As Hermione reached the bottom of the staircase from the girl’s dormitories, she saw Ron sitting in one of the comfortable old armchairs by the empty fire grate. He stood up quickly as she approached, suddenly feeling extremely nervous. She had made the first move yesterday, she’d kissed him, and now the embarrassment was making it impossible to meet his eyes. She could feel herself turning pink. Where had her wits gone?
–Hi, Hermione,†he said, trying to sound light. She saw in the dim pre-dawn light that he was blushing slightly too.
–Hi.†She didn’t know what else to say, awkwardly standing several feet in front from him, the distance seeming at once too far and too close. –You’re…not usually up this early,†she said, knowing this after having spent countless mornings in the tent listening to him still snoring away. –But, I guess everyone’s sleeping schedules are off…â€
–Yeah,†he said, half-grinning. –I think I just slept a good nineteen hours. And Harry’s still up there…who can blame him.â€
She smiled back, and his expression changed, still grinning but also shy. He moved his mouth, but no sound came out. He tried again. –Hermione?â€
–Yes,†she said. She had meant to say it as a question, but it came out as a statement, a decisive answer to the question she knew he was about to ask.
Both of them laughed with relief, simultaneously taking a step forward, and for the second time in two days, she couldn’t stop herself from going right up to him and kissing his freckled face. She felt like she was about to burst with happiness.
They might have gone on contentedly snogging forever, but then Hermione noticed that his eyes were rimmed with red--oh… his brother had died. Fred had died. She felt so bad for him, for his family, it was just so awful. –Ron, I’m so, so sorry about Fred.â€
–Yeah,†said Ron, his voice breaking. –I’m--sorry, too.†For the first time in her memory, he was crying.
So they went from kissing to both sobbing, sitting in the same armchair, arms around each other. She rested her head on his shoulder, grateful for his presence, until after several long minutes the tears stopped falling and silence reigned.
–Remember us sitting here?†Ron asked, looking around them. –When we were younger? Harry and me playing chess, you reading a book…or all of us doing homework.â€
–You begging me for help…†Hermione smirked.
–Yeah…â€
Gazing at the old woven rug on the floor, she had a thought. –Remember in sixth year…when you wanted me to help you with an essay, and I finally gave in, and you said…that you loved me?â€
–I remember that,†Ron said, turning red but smiling at her. –I did, I mean, I--I have for a long time, since fourth year maybe, only I didn’t know it.â€
–I knew I liked you in third year, but…at that point, I told myself it was just a crush, you know, like Lockhart. No! Not like Lockhart, he was an idiot,†she amended, when he pretended to take offense. –But then, there was Krum, and I tried to give up on you…â€
–I’m really sorry about that,†he said, looking guilty, and she knew he was remembering their fight on the night of the Yule Ball. She nodded, and they lapsed into silence, both lost in thought. He had been a jerk, sometimes, but he had finally grown up, just like she knew he would.
–You’re going to Australia, then, right?†Ron questioned, out of the blue. She froze, then nodded. He went on, –Because--do you want me to come? I will, if you want me to. But--†he broke off, looking at his knees.
He doesn’t want to miss Fred’s funeral, she realized, and asserted, –It’s fine, Ron. Of course you should be there with your family. I mean it,†she said, and she did, absolutely. –Family’s important.â€
–Okay…you’re sure? Completely sure?†he asked, and she nodded emphatically. –Thank you, then. Hope it all goes well when you see them again.â€
–I--I hope so too,†she said, faltering.
–I mean--I’m sure it will. Why wouldn’t it?†Ron said, disconcerted.
–Well…after what I did to them…â€
–But Hermione, you’re brilliant, of course they’ll be fine,†he assured her, apparently under the impression that she was afraid she couldn’t undo her spellwork.
–That’s not what I mean--I--â€
Hermione broke down. She would have been embarrassed about the tears flowing down her face, but somehow there was a trust between them now that made crying okay.
–I Obliviated them! I made them forget their whole lives--everything! I--â€
He tried to comfort her. –It’s okay, Hermione. I mean, you had one hell of a good reason to do it. It’s okay, really.â€
–But what if--oh, God, Ron, what if they hate me?
–Hermione…shut up,†Ron said gently. –What you did probably saved their lives. You had to do it, they’ll understand.â€
–I know. I had to,†Hermione said miserably, still conflicted.
