Dawn was slowly approaching and barren land and dead bodies greeted them.
Harry, weÕve won!
A flash of dark hair.
And then there five.
Harry, NevilleÕs gone! They killed him! Harry! Listen! Harry, talk to me!
Hermione crouched over a body and stroked a dirty face. ÒYouÕll be fine. Just fine.Ó Gravel crunched beneath most feet.
Dont worry. IÕd rather have died like this than any way else.
And then they came. Tens of them, rushing toward the field, dying with every last step. TheyÕd lost so many.
How happy we have been. How truly happy we have been.
Harry was vaguely aware of dark bruises growing on his left calf.
Harry, RonÕs dead. They got him. Harry, they got him.
More collapsing. Running so fast, he thought he could fly.
I want to be in the Order. I know IÕm not old enough or smart enough or brave enough or whatever excuse youÕre going to give me today.
He could turn around and walk away. He could. He could ignore the tears and falling bodies and weary smiles.
I will die for you. I will die for all of you.
ItÕs over. Now there will be freedom. No great fear and dark shadows looming over the race.
IÕm getting so scared. We canÕt make it out all alive, itÕs impossible.
More than anything, he wanted to take a good long rest. He wanted to go to the shore and dip his toes in the wet sand and pretend like a regular boy.
If thereÕs one thing Ron told me that IÕll always remember, itÕs that he wanted to be great. And he was. He was.
When he got back to the DursleyÕs, he would take a nice long nap and pretend like none of this ever happened.
LetÕs do Ron and Neville proud. Walk out there and show them that we are stronger than they are. Because we love. Because we love.
Harry opened his arms and let Hermione crumble into them.
Did we win or did we lose, Harry? I just canÕt tell.