A/N : This was just a little scenario that was floating around in my head. I wrote it pre HBP, so it's a little out there, but I still like it. I hope you do too. Thanks!

It was the biggest night the wizarding world had seen for a while. Everyone who was anyone was going to be there. Tonight was the night of the Ministry of Magic's ball for Harry Potter.

It was almost one year ago that Harry Potter had finally defeated the much feared and hated wizard Voldemort. Shortly after Harry's graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Voldemort attacked. Harry along with his most trusted friends and members of the Order of the Phoenix met the attack head on and brought down Voldemort and most of his followers. The wizarding world had finally once again been able to breathe and look towards a peaceful and happy future. After the battle, wizards and witches all over the world were clamoring for any news that they could get of the famous Harry Potter. Harry knew that there would be those who wanted a piece of him, whether it be his picture, autograph, or an interview. He tried to avoid it as much as possible. All he wanted was to be left alone for a while, to think and relax, to try to have a normal life; something that he had never really had. While Harry retreated to the background and fled for some privacy, his friends had become fair game for the press and public. They were bombarded daily with questions and photographs, everyone wanting to know what had happened; what they were doing now; where Harry was; by shutting the public out of his life, Harry had forced it upon his friends. They knew that Harry needed this time to himself, his privacy; so they sacrificed theirs. The constant attention and invasion was taking its toll on them and Harry saw it. One day another invitation to a ball being thrown in his honor arrived by owl to his cottage. This was the fifth one and Harry had avoided every one of them so far. He decided that needed to change. He sent back the invitation saying he accepted.

This was the only ball that Harry planned on actually attending. Normally, he sent an owl politely declining saying thank you for their support, however Harry decided to do something different for this one. News leaked out that Harry was going to be attending, so when Harry actually arrived at the Ministry, he wasn't surprised to see hundreds of wizards and witched shouting his name and clapping as loudly as they could. He felt so uncomfortable, but smiled and waved at the crowds. As soon as he entered the ballroom, it started again. Every face was on him and they were clapping as loudly as those outside. A banner at the frond read "THANK YOU HARRY POTTER!" Harry blushed and mumbled thank you to everyone that approached him. He was ushered to a table at the front of the room. As everyone took their seats, Harry scanned the crowd sitting at different tables around the room. Scattered around the tables, Harry found the friendly faces of a number of people that he had requested the ministry invite tonight. He smiled.

As uncomfortable as he was, Harry kept the polite smile on his face as he listened to Minister Bones, the new minister of Magic, go on about his life. How he had lost his parents as a baby; endured a childhood and adolescence like none other; fought like no other wizard his age had ever done; and finally brought down Voldemort. She turned to him and held up her glass.

"Finally a toast everyone, to our hero, Harry Potter."

Everyone one in the room stood and toasted the famous Harry Potter.

"Now," the minister continued, "Mr. Potter has requested that he have the opportunity to speak and say a few words to us. Mr. Potter"

Everyone was silent. They knew that it wasn't very often that Harry spoke in public.

"Thank you Minister. Wow, this is overwhelming for me. I want to say thank you to everyone for this evening and thank you for all of your appreciation and gratitude that you have shown me this past year. As most of you know, I am a private person. I don't do things like this very often, but I felt that I needed to be here tonight to say a few things, things that I really should have said a long time ago. Things that I want everyone to hear."

Every eye and ear was focused on Harry.

"This party tonight really is not just for me. The banner may have my name; however there should be many more listed on it. There are so many more people who we should be saying thank you to. People who I need to say thank you too. You see, I could never have eliminated Voldemort without their help. So, tonight I hope you will indulge me a few moments while I take the time to give them my gratitude and appreciation."

"I want to start at the beginning. As the minister told you, my childhood was anything but a happy one. My parents were killed and I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle. It was horrible. But as hard as it was, I do want to say thank you to them, especially my Aunt Petunia. They didn't have to take me in, but they did. She knew what she was getting herself into and she did it anyway. I may have been miserable, but at least I was safe. So to the Dursley's, thank you."

Harry paused for a moment, he knew these next ones would be difficult, but he continued as he voice started to shake.

"When I went to Hogwarts, I met this family at the train station." Harry chuckled to himself. "I was a sacred little boy who didn't know how to get to the train, but this very nice, warm, and caring person guided me how to. That's how I can to know the Weasley family. I never really had a family, but over the years, they have made me one of theirs and I truly consider them mine. I never knew my parents, but Author and Molly Weasley have treated me like their son, and I have come to think of them as a mum and dad. They have loved and protected me and I will be forever grateful to them."

Harry saw Molly and Author wiping tears from their eyes. He smiled at them.

"Now everyone here knows that when you talk about the Weasley's, you have to specify which one because there are a lot of them."

There were chuckles from the crowd.

"Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ginny. I am so, so happy to be able to stand here today and see your faces tonight, to see that you all made it out of this stupid war. You are the brothers and the sister that I never had. We have laughed and cried together, played some great practical jokes, and have spent some the best times in my life together at the burrow. We fought together and we won. I love you guys!"

Harry continued.

"At Hogwarts, I came to know many people, good and bad, but mostly good. My professors were not only my teachers, but my mentors and my friends. You gave me the guidance and the knowledge to control my magic and to use it as best as I could. When it came to fighting, many of you were there along side of me."

Harry turned his attention to a table near the front.

"My classmates and my friends, Dean, Lavender, Cho, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Susan; we grew up together at Hogwarts. We laughed, argued, and had some great times. You took seriously the threat Voldemort posed and were willing to fight. There are more of us that should be here tonight" Harry wiped his eyes, "but they died to help save us."

Harry turned to another friend. He a grin appeared on his face.

"Neville Longbottom. You had your parents taken from you in a way just like I did by the same group of horrible people. When I first met you, you were shy and clumsy. As we got older you gained some confidence and were right along side of me in the fight. When you cornered Bellatrix Lestrange, I knew that you could take care of her. You are one of the bravest people I know and I am honored to call you my friend."

Harry put his head down and paused a moment more. He looked up again, his eyes filled with tears.

"There are two more people that I need to say something to. I can say with such certainty that I would not be standing here today if it were not for my two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. From the beginning of our friendship, it was like we were destined to be best mates. You two have been beside me through every part of my life, even when I tried to push you away, you stuck by me. Voldemort is dead, not because of me, but because of Ron and Hermione. I could not have killed him, if I had not had their help, their friendship, and their love. They have sacrificed more for me than any of you will ever know. I am who I am today because of them. There is no Harry without Ron and Hermione."

"I did this tonight so that the wizarding world would know that I'm not a hero. I don't deserve all of the attention that they have been giving me. It's all of these people that I talked about tonight that deserve it. It's all of those brave and honorable people who aren't with us tonight; those that died helping this cause in so many different ways that deserve our praise. So it's my turn."

Harry raised his glass.

"A toast. To all those who really sacrificed to end the war, I want to say Thank you."

The end.