Understanding (Neville Longbottom)

Epilogue

I screamed until my throat was raw. At first I couldn't really understand anything that was going on around me: the world exploded in a miriad of colors, sounds, lights... The only thing I was certain of, for the first minute, was that I was happy.
After that, I realized I was still close to George, because he hugged me so tight I thought he might have broken my ribs; then Eugene who was crying, Christopher who was all smiles, Elanor or Siobhan jumping up and down...

I looked for my faces, the people who were mine and lost in that pulsing crowd.
I managed to run towards where I had last seen Neville, but he wasn't there anymore.
Luna was, and Seamus, and they were both still screaming.
They screamed in my face and jumped on me almost flattening me to the ground, but I couldn't feel any pain, I was too happy.

In all the confusion I heard a voice, a loved voice, screaming "Josie!"

I turned to my left and there he was, pushing his way through people.
I ran to him, zigzagging between witches and wizards celebrating, some of them knew me and some tried to touch me, but I only had eyes for Neville.
I crushed into him with the force of all my joy and desperation and pain, but it was ok because he caught me. He always caught me.

"I thought you were going to die!" I sobbed, knotting my fingers in his hair, feeling his pulse through his neck on my cheek, smelling blood on his clothes.
He pushed me back and kissed me deeply, for a long time.
"I'm sorry" he breathed once he left my lips.
His forehead touched mine, his hands covered the sides of my face and his long fingers smoothed the hair behind my ears.
"I love you" We said together.

We separated again to look for others. I found Ginny who was with the rest of her family. I properly met Ron Weasley and her brother Percy, and went away before she could drag me to the rest of the family.

Jude was kissing a girl I didn't know, so I let him be, even though the urge to hug him was immense.

Ben found me, as he always did, and hugged me from behind, leaving me breathless and slightly scared.
Once I realized it was him I turned between his arms and rested my ear on his heart. His good, good heart that was still beating.

It took everyone a good couple of hours to settle down and, by that time, the sun was beginning to show from behind the Forbidden Forest.

"Jocelyn" Eugene put a hand on my shoulder to attract my attention. I was talking with professor Slughorn who immediately offered his hand and started a conversation with David, who had apparently distinguished himself in some research.
My uncle smiled tiredly at me "We are leaving now. Would you like to come with us?"

Would I...? I realized suddenly and violently how thoroughly over it was: I could go home!
"Yes" I whispered.

He caressed my cheek tenderly "We'll wait right here, dear. Try to not take too long"

I skipped around the room, going from group to group to say goodbye to my friends.
The Weasleys were easy to locate as usual, thanks to their hair.
Ginny's eyes misted when I told her I was going, she hugged me tight "Write as soon as you can and come visit us"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley repeated the invitation and added that whenever I felt like coming back, I would have a place to stay.
Enough time had passed so that the joy of the victory had completely left George: he was again consumed by grief. I wanted to say something to him, but didn't know what.
When I neared him, he didn't let me say a word, he just hugged me tight again and whispered "Don't take too long."

I found Ben and Neville sitting together, talking and laughing like old friends. Ben saw me first and offered one of his wonderful smiles
"There she is"