A/N: All ships are canon. Dedicated to those of us who felt the epilogue was not quite satisfying.
Prologue ~
Harry sank into the closest four-poster bed he could find. He expected to feel something more. Something like triumph, or grief. Anger, happiness. A wonderful smear of both, perhaps?
All he felt was horrible numbness. The surreality of it all blinded him to anything else.
The dead had been gathered, lain side by side in the great hall. The wounded were tended by Madam Pomfrey. Water, food, and blankets distributed by the surviving house elves, and of course, anybody else well enough to help.
Harry found there was no place for him in the current chaos. His battle fought, his war won. He bid Ron and Hermione a hasty goodbye and retired where he hoped no one would follow.
The Fat Lady was nowhere to be seen, and he found moments later, that a password was not required upon his entrance.
The Gryffindor common room had been halfway demolished, rubble and debris strewn across the floor. The fireplace empty. It was quite silent, lonely.
The boy's dormitories, however, were left untouched.
Here, lying beneath Hogwart's ceiling, he was finally at peace. He was a warrior retiring to rest with renewed scars and heaviness in his heart, in the only place he had ever called home.
Sleep greeted him like an old friend. The best sleep he'd had in years.
He had to see him. Returning to the Great Hall after a long night's dreamless sleep, he felt a renewed wave of grief that knocked the breath from his lungs. Today, the dead were being transported somewhere, he guessed. The funerals would begin in the days to come.
In these earliest hours, no one was around. There were a few who slept on the floor, among the bodies of lost loved ones. They lay curled in the same purple sleeping bags that had been summoned for them on the night Sirius attempted to break into the Gryffindor common room. Harry's mind wandered to the foggy memory . . .
Lupin and Tonks' bodies had been covered by clean sheets. He knelt beside the two of them, breath hitching in his throat. A terrible pain had begun to rise in his chest. It was equivalent to a hard knot, twisting itself around his heart. Silent tears leaked from under his glasses, sliding down his nose, painting traces in the grime and blood that stained his face.
"I'll take care of him," Harry choked. "I promise." He couldn't bring himself to say more, though he knew a world of words should be said. They'd both given so much, asked so little in return. Lupin, whose life was so unfair and riddled with darkness, had finally received a bit of happiness. To meet his end now, with so much left to live for . . .
And Tonks! So young, a new mother. Her child left orphaned and alone. It was all too familiar to him, Harry Potter.
"I'm sorry." Was all he could muster. He hastily wiped the tears from his face, heaving himself to his feet.
He crossed to wear Fred Weasley lay. Molly and Arthur were not far away, fast asleep. They still sat at one of the tables in the Great Hall, hands interlocked, heads resting on the wood. He knelt beside Fred, silent. Use of words robbed from him, he sat wrapped in his grief. Sobs began to wrack his body, and he remained there until some force urged him to his feet.
He didn't know where exactly he was going, only that he had to escape the Great Hall. At least, for now.
He ran, tears blinding him, unable to feel joy or triumph when so many had been lost. Harry considered Fred, Lupin, and Tonks part of his family. To have them ripped from him so suddenly . . .
He found himself clutching the trunk of the old beech tree. The tree that he, Ron, and Hermione had sat under in between classes, hastily finishing homework under it's branches. The tears had lessened somewhat. His breaths slowed. He sat gazing over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, wiping his runny nose. The cuts and bruises on his face twinged at his touch. He ignored it.
The giant squid was nowhere to be seen. The grounds were quite deserted, the sky just beginning to lighten. He wondered if Hagrid was in his hut, or up at the castle.
Thankfully, the numbness had vanished. With it, a mixture of emotions that left him confused and exhausted.
Someone's hand was on his shoulder. He woke from his stupor of thought, blinking. How much time had past since his blinded flight from the castle?
"Harry." He was glad to see Hermione. He managed a small smile. She seated herself beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. He twisted around to see Ron a few steps away. He knelt down to join them. Their eyes were red and swollen. Nevertheless, they were smiling.
After a few moments, Ron spoke.
