Disclaimer: I am not JKR, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters contained within. I am simply borrowing from the wonderful world that JKR has created. I should also mention that I have no money so suing me would be a waste of time. Thank you and enjoy.

Summary: The war is over, Riddle is dead, and no one will leave Harry alone! Is it really asking so much to have a little time alone with the woman he loves?

The Difference A Couple Days Can Make

Peace and Quiet

Harry sits at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, a ministry witch acfross from him. She's rambling on and on about some trivial bit of information Harry couldn't care less about; He rather feels as if he's in a History of Magic class and briefly wonders if this woman is related to Professor Binns. She finally finishes whatever rubbish she was going on about, stands, shakes Harry's hand, and leaves him sitting at the table. It's been going like this for three days now; since the morning following Riddle's demise. He wakes up, leaves his dormitory, and gets assaulted by any number of 'fans' or officials wanting 'just a moment of his time'. He feels certain he must have met with every witch and wizard in Britain by now. He drops his head into his hands and awaits the next intruder upon his privacy. He doesn't even look up when he hears someone sit across from him.

"And what can I do for you?" he says, his tone reflects his impatience and annoyance.

"Nothing dear, I just wanted to let you know we were getting ready to leave. It's getting rather late."

Harry's head snaps up at the sound of the voice.

"Mrs. Weasley! I'm sorry, I thought…I mean, I wouldn't…that is, I didn't realize it was you," he stammers. "I thought you were another ministry worker, or another reporter, or"

"It's all right Harry," Mrs. Weasley interrupts him, "I understand. Haven't given you much privacy have they?"

"More like none," Harry replies. He drops his head back into his hands. "It's been non-stop since the end of the war. I can't even walk down the hall in peace."

"Well, it's too be expected, dear. You've just saved the entire wizarding world after all. Everyone wants to see you, or talk to you, or thank you."

"Brilliant, everyone wants something from 'The Boy Who Lived'. Not too bothered with what 'The Boy Who Lived' might want though, are they?"

"No, they're not…so what does 'The Boy Who Lived' want?" Mrs. Weasley asks.

"Nothing," Harry lies. "I'm just tired."

"Harry, you can't complain that nobody cares what you want, and then say you don't want anything," Mrs. Weasley says gently, "You obviously want something, what is it?"

"I –," he hesitates. "I just want a bit of peace is all, for everyone to let me breathe; No one needing to see me, or thank me, or congratulate me, or shake my hand…just some privacy."

"Is that all?" she asks.

Harry looks at her. She couldn't know what was really on his mind, couldn't know what he really wanted…could she?

"Harry, I've raised 7 children, I can tell when there's more to a story than what's been told. Come along now, what is it dear?"

"I-It's just – I just – I just want to be alone with Ginny for more than 5 seconds!" he blurts out. "I've been trying to have a conversation with her since the war ended but every time I turn around some bureaucrat wants to have a word with me, or some reporter is dogging my steps begging for an interview. I've gotten so many owls I've considered making myself unplottable! Some of the owls are rather persistent too," he says, showing several half healed wounds on his hand. Mrs. Weasley just sits and listens, allowing him to vent. "The few times I have been able to get Ginny alone, a crowd forms around us in minutes and won't leave us alone! Even in the dormitories, everyone wants to see 'The Hero'," he says. He realizes he had started shouting and his face grows warm. "I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, I didn't mean to yell. It's just so frustrating."

"Nothing to be sorry for, Harry, it's perfectly understandable," Mrs. Weasley says. She stands up and turns toward the door. "You wait here dear, I'll be right back."

She hurries from the Great Hall leaving a confused Harry staring after her. She returns a few minutes later, with Ginny in tow, only to find another ministry wizard sitting opposite an obviously irritated Harry.

"All right, that's enough." Mrs. Weasley says, walking up to them.

"Wha…" the ministry wizard starts to say.

"Anything you need to discuss with Harry can wait," She cuts across him, "The poor boy hasn't been left alone for three days. What Harry needs now is to be left in peace, not hounded by the Ministry about Merlin knows what."

"But madam…" the ministry wizard starts to say.

"Harry," she says, directing her attention to him, ignoring the ministry wizard's protests, "you and Ginny go, take all the time you need. I'll handle this." She indicates the wizard still making objections behind her.

