Please don't expect updates this often on a usual bases. I don't have a lot of time to work on my stories. What college student does?
CHAPTER TWO
The next morning, Harry woke to screaming coming from the corridor. He looked down at Ginny, who was awake as well. They both stood with raised wands and crept toward the Fat Lady's portrait. Harry saw Ron and Hermione reach the bottom of the stairs and signaled to them to stay quiet. Just as the four reached the portrait frame, it burst open to reveal a very frazzled Molly Weasley. The four lowered their wands as Molly gathered them all in a giant hug.
"We didn't know where you were; we were so worried!" She tried to sound scolding, but mostly, she just sounded worried.
"We're sorry, Mum. We fell asleep here last night before we had the chance to tell anyone where we were," Ginny explained, hoping to calm her mother.
"Yeah," Ron added. "We weren't planning on being asleep this long."
Molly was pacified. "Oh, well, you deserved a good night's sleep after the battle."
If only that was the only reason Ron, Hermione, and I were so tired. Harry tried to hide his grimace, but Ginny's frown told him that she had seen it.
At that moment the distraction Harry was craving came in the form of Kreacher who had just apparated into the Common Room with a loud pop.
"Master Harry, Professor McGonagall bid Kreacher last night to tell Master that she requests his immediate presence to discuss his instructions. But Master Harry looked so peaceful when Kreacher returned that Kreacher refused to wake him and returned to tell her that the meeting would have to wait because Master was asleep and that Kreacher would bid Master come when he awoke. And now Master Harry is awake and looking well-rested."
Molly stared at Kreacher as if doubting that he was really there. Harry chuckled at her and Ginny's expression. "Thank you, Kreacher. Please go and tell Professor McGonagall that I will meet with her now. I just need to know where to meet her."
Kreacher bowed and disapparated.
"Do you want us to go with you, Harry?" Hermione inquired of her friend.
"No, Hermione. That's alright. You all go on down to the Great Hall for breakfast."
Molly, Ron, and Hermione all headed out of the portrait opening. Ginny stayed behind. "Harry, we need to talk."
"I know," Harry responded. "And talking with you is my top priority, but Professor McGonagall has been waiting all night for an explanation that she deserves."
"I deserve one too, Harry."
"Yes, you do. And I promise you that you will get that explanation as soon as you want it, even if it means asking the professor to wait a little longer."
Ginny chuckled. "You're becoming as proficient as Mum at guilt trips. Go. Talk to McGonagall. Then, come find me, and we'll talk."
Harry gave her a huge smile. "Thank you, Ginny." He kissed her forehead.
They walked down to the Great Hall together, attracting every eye they passed. As they reached the doors, Professor McGonagall came hurrying out. "Mr. Potter, with me please."
"Go on, Ginny. I'll see you later," Harry smiled.
Ginny entered the Great Hall, and Harry fell into step behind McGonagall. She led him to the Headmaster's office. The giant gargoyle did not protest as they climbed the stairs. Once inside, McGonagall turned to face Harry.
"Now, Mr. Potter. What is all this business about Snape?"
"Professor Snape," Harry corrected, his lips quirking. "Odd, isn't it? A year ago you would have been correcting me. Strange, how quickly things change."
"And why, exactly, have your opinions changed so much that you demand, with no explanation, that his body be placed with those who warrant the greatest honor?"
Harry's demeanor became sober. "Because without Professor Snape, we might never have won this war. You see, Professor, right before he died from the snake bite, Professor Snape gave me his memories. I immediately came up here to use the pensieve. If there is one thing I'm certain of in this whole big mess we call war, it's that, from the moment Professor Snape betrayed Voldemort seventeen years ago, his loyalty to Dumbledore and to Dumbledore's cause never wavered."
McGonagall opened her mouth and then closed it, at a loss for words.
"Professor, I expect that you want further proof than my word, and, as such, you are more than welcome to use the pensieve. I did not remove Snape's memory. However, I would ask that I could leave you to discover the truth while I have a talk with someone who deserves answers as much as you."
McGonagall was flabbergasted. It took a few seconds for her to gather herself in order to reply. "Yes, of course you may go. If Snape's memories have the same effect on me as they obviously did on you, I assure you that he will receive every honor that his actions warrant."
"Thank you, Professor. I assure you that he does deserve them."
Harry exited the office and headed down to the Great Hall as that was the last place he had seen Ginny. Careful to make sure that no one was looking, he slipped on his invisibility cloak, not ready to face all those people whose loved ones died because of him.
The doors were open, and as he walked in, he looked in all directions for a glimpse of read hair. Finally, he saw it at the far length of the Gryffindor table, though no one was sitting by House this morning. He approached her slowly, his mind barely registering that she was sitting surrounded by her family, Hermione, Neville, and Luna. He stopped behind her and reached out his hand to touch her shoulder.
"Ginny," he whispered as his hand made contact. She jumped. "Shhh. It's just me."
She relaxed under his hand. "Harry."
"Come with me?"
"Of course." Ginny stood up to leave.
Molly noticed the movement. "Where are you going, Ginny dear?"
Ginny smiled indulgently at her mother. "I'm going to go talk with Harry."
"But Harry is in a meeting with McGonagall, dear."
"No, I'm not Mrs. Weasley," Harry answered, loud enough for Molly to hear but not loud enough to draw attention to himself.
Molly started, as did those near him who heard his voice. "Oh, Harry. I didn't see you there, dear."
"That's kind of the point of an invisibility cloak, Mum," Ginny said, eager to be alone with Harry.
"Ginny…" Arthur started.
"Oh, no, dear. She's quite right," Molly interrupted. "You two go ahead, but please be safe. If something happened to either of you…"
"Oh, Mum." Ginny leaned down to hug her mother who was tearing up. "Nothing's going to happen to us. I promise."
"I won't let anything or anyone hurt Ginny, Mrs. Weasley."
Molly tried to smile. "I know that, dear, but a mother worries, you know. Now, go on."
Ginny sent her mother another smile before walking toward the doors, her senses telling her that Harry was following.
Once they were out of the Great Hall, Harry removed his invisibility cloak and turned to face Ginny. "Where did you want to talk?" he asked quietly, taking a step closer to her.
Ginny took a step toward him as well. "What about the Room of Requirement?"
"It might not be functioning. We kind of destroyed it after we asked you to step out. But we can go look."
"Okay."
They linked hands and began to slowly walk towards the Room of Requirement. Neither of them said anything, content to be together again.
Arriving on the seventh floor, they separated their hands, and Harry crossed in front of the wall three times. I need a room to talk comfortably in, a room that feels warm and safe. A door appeared.
"I guess it's still working," Ginny commented.
Harry nodded. He reached back to link his hand with Ginny's again, and together they crossed the threshold of the door into the Come and Go Room.