A/N - I really hope you enjoyed the final battle! As I've said before, I've had that in my head for a couple of years now, so it felt good to finally get it written down and up on the site. I have read so many stories and seen so many TV shows or films that don't give a sufficient emotional payoff after the big climax, and so I want to spend some time now looking at the aftermath, and how some characters deal with it. Please review!
A ghostly voice swam into the darkness of Harry's mind.
"Hmm…I wonder if that scar will fade away now?"
Eh?
Harry's eyes slowly opened. With a start, he found himself looking right up into Luna's face. She simply flexed her eyebrows, "Oh, hi Harry."
Harry didn't even have to look around to know he was back in the hospital wing; he knew that ceiling well enough by now. As he sat up, flinching in expectation of pain that never came, Ron rushed over to him, "Harry, are you alright mate?"
He coughed, clearing his dry throat, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Ron wore a look of sheer admiration, "Honestly mate, that was bloody brilliant! I've never seen anyone duel like that before."
Harry tried to grin, "Never in doubt, was it?" Try as he might, he couldn't quite make those words sound meaningful.
Ron sat down next to him, "Believe me, I think the whole school's gonna be talking about it for weeks."
Harry thought he could hear a faint undercurrent of noise and activity, "So…everyone's still here?"
Ron nodded, "Yeah, I think the Ministry wants to debrief all the students before they let them go."
Harry began to look around, but knew Ron was already way ahead of him.
"She's with Hagrid," He explained, "I couldn't get anywhere telling her to go off and rest, but luckily he could."
"How long was I out?"
"Fifteen hours, twelve minutes, eight seconds," Luna said from across the room.
Harry and Ron shared a brief look, and then… "What happened, anyway?" Harry asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I wasn't exactly in it for the whole fight," Harry said, "I remember David fighting off the Death Eaters, then…" He trailed off.
Ron looked down at his feet for a moment, "He…he took on Voldemort."
"What?" Harry said.
"At the time I thought he was crazy…brave, but absolutely crazy."
"And now?"
"I think he was trying to buy you some more time," Ron said, "In the end Voldemort was too much for him, and he…"
Harry remembered the last thing he saw, "What happened to him?"
Ron shook his head, "Last I heard, he was being rushed to the Slytherin dungeons."
"For what?"
"Emergency surgery," Ron said solemnly, "They needed to put him somewhere where he wasn't a danger to everyone else. He was in pretty bad shape, mate."
Harry made to get out of bed, "I'd better go see what I can find out…"
Ron moved over to stop him, "Harry, you don't wanna go out there mate, you'll get absolutely mobbed."
"Fine," Harry said, and turned to Luna, "Do you think you can get my Cloak for me?"
* * * * *
Dennis Morgan stood outside the entrance to the dungeons, pacing up and down with his arms crossed. He could not handle this kind of waiting, not even as an Auror.
It had been hours since the end of David's surgery. He knew that the medical staff needed some more time to make observations, but this was really getting ridiculous. He ran a hand through his balding hair, blowing out a breath of frustration.
For ten years David had been like a son to him. He had met the boy in his first year at Hogwarts, when he guest-lectured a few DADA classes. He remembered being struck by his eagerness, his adeptness in his technique even in the early stages of his development. This encouraged Dennis to do a quick check on his back story, as he would any prospective talent that the Aurors would keep their eye on. When he'd found that David had been practically disowned by his non-wizarding family, Dennis gradually came to the decision over the year to take the lad in. He did not want to see his talent squandered…and besides, he genuinely developed a liking for him.
He was there for David through the highs and lows of his time at Hogwarts. Until today, the lowest point had come three years ago, when David was eliminated from the running for the Triwizard Tournament. He had been rumbled by Snape for organising an underground duelling competition between Hogwarts and Durmstrang. He had been in the midst of a duel with Viktor Krum when it happened…
Before Dennis could smile about how much of a prat his protégé had been, the heavy stone doors swung open. Professor McGonagall emerged first, her face pale and grave, followed by Madam Pomfrey, Doctor Rawlings from Salem, and a phalanx of St. Mungo's healers that filed their way past.
When they left, Dennis turned to the doctor, "How is he?"
"We've stabilised his condition," Rawlings said calmly, "The trauma to his nervous system was extremely severe, only time will tell if he can make a complete recovery."
"So that is possible, then?" Dennis asked, "He can recover fully?"
"It's very hard to say, but his cardio-pulmonary and immune systems are extremely fragile right now. If he does recover, he will need heavy medication, conceivably for the rest of his life."
Dennis looked away, his mouth hanging open.
"I must be frank…I think he is finished as an Auror," Rawlings said, before making a discreet exit.
Dennis looked across at McGonagall, "You're awfully quiet."
She shook her head, "You aren't the only one that finds this difficult to accept, Dennis…if I hadn't been so hard on him when he was my student, maybe…"
"Don't blame yourself," Dennis said, harsher than was needed.
He turned back to face the closed stone doors, "He's never been sick, not once…I just know, that facing a life doped up on meds like that, that he's gonna take this as a death sentence."
Behind the grieving pair, a faintly visible rustle of fabric moved away back up the stairs.
* * * * *
Hermione wiped at her tired face as he left Hagrid's hut and began the journey back into the castle.