–They’ll understand,†he repeated. –Come on, Hermione! What you did was really brave. And smart. And--I mean, hard. I dunno if I could--if I had to protect my parents--if I’d be able to…†he trailed off, then hugged her tighter, communicating his understanding of her burden--but he admired her for it.
She thought about it, trying to see it the way he did. –I guess…I don’t know…but, they love me. I know they love me. Whatever happened…well…†She took a deep breath. The first rays of dawn were shining in through the window. Voldemort had been dead for one whole day. She had been fully conscious of the possibility that she and her friends would be the ones dead, but that was over now. They would have a future.
–I’m just so glad we’re alive,†she said, suddenly smiling, so full of joy that they had years, decades, remaining for them.
Ron chuckled; she felt his tensed muscles relaxing. –Believe me, Hermione, so am I.â€
" " " " " " "
–Harry! You awake ye--oh…â€
Ginny and Harry broke apart, both turning to look at Ron, who had just clambered through the portrait hole. –Sorry,†he said sheepishly.
–Nice timing, you prat,†said Ginny forcefully, then slightly regretted it. At least he’d apologized this time.
–It’s okay, you didn’t mean to,†Harry said to Ron, looking half embarrassed and half amused. He let go of Ginny, but kept hold of her hand.
–Um…Kingsley wanted to talk to you…†Ron muttered. Harry looked at Ginny, and she nodded, her annoyance dissipating. He still had plenty of work left; they’d have time later…lots of time.
Ron turned to climb back out the portrait hole, and they followed him, hand in hand, heading down the staircase and navigating the war-torn corridors to the Great Hall. Ginny stared as they passed broken doors, ripped paintings, and piles of rubble. The castle hadn’t lost its familiarity, but it was full of battle scars.
They arrived at the Great Hall, which was full of the orange-yellow glow of early morning. For a second, Ginny’s memory took her back to the previous dawn, how the light from the window had suddenly illuminated Harry’s confrontation as she watched, hardly daring to breathe…
She shook her head and surveyed her surroundings. A few dozen people were eating breakfast at the four tables. She turned involuntarily to look at the spot where the bodies had been, but they had been moved elsewhere. She felt a pang, for Fred--then she realized she didn’t want to see his body again. He hadn’t looked like himself, dead; it wasn’t him, it didn’t have his liveliness.
–Harry!†Kingsley Shacklebolt called from the nearest table. Hermione, who was sitting across from him, turned around to look at the three of them. Ginny wiped her eyes and told herself firmly that she was not going to think about Fred right now.
–Hello, Kingsley,†greeted Harry.
–Hi, Mr. Shacklebolt,†Ginny said, uncertain as to what she should call him and for once deciding it would be preferable to err on the side of caution. He was the Minister of Magic now, and what’s more, a Minister she respected.
As they sat down, Hermione told them, –Kingsley doesn’t think I should use magical transport to get to Australia, because Apparition would be dangerous, and chains of Portkeys make the user badly disoriented. So I guess I’ll just take a plane.†The others nodded. Ginny had a pretty good idea what a plane was; they flew, and had wings, sort of like a gigantic metal bird. Riding one seemed terribly unsafe to her, but she was sure Hermione knew what she was doing.
–Harry,†Kingsley began, –the first thing I would like to say is, thank you. You have done a tremendous thing, for wizards and Muggles alike, and you have everyone’s gratitude for it.â€
Harry didn’t know what to say. Ginny gave him a huge smile, and he came out with, –Thanks…I mean, you’re welcome.†She almost laughed. It was incredible, the way he could save people’s lives without a trace of bigheadedness about it.
–I am under the impression that you are, or were, interested in a career as an Auror?â€
Harry looked surprised that Kingsley knew, but he nodded. –I was. Er…I still am. And I think--†he glanced at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny--–there are others, too…â€
–Yes, of course. Many Aurors have died this past year,†Kingsley said solemnly, –so we will be admitting a large number of new applicants. Harry, you have already been offered a position, and so have you, Mr. Weasley, and you, Miss Granger, if you so wish. And I’m sure that Miss Weasley will be offered a position as well,†he said, smiling at Ginny.
–Thank you, Kingsley,†Harry said, impressed.
