DISCLAIMER: As the author of this fan fiction story I do not, in any way, profit from the story or claim any rights to the 'Harry Potter' universe. All creative rights to the 'Harry Potter' universe belong to J.K. Rowling. Thank you for letting me play in this amazing world.

CHAPTER TWO

Ron, whose face and ears were flushed red with the attention, saw his family standing together at the outside of the crowd. He looked beside him at Hermione, who was smiling around her and swaying slightly on her feet, keeping one arm wrapped around Harry's neck. It had been a long few days, no a long year, and their adrenaline was starting to die down. He reached for Hermione's hand, and pointed at his family. She smiled and nodded, and after he braced a supportive arm around her waist Ron attempted to push against the crowd to get to his family. Harry stayed where he was as everyone was trying to get close to shake his hand and share their thanks. He was too elated about the death of Voldemort to mind at that moment.

Ron was finally able to maneuver himself and Hermione out of the crowd, and they were instantly grabbed together into a hug by Molly Weasley. Although there had been a break in the battle earlier in the day, there had not been much time to spend with his family, most of which he had not seen for almost a year with the exception of Bill and Fleur. His mother finally let him go, and with a happy shout of "Son!" Arthur Weasley wrapped his arms around his tall son next. Ron was passed around the family, and he didn't bother wiping away his tears this time. It hadn't been easy to leave them for so long. He was so used to being part of the large caring family, so not speaking to or seeing them for so long had been part of the reason Ron had a tough time dealing with the journey to find the Horcruxes, although he was sure only Hermione had realized this. He had been so relieved when he had seen Bill, and then learned about Potterwatch on the radio, as he then knew his family was relatively safe. He did not know how it happened, but his whole family had made it through the battle. He was almost certain he was not going to get through the battle alive. Mum, Dad, Fred, George, Ginny, Percy, Bill, Charlie, and Fleur looked scraped, bruised, and dirty, but everyone was smiling back at him as they hugged and greeted him.

After the last member of the family, Bill, hugged him and clapped him on the back, Ron looked back for Hermione, having expected her to be passed around in the same fashion, and saw that Molly still had her in her grasp. Hermione was leaning limply against his mum, and Molly had an arm around her, grasping her elbow. She didn't seem to notice the older woman's worried watch over her, but was smiling as she watched Ron's family lovingly greet him, with her own happy tears making tracks down her cheeks. With a worried thought, Ron started making his way back to his mum and Hermione, but was diverted by the appearance of other Order members who had come by to congratulate them all, and bring Harry to them.

As hands were shaken, and hugs exchanged between the Order, Weasleys, and Harry, Harry caught Ron's eye from across the group and looked at Hermione, who was still protected in Molly Weasley's grasp. With a shared look, they both got away from whoever was in front of them and both made their way to Hermione and Molly. Ron reached them first, and took Hermione's free hand.

"All right, 'Mione?" He hadn't been able to get a good look at her before, but as his eyes skimmed down her body he saw cuts and bruises that hadn't been there hours before, and blood stains on her clothing. Beneath the dirt and blood her skin looked quite pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. He wondered if he looked like she did, but figured he didn't as he felt pretty good, minus a few cuts and tender burns. Molly gave him a worried look; she thought of Hermione as her second daughter.

Harry reached them as Ron was discretely checking Hermione over, and she moved away from Molly to wrap her free arm around Harry, and lay her cheek against his chest, keeping her hand tucked in Ron's. Molly's face showed both worry and pleasure, as she clued in to Harry and Hermione's budding relationship at that movement. Harry smiled at Hermione's hug, and laid his own cheek in her hair, quietly repeating the same question as Ron.

"All right, Mione? Are you hurt? I'm sorry I didn't check before". Although Harry kept a smile on his face, he thought about how the body he embraced was now too thin and boney, and how Hermione was still suffering pain in her muscles and joints as a consequence of her severe Cruciatus torture. He could feel her trembling against his body and was instantly worried, thinking back to all she had suffered in the past year, weeks and days.

"No Ron, Harry, I'm okay. I think I'm just tired. Do you guys remember when we last slept, even?"

Harry chuckled faintly at this question, knowing that they really hadn't slept in days, but feeling to elated about Voldemort to worry about it right then. He knew she wasn't fine, but sensed she didn't want to draw attention to her problems at this moment; they had yet to tell Ron about her continuing cruciatus pains.

"I'm pretty sure it was over two days ago. What day is it even today?" The three friends all lightly laughed at Harry's answer, none of them really knowing the answer. Hermione smiled her thanks to Harry, knowing he was playing along with her.

They didn't realize Bill had come up to them and was now standing beside Molly, having sensed all was not well with Hermione with his wolf-like super-senses.

"Mum, I think we should find somewhere here at the school we can all go and relax for a while," Bill quietly told his mother, indicating the three friends. To his sharp eyes and senses, Harry and Ron were scraped, bruised, dirty, and a little too thin for healthy, but their heartbeats were strong and regular when he concentrated on listening to them. With some sleep and a month of solid meals they would be physically fine. He considered Hermione to be another younger sister to him, and was worried when he took in her pale, thin appearance and irregular heartbeat; he knew she had and was suffering, and sensed it was more than just the repercussions from the battle. As he was discretely looking Hermione over, without trying to make her uncomfortable, his wife Fleur came to stand beside him and saw his worried eyes on the younger girl, sending him a questioning look.

