A new begining - 1

"Oh! I brought that from Hogwarts, but we couldn't get it to work while you were unconscious. Do you want to try it now? It should only take a minute, and I'm certain you'll see that he's really gone," Hermione said, her eyes shining with excitement.

Harry's breath hitched again. He really didn't know what was wrong with him, or why he wanted Ginny there so badly. He was being a baby, and he knew it, but he couldn't admit that to Hermione.

Again, she must have noticed his distress and was kind enough not to mention it.

"Why don't we wait for Ron and Ginny? I'm certain they'd like to be here, as well," she said.

Harry's eyes felt very heavy, and his willpower to keep them open was waning.

"Go to sleep. Everything is okay. I promise," Hermione whispered, gently kissing him on the forehead.

Harry sank into the comfort of the pillows, listening as the thunder rolled and letting the darkness consume him once more.

*~*~*

The next time Harry opened his eyes, his room was brighter, although he could still hear the patter of rain against the window. His body ached, but the pounding in his head was slightly better – he could tolerate the light, anyway. Everything was blurry, but he still didn't have enough strength to raise his arm and reach his glasses. He blinked several times, trying to decipher the various blurs.

His glasses were slipped on his nose, and Ginny's smiling face came into focus. She was pale, and her freckles stood out distinctly.

"Hi, bright eyes," she said, leaning over to kiss his forehead. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you awake."

Harry closed his eyes again, enjoying the warmth of her kiss. His heart felt lighter simply because she was there. He was about to tell her how glad he was to see her when Ron's voice alerted him to the fact they weren't alone.

"All right, enough of that. Let me get a good look at him. You've left me alone with crying girls for a week, mate."

Harry glanced over Ginny's shoulder to see Ron and Hermione standing behind her. Hermione looked drained, but she was beaming at him.

"Hi," he mumbled hoarsely, his throat burning.

"How are you feeling this morning, Harry?" Hermione asked, while Ginny helped him take a sip of water.

"'M fine," he mumbled, letting water sooth his throat.

"You're still dreadfully pale," Hermione said.

"Bloody hell, Hermione. He just defeated the most powerful Dark Lord ever and saved the world – again. He's allowed to look a little peaked," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Language, Ron," Hermione scolded, but her eyes shone brightly. "I was just about to head home and catch some sleep, but since you're awake, why don't we use the Soul Balance? Professor Dumbledore told me exactly how it works. It's fascinating, really, and I've been so eager to try it."

Harry's stomach lurched uncomfortably. He was feeling slightly nauseous, anyway and vaguely wondered how long it had been since he'd eaten. The idea of getting a confirmation from the Soul Balance – regardless of which result it would give – filled him with dread.

"Maybe it's too soon, Hermione. He just woke up," Ginny said, eyeing Harry carefully.

He leaned into her hand as she gently stroked his hair.

"Why? What do you mean, it's too soon? We're all here, and he must be dying to know. I know I would be. I mean, it's not like we don't know what the results will show. Voldemort wouldn't have died if all the Horcruxes hadn't been destroyed, but I know if I were him, I'd want to see it for myself," Hermione said, pushing the bedside table so the Soul Balance came clearly into Harry's view.