Chapter 2.
As she walked through the corridors Hermione mentally assessed the damage to the castle. It did not look like the same place that they had spent six years of their lives. It looked much like the ruins that she knew the muggle's must see when they approach it. Just as she was turning towards the hospital wing, she saw Professor McGonagall artfully reassembling some suits of armor. "Professor!" She exclaimed.
Minerva McGonagall looked at the best student in her house with the pride and joy of a grandparent. She walked towards her and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you looking well Miss Granger." Though Hermione was not used to this kind of affection from her head of house, she hugged back tightly.
"I'm on my way to get some dittany and a sleeping potion for Harry." She said.
McGonagall's eyes grew wide with fear. "How badly is he hurt?"
"He's going to be ok, he's just got some nasty bruises and such. Plus he's physically exhausted. He's up in the Headmaster's office right now."
"Good that will give him more privacy than the dormitories. All three of you were so incredible. What you did…" A tear came to her eye.
"Don't overexert yourself professor, you have got to be exhausted as well. You dueled with Voldemort! Speaking of which, do you know what has been done with his…umm…body?"
Professor McGonagall looked sadly into Hermione's eyes. "We have taken all of the Death Eater's bodies into one of the empty classrooms and enchanted it so that no one may enter until we decide what to do with them. It was so sad to see them all lying there like that. I taught most of them when they were in school! Bellatrix Black was one of the best students I ever had! Why people go bad, I'll never understand…" At that point she broke down and cried into Hermione's shoulder.
"There there professor. We won't ever understand the power that Voldemort had over them."
"I know, but watching all those young hopeful lives be flushed out before my eyes was too much. I don't know if I'll ever sleep again. Did you hear about Colin Creevy? What will we tell his poor muggle parents?"
Hermione looked at the older witch and understood her pain. If she had died, what would they have told her own parents? How would it feel to lose a child to a cause they hardly understood in a world that was nothing like there own. "I don't know professor, I don't know. But please do try to rest. I'm sure that Madam Pomfrey has plenty of sleeping drafts in the hospital."
"I'll go down there in a bit. I need to finish this hallway first." She tried to smile.
"Thank you professor…for everything." Hermione smiled at her and headed towards the end of the corridor.