Disclaimer: This is my first fanfic, and really my first attempt at writing as a hobby. Therefore, it may suck horribly. You have been warned.

A Hero's Tears

Harry was numb, exhausted, and completely heartbroken. All around him evidence of the recent battle was strewn with bits of glass and stone, not to mention the occasional smear of blood along the walls. As he walked down the corridors staggering into the walls and random people he heard nothing, and felt even less. Faces he barely recognized passed him and smiled, mouthing unheard words of congratulations; he passed them all trudging on to somewhere, anywhere but here. Without taking notice to where his feet are taking him he arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait was vacated and it stood open showing the hole in the wall to the Gryffindor common room. Harry hoisted himself in and made his way through the familiar room to the staircase that he took to the boy's dormitory and his four-poster bed. He threw himself on top of the bed, head buried in the pillow allowing the memories of the past four years to wash over him. He saw all those that have been killed at his hands; Cedric, Sirius, Remus and Tonks, Fred, Dobby, Mad-Eye and countless other faces that flashed before his eyes reminding him of what he had lost. The tears came freely and he made no motion to stop them, instead he cried openly allowing his sobs to escape him and echo in the small chamber.

Ron looked down at the floor he was helping clear and his heart sank, filling his chest with dread when he saw an arm jutting from slabs of stone. "Hey" Ron's voice squeaked out "there's someone here." After a moment he was surrounded by equally disheartened young men who helped gently lift the stone from mangled body laying there. Seamus bent over the girl and with the delicacy of a surgeon lifted the body and carried it to the alcove where the dead were being laid for later identification. Ron watched the lifeless body in Seamus' arms jostle slightly as he walked; rubbing the stinging from his eyes Ron noticed a quivering form in the corner, a girl face in her arms and whose shoulders were being attacked by heavy sobs.

Hermione could not stop crying. She was able to compose herself and help the efforts of the students and staff until she found the body of Colin Creevey. She stopped there and stared at him, his eyes were closed and his mouth slightly agape giving the illusion that he may just be asleep. She even tried to wake him up. Now she was inconsolable, she hid her face in her arms drawing her knees to her chest she cried silent, violent weeps that shook her body with effort. She felt an arm being tenderly placed around her shoulders, looking up she saw a freckled face surrounded by a shock of red hair. Hermione clung to Ron as though he were a lifeguard pushing her face into his chest continuing her crying while Ron whispered soothing words into her hair.

Ginny stood beside Neville as professor McGonagall conjured a stretcher out of mid-air and levitated Padma Patil onto it.

"Professor I can take her" said Neville wearily.

"Thank you Neville" the beleaguered witch answered. She wiped the sweat that had beaded on her brow and proceeded to follow him back up to the castle.

"Professor have you seen Harry?" Ginny called after McGonagall.

"I saw him heading to the common room a few minutes ago" Neville answered from further up the hill.

Ginny nodded and marched up the stone steps to the entrance hall and along the familiar halls to her common room. Soon she was climbing through the portrait hole into the deserted common room searching for the messy-haired boy she so longed to see. When she was winding her way up the spiral stairs to the boy's dormitory she heard the unmistakable sounds of weeping. Pushing open the door to the dormitory, she saw him.

"Harry?" She inquired tentatively.

"Go away" came the sullen response.

"Harry, it's Ginny." "Can I come in?"

"Why would you want to, I killed your brother."

The words he threw at her hurt, no matter how untrue they were. Ginny knew Harry was innocent of her brother's murder, like he was guiltless of the countless casualties in this war.

"Harry, you didn't…" Ginny started but the thought of her brother came flooding back like an icy wave that engulfed her and threatened to take the breath right from her chest.

"You see, even you know it's true" came the muffled reply.

"Harry it wasn't your fault" Ginny pleaded, throwing her pride to the wind she strode over to the bed and sat down near his midsection; she put her hand on his back and lowered her head to the back of his. "Harry please listen to me" her voice quivered. She willed it to be strong. "Fred wanted this."

Harry scoffed.

"No, really" she started. She was beginning to get frustrated as a result she turned him over a little more forcefully than she intended. "Listen to me. Fred died trying to make this world better for you, me and everyone else out there." Ginny looked down at the boy fiercely. "And you spit on his memory when you say he died for anything less." Her composure was waning now and her eyes became moist at the effect she was having on him. His face full of guilt, and his eyes remarkably dry and breathtakingly green.

"Ginny… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that Fred died for nothing. I just have seen so much death and I can't help but to feel it's all my fault."

"Well it's not" Ginny stated simply. "Voldemort killed those people not you." When it looked like he was going to say something else she put her finger to his lips and said, "We all knew the risks when we decided that the world with Voldemort was no world at all."

Harry lifted her hand and entwined their fingers. "Thank you Ginny."

"You're welcome; now quit being such a prat and get up."

Harry laughed and swung his legs off the bed and stood facing Ginny hand still clasped.

"You're something else, you know that Ginny" Harry stated.

"I know" Ginny smirked.

Harry smiled and pushed a stray hair from her face. Ginny leaned into his hand and closed her eyes.

"I missed you a lot" she said opening her eyes. Her rich chocolate eyes met the emerald coloured of Harry's.

"I know" he replied breaking into a wide grin

"Oh, you." "That's all you have to say." she shouted in mock indignation beating his chest playfully until he was able to corral her arms pulling her close.

"I missed you too" Harry responded quietly. He tilting his head to one side while closing his eyes to kiss Ginny softly on the lips.

"Oi!" someone shouted from the door. "I thought I told you-"

"Relax Ron, we're back together" Harry replied in kind. "I mean if you will have me back" he added hastily to Ginny.

"Don't be stupid, of course I will take you back."

AN: Ok, that is it. I have some ideas about where I could take this as a series, but I would like feedback from anyone who reads this to tell me if I should keep going.