A/N: As always, I don't own the Potterverse.
horilyts - (v.) to lie with your face turned up to the sky [ukranian]
It was finally over. They collapsed to the grass in relief, hearing the quickly spreading news that the Dark Lord Voldemort had been defeated for all time. Neville, having brought them the news, paused as though intending to join them, but thought better of it, seeing the giddy, yet somehow serene looks on their faces. He departed, spreading the good news further, looking every bit the warrior he had proven to be on that day.
Laying in the grass outside the great castle, Hannah took Susan's hand in her own. "You know, I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. That Cutting Curse nearly took off my foot. If you hadn't pulled me away at the last second, I might not have been able to get out of there."
Susan closed her eyes, recalling the moment vividly. "Add it onto the list of times I've saved your life, hon. I'm sure I'll collect on all of those some day." Her wide grin showed Hannah exactly the kind of repayment she had in mind.
It had been a open secret inside Hufflepuff House for years, and while they had only gotten around to dating each other fifth year, their roommates had considered the pair linked almost from the very beginning. If pressed for a reason, "they just look right together" was the most common refrain. In truth, no one really paid much mind to the closeness of the girls; there were plenty of other topics to gossip about at Hogwarts, and the most notorious gossips lived in Gryffindor Tower anyway, with their own romances to whisper about. Professor Sprout, the Hufflepuff Head of House, had no qualms with the arrangement, and treated it as a non-issue when asked. The ongoing threat of war didn't leave much time for further exploration while the Death Eaters ran the castle, but with freedom set to return to the land, Hannah and Susan were already looking forward to what the future held for them.
They lay there in the grass for hours, enjoying the company and chatting idly with the occasional passersby. There was some discussion of what would be done for Hogwarts, how the Ministry would function now that it was once again autonomous, and other such sundry topics, but eventually silence would return, and general content would fall over the group. The work of putting the country back together could wait until tomorrow; today was for celebration and relief at remaining among the living. Eventually, house elves began popping around the grounds telling everyone that a meal was to be served in the Great Hall for anyone who wished to remain for it. Susan pulled her girlfriend up off the ground, brushed the pair of them clean of dirt and dust (taking special care to ensure Hannah was very clean), and led their small group back into Hogwarts.
The large House tables had been abandoned, in favor of smaller circular tables like those used for the Yule Ball, but without the fancy table decorations used during that event. Some tables were more somber; the Weasleys were still coming to terms with their loss, while more than a few wearing green trimmed robes were grieving their parents and other family. One table was particularly enthusiastic, with Lavender Brown holding court and talking to whoever would listen about how she used cosmetic charms to take down a werewolf that thought she was easy prey. Finding a quiet table with only one other occupant, Susan and Hannah sat down next to a blonde girl lost in thought as they approached.
"Hello Luna," said Susan quietly, taking comfort from Hannah immediately snuggling into her side. "Glad to see that you made it through as well."
The blonde stared briefly, before a small grin broke through. "Oh yes, it's a good thing we'd been practicing all year, or else I might have had more trouble with them. I see you two are closer than ever; any heroic tales I need to hear about?" Susan was just about to answer when an elbow caught her in the ribs. Hannah didn't seem interested in letting her regale the table with the latest installment of 'Saving Hannah's cute arse…again.' "Another time, perhaps, Luna. Someone would rather eat first and talk later, it seems." She planted a kiss on her girlfriend's forehead to show there was no malice in the statement.
Once everyone had been seated, food began appearing on each table. It wasn't anything close to a feast, but a few easily prepared sides and main dishes proved to be just what people were wanting. People continued to drift in and out of the room, with more food appearing as needed, but as the evening wound down most were leaving and returning home for the first time since the call to arms nearly 36 hours prior. Having eaten their fill, Susan and Hannah walked hand in hand around the grounds for a while, watching the sun set over the nearby mountains, reliving the victory they had helped win, before Apparating home to continue their celebrations in private.