"What d'you reckon we do now?"
Harry had been waiting for this question. It had been burning a hole inside of him. What now? The war was over. Voldemort defeated. What in the world was he, Harry Potter, supposed to do now?
"I want to see Teddy. Lupin's son." He told them. Something in their faces darkened. A twinge of grief prodded at Harry's chest.
"Of course. We'll come with you, mate." Ron said. Harry nodded. "I'd like that."
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione whispered, taking both Ron and Harry's hand in her own.
He gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Never better, Hermione."
And he meant it.
Mrs. Weasley attacked him as soon as the trio stepped through the castle doors.
"Harry Potter, you come here right now."
He obeyed, a little alarmed.
She held him at arm's length, looking him up and down. "Go see Madam Pomfrey. You're hurt." Her fingers brushed the cut on his cheek.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Wait just a minute." She held him tighter. Her brown eyes were sparkling with tears. She pulled him into a crushing embrace. He returned it, feeling a considerable weight lifted from his chest.
"Thank you." She whispered into his shoulder. He couldn't find the words to say something to her. She let him go and embraced her son, who turned pink but gladly returned her hug. She turned toward Hermione, taking her hands. She whispered something that made them both laugh, and hugged her too. She waved the three of them toward the hospital wing, tears now streaming down her face. Harry suspected, though, that they were tears of gratitude. Maybe even joy.
He allowed Madam Pomfrey to fuss over him, mending his various cuts and bruises. She suspected he'd cracked a rib somewhere in the fight. She had them all healed in no time at all.
"Move along, now. I haven't got enough beds for the lot of you!" She snapped, pushing them toward the door.
"Merlin's pants! You'd think she'd treat you with a little more respect. 'Cause you've just defeated You-Know-Who and all . . ." Ron chuckled. Harry laughed, shrugging a little.
The trio had barely made it a few yards before a pop came from behind them. Harry jumped three feet in the air, whirling around. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood before them all. Harry admired him, for his skill as an Auror, for his faith in Dumbledore.
"Apparently, you can apparate in the castle now." He said.
"Harry, I must speak with you. Firstly, I want to point at that you have undeniably saved the Wizarding World. By 'you', I mean all three of you." He gestured to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "And for that, I thank you." Kingsley stepped forward and hugged them, a little awkwardly.
Harry knew Kingsley from the order, but never on a personal level. It occurred to him that maybe he should try to do just that.
They were smiling. Harry shrugged. "It was a battle intended for me. You can't imagine how glad I am that it's over."
Kingsley smiled, shaking his head.
"Oh, I think I can, Mr. Potter." He shifted his weight. "Second order of business. I have come to inform you that I have been named interim Minister For Magic. Professor McGonagall will assume the post of Headmistress, here at Hogwarts."
"That's great. That's really great . . . Congratulations."
Kingsley nodded. "It is an honor, of course. It is, however, a hell of a mess to clean up." He sighed. "Third. A memorial will be held for those who fell during the battle. I would like you to make an appearance."
Harry stood, dumfounded. "Of course I will." He said, quietly.
"Then I believe this is goodbye for now, Mr. Potter. I think Mrs. Weasley is looking for you."
He shook hands with the three of them, and with a pop, disapparated.
Harry shook his head. "How could he expect me to not make an appearance?" He asked them.
Hermione shook her head. "He didn't."
They found Mrs. Weasley in the newly transformed Great Hall. Students, teachers, family, and friends all sat at the four tables, tucking into a delicious feast. It was then that Harry realized just how hungry he was. His stomach growled, loudly enough for everyone in the Great Hall to hear. At the same time, a thought dropped into his head that maybe he ought to go find Ginny.
"Where's Ginny, Mrs. Weasley?" He asked.
"At the Burrow, dear. Arthur, Charlie, and George left with her just now. We'll leave after breakfast, dear. Tuck in." She said kindly.
He did as he was told, stuffing his face with sausage and toast as though he hadn't seen food in months. Which, in reality, was a little true. He hadn't seen a meal like this in months.
