A NEW DAY Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged out of the Head’s office. As soon as they stepped off the spiral staircase, the familiar voice of Minerva McGonagall pierced the silence between them.
“Harry! What were you doing in my office?”
Harry was taken aback by the sudden voice in the stillness of the corridor but eventually realizing who it was, answered, “Sorry, Professor. We just had to get some advice from Professor Dumbledore’s portrait. I assume you must be the new Headmistress of the school - again?”
“Yes Mr Potter but I would like an explanation of some sort now as you must have realized. But it looks like all of you are really tired. So if you would like to meet me after some rest…” the Headmistress replied.
“Thank You Professor. We will come and find you soon after we get some sleep. We have been awake for more than twenty-four hours.” Harry agreed and then looked towards Ron and Hermione, who were barely standing but still holding each other’s hands. He was about to turn away and walk towards Gryffindor tower, when Hermione spoke up and asked the Professor if they would require any password.
“Yes Miss Granger. The password is ‘Harry Potter’.” Professor McGonagall said while smiling at Harry.
He immediately turned around and looked at the Professor in confusion.
“You will have to get used to being in the spotlight, Harry.” added Professor McGonagall with such tenderness in her eyes that all Harry could do was nod back.
“Now I would say Goodnight but as the sun is still out, I would suggest you, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger make haste and get some well-deserved rest and I will inform your close family and friends of your location.”
As soon as Professor McGonagall turned around and walked up to her office Harry looked at the other two.
Ron’s mouth was still hanging open but then he smirked and commented, “Wow mate! I never thought I would ever see that side of the professor but then again this is another day in the life of the Boy-Who-Lived-Again”.
Before Harry could reply, Hermione tiredly smacked Ron on the arm.
“Come on…we might as well clean up and rest. Maybe Kreacher can bring something for us to eat.” Hermione said.
Harry and Ron shared a look as if slightly taken aback by this suggestion but then they both shrugged as Harry added, "You two should also remember, we have to take care of something else tomorrow as well."
Harry and both Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement.
As they walked through the rubble and blood-stained castle, he could see both Ron and Hermione still holding hands. He once again felt that familiar yearning to feel Ginny with his hands once again, the touch of her lips on his, the flowery scent, that hard blazing look in her eyes………
The one she was giving him right now.

GINNY A couple of hours earlier Ginny was sitting with her mother and trying not to think. But try as she might she could not stop from seeing flashes. Flashes of so many people lying on the floor of the Great hall, bodies lying on the grounds of Hogwarts…Percy carrying Fred’s limp body with the help of Lee Jordan, her mother’s heart-wrenching scream still ringing in her ears, her father crying and trying to console her mother, Bill and Fleur holding and supporting each other, and George standing beside Fred’s body all alone with haunted eyes. A few tears escaped her eyes again as she tried to hold them back but above all else, she couldn’t stop seeing the face of the raven haired boy – no man- lying on the grass still without any life. It was as if her world had come crashing down when she had seen Harry’s lifeless body. Then a few moments later he was alive and whole, and the darkness which had surrounded her had went with the first sign of light which had shown through the windows of the Great Hall as Harry had defeated Voldemort.
She finally looked around her. Bill and Fleur were sitting across the table from her, while Charlie and Percy were with George who