"Bloody hell, mate," Ron complained, as Harry shook him awake. "It can't be later than five in the morning."

"Three," Harry responded matter-of-factly.

"Point made," Ron grumbled, turning back onto his side and sticking his head under his pillow. "Go away," he mumbled tiredly.

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his friend again. "Come on, Ron. Get up!"

The pillow suddenly flung itself at Harry's head, and he barely deflected it. "Five more minutes," Ron's tired voice came again, now from under a layer of sheets that he had pulled up over his head.

"Get out of bed, Ronald," Hermione's old bossy voice ordered as she pushed the bedroom door open and walked in. "We're going to miss it."

Ron's head shot out of the blankets at Hermione's voice. "Mione! I could have been changing or something. You should really knock," he chided her, though not harshly.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione stepped out of the bedroom. "You have five minutes!" She called from the other side of the door. The boys heard her footsteps descend the stairs, heading towards the main floor of the Burrow.

"Who does she think she is?" Ron asked Harry as he pulled himself out of bed and began to get dressed. Harry simply laughed.

"Well, she is –"

"My girlfriend. I know," Ron said, eyeing Harry coolly. After a moment he gave in and let out a small laugh. "Fair enough, mate," he said, pulling on a shirt.

Harry smiled. Honestly, he wasn't sure how those two had ever ended up falling for each other, with all the arguing and insulting they partook in. Then again, that was just a part of their relationship. He couldn't imagine a day that Ron and Hermione were able to get together without fighting about something. But they always made up and ended up the stronger for it.

In three minutes the two were completely ready and headed downstairs to meet Hermione. She stood at the bottom of the stairs staring at the clock on the wall. "Four minutes and thirty two seconds. Not bad." She gave Ron a slightly impressed look and he shrugged cockily.

"I'm just that good."

Shaking her head teasingly, Hermione laughed. "Sure, let's go with that." She held out her hands to the other two. "You both ready?"

They nodded in turn, each taking one of Hermione's hands. In an instant, she turned on the spot and they all felt the familiar pull of apparition. Moments later they reappeared on the side of a hill, next to a familiar hut and looking up at the castle that had been their home for years.

"It's funny, but it doesn't seem like we've been here, just going to school like normal people in years," Hermione commented, looking up at Hogwarts.

"Maybe because we haven't, really," Harry responded. "Ever since Voldemort came back at the end of fourth year…well, everything's been different."

"You can say that again, mate," Ron said with a small laugh, trying to keep the mood light. "I can't believe they haven't restored the non-apparition spells yet," he commented.

"I would think the reason for that would be obvious, Ronald. They need to rebuild the castle, and it's much easier to apparatus than walk," Hermione responded, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We'd better get going," Harry reminded the two of them. They nodded, and began the walk up to the castle. The one they had taken many times over the years, visiting Hagrid in his little hut. None of them spoke, instead choosing to study the castle and surrounding grounds as they looked in the dark when there wasn't some immediate threat. It was almost peaceful, hearing the regular night sounds.

They stepped into the courtyard where Harry had fought that final battle with Voldemort. Hermione stopped, a tear streaking down her cheek as she stared at the wreckage from what had occurred not two days ago. Ron put an arm around her shoulders and Harry was reminded of why the two of them were together.

Pulling out his wand, Harry began to lift things back into place, fixing broken holes, tidying the dusty and worn stones at his feet. After a moment, Hermione and Ron joined him. It wasn't much, this work of theirs. A group of repair wizards would probably finish in five minutes. But it meant something to them, to be a part of rebuilding even this small portion of their world.

"Do you think Hogwarts will ever be the same?" Hermione asked eventually, when most of the wreckage had been fixed.

Harry gave her a gentle smile. "Hogwarts has been through a lot and it's still here. I'm sure a little war isn't going to change anything." He was trying to keep the situation light, but the three all knew that his words weren't entirely the truth. Perhaps they weren't even close.

A small light appeared on the horizon, and Hermione gestured to it. "Shall we?" She asked the others. They nodded, and holding hands once again they apparated up to the Astronomy Tower. The very place where Dumbledore had given his life to help them all. Harry had forgiven him for everything else – the old man might not have been perfect, but neither were any of them.

The sun began to slowly climb up over the lake and the trio stood side by side, watching.

Finally, Ron broke the silence. "Whatever happens with Hogwarts, nothing will ever be the same for us again. Especially you, mate." Ron gestured to Harry. "Everyone's going to see you as a hero."

"He is a hero, Ronald," Hermione stated, turning to face Ron.

Ron held up his hands in a display of innocence. "Don't I know it. I'm just saying."

"Well, we've all been invited to the meeting with the new Minister tomorrow," Harry said, a small smile playing on his lips. "We might actually be able to avoid war for a while with Kingsley in charge."

"Don't forget that he's an Auror mate," Ron said with a small laugh.

Hermione punched him in the shoulder and he faked injury. The three suddenly burst into laughter, breaking the early morning silence.

"Whatever happens, we'll have each other," Hermione said solemnly, when their laughter had died down. The other two nodded. This went without saying, really.

"And we'll be able to help create a new world. A good one," Harry responded seriously.

"You make it sound so exciting, mate," Ron responded.

"Isn't it, Ron?" Harry asked. "So many people we knew fought – died – for this," he gestured out to the gently lit grounds of Hogwarts. "For peace. Now we get to see that in action."

Ron's face fell slightly – no doubt he was remembering his brother – and then he brightened a little. "You know, we should make a monument. Put it in the ministry. Record all the names of everyone who died."

"I think that's an amazing idea, Ronald," Hermione said, sounding excited at the notion. "We should bring it up tomorrow!"

Ron's cheeks turned slightly red at her praise, and he smiled.

"Sounds like a plan," Harry said, before they did something stupid like kiss in front of him. As much as he'd accepted it, seeing Ron and Hermione kiss was probably just as bad for him as seeing Harry kiss Ginny was for Ron.

The two smirked, almost seeming to read Harry's thoughts.

"Don't worry, mate," Ron said vaguely, laughing.

"Look!" Hermione suddenly said, pointing towards the lake. The Giant Squid had surfaced and was swimming lazily across the lake in the early morning sunlight. All three stared, almost mesmerized by the sight.

"It's almost normal," Ron commented, after a moment.

Harry nodded. "You know, I think we'll be just fine," he said with a smile.

Hermione grinned at her two friends, and held out her hands. They took them, and without another word the three turned on the spot and disappeared.