Chapter 27

Harry and Hermione returned to the battle field to find the post battle preparations well under way. Kingsley had Dwrift and his men ready to be moved to Azkaban to await trials for the various crimes committed against their world. Harry visited the healers and repaired the wound to his shoulder through a long draught of steaming tea. He then made his way back to the front to find Kingsley making final preparations to move to the ministry to put things back in order. Kingsley had once again been made interim Minister of Magic, thou none doubted that after events of recent years that once elections were held Kingsley would win by a wide margin.

Harry walked up to Kingsley, "Kingsley, where's Ron?"

"He's bound with the rest of the prisoners, he will have to answer for his betrayal," Kingsley answered.

"Please bring him here," Harry said solemnly.

Kingsley nodded and ordered Ron brought forward, Ron looked as if his will for life had been sucked from his very soul, as if he'd already received the dementor's kiss.

Harry motioned for him to be brought before him. Harry walked up to him. Ron couldn't look him in the eyes, nor chance a glance towards Hermione who was standing there watching the scene unfold. Harry stepped forward and with a wave of his hand removed Ron's binding.

Kingsley began to protest but Harry simply said, "I know what he's done is testable, and I know many of you feel he should receive punishment for it, but please as a gesture for all the good he's done in the past I ask you to grant him a pardon for this. Grant him his freedom so he may have a chance to one day atone for what he has done. So he has a chance to redeem himself."

Ron finally looked up at Harry and did not find the anger or hate he had expected. Instead he found a sort of forgiveness in his eyes. Ron began to speak an apology, "Harry, I…I can't tell you how sorry I am, I just hope," he began but was cut off by Harry's raised hand.

"Don't tell me how sorry you are Ron, show me, show me in your actions from this day on, I wanted you to have your life back, now you do so please live it well," Harry said in a tone that made Ron understand he was speaking from a true want to have Ron live a life better than he had been living.

Ron managed a small smile and finally looked at Hermione and with a look of utter penance pleaded for forgiveness. She simply looked back with a blank stare. She didn't know how to feel, she knew deep down that one day she could forgive him for what he had done, but today was not that day.

They all made their way back to Godric's Hallow where impromptu victory celebrations were already springing up. They all joined in the festivities, many glad that the weight and oppressions of recent years were finally lifted. They celebrated long into the night, all cheering each others valor in the battle, Harry being first amongst them. Harry simply raised his hand and called for silence. The lavish manor house fell silent at once.

"My friends, this victory does not belong to me, it belongs to us all, lets never forget what was sacrificed to bring it about, lets never forget the 12 brave souls who gave their lives in this struggle, it is they we honor here this evening, and from this day on let us vow to never fear the evil that lurks in shadows, let us vow to always stand and fight for our homes, our families, for all we hold dear in this world, now please a moment of silence for those who have fallen," Harry said in a solemn tone.

They all bowed their heads at once and felt the pangs of sadness for their fallen comrades. Many had been the oldest ministry officials who were amongst the first to return when the call went out. Harry felt relieved that none in his circle lost their life, but he felt the deepest grief for those who had fallen none the less.

The weeks that followed the battle came and went in what seemed a furious pace. Kingsley had succeeded in ridding the ministry of any lingering hints of Dwrifts regime. He reversed all the oppressive laws imposed by Dwrifts administration; those included the limitations of liberty to house elves and other magical creatures. He lifted the muggle prime minister from his enchanted state and removed the wizarding lines to what they had always been.

All the families who were in hiding returned, and their world was once again filled with the prosperity of life. Diagon Alley's streets were once again lush and vibrant as parents and children happily made their way up and down them. The shops were reopened and a sense of peaceful contentment filled the land. Georges shop was now doing record business; it seems that after years of such misery and despair, people were finally ready to laugh again.

