Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the Burrow's kitchen. It was somewhere around two, and none of them could sleep. Hermione sat at down at the table, bringing mugs of tea with her.
"So." She said, swirling around her teabag. "This is where six years of staying up late in the Gryffindor common room has left us.
Ron snorted in his mug.
They sat drinking for a few minutes.
"You want to know what Shacklebolt said to me." Harry said slowly, not looking at either of his friends.
"If you want to cut to the chase, yeah, Boy Who For Some Reason Won't Die- or what did McGonagall say?" Ron replied, grinning.
"Ron." Hermione almost-scolded, watching Harry closely. "You don't have too if it was, you know personal or anything."
Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken Harry privately to talk to him after the feast. And then George, Hermione remembered. That was a bit strange.
"Oh, no, it's nothing like that." Harry said, looking up suddenly. "It was pretty much what I expected. You know, he thanked me. And he-" he leaned back in his seat. "He uh wants to honor me." Harry grimaced.
"Well mate, you did –er what was it Hermione?"
"Save the entire wizarding world?" She played along.
"That would be it." Ron finished off, punching the air.
"Well, I didn't do it alone." Harry argued, looking a bit red in the face.
"Just about fifty-percent, don't you think?" Ron asked Hermione again.
"Nearing fifty-five, perhaps." She shrugged.
"No!" Harry yelled, causing both Ron and Hermione to shush him. He was looking frustrated. "I mean- Hermione- every other day I was saved- by you! Out of some bizarre, risky situation- you did all the thinking! I-I wouldn't have made it past third year without you!" He said this all very fast, very quietly, but not angrily- only urgently, rushed.
"An-And Ron! You've always been there! My best mate- My only- no, don't look away- you too have saved my life- an- always-…" Harry trailed off, finishing quietly with "make me laugh."
Something clicked. "Harry's not yelling." Hermione said, very Luna-like.
"Excuse me?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised.
"You're not mad." Hermione said, smiling.
"True." Ron was thinking. "Your temper has-" he raised his hand then lowered it very slowly.
Harry watched in amusement as Hermione and Ron kept raising and lowering their hands, getting more extravagant with every imitation.
"Alright I get it!" Harry said, laughing with them now. "I noticed something too okay? It's strange, I don't know what's going on- I feel- weird, and I really don't know what to do- right? And I know what I don't want is everyone looking at me like I'm the hero- I'm just the one who made it happen- not the one who did it- do you know what I'm saying? I'm just afraid- I've been stripped bare- I feel naked and alone- hello? You know what I mean?"
He took a sip of tea.
Hermione looked at Ron.
"Harry…" She started, not to sure what to say. "Harry- you are the hero- yeah, you had help, but, I mean, it was you who took that initiative- it was- don't deny it! It was you that in the end finished him!"
Harry didn't say anything.
Under the table Hermione nudged Ron.
"Mate, it'd be rude not to accept something. They want to thank you. I mean- right? Out of our entire- er- society, you were the only one to do this."
"That's because I was chosen. If he hadn't picked me, I wouldn't have done it." Harry's face was now red.
"Bullshit." Ron retorted.
"Harry- you're a leader- you would have done your best to do what you have done whoever you were born to be." Hermione tried to reassure him. She was sure he would have. Yes, she and Ron and the Order and everyone had helped, but it still came down to him being the one who had conquered the darkest wizard of all time. She could still see that early morning in the Great Hall like it was yesterday.
They sat in silence as the night's sounds filled there heads.
"What's going to happen next?" Harry asked, putting his tea down.
"Hm?" Hermione said, she had completely missed what he had said.
"How- I mean- I know I'm appreciated and it-you know- it would be nice to, uh, make sure everyone was. Like you guys. I didn't do much more then everyone. I'm just flashy-er. Know what I mean?"
"Yeah." Ron and Hermione said in chorus.
"Being that you killed He-Who-Has-No-Nose in front of three hundred people." Ron said, smiling.
"Exactly!" Harry slapped the table.
Hermione continued. "And Harry- I'd think Kingsley understands- he didn't say anything about that?"
"Yeah, he did, you know, he just wanted, you know, for me to say something maybe- and maybe the Prophet- and I don't want a statue- and I know our names are going to be on the plaque thing- but I think that's enough- I don't want all this- I just want to…to live again."
Hermione waited. She knew this was hard for Harry, and hopefully this would help, but he had to make it happen, she was just here for support.
"Shaklebolt also told me how they were rounding up all the Death Eaters."
Now that got her attention.
"What's going to happen to them?" She shot out as Ron asked, "Did they get them all already?"
Harry ignored both of their questions and just started telling them what the new Minister had told him.
"Well, all the Aurors and things who weren't at Hogwarts immediately went searching for all of the Death Eaters- which was a good thing because they reacted so fast they caught most of them, apparently- that's why no one has disrupted the funerals and things like that. Obviously there are still a few on the loose, but nothing to be really worried about."
Ron whistled. "What about the Malfoys?"
"Yeah, he asked me about them, too." Harry pushed up his glasses. "It looks like Narcissa is trying to cut a deal with the officials, saying she helped me."
"And what did you say?" Hermione asked, knowing from what Harry had told her that she had, in fact, helped him.
