Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Bon Jovi

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Chapter 54: Dry County

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Harry could feel his body spread out along the ground, his head gently cradled in someone's lap. He didn't feel pain, he didn't even feel numb, instead he felt strangely light.

Cracking his eyes open he was met by a blinding white light before he focused on the angelic face above him. She had fiery red hair, slightly deeper than Ginny's, and piercing green eyes.

"Mum?" Harry half whispered.

Lily smiled down at him. "Close your eyes sweetheart," she said softly.

"Harry come on mate…breathe."

Harry didn't know why Sirius was in heaven and right now he just wanted to be left alone with his mum.

"Mum?" he whispered again.

"Harry?"

He cracked his eyes open to gaze up at his mum again, only her eyes had changed from green to hazel. Frowning slightly Harry became more aware of the voices around him.

"Harry…come on Harry. I can't lose you too."

"Hermione?"

"Oh thank Merlin," he heard Hermione exclaim from somewhere to his left.

He glanced back up at the redhead and shakily raised a dirty hand to her face.

"Ginny?"

Ginny nodded as his fingers lightly brushed away her tears.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly.

"Tired," he whispered closing his eyes. "Sirius?"

"I'm here mate. We're going to get you to the hospital wing ok? You can sleep for as long as you want."

"It's over?"

He could almost see the small grin on Sirius' face.

"It's over Harry," he confirmed.

The warmth on either side of Harry disappeared as Sirius and Hermione rose. Sirius saw his Godson shiver slightly and he removed his outer robe and gently laid it over him.

"Look after him Ginny we'll be back soon," Sirius said placing his hand on her head.

Ginny nodded, her gaze not leaving Harry's face.

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Sirius looked around in search of his friend. He hadn't seen Remus since the start of the battle and was beginning to worry.

"SIRIUS!"

Sirius and Hermione turned to the sound of Tonks' voice.

"I can't find him!" she said, clearly beginning to panic.

"It's ok, we'll find him, we just have to split up," he answered laying a reassuring hand on his cousins shoulder. He met Hermione's eyes and she nodded, heading out in search of Remus.

Sirius pointed Tonks in a different direction. "Go look over there, I'll look in the middle."

Tonks nodded numbly, determination set in her features as she walked briskly over to where Sirius had pointed.

Taking a deep breath Sirius turned to the centre of the battle field.

"You better be alive Moony, or I swear I'll kill your werewolf ass."

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Tonks searched desperately for Remus, she was cold, wet and tired. A numbness settled over her masking the pain of her various injuries.

"Where are you Remus?" she whispered to herself.

There were bodies everywhere, the wounded were crying out for help but Tonks' violet eyes were searching for the familiar face of the werewolf.

Then she saw him.

He was on his side, his left arm draped over his face.

A strangled cry escaped her lips as she rushed to his side. Sinking down beside him she gently rolled him onto his back. His face was covered in mud and blood.

Stifling a sob she gently wiped away the muck from his graceful features.

"Remus," she whispered. "Come on. Wake up."

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Medi-wizards were running around everywhere as Sirius searched for his old school mate.

"The cavalry has arrived," he muttered to himself as bands of Aurors surveyed the scene.

"Time of death…"

Sirius glanced down at the medi-wizard hovering over a deceased civilian who'd sacrificed his life for the greater good.

"…Eleven twenty two pm/"

'Merlin,' Sirius thought, 'its not even midnight yet.'

He heard Tonks' cry and spun around just as she sunk to the ground. Looking over his shoulder he could see Hermione already running in her direction. Not waiting for his fiancée to catch up Sirius took off in the direction of Tonks.

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Tonks' hands ran along Remus' prone form looking for a sign of an injury. Along his left side she felt warm thick moisture through his robes. Sobbing she pulled them back and let out another strangled cry as she stared at his wound.

Sirius sunk down on the other side of Remus, quickly assessing the situation. Remus was unconscious but breathing faintly. His eyes strayed to where Tonks was trying to stop the bleeding. Pulling back her hands Sirius paled and his eyes widened.

It wasn't a normal stab wound, the skin around the edge looked like it had been burnt giving it a black tinge.

"Silver," he gasped out.

"Silver?" Tonks asked in disbelief.

Sirius heard Hermione's footsteps and turned to meet her, standing up he grabbed her shoulders. "Water, we need water now!"

Hermione nodded and took off again before coming to a halt and turning back, grabbing a piece of cloth from the ground she transfigured it into a deep bowl. Kneeling down next to Sirius she prepared for a water spell.

"Hot or cold?" she asked quickly.

