Disclaimer: All characters, places etc. belong to JK Rowling

Chapter 3 – Repairing Damage

The rest of the time leading up to the memorial service that Friday was spent in preparation and in making repairs to the castle. Those who participated were grateful that they had something constructive they could do to take their minds off the terrible events that had taken place in the past few days.

But even now, after the was had ended, more sorrow found its way into people's lives.

Harry had spent the night in his old dormitory bed. He and Ginny had decided that it was best not to push things too far, especially as the loss of Fred was still too keenly felt by everyone. They still spent as much time with each other as they could and this morning was no different. Harry came down to the common room to find Ginny waiting for him. After a brief hug and kiss to say good morning they linked arms and made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Along the way Harry asked Ginny how the rest of her family felt about their renewed relationship.

"I told mum straight away." Ginny replied. "After you, Ron and Hermione left to see McGonagall, mum cornered me and asked me what was going on between the two of us. I told her that we were back together." She smiled a bit. "Actually I told her we had never really been apart."

Harry smiled as well. "And how did she take it?"

"She seemed happy. She likes you a lot Harry. You know you're like a son to her." Ginny leaned close to him. "She told me that she had always hoped that we would get together. Something about the way we were towards each other right from the day we met."

"Mrs Weasley is definitely observant." Harry mused.

"Oh and she also said that you're forbidden from calling her Mrs Weasley anymore. It's Molly... or mum." Ginny looked at Harry as she said this.

Harry was silent for a second. Mum... he had never really known his own mother... but now here was someone who was willing to give him another chance to be a part of a real family. "Thanks... Thank you."

Ginny smiled but said nothing as there was nothing more really to say on the subject. They had reached the Great Hall anyway so their thoughts now turned to the mass of food that awaited them.

...

Breakfast was quieter than the day before. Harry was thankful that he wasn't cheered and applauded as he entered the hall and he and Ginny took their places. It was almost as if everything was normal and they were all getting ready for the day's classes.

Almost.

As they ate they heard a screech. Harry looked up to see a brown owl drop a letter into Neville's lap. He wondered who would be writing to Neville as his grandmother was sitting opposite him, enduring another of Luna's discourses on Nargles and the five best ways of avoiding them. Suddenly Neville froze, looking at the letter in his hand. He closed his eyes and his whole body shook as tears fell from his eyes. Luna took the letter from his unresisting hand and had no sooner glanced at it when she ran round to his side of the table and put her arms around him. He cried freely as he buried his face into her shoulder. All talk of creatures that may or may not be real was forgotten as Luna gently rocked him back and forth.

Neville's grandmother looked at his letter and gave a short shriek and put her hand over her mouth. She too closed her eyes and started crying. All talk in the hall had ceased as everyone thought and quietly asked each other the same thing.

What's happened?

The letter had fallen on the table next to Ginny. She picked it up, read it and wordlessly handed it to Harry. Harry felt a bit bad about reading other people's private mail but Neville had done so much for him and he wanted to help him if he could.

Dear Mr Longbottom

It is with the greatest sadness that we write to inform you of the death of your parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, at 3.17am today.

I know that there is nothing that can be said to lessen the sorrow that you must now be feeling but you should know that they were in no pain and passed away peacefully in their sleep.

Again please accept our sincerest condolences on your loss.

Hilda Marchdale, Senior Healer, St Mungo's Hospital

Harry put his arms around Ginny to steady himself. He was in shock. Neville's parents? Dead? Of course he knew what had happened to them and how they had been tortured by Death Eaters. He remembered seeing Neville at St Mungo's during his fifth year and how much visiting his parents had meant to him. Harry held Ginny tighter and she put both arms around him and leaned into him. The war was over! All the suffering was supposed to have ended! It felt like a cruel joke. Harry looked over at Neville and caught his eye when he raised his head. An unspoken thought passed between them and Harry knew that he would do everything he could to help Neville. Harry pushed the rest of his breakfast away from him, suddenly not feeling so hungry, and sat there waiting for breakfast time to end.

...

At the end of breakfast Professor McGonagall assigned various tasks to staff and students. Some would help with repairs to the school, some would go down to the village and see if there was any help that could be given there, and some would help with preparations for the upcoming memorial service. By his own request, Harry was one of those in the last category.

As Harry and Ginny were walking back to their house they saw a solitary figure sitting on a ledge gazing out of the window. There was no need to look closely to know who it was.

Neville.

Harry looked at Ginny and she nodded. "Go on Harry. I'll see you later – I've got my own jobs to do." She squeezed his hand and gave him a peck on his cheek and left. Harry watched her go. When she was out of sight Harry went and sat down next to Neville. Neville didn't acknowledge him and he didn't say anything, preferring to let Neville come round on his own. After a few minutes Neville spoke, still not looking at him.

"I should have been expecting it. I mean I knew they would never get better. But it still... it still hurts though. Does it get any easier?"

Harry knew what he meant and decided he couldn't try to comfort Neville with meaningless platitudes. They had both been through too much together. "No it doesn't. I'm sorry."

"But you're ok! You got over it!"