Bill, Fleur, and Neville joined them, moving with their plates to sit beside Harry. They made polite conversation.
"Is this it, then?" Bill said. He gestured to Ron and Hermione's hands, which were interlocked upon the table. Come to think of it, Harry hadn't seen them let go of each other since the day before. Another pang of guilt for Ginny stole over him for a moment.
Ron smiled sheepishly and Hermione turned pink.
"This is it." She said, and leaned over to kiss Ron on the cheek. Ron had a look on his face that Harry hoped he would never witness again.
Harry fought a strange urge to laugh and cry at the same time. They deserved each other, Ron and Hermione. It did take them forever and a half to get there. Seven years, to be exact.
Bill reached over to wring his younger brother's hand.
"Excellent choice, Ronald. You sir, better take care of this lovely lady." He joked. He leaned toward Hermione. "If he gives you any trouble, just give me a holler. I'll bash some sense into this ugly git."
Harry, Hermione, and Neville roared with laughter while Ron's ears turned pink and he shrugged.
They pushed back from the table. Mrs. Weasley herded them out of the great hall and into a courtyard. "Alright. Back to the Burrow, shall we?" She raised her eyebrows. Everyone nodded. "Hermione, do you have our-"
She held up her bag, cutting him off.
"Right, er-" Harry mumbled, nodding to himself. He took one last look around. There were so many people he wanted to talk to, so many people he needed see. Mrs. Weasley read it in his expression, he guessed, because she patted his arm reassuringly.
"You'll see them all again, dear. It's not like you're leaving the Wizarding World, for Merlin's sake." She said. He nodded. In unison, all of them turned on the spot and disapparated.
They reappeared in the front yard of the Burrow. Arthur rushed out the door to greet them. He helped Hermione to her feet.
"Alright there, Harry?"
He nodded, giving Mr. Weasley a hug.
They made their way into the house. Harry was itching to see Ginny, but was once again prevented from that as Ron insisted he take a shower.
"You smell terrible."
Harry felt his cheeks warm. Hermione came to his defense.
"Oh, Ronald. It's not as if you're any better. Both of you, take a bath." She snapped. "Not together." She added, which made them all laugh.
Hermione handed him a set of clothes. As he stepped under the hot water, he let his mind wander. It flitted between thoughts of Hogwarts and the war, to thoughts of Ginny, to his sudden desire to visit Teddy Lupin.
After several months of believing he wouldn't have a future beyond Voldemort, there were suddenly so many things he wanted to do, and it seemed, a world of time to do them.
He stepped out of the shower, dressed hurriedly, and made for the door. It opened before he could touch the handle, and he came face to face with Ginny Weasley.
Her face was twisted in a sort of grimace, her eyes locked on his with such ferocity he had to fight the urge to look away. He was reminded of their first kiss, and the wildness in her eyes as she ran toward him. He was witnessing it again, but the flipside.
There was no denying it. Ginny Weasley was outraged.
She stepped toward him cautiously, as one might approach an irritated Hippogriff. At first, Harry thought she might kiss him. No. Instead, she slapped him. He felt the sting of her hand against his cheek, but did not flinch away.
"Harry Potter." She said, quietly. "How could you?"
His stomach twisted itself into a knot. He thought he might prefer another go with Voldemort over this.
"You died. I saw your body. I saw you broken. I saw everyone else break when they saw you, when they realized. I felt myself break, too. So you tell me right now, Harry James Potter. How could you cause me to break so badly, and then ignore me?"
She said it all carefully, quietly. And somehow he could sense every ounce of rage inside of her, directed at him through her hand and through those words.
Before he could open his mouth to respond, her knees buckled. He caught her wrists and scooped her up in one fluid motion. He sat down on the bathroom floor and held her. He could feel her body trembling. It wasn't just anger for him. It was grief for Fred, the shock of the battle, everything. It had taken it's toll on strong, brave Ginny Weasley. Harry knew he need not say anything. At least right now.
So he held her while she cried, and he began to cry, too. Somewhere through the tears, they were kissing. It was a hot, wet kiss, but it seemed to fill up that void in his chest. It calmed the fear in his chest, and sent electricity running through his spine.
