We couldn't believe that the war was over, and that we managed to defeat Voldemort.
When everyone learned the news, they shouted for joy and they all went to the Great Hall to celebrate even though a lot of students and members of the order died that night.
Professor Flitwick and professor McGonagall helped Madam Pomfrey with the rest of the injured, and then with some spells they made appear some cauldrons with hot drinks so everyone could drink something after that terrible night.
I wasn't sure about how I felt.
After Voldemort's death I ran to Harry to make sure he was okay, and then also with Hermione and Ron we entered the Great Hall where everyone was talking or just relaxing.
I looked for Draco with my eyes, but obviously he wasn't there.
I sighed, probably he ran away with his parents, and probably he was already at his house.
I wondered if he regretted his choice, if he missed me already, but I couldn't know the real answer, even if I hoped that one day he would come back to me.
I didn't want to cry, at least not in front of everyone when they were all happy about the outcome of the war.
Obviously, I was happy that we won, I was happy that everyone, from pureblood to muggle born were free, but I really wished that I could celebrated with him.
Probably we weren't meant to be.
I sat next to Blaise and Theo. At least they were there, and they were okay.
"ehy, I saw what you did. It was bloody brilliant" Theo said, smiling at me proud of me.
"thanks" I answered shily. I wasn't in the mood for talking, but I was really glad that they were there with me
"how are you?" Blaise asked me.
Blaise had always been the deep one, and he had always understood me. He knew me too well, and he clearly understood I wasn't as happy as everyone else.
I decided not to lie, he probably would understand that I wasn't telling the truth.
I looked at my feet, not wanting to meet his brown eyes. I shook my head, smiling with sarcasm
"I wish he was here too. I mean I'm so happy we won, and that we won't have to fight again. I just want him to be with me, with us and celebrate. Clearly he hadn't the same idea as me of being together". Blaise didn't answer, because he knew that any of his words would help me in that moment.
I smiled nodding; he knew that I would be ok.
"Can we steal Hannah for a moment?" Harry asked Blaise and Theo.
His face was covered with dust, blood and dirt, but his eyes were shining. He was proud of himself for what he had done for all of us, he was just too modest to admit it out loud.
I stood up and I followed him with Hermione and Ron outside the castle.
Any of us was talking, we were all so tired.
"Why didn't you die?" they all turned around to meet my eyes
"I mean, Hermione told me you were an Horcrux, and to defeat Voldemort, we would have needed all the Horcruxes gone"
He nodded "I found the resurrection stone into the golden snitch Dumbledore left me"
"so, the Deathly Hallows do exist. I thought it was only a legend"
"Hermione believed that too" Ron said laughing at her, who rolled her eyes. She was very rational, she probably didn't believe about them until now.
"We'll not stay here, we have to go" Harry said looking at the Black lake
"Go where?" I asked "you have just arrived here"
"we have to finish something we left unfinished. You can come with us" he said looking now at me
There was silent for a bit.
I was thinking about what I was going to do, and what was the best for me. I missed my friends so much in the past year, but in that moment, I had the certainty that we had time to stay together as long as we wanted to.
I sighed, knowing in my heart what was the best for me
"I love you all so much and I missed you terribly in the past year. But I can't go with you right now. I think I need to stay here" I said looking at all of them
"Hannah, if it is for him, he's not coming back. He had made his decision" Ron said
"It's not that. It's just, I just feel that what I have to do now is stay here and help everyone rebuilding the school. Probably I'll finish the school year and have my N.E.T.W. exams. Yes, I'll do that" I said, more to me than to them.
They didn't agree with my decision, but they accepted it.
"Don't get in trouble" I said smiling and looking at them.
Hermione hugged me in a way she had never done.
It wasn't a goodbye hug, she just wanted to make sure that I knew she was there for me, and that she always would be.
"I'm so sorry for what had happened" she whispered in my hear while we were hugging
"It's okay. It had to go like this" I reassured her
Then Ron hugged me, I missed his scent "you finally did it, you kissed her. I'm proud of you Ron" I could feel him smiling from my shoulder
"I'm proud of you too. you are my second sister" I smiled, and he smiled me back knowing how much that meant to me
And the Harry, I hugged him, and I whispered something that he needed to hear
"Sirius would be so proud of you now. I'm sure he is". He hugged me tighter
"Thank you so much for everything Han. You're so brave, and so important to me, you know that" I smiled, and we broke the hug.
"write to me as much as you can do, I'll see you as soon as you finish all of your business" I said, and they all nodded.
I watched them leaving the castle, and then, when I couldn't see them anymore, I returned into the castle.
After one week the building was already fixed up, thanks to some spells McGonagall taught us. Surprisingly, my dorm remained intact during the battle.
Once we finished re-build everything, Blaise, Theo and I went there and packed all of our stuff.
I picked all of my books, clothes, but most important all of the photos.
They were picture of me and my friends, and also picture with Draco. I sighed looking at them. I would have missed him so much, but I would have been okay.
"you know you can go to his house and slap him in the face" I turned around seeing Theo leaning against the door jamb.
I smiled "I think it's better if I stay here" I said. He nodded.
When we all finished our work, we met in the center of the room.
"ready?" Blaise asked
"Ready" Theo and I said at the same time
They exited the door, and then I went outside the room.
Before closing the door, I looked at the dorm one last time, remembering all the nights I spent there with them and by myself.
Once I closed the door, we started to go down the stairs to go to our respective common rooms, but we met Hagrid on our way.
"Hey Hagrid, is everything ok?" I asked looking at the giant man in front of me
"everything wonderful!" I smiled and we started to walk again when he stopped us again
"I was forgetting, someone said there is someone who's looking for you at the Black Lake, Hannah. They said it was urgent" he said.
I looked at my friends, surprised, they looked surprised too, evidently, they knew nothing.
"and they also said who is it?" Hagrid shrugged, and he kept walking.
"well, I guess I'll find out" I said smiling. I was a little nervous. Who would want to talk to me at the Black lake?
"do you want us to come with you?" Blaise asked me
"no, it's fine, thanks"
Once I left my stuff in my old dorm, I walked to the Black lake.
In the meantime, I wondered who it could be. Maybe Harry, Ron and Hermione made a surprise and wanted to meet them.
When I arrived there, I realized it wasn't Harry, Hermione or Ron. It was him.
We looked at each other, and before he could say a word, I ran to him and hugged him as tight as I could, and I would never let him go again.
He hugged me back. We stayed like that for a lot of time, without talking or saying something.
His scent was the same as two years ago when I first met him on the train for Hogwarts. He was my home.
When we broke the hug, I looked at him, and I slapped him in the face, as Theo said to me earlier "this was for leaving me there. I hated you" I said, and then I kissed him "and this was because I forgive you and because I love you" we smiled together
"I'm so sorry for everything. I shouldn't have gone with them, but I was scared, and I thought that maybe my mother wouldn't have wanted me as her son anymore if I hadn't gone with her. once we came back to my house, I talked to her about you, and about the fact that I wanted to stay with you for the rest of my life. She understood, and she let me go here. I had to wait because my father didn't agree, but honestly after one week I didn't care about what he thinks. I just wanted to see you, and I couldn't wait any longer"
I smiled and we kissed, and kissed, and kissed.
I really forgave him, and I understood his point of view.
We sat on the grass, on the shore of the lake, to talk about everything. I told him about how we managed to defeat Voldemort, and how I killed the snake.
He was so proud of me, he wished he could have seen me in that moment.
We talked about everything. And then sometimes we stopped for some kisses.
The sunset could be seen perfectly from where we were sitting.
I put my head on his shoulder, and we watched the sunset, as nothing had changed.