Chapter Two

Home Sweet Home

It was still quite dark outside when Harry came to his room to wake Ginny up.
He cracked the door open. He stood there a moment in the doorway watching her sleep soundly.
Ginny looked absolutely beautiful. The moonlight washed over her in the darkness of the room, highlighting her ginger hair and some bare skin of her arm as she slept. The strap of her pink nightgown had fallen over her shoulder just a bit. Even though Harry knew they had to get going before sunrise, just watching her he felt the sudden urge to hold and kiss her madly.
"Ginny?" he said quietly, almost a whisper.
Ginny just rolled over, mumbling.
"Ginny, it's time to get up."
"Go away Potter. It's not even daylight yet." She moaned, crawling underneath her pillow. Her pink feet jutting out from under the bed sheets.
Harry began to feel playful. He smirked and said teasingly, "Well I was going to be nice about it, but if your going to be difficult . . . "
Ginny pulled the pillow down harder, knowing what was coming up next. He walked over to the bed, took an arm and pulled her up hard.
"Ouch!" she said sitting up groggily, rubbing her eyes. The pillow on her head had made her hair a bit more tousled than before.

Harry laughed as walked back to the door and turned on the light. However, he became startled and quickly looked away when he saw her in the light. Ginny's nightgown was a bit more sheer and clingy than he realized.
Harry searched for her robe, looking quite uncomfortable.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked.
He handed her the robe "You should probably cover yourself up." He said, feeling his face get hot.
"Ha-rr-ry" Ginny said yawning, brushing the mess of hair from her eyes.
"You've seen me in my nightgown before."
"Yeah, when you were eleven. You have developed quite a lot since then."
Ginny wrapped the robe around her shoulders. "Don't be so old fashioned. You sound like my Mum."
"Sorry, It's just that I've never seen you like that before." Harry said, edging towards the door.
"Well get used to it." Ginny said firmly. "Especially if we are going to be living together for awhile.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Well, go ahead and get dressed. I'll make us a quick breakfast before we leave."
"So where are we going to stay anyways?"
"It's another surprise."
"Oh no. I don't want any more surprises. The last one didn't exactly go so well for me."
Harry turned around in the doorway and smiled at her. "I promise that you will like this one."
Harry closed the door behind him and made his way downstairs, hoping to purge all the immodest thoughts now seeping into his mind.

* * *

Harry and Ginny were able to make good time by daybreak, flying unnoticed through the night sky without much interference. It was late in the morning by the time they reached the countryside.
Ginny had tried to sleep on the back of Harry's motorbike, but it had mostly been in vain. She hadn't gotten much sleep from the night before, and she was still harbouring some anger about going into hiding with her boyfriend. And now, finally tired enough to sleep the road had become gravelly.
"How much longer?" she shouted irritably into Harry's ear.
Harry said nothing, but began to slow down as they seemed to be getting closer to the outskirts of a small village.
It was then, that Ginny had noticed the town's sign. She had seen it before, but not for many years and in the darkness of one of the most horrible nights of her life. They were going to Godric's Hollow.
The thought of going back to the remains of Harry's parent's house filled her with dread. She was only just turned fifteen when the secrets of an enchanted music box given to her by her father, led them here to Godric's Hollow. The music box had in fact belonged to Harry's mother Lily long ago, and it also contained a key to a secret vault that belonged to her.
The vault was also sought after by Voldemort, who sent Peter Pettigrew and a pair of Death Eaters to find and open the vault. But the vault had another secret that they were unaware of, not even Voldemort. There was a second lock that could only be opened by the melody of the music box.
Pettigrew had found them as they were attempting to open the vault. Ginny had been stabbed and nearly killed, if not for Professor Snape, who had helped Harry save her life.
They had never returned to the Hollow since then to open the vault. Now that Voldemort knew where it was kept, it was far too dangerous to go back until his defeat.
They drove up a bit further and stopped in front of the large wood that had surrounded the house.
Harry jumped off the bike. "We're here." He said smiling.
"What are we doing here?" Ginny said nervously, climbing off the bike. "Is this what you had in mind as a hideout?"
Harry simply smiled at her, saying nothing. He walked the bike along the road to what Ginny could see as an opening in the wood. Ginny followed behind him cautiously, but she was also anxious to see what Harry seemed to be so smug about.
And then when she followed him around the corner she saw what he was so keen to show her.

