"I've had enough trouble to last a lifetime." Harry said tiredly.
Both Hermione and Ron nodded their agreement; everyone was tired enough that all they could think of was sleep. The trio made their way to the door, and out into the hallway. Harry turned left at the Grand Staircase going down, he felt their concerned stares burning into his back as he went. As tired as he was he knew he wouldn't be able to rest properly until he had taken care of the Elder Wand.
Harry slipped on his invisibility cloak just short of entering the Entrance Hall, and after a few minutes of carefully maneuvering made his way successfully through the throng of people still milling around in the hall. Once outside he slipped the cloak off, and trudged down to the edge of the lake, and Albus Dumbledore's grave.
Looking at the crack in the cover stone Harry knew that his wand wouldn't be able to fix it, taking out the Elder Wand he pointed it at the crack in the marble and said "Reparo."
It worked, the marble pulled closer and knitted itself together forming a single perfect piece, Harry levitated the stone out of the way and gently placed the Wand back on the chest of its former master. Folding his hands over wand, Harry levitated the stone back into place sealing the tomb forever.
As he made his way back up the lawn leading to the castle Harry looked up and couldn't find a single cloud in the sky, as he walked he thought that it was somehow fitting. Harry carefully made his way back through the crowd and up the stairs as he went he worried that he wouldn't be able to get into Gryffindor Tower, but to his relief found the painting hanging open as if waiting for him.
Walking in he scanned the room for his friends, Ron's snoring acted like a beacon; Ron and Hermione had fallen asleep on the couch hand in hand. Harry made his way up stairs and collapsed blissfully onto his old bed, he was asleep before he even hit the covers.
Harry was vaguely aware that someone had removed his glasses and put him under the covers, they had also stripped him down to his boxers and treated his wounds. He also stirred as he heard voices nearby, "Finally, Mum! He's waking up!"
Harry blearily opened his eyes, and found the fuzzy outline of Ron looking at him from the bed immediately to his right, and in a sarcastic tone said "Had a nice kip did you?"
Harry was trying to process everything as he said "What do you mean finally?"
"You've been asleep for two days mate, Mum was starting to worry that you'd slipped into a come or something." Ron said as he handed Harry his glasses.
'Thanks.' Harry mumbled, as he slipped the glasses on and blinked trying to bring his vision into focus.
'Anytime.' Ron said as he tossed a clean pair of jeans and a fresh T-shirt to Harry. "If you hurry you might be able to catch lunch with the rest of us."
Harry hadn't realized how hungry he was until Ron actually mentioned food, his stomach rumbled in complaint. Ron left quickly, to allow Harry some privacy as he got dressed.
Down in the Great Hall Harry searched for the Weasley's among the crowd of people at the Gryffindor table. After finding them Harry took a seat opposite Ron and Hermione. As he greeted everyone he noticed that Ginny wasn't there. Compared to the rest of the family Ron was relatively happy, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the rest of their children all looked ashen and had red rimmed eyes. Harry guessed that Hermione mighty have had something to do with Ron's apparent happiness but didn't want to bring it up in front of the rest of the family.
After greeting everyone at the table Harry started to pile food onto his plate, the rest of the meal was spent in quite conversation while Harry ate. However his meal was interrupted by Peeves as he whizzed overhead as he sang his composition from a few days previous "We did it! We bashed them, Wee Potter's the one! And Voldy's gone moldy so now let's have fun!"
Ron looked up from his conversation with Hermione and yelled "Oy, give it a rest will you!" In response Peeves turned around, and flying backwards in midair sent a string of rude hand gestures and words at Ron.
Hermione huffed looking up at Peeves as she said "So rude."
Harry stopped for a second to ask them both "Anything happen while I was sleeping?"
As Harry continued to eat Ron and Hermione explained to him how Kingsley had officially been made the new Minister for Magic, and how Professor McGonagall had also been made Headmistress. The few Death Eaters that had been captured were already in Azkaban and the innocent had been released. They also told him how yesterday McGonagall had announced that with the events during the previous days the school year was ending early. She also regretfully announced that everyone from the battle would have to go home as well, the damage done required professionals and they would be hard pressed to have the castle ready for the next school year. Even without everyone getting in their way.
This left everyone with nothing to do except prepare for their departure in the morning or talk. As he talked with Ron and Hermione there was one question at the back of his mind.
After a while Harry turned to Ron and asked "Hey Ron, do you know where Ginny is?"