"Cold, it's to cool him down, the silver's entered his blood stream; he's beginning to react to it," Sirius was busy trying to clean the wound on Remus' side as Tonks attempted to help him. "He'll break out into a fever soon."

Hermione tore a piece of cloth from her dress robes that were already torn to shreds and dipped it in the water and began to wipe down Remus' face until Sirius stilled her hand with his.

"No," he said shaking his head. "I need you with me, switch with Tonks."

Hermione nodded and switched places with the shaky Auror, kneeling down opposite Sirius.

"Oh my god," she breathed as she took in his wound. "We need to cleanse his blood."

Sirius shook his head. "Not yet, we need the wound cleaned and healed first. Only then can we start the proper spell."

Hermione nodded in understanding, helping Sirius to clean the wound, pieces of the burnt flesh coming away with the cloths they were using.

Hermione wiped away the tears quickly as she tried to help Sirius as fast as possible; the seeping wound making their task difficult.

Sirius gritted his teeth. "Don't you do this to me Moony," he pulled back the cloth and quickly preformed a healing spell. Most of the wound healed, it wasn't the best but it wasn't bleeding anymore.

"Right," Sirius said grabbing his wand again. "This is where I'm going to need your help," he said to Hermione who nodded, her wand ready in her hand. "You know what to do?" Hermione nodded again and they took half of Remus each. Soft gold light emitting from their wands as they hovered them slowly along Remus' prone form as his blood was slowly cleansed

Remus took a sharp intake of breath as the pain reached, him his amber eyes opening slightly.

"Remus?"

"Nymph," Remus whispered. "C-cold."

Tonks shook her head cupping his face with her hands. "It's just the spell sweetheart, it won't be long now."

Remus brought his hand up to hers. "I'm so tired Tonks," he whispered closing his eyes again as he slipped out of consciousness.

"No no no no no no no no. Remus. Stay with me now," Tonks cried desperately. "I need you…I love you." But Remus had already fallen unconscious.

The light from Hermione's and Sirius' wands slowly began to fade as the spell was completed.

Tonks looked up at the pair fear in her eyes.

"We've done all we can, he's strong Tonks, he'll make it," Sirius tried to sound reassuring but Hermione picked up the underlying anxiousness in his tone.

Remus shivered in the cold and Sirius preformed a warming charm as Tonks draped her robes over him.

"We need to get him inside," Sirius said gently picking Remus up in his arms and heading for the castle, Tonks following quickly behind.

Hermione moved to follow when a blonde head under the tree by the cliff caught her eye. "I'll be up soon," she called to Sirius who nodded and entered the castle.

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Draco watched as Hermione approached him. He swung his cold gaze over the lake and stared at the stars reflecting in the eerie calm waters.

Hermione stopped in front of him and he looked up at her face. She wasn't looking at him; she was looking at the body of his father. She didn't say anything just moved and sat down beside Draco, leaning up against the base of the tree, waiting for him to speak first.

"He tried to curse me," Draco said quietly. "His wand was broken," he swung his steely eyes to meet Hermione's. "He tried to kill me, his own son, and it backfired. He killed himself," Draco sobbed, breaking down in tears.

Hermione didn't know what to say, so she did what she would have wanted done for her.

She pulled the Slytherin into a warm hug.

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Tonks sat at Remus' side in the hospital wing, Sirius moving backwards and forwards between his godson and best friend, anxious for the both of them.

"Sirius?"

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief as Hermione's parents entered the room. "Thank Merlin," he whispered as he pulled Hermione' mum into hug. "Hermione was so worried about you."

"Where is she?" her mum asked fearfully.

"She's still outside, she'll be in soon. There was someone she needed to help."

The Grangers nodded Hermione's mum sweeping her gaze down Sirius. "My dear have you seen a doctor?"

Sirius was too tired to correct the mistake and warily shook his head. "The medi-witches are busy, there's more important people to look after."

This was true, the hospital wing was a bustle of activity beds being transfigured in the middle of the hallways outside to accommodate for the incoming patients.

Hermione walked in the room and cried out when she saw her parents, running into their embrace as she held onto them tightly, apologizing over and over again for failing to protect them.

"It's not your fault buttercup," her father said holding his daughter close. "It's not your fault."

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Sirius and Hermione were resting in Madame Pomfrey's office. Hermione had seen her parents off to the safety of their home and the couple finally took the time to just be together, something they hadn't been able to do since the start of the battle.

