Survivors - 15

Staring across the room at the faces of all her siblings plus Hermione and Fleur, Ginny met their dazed stares with one of her own. It was over. It was truly over.

*~*~*

Ginny released an exasperated breath, blowing her hair out of her face. She glanced through the large, heavily-draped window at the approaching storm clouds. It wouldn't be long before the rain began to fall. She thought the dismal gray skies better suited her mood than the bright sunshine of the past few days.

It had been nearly a week since Voldemort's defeat, and the Wizarding world was still celebrating, although its savior remained unconscious. The hospital staff and administrators had regained organizational control and had moved Harry to the Minister's suite. Apparently, when Cornelius Fudge had been in office, he'd had regular treatments for a recurring boil on his foot, and he'd arranged for the elaborate room during his stays.

Ginny knew it was something Harry would hate when he realized it, but she had to agree with everyone else that it was safer to keep him away from the public. The reporters had been relentless, and even the staff and general public had tired to sneak in to steal glances at him.

While she waited, Ginny was sitting for her end-of-term exams. Hagrid was acting as her sponsor, although he was currently asleep and snoring loudly on the red velvet couch in front of Harry's bed.

He'd had nearly every bone in his body broken, but he insisted he was too tough to be kept down for long. He was being released from the hospital in one more day, and Ginny knew she'd miss his optimistic presence terribly.

Her eyes roamed the elaborate room, finally resting on the Soul Balance that Hermione had brought from Hogwarts. The strange silver instrument rested on the table beside Harry's bed. Hermione insisted it would make Harry feel better to see the proof that Voldemort was really gone from his soul. Professor Dumbledore's portrait had explained how to use it, but Hermione hadn't got any readings when she'd used it on Harry. It was as if there was no soul inside him at all. Hermione planned on trying it again after he awoke.

Ginny shuddered and looked away, blocking the thought from her mind. She just wanted him to open his eyes and smile that magnificent smile, but she was beginning to fear it wouldn't happen.

She finished the last of her exams and pushed the parchment away from her with a sigh. Her mum would be happy, anyway. Hagrid, Draco, and Harry were the last of their party still in hospital.

George had gone back to the Burrow two days ago. Ginny had never been so happy as the day she'd moved home with her family. The wards at the Burrow had been reset, checked, and double-checked and since there had been no sign of any renegade Death Eater activity, her parents had decided it was time to go home.

She'd been Flooing to St. Mungo's each day to sit with Harry. Ron and Hermione had been there, too, although they had more freedom to come and go since they could Apparate. Hermione had moved back home with her parents for the first time since before her sixth year.

George was adjusting remarkably well to the loss of his leg. He had an appointment scheduled to be fitted with an artificial replacement, but he had to wait until the tissue healed completely. He kept joking that it was much better than if he'd lost a hand. This way, he could still keep working and other people had to bring his stuff to him.