Ginny walks over to Harry and takes his hand. Harry simply smiles, unable to express his immense gratitude to Mrs. Weasley.

"Thank you," he manages to say. He looks at Ginny, "We'll be back in 48 hours."

Without another word, before anyone could say anything, Harry turns on the spot and they disappear with a 'crack'.

"As for you!" Mrs. Weasley says, rounding on the ministry worker. The large man quails before the imposing presence of the little woman in front of him.

Ginny gasps as the invisible bands around her chest loosen and the world stops trying to squeeze the life from her. Never having apparated before, Ginny is slightly disoriented from the experience and stumbles. She feels Harry's arms catch her and gently pull her to him.

"I've missed you so much." he says.

"I've missed you too, Harry." she says.

He caresses her face softly and, without another word, kisses her. He kisses her with such intensity, as if trying to convey all the love he has for her in this one kiss. Ginny wraps her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with equal intensity, a year's worth of longing bursting forth. They stay like that for several minutes, lost in each other. They finally part and rest their foreheads together.

"I love you, Ginny," Harry whispers, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Harry."

He pulls her close to him, hugging her, never wanting to let her go again. Ginny closes her eyes and lays her head on his chest, breathing in his scent, listening to his heart beat. Even after nearly a year apart, it still feels so familiar, so natural to be in his arms. Neither knows how long they stood like that, reveling in their closeness after so long apart, both taking solace in their greatest source of comfort. After a while, Ginny opens her eyes and looks around. The lighting is dim but she can make out glass fronted enclosures.

"Where are we?" she asks.

"Chessington World of Adventures."

"Where?" she says, looking up at him.

"Chessington World of Adventures. It's a zoo, or at least, this part is a zoo," he says, "Closed right now."

"So this is a muggle zoo," she says, looking around. "Why'd you bring us here?"

"It was the first non-magical place I could think of. Somewhere we wouldn't be bothered and no one would think to look for us," he says. He looks around at the various enclosures. "The Dursley's brought me here once. It was Dudley's eleventh birthday and they couldn't find anyone to watch me so they brought me along," he explains, a bitter edge in his voice, "This was where I first learned I was a parselmouth. Didn't know that's what it was called then, didn't even know about being a wizard." he says. He takes Ginny's hand and walks around the reptile house looking at the different snakes, lizards, and reptiles. He walks up to one of the enclosures, reaches out and touches the glass. "It was right here," he says, "This had been a Brazilian boa constrictor. I was looking at the boa in here when it lifted its head and winked at me; I started talking to it. Dudley saw what it was doing, came over, and punched me in the ribs to get me out of his way. Next thing," he says, a faint smile touching the corners of his mouth, "the glass was gone and the boa was slithering out of the enclosure. It even thanked me on it's way out." The smile fades from his face, replaced by a sadness. They start walking again. "I got locked in the cupboard for three weeks because of it."

Ginny can hear the pain in his voice and squeezes his hand. "I'm sorry," she says.

"It's all right. As bad as it was, it was still one of the best days I ever had growing up. The Dursley's never took me anywhere if they could help it; I usually got sent to Mrs. Figg's. I remember thinking how lucky I was to finally be going somewhere, even if it was with Dudley and his best mate Piers. I even got a lemon ice pop at the gate. Then I go and set a boa on them." They both laugh.

They continue walking around the reptile house, looking at all the different specimens. Neither says anything more, words are unnecessary, they simply enjoy being together. They explore the rest of the zoo, dodge security, and have a great time together. It's well past eleven o'clock at night when they finally decide to leave.

"Where to now Mr. Potter?" Ginny says playfully, "You told my mum 48 hours, which leaves you with…about 45 to go."

"Grimmauld place. Hermione, Ron and I got it cleaned up while we were there, and it is my house. I might as well get used to the idea of living there; At least for now." He squeezes her hand lightly. "Ready?"

"Hang on," Ginny suddenly says, "I just realized. How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You apparated us out of Hogwarts! No one is supposed to be able to apparate within Hogwarts."

"Oh that," Harry chuckles, "Well, you see…"

Author's Note: This was written as a challenge on a H/G site. The challenge was to write a story where Harry takes Ginny and leaves for 48 hours. I got the name of the zoo from the HP Lexicon. I tried to use verifiable information when possible but some things, like the length of the punishment, I had to make up. Best just to go with it.