Sirius held Hermione close as they lay there, still dressed in their filthy robes, too exhausted to even think of having a shower. A medi-witch had seen to their injuries and both were covered in numerous bandages. Hermione with her leg wrapped in a splint. She'd been told there was a small break in her tibia, which surprised Hermione as she'd been running on it most of the night.

"I don't want the morning to come," Hermione whispered.

"Why's that love?" Sirius asked, idly playing with her wayward curls.

"Because we'll know our losses," she answered quietly. "I don't want to know."

"Neither do I," Sirius replied giving her a light kiss on the temple. "Neither do I."

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Unfortunately for Sirius and Hermione the morning did arrive, picking themselves up from Madame Pomfrey's small cot they made their way out into the hospital wing. Harry was propped up talking quietly to Ginny. He sent Sirius and Hermione a small smile as they made their way over to Remus and Tonks.

Tonks had her head rested on her arms on the side of Remus' bed, fatigue finally taking its toll as she grabbed a moments rest.

Sirius checked Remus. He was still unconscious but his fever had subsided slightly, giving room for a small amount of hope. Very few werewolves had been stabbed with a silver blade and lived to tell the tale.

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Hermione and Sirius viewed the destruction of the previous night, they felt oddly in place as they stood there with their injuries and clothing from the night before. The front of the castle stood with gaping holes in it, blast marks encircling each ugly scar.

The recovery team had begun to line the dead up in the foyer of the Entrance Hall for identification before they were taken to the morgue at St Mungos. The dead Death Eaters were lined up outside, they would be identified and taken to the morgue last.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sirius asked, bending down to whisper in Hermione's ear.

Hermione nodded and quietly made her way through the weeping wizards and witches to start at the beginning of the line of bodies.

Taking a deep breath Hermione closed her eyes to prepare herself. She and Sirius had volunteered to identify the Order members and Gryffindor students they had known. They were the only two that didn't have family in the Order that was unaccounted for. It was easier this way.

Or so Hermione thought.

She felt Sirius squeeze her hand and she opened her chocolate eyes and gave another nod, this time to the young medi-wizard taking the pair through.

The first five were unrecognisable to Hermione and Sirius.

Some one else's father, brother, son.

Someone else's mother, sister, daughter.

Hermione let out a shaky breath as she stared down at the pale face of Neville Longbottom, his eyes closed in permanent sleep. This one didn't surprise Hermione as she'd seen Neville fall, but it didn't hurt any less.

"Neville Longbottom," she heard Sirius mutter quietly, the medi-wizard, who had introduced himself as Bryan, wrote the name next to the identification number.

Moving on Hermione became accustomed to unrecognisable faces. One after the other as they made their way down the ever increasing line of the dead.

Sirius had to steady Hermione as her knees grew week at the sight of a tuff of red hair poking out the top of one of the sheets. Nodding to Bryan Sirius held Hermione close.

"Dear Merlin," he whispered. "George Weasley."

He looked to Hermione for clarification, tears streaming down her face she nodded, pointing to the slight scar down the left side of his cheek.

"He got this last year when the twins learnt that Ginny's temper was as colourful as Molly's."

Bryan recorded the name and they moved on.

Lavender Brown.

Kingsley Shaklebolt.

Colin Creevey.

Hestia Jones.

Sirius looked at Hermione his face full of concern as they neared the end of the line. She was significantly paler than she was at the beginning of….of….Sirius couldn't even fathom the significance of what they were doing, but was immensely glad the likes of Molly didn't have to endure it.

Mad-eye Moody.

Penelope Clearwater.

Hermione started to breath easier as they came up to the last three in the line. The odds of knowing all three were slim, God, Merlin…whoever…someone up there had to give them some respite from the pain. But the Gods weren't smiling down today.

Third to the end revealed Charlie Weasley.

"Merlin help Molly and Arthur," Sirius murmured. They'd lost Ron, Bill was still missing, George and now Charlie. Their family had just been carved in two.

Second to the end was Fleur Delacour. Hermione hadn't cared much for the blonde witch but she was still an Order member who had sacrificed herself.

Hermione caught Sirius' eyes as they reached the last in the line, Bryan pulling back the pale white sheet.

Sirius sunk to his knees with a cry of disbelief.

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Madame Pomfrey stared down at the pale face of the Headmaster. He was in a coma, though she was surprised he wasn't dead with the amount of stunners that had hit him.

"Oh Albus, why didn't they just kill you?" she asked quietly, confused by the act of the young Death Eaters.

"He was more of a threat to Voldemort dead than alive."

