Harry and Voldemort were circling each other in the Great Hall. They were surrounded with people who were all looking at the scene like statues as if they were stunned using Stupefy. Harry saw Voldemort yelling his spell and he too cast his spell with the hope for best.

Avada Kedavra

Expelliarmus

The killing curse rebounded on Voldemort and the elder wand flew out of Voldemort's pale hands. Harry caught the wand which flew towards him due to his disarming spell, with skill of the youngest seeker in a century at Hogwarts. Finally the Dark Lord was defeated and his lifeless body fell to the ground.

There was a moment of silence when all the audience was still processing what just happened, and then huge celebration broke out. Everyone ran towards Harry to hug him.

First to reach him were his best mates Ron and Hermione, followed by Hagrid, Ginny, Fred, George, Molly, Arthur, Remus, Tonks, McGonagall, Flitwick, Kingsley, Bill, Percy and all others who witnessed the historic event in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Harry was overwhelmed with the outpouring of emotions. All the survivors were determined to hug and touch the boy who lived, the reason being this was over finally.

Harry was their leader, their saviour. While he received congratulations for this historic victory, he simultaneously offered condolences personally to the acquaintances of the dead and absorbed massive volumes of news coming from across the country: remaining death eaters were being captured or killed, imperiused are returning to their selves, ministry is gaining back the control of the wizarding Britain, Kingsley has been declared as interim Minister of Magic and Minerva McGonagall succeeded Severus Snape as the Headmistress of Hogwarts.

Though Harry was happy on the war being over finally, he was looking forward to something else currently, which he had planned a few months ago while hunting for Horcruxes. He began to look around for his best mates but couldn't see them.

Luna Lovegood who was sitting besides him saw this. "If I were you, I would like to go to bed immediately and have a good long sleep", said Luna. "I know, but I can't get out of here with everyone watching", replied Harry. "I will distract everyone", she said. "Oh look, it's a Blibbering Humdinger", Luna shouted and pointed towards a window. Everyone around them looked in that direction while Harry flung his invisibility cloak over himself and moved outside the hall to find his two best friends.

But as soon as he moved out of the Great Hall and found his best friends, his world came crashing. Ron and Hermione were kissing each other passionately behind a pillar. Harry suddenly felt like invading their privacy. He fought back tears that threatened to spill out any moment and moved away from them and towards the entrance.

He sat on the steps to the entrance, still hidden by his invisibility cloak and began to comtemplate about whatever he had seen just now.

He always knew that Ron held some feelings for Hermione which he shared with Harry multiple times. Though he was not sure how Hermione felt, it was just confirmed now when he saw them kissing.

Unknown to anyone else, Harry himself is deeply in love with Hermione. He always had those feelings for her, from the first day he saw her on Hogwarts express, but decided to bury them for the sake of his best mate Ron thinking that it was just physical attraction and he would overcome it soon.

But those feelings towards her became too strong during their Horcrux hunt when he was alone with Hermione after Ron left them briefly for sometime. Still not sure about Hermione's feelings for him and whether he would make out of this adventure alive, he decided to postpone divulging them to Hermione until Voldemort was defeated.

And now after looking at Ron and Hermione together, he is feeling jealous and in turn guilty.

What kind of friend are you, who isn't happy when your best friends are together now, said Harry's brain.

But I love Hermione, argued his heart.

She doesn't love you, what will you do with this love?

So what should I do then? You can call me selfish but I can't accept seeing Hermione with anyone else.

Then stop seeing Hermione at all, problem solved.

Harry's brain won the argument this time and he came to a decision. He will distance himself from his best friends at any cost (even if it requires him to distance from others as well). Yes, this is the only solution to his problem.

He knows this will hurt his friendships with both of them, but he has no other choice. Hermione's happiness is his happiness, and the same holds for Ron's happiness as well. Ron was his best friend even before Hermione and Harry cannot think ill of his best friend.

Harry moved inside the castle still under his invisibility cloak and started for Headmaster's office. He saw Hermione and Ron on his way, sitting peacefully with Hermione's head resting on Ron's shoulder and Ron's head resting on Hermione's head. He started moving towards them. They have the right to know all that had happened in forbidden forest and how he was able to defeat Voldemort, and then all three of them could go together to Headmaster's office for some last pieces of advice from Dumbledore's potrait.

But he suddenly came to a stop and couldn't move further. They are so happy, let them enjoy these moments. I shouldn't disturb them anymore, thought Harry. His expression hardened and his stoic side took over him.

You are alone now, you need to learn doing things by yourself, said his stoic version in his mind. He changed his direction and started walking towards his destination, alone.

He can't be a third wheel in the Trio anymore. He needs to distract himself from Hermione's thoughts. With that he came to another major decision while still walking to his destination, for which he would need to talk with Kingsley.