He was looking through the bright veil, eyes nearly closed. What was there? It was hard to see through and sounds were damped. There was a girl and a boy sitting on the couch, talking animately, laughing loudly and drinking. She had brown hair and he had green eyes hidden behind glasses. They were looking at each other and there was something in their eyes and he was able to see it even if other things were blured. He felt it too. Attraction, fear, desperation, guilt. He was watching for a while as they drank more and more and their fear and guilt was smaller and they were showing their mutual attraction more and more. He knew what will happen soon.
No! This was not right! They shouldn't do it. He tried to shout that aloud, but he was not able. He was just lying there not able to move, only look, his body was very warm and content. His mind panicked, shouting orders. Body refused to listen. Veil was wrapped around him and held him. Kissing pair slowly disappeared behind bright veil of light and he just lied there in warm place, content just to be. Veil was slowly disappearing and Harry knew he was lying in warm bed. He slowly opened eyes, adjusting to sunshine coming through the window. This was that veil? It was probably late morning or maybe afternoon by the look of it. Birds were chirping loudly. More loudly than usually, he thought. But where he was? His memory was empty and his mind was working very slowly. He moved slightly and suddenly became aware of another warm thing near him. Warm and soft. It was not only blanket which made his body feel so content. It was another naked body, he was snuggling to. He tried to slowly move away and she moved and slowly put her hand on his.
He felt her soft belly bottom and her hand touching his. He felt warm spreading from his lap and felt embarrased. What was he doing here? And was that really Hermione? He slowly moved his hand again and she let him go, not moving again. He got up and covered her. Warm and contentness was going away as he searched for parts of his clothes randomly scattered in the room between hers. His mind was freezed trying to comprehend what that meant as he tried to get away as soon as possible. He got throught the door, softly closed them and dressed. Harry was at Tonks. He slowly got downstairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. Air felt very heavy and he needed to get out. He saw Andromeda holding Teddy along the way, she just nodded to him and smiled sadly. She knew what they were doing! And how wrong that felt! He waved at her and quickly left murmuring something about fresh air. Through the last door outside, then through bright, hot sun to the gate and out to the pond not far away. His steps were slowing, his agitation not. It was greater after each passing moment. "No!" He shouted, "What have I done?" "How could I?!"
And finally he sat into the shadow of the tree and put his face in hands will muttering: "How can I look her in face again? What will I do?"
After their embrace there in the Forest of the Dean, Harry left Hermione guarding Riddle and returned to Diagon Alley in his invisibility cloak. Situation was under control and Shacklebolt went back to Hogwarts with several injured and miraculously no one dead. Harry returned to Hermione and they took Voldemort there too. Then it was time to go to Ministry and they braced for another fight. However there was no such incident. Harry shown with Hermione in the main hall beside Fountain supporting Shacklebolt and then they disappeared under the cloak at first possible moment. Nobody protested and there was Wizengamot meeting sheduled for next day to choose temporary Minister before they left back to Hogwarts.
Tired Harry and Hermione got back to Griffindor tower, where they had their four poster beds ready - waiting for them from the start of the school year. Quick shower and then warm blanket and then lying there, Harry's last thought went to strange feeling, when he was embracing Hermione, there in the Forest of the Dean. He shouldn't, it was Ron's girl, however it felt all right at time. She needed him and he needed her. He was her friend and she needed his support. She was missing Ron same way as he was. They both lived in broken wrong world, full of dear dead people. Because of him.
How funny it seemed now... when he... when he felt her warmth few minutes ago.
Harry snorted and gave pointed look to two ducks swimming at pond as one of them was particularly loudly expressing itself.
It was really different to his current feelings. He still felt same unbelieving in death as when he woke up next day. Or it was that strange fact, that he lived?
It was not possible, Ron could not be dead! Cried his first part. Yes he is, world have changed, responded second part.
He was always there, yes sometimes they were fighting and sometimes they felt different, but he was his best mate...
Yes, he was, agreed his second part, with emphasis on was.
That next day at Hogwarths was quick. It was already late for breakfeast in Great Hall, but it was served to him anyway and he was eating while Hermione was reading book. She greeted him with another hug when he came. After breakfeast they went to Ministry where Kingsley Shacklebolt was elected as temporary minister. Process took most of the day, despite situation seemed pretty easy from start. Every politician wanted something in exchange for their support, and they were speaking to many of them before the vote. There were still many traditional blood purists which distanced themselves from Tom Riddle, claiming that he twisted their ideal, which was still valid and good. It was already evening when vote was cast and they went back to Hogwarths afterwards.
