Daughter of Black

8.19

A light breeze blows over the damaged grounds. We had all gathered in the Great Hall, Madam Pomfrey still taking care of the injured; the dead covered with white sheets. Fred, George, and I entered the hall, the twins looking for their family. They weren't hard to find; the tall red-heads were always visible. For the most part, the hall was quiet. Everyone left was here, some huddled together in small groups, nursing their wounds. There are no tears, just quiet laughter and low conversation. Aberforth and Oliver Wood sit around goblets of something strong. Dean and Seamus laugh together at a table. Filch communes with Mrs. Norris. Flitwick and Sprout sit quietly, dazed. Cho looks up from a group of Ravenclaws, smiles faintly. Neville sits wearily, the Sword of Gryffindor still clutched limply in his hand. Luna sits down beside him. The Weasleys were huddled together, Ginny's hand resting on her mother's shoulder, her eyes distant. As we approached, Mrs. Weasley looked up, her face lighting up with relief and love. "George! Fred!" she called, getting to her feet and rushing to pull them into a tight hug. "Thank Merlin, you're safe."

"Mum, we're fine," George said, his voice muffled by her embrace. "We're all fine."

Mr. Weasley stood up, his eyes crinkling with relief as he hugged his sons. "Thank goodness," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "We were so worried."

"We made it," Fred said, his voice surprisingly soft. "We all made it." Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, Ron, and Ginny gathered around, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Angie, who had been sitting quietly with the family, gave Fred a warm smile.

"Is everyone okay?" Ron asked, his eyes scanning us for injuries.

"We're good," I assured him. "We're all here."

Mrs. Weasley's eyes landed on me, and she pulled me into a hug as well. "Thank you, Mira," she said, her voice thick with gratitude. "Thank you for keeping them safe."

"It was a team effort," I said, smiling through my own tears. "We all looked out for each other."

George cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. He looked around at his family, his eyes bright with emotion. "Mum, Dad, everyone," he began, his voice steady despite the exhaustion. "I have something to tell you." Everyone fell silent, their eyes on George. He reached out and took my hand, squeezing it gently. "Mira and I have been through a lot together," he said, his voice warm. "And in the midst of all this chaos, I realized something. I realized that I want to spend the rest of my life with her." There was a collective gasp, and I felt my cheeks flush with warmth. George looked at me, his eyes filled with love. "I asked Mira to marry me," he said, his voice strong and clear. "And she said yes."

For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then Mrs. Weasley let out a cry of joy and pulled both of us into a tight embrace. "Oh, George! Mira! This is wonderful news!" she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.

Mr. Weasley clapped George on the back, his eyes shining with pride. "Congratulations, son. Mira, welcome to the family."

Bill and Fleur hugged us both, their faces beaming. "C'est magnifique!" Fleur said, her voice filled with happiness. "We are so 'appy for you!"Charlie and Percy congratulated us warmly, while Ginny and Ron looked thrilled.

"About time," Ginny said with a wink. "We've all been waiting for this."

Angie gave me a hug, her eyes twinkling. "Congratulations, Mira. You two are perfect for each other." She hugged me tighter and I saw the look in Fred's eyes.

"Don't worry. Fred is definitely proposing to you soon." I whisper in her ear. She looks over at Fred warmly, moving to stand beside him. As the family gathered around us, showering us with love and congratulations, I felt a warmth spread through me. We sat down with the family, sharing stories of the battle and talking about the future. It felt surreal, sitting here in the Great Hall, surrounded by the people we loved, knowing that we had survived. The war was over, and we had a chance to build a new life together.

After the initial celebration with the Weasley family, the Great Hall slowly began to quiet down. The fatigue of the past battle started to weigh on everyone, but the joy of the moment kept our spirits high. George's family had been overjoyed by our engagement, and I couldn't wait to share the news with Harry and Hermione. I looked around the hall, spotting Harry standing with Ron and Hermione. They were talking quietly, their expressions a mix of relief and exhaustion. I nudged George gently. "Let's go tell Harry," I said, a smile spreading across my face. George nodded, taking my hand as we made our way over to them. As we approached, Harry looked up and his face broke into a tired but genuine smile.

"Mira..." He breathed a sigh of relief as he stood up, hugging me tightly. I had been just as worried about him during the battle, but now that it was over, I was overjoyed - tired, but overjoyed. Harry nods towards George. "How are you holding up?"

"We're good," I said, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice. "We actually have some news." Harry raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Oh? What's that?" George squeezed my hand and grinned.

"Mira and I are engaged!" For a moment, there was silence as the news sank in. Then Hermione let out a delighted squeal and pulled me into a hug.

"Congratulations, Mira! That's wonderful!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with happiness. Harry's face lit up with a smile that reached his eyes. He stood up and hugged both George and me.

"I'm so happy for you two," he said, his voice filled with genuine warmth. "You deserve all the happiness in the world." I felt a lump in my throat, overwhelmed by the love and support from Harry. He had always been like a brother to me, and his approval meant the world.

"Thanks, Harry," I said, my voice a little choked. "It means a lot." Harry pulled back, looking at me with a thoughtful expression.

"You know, I've always thought of you as a sister, Mira," he said softly. "Seeing you happy makes me happy too." I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, and I hugged him again.

"You're the best, Harry. I'm so grateful to have you in my life." Hermione and Ron exchanged a glance, and I noticed a small, secretive smile on Hermione's lips.

"We have some news too," she said, looking a little shy but excited. "Ron and I... Well, we're dating now." My eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"Really? That's amazing!" I hugged them both, feeling a rush of happiness for my friends. "It's about time," I teased, making them both laugh. Ron blushed a little, but he looked happier than I'd seen him in a long time.

"Yeah, well, we figured it was time to stop dancing around it," he said, grinning.

"Congratulations," George said, shaking Ron's hand and giving Hermione a warm smile. "We're really happy for you." The five of us stood there for a moment, basking in the joy and relief of the moment. George leaned over to me, whispering in my ear, "I think I owe you a sickle." I laughed, leaning against him. We had made a bet so long ago about Ron and Hermione, but I couldn't remember who was the winner of the bet. George looked back to his family and I nudged him lightly.

"Go." He looked back at me with a small smile. "I'll meet up with you again in a minute." George nodded and ran back to his family, wanting to make sure everyone was ok, the anxiety from the battle still high. I looked back towards the trio and we walked slowly out to the front of the castle.