Everyone was happy; everyone except two souls who dreaded the day they knew had to come. That day came with a pale dawn as Harry finished packing up Grimmauld place. He had said most of his goodbyes, and through many tears and cries of protest he made them see that he had a responsibility that extended beyond their world, that he had to see after the needs of the people and places everywhere, and while they didn't fully understand no one questioned his motives. He had delayed his very last goodbye for as long as possible, he knew it would be the hardest, the one that would once again break his heart. He could delay no longer as he heard the door open, and he watched as Hermione entered the room. She just looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

"Beautiful morning," he began, "you know I don't feel many people understand what a true miracle each and every dawn is. How the sun rises each day and banishes the darkness, embracing the world in the warmth of its glow, reminding us that there are bigger things than us, that the universe holds infinite mysteries we will never fully understand. I love the dawn, it's like the birth of hope," he finished and now saw Hermione smile slightly, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"I've seen to all my affairs, my estates and my finances have been transferred to a trust for Teddy, he'll always have what he needs, I've put aside some for various charities, most involving the efforts to completely erase what Dwrift has done." Harry said seeming to purposely avoid the main reason Hermione was here.

"It seems you've taken care of everything, and now your preparing to leave, and do I need to ask weather or not I can follow,' Hermione said in a tone the noted the sadness that filled her soul.

"Hermione my life from here on out will be a life of danger and toil, I will have the most evil of enemies. I can't let you risk your life like that, I can't ask you to give up your life." He finished with his own sadness coming through now. She didn't speak, she knew even her most heartfelt protests wouldn't change his mind, she simply looked down, tears now falling.

Harry walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, "I will always love you, that will never change, as long as the sun remains in the heavens it will burn as will my soul, it will burn with my love for you." he broke away and quickly grabbed his Buki and pack, slinging them both across his shoulder, he made his way to the door, and looked back one last time, "I've left you something, its up in Sirius's old room, I hope it will help you understand,"

He turned, knowing that further delay would only make it harder, not trusting his heart to hold he stepped outside and was gone. Hermione stood silently in the room for a while as fresh tears streamed down her face. She finally found the strength to make her way up the stairs. She stopped in front of the bedroom door, and with a deep breath pushed it open. She walked inside and quickly looked around. She found it, lying on the table besides the bed. She recognized it at once. A thick tome covered in rich crimson. Harry's journal. The chronicle of his journey from boy to sage. She walked over to the table and picked it up. She sat on the bed, opened the book and began to read.

A year had passed since the battle of Godric's Hallow and the world for the wizards of Britain had never been better. They had begun an era of prosperity that seemed unrivaled in living memory. Hogwarts was now seeing record attendance and the minister was implementing bold new policies that ensured the continuing freedoms of their world. Hermione was pleased with how things had improved, she thought about how far her goal of house elf liberation had come in just one short year. She smiled at the thought as she placed her last few items deep into her magically extended bag when she heard the sharp knock at the door.

"Come in" she said.

Neville walked through the door of Grimmauld place, in which Hermione had been living since Harry left. He made his way over to where she had just placed the last of her things in the bag.

"So you're really going through with it then, you're really leaving," Neville asked a little downcast.

"Yes Neville, we've been through this all already, I've made my intentions and reasons clear," Hermione said.

"I know I just can't believe it, it just feels like the end of an era, first Harry and now you," Neville said with a tone of sadness.

"I know but as long as I stay I will never be truly happy, you know that, and life here will go on, just as it always has, just promise not to let them forget the promises they've made, to always try for a better world," Hermione said in a serious tone.

"Oh they wont forget, not with Ron heralding liberty for all magical non human creatures, house elves being first amongst them, I still can't believe he's taken your seat on the wizenagmot," Neville said in a bit of feigned disbelief.

"I know, but I can trust him to continue this vital work, I know he'll make us all proud, as for me, I have a journey to make, and hopefully at its end I'll find the happiness I've searched for all my life, thank you for everything Neville, thank you for being a true friend," She said as she walked forward to hug him.

"No need to thank me, after all what are friends for, will we ever see you again," Neville asked hopefully.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling I'll be back one day, and I wont be alone, goodbye Neville, and don't forget to live. Smile the sun is rising, there's always hope," she said smiling.

Neville smiled saying his goodbye. Hermione turned and walked out the door into the emerging light of the new day. She smiled as her purpose, her journey now seemed crystal clear, she turned on the spot and vanished.