The school nurse turned around to see Hu standing slightly behind her. Locks of his long hair had escaped his ponytail and he, like many others, was supporting a great amount of bandages, his wand arm held tightly in a sling.

"What…what do you mean?"

Hu smiled slightly. "He is a very wise wizard, he would have planned something in case of his death, something to assist young Harry. Voldemort would have known this, which would have explained all the stunners rather than a single killing curse."

Madame Pomfrey stared in shock at the Chinese wizard who gave her a light smile before glancing at Dumbledore once more and leaving the room.

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Tonks stared at the pale figure on the bed in front of her. Remus looked five years older than he did the day before, his skin was clammy with the receding fever, his eyes lined with deep blue-black circles and his hair greyer than it had ever been before.

But Tonks didn't care. All she wanted was to see his bright amber eyes open. She wanted him to whisper her name, either one, just to hear the sound of his voice. She wanted to feel his hands cup her face, his elegant fingers to wipe away her tears, his words to banish her pain.

Most of all she wanted to tell him that she loved him again without him falling unconscious on her.

If she had torn her gaze from Remus' face she would have seen Ginny falling asleep on the chair next to Harry's bed as he slept, she would have seen Molly sleeping on a nearby couch, placed next to Fred's bed, beside her husband. But most importantly she would have seen Hermione and Sirius step puffy eyed into the room, standing quietly just inside the doorway waiting for someone to acknowledge their presence.

"Sirius?" Arthur queried from the couch.

Everyone that was awake turned to the pair, they all knew where and what Sirius and Hermione had been doing, and taking in their appearance the news wasn't good.

"Uhhh," Sirius looked around the room, he didn't know where to start, raking a hand nervously through his matted hair he stepped further into the room. "Merlin, how am I supposed to do this?"

"Just tell us Sirius," Molly had woken and was staring wide eyed at the couple.

Sirius started with the names of the Order members or students that weren't directly related to anyone else in the private room. He paused when he reached the hard part.

"Um,"

"George." Hermione whispered from his side.

Fred visibly paled. "G-george…my George?" he asked his voice trembling.

Sirius' and Hermione's eyes confirmed this and Fred looked to his parents in a panic. Immediately they were on either side of his bed, comforting him the best they could as Ginny stood and tearfully joined her family.

Arthur looked up at Sirius and Hermione who were still watching the group sadly.

"Who else?" he asked knowingly.

Hermione sobbed, tears streaming down her face when she answered. "Charlie."

"Charlie?" Molly whispered to no one in particular.

Sirius had Hermione's had gripped tightly in his own and for once was glad he didn't yet have a large family.

Family.

He turned around to face Tonks who was staring sadly at the Weasley's across the room, silent tears streaking down her heart shaped face, her long black hair draped carelessly over her shoulders.

Sirius moved over to her and crouched down next to her, it wasn't until he placed his hand over hers did she look down.

"Sirius?" she asked staring into his soft grey eyes, confused at the pain she was seeing.

"I'm sorry Dora," he whispered.

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes as he said the childhood nickname he'd bestowed upon her

"Mum?" she asked quietly.

Sirius nodded and pulled his cousin into an embrace as she sobbed uncontrollably in his arms.

Hermione moved over to Harry who was now wide awake, staring around the room with slight confusion in his eyes. Hermione sat down beside him and quietly recounted what she and Sirius had just told the room.

Remus slept on.

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A week passed slowly. People mourned. People healed. People repaired.

And Remus slowly showed signs of improvement.

Everyone else in the room had been discharged. The Weasley's returned to the Burrow. Harry was offered to stay in the room off Sirius and Hermione's chambers, but he declined, instead he set up camp with Tonks, Sirius and Hermione around Remus' bed.

Tonks stared out of the window at the bright blue sky. Summer had arrived. It was supposed to be a time of holidays. Of happiness.

She had left Remus' side for no more than thirty minutes to send her father an owl requesting he come to Hogwarts. She wanted to tell him in person about her mum…his wife…but couldn't pull herself to leave Remus to go home to break the news to Ted Tonks. So he'd come, they'd wept, they'd mourned, he'd gone, leaving Tonks promising she'd come visit once Remus was awake.

She didn't even know she'd been crying until a soft hand brushed away her tears.

Gasping she turned back around to face the bed. "Remus?" she asked, her hand moving to the one on her face.

Remus smiled softly, his eyes only open a fraction as they grew accustomed to the bright light of the room.

"Hello" Remus greeted quietly, his voice raspy with disuse.

"Hi," Tonks replied with a giddy grin. "How are you feeling?" Wait…that wasn't supposed to come out like that…that was supposed to be 'I love you' Tonks frowned as her voice betrayed her brain.

