Hermiones heart was strangely still as she stepped over a pile of rubble, someone had propped open the fat lady's portrait with a brick, and she was absent from the picture. Hermione climbed through the portrait and into the Gryffindor common room, and felt the breath left her body as she straightened up and saw how unchanged it was. Hogwarts had undergone so much change in the last hours and not only on the surface, with crumbling towers and falling ash; but with the massive amount of death and pain enclosed in the walls.
She stood for a moment, knowing it would never go back to the Hogwarts she had grown up in since she was eleven.
The castle was quiet as Hermione sat in the comfy armchair by the fire, as she looked into the deep orange of the last burning embers, imagining how only hours before a house elf lighting the fire before disappearing down into the kitchens or a different hidden area of the castle. She thought of Ron and his actions to ensure the house elves would be safe and with a jolt, she remembered Fred motionless and pale body, a wave of sickness crashing over her.
For a moment everyone had feared the worst, as Fred disappeared under a pile of bricks as the corridor had exploded, everyone had scrambled throwing bricks off of the pile where they knew him to be. Ron had found him and within seconds his brothers were helping haul him out. His leg was bent at an unnatural angle and Hermione had felt her stomach turn.
He was with Madam pomfree now, surrounded by his family, Ron had pulled her aside and told her that he was going to be ok, before Mr Weasley made another weak attempt of getting everyone up to bed. The Weasleys were adamant on staying and Hermione had decided to give them their space, climbing up to the common room surveying the destruction around her.
She was still staring into the fire, that had all but gone out when the portrait swung open Ginny and Ron climbing in.
Ginny nearly tripped over her own feet as she hurled herself at Hermione who had stood up to meet her, within a moment they were hugging so tightly Hermione wondered if they would ever let go.
When they finally let go they all climbed the stairs to the seventh year's boys dormitory, they all paused in the doorway.
Harry was fast asleep, his jet black hair wet and tousled over his face that was smudged with dirt, she didn't realise she was holding her breath until Harry shifted in the covers slightly bringing them closer to him. Hermione let out a slight breathy laugh as she realised he had fallen asleep in his shoes.
Ron shook his head with a slight grin on his face and made his way to the bed next to Harrys, and started to untie his shoes, Ginny did the same on the bed next to Harry's and Hermione followed suit.
She she peeled off her jeans, caked in dirt and blood and climbed in between the covers.
Hermione Granger fell asleep after the battle of Hogwarts aching bruised and sore, surrounded by people she loved and loved her, feeling completely safe for the first time in years.
