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Chapter Forty-Eight

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It was over. The Final Battle was over. Pepper had found her clone and the tugging pictures at the back of her mind were gone. The Prophecy had been fulfilled.

Pepper got to her feet, breathing heavily, and stumbled over to Harry, who was lying facedown in the moldy wooden floorboards. She saw that Ron was attending to Hermione, but there wasn't much else she could see through the thick smoke. "Harry," she gasped, clutching her own bleeding and broken arm. She kneeled over him and tried to roll him onto his back. He groaned and rolled over. Pepper breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god you're alive, Harry," she said. She brushed a bloody clump of hair from her face.

He looked terrible. His glasses had gone missing; his eye was black and purple. There was blood clotted in his hair and on his face. It appeared the lightning bolt scar on his forehead had split open. His lip was split, as well. His clothes were torn and his leg was twisted under his body.

"Harry?" Pepper touched the side of his face gently with her unbroken hand. His eyes fluttered open. "Hey," Pepper smiled.

"Hey," Harry croaked. "Is it over?"

"Yes," Pepper beamed. "It's over. Voldemort's dead. The Source is dead. The Death Eaters are all either dead or have been taken away. The demons are gone." Her face fell a little as she recalled the people fighting with her that she had seen fall.

"Who died on our side?" Harry asked, reading Pepper's mind.

"I couldn't really see anyone properly," Pepper said slowly. "I think I saw… Professor Ardel…I think he died. I-I'm not really sure of who else. Look, we'd better get back to Hogwarts. I think all of the survivors need to go to the Hospital Wing. Or to St. Mungo's."

"Let's see who else is here before we leave," Harry suggested.

"Why don't I do that, Harry, it looks like your leg is broken," said Pepper. "I'll get Ron to help me, he's right over there." Pepper looked over to where Ron was squatted over Hermione. "Hey Ron," she called. "Is Hermione alright?"

Ron looked up when he heard Pepper's voice. "She's unconscious," he replied. "Pepper, can you Mirror her back to Hogwarts? I want to see who else is alive."

"Yea, I'll take Harry back, too," Pepper said. "But he can't move, I don't think. His leg's broken."

"I'll carry Hermione over, then," said Ron. He was bloodied a fair bit himself, though none of his bones appeared to be broken, as he lifted a limp Hermione up and carried her over to Pepper.

"I'll be back at Hogwarts as soon as I can," Ron told Pepper.

"D'you want me to come back and help you?" Pepper asked.

"No, the three of you need immediate medical attention," Ron ordered. "I'll find someone who can Apparate or orb me back or something."

"Are you sure?" Pepper wondered again. Ron nodded. "Thanks Ron," she smiled, before closing her eyes, picturing the Hospital Wing, and Mirroring out of the room.

There were already a few people in the hospital when they arrived. Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, trying to care for everyone at once. Stinging pains shot through her arm and blood dripped from her head wound as Pepper helped Harry and Hermione to two empty beds. She found a third bed and as soon as she lay down, the world became black.

"I wish she'd wake up soon…"

"I want her to see the baby!"

Pepper groggily came to her senses and opened her eyes, finding her Aunt Paige and Aunt Phoebe looming over her.

"Ah, Pepper, you're awake!" Phoebe exclaimed softly; she didn't want to wake any of the sleeping people that filled the Hospital Wing.

"Do you feel well enough to go to St. Mungo's?" Paige asked. "Piper's had the baby!"

Once she registered what was just said, Pepper shot straight up in her bed and the room spun. Clutching her head, she said, "Well let's go! I want to see little Prudence Melinda!"

Phoebe and Paige exchanged uneasy glances. "Well actually—" Paige began, but Phoebe cut her off. "Let's just go!"

After attaining Madam Pomfrey's hurried permission and warning that Pepper had better come back soon, the trio Flooed to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Hurrying to the maternity ward, they found Piper up and holding her baby, who was dressed in blue.

"Hey, Aunt Piper, how are you feeling?" Pepper asked, kissing her aunt on the forehead. Leo was sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed.

"Perfectly fine," Piper replied. "He came out in only a few hours."

"That's good…wait, he?" said Pepper, confused.

"Yes, it's a boy," Piper replied. She still seemed surprised herself.

Pepper sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed her nephew's little foot. "Have you named him yet?" she asked.

"No," said Leo. "We never thought it would be a boy, so we didn't really think of any boy names. All we know is that his last name is going to be Halliwell, not Wyatt."

