After the last of the fighting had ceased, Fred, George, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron headed into the castle to see the extent of the damage. The great hall had been transformed into a trauma ward, many wounded lay on cots lined throughout the vast space, the fallen were lined along the front so that respects may be paid, and bodies might be identified. This would be the hardest part of their walk.
It wasn't long before Molly and Arthur were rushing towards the children gathering them in their arms and Molly was soonafter showering them in kisses for what felt like an eternity, but there was no objection, each one of her children, biological and not, revelled in it. This was the first of many happy memories they would have.
"Oh my babies, you are all okay! I was so so worried, I-I…" She trailed off into large sobs on her husband's shoulder.
"Mrs. Weasley, it's okay. It's over now." Harry stepped forward to reassure her, it was the first time he had really spoken since defeating Voldemort. She latched onto him and held him close.
"Easy mum, don't break him-" Fred started.
"We'll leave that to Gin." George winked and elbowed her lightly, causing her to turn a dark shade of red.
"Boys.." Molly attempted to sound stern, but she just couldn't this time. Not today, she thought.
They made their way over to a section of empty cots. The scene was somewhat less bleak than it had been immediately after the final show down, many of the injured had been taken, or were being taken care of, and the dead had been in the process of being cleaned up had their fatal injuries been too gruesome.
"I'm going to go now." Harry was the first to stand up of the group. "Together?" Hermione said without meeting his gaze.
"Always." Harry offered his hand to Ginny who immediately accepted. Fred, George and Hermione were following closely behind, followed lastly by Ron.
The dead lined up against the wall looked peaceful enough to be sleeping, there was not a dry eye in the group as they passed down the line, a mournful procession, all of these children were much too young for such a fate. They would later be known as the fallen fifty, among them Colin Creevy and Lavender Brown. By this point Ron had gotten down on his knees, took Lavenders hand in his own, and reverently placed his lips against her knuckle as if not to break her. Slow tears made way down his face.
"She was too young." He said more to himself than anyone else. Ginny put a tentative hand on his shoulder. Hermione had already been crying, but this pushed her over the edge, Ron had really loved her, and she felt for him, she wouldn't have known what to do if any of the Weasleys, or Harry had been lying there on that cot. But she was gone, and while she may have been mildly annoying last year, this was no fate anyone deserved, especially not her. Silent sobs shook her shoulders, and she felt a strong, but gentle arm wrap around her shoulders. Through teary eyes she could see Fred looking down at her, two single watery tears came down from his brown eyes. Never had she seen such sadness from the prankster.
"They all were." Ron said quietly placing her hand onto her stomach and stepping back from the body.
"Yes, they were Ron. We're so sorry." George said seriously.
"That's right." Hermione said wiping her eyes and looking at him directly. He managed a small smile, then moved to head back to his parents.
"Where's Remus and Tonks?" Harry said panicked, breaking everyone from their gaze on Ron's receding back. He moved past them and walked slightly faster than they had before, his eyes fervently scanning the line, so many faces he had grown up with. But he could not see them, he was wary to take this as hope for today had already been filled with such mixed emotions. He dared to hope. Today was a day for hope.
"Harry!" He spun to see Remus running towards him. He quite nearly collided with him knocking the wind out of him. "Harry, it's over it. It's over." He kept repeating the mantra in his ear. Harry let himself relax as he squeezed back. He had worried for Remus and Tonks immensely throughout the duration of the war. Tonks.
"Tonks!" Harry gasped out. A new wave of worry crashed over him.
Remus backed up and held him at arm's length, "She's with Arthur and Molly." He laughed, it was a rare sound to get Remus to really laugh, but today what wasn't there to laugh at when it came to good news.
The group descended on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gathering together in a close group, sitting in the comfortable silence of each other's company.
Later on as things really calmed down, Fred found Hermione helping with the reconstruction of the castle.
"Hey, 'Mione." He lifted his wand to help her raise the large chunk of castle she was trying to levitate back to its proper spot.
"Hello, Fred." She managed a small smile. The light was beginning to fade around the castle and a calm clear May night was taking its place.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked once they had achieved placing the chunk back to his proper place.
"Of course, Fred." She moved to the stairs that had had already been cleaned off and sat down. Fred joined the step next to her.
"I know earlier I mentioned something, but Hermione," he turned her head so she would see his eyes when he told her, "I just want to thank you, for what you did today. You didn't have to-"
"Of course I did Fred, a world without you is not one that I would want to live in." She cut him off, her eyes widening at the ludicrous possibility that she did not have to save him.
He was stunned at her words, of course she would have done the same thing for any of them, she was Hermione after all.
"Thank you, Hermione." Was all he could manage to breathe out. He pulled her into a gentle hug. "So brave." He whispered into her hair before breaking the hug. They walked inside together surrounded by the comfortable silence which had fallen after the battle had ceased to meet with the others. All of the remaining people who had stayed to clear up, including McGonagall, pitched sleeping bags and slept out on the quidditch field, which surprisingly remained unscathed by the battle.