Peace
May, 1998
The sun was setting when Harry got up. He took a look at the robes he hadn't bothered to shed before sleep and found that they were filthy, torn, and, in some places, soaked with blood. He gingerly undressed and, after a moment's contemplation, put on fresh Muggle clothes. He felt like he'd had enough of wizarding for a while.
Even so, he put on his Invisibility Cloak without a moment's hesitation before slipping out the portrait hole.
The Great Hall was clear of bodies when he passed. He didn't know what had happened to them, but he caught sight of Professor McGonagall and noticed she, along with other members of the Order, looked absolutely exhausted, emotionally and physically. He tried to ignore the pang of guilt in his gut as he walked out onto the grounds and immediately lay down on the tall grass under his favourite willow tree in front of the lake.
"Mind if I sit?"
Harry whipped around and regarded Ginny, who was looking directly at where his head had lain moments ago. "How did you know I was here?"
"This is your favourite spot to be when you're looking for peace," she said, peering around nervously, trying to figure out where she should be looking as she addressed him. "I noticed the flattened grass and took a guess. Can I sit?"
Harry took off the Cloak as he sat up and nodded. Ginny was shocked at how old he looked, but kept a neutral expression as she sat down cross-legged across from him. She didn't realize that Harry was thinking the same thing about her. "How are you?" he asked her after a moment's awkward pause.
"Dreadful," she whispered, looking out into the lake. There was a light breeze that knocked her red hair away from her face and made her radiant despite her sadness. Harry blushed and tried to remember that they weren't together anymore. "You?"
He hesitated. "About the same," he eventually stated quietly. She finally made eye contact with him and he held it for a long time before finally turning and staring out into the water.
"You can't fathom this, can you?"
"No, I can't." Normally his voice would be fierce, not with Ginny, but because her words were just so true. Not understanding things usually left Harry cranky. Today he just felt empty.
A soft hand slipped over his. "There will always be evil," she whispered to him, and cracked a smile. "You're not off the hook quite yet."
Maybe it was that she'd voiced what he hadn't been able to understand in twelve words or less, but he kissed her and found he couldn't stop for a long time.
"I promised Ron I wouldn't do that again," he finally muttered embarrassedly, not actually caring terribly much.
"Ron can--" She faltered to silence and just looked at Harry with sadness and exhaustion in her eyes. He cupped her face with his hand and whispered to her just as she had done.
"There will always be peace." He swallowed hard. "I promise you, Ginny, wherever you are, there will always be peace."
They sat together for a long time, ignoring the encroaching twilight, neither one saying a word. When Hermione finally found them the next morning, she swept the Invisibility Cloak over their sleeping figures and reported back to Ron that she'd come up short.