Keep Your Enemies Closer

by juxtaposed

The battles keep getting bigger, the losses more profound. When the ultimate loss happens, everything changes. Everyone changes. Harry and Ginny now find themselves dealing with an old friend - and a new enemy. But how do you defend yourself against someone who knows everything about you? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

also

Hermione reminisces. Harry has mental arguments. Ginny just has issues.

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies, blah blah blah; I don't own anything or anyone you recognize. Unless, of course, you recognize something or someone I do. No lawsuits or paperwork, please.

Chapter Two: In Another Completely New and Different Setting

"Do you want beef or chicken?"

A petite, and very pretty, raven-haired girl stood, hand on hip, peering into the depths of a large steel refrigerator. Her free hand came up to briefly rummage through its contents as she asked her question. Her forehead wrinkled up as she examined a box.

"Why do we have way-past-the-expiration-date goat cheese?" she muttered in disgust. She tossed the offending box out over her shoulder, where it landed with a hearty splat on the floor. Hearing the sound, she glanced down behind her. "Oops." She flicked her hand at it, and the box rose, teetering, into the air, before sailing into the nearby dustbin. All well and good, except for the little blobs of milky-green chunks dotting the floor. "Ugh. Scourgify." She waved her hand again, and the floor became spotless. "Much better," she said, nodding in satisfaction. She turned round and went back to prodding and poking the rest of the fridge's inhabitants, occasionally throwing out the odd bottle of flat Butterbeer or soggy biscuits, when she suddenly realized...

She had been talking to herself for the past five minutes.

Never a good sign, really, she thought to herself. Usually indicates insanity of sorts. Well, I guess talking to myself isn't that bad, as long as I don't listen or take myself too seriously. She giggled to herself as she noticed what she was actually thinking about talking to herself. Oh, laughing at and with myself now. Most definitely not a good sign. She sighed as she realized her ever so random thoughts would just keep on going unless she focused on something else. Like, for example, the fact that she had been talking to herself for the past five minutes. She forced herself to focus. Right, getting back to the issue...she thought with a mental sigh.

She spun around sharply on her heel, and slammed the refrigerator door shut, effectively cutting of the loud beep-beep that was emitting from the fridge being left open for so long. "Harry?" she called out. "Did you hear me?"

No answer.

"Harry?" she tried again. "Are you there?"

Silence.

She felt her metaphoric hackles start to rise. Now, Virginia Weasley appreciated peace and quiet as much as the next teenage girl, but she absolutely hated silence when it wasn't intentional. And this wasn't intentional. Slowly, she moved out of the kitchen, retrieving her wand from the top of the kitchen counter, and grasped onto it tightly. She was getting pretty good at wandless magic, but it gave her a better sense of security to hold on to her wand. Holding it out in an offensive stance, she slowly trod across the dining and living room, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. Like, for instance, a missing boy. Or more accurately, whatever had made said boy disappear. Especially when said boy was none other than the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Yes, anything that could make Harry disappear was most definitely not of the good, she decided. She was just about to head upstairs to continue with her investigation when a loud crack! sounded outside, and then a knock at the front door. She whipped her head around, her glossy black hair flying in an arc over her shoulder, as she stood frozen for a moment. Then, ever so cautiously, she made her way to the door. She peered out of the peephole, and her eyes widened. Quickly, she unlocked the door and flung it open, letting the figure outside in.

"Harry!" She released a breath she hadn't even been aware she'd been holding. Then as a thought occurred to her, she furrowed her brow. "What are you doing out there?"

The boy in question blushed as he walked into the house. "I forgot my keys."

She shook her head, although a small smile tugged at her lips. "Very good, Harry. But I meant...I thought you were already in."

It was Harry's turn to shake his head. "No, I just got back. Didn't you hear me apparate?"

"I did. It scared the crap out of me." She scowled. "I was in the midst of hunting for you - or trouble - when I heard it. I was about to panic when you knocked. Then I realized dark wizards would probably just blast their way in rather than be polite and knock. What with their being evil and all, not caring for other people's property or privacy."

He chuckled. "Very logical and completely linear conclusion." Then, flashing her a winning smile, he continued. "Then again, what else would I expect from you, Gin?"

"Shut up," she laughed. "It was logical and linear, thank you very much."

"Sure, sure," he grinned, holding out a hand in a gesture of mock defeat, then resting it on her shoulder. At the contact, she looked up at him and he looked right back at her. They stood like that for a few seconds, then suddenly Harry cleared his throat, dropping his hand. "So, uh, besides hunting for things that lurk in the Weasley household, what have you been up to?"

Her body was humming, and warm tingles began to spread through her blood as her heart beat that much faster. But she kept her cool and shrugged as casually as she could manage. "Not too much, I just got back myself. I was going to make dinner for us."

He smiled. "Sounds good. Want some company?" he offered.

She shook her head. "Nah, I can manage it myself."

"I'm aware of that. I didn't ask if you needed help, I asked if you wanted company." He said softly, moving slightly closer to her. Her eyes met his in an intense gaze, their second ever-slightly-so-awkward one in under a minute. Her heart was racing now, no question about it. And warm tingles were turning into hot flushes; she felt so buzzed she thought she'd spontaneously combust. But again, she kept her cool.

Well, sort of.

She licked her lips nervously. "I would."

AN: Review, review, review, please? It gives me tingles. And I'll give you cookies. :)