Pepper nodded, and then suddenly became dizzy. She wavered where she sat.

"We'd better get you back to the Hospital Wing, Pep," Phoebe said, grabbing Pepper's arm. "We don't want you passing out. You fought really well, by the way."

"Thanks," Pepper smiled, before the room spun again. Before she knew it, she was back in her hospital bed, under the care of Madam Pomfrey.

The next time she awoke, the Hospital Wing was emptier and Ron was sitting in a chair a few beds away, his back turned. There was a large pile of sweets on a stand at the foot of her bed.

When he heard the creak of a bed frame, Ron turned around to find Pepper sitting up, looking considerably better than she had when he'd awoken yesterday. "Feeling better, Pepper?" he asked.

She rubbed her eyes. "Much better, thanks," she replied. "I take it you're all fixed up."

"Yep," Ron grinned. Pepper saw that he had a scar on his right cheek. "I woke up really early this morning after getting a good rest of, I think Madam Pomfrey said it was a good day, so I'm all right."

"So it's only been two days since the battle?" said Pepper.

"Yea," Ron replied, nodding. "It was Saturday night, and it's Monday afternoon."

"Are Harry and Hermione up yet?" Pepper wondered.

"Nope," said Ron."But Madam Pomfrey said that they'd be fine. They just got more banged up than we did."

"D'you…d'you know who died?" Pepper asked cautiously.

Ron sighed. "Surprisingly, we didn't loose too many people. From the Order we lost Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Emmeline Vance, Professor Ardel and Mad-Eye Moody died protecting Harry."

"I didn't really know any of them except Professor Ardel," Pepper stated. "It seems we're lucky that no one in our families died."

"Very lucky," said Ron, before Madam Pomfrey swooped over and shoved a spoon of foul-tasting medicine down an unsuspecting Pepper's throat.

"That's to finish the healing," she explained. "Now you are free to go. I've heard that your aunts and uncle are still residing in the East Tower."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Pepper choked out, coughing from the medicine.

The medi-witch waved her wand at the pile of candy by Pepper's bed and it all disappeared. "You'll find it all on your bed in Gryffindor Tower," Madam Pomfrey

But Pepper didn't leave. She got out of the bed in her hospital-given pajamas and walked over to the bed Ron was sitting next to, which Hermione was lying in. She was still unconscious but her eyelids were fluttering, so Pepper suspected she was merely sleeping.

"Has she woken up yet?" she asked Ron, putting a hand on his shoulder as the two of them gazed down at Hermione's restless face.

"This morning she had her eyes open for a few seconds, but that's it," said Ron, sighing. "She didn't say anything.

"What about Harry?" Pepper wondered, looking around at the array of beds for his familiar face.

"He hasn't woken up at all. Madam Pomfrey said he had some internal bleeding," Ron responded as Pepper made her way around the room. She finally found Harry's bed and sat on the edge of it.

He looked to be healed except for the very pained expression on his face and the way his scar had changed. The lightening bolt adorning his forehead had grown much darker and wider. The sheets on his bed were tangled in his limbs; he was not resting peacefully, that much was certain. His hand was resting on the edge of the mattress and Pepper grabbed it, rubbing her thumb across his knuckles.

As she glanced around the room again, still holding Harry's hand lightly, Pepper found that most of the beds had a pile of sweets on a table at the end. She smiled. It was good to know that what happened a few days ago was appreciated.

Pepper squeezed Harry's hand before getting up and going back over to Ron. "Hey Ron, I'm going to go and see my aunts, maybe get dinner or lunch or whatever meal it is they're having soon. Would you like to come? You look famished."

Ron looked at Hermione then up at Pepper. He shrugged. "Sure, why not," he said. "I didn't have breakfast this morning and I'd like to see the baby again. Your aunts brought him in this morning to check up on you."

"Ah," Pepper said. "Then let's get going."

The hallways were quiet as they made their way to the Charmed Ones' tower, and Pepper and Ron were silent as well. Pepper wondered if exams were being taken and she was going to have to make them up.

"You know, Pepper, I'm really glad you came to Hogwarts this year," said Ron quietly.

"Thanks Ron," Pepper smiled. "I'm glad I did too."

They got quiet again, but it was only a few minutes before Ron said, "Harry really fancies you, you know."

All Pepper could think of to say was, "Oh."

It was clear that Ron was waiting for Pepper to say something more constructive than two letters. He pushed her answer along a bit, though Pepper had no intention of responding to him. "You really fancy him as well, right?" said Ron, looking straight ahead and not towards Pepper at all.