The charred remains were now replaced by a brand-new two story cottage; white with navy shutters. Ginny's mouth gaped open in awe.
"Harry . . . "
"Surprise!"
"...how? .....why? ..." Ginny sputtered out.
Harry went on, barely able to contain his excitement. "I came back here last summer after Voldemort died, and it was strange. I expected to be flooded with memories of hatred and death, but I wasn't. Instead I felt nothing but warmth and love, the love of my parents.
"I was then reminded of something Dumbledore told me before he died. 'Harry,' he said, " Harry did his best impression of Dumbledore. Ginny tried not to giggle. " 'Don't allow the past determine who you are, but rather, allow the past become a part of who you want to be.' I was moved. This was a home of sadness and death for so long, I wanted to restore it into a place of love and happiness. The way it was when my parents were alive."
"So you rebuilt the house?"
"Yeah, Sirius found the floor plans for the house for me. I've had it under construction since February. They just completed it last month."
"And you never told me?" Ginny said, still stunned. But her eyes never left the sight of the cottage.
"Believe me Ginny. This was quite a secret to keep from you. I have been dying to tell you all year." Harry looked down and shuffled his feet, saying under his breath, "I really wanted this to be a surprise of a different kind, but I guess this will do."

Ginny gave him a sideways look, but pretended to ignore the remark. She had known what he meant.
Instead she hugged Harry hard. "Harry, this is so wonderful!"
"You really like it?"
"I love it! Really I do!" she kissed him hard on the lips. "Is it furnished too?"
"Yes, but I had a bit of help with that. It still needs a woman's touch though." Harry said, nudging her.
Ginny grabbed his arm. "Well, what are we waiting for, show me around!"
Harry led her along the stone path up to the house and opened the door.
"It's great, isn't it?"
"It's just lovely!"
Harry gave her a tour of the cottage. It was much larger than it had looked from the outside, with lots of sun and light especially for being hidden in the trees as it was.
He was just showing her the enormous kitchen when Ginny stopped in her tracks. She was staring out the kitchen window into the gardens of the back yard.
"Blimey, the vault!"
Harry laughed. "I was wondering when you were going to remember that."
Without another thought in her mind, Ginny raced back outside where Harry parked his motorbike. She dug out the music box from her trunk and ran back to the house.
Ginny scrambled out the backdoor to find Harry who was already in the gardens behind the house waiting for her near some rose bushes. The garden itself was beautiful. Not like she remembered at all, with flowers of every kind surrounding the yard. The woods behind them didn't look as dark and foreboding as usual. They were green and welcoming.
"Are you ready?" Harry asked.
"What do I do?" Ginny asked excitedly.
"Just open the box. The music should activate the second lock."
"Do you still have the key?"
Harry pulled out the small golden key from his pocket. "Right here."
Harry gently pushed aside the rosebush revealing the vault door. Ginny watched as he pushed the key into the first lock. Nothing.
Ginny moved forward and slowly opened the music box. They both heard the lock click and the door slowly crept open slightly.
Harry took the door handle in his hand and opened the door.

* * *

Ron was nervously reviewing his new stats of the Cannons game as he waited for his editor, Mr. Connolly to finish speaking with his assistant in the doorway.
Connolly had asked Ron to meet him earlier that morning in his office. He never called Ron into his office, unless it was to give him a "being a good journalist" lecture. And by looking at the rather sour look on his face, Ron felt that this meeting was going to be no different. Except of course that Ron didn't have a clue as to what he had done to deserve it.
"...well please let me know when he comes in Jules, I want Weasley to meet him right away!" Connolly shouted, closing the door behind him.
Ron was curious now. Perhaps it wasn't going to be a lecture after all. And who was it that Connolly was so anxious for him to meet anyways?
Connolly sat at his desk. A very strange look crept across his face, his lip curling upwards. Ron guessed it was his way of smiling, but he still wasn't sure.
"Weasley, I have some good news, well, for you anyways. I need you to cover the World Cup this year."
"What?" Ron said surprised. He tried to conceal his excitement for the moment. "I thought Morrison was covering the cup."
Connolly looked irritable at the thought. "Well, that schmuck left me in the lurch to go to Rome on some family business--indefinitely. So, I need you to start covering the playoffs right away."
Ron's heart lept. The World Cup, what luck! This was his chance to do some serious writing. Maybe even some good pieces on the star players as well. He had dreamed of this for ages, but he never thought he would get a chance so quickly.
"Thank you sir! I promise, you won't be sorry."
"Good. Saturday is England vs. Ireland. 10 a.m. and I . . . "
Connolly's assistant knocked on the door. "He's here sir!"
"Thank you Jules, show him in." Connolly said picking up his cup of tea.
"As I was saying, I even got you a new photographer, straight out of Hogwarts. He will be joining you for the duration of the Playoffs and the Cup."
The door creaked open and a blonde haired young man walked through uneasily, with a familiar, but cheery smile upon his face.
"Weasley, I'd like you to meet your new photographer, Colin Creevey."