fine. I'll just get Madam Pomfrey to check it when we go see Fred." Hermione grumbled but agreed handing Harry a pair of old jeans, boxers and a white button down. Harry eyed them before pulling out his phoenix wand and enlarging them to what he thought was the right size.
"So you actually survived the killing curse again?" Neville looked amazed. Harry glanced over at him as he pulled on the jeans
"Meh. Not nearly as cool as you cutting off Nagini's head." Ron choked on the food a house elf had dropped off. Neville pounded him on the back absent mindedly
"You think so?" He grinned. Harry grinned back after buttoning the shirt.
"Definitely Nev, all the girls will be after you now." Neville paled as Harry laughed "Who was it you liked last year? Hannah Abbott right? You should go after her."
"I did. We started dating last year." Neville said proudly
"Good for you Neville" Hermione said sincerely "Hannah is very nice." Harry sat down beside her and dug into the food. For awhile the only sounds were the four of them eating before Neville stood up
"I have to go see Gran. I told her I'd meet her in the great hall. It was nice seeing you all." He turned to leave but stopped in the doorway." Thanks guys." He left before they could answer. They finished eating and checked the clock on the wall. It was almost 2 in the afternoon.
"Damn it. Mum wanted us there for 1:30. She's going to kill us!" They ran out of the dormitory and out the portrait hole, shocking the people gathered in the common room. As they ran Harry kept tugging at his pants
"Hermione can you shrink these. I enlarged them too much." Hermione glanced at Harry's jeans which were slung low over his hips and flushed before turning away "They're fine Harry. Just leave them." Harry looked at her weird but shrugged it off as they came to a halt outside the hospital wing. Together they straightened their rumpled clothing, Harry still tugging vainly at his pants. They braced themselves and pushed open the doors.