Finally, they both quieted, hiccuping as the sobs abided. There was a comfortable silence between them, in which they listened to each other gasping breaths and occasional hiccups. Both afraid to say anything for fear the comfort they felt enveloped in each other should disappear.
It was Harry who spoke first.
"Gin, I didn't want things to turn out like they did. I had no choice. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd stop me. It was the way things were intended. I am truly sorry." He whispered in her ear. His breaths stirred the fiery hair that stuck to her damp cheeks.
"You're right. I would've stopped you." She said, thickly.
"I would've put a full Body-Bind curse on you and marched out to that wretched forest to kill him myself."
Harry could feel the color drain from his face as she said the words, mixed with an odd desire to laugh at her.
He didn't say anything for a long moment. Ginny caught sight of his face and the smile slid off of her own.
He took a deep breath.
"Ginny, I need to tell you everything."
And he did. Meticulously, he unraveled his tale. Everything, beginning with Trelawney's Prophecy to the moment the Horcrux inside him met his end. The moment Lord Voldemort was defeated.
She paused him only to ask questions. When he was finished, they sat there in silence. Harry felt light as air, unloading all his thoughts and misgivings and emotions. She was grateful he was finally opening up to her.
After everything he said, the only thing she gave him was "I love you."
And they were kissing again, this time without the tears. Sitting on the Weasley's bathroom floor, unabashed emotion floated between them. For the first time in a long time, Harry felt ridiculous giddiness taking control of his brain.
Eventually, they broke apart long enough to realize they'd been sitting there for more than two hours. Harry helped her to her feet and held her tight to his chest a moment longer.
They found Ron and Hermione in Ron's room, unpacking.
Harry plopped down beside Ron, sending a couple books sliding off the foot of the bed. Hermione was busy sorting through a pile of clothes.
"Ron's mom told me I'm welcome to stay here. I think I will, this summer at least. We can recover, pick up the pieces, that sort of thing . . ." Hermione said, trailing off as she put together a pair of Harry's horrible, mustard-colored socks. With a pang, he realized he'd given Dobby a pair that was remarkably similar
"And then, I think I'll return to Hogwarts." She finished.
"What?" Ron sputtered, thoroughly shocked.
"I will be returning to Hogwarts on September 1st. Really, Ron, you'd think I only speak gibberish." She snapped.
"Merlin's pants! You're going back to Hogwarts? I thought we dropped out, remember? We defeated You-Know-Who, for crying out loud." He was starting to shout. "Blimey, Hermione."
Hermione looked bemused.
"I would like to finish my seventh year, and take my N.E.W.T.S. That's right."
"I'm not going back there." Ron said, shaking his head. "Hermione, why not stay here? Mum already told you, you're welcome here. You can share a room with me."
Hermione laughed and stood up from the floor, going to sit beside Ron.
"That's very nice of you, Ron. I don't think you're Mum would approve, however." She kissed him on the cheek.
"Well, I'll sneak into the castle then. Come see you every once and awhile. You have to promise me you'll come home for Christmas . . ."
He trailed off. A strange, soft look crossed his face as he stared at her. Harry looked away pointedly, catching Ginny's eye. She shrugged.
He cleared his throat, coming out of his reverie.
"Are you going back?" He said, whirling on Harry, who looked quite startled.
"Me? No, no I reckon I won't be going back. I'll stay the summer. Maybe I'll go back to Grimmauld Place for a while." He said. Ron nodded.
"It's only a year, Ron." Hermione said.
She resumed her place on the floor. Ron slid down to join her, stacking the books she handed him.
"You reckon we can see Teddy? Tomorrow?" Harry asked them. A smile found it's way onto Hermione's face.
"I'm sure we can."
Harry nodded, his mind wandering. They spent the afternoon in Ron's room, discussing their future. The path ahead of Harry seemed a bright one with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny by his side. Harry's worries melted.
When Mrs. Weasley called them for dinner, they made their way down the stairs in high spirits.