Dinner was served with toast to victory and to remember cost of it. Harry wanted to mourn his dead, but somehow he was still talking to someone, there was so many more personal details, stories and tragedies in the war. Then there was strange feeling. He felt something move on his forehead. He felt his scar moving, adjusting, screamimg? Then it stopped. His face was pale, without blood and he did not know what to think, when door opened with great bang and pale Charlie Weasley came inside, quickly looking around, searching for someone. People were still speaking as he walked along tables and nodded gravely to Harry, to follow him. Hermione joined and then they got Kingsley Shacklebolt and Minerva McGonnagal. Together they went to Staff room and Charlie was explaining:
"She came and told me, I should go to Great Hall to eat, that she will guard You-Know-Who instead. I should have known better. There was that strange gleam in her eyes."
"What happened?" Minister's voice was not reassuring, it was uneasy.
"I forgot to tell her, ... never mind. I returned after a minute and... She killed him!" Cried Charley.
"What?" McGonnagal was using her strict voice and Harry felt sorry for her, whoever was that killer.
"Yes, when I came back, he was lying there in a pond of blood." Bill's voice was on edge.
"What did she say?" Asked Kingsley after of moment to digest that information.
"Nothing," replied dragon tamer avoiding their eyes. He stoped before the door trying to say something.
"She's... she's... she's dead too." Then he swallowed and opened the door to show them scene. There was pond of red blood and two bodies. There was kitchen knife near Molly's hand and sprayed with blood. Her eyes were not moving as she was looking at ceiling. Riddle was not far away and it was clear that he was hit many times. Hermione was first who interrupted silent staring. She slowly moved to Weasley's matriarch side and tried to listen to her heart if it is beating. Charlie silently moved after her, staying there and watching mournfully as she shaked her head. Did he already done that before? Thought Harry. What happened? Did she just?
Did she done what Hermione stopped him from doing yesterday?
And why is she dead then?
What happened?
He was glad she killed him.
Boy-Who-Lived, slowly rose his hand to touch his scar with his finger. Then dark shade slowly rose from Voldemorts corpse, red eyes looking at Harry. Before anyone could do anything, it screamed unnaturally and started to fly towards Harry, hit him. Black shade surrounded Harry and he felt his scar burn in his forehead, screamed in agony as dark energy pulsed through his veins, arms and legs. Somewhere nearby somebody was screaming something and then he was his by another stream of magic energy and he was able to open his eyes.
Harry stood against large snake with red eyes, quickly tasting air with it's tongue. Was it Nagini? Or? "I will devour your meat and slowly digest your soul. I will use your bones to hold my new body." Hissed snake preparing his victim for death.
"No, you will not!" Cried Harry, wand in his hand.
Snake hissed menacingly: "Die!" And jumped forward.
Harry tried to dodge and cast "Protego" simultaneously.
Shield was broken but it slowed snake and dodge enabled Harry to be not hit by snake's teeth. Unfortunately animal moved like a lighting and coiled around him using his mighty body to crush boy. Harry screamed again and quickly cast first thing which came to him: "Expeliarmus!"
Snake uncoiled and was thrown back with a flash of white energy from "outside".
Harry did not wait and pointed his wand and snake with furious "Incendio!"
Red flames hit the snake and it hissed in agony. Then it again attacked despite being burned by Harry's flames. "Protego" was strong enough this time and snake hit the floor and immeadiately attacked again. This time it coiled around shield and crushed it with all his might. Harry quickly cast "Sectumsempra" which hit the snake and divided him in two halfs.
Both parts of snake impossibly held, despite black blood streaming freely and shield disappeared. First part of snake coiled around young's man body, second part around his wand arm, disarming him. Harry screamed as he was burned by his own flames and crushed at same time. There was another white flash from "outside", however not so strong as before and nothing happened. Snake was crushing and burning him and Harry felt as if they were melting into one being connected by flowing blood. Snake's head was hovering before his head waiting until he looked into his eyes, then it hissed: "We will be one," it was hissing.
"No!" Roared Harry as snake prepared to bite him.
There was another strong white flash as snake's poisonous teeth hit him into his throat.