"I know my fate. One day my name will be associated with the memory of something tremendous--a crisis without equal on earth, the most profound collision of conscience, a decision that was conjured up against everything that had been believed, demanded, hallowed so far. I am no man, I am dynamite." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Chapter 1- The Mourning After

It had been a long, harsh summer for the Weasley family. But as Ginny came to think about it, in truth it had been a harsh couple of years. In her sixth year at Hogwarts, Ginny had been forced to get on the train when the only place she wanted to be was with her brother, friend, and boyfriend as they hunted down Tom Riddle. She had spent many nights that summer after Harry broke up with her dreaming about fighting side by side with him against the monster that had possessed her during her first year. Tears threatened to spill as she thought about the boy she had lost. The only one she had ever loved.

Ginny closed her eyes, remembering Hermione's account of what had happened in the final battle.

Ron had engaged Lucius Malfoy and had been so afflicted with the Cruciatus Curse that to this day Ginny's brother had not awoken. Hermione had stopped Malfoy before the vile Death Eater managed to kill the young man she'd come to love, and as she dropped at Ron's side to see that he was okay, Harry ran deep into the caves in which Riddle had been hiding. When Hermione became aware that Harry was no longer with her, she cast a suspension spell on Ron to make sure that his condition didn't worsen and then ran to find her friend. As she came to a large cavern lit by a handful of torches, she saw Harry and Lord Voldemort hurling spells at each other, each desperately trying to gain the upper hand and destroy his opponent. Hermione's memory after that point was a little circumspect given the damage inflicted on her in the next moment. But from what little she was able to recall, Hermione remembered Harry and Voldemort casting spells at each other at the exact same moment. The spells collided, and a destructive backlash swept over the cavern and threw her back, slamming Hermione into the cave wall.

A couple months later, Hermione woke up in St. Mungo's. Her mother was sitting in the chair at bedside, and when Mrs. Granger saw her daughter's eyes flutter open she called out for her husband. A moment later, Mr. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley and Rufus Scrimgeour entered the room.

"Honey? How do you feel?"

"Tired," Hermione whispered, her voice raw. Mrs. Granger nodded sympathetically and took out an ice chip from a cup on the bedside table.

"Here, honey," she said and slipped the chip over Hermione's lips and into her daughter's mouth. Hermione sucked on the chip gratefully as the cool water helped to wet her parched throat.

"You gave us all quite a fright, dear," Mrs. Weasley said from the other side of the bed, holding Hermione's other hand. Hermione tried to clear her throat and smiled at her boyfriend's mother tiredly.

"Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley's smile faltered slightly, and she patted Hermione's hand affectionately.

"Don't you worry about him, dear. He'll be just fine," Mrs. Weasley said with a forced smile. Hermione knew that Ron's mother didn't want to worry her, but Hermione didn't have the strength to hear bad news right now.

"Harry?"

Scrimgeour cleared his throat and frowned at her.

"That's something I was hoping that you could answer, Miss Granger," the Minister of Magic stated in a gravelly voice. "What was the last thing you remember?"

Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley both glared at the Minister, but he ignored them, his gaze holding Hermione's. The young Gryffindor cleared her throat, and her mother placed another ice chip in Hermione's mouth. Hermione sucked on it to wet her throat and smiled at her mother appreciatively before answering the Minister's question.

"Harry and Voldemort were battling each other in the cave. They… they cast a spell at each other at the… same time. The spells…" Hermione's voice cracked, and Mrs. Granger placed another chip in her daughter's mouth. "The spells crashed and a… shockwave hit me. That's all I remember," she finished and felt herself getting sleepy from the exhaustion of just staying awake and talking.

"Do you remember what spell?" the Minister asked, pressing on.

"I think that's enough for now," Mrs. Weasley said petulantly, scowling at Scrimgeour. Again the Minister ignored the concerned parents and asked his question again. Hermione didn't attempt to speak but just shook her head. Scrimgeour frowned and let out an annoyed breath.

"What h-happened to… Harry?" Hermione asked as her eyes started to drift close.

"We don't know," Scrimgeour answered before anyone mustered the courage. "But given the destruction of the cavern, we doubt there was anything le…."

"That's enough!" Arthur Weasley said in a very angry voice. "H-Hermione needs her rest now. Wouldn't you agree?"

The Minister turned his attention away from Hermione for the first time and met Mr. Weasley's heated gaze for a moment before nodding his head and leaving the room. Mr. Weasley sighed, and Hermione wanted to ask more. She wanted to know what happened to her friend, but her exhaustion was too much, and she fell fast asleep.

Ginny sighed as she leaned back against the tree next to the lake in front of the Burrow. She looked over as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and smiled softly as her brother Fred sank down to sit beside her.

"Mum's worried," he said softly, looking over at his sister. "You've been out here by yourself almost all day."

"Well, it IS safe now, Fred. No more evil in the world," she said with a forced smile.

"Oh, if only that were true, sister mine," Fred replied with a slight smile, and there was a pregnant pause. Fred's brow furrowed a moment, and then he continued hesitantly. "Uh… y'know, the Ministry, lawyers, uh… other…" he trailed off uncomfortably, and Ginny sighed as a painful knot twisted in her chest. She knew he hesitated because as long as he had been alive, George had been right there at Fred's side, continuing the conversation. Playing off his banter. But ever since George got hit with the Killing Curse during the war, Fred hadn't been the same. The Death Eaters had only killed one of the twins, but with one spell they had effectively destroyed them both. After George's death, the fun-loving, irreverent spirit in her brother had left him. Fred no longer had the love of pranks and jokes he once had. He had placed management of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Verity's capable hands and had moved back to the Burrow to 'look after Mum.'

Ginny laid her head on her brother's shoulder and tried to give him as much comfort as she could. She was still young, but Ginny knew quite well how unfair life could be. To have lost one beloved brother to the war, another fallen in a coma, and the love of her life… missing and, by the wizarding world, presumed dead. Many times over the course of the summer Ginny had cursed herself for having let him go last year, even though they had both agreed that it was the best thing to do the summer before. Despite their agreement, Harry had ended up at Hogwarts a number of times last year as Harry, Ron and Hermione needed to do some research, or needed a safe place to stay. Every time he stayed there, Harry and Ginny had found each other, and, despite their best intentions, the passion they felt for each other led them closer and closer until the Christmas break. Ginny's cheeks colored as she recalled that particular time… her parents had visited Charlie and didn't want her living at the Burrow without them, so she had stayed at school. Harry had come during that break as well, and… everything changed. Ginny blushed again and forced thoughts of her love out of her head.

The youngest Weasley got to her feet and took her big brother's hand, grunting as she pulled Fred to his feet.

"C'mon. I need to get packed for school tomorrow. Wanna help?"

Fred nodded his head slightly, and they quietly strolled back to the rickety structure they lovingly referred to as home.