Authors Note:

This story was written for the Academy Awards competion on HPFC. The quote is from Juno.

"I never realize how much I like being home unless I've been somewhere really different for a while." ~Juno MacGuff, Juno

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, the are just my puppets used to do my evil will!

Home is Where the Heart is

Hermione sighed thankfully as she walk through the vaulted double doors that led into the entrance hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She saw no sign of the battle that had happened the year before. She was glad it had been repaired to how it looked before the Last Battle. She didn't need any more reminders of the terrible things that had occurred within the walls of her much loved school, the nightmare were enough. Ron walked up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Its good being back, isn't it?" he said watching a group of second years run from peeves, who was pelting them with pieces chalk, sending puffs of smoke and screams of laughter throught the crowd when he hit a student. The older students just shook their heads smiling, while the younger ones covered their heads with coats and books, anything to stop the annoying poltergist from hitting them with the mutlicolored pieces of shrapnel.

"I never realize how much I like being home unless I've been somewhere really different for a while." Hermione replied, sinking in the warm embrace and leaning her head against his muscled chest. It was true. In the summer when she used to go home with her parents, she never really felt as safe as she did when she was at Hogwarts. Hogwarts would always be her home. No matter what happened. Harry caught up with them, his arm around Ginny's shoulder, talking to Neville.

"You can't even tell that anything happened last year" Neville was saying, looking over the heads of the younger students, his face still littered with the scars of the Last Battle. The battle had changed them all in ways that were both good and bad.

"Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore," Ginny said, her red hair flowing freely over uniform as she leant against Harry and placed her head on his shoulder . "It's over and done with, we never have to worry about it again." Harry nodded and placed a small kiss on his girlfriend's cheek.

"You're right, Ginny. Now we can all just sit back and take the year as it comes." the all groaned, reminded of the NEWTS coming up later in the year. Hermione shrugged away from Rons arms, and turned, no doubt as if to head to the library.

"No you don't" Ron said, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him before holding her so she couldn't get away. "You are not going anywhere near that library until you've had tea."

Hermione pouted before grinning wickedly.

"Well then, you'll have to catch me." With that, she twisted out of his arms before running off.

"Bloody women." Ron cursed before a smile broke out on his face and he ran after her. He caught her at the top of the stairs, and proceeded to tickle her, until she was gasping for air. Noticing the look on her face, Ron burst into hysterics. Hermione tried to look angry, but onlymanaged to look like a red tomato. Hermione gave up and started laughing as well, happy that they had, at last, come home.

The others laughed at their antics. After all, Home is where the heart is.

End Note:

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