Chapter 1

His feet began to carry him upwards to Gryffindor tower before he even realised where he was going. He felt heavy ladened and stiff, the sensation of his own body's pain, which had been so distantly separated from him while the battle and its aftermath were happening, seized the opportunity to rush over him. He heard Ron and Hermione discussing that Professor McGonagall had put in place plans to hold a combined memorial service the following day for all those who had given their lives in the battle. He knew fervently that he would be there, to continue sharing the grief of so many, reflecting on lives sacrificed as well as looking forwards to a future with hope, but for now, rest was all he could manage. Ron and Hermione, worn and weary too, agreed that they would follow soon as the last glints of sunshine began to descend behind the Forbidden Forest treetops.

Kreacher was indeed there, with the onion soup and treacle tart that those in the Great Hall were beginning to share as well. Though he felt pained with the loss of Dobby whenever he looked upon a house elf now, Harry nethertheless thanked Kreacher genuinely and praised his brave efforts in defending Hogwarts before flinging himself on the bed he had possessed a year ago, but which seemed several more lifetimes ago now. He was surprised and grateful at how easily a dreamless sleep came and engulfed him, releasing his body of all tension.

--

"OI!!"

He felt something that should have been soft, but had been flung with great force, hit his face. "You can't sleep for ever you know!" A weary yet smiling Ron was standing some distance from Harry's bed, Neville's pillow now clutched in his hand, about to fling it too. "You should know better than to keep a certain someone waiting!" Harry, on the pretence of gradually pulling back his covers, suddenly hurled the pillow in return at Ron.

"What are you talking about, it's only just morning! We were never the first ones to breakfast, so I don't see why we should start now!"

Ron sniggered, "No you've missed breakky well and truly, but I don't want to give it away but she has been waiting patiently for a while now for you." Neville, heavily bruised and battle worn still managed to join in on a suppressed chuckle, which made Harry feel slightly curious.

"Ok, ok, I'll get up but can I at least wear my pyjamas, it's not that important is it?"

"Ah..well..I'd say...yeh...no. Come on lazy bones put something decent on."

--

Five minutes later, once Harry has stumbled around the 7th year's room, trying to find some decent robes to wear, and coming up against a relentless number of odd socks, he edged out from the foot of the boy's staircase looking around for who Ron might have insisted that he meet. Molten gold, gleaming out of one corner of the room, attracted his eye. At first he was reminded in panic of the gleaming contents of the Lestrange vault, such was its radiance. Then he realised it was Ginny. Swinging her hair out of her face she hurried to him, grasping both his hands in hers tightly, Harry leaned in to kiss her-

"Not yet, hang on a sec Harry, come with me," she said, with a gleam of mischief in her eye that Harry thought Fred would be proud of. Harry followed her as she swept him from the room, out of the portrait hole, and through the front hall which was still strewn with wreckages of war, where gradually more students were wandering down to assist with the clean up.

"Harry, do rest for a bit dear," called Professor Sprout as they passed, who was bend over a feebly stirring mandrake plant.

"No, I'm most willing to help Professor! Just, ah..in a little bit?" he took a chance glance at Ginny who was addressing Sprout with a strange expression, saying that they would love to help but just a bit later. Something unspoken must have gone between the two women, as Professor Sprout called out to not worry at all until they were ready and that they must step out into the morning sun.

Down around the lake they continued, Ginny still not letting up where they were headed. Harry saw that she was carrying a bulging shoulder bag and asked what she had concealed in there.

"Ha.. nothing sinister. It's our brunch Harry, you must be getting hungry now!" as Harry's stomach betrayed him with a bellowing grumble and Ginny smiled knowingly.

"Can you tell me where-" but she simply shook her head silently and beckoned him on.

--

"Here. We're here now!" she exclaimed and Harry looked about. They were at an edge of the school grounds that Harry in all his wandering hadn't travelled too. It took him momentarily by surprise when he thought about how he had always subconsciously fancied his familiarity with his school, which had indeed been the closest he had known to a home.

