Collection written for my own Album Challenge (All of You by Colbie Caillat)

This chapter dedicated to musefan929 for winning a competition of mine

Brighter than the Sun

"Oh, we could be the stars falling from the sky

Shining how we want

Brighter than the sun"

-Brighter than the Sun, Colbie Caillat

She hadn't expected to feel so empty after it was all over. After months and months on the run, camping in a tent, searching for missing Horcruxes, she thought she'd be relieved. She'd almost died, she'd finally kissed him, and Voldemort was dead; yet all she could think about was the death. The loss. The pain.

"I thought you might need this."

Hermione looked up and smiled when she saw a very worn out and exhausted Ginny standing in front of her. She had a gash the length of her arm which looked very much like a magic-inflicted wound, but she was smiling, holding a cup of water out to her friend.

"Thanks," Hermione said, accepting the fresh liquid. "How are you?"

"As good as anyone," Ginny answered, sitting down next to her. They were inside the Great Hall with everyone else. Ron and Harry had disappeared somewhere, and Hermione had chosen to stay behind. Just like they needed to get their heads around everything, so did she.

Except she didn't need to do it with them.

"The question is, how are you? You went through a lot more than I did." Ginny regarded her for a moment, then grinned. "You look wrecked."

"I feel it," Hermione responded, not even bothering to question Ginny's word choice. She was too tired to do anything much.

"I think we all need a good week's sleep. And maybe another day after that," Ginny said. "And then I guess we go to all the funerals we have to go to." She bowed her head after that, staring blankly at her hands.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Hermione reached out her own hand – a gesture of comfort – for Ginny. "I'm sorry about Fred," she said. "I really am."

Ginny nodded. "Me too," she answered weakly. "Though, I suppose it was a bit much to expect all of us to survive." She laughed drily. "Just, I don't know why it had to be him."

"You would have preferred another brother?" Hermione questioned, knowing very much the answer to that question. Despite her constant complaining, Ginny loved every single one of her brothers dearly – even Percy after everything he'd done.

"I would have preferred no one," Ginny said. "No one except You… except Voldemort." She shuddered.

Hermione nodded, understanding. "I'm sorry," she said again.

To her left Hermione noticed Seamus and Dean sitting on some chairs by the door. They, too, were beaten and battered, but she had never been so relieved to see them alive. Luna sat by herself on their left, smiling at something, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at her.

"We've all been through so much," she said to Ginny after a moment. "And look at everyone… smiling." She pointed to Luna, and Ginny followed her finger.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I wish I could smile."

"Let's go and get some rest," Hermione suggested. She got to her feet, and then offered Ginny a hand to pull her up, too. "I'm sure the Gryffindor common room is relatively empty and I haven't seen my bed there in a very long time."

"Neither have I," Ginny agreed, so together, the snuck past the many survivors of the recent battle and escaped to the peacefulness that was a few floors above.

Despite the first and second floors being virtually destroyed, the ones above them were untouched. A window at the end of one corridor had been blown in, and a part of the castle had collapsed right near an unused classroom, but as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, it was as they remembered it.

"Password," the Fat Lady stated, looking at the two young women.

When Ginny and Hermione only stared back blankly at her, she sighed, and said, "Oh, very well, in you go," and swung open for them.

Once inside the common room it took them a moment to realise they weren't alone. Sitting in the very same armchairs by the fireplace as they all once had before, were Harry and Ron. Upon their arrival, they jumped to their feet, but didn't say anything. All four students simply just stared at each other for a very long while. Harry's mouth moved up and down as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

It was Ginny who made the first move. Seeing them both there brought tears to her eyes, and she ran forward, throwing an arm around each of them. "I'm so glad you're both alive," she said, hugging them both tightly.

"'Course we are," Ron replied, looking very uncomfortable by his sister's sudden show of affection; but he didn't push her away either.

For a moment, Hermione stood there watching, before deciding to join them. They probably looked at sight, the four of them standing there, huddled together, but no one cared. They were all just so grateful to be still breathing when so many weren't.

"I love you guys all so much," Ginny said, finally pulling away to look at them all. "Please never leave again. And if you do, I'm coming with you."

Hermione shared a look with Ron and Harry, and it was clear they were all thinking the same thing. Never would they ever be going anywhere again unless it consisted of hot showers, expensive food, and something along the lines of five star hotels. Maybe then they would consider it.

It was just the four of them in the common room that morning, and all they did was sit in the armchairs in relative silence. Every once in a while one of them would comment on something about anything, but it was mostly peaceful.

It wasn't until hours later when Neville came scrambling through, breathless, did any of them stir.

"The-the media!" he gasped. "They're here… and… they want to talk… to you." He pointed at Ron, Hermione and Harry.

"No!" they all said in unison, and Neville faltered.

"Not yet," Harry continued. "Not today… or tomorrow. Or the next week."

Neville made to counter their response, but thought better of it. With a shirt nod, he left again.

"We'll have to talk one day, you know," Ron said after a moment.

"I know," Harry said, nodding. "But not right now. Anything about what we did can wait until at least after the funerals."

"What did you do?" Ginny then asked, not really expecting an answer, but trying anyway.

All three of them shook their heads.

"Not now," Hermione said.

"Not ever," Ron added.

"One day soon," Harry assured her.

Ginny nodded. She understood. In the coming months they would all be doing a lot of talking. For now, all the needed was the peaceful silence of the Gryffindor common room.

The title of each chapter corresponds with the title of each song from the album All of You. It's a very nice album and, for me, inspirational.

I hope you all liked, and please don't forget to leave a review. It would be much appreciated!