"Oui, Molly, we should find a place to rest for a while, before they start to clean up 'Ogwarts." Fleur said softly in her French accent, giving Hermione a small smile where she was still leaning on Harry. Bill squeezed his wife's hand in silent thanks.

Molly clapped her hands together, and beamed as the loudly talking crowd of the Weasleys, Order, Harry, and Hermione, slowly turned to look at her.

"Okay everyone; let's find a place in the castle to rest for a while. I'd love to take you all back to the Burrow but we haven't been home in quite a while and don't know what state it is in, so let's just stay here for now until we can check it out." The group agreed with Molly, as they were all needing to rest and heal their wounds before worrying about the aftermath of the Battle. With the exception of Kingsley, who was needed at the ministry to give a statement and report on the Battle, and Remus and Tonks, who were eager to get to the Tonks' to see baby Teddy, the group started to slowly walk through the school about an hour later, after McGonagall had advised they stay in the intact Gryffindor tower with a few other survivors.

Harry and Hermione walked slowly behind the boisterous group. It was slow moving as they had to walk around the piles of rubbles and glass, and avoid walking in puddles of blood. Everyone had joined in moving the bodies-Death Eaters to the edge of the grounds, and the Light into the Great Hall. The severely hurt had been helped up into the Hospital wing, where healers from St. Mungos were hard at work. The rest could wait for now. Although Harry was jubilant about Voldemort's fall, he wanted nothing more than to get his girlfriend to a safe place to rest for a while, without being asked questions of where they had been over the past year. The time would come when they would share the whole story, the three had agreed before the Battle, but it wouldn't be tonight.

Now that the group was no longer paying attention to the two stragglers, Hermione leaned on Harry heavily, knowing he didn't need an explanation for her behaviour. Harry tightened his grip on her, planting his lips on her forehead for a soft kiss.

"Harry, do you think the Room of Requirement would repair itself after that fire?" Hermione inquired softly. Harry knew that she had just solved their problems of wanting rest and solidarity, if the room was still intact.

"It is a magical room, maybe it would repair itself if we asked it to." Hermione shook her head in confirmation to his words.

Harry knew they needed to let Ron know where they were heading, or he would panic at their disappearance. He concentrated in staring at Ron from where he was walking up ahead, getting teased by Ginny and the twins by the looks of it, and he turned around to look at Harry after sensing he was being stared at. At the nod of Harry's head, Ron excused himself from his siblings and walked back to the trailing pair, staring worriedly at Hermione.

"Ron, we're going to go up to the Room of Requirement and see if it will turn into a resting place for us. We both need some peace and quiet for a little while. Without saying, you're welcome to join us if you like, but I think your family needs to be with you for a while." Ron shook his head in acknowledgement.

"I'll come find you guys after we all rest for a bit. It seems surreal, though, doesn't it? Hours ago, we were fighting in a battle that could have been the end of our lives, and now I'm going to take a nap." Ron shook his head, still not able to process all that had happened in the past days. A smile slowly made its way onto his face. "But you know what? We're alive. We made it through the past year, so for now I'm just going to forget about it, and enjoy my nap, and hopefully get something to eat." Harry laughed at his friend and brother, and grasped Ron's shoulder with his free hand, trying to silently show him how grateful he was that Ron was still Ron. Ron repeated the same motion with Harry, and then cupped his hand to Hermione's pale cheek. "You two go get some rest. We'll see each other in a few hours; I know that for sure now." With that, Ron turned around and caught up with his family.

Harry slowly turned himself and Hermione around, and started slowly heading for the ruined stairs that would lead to the Room of Requirement on the 5th floor. He noticed Hermione had been quiet for some time, and looking down he saw her eyes were shut and her white face pinched, now that noone was around to see her. Harry was carrying a lot of her weight against him, and was starting to tire, light as she was. After all, he thought wryly to himself, he had just died and been resurrected only a few hours ago, and with that on top of fighting a long battle he was allowed to be a bit tired.

As if reading hid mind, as she often did, Hermione lifted her head to look at Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry. You've been through so much, and here I am making you practically carrying me. I shouldn't be so selfish…" Harry smiled at her ability to see through him.

"No, it's okay. I am tired, but by all rights I'm surprised you're even able to stand right now, so just let me help you." Hermione nodded her head, then leaned it back down on his shoulder. Being exhausted must take away her will to argue, Harry mused tiredly.

Harry heard someone coming up behind them and instinctively placed his free hand on his wand as he turned his head quickly. It was Bill and Fleur, who looked as though they were headed towards them.

Harry stopped walking and allowed the pair to catch up to them, moving Hermione so she could lean against his chest. After they did, Bill hesitated as though trying to figure out what to say and instead held his arms out towards Hermione, waiting for Harry's permission. Harry nodded, and carefully unwound his arm from around Hermione as Bill replaced his position, gently putting his other strong arm behind her knees and lifting her up to rest against his chest. Hermione started at the change of position, not recognizing the bulky arms and chest of whoever was holding her, and opened her eyes to see Bill smiling down at her.

"I've finally swept you off your feet, Hermione, you can't deny it now," he joked cheezily, as they all laughed. Hermione put her arm around Bill's shoulder and laid her head against him, feeling safe with the man she thought of as her big brother. "Just close your eyes, little sis, you'll be able to get some rest soon," Bill's voice spoke softly to her as they started to move again. Hermione complied. Her surroundings had been getting gradually fuzzy and farther away since the battle ended, as were her sharp aches and pains, so she left herself knowingly fall into a comforting oblivious darkness for the first time since the death of Albus Dumbledore.