A/N – Hi Guys! Thank you so much for your comments of encouragement! And here I bring to you, Chapter 36.1 Chapter 36.1 1st Night's sleep in 7 years.

Harry strode out of Snape's office a smile spread across his face; The Great Battle was finally over. Hermione and Ron followed closely behind, hand in hand, their smiles both equally as wide as Harry's, maybe more for the reason that they had earlier kissed but still excitement rushed through the three of them.The first thing Harry had wanted to do was to go straight up to Gryffindor Tower and fall flat on his four poster bed and catch up on the sleep he had missed out on for the past 7 years. No longer would Voldemort intrude his sleep; No longer would he posses Harry's mind.

Harry longed to speak to Ginny. He thought that this war would go on for years, the searching for the Horcrux would last a lifetime, that there would be no time left to be with Ginny, and that she would move on and forget about him. He thought that there would never be a Harry and Ginny ever again. Harry laughed as he walked along the long corridor leading to the stairs.He had gotten some of his life back, and he was definitely going to make sure Ginny was involved with every last second of it, but first, he needed his rest.

He looked around him at all the portraits that had been ripped and destroyed from the curses. Hogwarts had never looked so terrible. And it would take the teachers and helping parents days to get it all back together, since half of the damage was made from dark magic. Not many people knew, of Harry's age, that once dark magic had hit something, once a dark curse had destroyed something, it was nearly irreversible, but of course Harry knew that.

Harry was sure that he would've seen lots of Death Eaters, Giants, and any other type of Voldemort's followers fallen or dead, but as he didn't see any dead bodies, except for the ones in the Great Hall, he guessed that they had been taken by survivors or some sort of charm had taken their bodies away when Voldemort died.

As he was thinking about this, he suddenly remembered all those who had died for him; His parents, only 16 years ago; Sirius, but 2 years ago; Dumbledore, just a year ago; Mad-Eye, just months ago before Hogwarts had even started for his 7th year; And now on this fateful night, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, his strange but most definitely loyal, magical friend, Dobby and of course his dear pet Owl, Hedwig. Then Harry remembered Snape, a great Wizard. A Wizard he had hated, for a reason not worthy of hatred. Snape had only loved his mother, had only done as he was told by Dumbledore. He had looked after Harry, for his mother.

There would be, Harry knew, plenty more names added to that list, he had just not heard of their sad tales yet.

Harry felt sorry for the Weasley's. He had felt awful, when he was earlier watching Mrs. Weasley's anger roar out of her as Bellatrix tried attacking her daughter. She could not bear to lose another child. Though she had gotten one of her children back, nothing could compensate for the loss of Fred. The reminder of his joyous face forever will be echoed on George's. Or would George never have the same smile he shared with his brother again?

A tear escaped from Harry's eyes as he remembered what Fred's face had looked like when he had died. His laugh, his well-known happy laugh echoed on his face... the last time it would ever be seen again. Harry closed his eyes and punched the wall. Harry knew that Ron and Hermione had stopped from the high pitch shriek from Hermione and the echoing of Ron stumbling backwards.

'What's up mate?' Ron said a little shaken. 'Is your scar hurting?'

'Don't be so stupid Ron!' Hermione murmured, walking towards Harry, 'Voldemort can't touch Harry anymore. Not in any way. He's gone.' She placed her hand on Harry's shoulder and brought his whole body round to face her. 'He's just upset. A lot of people have died toni-' Hermione stopped and turned to Ron as she realised what she had just said.

'I'm going to go to Mum and Dad. See how they are ...' Ron smiled reassuringly to Hermione.

'Go with him, Hermione,' Harry whispered as he looked past her and saw Ginny. 'He's going to need you right about now.'

'Are you sure? I mean I can't just leave you here on your own!' Hermione proclaimed. 'I-'

'He wouldn't be on his own.' Came a soft voice from behind Hermione, which Harry recognised as Ginny's. 'I need to talk to him, Hermione. Besides, Ron's sat down round that corner crying his eyes out. He's scared of seeing any of his family. He need's you, Hermione.'

Hermione turned to Ginny immediately, hugged her and whispered, 'I'm glad you made it,' squeezing her slightly.

Ginny let out a nervous laugh and wiped away the tear she was so desperately trying to keep inside. Hermione ran off down the stairs not looking back, both Harry and Ginny watching her go until she was out of sight, and only then did Ginny look at Harry's tear stained face, and she knew that more tears were about to flee his deep green eyes. She could tell that from the last time she looked into them they had turned greener and deeper, less worry and hatred was in his eyes. She assumed that that was the part of Voldemort that Harry had so often seen in himself.

They both stood there a moment looking at each other. Analyzing each other, as so they were two completely different species never to have set eyes on each other before. Harry had longed for the moment he could hold her and not let go until he felt necessary. He had longed for the day he could say, 'She's mine.'.

So he took that day as today and he grabbed her tightly around the waist and pulled her up close to him, more tears came flying from his eyes, 'Be mine, Ginny?' He whispered down her ear trying to swallow his tears.

Ginny swung her arms around his neck and held on even tighter.

'Forever.' She cried, her voice so shaky, Harry knew she was crying too.

He couldn't imagine what she was going through right now, with the loss of her brother, but he just wanted her to know that he was sorry he'd caused all of this and he was sorry he'd but her through so much pain.

'I'm so sorry... I'm so.. so-' Harry cried.

'I know. Hush, I know!' She said holding him tighter.

He pulled away and looked at her. He wanted to take in every little detail in her face. He held her soft cheeks with his rough cold hands and then directed her face towards his, only closing his eyes when his lips touched hers. This moment, this very moment, he had been waiting for, for nearly a year, and now he had her.

Ginny finished the kiss to come up for air, gasping for breath. 'You should go and rest Harry, you need it.'

'I want to stay here with you! I want to be with you.' Harry whispered to her, his forehead resting against hers.

'Harry, we've got the rest of our lives.' Ginny smiled wiping his tears.

Harry smiled at the thought of the rest of his life with the beautiful red-headed girl that stood before him. He'd never seen it before, but she reminded him very much of his mother. Beautiful, flame-like, flowing red hair. The same courage his mother had. Two great Witches, who risked their lives for Harry. But Ginny need never do it again, for he would protect her.

In those few moments Harry was staring at her she had whispered good bye and skipped down the steps, something new in her life for her to look forward to.

Harry carried on up the stairs until he came to wear the fat lady was supposed to be stood in her portrait, but had flee to another portrait to celebrate the fall of the Dark Lord. He climbed through the portrait and carried on through to the common room. He looked around; nothing seemed to have been disturbed by anybody or anything. But before Harry could even reach his bed he had collapsed on the sofa in front of the fire and fallen asleep into a Voldemort-free dream.

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