"Er…" Pepper thought about this for a moment. She thought she still had romantic feelings for Harry, but she knew they weren't as strong as they were towards the beginning of the school year. She wasn't sure if she fancied him enough to date him again. "Honestly Ron, I don't think so."

She glanced over at Ron's profile and he didn't try to hide his disappointment with her answer. "I mean, I like him, but not that much…I don't think," she continued. "And there are a few things I want to clarify before I sort out my feelings about Harry."

When they arrived at the portrait they were headed for, Pepper knocked. Phoebe answered the knock, almost crushing Pepper with her welcome hug. She gave Ron a hug as well. "Pepper, Ron, it's so great to know you're okay!" She looked around them into the corridor. "Are Hermione and Harry here?"

"No, they still haven't woken up," replied Ron.

"But Madam Pomfrey said that they'll both be perfectly alright," Pepper added quickly to reassure her aunt, Ron and herself.

"That's good. Well, come in, come in," Phoebe said, stepping aside so they could enter the tower.

Piper and Leo were sitting on the couch, playing with the baby on Piper's lap. They looked up as Pepper and Ron entered. "Pepper, you're alright!" said Leo, getting up and hugging his niece and kissing her on the top of the head. "And you're up and about as well, Ron," he smiled, shaking Ron's hand instead of hugging him.

"Harry and Hermione are still in the Hospital Wing," Pepper said before any more questions could be asked. "Where's Aunt Paige?"

"She went to the kitchens to get Leo and I some lunch," Piper explained. "We can't very well go down to the Great Hall with a baby."

"So lunch is soon, then?" Pepper asked, her stomach rumbling. She had no idea what time it was at the moment.

"Yea, the next bell," said Phoebe, sitting in an armchair. Pepper went over to the couch to see the baby and Ron followed.

"Can I hold him?" Pepper asked her Aunt Piper. Piper handed the baby to Pepper, who cradled him.

"He's the cutest thing I've ever seen," she cooed, ticking him under the chin. He scrunched his face up in a giggle. Pepper glanced up at her Aunt Piper. "Have you come up with a name for him yet?" she wondered.

Piper shook her head. Pepper held the baby out a little for Ron to look at him, as he didn't look too keen to take the baby from Pepper's arms. "Is it going to start with a "P" to keep the tradition alive?" Pepper wondered.

"We're not really sure yet," Piper said, glancing at her husband. "There aren't really too many boys names out there that start with "P.""

"Paul, Patrick, Peter," Pepper tried.

"Phoebe won't let us name him Peter because of a boyfriend she once had," said Piper, and it looked like she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"He could be French and be Pierre," suggested Ron.

"Or he could have a Spanish name like Paco or Pablo," added Pepper.

Piper crinkled her nose at all of their suggestions. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, the bell sounded, echoing through the tower. "Food!" cried Pepper. She kissed her nephew, handed him back to his mother, and, after saying their goodbyes, she and Ron hurried down to the Great Hall for lunch.

It was apparent that the entire school knew almost everything that had happened during the battle. When Ron and Pepper walked in, only a few seconds late, most of the eyes in the room turned to them. As they made their way over to the Gryffindor table, more than a few people came over to them, congratulating and thanking them. There were also a handful of people that asked Pepper and Ron if they liked the sweets they sent.

They finally managed to brush their followers off and made it to their seats. "Ron!" Ginny exclaimed when her brother sat down next to her. She wrapped him in her arms. "I'm so glad you're okay, I couldn't get to see you this morning!"

"Ginny, I can't breathe!" Ron gasped, trying to wriggle out of his sister's grasp.

"Oops, sorry," said Ginny, pulling away. "And Pepper!" She shoved Ron out of the way so she could get to Pepper, giving her a vice-grip hug as well. "You guys have to see today's Prophet…I took your copy from Cashlinn, Pepper, she wouldn't leave until someone had taken it…" Ginny rummaged around in her bag for a while before pulling out a copy of the Daily Prophet. "Here you are," she said, offering it to Pepper.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Defeated At Last!, read the front headline.

