Harry and Ginny
Harry sat in the Great Hall, away from everyone else. He didn't want to speak to anyone, hear anyone ask him what happened to him in the forest. All he wanted to do was sit, and try not to let his grief at losing Fred, Lupin, Tonks, and so many others who had sacrificed themselves at keeping him alive, consume him. Putting his head in his hands, he breathed deeply, resolving to go and find Ron and Hermione and make himself busy, to keep his mind off things.
What he wanted most was to talk to Ginny, but he didn't know what he would say. Maybe it was just to hear the comfort of her voice.
But she had just lost one of her brothers. She probably wanted to be with her family.
Harry looked up, briefly, over to where Ginny was sitting with her mother, expecting her to be crying on Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, but she wasn't. Ginny was sitting up, looking at him with those hard, blazing eyes. He sunk his head back down, immersing himself in gloomy thoughts once again.
"You know, you can't avoid me forever." A voice said a couple minutes later. Ginny had appeared next to him.
"Ginny…"
"I just want a minute, then you can go back to whatever self-destructive behavior you are doing," she said, with a shadow of a smile on her lips.
Harry sat up completely and looked at her. "I suppose you want to know what happened in the forest."
"I figured you'd tell me when you wanted to. But that's not why I'm here. What I want to know was," she paused. "What are we going to do?"
"What?"
"About us. Do you still care for me, or are we officially over?"
Harry hadn't expected this particular question. "What do you think we should do?" he asked lamely.
"I still care about you, Harry-more than you know," she said, staring into his eyes intently. "When Hagrid brought you back from the forest, and Voldemort said you were dead…I felt, well, like a piece of my soul had been ripped away. It was almost more than I could bear, seeing you like that." Tears glistened on her eyelashes.
Harry could think of nothing to say. So he just reached out and held Ginny's hand. And, as they looked at each other, they understood something.
"I-I love you, Ginny," Harry said softly.
"I know."
And she leaned forward two inches and kissed him, her arms around his neck.
Ron and Hermione
"That's it then, isn't it?" Hermione said to Ron as they sat on the ruined marble steps in the Entrance Hall. "It's all over."
"Thank God," Ron sighed.
"But, now what are we going to do with ourselves? I mean, now that there's no Voldemort, I have to rethink my whole career plan!"
"I'd be more worried about Harry," Ron chuckled. "His entire life's purpose is there on the floor." He pointed to the remains of Voldemort. "He's the one who needs a new career plan. Not you."
"Why not me?"
"You are the smartest person that I know, Hermione. If you can't get a job you love, then there's no hope for the rest of us."
Hermione smiled. "You mean that?"
"I sure do."
They sat in silence for a moment, Hermione resting her head on Ron's shoulder and his arms around her.
"So, do you think you are going to go find your parents, after everything here is sorted out?" Ron asked.
"Yes-I'm sure that they're not in any danger anymore."
"How-how long do you think you'll be gone?"
"Oh, I should probably stay with them awhile. I owe them that much."
Ron looked slightly crestfallen, and she caught the fleeting expression.
"But…" she added slyly. "I could give you our address and you can come and visit me."
He perked up considerably.
"Now, come on, Ron," Hermione said softly, standing up. "You can't avoid the Great Hall forever." She held out a hand to help him up.
"But-I can't. Fred…" His words stuck in his throat.
"I'll be right here with you," Hermione said soothingly.
He took her hand, stood up, and pulled her close. "I don't know what I would do without you, Hermione," he said softly.
"So here we are face to face and heart to heart
I want you to know we will never be apart
Now I believe that wishes can come true
'Cause when I see my whole world
I see only you."
Bon Jovi