Harry shook his head. "I've never really gotten over any of them. My parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, and now Remus and Tonks and Fred. I see them all the time in my mind and I miss them more than anything." He remembered what Luna had told him after Sirius had died. "Its not like you won't see them again though."

Neville finally looked at him. "What do you mean? They're gone!"

Harry shook his head. "Sirius once told me that the ones who love us never truly leave us. It's hard, Merlin knows it's hard, but eventually you'll come through it." Harry smiled slightly. "And you're not on your own like I was at first. You've got your grandmother at least."

"And Luna." Neville smiled, even though his eyes still had a sadness in them. "She's been really fantastic. Say Harry..." Harry was slightly taken aback at the change in Neville's tone. "When you and Ginny... er... when you... realised... What did you do?"

Harry smiled. He had suspected for some time that Neville had a crush on Luna. "Well I hadn't really planned anything. I'd had feelings for her for months and they just grew until I couldn't stand it anymore, and then, well, you saw what happened in the common room. I just went with the moment."

"Moments are good... I like moments." said a dreamy voice behind them both. Harry turned and saw Luna stood behind them. Neville went bright red. "L-Luna? How long have you been there?"

"Oh a while now. Your grandmother sent me to find you. Personally I think she was worried you'd been kidnapped by Snorkacks. But your conversation was much more interesting."

"H-how much did you hear?" If Neville could have gone any redder he would have been mistaken for one of Professor Sprout's giant tomatoes.

"Not much. Only that you said I was really fantastic and then you asked Harry what he did when he realised he was in love with Ginny. Is there someone you're in love with Neville?" Luna didn't sound like she was teasing him, she was just asking him as if she was asking the time.

Neville worked his mouth a few times but no words came out. "Er... er... we should go find my grandmother..."

"Ok." Luna said. "I hope she's nice by the way. The nasty ones do tend to attract Nargles you know." With that she skipped off. Neville looked at Harry and Harry just shrugged. Neville stood up and went in the direction Luna had just gone. She stopped to let him catch up with her and when he did so she took his hand in hers and off they went again. As they went Harry saw Luna kiss Neville lightly on the cheek.

Luna's probably the most observant of all of us. Harry thought to himself. Then he remembered he was supposed to be writing a speech for the service and helping Professor McGonagall and Kingsley organise some sort of monument.

...

It was late in the evening by the time Harry finally got back to the common room. After seeing Professor McGonagall and Kingsleyand organising what was going to happen at the service Harry had wandered round the castle seeing if there was anywhere he could help.

It had been hard to see the destruction done to a place he had called home for the last seven years. Everywhere he went he remembered running down corridors being late for a lesson, or hiding from Filch behind a suit of armour. He had come across a group of fourth years who were trying to replace a door that had been blasted off its hinges with little success. As soon as they saw him they went silent and gazed up at him as if he was some sort of miracle worker. Harry showed them how to replace the door and they thanked him, still amazed to be near him.

Harry still hadn't written anything for his speech, although he knew he still had time. He smiled grimly. It felt as if he was putting off a piece of difficult homework as he had done more or less since he arrived as a wide-eyed eleven year old child.

He heard the portrait swing open and someone come through. Two seconds later he knew who it was as a pair of arms encircled him and he breathed in the flowery scent from the red hair he knew so well.

"Hi." he said.

"Hi." replied Ginny. Harry turned to look at her. She looked exhausted and was nearly falling asleep. On top of that it looked like she had been crying again.

"How was it?" he asked.

"It was hard." Ginny said. "Not the actual work. That was fine. But seeing it all was hard." The group I was with was doing the corridor near the Room of Requirement. And..." she trailed off, unable to finish. Harry knew what she meant though. That was where Fred had died under a collapsing wall. Harry reached behind him and cupped the back of her head as she leaned her face into his shoulder.

For a while neither of them spoke. Then Ginny broke the silence. "How's Neville?"

"He's not exactly fine but he's getting through it I think. Luna's helping him."

Ginny smiled slightly. "I wouldn't be surprised if those two get together. Neville's always been impressed by her. Knowing him though I bet nothing will happen before they leave Hogwarts."

Harry kept his face straight. "How much do you bet?"

Ginny thought for a moment. "Umm... a sickle."

"Done." Harry grinned and turned to fully face her. "You owe me a sickle. They're together."

"What?"

Harry's grin widened. "Neville was asking me for advice and Luna overheard. When they left she held his hand and kissed him."

Ginny's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. Then she sighed. "Nicely played Harry. Don't think you're not going to pay for that though."

Harry grinned. "Sorry but you walked right into that one."

Ginny poked her tongue out at him and then started to tickle him mercilessly. Harry retaliated by tickling her and soon they were rolling around on the floor, knocking over chairs and making a mess. Harry eventually managed to get on top of Ginny and pin her arms to the ground. He gazed down at her, taking in her every feature.

"What?" Ginny whispered.

"You're beautiful." Harry replied and leaned down to kiss her.

He still hadn't written his speech.

A/N Let me apologise in advance if the quality of chapters goes up and down. Like I said I'm new at this and sometimes the characters just won't do what I want them to and go off on their own way. Many thanks to everyone who's read it so far. I hope you found something in this to interest you and will continue to do so.

Next Chapter: The Memorial Service