To say that the last eighteen hours had been difficult for her would have been a massive understatement. She had never been tortured so much as having to sit through that horrific duel…the sight of Harry screaming and writhing into unconsciousness…being hit with that Killing Curse…the sheer, venomous anger on his face as he finished Voldemort off. All of it had scared her to her core…and that was taking some time to recover from.
She had once again cried onto Ron's shoulder in the hospital wing, despite the diagnosis that his wounds were superficial, and that he was simply suffering from exhaustion. She had stayed stubbornly rooted to the spot until Ron sent Luna off to find Hagrid, and he was certainly not taking no for an answer. So she talked things out with him, drank some tea, even had a sleep in Hagrid's massive bed. After he had changed the bedding, obviously.
She felt better, more refreshed and energised, but still troubled. She was so worried for Harry, what he must be feeling…especially after that final confrontation. She knew Harry so well by now, well enough to know that soon he would need some help. Hermione was even more certain that she would be there for him…that was her idea of what love is.
As she traversed the walkway, lost in her thoughts, she saw him. Harry was leaning over the railing, looking out over the grounds. As she drew closer, she caught him shiver, his shoulders rocking up and down. His face was red and blotchy, streaked with tears…
"Harry," Hermione said quietly, walking right into him and wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him close to her.
Harry cried unceasingly, unashamedly, onto her shoulder. She rocked him gently, stroking the back of his neck soothingly, "It's okay, Harry…it's okay…"
She felt so bad for him, yet in a way good that she was there to protect him. It wasn't just the battle with Voldemort that was troubling him, she knew that. It was everything…all of the last six years, and even beyond that. His whole life had been such a struggle, full of so much unhappiness and neglect and outright danger. Hermione resolved that that would end today, here and now. But she knew that Harry had to let it out of his system, now that he had the time to grieve.
"Why does it feel like this, Hermione?" Harry choked out between sobs, "…why does it hurt so much?"
Hermione continued to rock him, holding him tightly against her as his arms wrapped tight around her waist, clinging to her like a lifeline. She let him cry some more before answering…he really needed to do this…
"You've been through so much, Harry," She said quietly into his ear, "It's so unfair what you've had to live through…I can't even imagine how you must be feeling."
Harry shivered against her as she continued, "You're such a good person, Harry. So kind and so warm, so giving and trusting. You have a beautiful heart…that's why it hurts like this."
She gave him a squeeze, "You've needed to cry and rant and scream your whole life, Harry, you've just never had the chance to. Living with those hideous Dursleys…living under the constant threat of death here…lesser people would have been crushed by it, but not you. You will get better, Harry, I promise you…but for now it's okay for you to feel this way."
Hermione felt Harry begin to relax against her, his body becoming less tense, "Just relax, my love…you'll be alright…I'm here for you."
For several minutes they just stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace securely. Harry became gradually quieter, clinging to Hermione just as tightly. This made Hermione glad, in perhaps an inappropriate way for that moment; still, if he wanted her to hold and cling to, that was absolutely fine with her.
"…I killed him," Harry said, mournfully quiet.
"…Voldemort?" Hermione asked.
Harry nodded into her neck.
"You had to, Harry…you of all people know how dangerous he was…"
"But I murdered him…in cold blood, like a…"
"Listen to me, Harry," Hermione said, firmness in her gentle voice, "He would not have thought twice about killing you. He even tried, and only the purity of your heart stopped him. Creatures like that, they just need to be rid of…I know it's hard, but sometimes you just have to take these actions…especially against such an evil…bastard…like that."
She gave him another squeeze, "Please don't beat yourself up for that, Harry. Anyone of us would have done the same thing, if we were there instead of you. We all know you're not a bad person."
"He…David…"
"David did all he could to help you, Harry," Hermione said, "and whatever happens to him, he wanted to help you come out of this. Even if he dies, he died on his own terms…"
"He's not dead…" Harry said unsteadily, "…he might wish he was…"
"Then that's something for him to deal with, Harry, not you," Hermione said, "I'm sure that Sarah will be there with him now, having the same talk that me and you are having. Don't guilt yourself for that, Harry…okay?"
She felt Harry nod against her.
"Good…"
"I'm sorry," Harry said faintly.
"For what?" Hermione asked.
"Making you do this…picking me up when I crash and burn like this…"
"Harry, it's my pleasure," Hermione said firmly, "I will do anything for you…you know that. And if you're upset, then right here is where I want to be, more than anything…and you haven't crashed and burned, you're just coping with everything that's happened. It's okay; this is how everyone does it."
"They cry uncontrollably?"
Hermione nodded, "Oh yes…and believe me, you have plenty of right to cry, and scream, and go absolutely crazy…I just kind of hope you won't go too crazy."
She could swear she felt Harry suppress a chuckle, and smiled to herself, "But if you do, I'll still be there to make you sane again."
A few minutes of comfortable silence passed.
"Do you want me to let go?" Harry asked.
Hermione smiled, shaking her head, "Never."
Harry gave her waist a squeeze, "…There's something I never said before…something I wish I had."
"What's that?"
"…I love you too."
Hermione's smile grew so wide, her insides filling with the most indescribable joy.
"I guess I'm not off to the best start," Harry said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"…Being with you, and all…"
Hermione squeezed him, "Oh Harry, you're absolutely fine…"
Her hand once again tickled the back of his neck, "And besides, we've got the rest of our lives to be better."
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