"How did you-?" Harry began, but Ginny knelt down with a flourish and started to unpack the food she had brought.

"We ended up here with Hagrid when we did a detention with him for attempting to get you that sword. We had travelled so far in the Forbidden Forest that we travelled all the way through it to here, but then on the way back I realised we could just take a short cut the way we came just now." Harry forced himself to peal his eyes away from Ginny as she laid out delicious croissants and Danishes and looked around. It was beautiful. In the distance, mountains rose, but not formidable and harsh like those the giants had frequented but sun-bathed, shapely and peaceful. A river flowed from their peak and came past just near where they were stationed. Flowers of species he had never seen before were opening and closing their petals as if testing the air temperature, as a sunbather would by dipping their toe in pool water. Some of the younger looking ones seemed to be checking if anyone was watching them so they could display their finest colours if there was an audience. Ginny took his hand gently and indicated that he should sit.

"Wow, this is..wow" was all that Harry could manage for the moment.

"Yeh, it's pretty amazing isn't it," said Ginny, "to think that this beauty was able to survive past all that's happened the past day…the past year really." It was amazing to think that the most recent atrocities they had just lived through had all culminated in one day. Harry looked at Ginny and saw that the mischievous grin had somehow forgotten to shine at that point.

"Ginny," he said uncertainly at first, then more confidently but yet full of gentleness, "I'm so so sorry about Fred, I miss him so much too. Your whole family has meant the world to me these past 7 years." Harry was wondering if she might break down, as he would need to gather all his strength to console her, but instead she began to speak slowly,

"I know Harry. I never ever want you to think it is your fault though. None of this is. You saved us all from it! I just.. i just miss him so much." Her body seemed to weaken with the effort of it all. Harry put his arm carefully around her and stroked her long glistening hair.

"No one will forget how much he gave up, all his efforts in the fight against Voldemort, the way he was so devoted to his family, to his friends, the way he made us all laugh so so much.." he had to stop with the weight of the words he was saying, but remembering Fred's all consuming mischievous, laughable self seemed to give Ginny strength and she went on.

"And remember how he did all that work for Potterwatch, you got to hear a bit of it didn't you? He was great in that. And I'm..I'm just so glad to see that Percy was reconciled to us before Fred..before he.. you know..went."

"Me too Ginny, me too," agreed Harry, and he started to choose one of the delicacies before him to eat, handing a croissant to Ginny as well.

They sat there in silence for a long while, sharing the tasty morsels Ginny has brought, but each, they knew, processing the words they had just spoken about Fred's loss, each wanting to give the other time to gather those thoughts. Harry watched a particularly boisterous young flower changing its petal colours continually, perhaps attempting to catch the attention of a group of young flowers a little while off, when Ginny found her voice again, and gazed into his eyes steadily, "Harry you were so brave." He felt again like he was looking directly into a powerful wand light, but couldn't take his eyes away.

"So was everyone else," he replied, it was the truth. But somehow he could not take his thoughts away from dwelling on just how many of their side had to die before he was able to finish Tom Riddle once for all. He knew he could voice this to Ginny.

"It not your fault," she replied, "you even gave up your life! That's what happened isn't it? That's what you were telling Voldemort last night?" She looked beseechingly at him, starving to finally hear the truth at last. Harry knew that it was time, knew that he could, and should share everything with her, but he didn't want to sound like he was sharing it to receive praise, he wanted her to understand that.

"Everyone has their own story of their own struggle as well though," he began,

"I know, of course," she interrupted, somewhat fiercely "and I can't wait to hear them all, but please.. please Harry, tell me what happened, how did you do it all?" She truly was the most beautiful girl Harry had ever met as she sat there expectantly, but yet with the low cloud of grief still hanging closely over them.

"Ok, as long as you tell me yours next," Harry said with a sly grin.