"A little sore," he answered, breaking eye contact for the first time to gaze around at the others, all fast asleep. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked bringing his amber eyes back to her violet ones.

"Seven days," Tonks replied, lifting herself up out of her chair and sitting on the side of his bed. "I was so worried you wouldn't wake up."

Remus didn't say anything as he brought his hand up to wipe fresh tears from Tonks' face. That was it.

Tonks lost it.

For the umpteenth time that week her water works were tested as tears fell down her face.

Remus pulled her down to him in a tight embrace.

"It's ok," he soothed. "I'm awake now."

"You were so -hic- sick," Tonks wept into his shoulder. "If Sirius and Hermione hadn't known what to do…I…I"

"Shhhh, it's ok now."

"Remus?" Tonks asked looking up.

"What is it?" he queried bring both hands up this time to wipe away the moisture from her cheeks.

Tonks smiled at him, the first true smile since they'd had their argument. "I love you," she whispered.

Remus smile and brought her face down to meet her lips in a soft kiss. "I love you too," he replied.

"I hate to be the one to interrupt this moment, but I for one am glad to see you're awake Moony."

"Don't be daft Padfoot, you love to be the one to interrupt," Remus replied quietly, his voice still not used to being used.

Sirius grinned and didn't argue Remus' point as he rubbed the back of his head where Hermione had hit him for interrupting his moment with Tonks. A gleam in his eyes Sirius turned to Hermione.

"Oh no you don't," she started knowing exactly what he was going to say. "It was that moment out on the field, you know that they had a connection then even if it was only for a few moments."

Everyone else in the room looked at the couple confused.

"Fine," Sirius agreed with a grin. "But it was still after graduation."

"No, it was before midnight, which was the day of graduation. It still counts." Hermione returned the confident grin he'd just given her.

"No, you said before graduation, as in when the ceremony finished."

"I didn't specify that, I only said before graduation."

"You should have been more specific."

"I didn't need to be, graduation day hadn't finished, therefore I win" Hermione finished with a triumphant grin.

"But the actual graduation had, therefore I win," Sirius replied, mimicking Hermione's smile.

"I don't think so."

"I do."

"You just don't like to lose."

"No, I just don't fancy throwing myself off a bridge."

"Um, Sirius…Hermione?"

"What?" They both asked simultaneously, turning to the sound of Remus' voice, amusement evident on his features as Tonks and Harry tried to contain their laughter.

"Do you mind enlightening us on…" he waved his hand between the two in question.

Tonks had already cottoned on though, her eyes gleaming. "Don't tell us you had a bet."

Sirius and Hermione nodded, trying to avoid eye contact with either of the two on the bed.

"What?" Remus asked, confused before he narrowed his eyes at Sirius. "You…you had a bet on Tonks and I?"

Sirius grinned. "Well Hermione here though she noticed something when she came back, some sort of chemistry between the two of you. Personally I thought she was nutters and thought I'd raise the stakes."

"So you bet on if we'd get together?" Remus asked a little surprised at Hermione's observation.

"Not if, when," Hermione corrected. "I said you'd get together before graduation, Sirius didn't think you'd actually get together till a few weeks ago, which is why he probably tried to stall you Remus."

"I wondered why you were doing that," Remus said thoughtfully glancing at Sirius. "So your little argument…thing…was because?"

"Well you'd already told us how you felt about Tonks," Hermione answered. "And Tonks told you last week."

"She did?" Remus asked puzzled, glancing at the witch that had snuggled down in his arms.

"You bloody well fell unconscious on me," she answered with a grin.

"So we took it from then," Hermione finished. "The only problem is the little disagreement on the wording of the bet."

"Err, what is it exactly that you have to do?" Harry asked bemused, speaking up for the first time.

"Bungy jump," Sirius mumbled.

Tonks' eyes lit up. "Bungy jump? I've always wanted to do that."

"That does not surprise me," Sirius and Remus both commented at the same time.

"There is no way I'm throwing myself off a bridge when I didn't technically lose the bet," Sirius stated stubbornly.

"Technically Hermione didn't lose either," Harry pointed out.

Remus got a mischievous gleam in his amber eyes as he stared at his two friends.

"I think I have a solution to the problem."

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Remus sat staring in shock at Harry who'd just recounted the final battle to him.

"Wow," he murmured.

Hermione was staring at Harry strangely.

"What?" he asked her.

Frowning she answered. "But you can't apparate in Hogwarts grounds, it's in Hogwarts: A History"

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