Harry sat silently in the middle of the woods. The woods that had become his defacto home. It had been two years since he had once again left his friends in Britain, and his heart had never fully recovered from his last goodbye. Thou he felt he had done the right thing that was small comfort for the wounds of the past. He sat meditating on these thoughts. He was exhausted, having just returned from a small village outside Tuscany Italy, where an evil spirit was tormenting the residents. It took him three months before he could completely drive the spirit out and the struggle had left him feeling drained. He returned here, to the house he had built for himself. A large traditional Japanese structure, with high vaulted ceilings and sharp precise angles, held with pillars with intricate designs running up and down them. While the house was beautiful and served him well as a suitable dwelling it never truly felt like a home to him.

He took a deep breath as he tried to purge these thoughts from his mind. He began to feel a little better when he heard a strange sound, footsteps, about three miles off. He quickly rose; no one knew this part of the woods. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the cadence of the steps, the were light, suggesting the person had a slight frame, most likely a woman. Probably lost from a surrounding village. But still Harry couldn't take any chances, he had to be sure it wasn't a threat. He grabbed his Buki and cast the concealing charm and made his way silently to the source of the disturbance. He found it quickly in the form of a cloaked and hooded figure. Harry immediately became weary of the stranger, who seemed to want to hide their identity. Harry approached the strangers back and raised hi Buki.

"Stop and turn, remove your hood," Harry ordered. The stranger obeyed, turning slowly and letting her hood fall, revealing a mane of bushy brown hair, and eyes of the deepest brown, now full of unbridled joy.

Harry just stood awestruck by the figure, he dropped his sword and his mouth just hung a bit as his invisibility faded.

"Good to see you're not the only one who can cause shock by a sudden appearance," Hermione said smiling widely.

Harry just stood and stared in disbelief. His powers of speech had seemed to abandon him. He felt like he had just taken a war mace to the back of the head.

"Well are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there until you sprout roots," she said with a sly grin.

Her attempt at humor brought him out of his stupor slightly, "Hermione, how, when, where, is this possible, is this real?"

"Both real and possible Mr. Potter, love will always find a way," she said laughing a bit now.

"But how, I mean how did you find me, "he asked finding his full voice again.

"Well it wasn't easy, this helped thou," she said as she pulled Harry's journal from her bag, "It let me know by the geographical descriptions what part of Japan you were in, then it was just a matter of finding you, which wasn't easy." she finished with a sigh.

"How long have you been searching," he asked.

"Oh about a year now, I think I got lucky with this small stretch of woods, I thought I recognized some of it when Ressen had brought me here before, I wasn't sure thou, I just began searching here when you found me." she answered.

Harry's disbelief had returned, "A year, you've been looking for me for a year," he asked in a shocked tone.

"Yes Harry, a year, but that just a drop in the bucket, I would have searched for a thousand years if that's what it took, and before you begin your protests let me speak, I know why you left, I know the responsibility you carry, but just because you have to serve doesn't mean you have to give up completely the chance to live with love in your life. I know the dangers and risk but really the alternative is worse, having the choice of living a life of safety and peace with a gaping hole in my soul, or taking the risk of living a life of passion and endless love I'd walk through the suns fire to reach the latter. I have no life without you, my heart, my soul will always be incomplete without you, and I know it's the same for you. So if you tell me we can't be together then it's the same as sentencing me to the dementor's kiss, because that's what a life without you would feel like." she finished with a deep hope in her voice.

Harry just stared at her for a moment, as she twitched nervously, waiting for his response. He looked in her eyes and looked as if he wanted to say something, but instead he just rushed forward and took her in a deep embrace, lifting her off her feet and holding her high circled her around before finally bringing her back down to kiss her. The kiss was an extension of the joy his soul was now bursting with. It was the most passionate kiss either had ever shared and it lasted for an eternity in a moment. As they finally broke apart they stared smiling into each other eyes.

"Hermione you've no idea what you've done, you've saved me," said Harry in a tone of utter contentment, "I Love you so much"

"And I love you Harry Potter, and that will never change," she said with a voice full of the happiness she had searched so long for.

They took each others hand and walking side by side made their way back to what Harry now finally felt like was their home.

The End.