"I told him that she did. And I told Kingsley how Draco was cornered into working for Voldemort."
"Harry!" Ron protested, "But we know that he wanted too, in the beginning, right? That ignorant git is going to get away with all of this?"
"He didn't join on his free will. I think he deserves another chance." Harry was now twiddling his fingers
Ron looked like something had slapped him in the face.
"I know- I know how much of a prick his is- and was- but he doesn't deserve prison, he still has a chance to change, to live, you know?"
Ron vaguely resembled a fish; his mouth gaping and eyes bulging.
"Hermione?" Harry asked weakly.
"I respect you for making that decision." Hermione said after choosing the right words. "I'm not sure all of us-"She looked at Ron. "-would have done the same thing."
Ron gasped for air. "You could have-put that slimy bastard in jail!"
Harry almost looked guilty.
"If we're going to change- we'd better stop now, right?"
Hermione felt a surge of respect for Harry. He really has changed, she thought. We all have.
Ron's face relaxed.
"I guess." He said thoughtfully. "And now- you have the hand up, right?" Now he sounded excited. "Now he owes you! It's brilliant!"
Hermione watched as his face broke into a wide smile.
Maybe they hadn't changed that much.
"I don't think that was what Harry was aiming for." Hermione said, trying to keep the scolding instinct out of her voice.
"No, but it'll work!" Harry laughed, grinning.
Ron slapped his back, whooping.
Boys.
Hermione pressed a shimmering gold dress robe against her jeans and tank top.
"Oh, look at this one Ginny!"
Ginny's head came out between deep velvet curtains hanging between an archway.
"Love that color on you" she said, shaking hair out of her mouth. "Not too sure about the shoulder pads though."
Hermione laughed waltzing around the tiny store, the shoulder pads giving the illusion she was a brawny quidditch player.
"Oi! Looks like Luna works here!" Ron emerged from between the shelves, wearing a giant elephant head as a hat.
Hermione giggled.
"But can it roar?" she asked, folding the dress robe.
"Naw. It might knock you out though" Ron said, dodging the elephant's trunk.
The bell on the door rang as Harry came in.
"Ready?" He asked, out of breath.
"Yeah-" Hermione said, knocking on the arch "Ginny, come on, Harry's back."
She blundered out of the changing room, tucking in her shirt. "Remind me to come back- I loved that sweater."
"Will do." Hermione replied, gesturing her out the door.
They rushed back into Diagon Alley's Main Street, the hustle and bustle starting to return to this wizarding center.
George was reopening the store today, with the help of Lee Jordan. It had been five days since Kingsley had visited the Burrow, and George had a surprise for them all. Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny, raced down the Diagon Alley streets, calls of "Look, Harry Potter!" and "The Boy who lived!" following them down the road. They just kept running.
Last night had been the last night George would stay at home. He really was doing better. One time he had even pretended he couldn't hear Hermione- playing up the ear card- to take some of Mrs. Weasley's cake before dinner. It had been quite funny, and it what made it even funnier was the fact that it had really been his first joke for a very long time. But it still wasn't the same, Hermione thought as they sprinted around a corner.
They stopped short as they came upon a crowd.
"Blimey!" Ron shouted as they weaved their way through the throng. "All this for the opening?"
Hermione lost everyone among the heads as they made their way to the storefront. Except Ron, who was one of the tallest in the horde.
"Ron!" she cried as they got nearer.
She was surrounded on all sides by witches and wizards who didn't seem to want to budge.
"Excuse me" She said, trying to just make it those last few steps. It was just so packed down in the front…
"'Mione?" Ron came between two old warlocks. "There you are. Come with me, here we go…" He made way for them and hoisted her up to the platform where everyone else was already waiting.
"Thanks" She murmured to him as they sat behind an anxious Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
To their left there was a stand, covered by a large magenta and orange cloth.
"What's in the-" she pointed to the clashing fabric.
"No idea." Ron shrugged, pulling his seat towards him.
Harry was sitting behind them. From the crowd there were cries of "Harry Potter!" and once, from a very young witch a shrill "Thank you, Harry!"
Harry himself was bent down, perhaps trying to hide in Ron's shadow. Before Hermione could say anything to him, however, George stood up in front of them all.
"Hello" His voice was magically amplified. "Welcome to the re-opening of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!"
The crowd cheered.
"As you know however, there is a bit of a damper on this joyous event." His voice, which was filled with enthusiasm hollowed noticeably.
Hermione watched him, hoping she funneled her confidence in him somehow. He was really strong, to talk in front of all these people…
"My twin and very close friend was killed in the Battle of Hogwarts, fighting to resist the Death Eater raid of that much beloved school."
It was so quiet Hermione's own breath sounded like a hurricane in her own ears.
"And so, as I reopen this shop that was the result of both of our dreams and efforts, I think it is necessary not only to honor him, but to announce the new co-owner of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes- the talented Lee Jordan!"
The crowd clapped again as Lee stood up and waved to them.
"And, before the doors are opened, I have one more thing to share with you." George sounded excited…
He turned around, whipping his wand…
The bright, obnoxious fabric vanished, leaving on the stand…
A sleeping portrait of Fred.