–Er--yes, thanks, I’d like that.†Ron grinned.
–Yes. Thank you,†echoed Ginny, remembering a conversation that had taken place several months ago at a D.A. meeting. A good half of the members of Dumbledore’s Army, Ginny included, had said that they wanted to become Aurors once the reign of terror was over. Well, she meant it. There were surely Death Eaters, or sympathizers, out there, and she wanted to fight them so that they could never hurt anyone again.
–I…†Hermione hesitated. –I know it’s a very important job, being an Auror, but I was interested in starting a career in Magical Law--because that’s important too, and it really can make a difference, I’ve always thought.â€
–I quite agree,†Kingsley said approvingly. –That can be arranged. And in addition--†he smiled, producing several official-looking papers with his wand--–the Council of Merlin met yesterday, and came to the decision that everyone who fought in the battle yesterday, or otherwise helped to defeat the Dark side, will be awarded an Order of Merlin. They have already spoken to enough eyewitness vouchers to award several dozen Orders of Merlin, and they’ll be awarding more as they receive more information.â€
He handed each of the four of them a certificate stamped with a golden (or, in Ginny’s case, silver) Council of Merlin seal. Order of Merlin, Second Class, she read, shocked but pleased--she hadn’t even known underage witches and wizards could get these things. Awarded on May 2, 1998, to Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley, for her heroic actions in the Battle of Hogwarts, including the combatting of dangerous Death Eaters Russell Avery and Bellatrix Lestrange. Her eyes widened as she remembered. She’d managed to Stupefy Avery, but Bellatrix had come pretty effing close to killing her, despite the fact that she’d been taking on Ginny, Hermione, and Luna all at once. Well, Mum took her down. Yeah! she thought proudly.
–They’ll be adding more? Can we give you names?†Ron was saying. –Because, well, there are so many--everyone in Dumbledore’s Army, Aberforth, Griphook, Dobby--and you know all the Order--â€
At ‘Dobby,’ for some strange reason, Harry smirked. Ron and Hermione both blushed. Um, what was that about? They’re talking about a brave…and dead… house-elf?
–Certainly, although as I have a lot of things to attend to this morning, I’d prefer that you gave me a written list of people whose heroic actions you can vouch for. And the opposite will also need to be done, so that the Wizengamot will have witnesses for all the trials--if you could write down names of those whose criminal actions you can personally attest to…if you are up to it, I understand completely if you don’t want to,†Kingsley added.
–No, we’ll do it,†Harry assured him. The others nodded.
–Thank you. Ask your friends, as well, please. All right, there’s just one more thing. Harry, what you were saying to Voldemort yesterday…am I permitted to ask what that was about?â€
Ginny stared at Harry. What was that thing he had mentioned--it began with an H…
–Yes, I…think so, although I’m not sure…whether the public should know…but, Riddle kept himself alive using Horcruxes--seven of them,†Harry said.
Ginny registered the shock on Kingsley’s normally calm face. She asked, –What are--?â€
–Objects containing pieces of his soul,†Harry clarified gravely, meeting her eyes. –The diary was one of them.â€
Her jaw dropped--she’d been possessed by a piece of Voldemort’s soul? No wonder it had been so bloody horrible. –So--so that’s what you’ve been doing,†she said to Harry, heart surging with fire; she understood now. He had been taking on more of those murderous Tom Riddles. –You were destroying them, the rest of them.â€
–Yeah…that was the task Dumbledore left me to do,†Harry explained. –And it wasn’t just me--Dumbledore destroyed one before he died, and Ron and Hermione each got one, and Neville got one even though he didn’t know what it was…†Harry listed, frowning in thought. –Oh, and Crabbe, completely by accident.â€
Ron shot an admiring glance at Hermione when Harry mentioned her name. There was something funny about the way he was looking at her, and the way she was smiling back.
Oh! Ginny realized. So that was why Hermione had been wearing that moony smile when they were going up to bed yesterday morning; at the time, Ginny had been too exhausted to think anything of it. She grinned wickedly. She and the twins were gonna get a kick out of this…
The twins. Damn, she swore silently, scowling at the table as if everything were its fault. Harry broke off in the middle of saying something to Kingsley, watching her with concern. She squeezed his hand, still staring at Ron and Hermione. Well, she decided determinedly, she would just have to tease Ron twice as much to make up for Fred.