Ron looked a little bit surprised as he looked around and realized that she wasn't there, he had been engrossed in planning the trip to Australia with Hermione to find her parents. The horrified look on his face told Harry that he felt ashamed not to have even noticed that she wasn't around. He said "Umm, dunno. Last time I saw her was up in Gryffindor Tower. She spent some time looking after you; Mum wanted someone with you while you were out."
Harry and everyone else looked up at the sky as a thunderclap sounded somewhere in the distance, it started to rain overhead; under the enchanted ceiling the view was mesmerizing. Harry shook himself and stood up, walking to the door. The first place he went was Gryffindor Tower; he called up the stairs into the Girls dormitory and got no reply. He searched the boy's dorm just in case, she wasn't in the tower. Harry searched; his plan was to go floor by floor if he had to. But he didn't have to go too far, she was in the hall leading to the room of requirement, the corridor where Fred had died.
She was slumped down against the wall, looking at the spot where the door for the room of requirement used to be. As Harry walked down the corridor towards her, he shivered as a blast of wind came rushing through one of the broken windows. His mind was racing; he didn't know whether she had gotten over him during the last year. She might hate him now; he probably would in her shoes; considering the way that he had broken things off between them last year.
He moved closer to her, she was ashen and her eyes were red rimmed too, he carefully leant against the wall and slid down to sit beside her; shielding her from the wind and rain. She hadn't acknowledged his presence or made any indication that she even knew he was there. Staring straight ahead she said weakly "I was trying to get into the room of requirement, its weird it won't open anymore." She didn't say anything else for a while, still staring ahead.
After what could have been minutes or hours she spoke again, in that same weak voice "I thought I lost you. I lost my brother and I thought I lost you too. When I was dueling Bellatrix I was hoping that she'd kill me, because I knew that I couldn't go on." Harry didn't know what to say, he just wanted to take away her pain but he couldn't find the words.
Suddenly she turned on him, her eyes blazing as she said "How could you put me through that! How? I thought you were dead; I wanted to die because you were already gone! For fifteen minutes my life was worthless, less than nothing. Life wasn't even worth living without you."
Harry tried to apologize, "Ginny, I'm sorry–."
"How could you be sorry?" She shrieked. "How, when you did what you did to me: you leave me alone frantic for news. Expecting on a daily basis that I'd read in the paper that you had died, or caught by snatchers. That you'd been sent to Azkaban or worse. I had no clue if you would come back to me or not. How can you do that to me and still look me in the face telling me that you're sorry?"
"Ginny, I love you. I don't feel that I deserve you after what I've put you and your family through. If I'd given myself up sooner then I might have stopped anyone from getting hurt. But everything I did was for you, and I'm sorry if I caused you pain in the process. I never stopped thinking about you, not even for a minute. And when I turned myself over to Voldemort to die my last thought was of you. At night I would look at your dot on the Marauder's map and wonder if you knew I was watching over you. Every day I hoped that you would be safe, because I was fighting for you. When I see you my heart skips a beat, and my mind races. You're always in my thoughts. I love you and I always will." Harry said, fighting back the tears that her words caused.
Right now she looked like her mother at her most furious; she jumped up and stormed off. Harry started to stand up, and before she got too far he turned to her and said "I just hope you know I was being sincere." She turned to look at him again and there was both indescribable fury and pain in her eyes, without saying a word she turned the corner and dissappeared from sight.
Harry wanted the physical pain back; it was so much easier to handle than what he was feeling now. Watching her leave had ripped a hole right through the center of his heart. He had been wondering the corridors on the seventh floor his mind too numb to think. He eventually found himself back in Gryffindor Tower. Looking at the clock he realized that it was dinner time, but to be totally honest with himself he had lost all appetite. Harry climbed the stairs to the dormitory and fell onto his bed, hoping that sleep would take him before his thoughts did.
Authors Note: This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, so let me know what you think. I usually do sci-fi so this is an interesting step in a new direction. I apologize if any parts of this seem a bit unpolished but I have been trying to find the right way to write this for forever. And this is the best version I have found yet. Also I was born in England to an American Family so I'll try my best to have the characters speak in the "Queen's English" like they should but I might unconsciously slip into American at some points. If anyone has a suggestion for a better name don't hesitat to let me know. Please R/R…
P.S. - If you aren't into the mushy stuff then there are some interesting points begining in chapter 6. Eventually the story will shift from mush to the more exciting things, please bear with me.
P.P.S. - Chapter 8 is where the fun really begins, enjoy...