Last Saturday night, June 4th, Harry Potter defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in a battle, which took place in the old Riddle House. Our source, who whishes to remain anonymous, revealed to us that on Saturday night, Pepper Halliwell found the location of a Death Eater meeting, and with the help of Albus Dumbledore, assembled a team of Aurors, Hogwarts staff members, various staff members, Harry Potter, the famed Charmed Ones, Hermione Granger and Ronald Wealsey, and ambushed the Death Eater meeting at the Riddle House, where another powerful wizard like Voldemort was residing. The battle lasted for hours and most returned unscathed. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, defeated Voldemort in the long battle, as we all predicted he would do in the end, and now we can all sleep more soundly. The names of the dead are not being released at this time. This reporter is determined to get more information, and will have interviews with the heroes in mere days.

"Well then," said Pepper after she'd finished reading the article. "I wonder who their anonymous source was.

"Dunno," said Ron. "But I'm happy I got all those sweets because of this article."

After a filling lunch, Pepper, Ron and Ginny made their way up to the Hospital Wing to check up on their friends, Hermione and Harry. They saw immediately that Hermione was sitting up in bed, eating a bowl of soup from a tray floating in midair.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed a little too loudly, racing through the room to get to her. It looked like he was about to attack her with affection, but he decided against it and just kissed her on the cheek. "How're you feeling?" he asked, sitting by her bed before Ginny and Pepper had even gotten near Hermione.

"I feel great Ron," Hermione assured him. "Hi Pepper, Ginny," she greeted with a smile as the two came to stand beside her bed as well. She finished her soup and it immediately disappeared. "Where's Harry?"

"He still hasn't woken up," Pepper replied. "You might want to read this." She handed Hermione the Daily Prophet.

Hermione scanned the article. "Well, I don't think we should give any interviews; unless we want them to know what really happened…" She looked around at her friends' faces.

Pepper shrugged. "I dunno," she said. "I mean…if it would comfort people to know what really happened…"

"We don't want them to twist it into something it isn't," Ron added. "Though I don't know if I want to recall everything that happened…" He shuttered and Pepper knew he was talking about the people he had killed. The four students had had to get creative with ways to destroy the Death Eaters, since they didn't actually have the nerve or power to cast the Killing Curse. Their ways had worked, though, and each had killed their share of people.

"I agree with you, Ron, we don't want them turning it into something it wasn't," Hermione agreed. "I guess we can all talk about it once Harry's awake."

"I want to go see how he's doing," Ginny excused herself, going to the other side of the room, Pepper in tow. Ginny sat on the edge of his bed and Pepper took the chair next to the bed.

The both sat in silence for a moment before Pepper said, "Ginny, do you like Harry?"

Ginny's cheeks flushed pink. "Yes," she said quietly. "I know I'm going out with Dean and everything but…" She looked Pepper in the eye. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I won't," Pepper promised, a small knot forming in her stomach. "I wonder when he'll wake up," she wondered, changing the subject.

"Hopefully soon," said Ginny, putting her hand over Harry's hand. She looked up at Pepper again. "You know Pepper, if you ever want to talk about what happened on Saturday or anything…I know Hermione probably won't want to discuss it…I'm here."
"Thanks Gin," Pepper said. A second later, Harry groaned and rolled over, facing Ginny.

"Harry?" said Ginny uncertainly. He groaned again. "Hi Harry." Ginny smiled at him; Pepper guessed that his eyes were open.

"Hi Gin," he said, though his throat sounded very dry.

"Would you like some water, Harry?" Ginny wondered, looking at Pepper to tell her to pour Harry a glass of water. Pepper picked up the water jug on Harry's nightstand and poured some of the liquid into a glass. She handed it to Ginny, who gave it to Harry.

Harry sat up and looked over at Pepper. He smiled took a swig of the water. Pepper handed him his glasses and he put them on his face. "Thanks, Pepper," he said.

"No problem," said Pepper. She looked over to where Ron was still sitting with his girlfriend. "Hey Ron, Hermione, Harry's awake."

PHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPH

A/N: This is a change, my Author's Note is at the end! So who else was disappointed by Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince? I didn't think there was enough action. AND DRACO IS EVIL! I almost cried! Anyways, here's to my reviewers:

Little Miss Spell-of-the-Week: The future sequences go in order, but I'm not going to verify ages…use your imagination…or common sense.

Powerof3or4: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm so glad you love my story! No, that chapter was not the end, but I'm getting close to it. Check out some of my other stories too. :-)

So, I hope you guys liked this chapter and you should REVIEW! It really doesn't take that long…only a few seconds…pleaseeeeeee.

If anyone wants to IM me to talk about HP and the HBP, please do. I loveeeee to talk about it. Hehe.