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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 745

All Was Right With The World

She found him, unsurprisingly, on a small, undamaged section of the Quidditch stands. Sitting down beside him, she tucked herself against his side, her head falling on his shoulder.

"Hey," she murmured softly.

"Hey yourself," he replied, leaning his head against the top of hers. "How are you holding up?"

"You stole my line," she teased gently, before she let out a sigh. "I'm still trying to believe this is real."

"You and me both," Harry said.

"It's only been twelve hours. It'll settle in."

"Eleven hours, forty-three minutes. Forty-four minutes."

"Harry—"

"I'm fine, Hermione, I promise. Just… tired. And… really glad it's done."

"I know."

He shifted enough to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "Ever wonder what it would have been like if we'd had a normal school life?"

She snorted. "I don't think I'd know what to do with normal at this point. During my first trip to Gringotts, I certainly never imagined that seven years later I'd be breaking in and escaping on a dragon."

Harry laughed. "I was terrified the first time I went to the bank. I think I even thought, 'Who'd be mad enough to try and rob the place?' We've come a long way since then, huh?"

"We really have. A little peace will be good though, don't you think?"

He nodded, his cheek rubbing against her hair. "How's Ron doing?"

"He's holding it together for his mum and George, I think," she admitted. "He'll be okay, Harry. We all will, eventually. Have you spoken to Ginny yet?"

"Not yet. I just… can't at the moment. I'll speak to her, I will, but not right now. "With Fred, and just everything… I can't."

"Hey, I wasn't reprimanding you," she murmured. "Take all the time you need. And if you don't want—"

"I do. I love her, Hermione. I just… need a minute to realise that we're safe, you know? That she's safe."

"I get it."

"I'm sure you do. Kissed Ron since that rather romantic—?"

She dug her elbow into his side and he laughed even as he winced away from her.

"Not yet, but…" She smiled.

"It's always been him, right?"

"I think so," she admitted. "It just took me a while to realise it, and even longer to admit it."

"We're still young," Harry murmured. "It's so weird, to know I have a life ahead of me. I think that's going to take the longest to sink in, you know? Even before I knew I had to die, I always expected to die. I just hoped I could take him with me."

"I'm still mad at you about that, by the way," she told him. "Running off into the forest without us."

"I did what I had to do."

"I know you did. Ever let me think you're dead like that again though, and I'll curse you to the moon and back."

"Duly noted," he snorted. "Hopefully the next Dark Lord will wait for at least a few generations to pass, though."

"There will always be a next one, won't there?"

"Always," Harry agreed. "But there will always be a counter. Balance, Hermione. Dumbledore was there to face Grindelwald and he won. I faced Voldemort and won."

"Makes you wonder if the next winner won't be the other side."

Harry paused. "This might sound selfish," he said after a moment, "but that's someone else's problem."

"I think we've earned the right to be a little selfish, don't you?"

"I reckon we have, yeah. Did you get any sleep?"

"A little. You?"

"Not really. I thought I'd fall into bed and sleep for thirty hours, but so far, no dice."

"Want me to put a tent up on the pitch?" she offered with a small chuckle. "Maybe we'll feel more at home."

She could feel him shaking with laughter and she sat up to look at him, grinning sheepishly.

"We'll be okay, Hermione. How could I ever have doubted that, when I had you by my side?"

She shook her head. "Always underestimating me."

"I love you," he said, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "You're the best friend I could have ever asked for. Thank you."

"You never have to thank me for being your friend. I always will be."

He nodded. "I know."

"And I love you too. Sap."

"Hey, I died last night, I'm allowed to be a little sappy."

She rolled her eyes and he smiled and for a moment, all was right with the world.