" " " " " " "
Luna’s eyes wandered around the Great Hall as she tried to remember exactly what had happened the previous night. She had already written about the Carrows and Ravenclaw tower, and Snape jumping out the window…then everyone gathered in here in their pajamas, she recalled, picking up her quill to jot down a couple of sentences on the piece of parchment in front of her on the table.
Hmm. Voldemort had spoken straight into everyone’s heads, sounding cold and hard, like ice. He must have caught a large number of Wrackspurts, attached his voice into them, and let them loose into the hall. She wrote down what she could remember about the message, something silly about bringing him Harry Potter, adding a note that the only one who voiced her agreement was the Head Girl, who had been shown clearly that everybody else thought that was a very unpleasant thing to say when they turned to face her and drew their wands. Luna hoped that that had made her see sense, or if it didn’t, maybe reading this article would.
She took a bite of her peanut-butter-slathered banana, chewing pensively.
Neville was walking up. –Hi, Luna,†he said shyly. The previous day, he had sat down next to her right after the battle was over. He had obviously wanted to tell her that he loved her, but he’d been too bashful to say it, so they had simply smiled at each other.
–Hi Neville,†Luna greeted, as he sat down next to her. –How are you?â€
–Not good--I mean, not bad. Uh, you?â€
–I’m alive,†she said cheerfully.
–Thank God, you are,†he murmured, then realized that he’d spoken out loud. –Um, I mean, you know…â€
Luna gazed at Neville, at the red tinge spreading on his angular face, and told him, –I may be ignorant since I’m not a Gryffindor, but personally I think you’re being a bit daft…I don’t think talking to a girl is supposed to be a braver thing to do than standing up to the Carrows, or killing a giant snake, or facing Voldemort himself,†her smile growing as she listed the accomplishments of her amazing friend. Or was he her boyfriend now? She knew they weren’t destined to be together, the way Ginny and Harry were, or Ron and Hermione--Neville didn’t dream about finding Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and he never would. Maybe they were more like friends who loved each other especially much. She wasn’t sure.
–Yeah, well…†he said, grinning.
–Oh, and congratulations on your Order of Merlin, First Class!†she added.
He looked surprised. –Thanks! But, how did you--did Gran tell you?†he asked, motioning across the Hall towards a lady wearing a vulture hat that reminded Luna of the hats she used to make for Quidditch matches.
–Oh, no, I just assumed, I didn’t know they’d given any out yet,†Luna said amiably. She expected that she herself was probably in for a Second or Third Class, which she was pleased about, since it would make Daddy proud, and he’d been having a tough time lately.
–O-kay…I hope they give you one, you deserve one, too. You fought Bellatrix Lestrange,†he said, sounding fierce all of a sudden. –By the way, what’s that?†He glanced at her piece of parchment. –Oh! Is that an article, for your dad?â€
–Yes, it is, I expect the fall of Voldemort will be a reasonably big story. Do you mind being quoted?†she asked him.
–Uh, sure. What should I talk about?†he asked, uncertain as to what she meant.
–You already did. Remember? You were talking to Voldemort, and you told him ‘I’ll join you when hell freezes over. Dumbledore’s Army!’†Luna recounted. –I think that’s now my favorite quote out of anything I’ve ever heard.â€
Neville’s mouth was open. –Really?â€
–Of course really.†She was always honest, unless of course she had to lie to save her friends’ lives, but with any luck that wouldn’t come up anymore. –That was brilliant.â€
His blue eyes were shining. –Luna…I’m not nearly as brilliant as you,†he said, and leaned towards her.
She proceeded to make the impromptu discovery that kissing Neville was very nice indeed. He appeared to like it too, so she decided they ought to do it more often.
They finally broke apart, looking at each other, both grinning ear to ear. –You taste like peanut butter,†he said happily.
Boyfriend, she thought.
The Beginning of After by 1000timesingoldenink
Story Notes:
This is my first fanfic ever!!
**Rating is just to be completely safe**
Chapter Notes: This chapter is a bit fluffy, so if you don't like three-headed dogs...
Disclaimer: It would be news to me if Jo Rowling were anonymously writing fanfiction on Mugglenet.
Chapter Endnotes: Reviews are really appreciated. Thanks!