Ginny walked to one side of the room, settling into a coach beside Bill. He placed his arm around her shoulders, his other arm already wrapped around his wife, Fleur, his head resting on top of hers as she lay against his shoulder.
Ginny pulled up her legs onto the couch before reaching out to her other side, where George was sitting still, staring into the distance. Ginny grabbed his hand and pulled it over onto her lap, squeezing it lightly. George glanced over at her, his stony demeanuor fading slightly as he leaned into his sister.
Harry walked over to sit next to Ron and Hermione. Hermione sat on Ron's lap her head leaning on his shoulder, her legs stretched out across the rest of the couch. Harry lifted her legs, sitting down underneath them. Hermione reached out to grab Harry's hand, their position similar to the position that Ginny and George were displaying on the opposite couch.
Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley sat on the last intact couch, along with Charlie. Both Charlie and Mr. Weasley held on to a side of Mrs. Weasley, who was reduced to silent tears, hanging tightly to her husband and child. Neither Mr. Weasley, nor Charlie, noticed the faint marks that Mrs. Weasley was making on their arms as she clung to them.
They all sat, in silence, holding tightly onto each other, holding onto life, life that had seemed so uncertain, that was now standing in front of them, life that they would gladly trade, for Fred, for Remus, for Tonks, for any of the others that had died fighting.
Crack! A puny house elf appeared. His small stature seemed even smaller when he looked up and let out a shriek, almost upsetting the two trays he held, which were ladened with food. Ten wands were pointing at him, staring in wonder.
"Blimey" Ron exclaimed, "This is the best meal that I have ever seen!" Ron only noticed Hermione's intense glare when she swatted at his wrist, Ron, being so engrossed in the food that lay before him, was still pointing his wand directly at the little elf's head. He seemed to come to with the little whack that he received from Hermione.
"Right" Ron said, his voice reverberating around the room as he lowered his wand. "Thanks, erm, what's your name?"
"Elmet sir" the elf replied attempting to bow without spilling the heaps of sandwiches and other foods balanced delicately upon his trays.
"Thank you Elmet." Mrs. Weasley said quietly, standing up to help the small house elf. This seemed to spring everyone else into action, all trying to help the elf and Mrs Weasley at once. Talking over each other and all grabbing small parts of the trays trying to placing them down on the table. They all stood awkwardly for a minute, around the small coffee table, looking at the pile of food surrounding them.
"What is everybody waiting for?" Ron asked grabbing two sandwiches and shoving one into his mouth. Everyone else looked at each other, questioning, before reaching for sandwiches themselves. They each returned to their previous places, chewing on their sandwiches with dry mouths, hardly tasting the food. No one really felt hungry, but they all ate, needing something to do.
They all sprang into action again as the portrait hole opened.
"Oh relax." Madam Pomfrey commanded as she stepped into to the room pulling a massive cart behind her. "I expect you all have enough injuries as it is, no need to be aggravating them by jumping about. Now who's first?"
Everyone in the room stood frozen, their mouths agape.
"Oh, come on, I don't have all day you know, plenty of others to see. Ronald, come here."
Ron swallowed, stepping forward, he placed both of his sandwiches down and slowly headed toward Madame Pomfrey.
"Now strip." Madam Pomfrey demanded, as she opened multiple chests on her cart, pulling out several different bottles, some of them still steaming, seemingly having been brewed only minutes prior.
"Er, ah." Ron murmured, glancing at everyone surrounding him. By now they had relaxed, sitting down and turning their attention back towards the tower of food before them. Harry and Hermione still held their wands loosely in their hands as they sat down carefully, but everyone else had placed theirs down.
"Hurry up" Madame Pomfrey snapped. Ron took off his shirt, still glancing back at the rest of his family.
"Pants too." Madame Pomfrey demanded as she began running her wand over the many scratches and marks covering Ron's chest and arms. Ron obliged slowly sliding his trousers, or what remained of them off of his legs. Madame Pomfrey finished looking over him, handing him several potions.
"Next!" she proclaimed, and went on to examine everyone in the room, giving each person multiple potions to take. When everyone had been examined to her satisfaction, she pulled out a massive flask that had stood on the bottom of her cart.
"Now." she said, raising her wand and producing ten glasses on the table. "This is a dreamless sleep potion, I expect every one of you to take it before you go to bed, which I recommend be soon, given the injuries that you have all sustained I expect you will be needing a great deal of rest in the next couple of days."
In between her lecturing of the group Madame Pomfrey heaved the large flask up with her wand, it seemed to be quite heavy; Madame Pomfrey was using both of her hands to hold up her wand. She carefully poured some of the potion into each cup on the table.
"Now I must be going." Madame Pomfrey stated, placing the flask back on her cart. "I have given St. Mungo's healers enough time to thoroughly mess with my hospital wing."
Madame Pomfrey continued mumbling, dragging her clattering cart as she exited the common room, leaving the small group alone again. A great deal of the food lay abandoned on the small coffee table, everyone having eaten as much as they could stomach.
"You heard Madame Pomfrey." Mr. Weasley said, "Off to bed, take your potions with you. McGonagall said that the first, third, and fourth year dormitories are the most intact."
Mr. Weasley and Charlie stood up slowly, supporting Mrs. Weasley.
"Your mother and I will be in the first years room if anyone needs us."
Bill and Fleur were the next to stand up. "Come on George." Bill said, pulling George from the couch. "We will go to the third years room."
"I'll join you." Charlie said weakly, nodding at Bill, as he helped Mrs. Weasley ascend the stairs. The remaining four sat still, watching the others following up the stairs.
A couple of still seconds later, Ginny caught Hermonie's eye.
"Come on Ron, lets head up too." she said softly, grabbing her glass and reaching for Ron's hand.
"But." Ron hesitated, looking between Harry and Ginny.
"Come on." Hermione said tugging at his arm. Ginny could swear that she had seen Hermione wink at Ron.
When Ginny could no longer hear their footsteps on the staircase she turned towards Harry.
"Hey."
"Hey." Harry replied, scratching the back of his neck nervously as he looked back at Ginny. Ginny stood, walking slowly over to him. She grabbed both of his hands, pulling him up off the couch into another hug. This time Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry, putting her head on his shoulder while Harry placed his arms around her back, holding her as tight as he could.
"I'm sorry." Harrys voice cracked as he held Ginny. "I'm-"
"Shush." Ginny lifted her head in order to gaze into his eyes.
"I know." Ginny murmured, reaching up with her thumb to wipe away the tear that had escaped Harry's eye. Her eyes were also filled with tears as she pulled him back into a hug. They stood there for a couple minutes, revelling in each others presence. Harry pulled back, taking her face in his hands.
"Can I kiss you?"
Ginny took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
"Promise that you will tell me everything?"
"Promise." Harry whispered leaning in to capture Ginny's lips. It was a sweet kiss, one that both Harry and Ginny wished would go on forever. But they both pulled back too soon, tears continuing to fall haphazardly.
"We should head up." Harry said backing up slightly.
"Let's go." Ginny said, reaching out to intwine her fingers with Harry's as she started towards the stairwell.
